Monday, March 22, 2010

Good Aye! :)

Dear Family and Friends,

Good Aye everyone! :) hehe. It has been such a busy week i'm glad its p day. We had appointments every hour of the day on tuesday and most of the week. Did service for the red cross on tuesday and wednesday morning. We sorted and counted towels for them. We can do all sorts of service for the members and the red cross. but we are advised to not do too much per week. it takes time our of teaching. but yeah when we have nothing to do we go to the red cross and do service for them. they like us coming every week. our investigators are doing good. Ezecail has not been coming to church the past 3 weeks which is bad but we saw him sat and yesterday after church and he is reading and wants to progress. so we'll see how that goes. He wasn't feeling good yesterday had a ingrown toenail. OUCH!! very painful i hear. But yeah. Gave Bradley a baptism date for April 18th

Daisy we have not seen... :( she keeps dropping our appointments. but her friend, vanessa, we met with her and met her husband Charles and they are very excited about the gospel. so i hope we can convert this family. they have 2 kids....We have lots of father led families that we are seeing/teaching hopefully we can convert them and build up Gods Kingdom here in Meadowridge. Thats all it takes, more priesthood brethren to split the cape town stake. There is enough members but about only half of them attend church and are active. so Elder Larson and I are trying hard to work with less active members and part member families. Hopefully we can make a difference. None of them have come to church yet though :( only had 2 investigators at church yesterday. Anselm, stays with Ezecial, and then Bradley. He is pretty much a member already. he comes every week and is very strong. WE are very excited to baptize him on April 18th.

So yeah!! been busy week. we were very tired come saturday night and yesterday. We've gotten the privilege of taking 15 min "power naps" at lunch. haha they are wonderful. I've been cooking pancakes/crepes and hot dogs, hamburgers chicken patties ramen noodles the usual quick and easy stuff. Getting tired of the rice. Elder Larson asked me if the rice was what is makin my stomach hurt. I don't think thats the problem. I don't know what its been. It hasnt been too bad the past couple morings. this morning it hurt a bit but its fine now.

but other than that i'm doing fine. enjoying it over here for the most part. been starting to cool down finally for winter, I'm pretty excited about that haha. been way too hot. I miss you guys a lot. don't realize how awesome your family is till your away from them for more than a week haha. yes i found my SD card. I'll be sending the other one home this week probably i dunno. more pictures on that one! :) so enjoy it! I'm trying my best to keep you posted on the people here. I've acquired your trait (*my dad) as a people person over here haha. I was telling my comp that the other day. I like to talk to people and relate to them.

well i love you all and i hope everything is going well. Keep me posted on everything. We are going to the driving range today i think haha so that'll be fun. I have not driven over here yet! :( i'm so pissed about it its so boring sitting in the passengers seat all the time. I haven't been approved my the office yet i don't know why. They are being slow i guess. Well I Love you guys. have a good week!

Your Cape Town Missionary,
Elder Robert S. Rigby

Monday, March 15, 2010

Perk Up!

Dear Family and Friends,

Hiya everybody!! hehe :) thought i'd perk up the day a bit! so whats up?? Its nice and sunny today, as usual haha. it did rain a bit this past week tho.. which was really nice, i still have to find myself a rain coat with buttons, NO zipper. So its gunna be interesting cause winter is coming and thats rainy season. but it was a good week. our investigators are progressing a bit we had to drop a few cause they wouldn't keep their commitments. so if they're not gunna progress we drop them so we don't waste our time. only 2 years which is really short compared to eternity. yeah i was studying PMG this past week and just come across that 2 years is relatively short so we shouldn't waste time. Thought that was interesting. I'm doing better than last week. The new comp has been nice/tough/different all at the same time. I enjoy teaching with Elder Larson he knows alot. He can basically come up with a scripture to any topic that comes up in a lesson and teach it well. I want to become like that. I'm still very young tho so i got some time just takes practice. He is the DL in our district. Elder Butelezi and Elder Carver are in Fish Hoek. Its a great district we like spending P days together. I think we are going to the Boulder beach to see the penguins again so that'll be fun. the 2 new comps haven't seen them yet so we're gunna do that and climb table mountain again this transfer or next. we'll see... Hermanus is on the other side of our area. you look across the Indian ocean and you can see Hermanus area. Boulder Beach is in Simons Town. Fish Hoeks area (FYI)

Yes, Elder Larson is from San Antonio Texas. He goes home at the End of May. Meadowridge is his last area. Sad day but exciting for him. I'm not the youngest missionary anymore in our mission!! YAY! haha another greenie came in this transfer from SA. Then next transfer there is 13-15 new missionaries coming!! Is Nick Davenport coming here??? you didn't answer my question... Elder and Sister Herbert Say hello! haha they are a wonderful Senior couple. you could ask them about a map mom. she'd know better than me. I really haven't seen any around. course i really haven't looked since we've been busy.

Yes i'm getting sick of eating rice all the flippin time. I love potatoes so much better!!! we bought some today! haha so were gunna have potato bake this week. and soup and ramen noodles and rice chicken and minc and whatever else. Same stuff over and over again isn't fun let me tell ya. I miss your cooking mom! i'm grateful for the stuff that i do know how to make/cook.

