Go FIND em!

Well everybody....

This week will be short due to the fact that I don't have much to report on.  This week has been yet another week but nonetheless it was absolutely amazing! 

We have been doing a lot of finding lately because we desperately need some new people to teach.  I usually don't like going out and knocking doors but we absolutely had to this week.  Once I was out on the pavement, all was well and I actually really enjoyed all the people the we talked to even though the immediate success wasn't that great.  We'll see what happens in the future.

As for other things: Grace is now a member! She was confirmed a member yesterday! She is so great and it will be really sad to have to say goodbye to her, who knows when I will see her again in my life!

Things are just great here. I'm loving mission! I have really learned the power of prayer in the last six weeks and it has really helped me to turn to my Father in heaven and council with him on all things. Much strength has been given to me!

Well peeps, this week is transfers. Some change is in the air I feel....(Actually I know, but I'm not supposed to say until tomorrow. I'll fill you in next week!)

Once again, sorry this is short, but know that i love you all!!!

 

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theELDERNAYLOR

Amazing Grace!

Hello everyone!

Boy has this week been great! The one thing that was amazing of course was the baptism of Grace yesterday!  It was really amazing to see someone go from a street contact all the way to the water.  She was very prepared by the Lord to receive this message and I'm so glad that I was able to be a part of it! Oh, and she even asked me to baptize her.  She is such a wonderful lady, very powerful testimony. IN the time that we gave her the Book of Mormon in December, she is already through Mosiah and it's incredible to see her understanding and progression. (I could see a potential Relief Society President here...but that's up to the Lord)
Another great thing was that the other guys in my district had a baptism as well....it was someone that I had street contacted while on exchanges last transfer. She was also very prepared. OH what a great week!

On other news, I'm doing pretty well.  Don't have room for much complaining really.  The work is moving along, though it has it's hard times and I'm feeling that I'm doing what I need to do right now.  It is a great part of my mission!

Another thing that happened this week was that we had Zone Conference in Queenstown on Thursday.  We left wednesday afternoon and stayed the night. It was a great conference full of some spiritual boosters! I sure love any conference in this Church!

Well, that was my week. I'm doing really well. Transfers is next wednesday and I have no idea what will happen....I have given up trying to guess. You just can't guess revelation from the Lord to the mission president.  I don't really care what happens because I know that no matter what, it is the Lord's decision.

Have a wonderful week!

OH. And to those that send me letters, cards, and whatnots...I'm sorry I never respond. I have a serious issue of laziness when it comes to writing letters.  I'm sorry, but i'm thankful that you do think of me.

all the best,

-- 

theELDERNAYLOR

Miracles do Happen

Hello everyone!

 

Miracles do happen...I witnessed one yesterday. So we have our investigator Grace. I tracted into her about the first week that I arrived here in Mthatha and have been teaching ever since (except for most of February when she went to Zimbabwe). She is great and was really prepared by the Lord to receive the gospel. Each lesson with her is powerful and she always has great insights. The only downside is that she couldn't get baptized until her husband gave his consent.  I have fasted and prayed for Grace so much that she would be able to be baptized soon.  She is ready.  Saturday night, I prayed my heart out that her husband would have a softened heart and allow her to continue. 

 

Well a Miracle happened.

 

Grace called me shortly after Church yesterday, I was still at the Chapel. She was so happy over the phone as she said that her husband called and they talked about it a bit more and he said that if she feels that this is the right thing to do, he won't stand in the way. WOAH! I wanted to jump up and down because of my excitement! Oh it was incredible. It made my week.....my YEAR. I was happy for the rest of the day, nothing could get me down (even the fact all of our appointments fell through). Grace is getting baptized. Finally. I'm not sure if it will be this coming Sunday or the following one, but all I know is that it is happening.  Heavenly Father's hand is fully engaged in this work. And I'm just grateful to be the messenger.

 

So my family and friends, that was the highlight of my week. Great things are happening here in Mthatha and I'm glad to be a part of them! Have a great week!

