06/30/2014

This week has been hard. I have been sick all week with a cold. I don't like staying in the flat because it is boring and it sucks for my companion but we had to stay in Saturday. I haven't been able to work to my full potential because of this sickness and it make the week bad. We didn't have very many lessons or as many as we could have had. We had a bunch of cancellations and no shows.

Sounds pretty depressing but weeks and days like that happen. One of the prophets said sometimes missionaries have to walk through a little bit of what Christ went through. We just have to move forward in faith. I know this week will be better.

We did have some very powerful lessons this week. We teach with such power and the Spirit is definitely there. We have even made some of our investigators and less actives cry ha. My companion said we have had some of the most Spiritual lessons he has had on mission. He keeps telling me I'm a great missionary and teacher. Especially when I get discouraged. 

This week was my Companions birthday and we made cupcakes and had a lot of fun. Mission is lots of fun but only if you make it. I'm so grateful to be out here. Time is going by pretty fast. This week I will be 4 months which is crazy. Happy 4th of July everyone. Have a great week. 

06/23/2014

I'm getting close to 4 months and I can't believe it has been that long. This week has kind of sucked. I don't have much to say about it. I live in a four man flat and all of us got sick this week. I think we came down with some African cold.

We were having some powerful lessons at  the beginning of the week. I was pretty sure we were going to have the most lessons I have had in this area. Then the end of the week came. We all got super sick and had to stay in the flat. I was in on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was the worst because I was all achy. Even today I still feel like junk. 

It is all Adam and Eve's fault because they brought pains and sickness in to the world but if it weren't for them I wouldn't be here sooo ya it is kind of a toss up haha. The good thing is we have the atonement. From Alma 7:11-13 we learn that not only did he suffer for our sins but Jesus Christ went through our pains and sicknesses. We can't sink lower than the infinite love of the atonement. 

This week is going to be much better I hope. My companion and I are getting along good. We teach very good together which is the goal. He isn't as much fun as Elder Saunders was and I get bored in the flat. Not every companion can be ideal and I am greatful for the ones that I have had. 

In about two weeks I will have my first baptism. I am super excited. She is so powerful and definitely knows it is true. Many missionaries have had a few baptisms already this far in their mission. I don't know why it has taken me so long to get mine but I am grateful for the mission I am serving. Stay close to the Lord everyone.

Elder Hepworth

06/16/2014

This week has been great. Sorry about some of the grammar errors this email will have. the keyboard is being dumb. So I got my new companion. His name is elder Cluff. He is from Arizona. He is cool and a great missionary. We already work well together. He pushes me really hard. We are working so hard and I can tell we are going to make this area strive. He said he really loves this area. all the investigators and members are powerful.

Wow I don't really know what to talk about this week. We have had so many spiritual experiences. every lesson has been amazing. I am getting so much better at teaching. I can't definitely see myself improve. My companion said that I am a good teacher. He said I was a little rusty at tracking at first but I'm getting much better. I remember when I first came out and how bad I was at teaching and I was afraid. things get better with experience and the lords help. 

I'm loving South africa and I would recommend a mission to anyone who is contemplating going. It is such a great blessing to be in the service of our Heavenly Father. Fear is natural. I was super scared coming out but here I am. Stay close to the gospel. Share the gospel. I promise you will be happy. Love and miss you all!

Elder Hepworth 

06/09/2014

Well I just finished my last week of training. Tomorrow I will have a new companion and I'll be leading the area. I feel pretty ready but ready or not here it comes haha. I'm a little worried about the first time I get a new companion. I don't want a black one haha. I'm not racist though. I got a long so well with my trainer Elder Saunders. I thought we were brothers at times. It is kind of funny how you have to go half way around the world to meet one of your best  friends who lived an hour away. Everything will be okay though. The Lord's will be done right? This transfer is huge. Every companionship in our zone is getting a new companion haha. I can't wait to see my buddy Elder Worton tomorrow and see how he is doing with training.

This week was sweet. We started it off my going mini golfing on p-day for Elder Lucking's birthday. It was one of the coolest courses I have seen. Throughout the week we taught awesome lessons as usual. On Saturday we had a braii (barbecue) with the Mahhumanes. They are our homies and Elder Saunders is going to miss them. We have a few investigators who are going to get baptized in July. Wendy and these two boys named Dumisani and Xabiso. Good luck trying to say their names. They are sweet. I'm happy to say I will have some baptisms to show my hard work. 

On Thursday we had zone conference and there was like 60 or so missionaries there. It was a fun experience it being my first one. It was sooo long though haha. Like 5 hours. We got fed some killer stir fry. It was our mission presidents last zone conference. He goes home June 30. He is a sweet mission president and I wish he was my president but the new one will be mine for most of my mission. 

I hope everything is sweet at home. My mom said the ward mission leader said that since you have a son on a mission you have to find some one for them to teach. He is darn right! This is a missionary church. I didn't realize it until I got out here. I can be blamed for avoiding missionary work before but I definitely won't when I get back. It is everyone's responsibility. I gave a talk on it in sacrament meeting a few weeks back and I'm going to challenge everyone to help find people for the missionaries. It is super important and it hastens the work. Oh and tracting SUCKS! Haha there is a better way. So get to work peeps. Pray for missionary opportunities. Stay close to the Lord. Love you are and miss you!

Elder Hepworth 

06/02/2014

I just want to start off my email this week by wishing my brother Brett and father a happy birthday this week. Also myself a three month mission birthday haha. I can't believe it is June already. Time has flown. At times it seems slow but I look back and it has went fast.

My mother asked me what changes I will make when I get home and my answer is everything relating to the gospel haha. I will read my scriptures and pray more. I will do my home teaching. I will do missionary work. I will stop being what they call a Sunday Mormon. The gospel is a lot more important than we think it is sometimes it is everything. We need it. We need to use it!

 

Our days were full and busy this week. We taught a lot and we put a lady on date. I haven't had a baptism yet but I will. Our area is progressing well. I'm  pretty excited about it. I'm done with training after this week which is sweet. I'm definitely getting the hang of mission. I'm so happy not to be a newby haha. 

This last week on Friday our zone had a temple trip. It was a great experience. Going to the temple and feeling the spirit so strong and knowing you are helping a soul in the after life by doing those ordinances is a great experience. I encourage everyone who is able to go the the temple to go! Whether you are endowed or you just do baptisms for the dead. The temple is where we all need to be and strive to be. 

Love you all!

Elder Hepworth