WE HAVE BEEN VERY BLESSED IN OUR EFFORTS

So here is the weekly update. We had our Zone Conference up in Tzaneen and it went great!!! It was one of my favorite Conferences yet on mission. The topics were great and the spirit was just strong, oh and the food was wonderful :) Our area is still suffering a lot when it comes to the number of investigators we have but we are striving very hard to find new people to teach and we have been very blessed in our efforts to find families. We went tracting in a new development for a few hours and every house we knocked on was a complete well off family that was interested in learning more about the restoration of the gospel (for the most part). It was just a huge testimony to me that even though they all won't stay with us, that the Lord is preparing the hearts of His children where ever we go :) This new week is gonna be a busy one as well. We are going on three exchanges and two of them we are going on a long trip because they live so far away. Nielspriut is four hours away from us and is a beautiful drive so I will get some pictures but we will be spending two to three days with the Elders that side. So we are staying busy and always trying to do as much as we can to keep things moving forward :)

MY NEW AREA IS HUGE

 Last week was a very slow week on the account my companion had to get a root canal done and so he was on some pretty heavy pain pills (codeine) . So we basically spent the week at the flat and I had a lot of time to study and clean. The flat was so dirty that I didn't even want to live there when I walked in the door the first day but it is now clean, for the most part, and disinfected :) So with that being said there wasn't to much missionary work done but on Sunday we got a lot of work done. I went on an area tour and my new area is huge! Oh, and my new companion is Elder Holman and we get along great! He is a great Elder and goes home in two months so things are good in that department besides with so much time at the flat we have great companionship unity now haha. We are having our Zone conference this week so that will be fun. Its being held up in Tzaneen which is one of the most beautiful places I have been to in South Africa so far (I will get pictures). The area itself is not doing so great. We have maybe two investigators and nothing going on. The members are great but they have been a branch since 1980 so they have been hounded by missionaries for a long time for referrals but we will continue to hound them, the squeaky wheel gets the grease:)

 I found a couple of books that no one claimed when I came to this flat that I have claimed for myself (I think I will bring more books than clothes home) that have really added to my knowledge of the Gospel. One of them is the Lectures of Faith, and the other is a book written by Cleon Skousen entitled "The First 2000 Years" which is all about the creation, plan of Salvation, and the Patriarchal lineages. It is an amazing book and even though it doesn't claim to be pure doctrine of the church it really makes me view and read the scriptures differently inspiring new ideas and thoughts :) I have just obtained such a thirst for knowledge since coming on a mission and there is so much to learn and even more to apply in that learning process. Things are going great though and this week looks very promising. We have an appointment with a new family (that we found last week) Monday (today) that I hope goes good, families are the best to teach.
  

Being a Zone leader is stressful, having to worry about my area and all the other missionaries is very difficult. I just feel overwhelmed at times but I am praying more fervently than ever for divine help is always nice. Things in the flat are going ok. I am in a four man flat and am so tired of an Elder in the flat (I won't use names) but he is just the most prideful person I have ever met and does not listen to anyone and its driving me insane but I think its because I prayed for patience about three months ago haha be careful what you pray for :) Well I am doing good and my numbers have been good. Love you and have a great week :)

Love,

Caleb

I AM NOW BACK POLOWANE

I am now back in Polokwane which is a city (kind of) in the province of Limpopo. I am in the flat where I started my mission :) The zone I am in charge of now is HUGE! The closest area is 30 minutes away and the furthest area is four hours away so we do a lot of traveling. Things are good though :) I am glad Sister Hatch called you and the ribs were so good!!! That was the first time I had ribs on my mission. I hope you got the pictures I sent. The elephants were awesome!!! And that is the wettest kiss I have ever had haha. I am glad to hear things are going good at home still.   My zone is huge, my new companion is Elder Holman and he is awesome. Things are looking good for missionary work in the new area I am in and I am excited for what the future holds. I have fifteen minutes left and you are the first person I have emailed (as it should be) But it takes forever to load pictures. I love you and hope you have a great week :)

 I am serving really far north right now, its the farthest zone from the mission office so its nice to be trusted enough to be sent up here. I hope everyone is getting along back home. Know that I love and miss you all very much but I am loving where I am at and learning so many great and marvelous things.  Love you and I am out of time. Have a great week!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Caleb

P.S. I am happy and healthy Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I'VE BEEN CALLED TO BE A ZONE LEADER

