Week 47: We have our work cut out for us!

This week has been good. It has been a huge change from Phokeng. A little bit about Elder Blow and I's areas. Elder Blow and I cover two areas and two wards. The Rynfield Ward and the Northmead Ward. Rynfield is a white and black ward. Northmead is an all white and very wealthy ward and area. We have been spending most of our time in a small township that is part of the Rynfield area. Previous missionaries have neglected the Northmead ward since it is an all white area with high walls and gates so you don't even have access to their front door, which is obviously not the easiest area to find investigators. However, Elder Blow and I are really going to focus on Northmead and building a relationship with the Northmead Ward members.  Before Elder Blow got here members in Northmead didn't even know they had missionaries because the missionaries would never attend Northmead. So we are going to focus a lot on the members in Northmead. We need to regain their trust. We already have 2 potential investigators in the Northmead Ward this week. They have not had a baptism in over 2 years. We have our work cut out for us. We have quite a few investigators in the Rynfield Ward. We had 5 on date this week and 5 at sacrament meeting. Could have had more though. We are just really going to work with the members here. The two wards meet in the same building and the areas are right next to each other but are both huge. They are the two biggest areas in our zone.  Rynfield contains wealthy white areas, somewhat wealthy black areas, and a little bit of township. The ward is comprised of approximately 70% black and 30% white. 

I've always had a fear and weakness of talking with white people so I know I have been sent here to get over that weakness.

Also this week the entire mission will be a car free mission. All of the missionaries have been required to not use their car the entire week. This is all part of an ongoing project to dramatically reduce the number of cars used by missionaries in the South Africa East area. This will only be for a week as an experiment so we can see what changes still need to be made. So we will be using taxis to get to and from our areas.  Taxis here are different from back home. Taxis are the main source of transportation here, among the black people at least. So they are literally everywhere. They have places called Taxi ranks where you go and there are a ton of taxis that are going to different areas. Also there are different hand signs for different areas that you can do when you are on the side of the road to tell passing by taxis where you are wanting to go. Then you hop on and basically tell them to stop whenever you are close to where you want to be. It's really fun and interesting. Taking a taxi is pretty cheap too. For a one way trip from our flat to our chapel, which is like a 15 min. drive, costs about 13 Rand which is about $1.  We will be walking everywhere within our area, as well as relying on members for rides. This is going to be a very interesting week and a huge learning experience for our mission. 

Also this week we participated in a Mormon Helping Hands project with the Northmead Ward. We packaged 50 food parcels and then delivered them to a care facility for those less fortunate. It was amazing to see the smiles on their faces. And how much gratitude they showed. 

Well I'm excited for the journey and task I have ahead of me. I know the gospel is true. 

Love Elder Rash

The Stripling Warriors of Phokeng

Saying Goodbye to these missionaries who have become friends

Goodbye Elder Bindrup

Hellloooooo Elder Blow....again

Not what you normally see in Africa

His two new ward boundaries

Elder Smith who was trained by Elder Ryland Rash in Mozambique Mission meeting
 Elder Devon Rash in the Johannesburg Mission

Elder Smith and Elder Rash in the Mozambique Maputo Mission

Just eating some sugar cane

Week 46: Mid-Transfer transfers and Change

Hello everyone! Well this week Elder Bindrup was sick. We think he got a parasite from eating a Mopani worm. I ate one as well and was fine. He's just not African yet. So must of the week we were at the flat but we still managed to have a pretty good week and have some awesome lessons.
Also, we had a mid-transfer transfer this week. We weren't expecting anything to change between Elder Bindrup and  I;  but Saturday evening we received a phone call from President Leavitt... I will be leaving Phokeng.   I had a very short stay here in Phokeng, nine weeks to be exact.  In that short time I have come to love so many members and investigators here in Phokeng.  Elder Bindrup and I have made many memories together.  Like our first day in Phokeng when we got locked inside the chapel compound,  to many hours of tracting  because we had no one in our teaching pool and knew nothing about Phokeng. I have seen this area grow so much.  I'm sad I won't be here to see the baptisms of Timothy, Margaret and Edward, Gomolemo, and many others.  But I know the Lord has more work for me to do elsewhere. That elsewhere is, Rynfield.  I have been transferred to Rynfield in the Benoni Zone. This area is literally a 15 minute drive away from Kwa-Thema (my last area). They use to be in the same stake as each other until the splitting of the stake happened while I was in Kwa-Thema. However, I am sure I will see many members from Kwa-Thema while I'm there. Also you might be wondering who my companion might be. Well you might recognize his name. Elder Blow!!!! Elder Blow and I will be companions once again!! We are super excited. It's not very often you get to serve with the same companion twice during your mission. I'm excited to see the things Elder Blow and I will be able to do in Rynfield given we are both a lot more experienced now. Rynfield is a ward. The area covers both township and town. So our ward is a mix of white and black members. Our chapel is the stake center so it is a very big chapel. A very big change from Phokeng. I will miss Phokeng as well as the landscape out here. But I'm excited for the work that is ahead of me now.
I love you all. Have a great week.
Love, Elder Rash

