MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

Hello family and friends,

 

this week is going to be short because I don't have much to report on being that I spoke to you all just a few days ago!!!!!

 

IT was really great to hear from you all, made my week!

 

Things have been well here, we didn't do much for christmas, had a member make us a huge feast in which we took to the chapel and ate till we couldn't eat no more.

 

It was a nice chirstmas and all, but I'm excited for the next one!!!

 

 

The week has been pretty slow due to everyone being out in the villages for the holidays.

 

Besides that, I don't have much to say.  Sorry.

 

This work is true and I love to be a part of it!

 

LOVE YOU ALL!!

WRITE ME A LETTER SOMETIME SOON OKAY?

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theELDERNAYLOR

Cause I'm in Mthatha!

Well this week has been interesting.

 

Had the Zone leaders come up wednesday night for exchanges and was with them till friday afternoon. One of the zone leaders is a guy from my transfer, it was cool to exchange with him. I like the guys in my transfer group.

 

This week has been a weird one because I wasn't feeling that well. It didn't effect the work too much, I tried my best to keep going. I'm glad to report though that I'm almost better...just have the sniffles now.

 

We had some great lessons with some great people this week. One of them is Grace.  She is from Zimbabwe and is here as a maid for a family.  We tracted into her a few weeks ago and each lesson gets better and better. We saw her on thursday and followed up on what she had read from the Book of Mormon because we had introduced it to her the week before. She said she was to 1 Nephi 10! Wow. She had some powerful insights from it and we answered all her questions. Powerful lesson. She came to Church yesterday, we had to walk with her because she didn't know how to get there. She really enjoyed it and I have some great hopes for her. 

 

I hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday season, just remember not to forget the true meaning of Christmas.  It is the day set apart from the rest of the year where we celebrate the birth of the Savior.  Jesus Christ came to the earth not in a majestic glory but as a small child in a manger.  Luke 2 and 3 nephi 1 are wonderful examples of the birth of Jesus Christ...also mosiah 3. Go read them.

 

I love you all and know that this Church is the Savior's ONLY true and living Church on the earth and I'm blessed to be a part of it.

 

Merry Christmas, I miss you all!

PS the pictures are from last week...forgot to downsize the photos from this week. but enjoy!

theELDERNAYLOR

Dear People of America. (and other lands, but mostly america)

This past week for me has been real interesting. I have enjoyed it quite a bit I'd say.  Started the week with going to East London for a Zone Conference/Christmas Activity and that was really fun. We stayed there from monday evening till wednesday morning. It was cool to go on a little vacation for a few days.  Don't do that too often out here on mission.  The Christmas activity was really fun, you could tell that a lot of planning went into it.  We had a gift exchange, I got root beer and chocolate (already consumed), and we watched a movie called 17 Miracles....very good, look it up and watch it.  We also got fed TWICE. Once for lunch and then for dinner.  I sure enjoyed seeing other elders and the spirit that was felt with all of us gathered.  I love mission so much!

Then on friday we had a Branch Christmas activity.  Guess who organized and hosted the whole thing? Me.  I had no idea what I was doing but everyone seemed to have loads of fun and that is what counts.  We played lots of games and danced and sang and fun.  There seems to be a lot of responsibility placed on the shoulders of the Missionaries out here, but I'm learning a lot. I enjoy it.

Can you believe that 2011 is almost over?!?! It's crazy.  Most of our baptism dates are for February....that seems crazy!  We are teaching a lot of great people right now and the work seems to be going great here in this small part of the world.  We had an investigator surprise us by showing up to Church yesterday, didn't plan for her to come and then during sacrament, I looked over at her to see her reading from the Book of Mormon. Brought a wee little smile to my face :)

I'm glad also to report that almost all is well again in Mthatha...we have hot water again, though that was a pain. The guys were fixing it and made water come out of the geyser and it went all over our ceiling(they put the geysers in the attic here) and cause some damage and then they put a hole in the ceiling with the wrench! Oh well, at least we have hot showers now.  I am still somewhat suffering from fleas. I'm the only one that has them in the district, guess I taste the best.  I'm not too worried, they don't seem to be bugging me as bad as at first.  I'll keep fighting them though.