I'm glad people ask about me. it warms my heart. makes me feel appreciated. Mission is a challenge. Tuff times. But fun times at the same time. Hasn't been one day that i regret coming out here. I know i can do this. I've got the Lord on my side and a great companion, the Holy Ghost. and great mission leaders to help me on the way. Us missionaries like to get-to-gether when we can and talk about the different areas and life. we have fun. had Zone Conference tuesday at bellveille with Cape North. It was great, Elder Koeliker was there and Elder Jenson. Both really great teachers. Counseled us to pray for everything that we do and seek guidance. Prayer is the most awesome/spiritual thing we can do. So everyone be sure to pray everyday. at least twice.

well my time is up I love you all so very much! thank you so much for all your support and love. I know its South Africas time for Missionary work. I'm here for a reason. I'm trying to do my best. I know the Savior lives and that he loves me. He's my bigger brother. he paved the way for us. So lets not take Him for granted on anything. I LOVE YOU!!

Love,
your Missionary

Elder Robert S. Rigby (CTM)

PS I got my first hair cut on tuesday. a member did it for me. its different style but better than having it long haha. Keep well!

Monday, March 8, 2010

First Transfer

My dearest family and friends,

Hello! :) it was an interesting week with transfers. Elder Heydenrych left monday morning as i said last week and i hung out with the Fish Hoek (hook) elders till tuesday night. Just took enough stuff to get me by till my new comp came on tuesday evening. Elder Larson! from San Antonio Texas. He has been a ZL in East London (South Africa) for the past 7 months. So he's been on mission 21 months so i have the privilege of probably "killing' him. (meaning going home) he'll probably be with me for 2 transfers then he goes home. He's a great missionary. We worked hard last week. Took him to meet some members and our progressing investigators. Its been a change tho. I see it as preparing me to be a leader cause thats what a mission does; prepares and makes leaders. so with the day and a half that i was with Fish Hoek we drove out to simons town and chilled out on the edge of the water. just watched the Indian ocean. it was kinda boring wasn't a very effective P day. Then on tuesday we worked in their area. mostly township. it wasn't the funnest thing having 3 elders go into small homes/huts/houses. then that evening Elder Larson came.

I am emailing in an internet cafe. It costs R10 an hour. so not bad. I'm glad everyone is doing well.
Mission has already changed my life. as you have seen. the spirit is strong if we do what the lord wants. I pray for you guys and for Grandpa. I love your support.

Today we are gunna take the new comps to mini golf so that'll be fun. Elder Butelezi got Elder Carver. Hes from Utah. been in Hermanus with Elder Lewis from Malad! He told me To not forget where i'm from and not be ashamed of it haha! oh i'm definitely not!!! No place like home! So keep it home! :)

We have a few investigators that really want to know more. they committed to church but didn't show yesterday. we were disappointed. Cedric is doing well we have a member, eddie, that knows french come with us and that made a huge difference in his understanding! so we are going to continue to take Eddie along. Ezekiel is not progressing we haven't seen him in 2 weeks because of his work schedule. so his BD will be postponed. But a new investigator Daisy and her friend Vanessa are doing well we have taught them up to the plan of salvation and they are doing great. hope to seen them twice this week. so thats just a few of them.

I love you all! I know this is where i'm supposed to be and that the lord loves me and wants the best for each one of us. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my savior Jesus Christ. I know he lives and that his atonement made everything possible to go back and live with our Heavenly Father. I know the Book of Mormon is true. i love and miss you guys
till next week!

Your missionary,

Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

More Pictures!


Elder Heydenrych and Elder Rigby


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Lovely Day

Dear Family,

Hello!! :) Its really warm again today.. startin to blow tho.. had a slow week. many of our appointments fell through. :( did some finding and had no success. but transfers are this week and I get to stay in Meadowridge with a NEW companion. So I'm really nervous about that. We found out saturday morning and know that Elder Heydenrych (Hey-den-rych) its german mom, is going ZL somewhere. We don't know where yet. He left this morning with the ZLs to go to the meetings in the mission home. So i'm with the Fish Hoek Elders till Thursday. I do not know who my companion is yet i'll know tuesday night. Going to be very interesting for the next 4 days. working both areas. Not common for Trainers to leave their greenies after the first transfer but it does happen. it happenin to me!

So with knowing that, Elder Heydenrych and I went to lots of people yesterday and he said goodbye to the members and a few RC and Investigators. Brother Ronac is very excited to get the priesthood. We haven't seen Ezekiel a whole lot this week. He works in Durbanville, which is pretty far from Retreat. So i don't know if his baptism is going to happen on the 14th of March or not. We shall see.

Yesterday was Stake Conference in Belville. It was amazing!! The spirit in that meeting was so strong. I have never felt it like that before. Tears came to my eyes. President Koelliker (South east africa area pres) spoke and pretty much laid out what us members needed to to. "faith is what brings the miracles" its so true! our faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is what makes our lives easier. He also had the primary children in the congregation stand up and sing "i am a child of God" that was so cool thats when the spirit just overtook the meeting and everyone was feeling it. I've never felt it so strong before. He also said that the Cape Town Stake needs to split and not just be one but two stakes. So I'm wanting to see that happen on mission. he also bore his testimony to the investigators in the congregation. He said that this is the only true church and that they have found the right one. we missionaries were like very shocked and glad that he said that haha. Elder Koelliker is a very hush but powerful man. He knows. God knows.

So today we don't have any big plans for P day. darn. so i dunno what we are gunna do. we hiked table mountain last week. WOW that was hard on my legs! i was sore for the next 3 days. It was stairs all the way up. for 2 hours and then an hour down. it was so pretty up there so look forward to the pictures i took. took lots :)

The potatoes are golds over here but small. haven't had them a whole lot. mostly rice. gettin tired of the same stuff over and over tho.... but better to have food than no food at all right!

well i love you all and thank you for your support! I'm glad everyone is doing well! :) I'm doing great also. Have a good week!

LOVE,
Your Missionary,
Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)