August 25, 2014

 Elder Beckstead and Elder Ellingson came up here to PE for transfer day

This week was Segrie September's Birthday, so we baked her a cake this week 

This week was a weird one for me....ha ha, I don't really know why but for some reason it was just weird. Ha ha, transfer week, but it didn't seem like it cause nobody here changed. And if you were excited for Eldridge's baptism this Sunday, you will be just as disappointed as we were.

Tuesday was a weird day for us for sure. Disappointing and weird at the beginning. We had a few appointments, and we had one with Eldridge. So we show up, excited to see him and keep getting him ready for his baptismal date, and when we get there he is acting suuper weird. He takes us in, and is high as a kite talking to us. Like he was falling asleep in the middle of speaking, and then his jaw was going crazy, it was crazy. He kept saying how tired he was, so we told him we'd come back later.....we did, still the same. So we saw him again later on in the week, and sat down with him and just let him know that we are here for him and that he can still get on that right track. He was super grateful, and still wants to be part of the church so bad. He came yesterday to church so he is still determined, and we are happy about that!

Tuesday night was fun though. Elder Beckstead and Elder Ellingson came up here to PE for transfer day, cause they were picking up someone Wednesday, so Tuesday they were with the zone leaders here! After our appointments we went and got milkshakes with everyone, and then went back to the zone leaders boarding to chill for a while with them! It was awesome to see Ellingson and Beckstead though!

Wednesday was transfer day, but we just did normal work through the week! So we had some appointments, and of course some dropped ones. BUT, the one thing that was pretty cool to me, so we've been getting tired of dropped appts and stuff, and we've been wanting to find new people to teach, so we started going through the teaching records of people who missionaries used to visit. Well we pulled out a few names, and so far every one we've visited has let us in and made return appointments with us! Which I think is pretty cool.

So this week we focused a bit on finding new people, and got 7 new investigators! Hopefully they all progress, that's a worthy dream, but we will see! Church yesterday was good too. We had just 4 investigators there, we thought there would be more, but 4 isn't bad. Eldridge came, a guy named Neal, Busi, and then one of those girls, Phelicia. The whole family of those girls were supposed to come....not sure why they didn't, but next week they say, so we'll see.

Ya it was an odd week. Don't know why.....but hopefully this next week will be better. We've got zone conference in PE on Wednesday, so that's something to look forward to, and we've got some good appointments lined up!

I miss you like crazy, and for some reason it feels like a long time since last week! Pdays are few and far between I suppose ;) haha.

I love you guys so muchI

Love and miss you :)

Elder Truscott

I got to pet some cheetahs this morning! August 18, 2014

Elder Carnieletto (back)

Elder Kivley, Elder Van Zyl, Elder Ndlouvu, Elder Kupka, Elder Truscott

Mormon helping hands project

How are you doing this morning!? I am emailing a bit late....but you will be super jealous, cause I got to pet some cheetahs this morning! There is a cheetah park near Uitenhage, and the others had been, but I wanted to go and they said they'd go again to see if they got better pics this time, so we got to go! It was pretty awesome!! They have Cheetahs, leopards, lions, and other smaller cats I can’t remember. The leopard would come up and pace up and down the fence, and you could reach through and touch it, and if you put your hand up flat he would reach through and lick it. so I have been licked by a leopard :) Hahaha, it was super fun! And then after the tour of the place we got to go in with the cheetahs and pet them! It was super cool.

But as for this week......This week was a good one I suppose. This transfer went by pretty quickly, and the AP's just emailed us the transfer news.....so I know that Carnieletto and I are staying together for another transfer! We are all staying the same here in Uitenhage!

Last Monday we were going to play some soccer, but things fell through cause others couldn't/didn't want to come, so we ended up calling 2 other missionaries and chilled with them all day....

Tuesdays are almost always our busy day it seems.....but this week we just had a few appointments, only one dropped, which was good, and then we made some visits and stuff. Pretty much did the appointments and visits the rest of the week....

