08/17/2015 - VISITED THE TEMPLE

Winter is finally starting to come to an end and I'm happy. We have cold days here and there but nothing to bad. I will probably freeze to death when I get home in March. This week has had it's challenges but overall we found a lot of success. Last Monday we went to get our car fixed but here in South Africa if a holiday is on Sunday they take the next day off too ha. So we didn't get that done and have to go this week as well. We ended up playing rugby which I wasn't prepared for because I was in proselyting clothes but I'm not a party pooper. On the way home we made a friendly bet over ice cream on who would have the better stats at the end of the week. That was the start of a lot of hard work this week. We have been doing a lot of finding. We found so many new people and have been asking for referrals like crazy so the area is going to boom in the next few weeks. I must admit that we won the bet but it's not about the bet because this week made me push out of the laziness I was feeling. One of the days this week was rough for both of the areas in this district so we came home at night and had dinner together. We have a lot of fun in this district. It is important to have fun as a missionary. On Friday we had the opportunity to go to the temple. It was a great experience because we don't get to go to often but more than a lot of missionaries. After the temple we went to a restaurant and had lunch and then went to a mall to grab some things. When we were in the mall we past an eyebrow place and Elder Taylor who is from Utah talked us into doing it. We thought they would like wax it or something but they used this floss like string and a weird technique to pluck it out. It hurt a lot and I will never do it again ha. I have said it before but I'm so grateful to be a guy. On Saturday as far as missionary work it wasn't to good but we witnessed an engagement. Our bishop invited us to a fireside they were having and since our appointments fell through we went. It turned out to be a big set up for a return missionary to propose. It was pretty cool but it made me think about getting married to much ha. At least we had a nice dinner after with everybody. On Sunday I gave a talk at church. I wasn't nervous until I heard there was a member of the area seventy there ha. It was on the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is definitely one of my favorite things to talk about so everything went well. The rest of our Sunday went well and the week ended. Days may go by slow sometimes but the weeks fly by. Mission is one of the greatest blessing in my life. I can't imagine if I hadn't served. Have a great week friends, family, and others. You are in my prayers.

Elder Hepworth

08-10-2015 - TWO BAPTISMS IN KHUTSONG

 

Elders Willombe and Hepworth in Khutsong

Happy women's day! It is a public holiday here. I don't really know what they celebrate other than a day off but what would the world be without women. Last week the internet went out in the chapel so I couldn't email. I guess it will make this email more interesting though. I'll start with the week before last. On Monday we had zone meeting. We played dodgeball in the chapel for awhile and then went outside and played rugby. Rugby was way more fun. I've enjoyed rugby since I got here. After zone meeting we went as a district to eat a Kg of ribs again. We had really good lessons during the week but I didn't know it was my last week with Elder Adjin. When we visited with one of our recent converts she asked a question and suddenly I remembered a scripture and quoted it for her. It was definitely a testimony of the spirit because I haven't seen that scripture for almost a year. On Friday President did his calls for leadership. I was called to be a district leader and Elder Adjin was called to be a zone leader. That meant that he was leaving even though his time here was short. The people were surprised that he was leaving but it was his time. We spent the rest of the week saying goodbye to the members. On Monday we had to go to the office for meetings and then hurry back for a braii (BBQ) with some members. Tuesday was transfers. The mission is shrinking so much. 22 Elders went home. We took a mission photo and the whole mission fits in a pretty small chapel. My new companion is Elder Willombe. He is from Zambia. He is a really cool guy and is really good at drawing. This week was pretty good. I don't know if I was ready to lead the area yet but it has been good. The zone leaders came on Friday to interview two people for baptism. They passed and were baptized yesterday. There names are Martin and Aletta. They were both invited to church by their friends and it shows how important members are in missionary work. Both of their friends gave talks at the baptism which was awesome. I got to baptize Aletta. The work is moving forward. We are focusing now on finding people to teach. We have a few awesome people who will get baptized soon but have dealt with a lot of jokers. I'm grateful to be here in Khutsong. It is an awesome place. Winter is coming to an end here and I can't wait for it to be over ha. Have a great week everyone. Enjoy your summer!

