I'm not in a new area yet. I got my transfer news on Saturday (which was also my six months on the mission mark). The news is that I'm going to another township called Sharpville which is only about an hour away. I was a little bummed that I wasn't going to any of the beautiful country up North or down South but I got something else instead. It's a new challenge. You see they are white-washing the area. That means my new companion (Elder Jasi) and I will both be new to the area. Missionaries have been there but because of some other circumstances they have to transfer them both out at the same time. So that will be interesting to see how we cope. I'm sure we will do fine though. I'm also excited to be in a 2 man flat. That way I don't get distracted. I'll be able to concentrate more and study harder.
Yes, I do miss playing my guitars.. with a passion. Especially the electric... with some distortion.. oh yea haha. I told you that my trainer Elder Brown played the piano. That's why I started to lead. Then I got stuck doing that. It wasn't till this last Sunday that I didn't have to lead sacrament meeting.
There are some really poor areas. But the thing is- there is opportunity. I was just talking to a guy about it the other day(from Tsakane). He was telling me how there are so many programs to help people out from the government. They just dont take it.Plus they say there is a huge unemployment problem yet you'll see 10 guys standing around fixing a chip in the sidewalk. So to put it simply life is hard for them... its true. But for the most part it is usually because of the dead beat fathers. Like Sannah. I've told you about her so much. She has an awesome testimony but is just so poor. She works almost everyday and has so many problems with her family dying and things. It is sad. And what have I seen her husband do? Sit on the couch and watch tv. Every time we're there. I asked if he worked and Sannah said nope. But they still manage to get along somehow. It really hurts to see people in situations like that. You just wish you could just get them out somehow...they do have electricity and running water and all that... but its not always reliable. Then you have to remember that this country is like the America of Africa. It's the best. Everyone wants to come here. But they do their best and I am impressed by their will to push forward.. even when there isn't much hope. That's why its even more important for us to share the gospel with them. Give them some hope.
Anyways, so this Sunday was a busy one. First off I confirmed Thuli who was baptized last week. That was a great experience as usual. Then I was asked at first to give a departing testimony which actually became me taking the time of the third speaker who didnt show up. I just went through with them the sacrament prayers. I told them if there is anything I want to leave with them it is the need to stay true to those baptismal covenants. Then I related 2Ne 4 where Nephi pours his heart out. And lastly I read with them "let us all press on". I felt good about it and after I bore my testimony I felt even better. On Wednesday I'll leave this area. I'm gonna miss them very much. The people here are awesome. Right now we have some poeple that I just can't wait to see get baptized. It's so amazing to see people get baptized and how they change. It's great. But it's time to move on and I'm excited for the future.
Thanks for all the love and support. Keep it coming!
Love, elder robinson
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
There Are Ups and Downs
It was great to talk to the family this last week, although it seemed all too short haha. It just made me excited to get home and show you all the pictures and tell you all the stories. It will be great. My companion didn't get to talk to his family on Christmas day, but the next day we went back to the chapel and he called them with a calling card. Then I got to wait and do nothing while he talked. So it balanced out.
It's weird to think that Phil is already home and that I'm already 5 months on my mission working on my 6th! It's just plain weird.
On Friday we got kicked out of a house. It was pretty funny actually. We were teaching this girl (who's about 30-40 yrs old) and her drunk father walks in and says "do we owe you anything?". We explained we were just missionaries. Then he said "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!". We were a little confused. His daughter said no its fine, stay. Then the father started saying something about this is earth and heaven is heaven and asked us if we thought we were better than him. We tried reasoning but that doesn't work too well when someone is intoxicated. So we left and it made the daughter cry that her father would be so rude. That was sad.
This past Sunday we had a lot of bad bad luck. First we had to ride like 10k's just to our lunch appointment. After we rode back our 3rd,4th,and 5th ended up all being gone. Trying to find something to do we went to see Agent Mishak. He's been trying to get baptized but won't come to church and was having a hard time stopping smoking. A few weeks ago he seemed to be all done with everything and seemed so intent on coming to church. The next Sunday, no Agent. Then last week we went to help him build his cucu's nest and he wasn't there. We kept checking on him but he wasn't there! We thought he might have died (he's very old). Then on Sunday we went to see him since he didn't come to church again. This time he was drunk! It made me feel sick. We've been working so hard and then here is Agent just drunk saying he wants to get baptized and how he doesn't need to quit drinking until after he's baptized. People really turn into someone they're not when they're drunk. It's ridiculous. I can't stand it. So we set an appointment to come back when he was sober. That really brought me down though, especially being on top of everything else that went wrong yesterday....But you know... missionary work is not supposed to be easy.
On Saturday we went to see Sannah who I've told you about. She has such a strong testimony and has hardly come to church once! She lives so far from the school and she is very busy. She cried on Saturday because she feels it is so true and wants to be baptized so much and come to church every Sunday so much. It's amazing to see how in such humble and even bad circumstances (her mother and sister are very sick) she can feel so much joy, and you know it's because it's true. The church is true. Experiences like that just help me to keep going. Especially after days like yesterday. Hopefully the holidays will end soon. Then everything will be back to normal.
Thanks for all the support. You know I need it and I appreciate it so much.
Love you all
-elder robinson
It's weird to think that Phil is already home and that I'm already 5 months on my mission working on my 6th! It's just plain weird.
On Friday we got kicked out of a house. It was pretty funny actually. We were teaching this girl (who's about 30-40 yrs old) and her drunk father walks in and says "do we owe you anything?". We explained we were just missionaries. Then he said "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!". We were a little confused. His daughter said no its fine, stay. Then the father started saying something about this is earth and heaven is heaven and asked us if we thought we were better than him. We tried reasoning but that doesn't work too well when someone is intoxicated. So we left and it made the daughter cry that her father would be so rude. That was sad.
This past Sunday we had a lot of bad bad luck. First we had to ride like 10k's just to our lunch appointment. After we rode back our 3rd,4th,and 5th ended up all being gone. Trying to find something to do we went to see Agent Mishak. He's been trying to get baptized but won't come to church and was having a hard time stopping smoking. A few weeks ago he seemed to be all done with everything and seemed so intent on coming to church. The next Sunday, no Agent. Then last week we went to help him build his cucu's nest and he wasn't there. We kept checking on him but he wasn't there! We thought he might have died (he's very old). Then on Sunday we went to see him since he didn't come to church again. This time he was drunk! It made me feel sick. We've been working so hard and then here is Agent just drunk saying he wants to get baptized and how he doesn't need to quit drinking until after he's baptized. People really turn into someone they're not when they're drunk. It's ridiculous. I can't stand it. So we set an appointment to come back when he was sober. That really brought me down though, especially being on top of everything else that went wrong yesterday....But you know... missionary work is not supposed to be easy.
On Saturday we went to see Sannah who I've told you about. She has such a strong testimony and has hardly come to church once! She lives so far from the school and she is very busy. She cried on Saturday because she feels it is so true and wants to be baptized so much and come to church every Sunday so much. It's amazing to see how in such humble and even bad circumstances (her mother and sister are very sick) she can feel so much joy, and you know it's because it's true. The church is true. Experiences like that just help me to keep going. Especially after days like yesterday. Hopefully the holidays will end soon. Then everything will be back to normal.
Thanks for all the support. You know I need it and I appreciate it so much.
Love you all
-elder robinson
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