Week 68: Surprises keep them on their toes

Dear Friends and Family,

Well there was a bit of an unexpected change and there is still potential for more.

Monday night, the night before we headed to the office for transfers, Elder Siale and I received a phone call from the Assistants. We were informed that a missionary has to go home for surgery on his ankle and there is now a vacancy in an area. They informed us that Elder Siale would now be transferred to this area and that we would not be in a trio. WE WERE SHOOK. We sat there for a few minutes in shock. Then he commenced his packing from 9pm till 11pm. So now it is just Elder Truman and I in Rynfield. This change took us for a loop. We have received confidential word that there is a chance Elder Siale will be transferred back here for his last week. That will be determined by what proceeds in the next few days.

Elder Truman and I had a good week though. We are getting use to each other. We teach really well together. Elder Truman is from Melbourne, Australia.

The highlight of this week was the baptism of Nqobile and the return of the one and only Elder Siale. Elder Siale was allowed to return to the area this past Sunday to say his goodbyes to everyone. We had a great last hurrah.

The baptism of Nqobile was very special. Practically his whole family came to the baptism to support him, including his mother who we have been struggling to get to church. Nqobile has one of the strongest testimonies of recent converts I know. He is dedicated and loves the gospel. He was baptized exactly 5 weeks from when we first met him. He is going to do some amazing things.

Well I'll be hearing and seeing your faces next week. Weird. I love you all.

Love, Elder Rash

Nqobile's baptism

Nqobile's family

Nqobile's family and friends

So happy for Nqobile

Nqobile's mom, Rose

Elder Rash loves this guy!

Week 67: Mission Tour, Zone Conference and Temple visit

Dear Friends and Family,

Congratulations Ryland and Raelee on the birth of Kamdyn! Clearly his uncle in Africa is his favorite. It's good to hear that everyone is happy and healthy. Sister and Sister-in-law you now have the go ahead to have a baby as well since I will be home by the time you give birth.

Sincerely,

Elder Rash

Well this week was great! We had our mission tour with Elder Sitati of the Area Presidency. So on Tuesday we had MLC where we were able to council and receive instruction from President and Sister Leavitt and Elder and Sister Sitati. It was a great council and its always great to be able to see Elder Jolley, Nielsen, and many other missionaries there.

On Wednesday we had our mission tour Zone Conference. We were once again taught and instructed by Elder and Sister Sitati. We talked a lot about honesty and how to connect with people and really know how to help them progress to baptism. One thing I have really come to know is that everyone is hurting in some way and the gospel can help them. We need to be willing to talk to people, ask them questions to get to know them, and listen. If we will do that, there will be at least one thing from what they say that we will be able to link into the gospel. Members and missionaries need to be spiritual physicians.

Friday we had the privilege of attending the temple. It is always an amazing time at the temple. I love being able to receive answers to my prayers in the most intimate and spiritual setting.

Saturday we were able to do a Light the World booth again at Northmead Square mall. The highlight was being able to watch the Bedfordview Stake choir perform that evening at the mall. It's amazing how Christmas brings people together.

Also Saturday evening we received a phone call from President Leavitt informing us what would be happening to our companionship this transfer. Soooooo I will be staying in Rynfield!!! Elder Siale and I will both be staying. We will be in a trio for the next 3 weeks until Elder Siale goes home. Our companion is Elder Truman. He is from Melbourne, Australia and has been on mission for about 9-10 months. We are excited to be in a trio for Christmas and to cram another bed into our tiny flat. It is going to be a blast! So Rynfield will become my longest area. At the end of this transfer I will have been here for 6 months and 3 weeks.

Sunday we were able to witness the baptism of Tumi Phango. She turned 8 on the day of her baptism. She is such a special and clever girl.

Well that is all from the beautiful country of South Africa. Elder Siale and I had a sweet moment when we were able to meet the 4 other children of the lady we helped move last week. They were traveling down from Malawi to live with their mother and 2 other siblings. 3 of these 4 kids are triplets!! They are the cutest!

Next week we will have the baptism of Nqobile. He is a powerful young man we found about 5 weeks ago. He has not missed a day of church or a lesson since the day we met him.

Talk to you all next week!

Love, Elder Rash

Family he helped move

I think she likes Elder Rash

Temple buddies

Zone Temple visit

Baptism of Tumi

Too cute!

