To whom it may concern . . .
Hi everyone, I hope you're doing just absolutely swell this fine day, the pday kind of flew by so I don't have a whole lot of time to write.
-The Kasela family got baptized!
So, I thought I would just kind of brain dump on what's been happening and some stuff that's been going through my mind as the days keep flying.
\/ This week highlight \/
Let me tell you why I think this is so cool for me.
When I first served in this area 1 year ago, we were teaching a member named Moses and his wife, Sakina. They both speak Swahili and French... safe to say it was not the easiest task to teach them. But through a lot of visits and slow lessons we were able to baptize the mom! Did she show up to her baptism in a speedo branded swim cap ... (yes but that doesn't matter)
Now fast forward a whole YEAR, and we are teaching their 3 children, Amina, Jen and Colin!
It was such a blessing to be able to see each member of their family get baptized by their dad. The church here in South Africa (especially Durban) has a lot of struggles for some reason. So being able to see families built on the foundation of the restored gospel makes me happy because this is how I feel the church can grow the strongest.
The people here remind me a lot of the early pioneers, paving a way for truth to be spread to their future generations and a LOT of them are walking mostly by faith. A mix of both the Zulu culture and traditional practices/beliefs make it difficult for people to see what we are actually trying to teach them.
There is a God who loves them.
There is a way to feel peace all the time.
There can be long lasting joy, rather than temporary happiness.
I recently passed the 20-month mark on my mission... a month per finger and toe btw (how is that possible!?)
Something I have come to learn is that Eternal families are the most important thing in my life. I'm overwhelmingly grateful for even the belief we have as a church that our families CAN be together for literally ever.
Even outside of the family unit, I've learned that the relationships I have with my friends can be just as important as family! Being here across the whole earth and making "eternal friendships" with people I never once would have imagined meeting, people whose life situation I can't even begin to fathom, it makes my heart soften and I'm just filled with a gratefulness for this people and for this sacred time I've had to be here.
And all of this bonding, friendship building and life changing is done over the simple message of the gospel.
If you've made it this far then I guess you should drop a like and comment and maybe even share with your friends 🤪.
And thank you to all who do read these, I hope you're able to get something good from them🙂
Keep the people of SA in your prayers!
Let me know if you have any questions or just say what's up!
-Elder Cottrell