01/30/2012

Well things here are okay. The heat is slowing me down so much and it irritates me so bad.  My mind and heart want to go 1000 miles an hour but my body can't fight this heat.  I'm just annoyed.  I still go out every day I am just slow in speech slow when walking and always late and you know how I HATE that!  I'm so mad at myself.  Because of that the week has been frustrating, but other then that its all good.  At the beginning of the week Elder Mooki and I felt prompted during a planning session to try again to visit a very young recent convert.  We have tried before but she is never home.  However, we listened to the prompting and we scheduled her in our day.  So we go there and to our surprise she is home with her family. She is the only member.  As we greeted them we were told that their grandmother had just passed away that morning. They were all pretty upset.  People here expect visits from their church when there is a death in the family and as we have gone through the ward list we have found it is a common reason for people to go less active if there church doesn't visit after a death. Tvhe family was touched by our visit and we were able to teach them the Plan of Salvation.  I know that is where Heavenly father wanted us at that time. It was perfect.
Dad asked what I fill my day with.  Usually its an even amount of less active, recent converts and appointments with Investigators.  The stake president wanted us to visit every person on the ward list which is about 700 or so. That's split into two areas.  So we are working on that.  This Sunday there was almost 200 people in church it was awesome.  This ward will soon be split.  Bishop Mahaluba and his wife fed us yesterday and he was excited about how may people were there.  I heard Katee's companion got sent home that's really sad I hope she is alright.  Well, its been a great week.  I WROTE ONE LETTER!!!!!!!!!!!  Its a huge accomplishment and I will write 5 more today....hopefully!  Well I love you all thanks for everything!
 Colton

01/23/12

Hello,

This week has been a really good week. We had interviews and Zone training.  We also had the area psychologist tour the mission with President and Sister Wood.  He did a really cool presentation on personality colours.  I am mostly blue with a lot of white and a little red.  At least for now, my personality has changed a little on my mission.  Probably a good thing.
I just had to walk all the way home from the drivers licence place.  The zone leaders were supposed to come pick us up but they fell asleep and some one broke into their apartment. hahaha I have had bad p day luck the last two p days.  Oh well its still fun.
We are working with this really cool inactive lady.  She is 25 years old and was baptised when she was 12! She went to church for three weeks after her baptism and never went back and no one including missionaries went to see her.  She is so smart and knows the bible very well.  So we are basically teaching her like a non member.  She is loving the lessons and is feeling that its true. They are some of the most powerful lessons I have been in.  She came to church yesterday and in gospel principles class someone asked her if she was a member and she said yes I'm coming back!!!!!!  Its been a lot of fun to she how much she has grown.
We have also been teaching these two younger girls.  They cant be baptized because they are 17.  So we have been praying that their family would join us.  These girls are so smart and dedicated.  They have not missed a Sunday in 3 months.  They attend seminary and they are just way smart.  They go home and teach their family everything.  Everyone thinks they are members.  So here is the  miracle.  We asked their dad if we could set an appointment with him and he said yes!  So we taught him on Saturday and it went great!  I hope he progresses well.  Things this week have been good.  We have these accountability's that we work on every week and last week was letting the Holy Ghost be the true teacher and it was really cool to work on.  The spirit is so much stronger when you listen to what to say.  I know Heavenly Father is aware of what we need and I have seen that as I'm able to share more about the gospel with people.
Well thanks for everything love you all.  Sorry this is a way random email.  I'm running out of time and I'm just rambling on haha.

