MTHATHA

Hello from Mthatha!!!!!

Things here are crazy! I'm the whitest kid out here! 

No city, no large buildings, just one main street and everything else is township.  This Is really Africa.

I'M LOVIN" IT!!!

We had an appointment last week where I don't think I heard one word of english...all in xhosa.  Thankfully though, most people here speak english so that was an exception.  It was weird though.

I stay in a nice neighborhood (not township) in a house. That's right, a house with a yard and everything.  All the Elders in the district stay together, it's really cool.  Elder Nielsen and Elder Simpson (both past comps) are the other companionship in my district.  So far it's been a fun time.  The house has three rooms, one bath and kitchen with a lounge area.  Pretty roomy, I like it.  We all have our beds in one room and the other two rooms are used for the study rooms.  We have a member who lives in a small house in the back and has a cool job where he makes documentaries.  He owns a Mac and said I'm free to play on it. BOOM, who knew...out here in Mthatha I would find a Mac user.  Hehe.

My comp, Elder Lewatle is from Joburg and we are getting along really well. He's a cool kid. He's been out about 13 months.  He has these little funny comments that he is always making (sound familiar?) we'll be great together.

The only downside to this area are the roads. I remember Chelsea always complaining about potholes being fixed and didn't understand why people can't just go around them.  Well, come out here to Mthatha, Pothole city.  There are so many! You never drive straight down the road because you have to weave in and out of these massive holes. And most of our area is dirt roads anyways.  It rained a lot last week so the roads were muddy as mud and it was some crazy drivin! I'm learning though.

We have some great members out here in this tiny, little branch.  They meet in a small building that used to be a hotel and the missionaries mostly run the Branch.  They expect a lot out of us...I have a feeling I might even get a calling!  But Like I said, a lot of great members.  They just love the missionaries and always are willing to do stuff for us.  Everyday since I've been here, we've had a minimum of two fellowshippers with us the whole day.  Their choice.  What diehards they are!

Our teaching pool is a good side but Elder Lewatle and I are going to try to find a lot more people this week. We had some amazing lessons last night with a couple of people. One was with a group of sisters and we talked about how the Book of Mormon is the proof of the restoration and Joseph Smith.  The spirit was very strong as we bore witness of this powerful book. ITS TRUE. READ IT IF YOU DON"T KNOW THIS. READ IT IF YOU DO.

I'm going to increase my Xhosa knowledge while I'm here, hopefully I'll be able to speak more of it by the time I leave.  It's an interesting language.

I do miss Cape Town....lived there for over a year...I was sad to leave it. I'll go back one day...I could even see myself living there :)  Oh how I have fallen in love with the Mother City.

Well, I hope that you all have a great week and know that I think of you oft.

Can't get my camera to connect to the comp...sorry :(

Stay Classy,


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theELDERNAYLOR