Thursday night we started exchanges. This time I was with Elder Kupka working in my area, and most things dropped.....this week was kinda slow with lots dropping. But it was a nice day cause I really like Kupka. He's super funny. And Friday I got your package with my new  pants and shirt :)

Saturday was the Mormon helping hands project, which Is like last year when the ward does something to help the community or whatever. So we went and painted the old train station museum here in Uitenhage. It was actually a good time, and an alright amount of people came so it was good.

Church on Sunday was good. Brother Palmer gave a talk and he's a character. Tells us how he lives the law of chastity and only kisses his wife, then says how he kisses her in the morning and kisses her at lunch and kisses her at night, haha. He's funny.  We had a good turn out though! Eldridge was there and is still powering forward for his baptism this month! Super exciting for him!! And then we had a members friend, whose name is Busi, she came to church as well, and then those girls that came a few weeks ago, their names are Claudia, Nadia, Phelicia, and Valentine, and then the guy that stays there is named Sylvester, and then there's older sisters that don't join us. Well on exchanges we talked with one older sister and she said she'd come, and she did! Claudia, Nadia, Phelicia, and the older sister came! It was nice, but I hope they enjoyed it....I wasn't really getting that vibe from them since they were  chomping at the bit to leave after 2nd hour, but who knows! They are super cool though, and are progressing really good. We also met up this week with another investigator that we've been looking for all transfer. Apparently she used to come to church all the time and then went on holiday, so Carnieletto didn't know where she stayed.....but we got her address through a member and should start teaching her now , which will be good. I want to focus on finding more people this next transfer, cause I'm super bummed with all the dropped appointments. Hopefully this coming transfer will be a good one!

I love and miss you tons :)

Love,  Elder Truscott

August 11, 2014

Elders in Uintenhage having dinner with Mamma Hilda

Well this week was actually a really good one!

Last Monday I had another "first" here in South Africa....ha ha ha. So the one thing that I  have been avoiding like the plague to eat is tripe...which is the intestines of an animal, and they have like ox or sheep tripe that they make here. Well ya, its pretty nasty to think that you are eating what is used to make crap....but last Monday at the Frans FHE that is what they prepared for us! I was super hesitant...pretty much ate everything around the tripe before the  tripe itself, and they were laughing, cause we were pretty much all doing the same thing and in the same boat.....but then with pressure I ate all the tripe...it is pretty weird. It's kind of like a hairy texture...which is pretty gross honestly. That is the worst part.....but no major sickness happened so I must be fine ;) ha ha.

Tuesday was actually a really really good day for Elder Carnieletto  and I. We had a few appointments, and they ALL held! Not only did all of them hold, they were pretty good ones too. We started the day by visiting a brother Wally. He's an investigator who has had a stroke and isn't in great condition. He's a referral from his friend, Bro.  Freddy.  Well we only usually spend about 30 min. There cause we take it slow and then leave. So on Tuesday we were there in the morning, and we were asking how his prayers have been to find out if the church was  true. He told us that he prayed and received his answer! Well we had been telling him not to focus on getting a dream, but rather through thoughts and feelings, and every time he was thinking he'd get a dream....well apparently he got one! He said in his dream that a voice told him that these things were true, and to beware of false prophets.  He took that as an answer to his prayers and said the church was true!  But then we start teaching the plan of salvation, and up pulled Bro. Freddy to join and he had no idea we were there! It was great.  Then we saw Eldridge, who is super progressing towards his baptism date on the 31st and were super excited for him!  After that we had a few other appts and they were all nice. So this Tuesday was muuuuuch better than last week.

The slowness had to catch up to us though....cause Wednesday only one  appt held, so we found some less actives to visit that day, and then  just went on for appts Thursday.

Saturdays are always a bit slow, but we had an appt that held in the morning and then went out to set appts and make some visits before church. Ha ha, this is just a funny thing that happens often here .....

But we went to see an investigator and set an appt, she wasn't home,  but her mom was there drunk. She was all dressed up for a funeral and was dancing hard core when we walked up. Hahahaha, she was just  dancing and trying to tell us how great God had been to her. So we left. Haha. You always get some funny people around township on the weekend.

