Dear family and Friends
hey! Greetings from the wettest place in South Africa haha. its been raining all weekend. kinda sucks. people don't like to see you when the weather is bad. it was quite fun changing a tire in the rain. got all wet and it was a challenge to wash my hands, we used the the nice rain water in the gutter haha. better than greasy hands on the steering wheel. So yeah we had not one but 2 flat tires in one week. wasn't the best thing but luckily i know how to change a tire! it was a slick swap haha.
We had the special visit from Elder and Sister Watson yesterday. it was really good. he spoke really boldly about the Restoration and how Joseph was only 14yrs when this all happened to him. it was really cool. he had a 14yr old come up and stand next to him as an example, then he had a 17yr old come up, to represent when Joseph saw the angel Moroni and then a 21yr old come to represent when he received the Plates. it was kinda funny cause all three were taller than Elder Watson. I got to shake his hand before the meeting started and of course he asked me where i was from when he saw my name and i told him and he said, " oh of course your from there, lots of Rigbys in Idaho" i told him i knew Ryan and he said well we will have to get a picture together. But he left before i could get a chance to =( but its ok. It was really good to hear him speak about how he has served for 7 Presidents of the Church. and how he got really nervous when he had to give a talk in sacrament meeting and the prophet was presiding. Its always nice when the Prophet calls you up 2 days before Sunday to tell you that he will be attending your ward. we all chuckled.
we are here in East London today for pday, we came yesterday and then just stayed the night with the zone leaders. to save ks. but its not the best day to play to sport since its raining but we are going to do it anyway haha or go play in the chapel in the gym. glad to hear that you got the letter from president, i thought he was going to send an email. guess not. but yeah i know its a big responsibility to be a DL and do all that stuff i'm trying my best and the zone leaders are here to help me if i don't understand. and of course my Heavenly Father. I'm so grateful for His love and comfort that i feel everyday. i love this gospel.
No we don't have primary programs here, too small. on saturday they had and activity and one kid pulled the pin on the fire extinguisher so white powder was all over! So the elders came to the rescue to help clean up. vacuum worked really well.
I don't know what i want for Christmas. music would be nice and a new tie haha. i'll keep thinking. i'm not too picky
Well i love you all and miss you! Have fun, be good and what? Remember who we stand for =) love you guys!
Elder Rigby
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
But we did Work!
Dear family and friends,
Greetings back home! How is the weather? the weather here has been pretty nice actually. warm and then cold warm and then cold. it fluctuates big time but is Africa it happens. Its been an ok week. nothing exciting happened that i can tell of. appointments fell through and people didn't come to church. and fellow shippers weren't available. so member presents were really low this week. if you look at the stats it looks like we didn't do anything productive. i hate that. but we did work! So i can't say anything bad.
We did give a baptismal date to a guy on the first lesson but then when we went back for the return appointment he wasn't home. i kinda don't think he really understood what we were asking him, cause he just kept saying "ok, alright" like the Xhosa people do. yeah its really annoying. but its fine its fine. We had 2 mommas come to church yesterday but they left after sacrament meeting, i asked them before they left if they wanted to stay and they said no. i don't think they liked it too much. i don't understand what there is to not like about church.... but anyways. we will visit them this week and find out the details.
We've been working a lot with the less active members. Bishop wanted us to really focus on retention and reactivation so thats what we are trying to do. the people that we visit make promises and then don't keep them so we really aren't getting anywhere, some are just plain lazy to come and others have problems with transport and money to come. in PEC we were told to work closer with the active members to try to get the lost ones to come back, whether it be for them to visit or have them go and pick them up. So we shall go for that approach this week as well. I'm enjoying this area and the members are great. we didn't have a D.A. yesterday which sucked. We were planning on one as we always do so we really didn't have much to eat in the boarding. but we had some nice bread and rice. yeah wasn't the best Sunday afternoon meal i've had. Yo the last time i didn't have a D.A. on sunday was back in Mthatha. I didn't like it.
I get to watch conference on the 30th and 31st of this month. next week the stake is having a special visit from Elder Watson, area presidency, so we will be going to Mdantsane next week for church =) i'm excited haha. the zone pday will hopefully come next week i have to write an approval form to the zone lords and then they will send it to the APs so it can get approved which President already approved but we still have to write up the explanation thingy. but yeah excited for that too =)
Well i love you guys!! have fun! peace out!
your missionary,
Elder Robert S. Rigby (CTM)
Greetings back home! How is the weather? the weather here has been pretty nice actually. warm and then cold warm and then cold. it fluctuates big time but is Africa it happens. Its been an ok week. nothing exciting happened that i can tell of. appointments fell through and people didn't come to church. and fellow shippers weren't available. so member presents were really low this week. if you look at the stats it looks like we didn't do anything productive. i hate that. but we did work! So i can't say anything bad.
