Hello Everyone,
Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!, Can you Believe it officially starting in less that five hours (For me) I will be able to say 'This year I go home'. It is a strange thing. Things are going well. I am still in the office and keeping busy as ever. It has just been a challenge a little bit the past few weeks because it seems like everywhere closed down for the holidays. The post office and our mission area office and many other places. Its just funny because christmas really isnt that big around here but people look for anyway to get a day off and so they use it as a week to two weeks off. I guess it is more of their summer vacation then anything else.
So I had a wonderful time talking to my family on Christmas. It is always a great joy and thrill to hear their voices and to give me a boost. I enjoyed talking to each of them and to see how each of them are doing.
Now for this past week. Not much has happened this past week. The only difference really is that me and Elder Ray (my companion) were running the office all by ourselves monday and tuesday. But it was practically dead in here so I dont want to make it sound harder than it really was but still it was different and then also for the rest of the week Oborns have been gone to Botswana. They just got back today. So it really has just been a quiet week around the office with all the shops closed and no one bugging us about bills or anything else. But I am sure its going to be crazy starting this next week.
I also got to talk with President yesterday. So he says that the plan for me and Elder Ray is that Elder Ray will leave this next tranfer and go back out into the field. Then they will bring someone in to be with me for a transfer and then he will move us both out when he is ready (so like one or two more transfers). I also mentioned to him again about my desire to go to Botswana or North East Areas and he said I have earned it being in the office and working so hard so he is going to do everything he can to get me to Botswana and then if it doesnt work out then North East. So it looks like after I am out of the office then I will be way far away from everything. But I dont care it will be a nice change. But I still got months to go for that.
As it has been the new year I have thought of ways how I can improve. There are many different ways that I thought of and already started into practice some of the things. Some of the things is I want to become more officicent with my scripture study. It has been slacking since being in the office has me totally booked. Also to keep up on my journals. Then also I want a more positive attitude and to look at people's intentions before I jump to conclusions and such. I just all around want to be a better person. I guess that is one reason that I came and have stayed on mission is so I can change and become better. I hope I am doing that I will do everything I can not to slip back to where I was when I get back home.
Well there really isnt that much to say this week except I hope everyone has had great holidays and making them ones to remember. I love all of you and hope and pray that you will continue strong and do things to make yourselves and others happy.
Good luck and miss you all with much love
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Who knew??...I'm alive!
Hello Everyone,
Yes it is true I am alive and you are reading another letter from me. I don't know how many times I can write and tell you each that I am sorry for not writing and I can give you many different reasons but the main reasons are just that every time I get an opportunity to write I am either pulled away or too tired. I am so sorry I hope everyone can forgive me. I hope everyone is well and that things are going the way you hope and dreamed.
So let me just say thank you to all those who have been writing me letters; Catia, Trent, Linda, Melody, Liz, Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Tammy, Laural, and many many more others thank you so much for your letters they really do keep me going I always look forward to hear from everyone and to know how they are doing (Even though I haven't been a good person and at least writing a letter to everyone). Well tonight (Where I am at anyways) I hope to make up for at least a little bit of the time I have lost and I hope I can relate lots of stories and information for you.
Well maybe I can just start out by saying I AM PAST THE SEVEN MONTH MARK! and what is even crazier I can officially count down the number of transfers I have on one hand. Time is going by so fast and when I hear about all my friends coming home off their missions I think its crazy because I am not too far behind them. I have to admit I am excited to get home but then again mission has helped me in so many ways I don't want that part of my life to change. I want to continue the way I am now and not go back to who I was before.
So let me think what I should read about...wouldn't it just be rotten of me to get all your hopes up of a big long letter to make up for things but then I just cut it right here? OK I wont do that I am not that mean. So as many of you know I have been working in the office since the last time you have heard from me. They have mainly been having me help with the charges for the missionaries and the vehicle coordinator (very ironic I know), and just keeping the supplies coming in for the missionaries and whatever the mission needs. It has been a very great experience. Yes like anything else it has its down points. But the thing is I have seen missions from a whole new stand point now. I know a lot more about how missions run and make it possible for missionaries like me to do their jobs. It is really interesting and I am so glad right now my job is to help the other missionaries be able to spread the wonderful gospel we have. The down side is I really don't get to do that part much my self. Every time me and my companion make plans to go out and do some finding or something we always get called back in it seems like and so I haven't taught a lesson for a few months. But as a side note I get to go out to the assistants area with one of them tonight I am so excited. I am probably going to butcher it because I haven't taught in so long. But anyways another down part is that it seems to be cycles. You get one thing going and doing well then have to move to something else but by the time you are almost getting that smoothed out it seems like the old problems come back again. But we as an office staff are working on getting all those little problems dealt with.
