25 June 2012 - Fish Hoek and Elder Romney

Fish Hoek, South Africa, has some interesting geometry
in the street layout, as shown in this Google Earth screen shot.
Check it out yourself at this Lat/Lon: 34°08'06.23" S  18°25'38.65" E

Hello everyone.

Only 5 more days until my 1 year anniversary! Yay!

Fish Hoek is a very nice place. It's basically a resort town on a peninsula. On the left is the beach and on the right are some mountains. My mission has been looking more like a vacation most of the time, haha. Not far away is the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, the Southernmost tip of Africa. There is only a branch here but as far as branches go it's pretty large. They're hoping to become a ward this year and we have a small chapel.



Members from the East London Ward (Pakade)

The answer to everyone's question is that [my new companion] Elder Romney is not related to Mitt Romney, but Elder Marion G. Romney, an Apostle, is his great-grandfather's half-brother. Elder Romney is from Mesa, Arizona and only has 4 months left on his mission. We stay in a tiny boarding with Elder Mamaia from Samoa and Elder Musimwe from Zimbabwe. They work in the township of Masiphumalele and we work everywhere else. Our area is big so we have a car and they have bikes.

I haven't been here long, only 4.5 days, so I don't know much about the area yet, but I hope I get to stay here for a long time. I wish you all safe travels on your various summer shenanigans.



Members from the East London Ward (Mlindazwe)

Love,
-Elder Tekulve

18 June 2012 - Father's Day, Going to Fish Hoek

Well hello family.

Firstly I want you to know I love all of you very much. I am learning a lot on mission. Really a lot, I don't think I can put it into words. My testimony has grown so much.


Fish Hoek, South Africa, Elder Tekulve's next city,
known for the Great White Sharks that swim near the shore

Early this morning I got transfer news. On Wednesday I am going to a town near Cape Town called Fish Hoek. My new companion will be Elder Romney. Details on possible familial ties to Mitt Romney or Marion G. Romney are pending. I am always excited to go to a new place or get a new companion.
Happy Father's Day as well. I gave a talk on a father's example and after church I got to call my Dad and we talked about lots of things.

Umm, what happened this week? Let's see One of our investigator families invited their next door neighbors to church and they were very "surprised" by what they found. In a good way, I think. They want to know more! One of my old investigators in Port Alfred was baptized on Saturday with his whole family and his cousin. Because of travel complications we get to spend the next 2 days with Elder Moangare from a tiny island in the Pacific called Kiribati. He is a fun guy as well.


Kiribati, an island nation
in the central Pacific

In the e-mail that you get from me 2 weeks from now is when I will be over half way through mission. Time flies.

-Elder Tekulve

Sorry, you'll have pictures next week! :)

11 June 2012 - Repentance

Hello family!


Yes, I am approaching the 1 year mark. I don't know what I'll do to celebrate. Maybe I'll have a nice dinner at Spur or an ice cream cone.


My knees are not bothering me anymore. The joints were swollen due to a short bout of the flu I had last week. That's Sister Fowers' theory anyway.

Elder Christofferson

Last Friday was Zone Conference and it was as usual very fun and very informative and uplifting. The first training was by the Zone Leaders and was about finding new investigators. The second training was by President and Sister Wood and was about repentance. Apparently missionaries are good at talking about faith and baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost but not so much about repentance and enduring to the end. The training was about how the two are connected and about how repentance is a wonderful and joyful thing. And it really is. Read the talk 'The Divine Gift of Repentance' by Elder Christofferson.  Repentance is only possible because the Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. Without His gift we are lost forever. If we choose not to repent we choose to ignore Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us, and we choose not to experience the joy that comes from forgiveness. It is a refreshing way to view repentance.


As for pictures with this email; unfortunately, I have lost the cord that connects my camera to the computer. Again. I'm sure I'll find it this week soon.


Please let my siblings know that I love them and think about them often.

-Elder Tekulve

Doctrine and Covenants 20: 30-31

30. And we know that justification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true;

31. And we know also, that sanctification through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength.

04 June 2012 - East London Flat

East London Beach, South Africa

Hello everybody!

First of all, my knees are killing me. I don't know what it is but I can't really concentrate. I'll find out later today if they're sprained or something.

Tuesday last week I went on exchanges with my District Leader, Elder Bryers from Australia. We spent a majority of our time walking around, so we may be getting bikes in the near future.

I got the Jeffery's package. Thanks for the supplies.

An "artsy" black and white photo of our flat

Otherwise East London 2nd Ward is doing great. There are lots of strong members in our area that love to help with missionary work and I'm grateful for that. There are 4 Elders in this ward; the other 2 are the Zone Leaders Elder Naylor and Elder Giles. They baptized a great young man the other week who I'm sure will be a great strength to the Ward.

Well, I think I need to go have a lie down. Have an exciting summer (I'm sure you will).


-Elder Tekulve