Nov 21 Letter from Jake

Ha Ha! Compared to other weeks this one kind of sucked. Ha Ha! Not because the work was bad, but because there was a lack of work. We started the week by blowing all of our money. Elder Hales was freaking out and he said we needed to buy food for the next 3 weeks. So last Monday we spent
like all of our money buying to much food. This was very unwise, but I really did not care at the moment. Ha Ha! So I am really hoping and praying that our food will last until our next allotment. We actually bought food on Tuesday. So this is were the lack of work happened. The money did not come until Tuesday, so my companion and I wasted our P-day hoping that our money would come early. then our Tuesday was wasted because we had our district meeting and then we went to town to buy food and that ruined our day. Then came Wednesday. Wednesday was our Zone Service. We went to a hospital and cleaned everything! I was not sure how I felt about it. The nurse that I was helping was crazy and I enjoyed a bit of the service, but other missionaries were not doing anything. I was kind of upset. A lot of the Elders (there are two zones in Bulawayo and we combined for this service) from the zones were flirting with the sister missionaries. To me it did not feel like a service, it felt like a social gathering for the Bulawayo missionaries. I do not know. I enjoyed, but I did not enjoy, if you know what I mean. Also, after the service the zone leaders took my companion and I. My companion is the district leader so he does the baptismal interviews for the Zone leaders. They told him that they only wanted him to interview one person and that they would drive us home. Here is the problem: 1. the service project went over and we were late 2. the zone leaders wanted my companion to interview three people not one 3. While they were doing interviews, Elder G took me to another part of town with the mission couple here to try and get a house for some Elders, and 4. They dropped us off in town and did not drive us home. So basically we got home late and had no time for work. So what I am saying is that our week got messed up. Ha Ha!

It is okay though. My companion and I worked to recover from what happened. We are still
doing powerful and the work is still going great. Lately I think we have been leading the zone. Not after this week though. Ha Ha! My companion and I joke around so much! Ha Ha! He says I am going apostate! Ha Ha! I am not a greenie anymore so I can do my own thing now. I do not rely on him anymore. Ha Ha! I love my companion! This transfer is going to fast. Soon I will have a new companion.

To be honest, i see a tender mercy or miracle every day. Forgive me for not sharing a lot, but I am usually rushing when emailing and I just focus on answering emails. I do not really know how to write back or what to talk about so I just respond to your emails. I will work on sharing more.

The (family who first approached him his first week) was not progressing and right now we have too many people to teach so we dropped them. I believe we were able to plant a seed there. The Lord directed us to them for a reason. I am sure something came of it. But we have many spiritual experiences of people coming to us. Just this week we were walking from Nkulumane to Sizinda (30 minute walk) to get our bikes. A man pulled up and offered us a ride. We thankfully accepted. His name was (edited for privacy) and he started asking us about the Book of Mormon. He was so interested and I was very excited! It was a powerful experience. When he dropped us off we found out that he had been trying to get the missionaries to teach him. I was pumped...then we found out he was not in our area. We told him we would refer him to the other missionaries. We were not able to teach him, but I THANKED my Father in Heaven for the experience.

Ha Ha! this is one of the more noticeable blessings I have received, but there are many more smaller miracles that i have witnessed. I am sorry I do not have the time to share them all, but know that I have seen the hand of our Lord our God in my area I have been given on mission.

I just got the Ensign just last night! I have been going over Elder Bednar's talk. Family History is something I must do when I get home!

I am sorry. This email must sound kind of depressing or something, but I am as happy as ever. I promise! Ha Ha! So yeah, family history. I think marriage and family history will be my prime priority. Bednar's talk reminded me of my patriarchal blessing. I must do Genealogy. I tell everyone here the very first thing I want to do when I get home is to go to the temple. So when I get off the plane we are going straight to the temple, okay? :)

I will look for a towel here and I will let you know if I find one or not. Okay, so with sending. I know it is expensive and I do not want to make you spend a lot, so...lets budget the package sending:). I kind of randomly remember to ask you for things, so what you can do is just make a list of those things and just send like once a month. I do not want you to send every time I ask, but maybe you can just make a list and then send once a month. You probably already do this, but this is my suggestion. :)

That is powerful! (two friends are returning in the next week) Can you ask Jesse and Charles to maybe write me a little something something. I think that would be nice to here from them and to hear their
testimonies about mission. Kendal got his call?! What! That is POWERFUL! Can I get his address as well? Tell him I say congratulations! I am so excited for him! Wow! That is so Powerful! 

What?! Rachel can dress herself? Ha Ha! Oh I love that girl! I love that picture of the family. I love her face! Ha Ha! I am excited to see her again!

Jordan:
My Dear Brudda,
Salabunani (an Ndebele greeting)!  I love you too! You are learning to type? That is Powerful! Ha Ha! I am sorry, but history is not my thing. I find it interesting, but I have not been blessed with remembering things. I have only seen the gecko like twice and I have not named him. sorry. One of the two cats has been coming to our place the last three nights, well, not last night because it rained, but Friday and Saturday. We named them Black Magic and Loverboy. Ha Ha! They are so cute! I love you too brudda! Don't kiss too many girls my friend! Ha Ha!

With more love than mom ;), Elder Tom

Ha Ha! Actually I have a strong testimony of individuals. My favorite thing to do is to "Teach People, Not Lessons." A lot of missionaries here do not realize that and I give a lot of fire on this subject. THis is personal topic to me and I assure you that i do all possible to make it individuals and not numbers.

I FLIPPEN love you all as well! Ha Ha! Thank you so much for your prayers and support! Let Grandma and Grandpa know that i love them very dearly! You all have been great and I could not ask for any more.

Keep the Faith

With a whole lot of love,

Elder Tom

"Take it easy. Relax." -Elder Wae (Jake's companion)