So in the office I am working with Elder Oborn who is you can say the head guy of the office staff he bounces around making sure everyone gets their jobs done and helps in anyways he can, and then his wife Sister Oborn who is in charge of the flats and the medical things. I also help her with inventory for the flats and and getting all the supplies ready for moving missionaries and such. Then there is Elder Leavitt who is the head finance guy and who deals with anything with money. He used to be a Federal Judge before he came so that is kind of neat. Then there is his wife Sister Leavitt who is being prepared as President Omer's Secretary and she does all the prep for missionaries coming in and out of the mission and the visas and the scheduling and all that. And then there is the two assistants Elders Ramos and Rivera. Elder Ramos is going home next week so he is done. A great guy though. Then Elder Rivera is the one I am going with tonight. He is rough around the edges a stickler at times but over all he is an amazing missionary and many great experiences behind it. Then there is Sister Baily who comes in and puts baptism records on the computer for a church calling. She is so funny every day she either complains that Elders sat in her chair or her computer wont listen to her or Elders don't do records right or that after we die the Savior is going to judge us according to how we fill out our baptism records. She is an older lady but she is really great. She reminds me a lot of grandma Lindsay. Same kind of stubbornness but a very kind and loving heart. Once and a while I get to work around President Omer. Most of the time he is out doing interviews or setting up meetings or doing something that causes him to run around constantly with no stop. I really respect him. He is up past midnight every night and up around four in the morning for traveling or paper work or some reason or another. He literally has very little time to stop and rest. Its amazing to kind of see his schedule and the way he keeps running. But one thing is for sure whatever he does he does it out of love and consideration for the missionaries. He wants the best for them and for the people that they come in contact with out in the fields in whatever area they may be in.
Then last but not least I work with Elder Ray who is my companion. He is mainly helping sister Leavitt with whatever she needs done right now. They are thinking he will be out in the field again starting at the first of the year. Elder Ray is awesome. He is without a doubt the best companion I have thus far. It is just so easy to get along with him and to talk with him. I think me and him are making each other a little trunky but hey we are missionaries it is good for us right. He knows how to work hard when there is a task at hand but he also knows how to have fun before, during and after the work as well which is an amazing quality with him. He is from Arizona and so not to far from Utah. I definitely hope we will have the opportunity to work together more and we will definitely stay in touch when we get back home. You can just say he is another side of me we get along so well and like too much of the same things. We quote movies and shows all the time its great ha ha.
So that is a big summery of my life here in the office. We come to the office at about 8:30 in the morning and then leave around 5. But sometimes work takes us longer and so we get out of here later. We scrounge for shopping time and time to clean our flats. So by the time we can do things then that leaves like no time for proselyting.
So one of the great experiences I got to do in the past few months I got to shake Elder Russel M. Nelson's hand and got to listen to him speak in person. I was sitting with the all the other office staff and the senior couples up in the front two rows so it was truly amazing. We got to listen to him and his wife and Sister Cook and then Sister Renland. It was just an amazing experience the spirit was there just prompting each of us and letting each of know what we need to do in order improve. But Elder Nelson talked a lot about asking for angels by name. When we pray we tend to ask for angels to help us but he said we can also ask for specific angels by name to help us like people who we know that went through the same challenges as us that can help us. It was something neat that I never even thought about before. Then he also talked about sacrificing for the Lord and being obedient. It is a moment I hope I will never forget and I will always remember the feeling that I had.
Another thing that has blessed my life is I got to go on Mission Tour with President Omer and Carl B. Cook from the Seventy and some of the guys from the office. Now what mission tour is, is when a someone from the area presidency comes and they literally take a tour of the mission. They visit each of the zones and they talk with the missionaries and give them some instruction. Carl B. Cook came and he talked a lot of obedience and that we teach for converts not just to have another baptism and establishing the church rather than just building it. It kind of got me down because I don't do much teaching myself but still a neat experience never the less. So I got to go to all the different meetings with them. Now my job was to inspect all the cars. I had to check the oil and the tires and the cleanliness and all that so if anyone needs a car check when I am home I can do one. That took up most of my time so I didn't get to be in the meetings much. But I did get to see alot of the mission I have never saw before. I got to go to the North East Zone which is about four to six hours away and then I got to go to Botswana. I think I really want to go to Botswana or North East after I am out of the office. In the North East we got to split and go do some teaching with some of the Elders. Now that is the area you more imagine when you think of Africa. The family we went to lived in the middle of a Banana farm and had four sticks in the ground with a tarp over them for a home. They understood very very very little English and their clothes were torn and dirty and it would probably take them almost an hour or two walking just to get to the main road and then another ten to twenty minutes to get to the town (that is if they managed to get a ride if not it would take another hour or two). It was truly a different experience and one I wont be about to forget. The whole mission tour was a great experience but just being able to hear Elder Cook talk (even about his conference experience this past October) and being there in the North East made it all the icing on the cake as people say. Something I will cherish forever.
I have been receiving lots of help from different people lately and I am truly grateful to each and everyone one of them no matter how big of the thing they have done for me. One of the guys I have been meeting with told me once; "The Lord is aware of you isn't he. He has his hand in everything that you do." and I have thought a lot about that. And you know it is so true. I am not saying I am the only one that the Lord does that with but as I look back I can see it fitting all together so perfectly. As Elder Oborn has said once "As you go through challenging times it may not come into focus until you look in the rear view mirror." Some times we just have to look back to what we had or who we were or whatever it may be just to see the difference. Its not so apparent looking forward because we are to focused on what we don't have at the time to realize how far we made it.
Well I think that will give you a picture of what I have been doing the past few months and what has been keeping me so busy. Again I am sorry I haven't wrote in awhile and I hope I can make it up to each and everyone of you. I love you all so much and thank you again for all your prayers and all you do for me. I will be focusing more on writing individual letters starting this week and as well I will make sure to write something to everyone in an email. I will do better. Again I love you all and you are always in my thoughts and in my prayers and I hope to hear from everyone soon.
