03 October 2011 - Conference Part 1

LDS Conference Center - Salt Lake City, Utah

Another week!

Honestly not much happened this week. Because of the time difference General Conference airs from 6 to 8 PM, then from 10 PM to midnight, so I didn't get to watch that except for the Elder Holland's first talk in the Priesthood Session which I watched after the fact in a short visit with the Robinsons. Nikolaas take note! The time we'll get to watch the whole Conference is in the church building on Sunday the 16th and then again the next Sunday. We're splitting it over two weeks because it is very difficult for some members here to get to church. It's pretty funny because way back when I would never like to watch Conference, then shortly before I left I kind of enjoyed it, and now I'm like CONFERENCE YEAH! It honestly is very exciting to all the Elders.

Jeffrey R. Holland - LDS Apostle

In church we heard about the new temples. Big news was a temple in Congo, another one in Provo (!), and right here in Durban, South Africa (!!). That's about twice as close as the Johannesburg temple is from here. [See this link for the temple announcements]

Last week I forgot to wish John a happy birthday, and also happy birthday in advance to Dad!

I've started reading a book in the missionary library called Our Search For Happiness by Elder M. Russel Ballard. [available on Amazon.com here ] It's a great book to show to your nonmember friends because it is specifically written to increase people's understanding of our faith. So maybe Joa can read it. :).   I also invite anyone else from the big wide internet reading this to read that book as well. I'm not sure where you will find it, but it's a superb introduction to "Mormonism".

But really Conference is the only interesting thing that happened this week.


Small random fact: You've probably head of Ubuntu. It is actually a Xhosa word meaning 'humanity' and suggests unity.

[File Note: Ubuntu is also a name given to a computer operating system based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu ("humanity towards others").  It's free here.]



Some have asked about Christmas gifts. I'm not sure if there's anything in particular that I would like. Of course there's my usual Christmas mainstay of salted roasted peanuts (still in the shell. I eat it all). Hot chocolate mix is something I like that is very expensive here. As I've said before Chex Mix is delicious.  You can surprise me, but stay within the rules. We'll see what happens or if I think of anything between now and then. Remember that it takes 20 days or more for packages to get here, so have it sent by the 1st [of December].

Kenton-On-Sea, South Africa

Only one picture this week. A scenic shot of the nearby town of Kenton-On-Sea.

2 Nephi 26: 6 - 11

6. Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

 7. Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

 8. Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

 9. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

 10. Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

 11. For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written.