8th April 2013 Zone Leader Cape Town

SORRY EVERYONE I COULDNT GET LAST WEEKS LETTER ON EARLIER

Hi Mom and Dad

Thanks for the email once again! You have no idea how awesome it is to have pictures and an email waiting for me every week. It's crazy to see the changes happening at home while I'm gone!

I never thought I'd see the day, I am the senior Zone Leader my new companion is in my transfer so we were in the MTC together. We are both kind of learning our duties as a zone leader together. I have only been a zone leader for one transfer, and I was kind of sheltered by Elder Twitchell's. I'm doing it all now! I really like this transfer so far. Elder Somacala and I are getting along great and there's a new excitement for the work happening with us!

 

I was able to see all of the sessions of conference except the Sunday afternoon session. That was at 10pm here for us... so we couldn't see it, but I loved the rest of conference! I especially liked the Saturday morning session! That was awesome!

Nicole did send some pictures. Thanks for asking though! That's crazy that she is a mom! So weird! Marshall wrote me!!! That was so awesome! I love that kid! That's cool that you get to see Anthony so much! I bet he loves it! When does he go home? The weather is becoming rainier here, so I’m sure you are getting more sunshine there. Well just a few things to mention about this week. A lot of changing has happened! I had to drop my companion off at the mission office last week Monday after emailing because he is the new assistant to the mission president now. So before my new companion arrived on Wed I was on exchanges with different missionaries for Monday and Tuesday. I went with Elder Graydon on Monday and we had clashing appointments so we managed to have 2 dinner appointments side by side including a b-day party for Dennis (a 48 yr old man with a 7 yr olds brain).That was fun.

Then on Tuesday I was with Elder Moangare, for the day and we had a powerful day! The spirit was in such abundance with us! We did some street contacting then we visited some people and had a powerful lesson on “the plan of salvation” with our investigator in a member’s home. Then to end the night off we went and had another dinner appointment at a member family’s home. I taught a short 15-20 min lesson on the restoration, and then we had a powerful discussion on how it has blessed our lives to know of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The spirit was so strong and at the end, Elder Moangare sang a song that he just made up on the spot and the family started to cry! It was powerful! I'm excited to go back and see what people they have thought of that need the restored gospel in their lives.

Wednesday was transfers so my new companion arrived. We had a normal day Thursday but only 2 lessons though... On Friday we had district meeting with the Bellville District and the mission President Br. and Sis Wood attended as well. It was a powerful District meeting and I learnt a lot about my purpose as a missionary and how to apply that into my work!

Saturday I went to Paarl and watched the baptism of the sister I interviewed the week before, and it was awesome! She didn't want to be a member of the church for 30 years. Her husband and all of her children and most of her other family are all members but she didn't want to be. Finally, after her son returned from his mission to Ghanna, her heart softened and she wanted to be baptized! So that was a huge event for that family! So that was really cool!

After the baptism, we went to an appointment, then went to correlation meeting and then had Saturday morning session of conference at 6 pm because of the time change. Sunday was fantastic because we were able to stay at the chapel to watch sessions of conference from 11 am till 8 pm. We had 2 investigators at conference! The one has a baptismal date for this month, and her father who loved conference so much that he wants to be taught by the missionaries and to be baptized! That is really cool! I'm stoked! I was so happy to see them there! It was awesome!

So that was a brief explanation of my week! It was good! Things will be calming down a bit more this week I think! Thanks for all of the support! I am still trying to tackle the pile of letters I have! Patience please everyone! I love you all! Take luck!

-Elder Jones

(P.S. the church is true!)