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.