We did give a baptismal date to a guy on the first lesson but then when we went back for the return appointment he wasn't home. i kinda don't think he really understood what we were asking him, cause he just kept saying "ok, alright" like the Xhosa people do. yeah its really annoying. but its fine its fine. We had 2 mommas come to church yesterday but they left after sacrament meeting, i asked them before they left if they wanted to stay and they said no. i don't think they liked it too much. i don't understand what there is to not like about church.... but anyways. we will visit them this week and find out the details.
We've been working a lot with the less active members. Bishop wanted us to really focus on retention and reactivation so thats what we are trying to do. the people that we visit make promises and then don't keep them so we really aren't getting anywhere, some are just plain lazy to come and others have problems with transport and money to come. in PEC we were told to work closer with the active members to try to get the lost ones to come back, whether it be for them to visit or have them go and pick them up. So we shall go for that approach this week as well. I'm enjoying this area and the members are great. we didn't have a D.A. yesterday which sucked. We were planning on one as we always do so we really didn't have much to eat in the boarding. but we had some nice bread and rice. yeah wasn't the best Sunday afternoon meal i've had. Yo the last time i didn't have a D.A. on sunday was back in Mthatha. I didn't like it.
I get to watch conference on the 30th and 31st of this month. next week the stake is having a special visit from Elder Watson, area presidency, so we will be going to Mdantsane next week for church =) i'm excited haha. the zone pday will hopefully come next week i have to write an approval form to the zone lords and then they will send it to the APs so it can get approved which President already approved but we still have to write up the explanation thingy. but yeah excited for that too =)
Well i love you guys!! have fun! peace out!
your missionary,
Elder Robert S. Rigby (CTM)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Simple and Plain Truths
Dear family and Friends,
hey everyone, glad to hear you had a good week back home. Is it getting cold yet? its starting to warm up here. So dad got some sunshine hauled eh? haha thats good thats good. i don't miss that but i do miss tractor work. Round up time, i was wondering when that was coming. sounds like a big coming week with Island Park and Spencer in the same week. have fun with that. can't wait till 2012 when i can join in on it again. i may not stay here too long. President told me to boost up the area and that i will probably only be with Opolot for 6 weeks so i don't know what will happen i can't predict anything haha
I have had a good week. lots of work had commenced in King. :) Bishop is very pleased with what we were able to do during the week as he mentioned in PEC yesterday morning. We have done lots of LA work and we even have gotten the brethren to come out with us to fellowship. so work is picking up a bit. its been fun working with Elder Opolot. haha he is a funny character. he needs work on his teaching, cause i talk a lot in appointments now. didn't realize how much i like teaching until i talk the entire time and my comp is just sitting there being quiet. but i do give him time to teach. being senior is quite the responsibility. wow. i have to make all the decisions and have to report to the ZLs and yeah. Elder Samuel Opolot is his name from Uganda and has an interesting accent.
We have been teaching former investigators and working with the ones that they were teaching last transfer. we have one BD, Nomhla. she is a very nice lady and has come to church twice now. we didn't see her this past week cause she went to P.E. so i hope she is back this week. She stays in a township called Sweetwater. its an interesting place but good people. I taught gospel principals yesterday on the law of chastity, yeah talk about awkwardness! haha. but its got to be taught! and we had very good participation from the class. i like it :) I'm enjoying it here for the most part. good members and good people to teach if they will keep their appointments. we now have a ward mission leader! so the work will now progress even better :)
Well i know this is the work of the lord! I wouldn't be here if it wasn't. I'm so grateful for your love and support and all that you taught me growing up. Mission is good, challenging and worth it all at the same time. I know I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and wants me to be happy. I Know Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God who came here to die for us. Book of Mormon truly is another testament of Jesus Christ, i love the Book of Mormon and so grateful for the way that it teaches. Like in 2 Nephi, cant remember what chapter, how it says that Nephi likes to write in simple and plainness. God knew what he was doing when he commanded them to write the Book of Mormon. I love you! have a good week!