Triplets

African Sunset

Zone Conference

Week 66: Light The World and SERVE

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you may have heard Elder Lamping, a missionary in the South Africa MTC who was set to serve in the Johannesburg mission, passed away unexpectedly on Monday after only 4 days of service. This has been a shock to everyone and our thoughts and prayers are with his family. I know that the Lord has a hand in everything and he certainly did in Elder Lamping's life. His service continues.
On Wednesday we were able to go on exchanges with Elder Palkki and Forward. I was able to go with Elder Palkki (Ogden, UT) in our area. We had a great time and had a lot of success. I enjoyed being able to learn from him as he comes to the close of his mission in 3 weeks.
On Friday we set up a Light the World booth at a mall within our area and each district within our zone took turns running it throughout the day. It was a great opportunity for us to invite others to join in on this wonderful Christmas campaign. Many responded very well and would like us to come visit them some time. Talking with complete strangers, especially white ones, is a lot easier for me compared to last Christmas.
Well since December hit, Elder Siale and I have seen the Lord bless us with all kinds of service opportunities. On Saturday Elder Siale and I made around 25 sandwiches and took them around to the homeless. What made this so rewarding and special was when we took the time to sit on the curb with them and have an actual conversation with them. We talked with many about their families, what it's like to be on the streets, our own families, why we are here in South Africa, etc. It was a very special time Elder Siale and I had with these people. 
On Sunday we were given even more opportunities to serve. We went to an old age home with the Rynfield ward to sing carols and give out cookies. Following that we had some appointments planned but we got an unexpected call from a member who was needing to move out of her room that day. We quickly organized some stuff and ran over to her place. We spent the rest of the day from 5pm-10pm moving her and her family to a new home. 
Sunday evening we also received word about a member who was in need of some major help with renovating the floors in his home on Monday but was too humble and kind to ask us missionaries to help. So we quickly phoned him Sunday night and told him we would have an army of 14 missionaries at his home Monday morning to assist. So this morning as a zone we helped a member rip up the carpet in his home and sand the wood floors that were under the carpet. What would have taken him 2-3 days on his own, we accomplished in 2 hours. It was a sight to see lol.
I wish before my mission I had the desire that I have now to serve others. There have been so many times I've wanted to serve on my mission but haven't been able to due to certain rules (giving people rides or money, holding babies, babysitting, etc.). I hope we will all act on the opportunities we are given to serve. By small and simple things great things are brought to pass. When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are in the service of your God.
Love,
Elder Rash

Light The World booth at the Mall

He was excited to see Santa

Chicken feet!

I can't believe he likes them!

Making sandwiches and feeding the homeless

I love this missionary!

 

Week 65: What I am most thankful for....

Dear Friends and Family, 
This week was great! Our days have gone from mostly tracting to being pretty jam packed with lessons.
On Tuesday we had interviews with President Leavitt. Those were great and very uplifting! 
On Wednesday we had a crazy full day of appointments! Straight appointments from 10 am to 8 pm. It was a great time and we found some pretty amazing new people. It was a very rewarding day.
On Thursday, Thanksgiving, we had Thanksgiving dinner with the Vosloo family. They don't really have turkey in the stores right now so we had chicken, rice, mixed vegetables, and gravy. It wasn't really a traditional thanksgiving meal, but it was still really good and thoughtful.  What made the day even more special was when we sat down at the table there were letters from our mother's sitting on the table in front of us. As we sat with the family after dinner we all shared what we are most thankful for. I am grateful for many things. I am grateful for a loving and supportive family. I am grateful for how close knit our family is. I am grateful for the families and people here in South Africa who take us in and make us part of their families. I am grateful for the precious time I have to serve the Lord and the people of South Africa. I am grateful for President and Sister Leavitt and the love and care they show us. I am grateful for the many missionaries I get to serve along side of. I am eternally grateful for my Savior who has atoned for my sins.
Friday, we went on exchanges with Elder Rakotonindrina and Bishop again. I was with Elder Rakotonindrina (from Madagascar) in his area. We had a great time biking and walking. I got quite the workout biking our member present around on the handle bars lol. 
On Sunday, someone who we are teaching that is a Rastafarian, invited us to a Rastafarian gathering lol. Elder Siale and I looked at each other and said "Why not!". So we had a great time visiting a Rastafarian gathering and learning more about their beliefs and traditions. I may not believe or support some of their beliefs but they definitely have a great time lol. 
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving back home. I heard ASU took the territorial cup once again! Sorry uncle Troy. Bear Down? For what!
I love you all and will talk to you next week.
Also Congratulations Kamee and Tyson!

A little piece of Oregon in South Africa!

 

Ever herded goats before?  Elder Rash has....

 

Exchanges with Elder Rakotonindrina from Madagascar.

 

Walking the dirt roads of South Africa

 

Giving a member missionary a lift on the handle bars of his bike!

 

What a work out!

 

Rastafarian event with an investigator.