-Your Friend, Brother, Lacoua (probably spelt wrong), etc
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
"Life is what you make it so Fake it Until You Make it"
Yes it is true I am alive and you are reading another letter from me. I don't know how many times I can write and tell you each that I am sorry for not writing and I can give you many different reasons but the main reasons are just that every time I get an opportunity to write I am either pulled away or too tired. I am so sorry I hope everyone can forgive me. I hope everyone is well and that things are going the way you hope and dreamed.
So let me just say thank you to all those who have been writing me letters; Catia, Trent, Linda, Melody, Liz, Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Tammy, Laural, and many many more others thank you so much for your letters they really do keep me going I always look forward to hear from everyone and to know how they are doing (Even though I haven't been a good person and at least writing a letter to everyone). Well tonight (Where I am at anyways) I hope to make up for at least a little bit of the time I have lost and I hope I can relate lots of stories and information for you.
Well maybe I can just start out by saying I AM PAST THE SEVEN MONTH MARK! and what is even crazier I can officially count down the number of transfers I have on one hand. Time is going by so fast and when I hear about all my friends coming home off their missions I think its crazy because I am not too far behind them. I have to admit I am excited to get home but then again mission has helped me in so many ways I don't want that part of my life to change. I want to continue the way I am now and not go back to who I was before.
So let me think what I should read about...wouldn't it just be rotten of me to get all your hopes up of a big long letter to make up for things but then I just cut it right here? OK I wont do that I am not that mean. So as many of you know I have been working in the office since the last time you have heard from me. They have mainly been having me help with the charges for the missionaries and the vehicle coordinator (very ironic I know), and just keeping the supplies coming in for the missionaries and whatever the mission needs. It has been a very great experience. Yes like anything else it has its down points. But the thing is I have seen missions from a whole new stand point now. I know a lot more about how missions run and make it possible for missionaries like me to do their jobs. It is really interesting and I am so glad right now my job is to help the other missionaries be able to spread the wonderful gospel we have. The down side is I really don't get to do that part much my self. Every time me and my companion make plans to go out and do some finding or something we always get called back in it seems like and so I haven't taught a lesson for a few months. But as a side note I get to go out to the assistants area with one of them tonight I am so excited. I am probably going to butcher it because I haven't taught in so long. But anyways another down part is that it seems to be cycles. You get one thing going and doing well then have to move to something else but by the time you are almost getting that smoothed out it seems like the old problems come back again. But we as an office staff are working on getting all those little problems dealt with.
So in the office I am working with Elder Oborn who is you can say the head guy of the office staff he bounces around making sure everyone gets their jobs done and helps in anyways he can, and then his wife Sister Oborn who is in charge of the flats and the medical things. I also help her with inventory for the flats and and getting all the supplies ready for moving missionaries and such. Then there is Elder Leavitt who is the head finance guy and who deals with anything with money. He used to be a Federal Judge before he came so that is kind of neat. Then there is his wife Sister Leavitt who is being prepared as President Omer's Secretary and she does all the prep for missionaries coming in and out of the mission and the visas and the scheduling and all that. And then there is the two assistants Elders Ramos and Rivera. Elder Ramos is going home next week so he is done. A great guy though. Then Elder Rivera is the one I am going with tonight. He is rough around the edges a stickler at times but over all he is an amazing missionary and many great experiences behind it. Then there is Sister Baily who comes in and puts baptism records on the computer for a church calling. She is so funny every day she either complains that Elders sat in her chair or her computer wont listen to her or Elders don't do records right or that after we die the Savior is going to judge us according to how we fill out our baptism records. She is an older lady but she is really great. She reminds me a lot of grandma Lindsay. Same kind of stubbornness but a very kind and loving heart. Once and a while I get to work around President Omer. Most of the time he is out doing interviews or setting up meetings or doing something that causes him to run around constantly with no stop. I really respect him. He is up past midnight every night and up around four in the morning for traveling or paper work or some reason or another. He literally has very little time to stop and rest. Its amazing to kind of see his schedule and the way he keeps running. But one thing is for sure whatever he does he does it out of love and consideration for the missionaries. He wants the best for them and for the people that they come in contact with out in the fields in whatever area they may be in.
Then last but not least I work with Elder Ray who is my companion. He is mainly helping sister Leavitt with whatever she needs done right now. They are thinking he will be out in the field again starting at the first of the year. Elder Ray is awesome. He is without a doubt the best companion I have thus far. It is just so easy to get along with him and to talk with him. I think me and him are making each other a little trunky but hey we are missionaries it is good for us right. He knows how to work hard when there is a task at hand but he also knows how to have fun before, during and after the work as well which is an amazing quality with him. He is from Arizona and so not to far from Utah. I definitely hope we will have the opportunity to work together more and we will definitely stay in touch when we get back home. You can just say he is another side of me we get along so well and like too much of the same things. We quote movies and shows all the time its great ha ha.
So that is a big summery of my life here in the office. We come to the office at about 8:30 in the morning and then leave around 5. But sometimes work takes us longer and so we get out of here later. We scrounge for shopping time and time to clean our flats. So by the time we can do things then that leaves like no time for proselyting.
