29 April 2013 - Elephant's Eye, Axl & Blaine Confirmations, Sick All Week

This will be a really short e-mail. For the next 3 days there is Zone Leader Council, an extended mini-conference thing at the Mission Home. It starts in only a short time.

Elephant's Eye Cave, Cape Town, South Africa

But this week was a strange one. My companion and I were on and off sick, sort of alternating, throughout the week. Not much happened and we were sick with various things, but in the end we're both okay now. We were well enough to hike up to Elephant's Eye, a cave near a place called Constantia. It was not a terribly tough hike, I hope good practice for Mt. Fuji. Yesterday Our 2 investigators that were baptized 2 weeks ago - Axl and Blaine - were confirmed. Now-Elder Giddey did both of the confirmations. He was/is their home teacher.

I will send a letter home. Tell me when you get it.

Bye!

-Elder Tekulve

22 April 2013 - BAT Cave, Zone Training, Every Member a Missionary

Another week, another e-mail.

This week has been interesting. I think I told you last week that we went back to Boomslang cave. Here is one picture from that.

Tuesday was Zone Training which is similar to a district meeting but because of some distant Elders we had to do the training twice throughout the day. Interesting that each time we gave the presentation it was different.



Missionaries in Boomslang Cave, South Africa

This week we have visited a lot of recently baptized members and other members of the Ward. Later in the week we did some finding on our own which consisted of making a short survey or 8 questions about religious beliefs or practices. At each door we did the survey and met many new people, some interested in learning more about us and our beliefs. We are still applying it and I think we will in the future.

 

Sunday was a special Stake Conference. Because the previous Stake President Giddey is now an Area Seventy we needed to have a new one. The new Stake President is President Holmes, previously the Second Counselor in the Stake Presidency. He has counselors from Bishoprics in the Stake. Elder Cook of the First Quorum of the Seventy was there and he gave a commitment to the whole Stake. He invited everyone to prayerfully consider one person who was either less-active or not a member that they can introduce to the missionaries or invite to church. If they didn't know where they can start, they can "ask the missionaries!" How hard can bringing one person into the Church be? And consider if every member did that! We would not only be able to split the Cape Town Stake, we would be well on our way to three!

 

I know that the Church is true with all of my heart. Like I said in the last fast and testimony meeting, nothing in the world, no new information, no outside circumstance, no person or thing, can take that away from me.

 

-Elder Tekulve

 

Doctrine & Covenants 59:2

For those that live shall inherit the earth, and those that die shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them; and they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them.

 

15 April 2013 - Uncle Craig's Passing, Four Baptisms, Teaching Jesus



Craig and Mya Wright

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I heard of Uncle Craig's passing. That's something no one wants to hear, especially of someone who has so many young children. I will definitely keep his family in my prayers.

 

 

I don't have much time today. We went up to Boomslang Cave in Fish Hoek again. This time there were bats! That was really cool. They were very small though. That's why I have so little time today. I am so tired!

 

Saturday 4 people got baptized! They are Desmond, Mzwandile, Axl, and Blaine. The last two are brothers and I have taught the last 3. It was a great service and Axl and Blaine's grandma gave a powerful testimony. She is so strong but most of her children are less-active, yet she knew many of her posterity will be blessed by the Gospel.

We also taught a guy named Jesus on exchanges. He's from Angola though so it's pronounced Zhe-zush. He was very surprised by the message of the Restoration!

Well, I'm out of time unfortunately. There is a Zone Training tomorrow that Elder Morris and I are giving that will take most of the day.

Love,

-Elder Tekulve

08 April 2013 - General Conference, Mervyn Giddey

Hello family,

Elder Uchtdorf

This week seemed to be such a long week! It was transfer week and now my companion is Elder Morris who was previously in my zone as a District Leader. These past few days have been very very busy with both teaching and Zone Leader duties. Of course this week was also General Conference. As you know, missionaries love General Conference and this was no exception. I got to watch both of the morning sessions live this time, and I saw the Priesthood and one other session yesterday (see all talks here). I really loved many of the talks but one that stood out was President Uchtdorf's talk in Priesthood session (see here). I like the metaphor he makes about us being spiritual toddlers learning to walk. What father gets angry at his child if he stumbles and falls? What matters is we're making the attempt, because we all stumble and fall at one time or another. I don't know at what time we'll get to watch the Sunday evening session, but I look forward to it because I know Elder Holland is speaking there (see here).
 

You have heard but may not have noticed the name Mervyn Giddey mentioned in the sustaining of new area seventies (see here). That's our Stake President here in Cape Town! He will be an Area Seventy in May, and he's really a great guy that will do well in that position.
 

I got Grandma and Grandpa's package and card and thank them very much for that. I look forward to seeing them and others when I get home in June.

My mission has incalculably blessed my life. I know that the Church is true and everything that implies. I know that the only way to have real peace in our life is to live the Gospel.

Love,

Missionaries singing the "remixed (with ukelele)"
mission anthem at the Mission Home

-Elder Tekulve

 



My new companion Elder Morris working on fixing
Bro. Mike's vacuum. That vacuum has been
torn apart and then taped, screwed, or hot-glued
back together more than once to get it working again,
but it still works.

 

01 April 2013 - Easter Weekend, Mzwandile

There goes March, then. I'm sure April will be over before I know it.

 

This week was really okay... half of our investigators are out of town for Easter holidays, but last night we did see Mzwandile. He' still doing awesome, and even shares his testimony with others though he's not baptized yet. I did visit some members on Easter Sunday for dinner and then to the Bishop's family where we sung some hymns. Friday was Zone Leader Council where the training for the next transfer was set out.

 

Wednesday is transfer day again. I know Elder Giles is going to the Eastern Cape to finish his mission as a trainer. I will be staying in this area and Elder Morris from Las Vegas, who is in my Zone now, will be my new companion. This will probably be my last companion as I only have 2 transfers (12 weeks) left.

 

I am having a great experience being on a mission and I think about each of you every day.

My companion took a great picture of us with a family in the Ward but he forgot his camera today...

 

-Elder Tekulve