04/27/2015- TEMPLE TRIP

This week was very busy. We had a very nice family home evening. It was the first one since we started doing family home evenings with willing families. Leading up to Friday we were teaching like crazy. The recent converts are doing great. I'm very happy for all of them and they are happy too.

On Thursday my companion and I made a spanish rice aroni my mother had sent me a long time ago and had a trunky moment haha.

Elder Hepworth top left in the back

On Friday we went to the temple and it was awesome. My mom has the hook ups because the one giving me clothes said let me shake your hand I chat with your mom all the time. I also saw the senior couples who go to our branch every Sunday. After the session we went over to the area office to visit some people my companion knows. I met a couple from Burley, Idaho but I forgot there name. Then Elder Cook the area president came out and I talked to him. It was quite a day of meeting people.

On Saturday and Sunday we had general conference. It was the first time I focused and took notes for all the talks. I was exhausted afterwards. 10 hours is a long time haha. I know conference is old news back home but it was amazing. So many of the talks felt like they were directed to me. The number of missionaries is going down which wasn't a shock because the boom is over. We have so many missionaries going home soon. This mission is going to shrink. I think the main focus of the conference was on families and marriage. Pretty important stuff. I better get on that as soon as I get home haha. I liked the talk that said an RM is not a retired mormon. It just reminded me how bad I don't want to go back to who I used to be. The talk about Nelson Mandela was awesome as well. It hit home I guess you could say. My temporary home. Remember not to be latter-day quiters, latter-day sinners, or latter-day hypocrites. We are just sinners who keep on trying according to Nelson Mandela. Thank you for all the prayers and support. You all are in my prayers have a good week.


Elder Hepworth

04-22-2015 - TWO BAPTISMS THIS WEEK

Louisa and Nhlanhla baptized 04-17-2015

Another week down. The weeks are just flying by. This week was pretty good. We didn't teach a lot of people because we had meetings and
interviews and we had to fill up the baptismal font. This week we probably won't have much because we have a temple trip on Friday which
will be awesome. Then on Saturday and Sunday we will be watching general conference. Those will be long days ha. My interview with
President went well. He said the next time I see you will be almost 3/4 of the way done. It is shocking me that I'm getting old. I have learned so much being out here. I like how my companion mentioned mission in a district meeting. He said you come out with greenie fire
to get you going. Then it turns into a huge fire. Then it dies down
and turns into a fine torch. I feel like I'm becoming more of the
torch. Making more of an impact. Having these baptisms in the past
weeks has been awesome. Yesterday we had four confirmations and two
baptisms. Yeah those we awesome stats but these folks are amazing. I
had the pleasure to baptize another one of them. His name is Nhlanhla.
He is 17 and has a powerful testimony. The other one was the mother of
a member.  She is in her 50's. She used to dodge the missionaries but
now we got her ha. I have started the Book of Mormon over again and
this week I read Lehi's dream. I just want to mention how important it
is to hold onto the iron rod. Don't EVER think you can let go. I hope
everything is going well back home. I pray that it is. Have a good
week!

Louisa and her family

I had the pleasure to baptize another one of them. His name is Nhlanhla

04-13-2015- FOUR BAPTISMS

4 BAPTISMS ON 04-10-2015

Alright so this week was pretty interesting. It started off by having a family home evening on Monday night but the guy didn't remember he signed his family up so we winged it. It was still good though. Then on Tuesday we took our branch mission leader to go with us and he wasn't his self at all. We decided to take him home and his attitude progressed through the whole week. He was acting very quiet and depressed. We were worried what we had done to him or what was wrong. Then on Saturday during correlation he told us he was pranking us and it made us very mad. It was the sickest prank ever. Then on Sunday they talked about forgiveness in church. Good thing we already forgave him. It messed up our week though because we needed him but didn't want to take him ha. We continued the week of witnessing this week. On Wednesday we put up a banner and handed out cards to watch the video. Then we were forced to take the banner down and people were just ripping, crumpling them, and throwing them on the ground. So it was a failure but we did find one powerful new investigator from it. She came to church yesterday. The main focus this week was from the 4 baptisms that we had yesterday. I got to perform two of them and it was awesome. I only had to do it once. I was pretty nervous because I didn't want to mess up their African names. Two of them were husband and wife and then an old man and old woman not related. It was such a good baptism. So many people attended and supported and everything went smooth. When they bore there testimonies the branch president got up and said it looks like the missionaries caught big fish haha. We will be having two more baptisms this next week. I had some revelation this week. I am almost done with the new testament but I remembered the verse in 1 cor. 10:13 that talks about God won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. My revelation was that it  is more like this.... We are in a battle and God will not allow the army we face to be stronger than us. The thing is God has given us armour to give us the strength he expects out of us. If we chose not to put the armour on then we will fall. That is what makes it seem like God allows us to be tempted more than we can handle. So make sure to put on your armour. Well have a good week everyone!

Families of those being baptized

This is the Dwengas. A husband and wife baptized. 

This is gogo Betty. She is awesome. Her family daughters and son in law were baptized last November. 

This is Johannes and his wife. His wife came to support him but not a member.

04-06-2015 - #becausehelives video

Hello everyone,

Beautiful South African Sunset!