Love,

Colton

Miracles do happen. 01/16/12

Hello Family and Friends,
Well its been a great week!  We have been working really hard and doing our best to work with less actives as well as build our teaching pool.  To be honest any one could have tons of baptisms in this area but they are just people who are not prepared and who will go less active.  In 2 Nephi 31 it says, if you follow the gospel of Jesus Christ and then if you deny him it would be better if you never knew him.  So that is what we have to avoid and its so hard.  There was a group of 16 year old girls who came to church with their friends on Sunday and we worked hard and got appointments with their families, so hopefully they will all accept it so their kids can have good support structures.  We have an investigator named Babalwa.  It has been a great experience working with her.  She has had a lot of miracles happen as she has tried to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  But she never told us about any of them until the other day we had a powerful lesson with her.  A couple weeks ago I had an extra "Family Proclamation to the world" and was really prompted to give it to her.  Then when we went back she tells us that she has been  having alot of family problems and the Proclamation really helped her.  She asked us to pray for her.  So that night after we prayed with her we continued to pray for her.  She told us that a couple days later she was sitting at home with no food for her or her baby and she didn't know what to do and right then her mom called her and asked if she needed food. She explained that her and her mom don't have a very good relationship and she has never just called to see if she was okay.  She said she gained her testimony of the power of prayer and the blessings that come from obedience.  It also strengthen my testimony of prayer and the blessings of obedience!  It has been a great week with alot of success I love our area and the people in it.
Its been pretty hot here but nothing terrible.  I cant believe how humid it is.  I've never been in such a humid place but its cool.  This week we have interviews and training so that will be good.  I also got alot of post. Two packages from Mer and Courteney, THANK YOU!  And Tons of Christmas cards from people in our amazing ward.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  It was really really nice of you all to think of me!  I love you! I also got some great letters! Oma, I think that package got stolen but I will let you know!  Its the thought that counts yey!!   Thank you!  I have the BEST support ever!  I love you all very much and hope everything back home is going great! enjoy the snow.

Sorry, this is a crappy mass email. 01/09/12

Hello Family,

Well this will be short haha I don't have much time.  This week has been great!  Elder Mooki and I will be together in Kwano for at least 6 more weeks which is great.  Its nice to just keep going with what we have been doing.  On the other hand I don't like to go too long with out change or I tend to get bored.  But you all know how I hate change, so I am excited to work in the same area again and we hope to have a lot of success.  We met with a really cool less active member named Sigqobio.  He knows so much and has the Melchizedek priesthood.  He just has some concerns and I hope we can help him.  He could be a powerful strength to the ward. 

Were organizing a mission prep class as well to try to get all the Young men in the ward excited for missions. There are so many of them and the stake president really wants them to serve.  So that should be really fun. The weather is good its been warm and humid.  I herd it snowed at home that's cool!  I really miss the snow! Well I know this is really short I'm sorry!  I'm still working on letters but I'm not very good.  Thank you for all the letters!  Elder Andiamenentena my old comp is in the office now and he told me I have some letters in the office so i could get them this week!

Love you all!

Colton 

HAPPY 2012

Hello All,
Well what a week!  First  off, Mom told me Shandice is engaged.  From Mishons letter I half expected it!  I HATE missing a Beal wedding and a baby!  Its all good.  Also I am trying to write back to everyone who has written to me,  sorry I've been a little slow. This morning we played golf and it was ALOT of fun I never knew I would enjoy it but I want to go again.  I did pretty bad but not really terrible and I will get better.  I know grandpa would be proud that I went, but I am sure he would have been embarrassed ha!  Its been a very slow week.  People shut down for the holidays and basically live at the beach!  Its frustrating so we just took the time to contact a lot of less actives. We visited with a lady named Akona and her brother.  They have both been gone for a long time and she was so excited to meet with us!  She expressed a true desire to change and come back.  We taught a powerful lesson on the atonement.  I KNOW with out a doubt that the atonement can apply to all who except Jesus Christ to be the savior.  We can all start over and change.  The gospel is strict but we have a way to fix things.  I think people just forget that and get discouraged. Repentance is a positive action and some people get discouraged.  Sure its humbling but that's a huge part of it is humbling ourselves before the Lord.  It just really gets me when we meet people who have forgotten the truths they have felt.  I guess that's why were all here is to remind each other and help each other home.  I think that is also forgotten.  I am so thankful to be used full time in helping others along the way.  I hope I'm doing all that the lord wants me too.
Lydia our recent convert should be coming back this week and hopefully we can take the Van Sickles (senior couple) over to visit once a week.  She is home all alone every day with her daughter and she still manages to stay happy. Siphokazi is also doing very well.  Her little family is amazing!  They will go very far together.  Its been a great week!  Transfers are this Wednesday and I'm sure we will both stay.  I haven't gotten any post (mail) for two weeks because of the holidays so hopefully Thursday I will get some, haha but I'm sorry I haven't written alot I will start now.  Thanks for everything love you all.