Last night I ate so much food!  We stopped by a members home to say hello and they gave us a plate of food to eat then when we went to our last appointment, they gave us more food but wouldn't let us stop until they said so...I was being force fed! It's funny to think back on it but at one point I got up and rushed outside thinking I was going to lose it all because my body couldn't handle more food! Luckily I held it down, but today I feel really gross and weird because my body is still figuring out what happened.  I'm okay with getting food but when I'm full, I'm full!!!!

I hope that everyone has a great week and that things are well. Whether I hear from you or not....I pray for you all.

Live long and Prosper \\//

The computer won't let my load up pictures...so next week!




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theELDERNAYLOR

Boy oh Boy...Mthatha

Woah. This week has been nuts!

Truly this mission is a once in a life time opportunity.  Things have happened this week that has sent me on a roller coaster ride!

Let me explain:

Mthatha is crazy and I'm loving it.  It is nowhere near as established as most places I have been to, pot holes, crazy people, lot of townships.  It's a good area though and we have been keeping really busy.  Like saturday.  From after studies until nine at night we were consumed with doing things...we only had 20 minutes for lunch and then we had to get back to the area to see a bunch a people. Never in my whole mission have I been this busy. I love it.

Another thing.  You guys don't hear about this in the states but did you know that humans can get fleas? haha, yep that's true.  It happens in dusty, unclean areas (like Mthatha) and guess what? Those little buggers sure like me! I have bites all over my body. I washed everything I own and have been constantly cleaning since my first bite.  I don't think it is from the house we live in but I get them from the homes of people we visit. Luckily for my district, I'm the only one that has them right now.  They are just like mosquito bites, not really that bad.  I'm fighting them though!!! Trust me though...I'm clean and sanitary. I'm not turning into a slob here!

Another thing that happened this past week.  We ran out of water. Yeah, surprised me too. Didn't think that was possible. It wasn't for too long, just a day. I think it was the first day my whole mission where I didn't shower.  The water was back on by the next morning, but get this....our geyser broke (for you americans, a geyser is a water heater). So for the past few days, it's been the coldest showers ever! Oh boy, this place is great!

Another thing. The same day that the water went out, so did our electricity. That wasn't too bad though, it was back on by the time we got back to the house that night.

Another thing. It has been raining a lot here and the township we go to, Waterfall, is all dirt roads and a whole lot of puddles! BIG ONES! So our car was covered top to bottom with mud...you couldn't even tell it was white anymore! We woke up this morning and gave a good wash down (the car got a cold wash as well hehe).  

It may sound like I'm complaining and all but I'm not. It was one of the craziest weeks in my mission and looking back at it, I just smile. We are having someone come fix our geyser this week and then all should well. I have never worked as hard as I am here in Mthatha and I'm learning that you shouldn't take small things for granted like hot water and electricity.  And not having fleas.  This place is the farthest thing you could imagine from being like home but I don't think I want to leave anytime soon.  The people here want the gospel, we have some amazing investigators and the small Branch has some powerful members.  With all the tribulations that I went through this week just proves to me that this Church and work is true. Why else would I go through all this? this gospel makes me happy, a kind of joy that you can't find anywhere else. And if I had to take cold showers and get bitten by fleas for the rest of my life just so I could be part of this church, I would.  This is THE Church of Jesus Christ. It's His Church.  Any of you that don't know this yet, please take the time in your life to find this out.  You have so many blessing waiting for you and all it takes is a leap of faith (Alma 32...my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon) 

I love what I'm doing. Don't want it any other way. I was thinking last night about how much time that I have left here on mission and it scared me.  It's getting short! I don't think I'm ready to come home. Sadly they don't really allow extensions this mission or I would try it :)  I love you all and hope that all is well back home. Thanks for being the people you are, especially those that helped clean up Centerville and my yard.  You are prayers answered showing that my family is being watched over. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

    

PS-Last night I finished the week with making Elder Lewatle and I some Chicken stir fry for dinner and drinking two cans of Dr. Pepper (found a store out here that sells american products! Who knew clear out in Mthatha I would find Dr. Pepper!) It was a great end to the week.

OH and by the way, I'm going on a road trip this week! We have our Christmas activity as a zone tomorrow so we are driving to East London tonight (3 HRS), staying the night and then Driving back on Wednesday....I'm excited, been a while since I've gone on a road trip!!!!!

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theELDERNAYLOR