This week went by fast. On Monday we are now doing a family home evening with members in the branch to help them get used to it and do the basics that brings conversion. Most of the families in the branch have challenges that we are trying to help them with. If they don't want it though then we can't help. On Tuesday it was transfers. There is a new guy in the district. He is from Micronesia and his  name is Elder Nonumwar. He is an Islander and pretty cool. He has only been on mission for 4 and 1/2 months. My companion and I are still together for another week and we are rocking it this transfer. We will be having many baptisms this transfer including 4 this coming Sunday. One of them is the mom of a recent convert family. One is a old man that found us and we have been teaching him with one of our members so he can understand everything. The other is a family who was a referral. This family is so awesome. I'm excited for the them. The father had an addiction to smoking and we helped him overcome it and he has been doing good for over a week. This week is the week of witnessing where we have been witnessing that Jesus Christ lives. We have been inviting people to go and watch a #becausehelives video. It is super powerful and if you haven't see it look it up. So I hope everyone enjoyed general conference. We won't be watching it until the 25 and 26 of April. So no spoilers please ha. On Friday we went to visit a member who had just painted her house. It was so strong in there that we were pretty much high when we left ha. Don't do drugs kids. One thing that I think is a worldwide problem is doing family home evenings and home and visiting teaching. I have really learned how these things are important out here because I see it from a side view make sure you make these things priority in your lives. I know that I will when I get home. If my family isn't when I get home they are in for a hiding..jk haha. Well everyone have a great week. Talk to you in 7.

 

Elder Hepworth

Elder Hepworth's Redneck Shower Job!

 

First Trip to Burger King

We three Kings of South Africa



03/30/2015- ELDER HEPWORTH USING SKILLS FROM HOME

Hey everybody,

The email shop this week is horribly slow. I'm pretty lucky to have it
because some missionaries are struggling to get on. I did have to load
it in basic html ha. I think they are messing with the missionary
website as well because it looks completely different. Well this week
was pretty awesome. On Monday it was pretty boring though. We
basically just sat around at the flat. Today we are going to a mall
though and a Burger King. The first time I will have seen one and ate
it in over a year.

On Monday evenings we have started a thing where we
go do family home evening with families that sign up and we are
teaching the members the basics to strengthen them.

This week I turned our bath tub into a shower with my redneck skills.

We have a lot of people who are progressing. We had 11 people at church this week. The ones that should be getting baptized on the 12th of April are doing great.

One thing that I have struggled with is having a study journal and we talked about it during district meeting and I will start this week. How many of you are keeping one?

I just want to let my family know that they shouldn't be completely surprised when a different man comes home. Mission is the bomb and it is changing me while I change others lives. I hope everyone has a good week. You all are in my prayers.

Elder Hepworth

03/23/2015 - FINISHED READING THE BOOK OF MORMON FOR 3RD TIME

 

 

Hello everyone,

I can't believe I'm in the email shop already. This week has flown by. I had a really good week. This week I finished the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time. It is STILL true. I have a testimony of this church and nobody can change that. Moroni 10:30 really stood out to me this time. It shows that each time you read the book something new will come out. That is how the word of God works. We really should come unto Christ and get the good gifts. The gifts of the gospel and adopt talents that our Heavenly Father has given us. On Tuesday we go and visit this family that has had a major change. When we first went there they were apostate and they will testify. We challenge them to teach us the lessons and they did it and studied together every night and it was awesome. On Friday we had exchanges and  I got to go to the other area and relax a little ha. On Saturday there was a funeral for some less active members relative. The way they do funerals here is totally different and hard to explain in words but it is unique. We are doing great out here. The weather is starting to cool down and winter is coming. Sounds weird right? Yesterday it rained all day and we were walking and our motivation was the people need our message and our wives are getting hotter because of this haha. I'm having tons of fun. My last thought which I had this week is how good it feels to be good and how bad it feels to be bad. Pretty deep I know. I'm grateful for the changes mission and our Heavenly Father have brought in me. I hope never to go back. Stay awesome everyone and have a good week!

Elder Hepworth

"Our Crazy Funny Pic....I am classic."

"Granny Frida...The Awesome Gogo"





Birthday Party for Investigator

03/16/2015 TSAKANE TOWNSHIP- ELDER HEPWORTH'S AREA

Tsakane Township

We had a pretty good week and I will just get right into it. On Monday we  went to a return missionaries house and taught him and his family. Part of his family aren't members so it was really cool. He also bought pizza and  I'm not complaining about that. We had zone conference on Wednesday where we go through some workshops and learn from our leaders. There was a lot of changes regarding dress and grooming. One of the biggest changes is that we can't have backpacks anymore. We need to use messenger bags. Our President is so cool though. They have been working on one for just the South Africa Johannesburg mission. So we will be getting one of them soon. Will send a picture when it comes. We have been doing so good as far as having investigators but getting them into the waters has been a struggle. We have had 6 baptisms fall through will all of there own unique circumstances. So I don't know when the next baptism will be ha but we will keep working hard. On Sunday we took with us a lady named Thuli to go and fellowship some of our investigators that need it. She got them excited because she is one of those bubbly people. We also went to go and teach one less active and it turned out to be her cousin. She had no idea and said we were a blessing and she would never forget that day. It is cool how such little promptings that we listen to can bless the lives of us so much. A man never stands taller than when he is on his knees (or woman). I have been changing my prayers lately. Instead of asking for things so much. I ask for strength and courage to overcome all things. I am grateful for prayer and I really desire to keep these good habits up when I go home. Thank you for all the support again. Have a lekkar week.

Elder Hepworth

NOTE:  Translation of "lekkar" is "nice" in Afrikaans (one of the official languages of South Africa).

Tsakane Township

Elder Hepworth's New Guitar

New Past Time In Elder's Flat