Your missionary in South Africa,
Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)
hey everyone, glad to hear you had a good week back home. Is it getting cold yet? its starting to warm up here. So dad got some sunshine hauled eh? haha thats good thats good. i don't miss that but i do miss tractor work. Round up time, i was wondering when that was coming. sounds like a big coming week with Island Park and Spencer in the same week. have fun with that. can't wait till 2012 when i can join in on it again. i may not stay here too long. President told me to boost up the area and that i will probably only be with Opolot for 6 weeks so i don't know what will happen i can't predict anything haha
I have had a good week. lots of work had commenced in King. :) Bishop is very pleased with what we were able to do during the week as he mentioned in PEC yesterday morning. We have done lots of LA work and we even have gotten the brethren to come out with us to fellowship. so work is picking up a bit. its been fun working with Elder Opolot. haha he is a funny character. he needs work on his teaching, cause i talk a lot in appointments now. didn't realize how much i like teaching until i talk the entire time and my comp is just sitting there being quiet. but i do give him time to teach. being senior is quite the responsibility. wow. i have to make all the decisions and have to report to the ZLs and yeah. Elder Samuel Opolot is his name from Uganda and has an interesting accent.
We have been teaching former investigators and working with the ones that they were teaching last transfer. we have one BD, Nomhla. she is a very nice lady and has come to church twice now. we didn't see her this past week cause she went to P.E. so i hope she is back this week. She stays in a township called Sweetwater. its an interesting place but good people. I taught gospel principals yesterday on the law of chastity, yeah talk about awkwardness! haha. but its got to be taught! and we had very good participation from the class. i like it :) I'm enjoying it here for the most part. good members and good people to teach if they will keep their appointments. we now have a ward mission leader! so the work will now progress even better :)
Well i know this is the work of the lord! I wouldn't be here if it wasn't. I'm so grateful for your love and support and all that you taught me growing up. Mission is good, challenging and worth it all at the same time. I know I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and wants me to be happy. I Know Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God who came here to die for us. Book of Mormon truly is another testament of Jesus Christ, i love the Book of Mormon and so grateful for the way that it teaches. Like in 2 Nephi, cant remember what chapter, how it says that Nephi likes to write in simple and plainness. God knew what he was doing when he commanded them to write the Book of Mormon. I love you! have a good week!
Your missionary in South Africa,
Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)
Monday, October 4, 2010
New Area: New Responsibilities
Dear Family and Friends,
Hey! the best news is that i'm still in Mdantsane! well the zone! haha i'm now in King Williams Town. 60ks from mdantsane. Its a nice place so far only been here for 5 days and the work is well dead. So lots of work to be done. Its a ward that has only 140 members but only 40 come to church its sad. Its a very beautiful chapel, its one of its kind. it kinda has the tabernacle look to it on temple square. its pretty! :) Bishop Mpapa is a very nice man and he does his job well. the stake wants to split by 2012 as i've mentioned earlier so we had a nice lesson/discussion yesterday in priesthood on how exactly we as a ward are going to help achieve that goal. it was good. we lack priesthood/ and the less active families will be miracles when they come back to full activity. My new companion is Elder Opolot, from Uganda. He is a funny guy haha oh my sick! Its great. I'm the new district leader, yeah i have more responsibility now! great! i knew it was coming to me though so its fine its fine. I'll do the best i can and do what i can do. Its a 2-man district so its not too hard just me and the comp! haha. The boarding is a bit smaller than i'm used to but its ok. we are hardly there anyway. Lots of different town ships around the town. like 4 or 5. so many people! there are even whites here! haha we even have a white couple in church! i was very surprised to not be the only white in the ward.
I miss Mdantsane tho... it was a wonderful place to be. i'll remember my investigators and the members for the rest of my life i hope. good memories there. So when President called me on wednesday for news i was shocked haha i wasn't expecting to leave but he told me that its when you don't expect to leave that you do. He told me i did a good job in that area and now i need to be sent to an area where i can boost up the area again so we are gunna send you to king Williams town. I was very well shocked. Its next door to Mdantsane but far enough away that we I don't get to see other missionaries every monday. So we are planning a zone pday, where we will be able to go to mdantsane to have fun with the the zone.
The only thing i can say about the work is that its true and that its very important. I know why i'm here and i know what i need to do. I hope i'll be able to do what the Lord expects of me here in King. I like it so far. I don't know the place yet but there are good people with great potential. Bishop wants up to work with the less active members and families. so we shall do that. the nice thing about being senior comp is that now i can do the work my way haha. we have lots of former investigators that we can check up on. So once i get to know the area we shall have lots of fun i hope! I'm excited for exchanges with the zls haha its the only time i shall see other elders. They come here and spend a day and a half with us. so its cool. not this week but next week.
