Weekly news, Counting down to being a year in 5 days.

Family News

News today Morgan White passed away on Sunday I forgot to tell you. Also I saw the neatest testimony about a man with no limbs and how he just keeps on going and giving all his trust to God. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could teach him the truth but his example is teaching truth also.

Nick Vujicic (click on this link and watch something amazing) is amazing you will have to see his video when you come back. He says that in the end when you are standing in front of God he will ask you, Do You Know Me and who have you brought with you that is all that matters in the end.

We are so blessed by you serving a mission thank you again son for the choice you made to go.

Caleb is so happy Uncle Golden is taking him down with Riley to unload hay and so now he says he will get to have a bit of money. I guess he will learn how quickly it can run through your hands. He almost has it already spent.

Dallas is at Snow having a blast and took some drama classes. He will have to say hey to Wills little sister because I guess she is there now.

I hope you were not hoping for a package because I am lame about getting them sent with timing, plus all the Missionary Moms are saying that all the packages they have sent since that strike you talked about happened has slowed the receiving down. All their sons are saying they haven't gotten their mail or packages for a bit.

I am saving all the emails, lots I put on our family blog so all the family can read them as its hard to put pic with a letter and resend on an email.

From Tyrell

That is very sad to hear about Brother Morgan. I saw him on a video just the other day and it was kind of exciting to see. Give their family my best. I always liked that man alot. Well once again it has been a very fast paced week and the weeks only go by faster and faster. I tell you there is just to little time to waste time. And yes i do realize that in 5 days it will be that time. It is already hard enough to forget when i am living with an Elder that came out with me. I don't have my planner with me so i might not be able to remember the whole week, but as you asked the question, how is Cifford doing,.....He's not. We found him in some not so good conditions the other day and i wasn't so happy. We decided to drop by their house Saturday night and see what we could do to help them get to church. Well we knocked on the door and Elijah answered the door and the first thing i noticed was the earrings he had in and then the burning cigarette butt in his hand. He very embarrassingly threw it away and then invited us in. I was upset, but i didn't really show it, because i realize it is very addicting. But it just got worse. as we walked in the house we sat down to find Clifford trying to hide a bottle of liquor and his friends all sitting around a pack of cards. I didn't say anything about it and i pretended not to see at first. Then we sat down and it was kind of awkward. Elder Makosa said how is everyone and i didn't really have anything to say. Elijah repeated my thoughts by saying " I don't know what to say" after what seemed like hours of sitting there trying to think of what to say i just said how i felt and the words were " To tell you the truth, I'm very disappointed." there was a pause and then i said " You know, Elder Makosa and i love you very much, but we can only help you if you are willing to help yourself." I kind of lost track of things after that because I didn't see how they could still be doing what they were doing, and we eventually just left, after Bongoni told us some jokes he had heard. I'm very frustrated with the situation, but I'm sure we will continue to see them because Bongoni is the Nephi of the family and he is still on track. Keep praying for them and I will too, but I'm not sure if we will be focusing to much of our time on them anymore. Man it's hard to have to do those kinds of things, because you know how much better their life could be.

Maybe to answer the question about the ties, you don't need to donate any and please don't ask the members to do that. it's not necessary. But i myself would like some ties. I haven't given one to everyone I've baptized just those who can't afford their own.

1.So are you trying to make the good impression with the Branch pres. because of the late incident?

1.I can't remember the incident at this moment, but mostly I'm just trying to make my branch president look good. there is a lot of catching up to do record wise.

2.That sounds so sad that there are so many children without parents.

2.there are but it's not as bad as you would think. They have people who take them in.

3. Do they just sleep in the streets or are they living with some kind of family?

3. Answered

4. Has there been any better progress with Clifford and his struggle?

4. answered.

sorry the e-mail shop is closing, got to go

Love Elder Jones

My Missionary and Humanitarian Kits arriving in South Africa.

