Email #65
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Kalani
Excerpts from Mom's email:
I am doing good and all is well this week. One of our investigators is moving to another area down to Polakwane for school, so hopefully we can stay in touch and make sure that she gets baptized. She was a really sweet girl and had such a good attitude about things and she remembers everything just like every girl does, but it was fun to teach her it was so easy! But we are teaching her cousin and niece now as well so hopefully something will come from that. Not much rain lately, but yesterday was so hot holy crap it was just so exhausting and hot, did I say it was hot haha!!! I love my comp and it is so nice with him! The Campbell's still feed us, every other week. We teach about 15 to 20 lessons a week depending on the people and the weather of course! I hope that you have a good week.
Excerpts from Dad's email:
The week was good and really hot, but we made it through it and we are still alive and going. No didn't get the package yet, but next week because the zone leaders only go 2 times a month because of the distance, but I think it should be here soon. Yep things are still good with my comp and still pumpin haha. We are trying to find new people, it has just been hard because of school starting and stuff. Hopefully things will get back to normal. Not really any stories to tell, nothing really has happened just same old stuff everyday, walk and talk to people where ever we may find them.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday, January 19, 2015
Life wouldn't be itself if there wasn't a little patience to be tested
Email #64
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Kalani
Hey Everyone,
My comp is great and we get along so well always laughing and making jokes it is so awesome. Keeps me going especially when we have a long day and no appointments and it is blazing hot out haha. It still seems to be a great day at the end. So hopefully I will be with him for sometime, not these 6 week stuff, haha. They love the little church out there and all the people, Pres Dunn said something that caught my attention. "This is the first time in church history that the children out number the adults in the congregation". I never really noticed that before, so that is something unique about our group out there. Yeah it was really nice to be able to confirm when he (President Dunn) was there. Teaching was a little hard this week, because of the schools reopening so hopefully in the next couple weeks we can get adjusted to it as well. Who would have thought that even you not going to school that you have to do some readjusting as well!
Love,
Elder Bryner
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Yeah church this week wasn't as good, but there were still at church. Not many of our investigators came to church the normal people that always come. I think there is roughly 45 in the congregation and most of them are children. Finding here is really hard and you can't really tract, it is not effective at all. Since we walk most days, we try to stop at those who look to be somewhat interested, most of the time we get to talk to people. Problem is that we never find them again when we pass by their house. Most people in the village know who we are and seem that they are a little judge mental, but it will get there eventually. The senior couples have planned movie nights for everyone, so we let everyone know about it and they invite friends acquaintances whatever and whoever to come. We haven't had one yet, but hopefully it will be a good turn out. Yeah Pres had interviews with us it was really nice and sister Dunn made food with us. That was really good, corn bread and a chili, but not what you want when it is already 40 degrees out (104 degrees F) haha! Just keep praying for the people here to accept it and us. Not much else to report on just that it is getting a little cooler, the kids started school this past week so it has been hectic trying to teach those that are in school and most of the older people are teachers as well so we are hoping to catch them on the weekends. Yeah I am doing well and loving it still just have to have a little patience. Life wouldn't be itself if there wasn't a little patience to be tested. Little quote for ya that I just made up haha.
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Kalani
Hey Everyone,
My comp is great and we get along so well always laughing and making jokes it is so awesome. Keeps me going especially when we have a long day and no appointments and it is blazing hot out haha. It still seems to be a great day at the end. So hopefully I will be with him for sometime, not these 6 week stuff, haha. They love the little church out there and all the people, Pres Dunn said something that caught my attention. "This is the first time in church history that the children out number the adults in the congregation". I never really noticed that before, so that is something unique about our group out there. Yeah it was really nice to be able to confirm when he (President Dunn) was there. Teaching was a little hard this week, because of the schools reopening so hopefully in the next couple weeks we can get adjusted to it as well. Who would have thought that even you not going to school that you have to do some readjusting as well!