My comp is a good missionary. He has only been a member since 2007. and his family lives in a village 5 hours away from the closest chapel, they aren't members. he doesn't even email them every week. he only writes them here and there. i feel bad for him. he doesn't get mail from home. He has been on mission now for 6 months. So i'm wondering if people back home could write to him just so he can get mail. I gave him Sister Potters address haha he was excited about that haha he wrote a letter to her last night i thought it was funny. He is a funny guy tho yo haha We have fun with just the 2 of us. all i have to do is adapt to him and i'll get along with him just fine! :)
Well i love you all very much and very glad everyone is doing well. I miss you guys... But i know Heavenly Father is taking care of you and even me. I know the Lord has great trust in me now that i'm a district leader. I hope i can fulfill what He sent me here to do. I hope you all have a great week and that everything goes well. LOVE YOU!
Your Missionary,
Elder Robert S Rigby CTM
Hey! the best news is that i'm still in Mdantsane! well the zone! haha i'm now in King Williams Town. 60ks from mdantsane. Its a nice place so far only been here for 5 days and the work is well dead. So lots of work to be done. Its a ward that has only 140 members but only 40 come to church its sad. Its a very beautiful chapel, its one of its kind. it kinda has the tabernacle look to it on temple square. its pretty! :) Bishop Mpapa is a very nice man and he does his job well. the stake wants to split by 2012 as i've mentioned earlier so we had a nice lesson/discussion yesterday in priesthood on how exactly we as a ward are going to help achieve that goal. it was good. we lack priesthood/ and the less active families will be miracles when they come back to full activity. My new companion is Elder Opolot, from Uganda. He is a funny guy haha oh my sick! Its great. I'm the new district leader, yeah i have more responsibility now! great! i knew it was coming to me though so its fine its fine. I'll do the best i can and do what i can do. Its a 2-man district so its not too hard just me and the comp! haha. The boarding is a bit smaller than i'm used to but its ok. we are hardly there anyway. Lots of different town ships around the town. like 4 or 5. so many people! there are even whites here! haha we even have a white couple in church! i was very surprised to not be the only white in the ward.
I miss Mdantsane tho... it was a wonderful place to be. i'll remember my investigators and the members for the rest of my life i hope. good memories there. So when President called me on wednesday for news i was shocked haha i wasn't expecting to leave but he told me that its when you don't expect to leave that you do. He told me i did a good job in that area and now i need to be sent to an area where i can boost up the area again so we are gunna send you to king Williams town. I was very well shocked. Its next door to Mdantsane but far enough away that we I don't get to see other missionaries every monday. So we are planning a zone pday, where we will be able to go to mdantsane to have fun with the the zone.
The only thing i can say about the work is that its true and that its very important. I know why i'm here and i know what i need to do. I hope i'll be able to do what the Lord expects of me here in King. I like it so far. I don't know the place yet but there are good people with great potential. Bishop wants up to work with the less active members and families. so we shall do that. the nice thing about being senior comp is that now i can do the work my way haha. we have lots of former investigators that we can check up on. So once i get to know the area we shall have lots of fun i hope! I'm excited for exchanges with the zls haha its the only time i shall see other elders. They come here and spend a day and a half with us. so its cool. not this week but next week.
My comp is a good missionary. He has only been a member since 2007. and his family lives in a village 5 hours away from the closest chapel, they aren't members. he doesn't even email them every week. he only writes them here and there. i feel bad for him. he doesn't get mail from home. He has been on mission now for 6 months. So i'm wondering if people back home could write to him just so he can get mail. I gave him Sister Potters address haha he was excited about that haha he wrote a letter to her last night i thought it was funny. He is a funny guy tho yo haha We have fun with just the 2 of us. all i have to do is adapt to him and i'll get along with him just fine! :)
Well i love you all very much and very glad everyone is doing well. I miss you guys... But i know Heavenly Father is taking care of you and even me. I know the Lord has great trust in me now that i'm a district leader. I hope i can fulfill what He sent me here to do. I hope you all have a great week and that everything goes well. LOVE YOU!
Your Missionary,
Elder Robert S Rigby CTM
Monday, September 27, 2010
Hello from the Beautiful Land of South Africa
Elder Rigby and Elder Diphala
Hey Everyone!!