 

Elder Neeley and Elder Rash

 

Elder Neeley, Elder Rash and Elder Bindrup....together again!

 

 

Elder Rash and an unknown Elder?

 

His day was packed full in his planner!

 

Week 64: Walking, biking and tracting...the life of a missionary

This week was a very jam packed and eventful week! It started Monday night when Elder Siale and I were able to go and play touch rugby with about 20 non-members in Northmead. We then ran over to Kempton Parks flat so we could conduct an exchange with them. So on Tuesday I was with Elder Gray (Colorado) in his area Kempton Park (town). We had an interesting day, needless to say. It consisted of tracting, biking to one appointment, taking a broken bike to the bike shop, blown tires, and a two hour walk just to be driven back to where we started lol. Elder Gray and I had a blast though.

On Thursday Elder Siale and I had a great time tracting in Crystal Park (black town). We had a few lessons with some people we found the previous week. One of those lessons was with a man named Thulani (29). Last week we were able to share with him a little bit about why Jesus Christ established one true church. On Thursday we were able to finish sharing with him about how God restored that church back to the earth. As Elder Siale and I began to bear our testimonies about the truthfulness of the message and the Book of Mormon, tears started to stream down his face. The spirit was present and so strong. We were able to come and do service for him the next day, Friday, and met one of his friends Thabiso. Thulani is a referral machine. He kept telling us about how he told all his friends and how he is going to bring a crowd to church. Thulani came to church on Sunday and he loved it. The crowd didn't follow with him but hopefully next week.

On Saturday I had the privilege of bringing Elder Julander (Panguetch UT) to my area on an exchange. Elder Julander has been out in the mission field for a whopping 3 weeks! He is an amazing missionary. We had a blast tracting practically the whole day. We were both able to really refine our tracting skills. Close to the end of the day, about 4 pm, we moved closer to our 5 o'clock appointment to tract around there. As we got out of the car I said a quick prayer in my heart saying "Heavenly Father if it be your will, help us at least find 1 person that we can get a return appointment with." Up till that time we hadn't gotten any. The last 4 houses we knocked we were able to get two potential return appointments and they gave us their phone numbers. #tendermercy. After our 5 o'clock appointment with Wendy and Nqobile (the two girls that were baptized yesterday) we decided to stop by an older couples home. We had a great time visiting with them and getting to know them a bit better. Their in-active daughter, who hasn't been to church since at least I got here, joined us and we had a great time talking about their memories of missionaries in the past when they would stay with their family at their home, take missionaries to movies, etc. On Sunday, as I was on the stand to bless the sacrament, I watched their daughter walk into church. The work of ministering is amazing.

Sunday was a great day! We had a great turnout at church. We were a little disappointed because some people we were expecting to come didn't come. We had a total of 11 people at church. A few of them had come for the first time which was awesome! Later in the day we came back to the chapel for the baptism of Wendy and Nqobile, in the Northmead ward. We have been teaching Wendy and Nqobile for quite some time. They are two of the sweetest young women. It was a special moment when Nqobile called me and asked me to baptize her. The spirit was so strong at the baptism and baptismal program. The love and support that these girls have received from the Northmead ward is indescribable. The faith that these girls have is amazing as well. They wouldn't let freezing cold water postpone their baptism. The geyser was broken so there was no hot water. Let's just say it was refreshing and an experience I'll never forget.

I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers. I know that His hand is constantly in our lives. I know that we must align our will with His. As we do that miracles begin to happen.

Love, Elder Rash

Note from mom:  I asked him if he was going to get a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  Here was his response:

So we actually had two families volunteer to make us a Thanksgiving dinner. One of them thought Thanksgiving was the last Thursday of November and I didn't know so I just went with it, so she signed up to feed us on the 29th; but that's a week after Thanksgiving. Another family, the Relief Society President, signed up to feed us this Thursday. Her and her daughter asked me what we wanted them to cook for Thanksgiving or what kind of things we eat on Thanksgiving. So for the first time in 3 Thanksgivings on my mission, I will celebrate Thanksgiving. Yes, they are white families that will be feeding us. Black people don't celebrate Thanksgiving. White people don't really either but a lot of them have family overseas in the states so they know about it.

Asked if he was excited to be an uncle:
 I can't believe I'll be an uncle in 3 weeks or so... 3 weeks on a mission flies by so It's going to feel like tomorrow when that day comes.

Splits with Elder Gray

Splits with Elder Julander

Wendy and Elder Siale

Blessed day!

Nqobile and Elder Rash

Sometimes a picture just pops up in his google drive that I have never seen before. 
I don't know when this picture was taken, but I know he loves these missionaries.