Note from Devon's mom:  Devon is being very humble and didn't say in his group e-mail, but to the family he let us know that he is being made a Zone Leader with Elder Blow!  He is super excited to learn and grow in this new leadership assignment. Also, this is part of his e-mail to me regarding the changes:

Elder Bishop is leaving as well. I will be his Zone Leader and we will be in the same district. I am super sad to leave Elder Neeley and Elder Bindrup. Elder Neeley is just hilarious and I get along with him really well and Elder Bindrup and I have had a blast being companions.  Elder Neeley, Bindrup, and another missionary Elder Treasure (from my MTC group) will be in a trio for 3 weeks covering both Phokeng and Rustenburg. After 3 weeks Elder Bindrup will get a new companion and will cover Phokeng full time again.
Transfers are tomorrow. I will miss the area. I have quickly grown to love many members and people here. I am especially going to miss the mountains and the village lifestyle. But it hasn't been as hard as it was to leave Kwa-Thema. I don't know. I'm one who enjoys change. I feel fine about it. I'm super excited to be with Elder Blow again. I don't know how I feel about going to Rynfield.  I'm pretty excited. I also love responsibility so I'm excited for this calling to be a Zone Leader.
He did not say why they were having a mid-transfer transfer, but I did hear from some missionary mommas that there was a group of Brazilian missionaries that were coming in mid-transfer that needed a place to serve.

Mapeka Family

Seakgosing Family

Tsatsane Family



Phillip and Bosi members from the ward

Phillip, Tashiamo, Bosi, and Omphile

Devon and Margaret

Timothy an investigator

Margaret and Edward - investigators

Phillip is a member who Devon says reminds him of himself

Week 45: Busy week of traveling, means less time in the area

Hello friends and family! This week was good but very different and tiring.

On Tuesday we had exchanges so I was in Phokeng with Elder Bishop. We had a really good day, found 7 new investigators, and had some powerful lessons.

On Wednesday we had Zone Conference so we woke up bright and early around 5:30 am so we could get ready and drive down to Roodepoort in time for Zone Conference. We had a great Zone Conference and learned a lot. Zone Conference is always spiritually uplifting. We then drove back that night with the Zone Leaders.

On Thursday we conducted an exchange with the Zone Leaders. One came with Elder Bindrup and I to Phokeng and the other went to Rustenburg with Elder Bishop and Neeley. We had a really good Thursday.

Then on Friday we woke up even more bright and early at 4:30 am so we could get ready and drive down with the Zone Leaders to Johannesburg for our temple trip. It was an amazing time being in the House of the Lord. It may have been a tad difficult to stay awake. But I managed :). Then we got home late that night. We tried our best to recoup as much as possible from the lack of sleep we had and from all the driving we had done. So when we went to the temple I saw the couple that are serving in Swaziland and knew they were from Mesa. I went up to them and told them how I was from Mesa as well and asked if they knew my Davis family. They didn't. They live over by Mountain View. But then he said how he taught seminary for a long time as well as institute at ASU. I figured he had to know Bro. Hofeling then. So I asked him and he just got a huge smile on his face. Apparently they are really good friends and had dinner together like right before they left. They got here last year around August I think. Right around the time I was preparing to come back. But their son is a stake president near Desert Ridge and they told me how their son released the two missionaries that are twins and one went to Mozambique and the other to Madagascar. I told them how my mom had talked with their mom because my brother served in Mozambique. Then they said they have a granddaughter and grandson playing volleyball for Mesa and then a grandson playing basketball for Mountain View. It was a lot of fun to talk with them.