Molo! :) How is everyone doing? I'm doing alright! no complaints as far as i know of hehe. Mission is good for the most part. Glad to hear the grain is finally getting harvested. :) hear its spud harvest, thats crazy how time is flying by yo! feels like its still march or something. I'm getting old on mission haha. fun stuff tho haha. So its been an alright week not much has happening on this side. Still the same old same old. Comp is "dying" strong which is good i thought he would be trunky by now but he's not haha. i asked him why and he said its probably cause he is still in his same country and not too far from home. which makes since but he is very happy to see his family and to go home. Hes gunna miss mission tho, its been implanted in his brain for 2 years and now it comes to an end all of the sudden. But it really doesn't cause every member is a missionary and now his mother and father are investigating the church. I told him to go home and harvest them haha. he agreed :) what a marvelous blessing it is to be a missionary and have the blessings come to our families back home. So have you guys seen any blessings come since I've been absent? The Lord does bless our lives as we strive to live the principles of the gospel.
This week we had 2 investigators at church! YAY! haha Abongile and Siviwe. its was wonderful to see Siviwe there. He has come in the past years but he hasn't been able to since he started school and now works on weekends to help him with transport to school during the week. but since school is out for 2 weeks he was able to work during the week and now can come on Sunday for 2 weeks. its good. I asked him afterward how he liked it and he said it reminded him of old times. he wants to be baptized. but hes schedule just makes it hectic for him to come to church regularly... Abongile always enjoys church haha. Her mother is still the same. although she did sit on in the lesson on Wednesday evening. She asked some good questions but still doesn't accept it. after we left i guess she said some pretty intense things to Abongile. Like, that she thinks we are just trying to get membership and that our church is foney. i was kinda shocked when Abongile told me at church yesterday. So i told her to not give up and let the Lord soften her heart and prepare her. Told her to continue to read, pray and come to church. She is very sad that she can't get baptized yet. I'm sad! but nothing we can really do till she is approved by her mother. or till she is 21. which is a long time from now
We had another baptism for Cwaytia on Saturday! another person i started teaching in NU-15. so my work did not go to shame haha. it was combined with ward 2 they had 2 sisters getting baptized it was a nice service. We had a really good Sunday attendance yesterday. Lots of people came it was awesome! the less active families are starting to show up again. :) made me very happy. This ward needs families to come back and improve the ward. So things are happening in the ward, finally! I had a nice chat with our presiding Elder. Bro Kuviwe Mahlangabeza. He also sees the things starting to happen. home teaching is very important and visiting teaching. thats what takes care of the members. Lots of times people go less active cause they don't have their home teachers come to visit and so they feel neglected. but its starting to get better. and getting a good Bishop will make things even more better. So i hope Pres Bell is finding a suitable Bishop and will him soon.
Well i love you all and miss you. I hope you have a good week and i hope things get better with harvest. Hows everyone else? I know the church is true. i know my Father in Heaven loves me and i know that Christ is my Savior and that he lives and loves us. I'm so grateful for the love and comfort i feel from the Holy Ghost in my life as i serve my Father. I'm grateful to be a missionary in this beautiful land of South Africa. Its where i need to be :)
LOVE YOU GUYS
Your missionary,
Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The World is Different
Dear My dearest Family and Friends,
Hey! How's it that side of the world? sounds like its been raining, well its been raining here too! all of last night actually with some thunder storms even. pretty cool. Haven't been sleeping the best lately i don't really know why but i do what i can do. My week was ok. not the busiest week i've had on mission but it still had some good lessons with people. I miss you guys... But i'm indeed very grateful to be in South Africa where i need to be at the time i need to be here. I read through my patriartical blessing the other night and it mentioned that i would be able to bring converts into the church reactivate those that are lost. i have now seen the success of it coming true. i really haven't had any converts get baptized yet but i have brought people back into full activity. an older gentlemen, Bro. Gontsana, has now come to church the past 3 weeks. i'm so happy. he is the nicest old man haha. very happy to be a member and loves the missionaries visiting him. I'm glad i'm here! :) maybe it was me who needed to visit these less actives and share my testimony with them to bring them back i don't know. I just keep going back to my blessing. We've been working with 3 other families as well. the Mandla family, the Kulashe family and the Jozi family. all 3 know the church is true but for some strange reason they won't come to church. Bro Kulashe was in the elders quorum presidency when he was active 2 years ago. i don't know what happened. Its been nice to visit them, he likes farming haha very South African rural area farming tho haha the "old fashion way" as i would call it dad haha. oxen and a plow haha. i find it very amazing haha. i still like my tractors! oh i see them here and there. Massey Ferguson and ford tractors. haha my comp and the other elders tell me to calm down when i see the tractors lol i don't get too excited but do go "oh look at that!" lol silly me i know, typical farm boy. No John Deere or CAT or anything else. not a whole lot of them this side where i am anyway. i hear that the drive between Cape Town and George is where all the farms are. Mostly dry farms. starting to get into the irrigation systems (pivots) not too many i haven't seen them yet. the world is different haha.