So one of the great experiences I got to do in the past few months I got to shake Elder Russel M. Nelson's hand and got to listen to him speak in person. I was sitting with the all the other office staff and the senior couples up in the front two rows so it was truly amazing. We got to listen to him and his wife and Sister Cook and then Sister Renland. It was just an amazing experience the spirit was there just prompting each of us and letting each of know what we need to do in order improve. But Elder Nelson talked a lot about asking for angels by name. When we pray we tend to ask for angels to help us but he said we can also ask for specific angels by name to help us like people who we know that went through the same challenges as us that can help us. It was something neat that I never even thought about before. Then he also talked about sacrificing for the Lord and being obedient. It is a moment I hope I will never forget and I will always remember the feeling that I had.
Another thing that has blessed my life is I got to go on Mission Tour with President Omer and Carl B. Cook from the Seventy and some of the guys from the office. Now what mission tour is, is when a someone from the area presidency comes and they literally take a tour of the mission. They visit each of the zones and they talk with the missionaries and give them some instruction. Carl B. Cook came and he talked a lot of obedience and that we teach for converts not just to have another baptism and establishing the church rather than just building it. It kind of got me down because I don't do much teaching myself but still a neat experience never the less. So I got to go to all the different meetings with them. Now my job was to inspect all the cars. I had to check the oil and the tires and the cleanliness and all that so if anyone needs a car check when I am home I can do one. That took up most of my time so I didn't get to be in the meetings much. But I did get to see alot of the mission I have never saw before. I got to go to the North East Zone which is about four to six hours away and then I got to go to Botswana. I think I really want to go to Botswana or North East after I am out of the office. In the North East we got to split and go do some teaching with some of the Elders. Now that is the area you more imagine when you think of Africa. The family we went to lived in the middle of a Banana farm and had four sticks in the ground with a tarp over them for a home. They understood very very very little English and their clothes were torn and dirty and it would probably take them almost an hour or two walking just to get to the main road and then another ten to twenty minutes to get to the town (that is if they managed to get a ride if not it would take another hour or two). It was truly a different experience and one I wont be about to forget. The whole mission tour was a great experience but just being able to hear Elder Cook talk (even about his conference experience this past October) and being there in the North East made it all the icing on the cake as people say. Something I will cherish forever.
I have been receiving lots of help from different people lately and I am truly grateful to each and everyone one of them no matter how big of the thing they have done for me. One of the guys I have been meeting with told me once; "The Lord is aware of you isn't he. He has his hand in everything that you do." and I have thought a lot about that. And you know it is so true. I am not saying I am the only one that the Lord does that with but as I look back I can see it fitting all together so perfectly. As Elder Oborn has said once "As you go through challenging times it may not come into focus until you look in the rear view mirror." Some times we just have to look back to what we had or who we were or whatever it may be just to see the difference. Its not so apparent looking forward because we are to focused on what we don't have at the time to realize how far we made it.
Well I think that will give you a picture of what I have been doing the past few months and what has been keeping me so busy. Again I am sorry I haven't wrote in awhile and I hope I can make it up to each and everyone of you. I love you all so much and thank you again for all your prayers and all you do for me. I will be focusing more on writing individual letters starting this week and as well I will make sure to write something to everyone in an email. I will do better. Again I love you all and you are always in my thoughts and in my prayers and I hope to hear from everyone soon.
-Your Friend, Brother, Lacoua (probably spelt wrong), etc
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
"Life is what you make it so Fake it Until You Make it"
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Thanks, braai, training, funeral, teaching, baptisms, & love
Hello again everyone,
I am so sorry about last week where I sent pictures I had very little time to write things but I am taking lots of time to write today so this should be a longer letter. So first of all I just want to start out by saying thank you to everyone. I love all of you and I am so grateful for your love and support. Thank you for the prayers that you have said in my behalf. I truely feel them and know the lord is blessing me and helping me so I dont let any of you down. So again thank you for all that you do for me.
Ok so what has been going on this week... where should I start. Ok so last week after emailing we went shopping for our food and then we also bought stuff so we could have a braai/ barbeque. It was alot of fun. The other elders played soccer with some kids while me and some other elders watched over the meat to make sure it didnt burn. Well we had fun and all but part of me wishes it could have gone just a little bit longer. But thats ok.
Then on Tuesday and Wednesday I went to the office again for some more training. This time they told me that I would be responsible for everything in the office. We will be rotating jobs around and so that way I will be doing a little bit of everything. So its going to be good and I am going to be super busy. I should be going into the office sometime this week and so who knows maybe next time you hear from me I will be sitting behind a desk all day. Haha funny to think that I am the one to do that but the lord works in mysterious ways and who am I to question when he has a specific assignment for me. I will do it the best of my abilities and it will help me grow as much as going out into the feild and teaching all these great and kind people has.