 
So here is the update. I am being transferred today. I have been
called to be a zone leader and am hoping to be sent up to Botswana
before it becomes its own mission in July. Things were very good this
week, it is always hard to say good bye to people but that is the life
of a missionary. I had the craziest P-day of my life yesterday and
when I say crazy I mean crazy fun :) I went on an exchange with Elder
Bais, who is going home today, for his last P-day. We went to a
different province and I will send pictures next week because of time
and went to three different animal reserves :) The first was a monkey
park were we got to see all kinds of monkey's and lemurs (King Julian
from Madagascar). Next we went to an Elephant Sanctuary where we got
to feed, pet, and get kissed by them (the kiss was nasty but now I can
say I have been kissed by an Elephant haha Then we finished the day at
the lion park where we got to play with the lion cubs again. All in
all it was a great day :) Then I went to a family home evening and
packed until one in the morning. I am gonna miss Johannesburg for a
lot of different reasons but I must say I am happy to be getting out

of the city. I am excited for my new assignment and next week I will
let you know where its at :) Time seems to be flying by so fast and
there is little time remaining. I pray that these last months I may be
able to learn and grow even more as I go about the Lords work :)
I know you don't want me to worry about you but I do and I promise we
will all take care of you when we get older (not put you into hope
village even though it has two hair salons). I hope you have a great
week mom and yes I got my package, thank you for the goodies and ties.

I am nervous about my new assignment but I am really excited to see where I am
going. The mission just got brand new cars and the Zone leaders get
them so I will get a brand new car today. I love and miss you a lot, more than usual
lately. I got to go now and pack everything in the car. Have a great
day mom :) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

WE TAUGHT 23 LESSONS THIS WEEK

I am happy to hear that things are going good for everyone at home
though. I am glad Caity, Chad, Jordyn, and Cameron
are doing good and are happy :) How are you doing? I know that you
don't really ever tell me anything about you beyond work and how
things are with the other kids. 
Things were good this week, in fact it has been the best week of the
transfer. We taught 23 lessons and most of our investigators are doing
great. So story time. After emailing last Monday Elder Bais (Elder in
my district) and I  went to a walk in game reserve in his area that
has Zebras, spring boks, impala, and many other non-carnivorous
animals. So we hiked up this huge hill and when we got to the top we
found ourselves in the middle of a herd of wilder beast  and they had
little babies with them. So to our great misfortune we scared the
little ones and they ran and their mothers went with them and the big
bull came running at us. He stopped about 50 yards away pounding his
feat in the ground, kicking up dust and pacing in circles moving a
little closer every time. We turned to run but he started running at
us again so we stopped and just stared at it, then we started backing
away slowly, walking backwards it was so freaky yet amazing at the
same time. We are going back there today with more elders but it was
great :)
I hope you have a great week and please let me know if there is
anything I can do to help. I love you and
please send my love to everyone else.

Love,

Caleb

THE LORD CONTINUES TO BLESS US

So the week was very good. The Lord continues to bless us with more
and more people to teach. We had a baptism this Sunday and it went
great! It was for Brother Sithole. He is 47 years old and his whole
family were members and he was the last to be baptized and his son who
served a mission got to baptize him and it was awesome. We also had
four of our other investigators at the baptism and they all told us
they wanted to be baptized as soon as possible which was great news :)
the spirit was very strong. I also interviewed another gentleman for
baptism and it turned out that he and his wife were not legally
married in their country and they wanted to be married on the spot so
he could get baptized and our bishop almost came over to do it but we
needed more paper work to have it done properly, but we almost had a
wedding in 30 minutes notice, pretty cool :)
Well I hope you have great week Mom and know that I love and miss you
so much!!!!!!!!!! Tell everyone hi for me and I hope you have a great
week :)

Love you MOM!!!!

IT WAS A GREAT WEEK

  Thing were very good this week. There isn't to
much to report on other than it was a great week but I will report on
the small and simple things :) Nigeria won the African Cup of nations
which was being held here in S.A. and the Nigerians went crazy dancing
in the the streets so that was funny. Got lost in downtown
Johannesburg and thought I was gonna die but all turned out ok. Almost
lost Elder Zulu and freaked out but we found each other very quickly.
The whole staying together rule is hard in Downtown Johannesburg, its crazy
there!!!!!! Sunday was stressful because our gospel principles class
turned into a battle field as the teacher and our investigators had a
bible bashing session needless to say I was upset with the teacher
and our ward mission leader for not being able to control the
situation while we were gone handling some paper work. What else, Oh
yeah I am still focusing on getting into shape, I am at the weight I
want to be at right now but now its time to just get rid of the rest
the fat and get my six pack haha Don't worry I wont get too skinny ;)
I am happy to hear everyone is doing good at home. Weather plays a
huge role is how we feel! South Africa is very nice when it comes to
weather and reminds me a lot of California so I am happy most of the
time :)  :) I hope you all know how much I love and
miss you and pray that you are all happy and doing great :) If you
could order supplies that would be great it is that time again. Have a
great week my sweet mother and know I love you to the moon and back