We had good lessons with Abongile and Kamva this week. Mostly teaching Kamva and reviewing for Abongiles sake. She needs to get baptized!! haha. We had a baptism for Sinazo Mazeleni on saturday. she is now being taught my the NU-15 elders, Elder Maseko and Elder Andrimitantsoa. it was nice. wasn't very organized but she was dunked so thats what matters most haha. confirmed her yesterday. they'll be having another baptism this coming saturday for Cwaytia and another candidate Whimpy. Exciting for them! i planted seeds with Sinazo and Cwaytia. haha so i feel good about that.
We also had good lessons with Mbasa and Sekhi. they didn't come to church again yesterday. i guess they were tied up at there grandmas place. Mbasa has been struggling with reading. so yesterday we asked him if he had any questions about anything and he asked about covenants. So we talked about that stuff and used Mosiah 18:8-9 with him. he struggling with everything i think. i hope things turn out for the better with him. His bro, Sekhi is doing better, he had been reading the Bible but he needs to read the BofM. So hopefully that will have changed. he wasn't there last night so i hope he will be there next lesson.
Others just didn't hold and it was a struggle the entire week it seemed like. People just aren't committed and seems like they want to learn but don't want to make the time. I don't get it!? People are weird. Samora ran from us when he saw us drive up to his house on Saturday. crazy smoker deadlock dude. haha
My comp goes home next week Thursday. the 30th of sept. He is ready to go home haha. Still going strong but he needs to go home. i'm excited to get a new companion. I might train.... but not sure. there are 21 new missionaries coming in. so lots of elders will be training. Going to be a very young mission come January. Well my time is running out. i hope this is enough details... Oh we had zone conference on Thursday. it was really good. it basically was another day of the training on the new stuff. focus was getting people to come to church. it was good. got some new ideas on how to get people to church. that is the biggest problem in our area. not fun.
I love you all and miss you. I hope you have a good week and i'll talk to you next week! Peace out!
Your Missionary,
Elder Robert S Rigby CTM
Hey! How's it that side of the world? sounds like its been raining, well its been raining here too! all of last night actually with some thunder storms even. pretty cool. Haven't been sleeping the best lately i don't really know why but i do what i can do. My week was ok. not the busiest week i've had on mission but it still had some good lessons with people. I miss you guys... But i'm indeed very grateful to be in South Africa where i need to be at the time i need to be here. I read through my patriartical blessing the other night and it mentioned that i would be able to bring converts into the church reactivate those that are lost. i have now seen the success of it coming true. i really haven't had any converts get baptized yet but i have brought people back into full activity. an older gentlemen, Bro. Gontsana, has now come to church the past 3 weeks. i'm so happy. he is the nicest old man haha. very happy to be a member and loves the missionaries visiting him. I'm glad i'm here! :) maybe it was me who needed to visit these less actives and share my testimony with them to bring them back i don't know. I just keep going back to my blessing. We've been working with 3 other families as well. the Mandla family, the Kulashe family and the Jozi family. all 3 know the church is true but for some strange reason they won't come to church. Bro Kulashe was in the elders quorum presidency when he was active 2 years ago. i don't know what happened. Its been nice to visit them, he likes farming haha very South African rural area farming tho haha the "old fashion way" as i would call it dad haha. oxen and a plow haha. i find it very amazing haha. i still like my tractors! oh i see them here and there. Massey Ferguson and ford tractors. haha my comp and the other elders tell me to calm down when i see the tractors lol i don't get too excited but do go "oh look at that!" lol silly me i know, typical farm boy. No John Deere or CAT or anything else. not a whole lot of them this side where i am anyway. i hear that the drive between Cape Town and George is where all the farms are. Mostly dry farms. starting to get into the irrigation systems (pivots) not too many i haven't seen them yet. the world is different haha.
