Family-
I feel like I have been moved to a completely different country to finish my mission! Township is so different and so is New Castle. We stay in the town of New Castle (not the township). New Castle is about 4 hours from the mission home,. It is a completely different climate. It's a lot like Idaho or something. It's not humid like the rest of the mission and it's FREEZING!!!! It feels like November in Utah. I guess I should be used to it, but I just came from a beach front town where it is still very, very hot! The sad things is, it's only going to get colder. Last winter they had a foot of snow here. Imagine that in South Africa!
My brain has been swimming this past week because of all the new info that I am trying to take int. It's tough opening a new area, especially when you are struggling to learn the language as well. Luckily there are quite a few people there that speak good English. We start Zulu lessons tomorrow. That will help a lot.
The living conditions in township are so different! It's safe for us. I feel more safe here than I did in Isipingo where we were working in Toti. We just have to be careful on weekends because all the baba's (men) get drunk. Sis. Russell was proposed to twice on Saturday. They were quite persistent. We were just laughing our heads off though. We won't be working in the township on weekends from now on unless we are with Elders. Not that we were in any danger this weekend, but we are just being very cautious about the whole thing. We are the first Sisters ever to serve in any township in South Africa. It's so exciting!
I've been called as the YW's 2nd Counselor and also as the youth Sunday School teacher. I'm excited about both of these callings. The branch here is pretty big. About 80 people attend. It's funny because there are only like 3 married couples, the rest of the branch are single young adults, youth and children. It's sad because right now they meet in an old, dirty, run down community building. They only have 2 rooms there so the R.S. & the primary meet in the rooms and everyone else just meets outside. It was pretty miserable yesterday because it was cold and windy. I felt so sorry for those people. They are building a new chapel right now. It should be ready in the next couple of weeks. That will be a great blessing for them. Many more people will come to church when they are able to meet inside.
The members here really have no training. The church has only been in Madadeni for 6 years. So there are only a few members that have been members for that long and then the rest are very recent converts. That's really why Sis Russell and I are here, to help them run the Young Women's and the Primary and also the Relief Society. I think this will all be a great experience for me.
The Elders in Madedeni have been lame! They have gotten into a rut or something. In 2 days we taught twice as many discussions as they have in the past 2 weeks. They are feeling the heat of having Sisters show them up, so right now they don't like us very much, but I think they will start working harder now.
It's funny because in the township animals run wild. Cows, pigs, goats, chickens and so on. That of course is besides the dogs and cats. It just is funny to me. We have to be careful as we are driving so we don't plow a cow!
Mom, I was thinking to have the young women's here write letters to the young women in your ward and send a photo and such. I'd like the young women there to do the same thing back. I just want the girls to see that young womens is a world wide thing and not just a little programme in a little township in the middle of South Africa. I just think it would be a great experience for them. Will you talk to the Young Women's Pres there and see if they could do that? I'll see if I can have them do that next week.
There has been so much going on this week that I feel like I should have a thousand more things to write about, but I can't seem to think of anything.
Just know that I am doing great. I know that this is where Heavenly Father wants me to be right now. I know I am going to learn so much from this, I already have! I also know that Heavenly Father is watching over us and protecting us. We are going to have tons of success here in Madadeni. I can't believe that I am actually able to do this!!! This really will be the highlight of my mission. I miss Amanzimtoti but I've been so excited about being here that I haven't really thought about it.
I am dreading the day that I have to leave South Africa. I love it here! I will miss the Zulu people! I would love to come back here some day. But, I still have 3 months to enjoy it so I guess I should just love it now and not worry about the future.
I love you all very much. I hope that things are going well for all of you. I look forward to being with you all again.
I LOVE YOU!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Salagahle
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