Then on Saturday we had another busy day full of appointments. And on Sunday we had an amazing Sabbath Day. Elder Bindrup spoke in church and gave a powerful talk. The spirit was definitely there in the chapel.

Timothy is progressing very well towards baptism. He wasn't at church on Sunday so we went and checked up on him afterwards. When we got there we started talking and it turned out he had to go to work but his first comment to us was "I'm so ready for baptism, What else do I need to do to prepare?" He is so ready. He will be baptized on July 29th.

Elder Bindrup and I are excited for a normal and full week in our area this week. The work is going great and the church is true. Love you all

Love Elder Rash

P.S. Happy Birthday Grandma Starr

P.P.S. Good luck Colton! You are going to be an amazing missionary. The people of Fort Lauderdale, Florida are lucky to have you. Make the most of your 2 years. It goes by fast! Proud of You!

Note from Devon's mom:  I felt like I should add a part of a personal e-mail Devon sent to me.  Chris and I have been worried how Devon would feel knowing that the missionaries he originally came out with were getting ready to head home in 3 months.  We didn't want to say anything to him for fear it would be upsetting to him; but he mentioned it today and all my worries and fears have gone away.  So proud of my boy:

The picture of me with another missionary in front of the mission home, his name is Elder Curriden. He is currently an AP. He goes home at the end of this transfer, in 4 weeks. But When I first came out on my mission he was a brand new missionary as well. We served in the same zone and he had been out one transfer more than me. Then when I came back to the mission he was the Zone Leader in the zone I came to and he was one of the first missionaries I saw that I knew fairly well when I came back. We have gotten pretty close. So I don't know if you put 2 and 2 together but he came out a transfer before me... And he is going home in 4 weeks... Meaning my MTC group will be going home in 10 weeks... 1 and a half transfers... I would have been coming home in less than 3 months... I don't know if you knew that. It's just really crazy to think about. The thought of that doesn't really phase me though. I thought it would suck but I'm actually fine.

Elder Curriden (AP)

What's this?....

"An avocado as BIG as my head!!!!"

Elder Bindrup brought home a pet frog

Another trip to the National Park with the Zone Leaders

Zone Conference with his District

Zone Conference - Roodepoort Zone

Elder Wold from Mesa Arizona!  Fun to have a connection to home.  Devon hopes to be able to
serve in Swaziland with him and his wife.

 

Week 44: Five little MONKEYS swingin in the trees

Well this week was wild! Elder Bindrup, Phillip, and I got to go into Bafokeng Stadium, where the 2010 World Cup was played, and got to walk around. We literally walked right into the gate. It is open to the public. It is so different from America. To do something like that in America you have to have connections.

Also on Saturday Elder Bindrup and I did 4 hours of tracting. We needed to get to a members house so we decided to take a short cut down the a dried up raven. As we were walking through we started hearing stuff moving in the brush. As we turned to our side we saw a monkey chilling there with its baby!!! It was crazy! Next thing we knew we heard more moving all around us. We were surrounded by 6 monkeys!!! The dad was being a little aggressive because of his baby. But Elder Bindrup and I just sat down and watched them. We also tried giving one of them a Restoration Pamphlet. They declined. Which is not common in Africa lol. It was a pretty awesome experience to find wild monkeys in our area. We had a great time with them. They loved just coming and observing what we were doing.

Also on Sunday we had 5 investigators at church! Edward finally came! His wife Margaret last week told him that he had to get work off so he could come to church. It was so great to see both of them there. Also as people were bearing their testimonies, Timothy leaned over to me and asked if it was fine if he went up as well! I was like of course! I was a little nervous about what he was going to say, I wasn't sure if he was going to start preaching like a pastor or something, you never know in Africa. However, he bore a simple but powerful testimony. He said he knows the Book of Mormon is true and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church. The spirit just washed over me and brought so much peace to my mind and heart at that time.

I am so grateful for the choice I made to serve a mission. It has brought me so much joy. Although it is not easy, it is one of the most rewarding and joyful times in my life. I know this gospel is true. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I'm grateful for the time I have to study it each day and then to go out and testify about these things to others.

I love you all.

Love Elder Rash

Splits with Elder Neeley

Bafokeng Soccer Stadium

Elder Rash races to the field

I see a monkey in a tree!

Elder Rash trying to get as close as he can to the baby monkey

Elder Rash fearful they may pounce on him!