We had good lessons with Abongile and Kamva this week. Mostly teaching Kamva and reviewing for Abongiles sake. She needs to get baptized!! haha. We had a baptism for Sinazo Mazeleni on saturday. she is now being taught my the NU-15 elders, Elder Maseko and Elder Andrimitantsoa. it was nice. wasn't very organized but she was dunked so thats what matters most haha. confirmed her yesterday. they'll be having another baptism this coming saturday for Cwaytia and another candidate Whimpy. Exciting for them! i planted seeds with Sinazo and Cwaytia. haha so i feel good about that.
We also had good lessons with Mbasa and Sekhi. they didn't come to church again yesterday. i guess they were tied up at there grandmas place. Mbasa has been struggling with reading. so yesterday we asked him if he had any questions about anything and he asked about covenants. So we talked about that stuff and used Mosiah 18:8-9 with him. he struggling with everything i think. i hope things turn out for the better with him. His bro, Sekhi is doing better, he had been reading the Bible but he needs to read the BofM. So hopefully that will have changed. he wasn't there last night so i hope he will be there next lesson.
Others just didn't hold and it was a struggle the entire week it seemed like. People just aren't committed and seems like they want to learn but don't want to make the time. I don't get it!? People are weird. Samora ran from us when he saw us drive up to his house on Saturday. crazy smoker deadlock dude. haha
My comp goes home next week Thursday. the 30th of sept. He is ready to go home haha. Still going strong but he needs to go home. i'm excited to get a new companion. I might train.... but not sure. there are 21 new missionaries coming in. so lots of elders will be training. Going to be a very young mission come January. Well my time is running out. i hope this is enough details... Oh we had zone conference on Thursday. it was really good. it basically was another day of the training on the new stuff. focus was getting people to come to church. it was good. got some new ideas on how to get people to church. that is the biggest problem in our area. not fun.
I love you all and miss you. I hope you have a good week and i'll talk to you next week! Peace out!
Your Missionary,
Elder Robert S Rigby CTM
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Gospel is True!
Hey Everybody!
Molo! :) how is it back in Idaho?? raining i see. that sucks. hasn't rained too much lately here. We need the rain so bad this side its so dry. so tell it to come this side haha. Yes i would love a small picture of the prophet and Christ to carry around with me in my white bible or wallet that'd be great! :) Its been another interesting week. people just don't commit to church. the only people who do come is Abongile. she is the only one who is there every sunday if she can. Her mom is still hard hearted. but getting there we hope! Abongile is now going to ask her dad if he can talk to her mom about it so maybe that will help convince her! :) (her parents are divorced) her dad doesn't have a problem with her getting baptized. So yeah. We are also trying to teach her nephew kamva. He is only 9 but he is very interested. his mother, Abongiles sister is fine with him getting baptized he is even counting down the days to it haha i thought that was cool. its very special to be baptized by the correct authority.
We finally got to see Mbasa and Sekhi. they are doing good. still didn't come to church yesterday. We saw Sekhi on the street yesterday after church and so i asked him what happened with him and his bro in coming to church. He told me that he had overslept and by the time he got ready Mbasa was already gone. and said that he was going to church. He didn't show up. so he lied to his mom and brother. don't know what/where Mbasa went all i know is that he didn't come to church. So we are seeing them again on tuesday so i'll find out then. We had some really good lessons with them this past week. The Spirit was so strong in 2 of those lessons. felt as if i was going to shed some tears. I love this gospel. it really is true. as long as we do our part in following the Christ we will be blessed and have joy. After we had closed the lesson i asked Sekhi how he felt he told me he felt warm inside and i could tell. Mbasa is having struggles recognizing the Spirit. He says he feels like smiling. which can very well be his answer. as it says in Galatians 5:22-23. but yeah. Sekhi is coming along great. Mbasa not so much. still is very busy with his studies and friends. I'm worried about him, i don't know why i'm so into these investigators the way i am with Mbasa and Sekhi and not with the others that we teach. its weird. Elder Maseko asked me why i was stressing out about them so much and it got me thinking. I told him its cause i can connect with them well i guess.
We had exchanges in the district on wednesday and friday so Elder Andirmistantsoa was with me on wednesday and then Elder Maseko was with me on friday. both had a good time together. Elder Andri is still learning haha made me think back when i was green haha i've come a long ways since then. in only 8 months too! Crazy! Time flies thats all i can say!
