1st click down...23 to go

Alright, well my week wasn't too exciting....we taught a few people and we're trying to focus on how to have our investigators progress. The highlight of my week was the exchanges with Elder Tuks, and we had a blast of a day! He picked me up, we went straight to McDonalds and got mcflurrys haha. He has a 2 man boarding, so it was just us. He's a Zone Leader so he can do whatever he wants pretty much....Well we got up in the morning, went to McDonalds, had a big breakfast with pancakes and a mcmuffin and Orange Juice, and went to District Meeting. We went to the mall, and hung out, and I'm going to have to take you there when you come pick me up! It was a sweet day. We then visited a few of the members over there, and they were white skinned, a very nice change.....Sunday was my first click day, which means I've been out for one month :) only 23 left! I sent the SD card, and I cant wait for it to get there, make sure that you let me know when it does! And the pictures I sent too, in a different envelope.
Yes, sister Joyce cooked for us a few times...the first Sunday she made us pork(which is super fatty here so I had a lot that I picked off), some beans, potato salad, and a little bit of coleslaw, and some ice cream for dessert.

The second Sunday she made us these things called ammaguinas, I dont know how to spell it, but its nickname is fat cook. Its like a scone type thing/ biscuit with hamburger. Yesterday the Madaza's cooked for us, and they made us noodles, with chicken, beans, and potato salad, so it wasn't bad :)

I am rushed to get off because we have to go let the plumber into our flat, so that our washer and drains will be working.

The first pic is me and Erickson and the second is me with my noodles and hamburger :) and the third one is me and Creech :)

August 19, 2013 - Elder Truscott "The Exterminator"

 

 

Phew!

Another week down! I know, pretty quick here It'll be my one month mark, only 23 left ;) haha. Ya that's nuts that Kaitlyn will be starting school so soon, and that she's just an only child at the moment!  When I start thinking of home I get super homesick....What I wouldn't give for a nice home cooked meal by you and an episode of celebrity apprentice or something! Man I miss home.....

Week 2 was decent I suppose. The one thing that happened that really comes to mind was we were teaching this recent convert, brother France, and he just kind of sat there all lesson you know? like most the people do....and after, when we were done, we asked him if he needed anything, help and stuff. He lives in a SHACK! you'll see, cause I took some pictures with him in it....but he walked over to the corner, lifted up the floor (which is always just like a laminate that they put down) and there was TONS of bugs running all over the floor and up the wall! He said it was pretty bad all over. Gertz didnt do anything....like he just was like, oh that sucks I'm sorry....but I was like Ew, that's freaking disgusting .....and really I'm here to help people out like that.....so I told him I'd buy him some bug spray and see if it wont kill a few of them, he can spray it on the corners and stuff. I bought some and the next lesson I gave it to him, he was super appreciative and I took a pic with him and the bug spray, haha. At church he said it works but smells super strong, so hopefully it helped him out a bit!
Also, that crazy guy who speaks in tongues, we taught him again....and again he started freaking out during our lesson....it scares me a bit honestly! We gave him a blessing  and he did it a few times afterwards, but then stopped by the end of the lesson, so who knows!

Well we're teaching mostly individuals right now....lots of younger guys, around their 20's to 30's, who are struggling with Word of Wisdom stuff. Everyone in Gugs doesn't have a job obviously, so lots of them just sit around and drink and smoke all day long....I sat with one guy, named Xolani, and he is struggling to stop drinking, but he wants to be baptized, and we just go see him all the time and try to help him out in that regard. Also, there's a young kid named Thimbalane who is trying to quit smoking and drinking, and we just started getting with him, but commitments are hard here because lots of the people cant read.... 

 

The members are super nice, and one lady, mama Joyce, is a saint.....she's an old lady, who is super sweet, and she has prepared dinner for us both Sundays I've been here so far, and every time we see her she has snacks and stuff.

When we don't have an appointment we focus on Less Actives. I guess the branch has a problem with people joining and then going less active, so we are trying to focus on retention, so we go teach a lot of recent converts and less active people....

 

We had a zone conference, but it was just ran by the zone leaders, and it was in an area called BellVille. Coming from Gugs it looked like heaven. It was closest thing to home that I've seen so far, and the mall we went to for lunch was amazing. I'm going to bribe president to put me there ;) haha, but the meeting was alright, and I met some kids from the zone and everything.