Then this week we have also met a new father led family that are going to be good investigators I feel like. Last sunday I guess they came to the chapel to ask if they could use it for their marriage. Elder Khumalo told them they would have to call the presidentcy. So on Tuesday we went to their place and we gave them the numbers to call. Then on Thursday we get a call from the lady who was very upset and down because she couldnt get a hold of the presidentcy and some complications for her and her husband (they are just wanting to do the offical ceremony at the chapel but they are already married). So we helped her get a hold of the branch predsidentcy and then they said she had to come talk to them. But when we saw her that day it was amazing. We went and she had lots of questions and concerns because nothing has been going right for her and her husband since they have started planning this wedding. so she told us she tried to kill herself and she was thinking of canceling the wedding and everything. That is when we watched the movie 'Together Forever" with her because she was asking for advice but we are not aloud to as missionaries. So we watched that movie and by the end of it she was coming up with everything she was asking questions about herself. She address all of her concerns and she even learned. She even said that she felt she needed to be a part of the church not just for the wedding but even after and everything. the spirit was so strong we as missionaries never said one word to her. She came up with it all through the spirit. All we did was go in and listen to her and then my companion said we should watch the movie with her and after she did all the talking. We never said a word. Its amazing how the spirit works. They both even came to an activity we held on saturday and she even came to church yesterday. They should be a good couple for sure to teach.
Then with good times there is also sad times. We got a call one night telling us that sister posisie (one of our members in our area) passed away. A few days before we saw her and gave her a blessing and I remember after the blessing she just looked at us and said "Thank you I feel reliesed from all pain and sorrow and suffering" Im sure she really did. But at least we know she went peacefully. I am going to miss her she was a terrific member and lots of people loved her. She was a great example to me and to others. Her presence will definately be missed in the church.
Then on Saturday we held another U-night at the chapel with all the areas. I kept geting told that it was going to be impossible and that it wouldnt work but it was the biggest one that we have had and it was a huge success. It was amazing. We watched a movie about Christ and then played some games it was a good experience.
Then yesterday I had the oppertunity to baptise Phillemon. That makes it 60 people I have seen baptised and 11 I have taught but I barely missed seeing them baptised and so a total of 71 people with 22 of them I got to personally put them in the water. It was a great experience exspecially with the confirmations we had of a few other recent converts in the morning as well. The lord knows what it takes to bring people to the truth. I am just so grateful I can be a part of it. Not to brag or anything because it is all the lords work but it does remind me of my mission scripture Mosiah 23:10-11 "Made me an instrument in bringing so many of you a knowledge of his truth."
I know that the lord loves each and everyone of us if we will just submit and do what he asks. If we want blessings all we have to do is obey.
That is my week and I loved it. My time is up but I love each one of you and I hope all is well. I hope to hear from you all soon. Hope you are doing well. May God bless all of you with whatever you need and want.
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
I am so sorry about last week where I sent pictures I had very little time to write things but I am taking lots of time to write today so this should be a longer letter. So first of all I just want to start out by saying thank you to everyone. I love all of you and I am so grateful for your love and support. Thank you for the prayers that you have said in my behalf. I truely feel them and know the lord is blessing me and helping me so I dont let any of you down. So again thank you for all that you do for me.
Ok so what has been going on this week... where should I start. Ok so last week after emailing we went shopping for our food and then we also bought stuff so we could have a braai/ barbeque. It was alot of fun. The other elders played soccer with some kids while me and some other elders watched over the meat to make sure it didnt burn. Well we had fun and all but part of me wishes it could have gone just a little bit longer. But thats ok.
Then on Tuesday and Wednesday I went to the office again for some more training. This time they told me that I would be responsible for everything in the office. We will be rotating jobs around and so that way I will be doing a little bit of everything. So its going to be good and I am going to be super busy. I should be going into the office sometime this week and so who knows maybe next time you hear from me I will be sitting behind a desk all day. Haha funny to think that I am the one to do that but the lord works in mysterious ways and who am I to question when he has a specific assignment for me. I will do it the best of my abilities and it will help me grow as much as going out into the feild and teaching all these great and kind people has.
Then this week we have also met a new father led family that are going to be good investigators I feel like. Last sunday I guess they came to the chapel to ask if they could use it for their marriage. Elder Khumalo told them they would have to call the presidentcy. So on Tuesday we went to their place and we gave them the numbers to call. Then on Thursday we get a call from the lady who was very upset and down because she couldnt get a hold of the presidentcy and some complications for her and her husband (they are just wanting to do the offical ceremony at the chapel but they are already married). So we helped her get a hold of the branch predsidentcy and then they said she had to come talk to them. But when we saw her that day it was amazing. We went and she had lots of questions and concerns because nothing has been going right for her and her husband since they have started planning this wedding. so she told us she tried to kill herself and she was thinking of canceling the wedding and everything. That is when we watched the movie 'Together Forever" with her because she was asking for advice but we are not aloud to as missionaries. So we watched that movie and by the end of it she was coming up with everything she was asking questions about herself. She address all of her concerns and she even learned. She even said that she felt she needed to be a part of the church not just for the wedding but even after and everything. the spirit was so strong we as missionaries never said one word to her. She came up with it all through the spirit. All we did was go in and listen to her and then my companion said we should watch the movie with her and after she did all the talking. We never said a word. Its amazing how the spirit works. They both even came to an activity we held on saturday and she even came to church yesterday. They should be a good couple for sure to teach.
Then with good times there is also sad times. We got a call one night telling us that sister posisie (one of our members in our area) passed away. A few days before we saw her and gave her a blessing and I remember after the blessing she just looked at us and said "Thank you I feel reliesed from all pain and sorrow and suffering" Im sure she really did. But at least we know she went peacefully. I am going to miss her she was a terrific member and lots of people loved her. She was a great example to me and to others. Her presence will definately be missed in the church.