Week 63: Working hard makes you very tired

This week has been a really good week but also a quite exhausting week. I'm not sure if I have done this already but I will paint you a picture of how diverse the area we cover is. So we cover two areas and wards. The first is Rynfield. The Rynfield area consists of a squatter camp (hundreds of shacks, poverty, all dirt roads), a township (houses and shacks, some poverty, some dirt roads and some paved roads), a black and white town (all paved roads, a mix between township and town, some high walls, some low or no walls), and a straight town (practically all white, high walls, loud dogs barking, and no one on the streets). Our other area is Northmead and this area is completely town. In the past all the work we have done has been in the township in the Rynfield ward. This past week Elder Siale and I implemented a schedule to prevent that from happening and so we can get the work progressing in all of the areas. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday we spend our time in the township. On Thursday, in the black town. Friday, Rynfield town. And Saturday, Northmead town. I will now begin to explain why this week was a bit tiring.

On Thursday we had no lessons scheduled because we are not teaching anyone in the black town. So Elder Siale and I spent a solid 3 hours tracting all day. We had quite a bit of success and found some awesome new people.

On Friday we were actually on exchanges with the AP's and I went to Florida with Elder Bogosovac (Serbia). We had a great time.

On Saturday we conducted another exchange. I was with Elder Bishop (Montana. Yes, you may recognize his name from when I was in Phokeng.). We were in my area. Yes, you may recall Saturday's are our Northmead day and yes we are teaching nobody there. So Elder Bishop and I had a fun filled day of tracting in town. By the end of the day I was exhausted. Between all the tracting and the back to back exchanges, I was in need of some rest. I slept like a baby that night.

On Sunday we had an awesome experience. Elder Palmer, the Africa Southeast area president, and Elder Vinson a member of the Presidents of the Seventy visited our area. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from them. It's was also fun to hear stories about Elder Vinson's interaction with the 12 Apostles and President Nelson.

The family that I told you about last week that lives in our complex came to church this week! It was a sweet experience to be able to sit with their whole family at church. Elder Siale and I were able to introduce Elder Palmer and Vinson to them. It was a very special Sunday service and the spirit was so strong. 

Serving a mission has helped me learn a lot about loving others the way the Savior would. I'm grateful for all the examples that I have had around me on mission to learn from. President Leavitt, Elder Palmer, and many missionaries have taught me a lot through their example. The Savior is the best exemplar. May we all strive to better follow his example and love those we meet.

Love, Elder Rash

Elder Siale, Elder Bishop, Elder Rokotonindrina (from Madagascar) and Elder Rash after a long day of exchanges

Week 62: Having a positive attitude makes things bearable

Hello Friends and Family,

It was another great week out here in SA (South Africa). Elder Siale and I have seen the Lord bless us with many new people who are ready for the gospel. One of which lives in our flat complex. She saw us missionaries outside one day so she came over and told us she wanted to meet with the missionaries and that she had met with them in 2012. We went and visited her on Tuesday and discovered that she was about to be baptized about 6 years ago but life got crazy and some concerns about the church came up. She expressed to us that she believes the Book of Mormon is true. Her and her husband are looking for a church now. We invited her to baptism and her and her daughter both accepted. They were suppose to come to church but her Mother-in-Law was admitted to the hospital so they were unable to make it. We are excited to visit them this week again and to meet the husband as well.

On Friday we held a Zone meeting where we discussed our upcoming plans for the Light the World campaign and watched a video where we received some insights from Elder Nielsen of the Seventy. It was a great meeting and it was fun to have our whole, rapidly growing, zone together (we added to our zone another area and companionship).

Friday evening I celebrated Halloween for the first time on my mission. Halloween is celebrated here but is not very common. It is celebrated mostly by members of the church who live in town. No one goes out Trick or Treating because it is dangerous. However we did have a Ward Trunk or Treat that evening. So that was fun.

Also on Friday Elder Siale and I tracted for 2 hours in Rynfield town. The very first door we knocked we had someone throw the F bomb at us lol. It was 2 hours filled with rejection but also 2 hours filled with success because we were doing what we were supposed to be doing. On Saturday we did 3 hours of tracting in Northmead town. Well, we had basically the same outcome. We had someone throw the F-bomb at us again as well as people yelling at us to get away from their gate, and people yelling at us telling us we were annoying them. Once again it was a successful day and Elder Siale and I were proud of our efforts. (Matt 10:22)

The Church is true. I will continue to share that with others whether they accept me or not. For I am not ashamed of the gospel.

Love, Elder Rash

note from mom:  No pictures this week.  He said that the internet café service was running slow and his pictures wouldn't download.  I'm expecting LOTS of pictures next week!