6th of Feb 2012 Letter in the Philippi Delt area of Cape Town

WE ATTATCHED SOME MORE PICTURES ONTO THIS LETTER THAT ELDER JONES SENT WITH HIS LAST LETTER.

  Molo!!

Well I'm sorry yet again for you guys not getting the email! I ran out of time and didn't have time to send the email to dad, but I definitely sent it to mom's email... I guess she didn't have room... I sent all those pictures along with it! Do you guys get all the pictures I send you? I hope so because I attach a lot of pictures every time! I didn't this time because I forgot my camera and my camera cable...

ANONA AND RILEY GOT A CADILAC?!?!!? SEND ME PICS!!! That’s so sweet! Hey since we are on the topic of cars, there are a ridiculous amount of Audi's and BMW's here! Like they are really really common! Like people living in shacks will have a M3 BMW or like an A6 or A4 Audi! It's sweet! Tons of nice cars here in Cape Town! I learnt that you can send me Audio files, so if you can't send videos you could try just recording something for me and I could listen to you guys! I can't respond but I think it would be cool!

So I think it is now imperative that Riley sends me some of his elk jerky! (Did he make jerky too?)  South Africa doesn't have jerky, I’m pretty sure! That’s awesome how you got so much meat from the elk he shot though! I'm glad you are doing so well with your job mom! And that you are busy sewing! You are the sewing master!

Also about the picture of me with a badge on... I forgot my camera at the boarding this week... I'm really sorry! But I will definitely have a picture for you next week! I will look through my pictures and find one of me with my badge on! Sorry it is taking so long!

Today was awesome! Elder Beck and I went golfing with President Wood!!!!! That was sweet! Just us 3! and yes, I was the one that convinced President to come with us!!! It was awesome! He isn't that great at golf, but just the fact that we were with Pres made it sweet! Plus he got a senior discount and saved us each $30!!! I can't complain!

 This week was actually pretty good for DA's! I actually had 2 DA's yesterday! One for lunch and one for supper! The food here is pretty basic though... and you can't go a meal without rice... or chicken... haha so rice and chicken at every DA with no questions asked! That’s just what people eat here... and they keep saying that they eat real food and food from America is all fake food, but honestly the food back at home tastes better and there is such a bigger variety to choose from than just rice and chicken! (This is hinting that I miss ma mamma's cookin!) But when I cook my own meals I make them taste good!

Life is really good here! We are getting new investigators and just chugging along teaching people! I think the hardest part is balancing Recent Converts with New Investigators, and Less Actives... because really the Ward is supposed to be in charge of teaching all the recent converts... but the ward here pretty much doesn't do anything... heck the home teaching numbers are horrendous! So us missionaries have to go and visit and teach all those who have been baptized within a year, and that takes a lot of our finding and teaching investigators time... not to mention re activating less actives...

 It is really cool being a missionary! People just open up to me all the time, and really listen to what I have to say to them and I really have the ability to help them reach Salvation, or not help them and they potentially dwindle in unbelief... It is a heavy responsibility, because I have such a huge influence on every life I come in contact with! But the reality is that being here is such a huge blessing and even now, since I have been here, I have not only grown significantly myself, but my knowledge has expanded exponentially about the gospel! I have learnt so much and I have seen in so many ways, the things which I have learned helping others!

To be honest, I really don’t even think it has hit me yet that I am on a mission... But I can say one thing; I have never felt so happy for such a long period of time before! I feel as if I am just floating on a cloud of joy! I know it sounds ridiculous, but it's pretty much like the feeling I had at Moroni’s Quest or the feeling I had at Martin's Cove.. except all the time! Morning to night! I'm fairly sure I even feel that while I sleep!!!! Can't promise that one though...

Also I have been working on my watch tan! Once it is ready, I shall reveal the final outcome to you in picture form! So check back at the same time every week to see! Oh man it is so hot out these days! Blistering sun! It actually makes working harder to do... and it makes me so sleepy during lessons! But I’ll get used to it! Oh and the time is flying by the way! 9 more days and it’s been 2 months! How crazy is that?!?! I love you all! Oh and just for mom's sake, green (or greenie) in Xhosa is Luhlaza, fun fact! Also in a week I am no longer the youngest missionary in the mission so that is cool! I always have so much more to say while I think about what to say to you all back at home through the week, but I forget when it comes to typing... not to mention my short amount of time to email... till next time!

 

Till next time.  Elder Jones.