Then on Saturday we held another U-night at the chapel with all the areas. I kept geting told that it was going to be impossible and that it wouldnt work but it was the biggest one that we have had and it was a huge success. It was amazing. We watched a movie about Christ and then played some games it was a good experience.
Then yesterday I had the oppertunity to baptise Phillemon. That makes it 60 people I have seen baptised and 11 I have taught but I barely missed seeing them baptised and so a total of 71 people with 22 of them I got to personally put them in the water. It was a great experience exspecially with the confirmations we had of a few other recent converts in the morning as well. The lord knows what it takes to bring people to the truth. I am just so grateful I can be a part of it. Not to brag or anything because it is all the lords work but it does remind me of my mission scripture Mosiah 23:10-11 "Made me an instrument in bringing so many of you a knowledge of his truth."
I know that the lord loves each and everyone of us if we will just submit and do what he asks. If we want blessings all we have to do is obey.
That is my week and I loved it. My time is up but I love each one of you and I hope all is well. I hope to hear from you all soon. Hope you are doing well. May God bless all of you with whatever you need and want.
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
Monday, September 5, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
New Assignment
Hello everyone,
Sorry I didnt write last week I was very short on time and things just were not on my side. So I will make sure today is one of the longer letters I will write. So this week has been a good week. Things have been going good between me and my companions (yes its companionS not compnaion I will explain). So last monday we went back to the lion park agian for the new missionaries that just came into the area. It was fun as normal. The lion cubs were alot more playful this time which was fun. Then afterwards it was just a normal typical day from there.
So the next major thing that happened this week was on Wednesday me and Elder Kapata were teaching and when I got a phone call fromt the Assistants. Well I have a new assignment from the President. In a few weeks I will be leaving here in Sebokeng and I will be moving to the office. One of the seinor couples that have been working there in the office got moved to an area to help that area and so for now they are placing me and one other missionary there in the office until they can get another seinor couple in there (or until further notice). So I will be there for at least a few transfers president said so it should be interesting. I will be taking care of paper work and computer work and all that thing. So until I go to the office I have to go in a few times per week so I can recieve training in my new postition. And now as I said I have companions because to fill in my spot they have sent down another elder named Elder Khumalo who I need to train him and my companion on the area before I leave since I have only been with Elder Kapata for a few weeks. I am excited to accept this new assignment but I am also sad because I have only spent three months in this area and its just starting to take off. But hey if thats what the lord wants I will do it. And just so everyone knows my P-days are going to be switching from Mondays to Saturdays when I am in the office so just look for my letters around then.
So on Friday we had a zone confrence. It was a more different one that the ones in the past. People were just yelling out randomly and they werent taking things seriously or they were just complaining and it was just different. But on the brighter side one of the branch missionaries from my last area is helping in our mission for a transfer and so I got to see him there at the zone confrence and kind of get updated on my last area. Apparently alot of the people I was working with were baptized and now fully active in the church. So it sounds like that area is looking up as well.
Then on Saturday we had our yearly 'Mormon Helping Hands Service Project" We went and we helped clean up some of the places around our area with the members. It was a great experience. So as we were cleaning (of course Im the only white guy) a drunk guy comes and starts yelling "Lakua (La-coo-wa)" Which means white person. Haha. He kept trying to get me to come over to him and so he could ask me for a job. Well obviously I dont even have a job myself. All the members tried getting him to leave me alone tried getting him to go away. But nothing was working. So all of a sudden theladies living around the area we were cleaning come rushing from cleaning their clothes or what they were doing and they start yelling at him and throwing rocks at him telling him to leave and to stop bugging me because I was actually helping them and doing good. Haha it was a crazy neat experience.
Then on Sunday we had two baptisms. Sello and Solly. It was a great experience but also kind of disorganized because it was the first one we had combined with the other area. But also after the baptisms yesterday we were going around to some former investigators and we came to one named Joesph. He was being prepared to be baptized but he doesnt know why but missionaries just stopped going. So we talked to him to find out what he remembers and he remembers alot and he knows alot. He still wants to be baptized and so he should be coming up in the next coming month or so. Its great how the spirit works some times to lead us to the people who are truely prepared.
So that was my week and its been a great one. I will always love and look back on these times often. I am so grateful I came on mission. Well everyone else is waiting for me so I got to go but I hope to hear from everyone soon. Thank you to Jacob, Emily, Shauna and Kyler for your letters. I hope I get to keep hearing from you and seeing how things are going. Talk to you soon.
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay.
Sorry I didnt write last week I was very short on time and things just were not on my side. So I will make sure today is one of the longer letters I will write. So this week has been a good week. Things have been going good between me and my companions (yes its companionS not compnaion I will explain). So last monday we went back to the lion park agian for the new missionaries that just came into the area. It was fun as normal. The lion cubs were alot more playful this time which was fun. Then afterwards it was just a normal typical day from there.
