Week 17

Hello everybody!!! hope y'all are enjoying the cold weather in the states! it has been raining this whole week which is super surprising. A lot of people think that South Africa doesn't get rain... well, they do. Quite a bit! I love the rain, because all of the plants and grass that was brown is now becoming green! 

     This week has been one of the best weeks of my life. It all started on Sunday when we had a Multi-stake conference in Midrand with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. It was amazing. there were over 7,000 people in attendance, when they were only expecting 5,000. Just to put into perspective the church growth here in South Africa, In 1980, almost 40 years ago, there were less than 8,000 people part of the church here. Now the member number is almost to 70,000! just in South Africa. how crazy.

What was super cool about this conference was a guest speaker. Her name is Judith Mahglangu From.... KWA-THEMA. she is a returned missionary part of our ward here. She did amazing, so amazing that Elder Holland Called her up to talk to her, and kissed her on the forehead. One thing she spoke about was her mission in Uganda. She said that every night she would write in her journal, and on hard days she would finish it by saying \, " I have not come this far to come this far." This applies to life. we have not put in this much effort to just turn around and give up. For example, a job. we all have bad days. But, have we gone to school, worked our way up the ranks to just give up? or church. Sometimes we get overwhelmed by the gospel, feeling like we know nothing or that others are better than us. It could even be the calling you have, and how much stress it gives you. However, you have not put in that much effort, had those experiences to just turn around and give up on God. That is NOT His plan. We are all different, and God knows that. It is ok!! He will never give us a trial that we can overcome. 

On monday, Elder Holland met with the whole mission and part of the Botswana mission. What an incredible experience. I will never forget that day. I wish I could share the things that he spoke to us about, but they really are too sacred to speak of them. I will Share some of my feelings I had. Elder Holland shared his testimony of the Church being the true church of Jesus Christ. I felt as though Elder Holland used every single word, every phrase he could use to help us know that these things are true. I have never heard an apostle plea for us to believe in Jesus Christ and the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints like he did. And I will tell you after hearing him speak I do not have a doubt in my mind that this is Jesus Christs' church, that he leads it and that the apostles and prophets truly do receive revelation from Him. These are smart, educated, successful people who have devoted their WHOLE LIVES to help us follow Jesus. It is not a joke, and it is real. 

The rest of the week was amazing. We are still working with many people who are progressing. We had 2 people confirmed members and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. we are also hoping to have 2 more this upcoming Sunday. I love this area. Yo, I love this world God created, its super cool to think about everything he made. I know Jesus Christ lives, and guides his church in these Latter-Days. Enjoy your week!

Elder High

Pics: 

1) Picture of Joburg while heading to the temple. We got lost and it was pretty crazy :)

2) Banele who was just baptized. He comes to the chapel every time he sees us there, because he lives right across the street from it.