I love you and miss you so much and think about you and home all the time....I just know that October is going to suck, because I'm going to have to be here instead of hunting with you. But in 2 years ill be back and by then there will be monster bucks just waiting to be shot ;)

 

Love,

Elder Truscott

 

 

August 12, 2013 In the Mission Field

Well I got here in the field and was assigned to the Gugulethu area. Look it up on google earth it's sooo freaking different! There are goats and street dogs, mixed in with a few chickens, running around all over the place!....I'm the only missionary that didnt have to immediately go and catch another flight out of the area, but that doesnt mean I'm in the "Cape Town" that people vacation in, you'll see.

My trainer is Elder Gertzen.....I'm roomed with 2 other elders, Creech and Erickson, who are pretty cool guys. It's way better than the MTC!
It's hard to tract I guess cause so many people are like wandering around and are either homeless or live in these shacks, so traditional knocking on doors hasn't come up yet. But we get to the appointment my trainer had set up and this guy speaks French and doesn't understand a single word Gertzen is saying (I don't think).....he barely speaks any English. The people in Gugulethu are notorious around the mission for being crazy I guess.....on my second day a guy started talking in tongues, and apparently it was God telling him that how Gertzen was interpreting the scripture was wrong? super weird stuff......

The church/branch is super small! like only 20ish people were there in sacrament meeting! I had to introduce myself, and I was kinda nervous, so I started by "good morning, I'm bro-I mean Elder Truscott" ha,ha. ya that was embarrassing a bit, but there was only 20 people, and then I just said I'm super glad to be here and get to know all of you.

I will send you the picture of our room that I have in the Flat with Gertz, and with the desks and beds (Twin) we don't have much room at all, nothing in our flat is clean at all.....so....its pretty gross actually...a few areas (kitchen) would cause you to hurl.

The weather is kinda cold.....not my coat right now, but its getting towards the end of winter, so next year I might get the brunt of it worse, but at the moment I'm just in a long sleeved shirt, and I've worn the sweaters :)

So far the field is much much better than the MTC, but days are long....I'm waiting for it to start flying by like everyone says it does!!
I miss you and love you so so much.

Elder Truscott

Finally word from the SACTM (South Africa Cape Town Mission)

We have not heard word from Trevor directly yet but I just received this e-mail from President and Sister Wood.  It looks like he is doing great!

Dear Brother and Sister Truscott,

Elder Truscott arrived Tuesday in South Africa Cape Town Mission
(SACTM) with others from his MTC transfer. They spent the day in
orientation meetings, including a trip to Signal Hill.  They spent the
night at the mission home.  After breakfast on  Wednesday, they were
introduced to their trainers, and assigned to their areas.  Elder
Truscott's trainer is Elder Gertzen, a dynamic convert from South
Africa.  We will allow your son the privilege of writing to you about
his first week in the field, his area, and more about his companion.

The first five photos were taken at Signal Hill.  In the large group
photo, the new Elders are on the top row; the AP's are on the bottom
row with two new couples, the Blatters and Frances, as well as
President and Sister Wood.  The companionship photos were taken at the
mission home.

We are enjoying this group of new missionaries already.

Sincerely,
Sister Wood and President

August 1, 2013 Johannesburg Temple

Hey guys!

 

We went to the Johannesburg Temple, but this place reminds me of Mexico. My companion is Elder Kabwe but most my pictures are with Elder Kapito and Elder Brown, they are super cool. I have the SD card, and I will be able to send them when I get out of the MTC.

 

I'm going to the mission field Tuesday! That's the day I leave the MTC, so Tuesday will be weird I think, because I don't really know what is going on at that point.

 

Its not too bad, I get super homesick sometimes just thinking about how much I miss everyone and everything, but eventually I snap out of it and be happy.

Right now its super boring here, just doing class after class....Same thing always. Finally getting out to go to the Temple was the only time I've been out of the compound besides jogging once with Sister Reber (Presidents Wife) and my companion and some kids.

 

That's good for Alex, moving to Colorado! Dad told me that you guys met the family and everything, that's super cool! I'm sure he will have a great time. Chicago will be fun for him too. I miss him!

How is Kaitlyn doing?

 

I love you and I miss you so so much.

 

Love you and I will send pics when I get out and can download them or send the SD card :)

 

Love,

 

Elder Truscott