So the next major thing that happened this week was on Wednesday me and Elder Kapata were teaching and when I got a phone call fromt the Assistants. Well I have a new assignment from the President. In a few weeks I will be leaving here in Sebokeng and I will be moving to the office. One of the seinor couples that have been working there in the office got moved to an area to help that area and so for now they are placing me and one other missionary there in the office until they can get another seinor couple in there (or until further notice). So I will be there for at least a few transfers president said so it should be interesting. I will be taking care of paper work and computer work and all that thing. So until I go to the office I have to go in a few times per week so I can recieve training in my new postition. And now as I said I have companions because to fill in my spot they have sent down another elder named Elder Khumalo who I need to train him and my companion on the area before I leave since I have only been with Elder Kapata for a few weeks. I am excited to accept this new assignment but I am also sad because I have only spent three months in this area and its just starting to take off. But hey if thats what the lord wants I will do it. And just so everyone knows my P-days are going to be switching from Mondays to Saturdays when I am in the office so just look for my letters around then.
So on Friday we had a zone confrence. It was a more different one that the ones in the past. People were just yelling out randomly and they werent taking things seriously or they were just complaining and it was just different. But on the brighter side one of the branch missionaries from my last area is helping in our mission for a transfer and so I got to see him there at the zone confrence and kind of get updated on my last area. Apparently alot of the people I was working with were baptized and now fully active in the church. So it sounds like that area is looking up as well.
Then on Saturday we had our yearly 'Mormon Helping Hands Service Project" We went and we helped clean up some of the places around our area with the members. It was a great experience. So as we were cleaning (of course Im the only white guy) a drunk guy comes and starts yelling "Lakua (La-coo-wa)" Which means white person. Haha. He kept trying to get me to come over to him and so he could ask me for a job. Well obviously I dont even have a job myself. All the members tried getting him to leave me alone tried getting him to go away. But nothing was working. So all of a sudden theladies living around the area we were cleaning come rushing from cleaning their clothes or what they were doing and they start yelling at him and throwing rocks at him telling him to leave and to stop bugging me because I was actually helping them and doing good. Haha it was a crazy neat experience.
Then on Sunday we had two baptisms. Sello and Solly. It was a great experience but also kind of disorganized because it was the first one we had combined with the other area. But also after the baptisms yesterday we were going around to some former investigators and we came to one named Joesph. He was being prepared to be baptized but he doesnt know why but missionaries just stopped going. So we talked to him to find out what he remembers and he remembers alot and he knows alot. He still wants to be baptized and so he should be coming up in the next coming month or so. Its great how the spirit works some times to lead us to the people who are truely prepared.
So that was my week and its been a great one. I will always love and look back on these times often. I am so grateful I came on mission. Well everyone else is waiting for me so I got to go but I hope to hear from everyone soon. Thank you to Jacob, Emily, Shauna and Kyler for your letters. I hope I get to keep hearing from you and seeing how things are going. Talk to you soon.
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Companions, Cottage meetings, & Car wrecks
Hello everyone,
Sorry about last week I guess I was down in the dumps and all blah. So I am doing better this week and things are going to continue improving I hope. The lord has plans for me that much I know. So yeah last week monday after emailing everyone we went shopping with our district leaders. Afterwards we went back to the flat and I was getting the cold treatment beyond all cold treatment. So we got ready to leave and then we left late and so we missed our first appointment. But I am so glad we went to the second appointment. We held a family home evening with a full member family combined with a recent convert and his family who are not members (yet haha). Well for the activity we watched 'Finding Faith in Christ'. It was so amazing and the spirit was so strong. The recent converts family was making comments and participating when they usually dont like to. Well that is also when I recieved inspiration on what I needed to do with my companion. So that night when we got back to the flat I just did what we call the the 'swallow and bury technique' Pretty much I took all the blame upon myself and just let him know a few of my opinions. Well it worked but he still doesnt talk to me too much or anything and so we have just been working together. Sometimes you just got to 'let the dead bury their dead' as Jesus Christ tells us. And I know I am one to hold a grudge alot of the times and so this was a major learning experience for me.
Then we have been busy teaching people until about Wednesday when my companion starts going to the other area and another missionary with me because he was sick so the work was slow. Also me and my companion hasnt really done any planning this week because the two missionaries in the flat across from ours lost their keys and so they have been staying in our flat with us even until now. To get clothes and things they had to climb up the balcony and go in through the patio door. It crazy I am surprised we havent been arrested for burglary or anything. Friday night we went to a dinner together just as a district. We went to a Portegese resturant. It was fun but it also wasnt well planned out and so it was a little crazy but thats ok. So in the area we have been holding what is called U-nites or Cottage meetings. Its where the members gather together and hold like a big familly home evening. Well our area is divided into zones and so we are trying to get one of these u-nites started in each zone. Well we held one in zone seventeen for the first time on saturday night and it was a big sucess. We had fourteen people there total and one of them was less active and another one was an investigator. That is the biggest u-nite we have had since I have been here. Two other zones have been having u-nites and we might start combining zones soon. Well saturday morning we held a fireside at Sharpville. The mission president came and he helped us teach the people and he over saw everything. It was alot of fun I want to try to get one of those going for our area in Sebokeng.