 

Elder Hepworth

Martin and Elder Hepworth

Aletta and Elder Hepworth

08/03/2015 - ELDER HEPWORTH IS BEING MADE DISTRICT LEADER

So I'm at the mission office right now. We have a meeting at 4 for all of the new district leaders. Yeah that's me! :) The internet was out where we email so we had to do it here.

07-27-2015- ELDER HEPWORTH IN KHUTSONG and MATCHING SUSPENDERS FOR PRESIDENT INTERVIEWS

If you aren't having fun on mission then you don't understand what a mission is. A mission is supposed to be enjoyable. Life and mission life isn't always fun though. It is what we make it. As mission rolls by I'm figuring out more and more what life is all about. It makes me excited for when I get home and use all the things I've learned. Last Monday after emails we went to a nice restaurant called "The Diner". It has an American feel to it. I had the Kg. of Ribs and it was so amazing. I was eating meat for almost an hour. What more can a man wish for?

This is when we ate a kg of ribs. Look at my arm. ;) jk haha

On Tuesday we had interviews with Mission President. The day before we all bought matching blue suspenders and wore blue ties to the interviews. His wife loved it as soon as she saw it and we took some legit pictures with them. It was a coincidence that they matched us as well.

The interviews went well and while the interviews were going on Sister Dunn had a workshop on table manners. I missed it because of my interview. I probably needed it because I've been in township using hands or a spoon for my whole mission ha. The rest of the week a lot of people were ditching us or cancelling. That is probably my least favorite thing because then you have to find something else to do and go to your backups. We are working hard though and everything is wonderful in the great township of Khutsong. On Friday Elder Taylor in our district had a cheat day from his diet and we ate so much sugary things at district meeting. It made me feel sick all day and I decided I don't want to participate next time ha. Saturday we found a lot of success because nobody canceled on us and the day rolled by quickly. On Sunday there was a guy from the Stake who talked about relationships. It was great because he helped me realize how important the relationships of our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, our self, our families, and others really are. If I'm ever unhappy it is because one of these things is off and we need to try everyday to make them strong. After church we had an amazing lunch with many delicious things including potato salad and coleslaw. Which I miss from home. After that our day went downhill because there was loadshedding on one side of our area and the other didn't have water. So which ever side we went to they were stressed about something. All in all it was a good week and I can't complain as each day my time here shortens. Continue to enjoy life and it's many blessings and I will be back in a week.

Elder Hepworth

07/20/2015 - ELDERS HEPWORTH AND BERGMAN ARE REUNITED

The district. I'm back with Elder Bergman on the left.

I don't understand why the weeks are going by so fast. Every time I blink I'm back in the e-mail shop. We have an excellent week. Tuesday started off kind of crazy. We have been teaching this SDA family and we taught the son. I could sense something was off. Then he just let out his feelings. Basically he rejected our truth we brought to him. We bore our testimonies then he gave back the Book of Mormon and that was the end. He wouldn't pray about it and wanted us to prove it to him so there was nothing we could do. All you have to do is read the book of Mormon and pray about it and you can know. Then the very next lesson we taught a recent convert who started crying. She wouldn't tell us the whole story but she is haunted by her past and the trials she faced. It is hard to see people go through hard things but that is where the atonement comes in. I know that Jesus Christ can heal us and Heavenly Father has a plan. Without trials, temptation, and all manner of afflictions we wouldn't learn and grow. We are teaching an investigator named Bongani. He is so sweet and loving the gospel. When he saw the baptisms he came up to us and said I'm next you need to visit me more. We taught him the word of wisdom and he drank coffee and tea but he said he will stop right then. I can't wait for his baptism in August. Saturday was Mandela day. On Mandela day everyone should do 67 minutes of service. We helped bring water to someone and helped an investigator clean her house. She was very thankful because her son and herself are having health problems. Yesterday was painful for me because I love food. Our lunch after church wasn't planned so we ended up fasting until 6 before someone could feed us and it is to far to go back to the house. I made it and it put a whole new meaning on enduring to the end. On our P-day we are spending it fixing the car because other missionaries here didn't take care of it. It is so important to be responsible. What I have been noticing lately is that the gap between what is popular and what is righteous is widening. Being popular isn't worth it anymore even though every teenager wants to be popular. Seek ye first the kingdom of God! I hope everyone is enjoying life. It is a beautiful time to  be alive. Live it up!