Sunday we had church as usual, and we had Eldridge there, and two investigators named Valentine and Phelicia. They are 2 from that family of girls that just walked in the other week. The others couldn't make it I guess, but they are all really progressing!! We have high hopes for them, and the one guy who stays at that house, Sylvester. He is hit and miss cause his mom is sick so he visits her at the hospital a lot, but he's super cool and enjoys our visits and reads, so we are hoping the best for him too! Our most progressing is Eldridge here for sure. He's a champ.  Super preparing for baptism and still doesn't smoke and drink and stuff, so we're really happy! The 31st is the day for him as it sits and he wants it really badly.

This is the last week of the transfer, it's gone by pretty quickly!! I love and miss you guys. This week I have been missing you a lot....

 Love, Elder Truscott

August 4, 2014

The highlight of my week was that all 4 of us in the District  got matching ties to wear to church.

Well this week was monumentally slow. Ha ha. Like I don't even know what to say about it besides that it sucked! One good thing did happen though....I got the package that you sent me with the taffy and stuff  :) thank you! Ha ha, haven't had such clean G's in a year ;) thanks!

 Last Monday we just hung out around Uitenhage. Didn't do anything  really.....so that started the boring week. ;) ha ha. And then this morning we were suuuuper disappointed cause of the lion park not having cubs ready...

Then Tuesday through Sunday the story was the same.....dropped appointments. Like Tuesday we had it set up to be an awesome day, like 6 appointments! And......the first one held with Bro. Wally, and the last one held.  It pretty much went like that all week.

Friday I was on exchanges with Elder Kivley. We went to his area. We had district meeting that morning, and we pretty much all spent the day together, besides when we were teaching the one lesson we taught that day.  The highlight of my week was that all 4 of us in the District  got matching ties to wear to church. We were in a shop called Markham and Elder Kivley saw these ties that were patterned like outer space, so he was laughing and said district space ties! They had 4, so we all got one and wore them to church!

 Eldridge wasn't at church, and after he wasn't home so we don't know why, but this week we extended the baptism date of Aug. 31st to him!  So we are hoping he is still doing good and we have an appointment with him Tuesday!

 Then those 3 girls that just randomly came to church last week , well we've been sitting with them and we met a guy who stays in the house named Sylvester, who was interested, and one other girl who came to church with the original 3! We don't know what happened to Sylvester, he said he was going to come too, but nobody saw him Sunday morning so they didn't know!

 Ha ha ha, so this was frustrating/funny. We were visiting a family, the Jacobs. And it was mostly just an older lady who we were talking to. There was just a death in the family, so we got them as a referral from their friend who we're also sitting with. Well the appointment earlier this week dropped cause Mrs. Jacobs wasn't feeling well. So we go back on Saturday I think it was, and we drive past to park and Carnieletto and I look in the house cause the door is open,  and she's sitting right there on the couch.  And she looked out and saw us. Then we park and walk up the house and guess what.....nobody home. Ha ha. She got up and went into her room in the back and never came to the door!  Sucked to be us ;) ha ha. So we don't think she's too interested. ;)

 It was a pretty slow week though! Just like last week, we have a good amount of appts. The beginning of this week, and hopefully since it's not month end or beginning of the month they will be home and hold!

Thanks for the package. I love and miss everyone like crazy!

Love, Elder Truscott

July 28, 2014 ..... This week was a good one!! Officially 12 months in SA!!

Elder Carnieletto and Elder Truscott "Juicy Boys" with Akhona

Elder Truscott, Elder Carnieletto, Elder Kivley and Elder Kupka, at Guidos,

 1 Year out!  It was time to burn the shirt!!

This week was a good one!! Officially 12 months in SA!! My year mark was Friday so now the clocks have turned and it's a count down!  :) ha ha.

Last Monday, like you know I went and rode elephants, so that was super fun!! Today we are just chilling cause there isn't much going on. There aren't even sports happening, which is weird for mission.