So saturday I also recieved the news that my companion will be leaving on Tuesday. I will be getting a new companion and hopefully I will be able to implement more of the plans I see for this area. Ever since we found out my companion was leaving we have just been driving around and letting him say good bye to people. Well last night (sunday) we stopped behind a car that was turning and about two minutes later we hear this screeching and another car came and slammed into the back of our car. The only thing damaged on our car was the bike rack that holds the bikes on the back but the front of the other guy's car was demolished. (I will hopefully get pictures of this too so you can see) but the bumper was off and smashed into pieces. Glass was all over from the lights breaking and all. Well the guy was drunk and so he didnt see us apparently. But thank goodness no one was hurt and the only thing damaged on our car is the bike rack which is still usable and good. The lord was definately watching over us and that guy last night. We dont even know how the bike rack survied the impact because it was not that strong in the first place but it did. And it save us from injury as well. Well today after emailing we will be going to a zone activity where we will have a meeting and then play some sports. So that has been my week. I love all of you and thank you for the love and support you have given to me. I hope I can hear from you all soon and I promise your letters are coming soon. Love you and talk to you next week.
-Your Brother, Son, Friend and others
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
Sorry about last week I guess I was down in the dumps and all blah. So I am doing better this week and things are going to continue improving I hope. The lord has plans for me that much I know. So yeah last week monday after emailing everyone we went shopping with our district leaders. Afterwards we went back to the flat and I was getting the cold treatment beyond all cold treatment. So we got ready to leave and then we left late and so we missed our first appointment. But I am so glad we went to the second appointment. We held a family home evening with a full member family combined with a recent convert and his family who are not members (yet haha). Well for the activity we watched 'Finding Faith in Christ'. It was so amazing and the spirit was so strong. The recent converts family was making comments and participating when they usually dont like to. Well that is also when I recieved inspiration on what I needed to do with my companion. So that night when we got back to the flat I just did what we call the the 'swallow and bury technique' Pretty much I took all the blame upon myself and just let him know a few of my opinions. Well it worked but he still doesnt talk to me too much or anything and so we have just been working together. Sometimes you just got to 'let the dead bury their dead' as Jesus Christ tells us. And I know I am one to hold a grudge alot of the times and so this was a major learning experience for me.
Then we have been busy teaching people until about Wednesday when my companion starts going to the other area and another missionary with me because he was sick so the work was slow. Also me and my companion hasnt really done any planning this week because the two missionaries in the flat across from ours lost their keys and so they have been staying in our flat with us even until now. To get clothes and things they had to climb up the balcony and go in through the patio door. It crazy I am surprised we havent been arrested for burglary or anything. Friday night we went to a dinner together just as a district. We went to a Portegese resturant. It was fun but it also wasnt well planned out and so it was a little crazy but thats ok. So in the area we have been holding what is called U-nites or Cottage meetings. Its where the members gather together and hold like a big familly home evening. Well our area is divided into zones and so we are trying to get one of these u-nites started in each zone. Well we held one in zone seventeen for the first time on saturday night and it was a big sucess. We had fourteen people there total and one of them was less active and another one was an investigator. That is the biggest u-nite we have had since I have been here. Two other zones have been having u-nites and we might start combining zones soon. Well saturday morning we held a fireside at Sharpville. The mission president came and he helped us teach the people and he over saw everything. It was alot of fun I want to try to get one of those going for our area in Sebokeng.
So saturday I also recieved the news that my companion will be leaving on Tuesday. I will be getting a new companion and hopefully I will be able to implement more of the plans I see for this area. Ever since we found out my companion was leaving we have just been driving around and letting him say good bye to people. Well last night (sunday) we stopped behind a car that was turning and about two minutes later we hear this screeching and another car came and slammed into the back of our car. The only thing damaged on our car was the bike rack that holds the bikes on the back but the front of the other guy's car was demolished. (I will hopefully get pictures of this too so you can see) but the bumper was off and smashed into pieces. Glass was all over from the lights breaking and all. Well the guy was drunk and so he didnt see us apparently. But thank goodness no one was hurt and the only thing damaged on our car is the bike rack which is still usable and good. The lord was definately watching over us and that guy last night. We dont even know how the bike rack survied the impact because it was not that strong in the first place but it did. And it save us from injury as well. Well today after emailing we will be going to a zone activity where we will have a meeting and then play some sports. So that has been my week. I love all of you and thank you for the love and support you have given to me. I hope I can hear from you all soon and I promise your letters are coming soon. Love you and talk to you next week.
-Your Brother, Son, Friend and others
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay
Monday, August 1, 2011
Lion Park
Hello everyone,
Sorry this is going to be a very short letter this week because I am out of time because I had to write a big presidents letter. So today I finally got my dream and I went to a lion park today. I got plenty of great pictures. I will be sending them home soon so everyone can have a look. So things are going ok. I am still trying to get on my companions good side but it just seems like no matter what I do nothing is going to help. But I wont give up something will work I just need to find out what. So this week has been pretty boring but its ok not much to write. So I am sorry I am not writing much but my time is up. I love you all and I will write more next week I promise. So keep me in your prayers and I am keeping you in mine. Talk to you soon.
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay.
Sorry this is going to be a very short letter this week because I am out of time because I had to write a big presidents letter. So today I finally got my dream and I went to a lion park today. I got plenty of great pictures. I will be sending them home soon so everyone can have a look. So things are going ok. I am still trying to get on my companions good side but it just seems like no matter what I do nothing is going to help. But I wont give up something will work I just need to find out what. So this week has been pretty boring but its ok not much to write. So I am sorry I am not writing much but my time is up. I love you all and I will write more next week I promise. So keep me in your prayers and I am keeping you in mine. Talk to you soon.
Elder Aaron Giles Lindsay.
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