This new way of teaching really works. we gave 4 more people baptismal dates :) now the question is are all of them going to hold to that date or not. so hope and pray. I like the new stuff its very Christ orientated. Focused on Christ. :) Missionaries job to invite others unto Christ! Does the family have a Preach My Gospel in the home?? If not get one and have family home evenings on the principles in it. OKAY? good! haha
Have Zone conference this week on thursday. More counsel and learning from our dear Pres Probst. Hes awesome thats all i can say. My comp is not trunky. surprisingly haha he is going home in 2 and a half weeks and he is still strong. which i commemorate him on that haha. i want to die strong. He sent stuff home today so he can fit everything in his suitcase haha.
Stake president here in East london came to our ward yesterday to interview all the Melchizedek Priesthood brethren to find a Bishop since we don't have one for 3 months now yeah not good. low on active priesthood brethren. its not cool so i hope the interviews went good and that Pres Bell found a bishop.
Well i don't know what else to say other than i love you and miss you all. I hope you have a fabulous week and all do what you need to do :) I finally got my package!! :) i freakin love it haha thank you family! I love the goodies and supplies :) so thanks again. Well love you!!
your Elder in South Africa,
Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)
Molo! :) how is it back in Idaho?? raining i see. that sucks. hasn't rained too much lately here. We need the rain so bad this side its so dry. so tell it to come this side haha. Yes i would love a small picture of the prophet and Christ to carry around with me in my white bible or wallet that'd be great! :) Its been another interesting week. people just don't commit to church. the only people who do come is Abongile. she is the only one who is there every sunday if she can. Her mom is still hard hearted. but getting there we hope! Abongile is now going to ask her dad if he can talk to her mom about it so maybe that will help convince her! :) (her parents are divorced) her dad doesn't have a problem with her getting baptized. So yeah. We are also trying to teach her nephew kamva. He is only 9 but he is very interested. his mother, Abongiles sister is fine with him getting baptized he is even counting down the days to it haha i thought that was cool. its very special to be baptized by the correct authority.
We finally got to see Mbasa and Sekhi. they are doing good. still didn't come to church yesterday. We saw Sekhi on the street yesterday after church and so i asked him what happened with him and his bro in coming to church. He told me that he had overslept and by the time he got ready Mbasa was already gone. and said that he was going to church. He didn't show up. so he lied to his mom and brother. don't know what/where Mbasa went all i know is that he didn't come to church. So we are seeing them again on tuesday so i'll find out then. We had some really good lessons with them this past week. The Spirit was so strong in 2 of those lessons. felt as if i was going to shed some tears. I love this gospel. it really is true. as long as we do our part in following the Christ we will be blessed and have joy. After we had closed the lesson i asked Sekhi how he felt he told me he felt warm inside and i could tell. Mbasa is having struggles recognizing the Spirit. He says he feels like smiling. which can very well be his answer. as it says in Galatians 5:22-23. but yeah. Sekhi is coming along great. Mbasa not so much. still is very busy with his studies and friends. I'm worried about him, i don't know why i'm so into these investigators the way i am with Mbasa and Sekhi and not with the others that we teach. its weird. Elder Maseko asked me why i was stressing out about them so much and it got me thinking. I told him its cause i can connect with them well i guess.
We had exchanges in the district on wednesday and friday so Elder Andirmistantsoa was with me on wednesday and then Elder Maseko was with me on friday. both had a good time together. Elder Andri is still learning haha made me think back when i was green haha i've come a long ways since then. in only 8 months too! Crazy! Time flies thats all i can say!
This new way of teaching really works. we gave 4 more people baptismal dates :) now the question is are all of them going to hold to that date or not. so hope and pray. I like the new stuff its very Christ orientated. Focused on Christ. :) Missionaries job to invite others unto Christ! Does the family have a Preach My Gospel in the home?? If not get one and have family home evenings on the principles in it. OKAY? good! haha
Have Zone conference this week on thursday. More counsel and learning from our dear Pres Probst. Hes awesome thats all i can say. My comp is not trunky. surprisingly haha he is going home in 2 and a half weeks and he is still strong. which i commemorate him on that haha. i want to die strong. He sent stuff home today so he can fit everything in his suitcase haha.
Stake president here in East london came to our ward yesterday to interview all the Melchizedek Priesthood brethren to find a Bishop since we don't have one for 3 months now yeah not good. low on active priesthood brethren. its not cool so i hope the interviews went good and that Pres Bell found a bishop.
Well i don't know what else to say other than i love you and miss you all. I hope you have a fabulous week and all do what you need to do :) I finally got my package!! :) i freakin love it haha thank you family! I love the goodies and supplies :) so thanks again. Well love you!!
your Elder in South Africa,
Elder Robert S Rigby (CTM)
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