Love,
Elder Bryner
Excerpts from Dad's email:
Yeah church this week wasn't as good, but there were still at church. Not many of our investigators came to church the normal people that always come. I think there is roughly 45 in the congregation and most of them are children. Finding here is really hard and you can't really tract, it is not effective at all. Since we walk most days, we try to stop at those who look to be somewhat interested, most of the time we get to talk to people. Problem is that we never find them again when we pass by their house. Most people in the village know who we are and seem that they are a little judge mental, but it will get there eventually. The senior couples have planned movie nights for everyone, so we let everyone know about it and they invite friends acquaintances whatever and whoever to come. We haven't had one yet, but hopefully it will be a good turn out. Yeah Pres had interviews with us it was really nice and sister Dunn made food with us. That was really good, corn bread and a chili, but not what you want when it is already 40 degrees out (104 degrees F) haha! Just keep praying for the people here to accept it and us. Not much else to report on just that it is getting a little cooler, the kids started school this past week so it has been hectic trying to teach those that are in school and most of the older people are teachers as well so we are hoping to catch them on the weekends. Yeah I am doing well and loving it still just have to have a little patience. Life wouldn't be itself if there wasn't a little patience to be tested. Little quote for ya that I just made up haha.
Monday, January 12, 2015
New Companion, Elder Kalani
Email #63
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Kalani
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Well I love my comp he is just the funniest guy and he is just like my trainer. I told dad that he grew up with my trainer Elder Wambua, so they are pretty alike. So it is so easy to get along with him hahaha. We have so much fun always laughing and making jokes and wow he is such a great teacher and has been on mission for like 20 months. So he is almost done, but yeah he is from Kenya and yeah I love him!!! So all the worry about comp was for nothing and I was praying for a good one and I got a good one so yeah God does here my prayers after all hahah!!! Yeah the baptism was so awesome and it was such a good experience for me. When there is no possible way for something to get done you find a way to get it done, don't take failure for an answer! Elder Johnson is my zone leader now, actually he is going on splits with us tomorrow to our area haha and he is actually with us right now haha such crazy stuff. Elder Koyle is in our district and the last AP is here, got released and put here to finish. The village will be baptized just with time, the whole village knows who we are. So there is no problem with getting the church out there its just us teaching them. But yeah I am doing good and loving it! Teaching went pretty good and we are doing good with finding some more people. yeah I have a bead tie like that one and another one. I saw Elder VanDeeren at transfers hope to serve with him even. Well not much to say about this week except my comp is sweet and I love him and I was complaining for nothing he is the coolest guy and I get along with him so well!! haha yeah I couldn't forget to say happy BDay to mommy!!! I love you mom!!!! I hope that you have a good week!!!
Love,
Elder Bryner
Excerpts from Dad's email:
I am lucky I have a planner to know what day it is cuz sometimes the days just blend together and feels like days ahead when it is only the first day of the week. Things are so great, I love my new companion!! He is from Kenya the same place that my trainer is from and they actually went to primary together growing up. We get along great and have no problems. We are laughing all the time and the days just run by! I really prayed for a good one and I got one. He goes home in march so I think I might be with him until he goes home well that is what I am hoping for. His name is Elder Kalani!! Yeah the baptism was so crazy, but it worked out great and nothing was a problem. Well we were kinda rushing, but the senior couples got pictures so we need them to send them to us so I need to talk to them about it. Elder Downs got to baptize him and I confirmed him yesterday, so that was cool. We have 3 more on date that are part member family as well. Two are part member, actually and the other one is a friend to a member but is very shy. She is about nine, the investigator, and is very very very shy did I mention that! So we are taking it very slow with her, but she comes to church already so many times! We had 53 at church yesterday and President Dunn and his wife were there too. We had 7 investigators at church too, so that was awesome. We are finding more and more everyday not by knocking, but just by walking and people just stop us and ask what we do. I am excited to make some good braai for you guys when I get home some African dishes, haha hope you guys like them!!! I am in the right place and I wish I could stay longer!!!!! I feel so at home here! ...Not many stories, but just the cool attendance at church is all and that we are finding a little bit more now than before which is good and the members are starting to feed us more now. We get the truck two days out of the week, not sure if I told you that already. I am doing great and hope to be here for a long time haha!!! I love you paps and hope that you have a good week.
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Kalani
Excerpts from Mom's email:
Well I love my comp he is just the funniest guy and he is just like my trainer. I told dad that he grew up with my trainer Elder Wambua, so they are pretty alike. So it is so easy to get along with him hahaha. We have so much fun always laughing and making jokes and wow he is such a great teacher and has been on mission for like 20 months. So he is almost done, but yeah he is from Kenya and yeah I love him!!! So all the worry about comp was for nothing and I was praying for a good one and I got a good one so yeah God does here my prayers after all hahah!!! Yeah the baptism was so awesome and it was such a good experience for me. When there is no possible way for something to get done you find a way to get it done, don't take failure for an answer! Elder Johnson is my zone leader now, actually he is going on splits with us tomorrow to our area haha and he is actually with us right now haha such crazy stuff. Elder Koyle is in our district and the last AP is here, got released and put here to finish. The village will be baptized just with time, the whole village knows who we are. So there is no problem with getting the church out there its just us teaching them. But yeah I am doing good and loving it! Teaching went pretty good and we are doing good with finding some more people. yeah I have a bead tie like that one and another one. I saw Elder VanDeeren at transfers hope to serve with him even. Well not much to say about this week except my comp is sweet and I love him and I was complaining for nothing he is the coolest guy and I get along with him so well!! haha yeah I couldn't forget to say happy BDay to mommy!!! I love you mom!!!! I hope that you have a good week!!!