1. Please tell us about the photos that have all the boxes in them what are they and what were you doing.
1. Yeah I forgot to tell about that. The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day-Saints donated 300 New school kits for the kids attending the school we have church in. They included a bag some notebooks a few pencils and pens with sharpeners, and a ruler for that stuff. There also was some calculators, but I'm not sure or not. It was great!!! We always see kids around the village now that have those bags. We've noticed that some of them have been personalized as well.

2. Who were the dignitary men was one of them Brother Koelliker?
2. No one of them was the 2nd counselor to our Mission President.

3. Were these photos in Tazneen?
3.Most of those photos were from Motupa and Kruger National Park.

4.Which young man is your companion the one cooking the food by the stove or the one in Kruger park with the red shirt?
4.The one with the red shirt. The one cooking is Elder Chikonye a Lenyenye elder.

5. Was the young man in the photo with the funny hat in Kruger store Lenni?
5.No that was one of our brach missionaries named Chris, and the other was Jomo

6. Did Lenni get baptized you never confirmed that.
6.Yes he did, he got baptized the same Sunday as Sister Beverly. There should have been a picture of it. They were both confirmed yesterday

7. Were you there when Elder Watson and Elder Koelliker spoke I think you said that but can't place time like I am thinking you were in Soweto at the time.
7.I'm actually not sure what your talking about with this. I've seen Elder Koelliker once and Elder Watson several times at zone conferences and what what.

8.Should I write smaller letters so you have more time to write back?
8.No I like hearing whats going on. The thing that makes me slow is when I get letters from President Poulsen that I have to read.

9.Has it cost you every Internet cafe that you have used?
9.Yup and it's gotten more expensive each one I have used.

10.What does it usually cost to send email?
10.They charge us per how long we are on the computer which is an hour. My first area it was R5 my second area was R10 and this area is R30 but they actually give us a discount here because we come in every Monday so it's only R15.


11.Did you have to have any other shots once you got to the MTC after all the ones we had at home?
11.Yeah I had to get a couple but I can't remember what they were.

12. Are you wishing you had updated photos that were tangible to look at of your family or is the one family photo good enough?
12. it's always nice to see the photos of the going's on at home. Just keep e-mailing them that is nice.

13. Do you think you have found all the encouragement notes that were hidden in your stuff a year later now?
13.I'm pretty sure I found most of them in the mtc and then I found a few in my first area as I started reading some of the books that I have.

14. So having been wearing garments for a year now are the drylux still your favorite over there in the hot of Africa?
14.Well that's a good question, they defiantly absorb the moisture much better then the silk ones.

15.What packaged foods are you missing and want us to send. Beans? taco shells? Chicken in a can? Energy bars? What tell me.
15.Well I can get all that here, but I actually have struggled to find the chicken in a can, but that's because you can find chicken in almost any other form imaginable here. People love chicken. I'm not sure if I would like that in a package. Stuff that I do miss....... it's so hard for me to think of right now..... Whoppers! yes I would love some whoppers. I would love some Captain crunch Cereal to much!... Root beer.....I would say some more sunflower seeds, but I think there bad for my teeth and it might be what was causing my gumline to recede....Jerky.... and yes a Symphony Bar
If there is anything else I'll let you know. I usually don't think about that kind of stuff so I'll see.

16. Do they grow tomatoes over there?
16. Yes they do

17.Does Elder Makoso speak Sestheo?
17.He is from Zimbabwe, he speaks Shona. but he does understand it more then I do.

Well this week feels like it has flown by, but it also seems like it has been forever. It's interesting now to be District Leader cause I'm still trying to figure out all of my duties for that. And being the ward clerk has slowly started becoming easier because I sat down with the Branch President and asked him to show me some of the stuff that was important. We also went to transfers on Wed to pick up the new elder and it was a long 5 hour drive down and a long 5 hour drive back. We now have Elder Lechner with us in the flat. He's a missionary who was in the MTC with me. it's nice to see a familiar face.

And for some reason I really can't think of anything to say right now..... so you might not like it but this may just be the end of my e-mail... yep nothings coming to me...

