Family-
This has been another good week. It flew by very quickly. This may be my last week in Durban North. Transfers are next week and since I've been here for 6 months, there's a good chance I'll be leaving. I'll be really sad if this is true. I've really come attached to this area.
We've been faced with some pretty tough situations this week. I don't like if I've told you at all about Alice. Alice just showed up to church 3 weeks ago. She didn't know what time the church started so she was there at 7 am with her 3 children. They just sat and waited for church to begin. We were really excited about her, we figured that if she was willing to put forth that much effort to come to church (she also took a bus to get there) that she was probably interested. We set up a time to go visit with her when we went we found that her boyfriend had just recently left her and took everything. She and her 3 children just stayed in one room with only one bed. She was begging us to help her. We explained that we really didn't have the means to help her (she wanted 650 Rands to pay her rent). We did teach her the first discussion. She came to church the next Sunday and afterward she asked the Bishop to help her. We went to visit her again and once again she asked us for the rent money. She's been coming to church, but each time she does, she asks us to bring her things. It's just so hard because we don't mind helping her out, like giving her laundry detergent that she asked for and rice and things like that, but it's frustrating because she is completely using us to get things. The Bishop told her about welfare and stuff, but she hasn't gone that route. It just tears my heart out because she needs help, but we can't afford to give it to her. The hardest thing is the children. They are so sweet and they are really suffering.
Another situation that is tearing my heart out is Ya and Udi Bell. Ya is form Thailand and Udi is from Israel. They've been married for about 3 years and have 2 small children. Udi is in his mid 40's and Ya is only 26. They were baptized about 1 1/2 years ago, but they are less active. We've been visiting with Ya probably every other day for the past 2 months. she is so miserable. Udi is an evil man. He treat Ya like a slave. She isn't allowed to go anywhere without him. She isn't allowed to talk when they have visitors. He brings people home almost every day to eat and she just has to cook for them. They are very poor, but Udi spends money like he is rich. I could go on and on, but I will spare you the details. I just have become so emotionally attached to Ya and her situation. Ya wants to go to church and be active, but Udi works on Sunday and won't let her go alone. Oh, it's just so sad!
There are good things happening in the area as well though. I think I told you about Philla. She is going to be baptized probably in the middle of Sept. We're going to set up a specific date this week. She is so cool! There is also Subusiso and Bongani who are brothers and they are 13 and 15 years old and then their cousin Julius who is 19. We've been teaching Subusiso and Bongani's mom and they've been coming to church for several weeks now. This Friday we are going to ask them to be baptized.
It will be wonderful if we can have some baptisms in this area, it has been over a year.
Mom, thanks for all the information on hypoglycemia. I think I told you in my last letter the diet that I am on and it is almost exactly what you wrote.
So, you may be moving to Kansas? I've been having mixed emotions about all of this. I think it would be strange to come home to someplace completely different. I guess Erik did it. It would just be hard. But in a way it would be exciting to live in Kansas. I've been so tempted to phone home and find out the latest on the whole situation.
It's starting to get hot here again. I'm not looking forward to the summer. It's just too hot. I'm hoping that I'll go to Hillcrest during the hottest summer months because that's the coolest area here for Sisters. The upsetting thing is, I'll just have finished a hot summer then go home to another hot summer. Yuck! (But the second won't be close to as bad).
Well, I don't have much more to write about. I love you all very much! I miss you tons, but I'm also glad to be here. I know that this is where I need to be and I know that missionary work is the best job in the world! I know that the Church is true. I love the Book of Mormon, I know it is true. I've seen it change lives.
Please take care!
I love you!
Michelle
xoxoxoxox
P.S. Mom, today I'm going to go to the health food store and see if it can get spirulian.
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