25 February 2013

25 February 2013 - In Mowbray - Cape Town, Peggy's 90th, Monopoly




Cape Town, South Africa

Hello,

I am now in Mowbray, back in Cape Town again and having a great time with Elder Giles. It's busy work being a zone leader and I'm pretty tired come the end of each day. Even now I only have a few minutes left to e-mail you.

A week ago Monday was Sister Peggy's 90th birthday. She usually invites missionaries over Monday night and this just happened to fall on a Monday so we had a little party.  We ended up getting Monopoly for her, then discovered that she has been around longer than Monopoly!
Sister Peggy and her sister, who is 88


Once I landed back in Cape Town I started learning about Zone Leader-ing and getting used to this large urban area I'm in now. We have some awesome investigators that I will tell you about next time. I hope everyone is doing well and want them to know that I love them and pray for them every day.
-Elder Tekulve

All the Guests at Sr. Peggy's 90th Birthday

19 February 2013

18 February 2013 - Will become a Zone Leader in Cape Town

Dear Family,
L to R: Elder Tekulve, Elder Tukuafu, Sister Loretta
(going on a mission to England in March), Elder Pebe, Elder Strauss


First things first, transfer week has rolled around again. This transfer was only 5 weeks long because of MTC schedule changes. I do know where I'm going on Wednesday. I will be going back to Cape Town to be the Zone Leader in the Cape Central Zone. I will be working in the Mowbray Ward and my companion is Elder Giles from Utah (I think). Elder Giles is in my transfer (meaning he came on mission at the same time as me), and this is the first time I've been a companion with someone in my transfer. I am excited, as I only have 3 transfers left and this may be my last area.

L to R: Elder Strauss, Brother Dylan (who has submitted mission
papers but hasn't received news yet) Sister Phila (going on a
mission to Uganda in March), Elder Tukuafu,
Brother Garron (same as Dylan), Elder Pebe
Transfers made me forget everything that went on this week. Let me check my planner...
Oh yeah, this week I went on 2 exchanges in one week, one with Elder Tukuafu and another with Elder Strauss. Then in between the exchanges was a leadership training where I learned a lot about what it means to be a district leader or zone leader. We had new investigators as well, and East London 3rd Ward is doing well. Today is Sister Peggy's 90th birthday and several missionaries are going to visit and have a little dinner party. I will get her a gift but I don't know what yet...



I'm having a fantastic time on mission and am very excited for Wednesday when I will be back in Cape Town.

Thank you for all your support and e-mails. I love hearing from everyone and anyone, it doesn't even matter if you think nothing interesting has happened. Mail me anyway please. :)

The Church is true!

-Elder Tekulve

You can email Elder Brennan Tekulve here: brennan.tekulve@myldsmail.net

The "Pink House"

11 February 2013

11 February 2013 - Service Week, Egyptian Construction Techniques


Dear Family,

This week has been a very unorthodox one. We did over 12 hours of service throughout the week, mostly for members of the Ward.
One interesting this we had to do was move a very heavy chicken shed. We couldn't just carry it, though we had 6 people. What we ended up doing was tipping it on its roof and sliding it along on a bamboo track. Like how the ancient Egyptians moved stone blocks around. I couldn't believe it actually worked. Otherwise it was a slow week. We spent all our time in service.

The Ward started a mission prep class this Sunday because if all goes according to plan there will be 12 missionaries from this ward out by June. And even more by the end of the year. For the class some missionaries from this Zone came up with a new rendition of our mission song. It was pretty cool, and if I can get a version to you somehow I will.

Elder Tukuafu and Brother Dylan doing service

Well, gotta go. I spent most of the time here looking for ways to make video files smaller. Bye!

-Elder Tekulve

East London 3rd Ward meets in
this chapel on Belgravia Crescent






Two Cool Dudes



I took this last night out my window.
I took over 300 pictures trying to get a good shot
and this was the best









04 February 2013

04 February 2013 - Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Book of Mormon, Aubry

Hello everybody.

I didn't get to write last week because I was busy doing urgent University application stuff. Sorry. Not much happened last week anyway.

This week, though, was Zone Interviews and Training. President Wood gave a great presentation on the Book of Mormon and it's role in gathering the scattered tribes of Israel in these last days. It was very informative and helped me realize the importance of that subject today. It's applicable because I am the Lord's hands in actually carrying out these things that have been prophesied for over 4000 years. Deep stuff.
On Friday we went to the Steenbeek's farm to help them fix up a room that had been damaged by high winds a few weeks ago. We deconstructed 2 walls and are going back this week to see what we can do about rebuilding it.

The broken down walls on the farm
On Sunday we were approached by a member and asked if we could go teach somebody named Aubry. Later in the day the senior couple called and said that had a 'golden referral' for us. Turns out it was also Aubry. I guess he was really ready to be taught. He had been introduced to the church by his fiancee and had already been reading the Book of Mormon and attending the church in Mdantsane (an area nearby East London). He understands the Restoration very well, and even asked about eternal marriage. He was there in fast & testimony meeting in December and saw everyone saying they knew the Church was true. He wondered how they knew and how he can know. Aubry already has a baptismal date in March.

It is always great to talk to you. I am loving the experience I can have in South Africa and can't believe I only have 5 months left.

-Elder Tekulve