I'll e-mail dad and maybe he'll let your read his.

Love Elder Jones.

PHOTO'S OF THE END OF JOURNEY TO WHERE HUMANITARIAN SCHOOL KITS ARRIVE THAT ARE MADE BY RELIEF SOCIETY MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY-SAINTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEN SHIPPED AROUND THE WORLD.

Dear son
Never forget this:
How old was the young man that the Lord trusted with his ancient gold book to translate called that wonderful book
THE BOOK OF MORMON?

This should be posted in everyone room.

Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
by Marianne Williamson

You are in the business of doing this in your new position as a District Leader and a Missionary. You will be amazing son lean on the Lord.
This week has been somewhat quite the boys went up to Hoovers and cut split wrapped and sold firewood and made a bit of money. They can't wait until they can do it again, they want to make some more mola. I think that C will start doing it even to the Flying U if he can figure out a safe storage area so no one would steal it until it gets sold. He got to go to Lagoon with the money with D. Then J the next day got to go for a date with TT for his first big official 16 date even though his whole family went also. She stayed over at the oldest boys girlfriends house and I sure hope she becomes better friends. It has rained and rained this week, flooded my window actually and C and I had to jerk the air-conditioner out. I got shocked what a lovely feeling. Dad has been going like crazy and so we have hardly seen him. The house has stayed clean and they are taking me seriously with the pick up of things which has been nice. The starting school count down is getting near. K is still asking everyday when. Even Jer has started to say little things about doing school. Pictures will go into fair Mon. Well it's Friday and the whole house went to pot. I am not sure what I am going to do with C. He thinks money grows on trees and that he really isn't to having to work hard at keeping stuff nice now that he got what he wanted with going to Lagoon. He did the run away thing again but this time it was because I told him he could walk home after he was done doing the wood today for being so dang rude. Well he talked Mc into getting out when Dad stoped to to pick up the twin to tie with. So K and Z made 60 bucks with Dad helping them. C is still being all balky and teen rude tonight. J is thrilled because she walked into a Local restaurant and landed a table busing job that could have started that night but she had said she would babysit so she couldn't start till Sat night. I hope it gets her a little advance cash and then can move to another better job since it might end in Sept. She riped the clutch out of the car going from 5th to 1st at 30 or so miles an hour. So another 340.00 out of her pocket in less then a months time from fixing the tie rods that you wheeled out when it was yours. I even landed a job cleaning the cabins so I was in a bit of shock. They blessed the twin babies this weekend but we are not going up because of J's new job and the car that has no air conditioner and will cook you to death. Sorry for all the questions but I am trying to figure out what those photos are. Love you and have a great week.
Love Mom

Dad note
Hi Bud.
Mom chats enough that she most likely said everything that I know. The Lord will not expect more then you can do so do not get over whelmed and keep trying as hard as you can and pray often. Those are the secrets to being a successful missionary. I love you and I think you are doing a good job and do not try to be perfect there was only one person on this earth who was and you are not him. Even the flesh and blood brothers and sisters of Jesus rejected his teachings. Everyone gets the freedom to choose.
Love Dad

Dear Dad
I think I've realized some things this week and they've helped alot on the side of being frustrated. I realized that one thing I've done is get frustrated over things that haven't happened yet but I'm afraid might happen and so during church I was thinking about that and I wrote a little list of things in my planner that I need to do, and i call it the "take your own advice page" I realized that it's not worth getting upset and fretting about things that you can't control. You are going to make mistakes but all you can do is get back up and do better next time. If that doesn't work then try something else. Being on mission definitely makes you think about alot of things at all times of the day. I just need to relax my mind sometimes and realize I'm not the only one out here, I have my Companion and The savior to help take the burden away. Thanks for the encouraging advice dad and I love getting e-mails and letters from you. How is things on the farm? Does J have her license yet or what I keep hearing about her driving but I'm not sure if that is with you and mom or by herself. Is there anything that I can help you with or encourage you about.

Anyway, I love you lots Dad
your son
Tyrell