So Tuesday was a members birthday, and I'm pretty big on getting the people a cake for their birthday cause I feel like they really like it, so Elder Carnieletto and I got her one. It's funny, when we were at that young men's thing a while back the leader said we could make the juice, and we called ourselves the juicy boys, and it stuck.....ha ha. So on the cake it says from the juicy boys, and we all had a good laugh. It was pretty funny. Haha.

Wednesday and Thursday were just average days. We had a few appointments and a few dropped ones! Ha ha, but it think this is funny....so Carnieletto and I were talking, and he was trying to say moth, we were talking about what was smashed on the wall, and he couldn't think of the word, so he said "night butterfly" hahaha. I thought it was funny.

Then Friday was the special day!!! July 25 meaning that one year ago from then I was walking into the Joburg MTC!! I got to open that package that you guys sent me with the cards and camel in it :) I waited! Ha ha. But thank you very much. I really loved the cards and everything :) I will try to be like the camel!

The day was just average, we had some appointments and then after them we met up with the other 2 in Uitenhage, Elder Kivley and Elder Kupka, and we had a little celebration :) we went to Guidos, which is pretty much one of the only real restaurants in Uitenhage. We went all out though ;) haha. I got mushroom balls and escargot for the starters for us just to say we did, and then we all had big meals and dessert. It was super nice! The waitress was a total ditz....like bad. She starts taking our order and we tell her we want water, and then she's all disappointed, so I ask what juices they have. Well she figured out that we weren't from here, and she was like "oh, then nothing I'm saying is making any sense to you!" And then starts trying to explain to me what juice is.....mental! Ha ha. So after that we just messed with her the whole meal....asking what things were and how we eat them.... She explained what a baked potato is and how to eat it.....ha ha ha ha, it was super funny.

After dinner, it was time to burn the shirt!!  :) Elder Carnieletto and I rigged up a pole and hanger to put my shirt on, and then we went out to a road that wouldn't be any problems and we burnt the shirt.....the ceremonial shirt burning was pretty cool too. :)

Saturday and Sunday were slow for appointments and stuff....but Sunday was a good day!! We had 6 investigators at sacrament meeting! We had Eldridge, who is the champ of Uitenhage so far and if he keeps up his no smoking will be baptized pretty soon! Then we had one of the members boyfriends, a members friend that we've been teaching named Busi, and then three girls just walked in from out of nowhere and we started talking to them. Turns out missionaries visited them a loooong time ago and they had a problem with their church and remembered ours! So they came and we made an appointment for later this week! It will be super cool since they've already been to church! I think it'll be good. :) We're still trying to find more and more people, but this week we did alright, we got 5 new investigators so hopefully out of those and the ones we have people start to really progress!

Love you and miss you!

Elder Truscott

July 21, 2014 ……. Well we are back from the elephants today!!

Well we are back from the elephants today!! It was actually really cool this time too! We got to ride them this morning, and we rode them around the fields past some buck and zebras, and then afterward we got to feed the elephants :) It was super cool!! At this place we all got to be on our own elephant with a guide, so it was pretty sweet, and then afterwards, even though the actual riding was shorter, the guy brought out a big bucket of food and we got feed the elephants and take pics and stuff! It was really nice :)

Well this week the work was pretty slow. Last Monday we went into Kwano Buhle to play some soccer, and it was pretty fun, there was a good amount of missionaries there, and then there were some members from Kwano who came and played, so it was nice I guess.....just an average p day. Ha ha. Not as good as this one....today was fun!

Tuesday we had a few appointments, most of them dropped so we were trying to visit people and make appointments, which kinda worked, not too good though. But that night the senior couple in PE, the Blatters, had a get together thing with all the missionaries around and it was nice. We had a little thought, introduced ourselves, and then had brownies and ice cream :)

Friday we had zone interviews and training here in Uitenhage, so it was the first training and interviews with the new Mission President! President Merrill is good, he's a funny guy, and the interview was just kind of a get to know you session. But it was nice!

So the young men were doing a camp this weekend, and the leaders wanted Carnieletto and I to go Friday night and just speak to the Young Men about missions and preparation and stuff like that. So after the training we went up, it wasn't far at all, and spoke there. It was really nice!

