Two weeks in a row!

Hello Everyone,

YES IT IS A MIRACLE I AM WRITING TWO WEEKS IN A ROW I KNOW haha. Well I do have to keep this short though because my time is almost up. So Cosmo City that is my life :). It is going great we are teaching five or more father led families and the people are so kind and welcoming which helps out so much. We have been going out a little bit each day teaching and finding more people to teach. We had mtc missionaries come with us on saturday and we found at least one person haha. On friday they missed me so much at the office that they called me in to help them haha. No really a missionary there was sick and had to be taken to the hospital so I went to fill in for them so they were not left with out the help. But things are really good around cosmo we are keeping busy that is for sure. And I couldnt do all of this with out Elder Bangerter. He is my best friend here on mission and he is so loving and supportive. He knows what I am going through and he is always there to help and lift me up whenever I need him. I love him so much he is a great companion. I hope we will see each other alot after mission. Well I am sorry this is so short but I will give more details next week. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for the love and support you give me. :) LOVE YOU MEAN IT!

-Elder Aaron Giles Pule Lindsay

By: Elder Lindsay

We recently have been instructed by Elder Cook that we must establish the church rather than simply build the church. Lots of experiences come to mind when I think about what this means and how it should effect each of us. The experience that resounds most on my mind and heart is the opportunity I had to teach Lucky (one of our security guards) and his family with Elder and Sister Watts. It was a special opportunity for the Watts and I which made us want to know if it had the same meaning for Lucky and his wife Mpho so we went and talked with them about their experience.

Lucky has been a security guard at the front gates of the mission office/MTC/chapel for some time now. Countless times missionaries have passed the guardhouse without talking to Lucky or his co-workers. However, their influence was still felt when Lucky said, “I have never seen a missionary cross. They are always loving and open to everyone.” One day Elder Watts decided that they too deserved a chance to hear the Gospel so he opened his mouth. “To my side when he started giving DVDs and pamphlets he showed me love and he welcomed me in and in a way I knew the church of Christ was true” says Lucky about the experience. This shows that, “by small and simple means are great things brought to pass.”

As Elder Watts continued building on this love, Lucky’s desires for knowledge grew. This led to a teaching appointment and Lucky excitedly went home to tell his wife. “At first I thought it was a joke. I thought it would pass. When they first started coming to visit I thought they were like angels. There was a feeling I don’t know how to describe but there was some kind of light. When Lucky first told me we would have people visiting I thought it was a joke because I didn’t know what they would bring. And also when they were first supposed to come they had to reschedule so then I really thought that it was a joke, but the warmth they brought into my home was more important. That is where we have seen that the missionaries are more important. Around them I don’t feel shy or shame about where I stay or what we have. The lesson they brought us was more important than anything. First impressions count a lot. Theirs counted for me and my family.” Mpho expressed. Lucky lovingly added, “First time they entered they showed us love and tried to show us that we didn’t need to feel fear and we could do whatever we felt and not be forced. They introduced us to the Lord and they were sincere. Whatever they did they did it deeply in their hearts and it showed love. I now have a family in Utah. I have a mother and father (Brother and Sister Watts) that I love a lot and miss too much. I also have two brothers here in South Africa. One has returned home because his time was up (Elder Ephraim Ndlovu) but the other is still around and I can gratefully see Elder Lindsay every day.” Lucky and Mpho have both expressed their love for the church, its members, and Jesus Christ our Lord. Mpho expressed, “It brought peace in my family and respect too. When you go to the chapel you feel at peace. I like the Lord Jesus Christ.” Mpho is the visiting teaching coordinator, has given the opening prayer in sacrament meeting, and given a talk on faith. Lucky has the Aaronic Priesthood, passes the sacrament, and has given a talk. He has not yet received a calling but he is hopeful for the future. Often, Lucky will be reading the Book of Mormon and he will see a verse he feels that Mpho should know so he will call her and ask her to turn to that scripture and read it with him. They expressed goals for their future together in the church. Mpho wants to go to school again and rewrite her matric because she feels like it will help her get a better job to help Lucky support the family. Lucky works hard to make sure his family is at church every Sunday. He occasionally gives up his work transport money so that she can go to church. He doesn’t want the family to have any reason not go to church. Lucky communicated, “It’s not the same if you have a family that should be attending church. It’s like people will look at me and say ‘he is lonely today’ also blessings come for all of us when we are all there.

Sometimes I get distracted when I am there alone, I sit there and I think ‘what would it be like if she was here’ or ‘would I be sitting here with my son like this?’ I want my family to be there. When I read in the book of Mormon they did everything they could and God blessed them. If you put God first you can go through anything. I want my family to stay together as we are and grow together as we are. I have been thinking of starting my own security company to better support them, but I know God is with me and I am praying.” As a family, Lucky and Mpho both want their son to grow up and to serve a full time mission for the church, they joke about him serving in Orem Utah so he can see Elder Lindsay “as an old man” according to Lucky. They want to serve the Lord Jesus Christ with all of their hearts. They talk about going to the temple as a family and the butterflies it brings because of their excitement.

Lucky and his family are a strong example of establishing the church. I know that as we are obedient and seek to find those who will stay true, then we will be blessed for our efforts and find that happiness that can be found nowhere else. I know teaching Lucky and Mpho will always be a blessing for me. I will always cherish my time with them.