Two Revelations

We had a super good week.   We accomplished many things, were super busy at the office, and are now ready for transfer day (Tuesday).   Saturday morning we gathered up all of the items that we were donating to the homeless shelter, took our two pans full of soup and drove to the place.   Ross and his crew went off to install and repair light fixtures, others prepared and planted a garden, others painted, and the Relief Society set up to feed bread and soup to the people.   We were prepared to feed about 150 but I think we only fed about 50.   We had soup and bread galore but left it with them for future use.   It was a very successful service project by the ward, however, we woke up to a bone chilling wind and so I stood outside in the wind for about 3 1/2 hours and well - no one said giving service should be comfortable.   It wasn't until a hot bath and bed that night that I thawed:)

Our mission is an "English" speaking mission but there is English and there is Africaans.   I take the phone calls at the office and some of them are people asking for free DVD's or even a location for a church.   In other words, these are good contacts for the Elders because they are the ones who deliver the DVD's.   So thus it is very important that I give them correct and good information.   Well, getting the correct and good information isn't all that easy when the person on the other line is talking so fast that it's a blur to me.   I have to ask them to spell their names and addresses and some of them get annoyed.   So today in our Gospel Principles lesson we were talking about Gifts of the Spirit.   When we got to the Interpretation of Tongues it hit me that I've been neglecting to pray for this gift.   I've just thought that time would help me but there is other help to be had - 1st Revelation.   And there are those who speak any number of African languages - Zulu, etc. and their accents are difficult to understand also.   So the gift of interpretation of tongues would come in mighty handy. 

Previously in Sacrament Meeting the MTC missionaries sang for us.   I've talked about the MTC Elders and how much I love them but today as about 20 African Elders and 3 African Sisters, and 10 white - not American because some are from England, Canada, and Australia, were singing "Onward Christian Soldiers" it hit me very strong why I am here.   These sweet African missionaries come from all over Africa and they speak English yes, but they are converts of a very short time, they come from poverty conditions, probably no fathers because there are very few Father led families in Africa, but their faith and testimonies are tremendous.   We will get 15 of these Elders in our mission next week and I need to make sure I give them correct information for referrals and help them however I can.   This process will happen every six weeks for our whole mission.   I'm probably not conveying the overwhelming feeling of responsibility I feel or how the Spirit spoke to me as they sang but it was Revelation #2 and I'm committed to pray harder, and work harder for these Elders.   (We don't have Sisters serving in Johannesburg).   I admire Sister Reber the MTC mission president's wife.   She has a tremendous responsibility and fulfills it with so much enthusiasm and grace.   In a way, I envy her job but no way am qualified for it.   So that is my report for the week.