This weekend we had a few appointments and then the Young Women's Presidency (I think) wants to start working more to reactivate and strengthen the Young Women, so we went with them to a bunch of member visits and less actives this weekend.

Church was super funny too.....so we had an investigator come, named Eldridge, so that was super cool! He's a cool guy, and once he keeps the word of wisdom he'll be golden! But anyways, in priesthood this member guy, he's an older guy who's pretty crazy, stands up and just farts. Like super loud it was hilarious!! So that was a highlight of church for me :) ha ha.

Like I said, this week was pretty slow work wise, but we found a few new investigators so we are hopefully going to start having more and more appointments!

I love you and miss you like crazy!

Love,

Elder Truscott

Wednesday I got here to Uitenhage

Elder Truscott at the two oceans aquarium

Elder Truscott and his new companion Elder Carnieletto

Dang.....only 6 weeks in table view! It pretty much sucked getting transfer news....cause I wasn't expecting to leave at all!! So last Monday we went to the aquarium. It was actually pretty cool! I really liked it! It is the two oceans aquarium, cause the two oceans meet at at Cape Point, get it ;) And there are pretty sweet fish and sharks and stuff there.

Monday night we had an FHE with the Sebonyane family, and then after that, pretty late actually, the AP's called to give us the news. At the FHE I heard rumors come through that we were both leaving.....but then they called to confirm it! I went to Uitenhage with Elder Carnieletto! He is Italian, and super cool. He's been out only one transfer less than I have, and so far (even though I've been sick) we're getting along good.  So 6 weeks back in Cape Town and then poof, back to the Eastern Cape.

Monday night I was up pretty late frantically packing, and then Tuesday was a crazy day. We got all of our stuff packed. And I ended up buying a box to put tons of stuff in storage cause I had lots and wasn't expecting to move......and then we went and said our goodbyes. Even though I was only there for 6 weeks there were some investigators and ward members who I really miss and am actually really  bummed I didn't get to spend more time with....but we said all of our goodbyes on Tuesday and actually made one stop on Wednesday morning before going to the mission home.

We had to be at the mission home at 11 on Wednesday, and then at 11:30 they took us to the airport. I was flying to PE, and Pulu was flying to East London, his final destination was Mtata. Well I nearly missed the flight myself.....since I had so much crap I had to check an extra bag, and then pay for my overweight fees.....so the line wasn't going anywhere and time just kept ticking bye....finally a guy let me cut him in the elite line , and I payed. So then the guy at the desk who I had to give the receipt and ticket to so he would put my bag through ran over and took them. Fine. And when we went back over he had no idea what we were talking about when we said he took them! Finally he pulled it out, and Elder Whitworth just grabbed my ticket and was like "thanks!" And we ran towards security. Went through security (at this point all the other Elders had gone through) and ran to the terminal. They were already on the bus to go to the plane and I ran in just in time......phew I was close on that one. Ha ha. I think I want to drop some KG's of stuff so that doesn't happen again. Ha ha ha.

Wednesday I got here to Uitenhage with Carnieletto. And it was alright, met a few families and got unpacked .....and then Thursday destroyed me. When I woke up Thursday I had a headache and stiff neck and sore back, like it was so painful. I couldn't turn my neck it felt like there was just air pressure inside of it! And plus my stomach hurt like crazy....so Thursday sucked. Then Friday it was pretty much the same thing only lessened. I started taking some pills, like Motrin and other stuff. And Sunday I felt pretty good. Still when I wake up my neck is kinda sore.....which is annoying, but I think I'm getting there. Ha ha.

Uitenhage now! It should be alright, there aren't many investigators at all right now, so we'll have to try and find some people to teach! The chapel is nice, but it's far from our area, and apparently there are rumors of a unit being opened in our area, which would be cool!

I have been dying over here and it sucks without you here for me! I don’t know how to help myself! Ha ha ha ha.

I love you and miss you like crazy!

Elder Truscott