12th Nov 2012 Knysna, South Africa

Hello Mom and Dad

 I'm excited to meet Tristan! He looks like a goof in his pictures (the one where he's on the exercise bike) and he sounds like he's hilarious.

I was coughing up phlegm for over a week now, but I'm just getting over it! I had some tough nights trying to sleep and found myself getting only 4 hours or so of sleep a night... Let me tell you, I was tired!!! One day we drove back from George and I was sooooo tired (almost fell asleep on the road a couple times cause my companion was asleep) and once we got home we went into our flat and I went to the bathroom and I almost fell asleep on the toilet! then I told my companion that I was going to nap for 15 mins and he had to wake me up, and the next thing I remember is him shaking me like crazy saying "wake up!!!" and it was 45 mins later and he couldn't get me awake! paha! I was dead! But I'm almost back to normal now...

 Well this week was alright... I had to go give a baptism interview, it was my first one, and I had to fail the Brother because of marriage issues... That was a bummer... but truly the elders teaching him should have known about that before and had that all resolved before I come in to interview... They have something here in Africa called tribal marriage... I think I mentioned this in another blog... but all they do is pay something called Labola to the wife’s family and then they are supposed to be married... now in a few countries that is legit! If you pay Labola, you are officially, by the government, recognized as legally and lawfully married... but in some countries that marriage needs to be registered with the government before the marriage is legal. Some countries don’t allow it at all... well the man I interviewed was from Zimbabwe and he was tribally married but it wasn't registered with the government like it was supposed to be... so we can't baptize him yet... he need to be lawfully wedded... so that was a bummer... I told the Elders that they needed to know these things before I interview the person. They are just young elders though... one is 4 months and one is 6.5 months on mission.

 Anywho... We had a branch talent show on Friday, and pretty much everyone in the branch came and shared a talent! It was awesome!

 My companion and I did stuff too... We actually did alot of stuff! Haha!

Our talent was called "What Talent Don't We Have!?"   My companion and I did a bunch of stuff like singing and dancing and riddles and jokes and magic tricks and a rap and whistling and reciting a poem and throwing candy and I'd catch it in my mouth, and preaching the gospel and ya... a bunch of stuff!... was fun.
 
I have some pictures attached and they need a little explanation... There are two there of a spider... It is the same picture only one is zoomed in on closer.

 

 That is what they call here, a "baboon spider." I saw it as we were fetching some wood from the forest for some members. I took the picture from the car but that is the biggest spider I have seen so far while here in Africa. To give you an idea of how big it is, if I were to take that and put it into my hand, it would be about the size of my palm! You can even see it’s huge fangs seemingly drag across the ground as it walks! Now that is a scary spider! And it's super fast! Good thing I was in the car or else I might have ran after it and tried to catch it!

 

The other picture is of the opening of the Lagoon to the Ocean and there is this cool fog that is just sitting there, and it sat there for like 2 days! It might still be there to be honest! But it just sits there out by the Heads (name of a location) and it looks cool! The picture is taken from our flat.

The weather is getting amazing though! The sun is out like every day and its getting hot! I love it! Summa time! Woot! Even though the winter here is like a 6 month long spring haha! I'm excited to get a tan! We'll see how good my watch tan gets this year! I’ll keep you updated on that!  

 

The work is going great and there is progress happening! It's wonderful to see how much people are willing to sacrifice for what they know is true! It’s also really frustrating sometimes to work so hard with someone, and then see them falter, but I never lose hope! The Gospel must move forward!

Thank you Aunt Terri for sending that package! The way you wrapped up those cookies was superb! They are like I'm eating them fresh from the oven! Not crumbled at all! I'm actually eating them right now as I email!

 NICOLE I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY… Please can someone share this message with her just to make sure she read it... I really think I have the wrong address for you... I don't think you have ever once gotten a letter from me have you? I'm going to send it to your parent’s house this time and maybe they can give it to you. If possible could I get the right address? That'd be great! I hope you aren't angry that you haven't gotten a letter from me, haha! I was kinda sad I wasn't getting any letters from you, but then I realized that you probably weren't getting my letters! Jammer! Xolo! Sorry!

And for Whitney, patience! Its coming I promise! And Holly and Matt J. it's coming I promise! And for anyone else that haven't received a reply for a while, patience, its coming! I sent out 6 letters last week and I have more to do this week so I'm working on it! And letters keep coming in too! Paha! I love it!

Thank you everyone for all of the incredible and constant support I get from you! I am seriously so blessed! Enjoy the Snow! Take luck!

 

-Elder Jones