Elder Hepworth

07/13/2015- 5 BAPTISMS AND ELDER HEPWORTH AND ELDER WORTON - FRIENDS FROM HOME

ELDERS HEPWORTH AND WORTON - FRIENDS FROM HOME!

 

 

Sawbona,

From the emails I got from my family it was a pretty exciting week. I don't know if it was for you but it was for me as well. This week on Tuesday we went on exchanges with the zone leaders. Elder Clegg was with us and he interviewed our 5 people to be baptized. It was cool because my mom knows his mom. All of the interviews went great. This week included some hard days but what would like be if it didn't have hard days. I think it would be pretty boring. This week because of the baptisms on Sunday I believe God is helping us replenish our teaching pool. We have been meeting a lot of new people who want the gospel this past week. Even members are bringing their friends to church. That is the best way to do missionary work. Every missionary knows that is true. The work is really moving forward in South Africa even though this mission has shrunk. On Friday we traveled to Roodeport where our mission office is to have zone meeting. It is over an hour away so I guess I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere again. Not as much as Limpopo but that isn't our mission anymore. Zone meeting was great. I really don't know many of the missionaries in this mission. I used to know them but they are all going home so that must be a sign of getting old. After zone meeting the assistants went on exchanges with us and yup Elder Worton went with us. I graduated high school with him for those of you who don't know. It was crazy when I got my call after him. We haven't served close though so it was cool to be with him. We talked about home a little more than usual and it got me a little trunky but I'm okay now. On Saturday we looked all day for baptismal clothes for the baptism. There was eleven people in white. 6 were baptized but one was a 8 year old girl.

 

I was blessed to get to baptize one of them and the water was so cold ha. Everything went good though.

 

After the baptism we got fed twice and it was delicious. I love the food here now so I'm becoming African. To finish up I want to mention something that was said at zone meeting. I don't know who said it but they said compared to God we are nothing but to God we are everything. Just take a minute to ponder that. I know that is true and I thought it was profound. Remember always that you have a loving Heavenly Father. I love you all. Have a lekkar week.  

Elder Hepworth

07/06/2015- SISTER FOKOTO SERVED WITH ELDER HEPWORTH'S FRIEND FROM HOME

Sister Fokoto served in Zambia with Elder Barrett who is Derick's friend he grew up with!

 

 

Happy late fourth of July! I totally forgot about it. I don't even remember the holidays anymore ha. We had a really good week though. Elder Adjin and I are working hard. So much that I sleep like a rock at night. This week we taught many people and prepared 5 people to be baptized on Sunday. One of them even asked me to baptize them which i didn't see coming. They have to pass their interviews first on Tuesday but they will because they are powerful. Tomorrow the zone leaders are coming to interview them because my companion is the district leader and can't interview our own investigators. On Friday the assistants are coming on exchanges with us as well. So I will get to spend the day with my buddy from high school,  I think, or one of my last companions who just became the new assistant. This week we worked our way into a home of some hardcore Seventh Day Adventists. The mother is so set in her church but as we met with her and her children a few times I could see the spirit working on her and them. That is why Moroni included verse 5 in chapter 10: " And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." We will see what happens as we prayerfully continue. The spirit is a marvelous tool that God has given to us. We call it the gift of the Holy Ghost because it is literally a gift. I have enjoyed the Holy Ghost being with me on my mission. Mostly the comfort from trying times.The Holy Ghost is part of the Godhead making him a God. If you realized that you always had a God with you what would you change? I know I would act, say, and think different things. This week I spent time talking to returned missionaries. I really enjoy the stories and hearing about their missions.

Mission changes people. Mission is such a blessing for those that serve, their families, and those they serve. I know this Church and work is true. I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father and a savior who is Jesus Christ. I have found so much knowledge, joy, and growth from living the gospel and have felt the pain from not. I've seen how much of a blessing it is and I wish we would all use the gifts and blessings our Heavenly Father has given us more earnestly. If you feel something missing maybe you should look here. I know it is for all of God's children. Never forget wise men still seek him. I hope everyone has a great week and I will do the same.

Elder Hepworth

Elder Adjin and Elder Hepworth