Love,
Colton

12/18/11

Hello!

This week has been pretty good.  We had two really good baptisms on Saturday.  Siphokazi and Lydia, it was great to see them get baptized they were really happy.  Siphokazi had to go down 4 times.  Her dress would not go under the water!  So her son Pakamissa the one I mentioned last time was a little freaked out. So then on Sunday he wouldn't go to primary because he was afraid of water hahahahaha it was sad but really funny!  Things in Kwano are going good.  We have some great investigators and we are starting to work with some good less actives.
We were teaching Lydia about enduring to the end.  Her friend is a member and was with us in the lesson. We talked about if she had a good job offer and they asked her to work Sundays what would she do.  So after some silence she said. "I couldn't take it...I have to take the sacrament" and her friend said YOUUUU which is like WHAT!!!!!!!   Lydia quickly said "don't say YOUUU, The Lord WILL provide" LESSON OVER!!!!  She understands! hahaha it is amazing not to see people be baptized but to see them truly have a desire to follow their Heavenly Father and the Savior and be converted.  The Lord really does provide when we show our faith.   I instantly thought of Grandma Harward, she always says that.
Thank you for all the letters and packages. Every time I get a letter some one says"who's that one from" and of course I have the usual from Grandma, Oma, and mom and dad.  I love to say oh my neighbor or friend. People are amazed at all of you for the support you give me and Katee!  Thank you. Marilyn, I got your card, thank you! Grandma thank you for the 1st 7 days of Christmas its cool.  I'm excited for the rest!
BUT I wont be sending any post till mid January when its a little more reliable. Sorry but things don't seem to make their destination in December.
I am so thankful for the Savior and for Christmas when we can make a larger effort to remember him.  Not just by going to church and maybe thinking about him but by remembering him in all we Do, all we THINK and in all we SAY.  Its hard but so worth it.  I love you all.
Love,

Colton

Miracles!!! 12/12/11

Okay I have a lot to say as well!  Its been a crazy week but a fun one.  We had our zone Christmas party and that was a lot of fun.   President and Sister Wood are really cool and it was a fun day.  We watched 17 miracle's about the Willy Martin Hand Cart Company and it was really good and helped me realize how much the early saints sacrificed for the truth.  I would like to say my faith is that strong but I think it still needs some nourishing.
This Saturday (the 17th) we should have 2 baptisms.  One of them is Lydia.  I was stoked to teach a "Lydia", I figured Lydia (my cousin) would be excited.  African Lydia is really cool! (so is little Lydia) but anyways the elders had just begun teaching her the week before I came and she is really really prepared!  She has a really strong testimony and is going to do great!  The other baptism is Siphokazi who is also very prepared!  She has the coolest kid, he is six years old and has downs syndrome.  He has such a special spirit and  is the coolest kid.  Siphokazi reminds me of my mom.  Her kid is ALWAYS clean and just a good kid, but he does some funny things.  The other day I was teaching and he was sitting by her feet and when I was mid sentence I look down and he was flipping me off.!   I laughed so hard haha and his mom smacked him and it was naughty but funny.  He doesn't understand that it was bad or what it means hahaha his name is Pakamissa.  I love them they are awesome!   We are also teaching the Mdingani sisters who are 16 and 15. They are really smart and VERY prepared.  They are going to seminary too.  But they have no support structure.  So we have been praying for them to find a support structure and the other day they said that their dad wanted to come to church and take the lessons!!!!!!! MIRACLE!  We were stoked.  I even have more great things to say but no time!  So everything here is going great and it is amazing to see all the miracles happen every day.  Sometimes there easy to miss but its good to pay attention so we can be more thankful to the Lord.  I love the people of South Africa.  They are so humble and grateful for all they have.  It has helped me realize how lucky I am and how grateful I am for all that I have.  I am so blessed.  Thanks for the letter Allison.  I am working on letters for everyone else.  I hope everyone has a great week and Katee and Kelsee HAPPY late BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! love ya
Colton