 

I love you all! Stay strong! Read your scriptures all the time!

 

 

theELDERNAYLOR

Fireside!!!!

Hello everybody!

This week has been really great for me,some great things are going to be happening her in Mthatha in the coming months and I'm glad that I get to be a part of starting it all.  We have some great people that will hopefully bring some great strength to the branch and help it to grow.

Saturday we had a missionary fireside to help the members get excited about doing missionary work.  When it was to start, there wasn't that many people there and I was getting worried that all the work we did was for nothing, but by the time that we started, we actually had a bigger turnout than I thought.  The fireside went really well. We focused on the message of the restoration and what it means for everyone on the Earth and how it can bless anyone's life.  We then split up into groups where we all practiced talking to our friends about certain things whether it be about The Book of Mormon or having prophets on the earth today. It was really cool and we hope to have many more in the coming months.

Another great story that happened was with some new investigators we found. They are a young couple from Ghana and they saw a program about the Church on TV a few months ago but through trial and error, haven't been able to see us till now. They are really great, the husband asks some great questions and you can tell that they are really ready to receive the Gospel. The only downside is that they can only meet with us once a week. Oh well, slow and surely they'll come around.

Those are the highlights of my week! I sure love this work and all the blessings that it is giving me!

I know that it is all true!

I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful week!


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theELDERNAYLOR

All My Life....

Hello to another week.

Hope that everyone had a good previous week, mine was pretty good, not much room for complaining!

Things this side have been going, we have been keeping busy and having some good people to teach! 

Something that always gets me on mission is when you meet with someone that you think isn't that interested but it ends up being a great lesson!

Take our lesson with a man on tuesday.  He belongs to the Seventh day Adventist Church and usually when you meet people from there, all they want to do is bash about doctrine and it's hard to keep focus in a lesson. This man was different, he listened really well and asked a lot of great questions and in the end of the lesson he told us that if he figures out that this is what God wants him to do, then he'll do it.  He says that he needs to seek more about our message and really figure out if it is true.  What a wonderful response!  I walked out of that lesson really happy.

Do we all have our testimonies in the place that we want them? 

I have been doing this whole missionary thing for the past 19 months and every once in a while I have to step back and think about what all this means to me.  24 months is a long time to be doing something, a long time to be preaching a message to people you have never met before and probably will never see again...that is why I have to always make sure that I am doing this for the right reason. 

I sure know that this is the True Church of Jesus Christ and that is was established on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets. I know that God loves His Children so much that he gives us the things that we need to gain eternal life. That is why he called a prophet in these days. I know that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of God and that Thomas S. Monson is His Prophet today and that He speaks through him to bless all of his Children.

Much blessings come from giving heed to the Prophets message.

So know that I know without a doubt that everything I do is of God and that this is His Church.

If you haven't figured this out then I would invite you to do so.

Read the Book of Mormon, pray, and Ponder.

The Holy Ghost will tell you this is all true.

I know so because I did so.

I love you all, have a great week!

--

theELDERNAYLOR

Stayed In Mthatha

Well, for all of you to know, I stayed in Mthatha for one more transfer.  My companion is still Elder Mukongoro.  Everything is mostly the same minus the fact that Elder Simpson isn't here. Instead we now have an Elder by the name of Elder Schneider from Germany. This is going to be an interesting transfer.

This past week has been pretty hectic.  WE had to drive to East London on Wednesday to get Elder Schneider, such a long drive!  We stopped at a restaurant on our way back and I got myself a birthday dinner. Yum.  Can't wait though for my next birthday dinner! Better be amazing!

The one great thing that happened this week was that we got a phone call friday night from someone that I thought I would never see again....Grace. Our investigator that left for Zimbabwe last transfer. She is back now and all ready to go, I am so excited to be teaching her again!!!!!

Sorry that this is short...I just feel at a lost of words this week. Mission is going by pretty well and I'm learning a lot, with the Challenges teaching me the most.

I know this work is true and that I'm doing this for the Lord only.

Have a great week!!! 

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theELDERNAYLOR