Love,
Elder Bryner
Excerpts from Dad's email:
I am lucky I have a planner to know what day it is cuz sometimes the days just blend together and feels like days ahead when it is only the first day of the week. Things are so great, I love my new companion!! He is from Kenya the same place that my trainer is from and they actually went to primary together growing up. We get along great and have no problems. We are laughing all the time and the days just run by! I really prayed for a good one and I got one. He goes home in march so I think I might be with him until he goes home well that is what I am hoping for. His name is Elder Kalani!! Yeah the baptism was so crazy, but it worked out great and nothing was a problem. Well we were kinda rushing, but the senior couples got pictures so we need them to send them to us so I need to talk to them about it. Elder Downs got to baptize him and I confirmed him yesterday, so that was cool. We have 3 more on date that are part member family as well. Two are part member, actually and the other one is a friend to a member but is very shy. She is about nine, the investigator, and is very very very shy did I mention that! So we are taking it very slow with her, but she comes to church already so many times! We had 53 at church yesterday and President Dunn and his wife were there too. We had 7 investigators at church too, so that was awesome. We are finding more and more everyday not by knocking, but just by walking and people just stop us and ask what we do. I am excited to make some good braai for you guys when I get home some African dishes, haha hope you guys like them!!! I am in the right place and I wish I could stay longer!!!!! I feel so at home here! ...Not many stories, but just the cool attendance at church is all and that we are finding a little bit more now than before which is good and the members are starting to feed us more now. We get the truck two days out of the week, not sure if I told you that already. I am doing great and hope to be here for a long time haha!!! I love you paps and hope that you have a good week.
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| His apartment |
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| New South African scripture bag |
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| Elder Bryner and Khomotso, she is a member. |
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| Refenste and Khomotso, both members |
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| Elder Kalani and Khomotso |
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| Chicken feed and pap for dinner |
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| Elder Bryner out on the trail |
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| Elder Kalani |
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| Their form of transportation. Odd to see them drive on the other side of the road. |
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Thursday, January 8, 2015
Email From Elder Pier
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Downs
Hello Sister Bryner...here are two pictures of your elder I took today at transfer meeting. I will let him tell you about his new companion. We know him through out flat inspections and will tell you he is a truly humble and dedicated missionary..
Hope you have a great New Year..
Elder Pier
Companion: Elder Downs
Hello Sister Bryner...here are two pictures of your elder I took today at transfer meeting. I will let him tell you about his new companion. We know him through out flat inspections and will tell you he is a truly humble and dedicated missionary..
Hope you have a great New Year..
Elder Pier
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| January transfers. Elder Bryner, Elder Downs |
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| January transfers. Elder Bryner, Elder Holmquist and others. |
Monday, January 5, 2015
Baptism and Transfers this week
Email #62
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Downs
Hey Everyone,
It was a nice new years. We just stayed at the flat mostly. We went up to the falls again and we came back and had a braai as well. So that was fun, but other than that we just stayed around and hungout. It is still way hot and humid. We managed to get the truck 2 days out of the week, so that we can go to the way far appointments so that was nice to find out. Well Elder Downs is leaving and so is Hepworth and Stomps. So three are leaving, so it will be interesting to see who the new guys are including my comp. I really hope that he is a cool guy. I really need one up here, because we walk everywhere and the only way to make the day go by is if you have a good comp. But I have been having mixed feelings about who my new comp is going to be. I was right about who was leaving and who was staying here, so hopefully I am not right about my next companion.
The baptism went great, but the funny thing is that we had to manually fill it up with buckets of water that we carried in the back of the truck from one of the members houses. So in the village they get water turned on once a month or every two weeks or so. The tank that we have at the chapel wasn't enough to fill the font, so we had to get up at 5am and drive to the area and start our many trips to the members house to fill up the water. The member was actually the grandfather to the boy that was getting baptized. The member has a well or bore hole that they can get unlimited water. So it was quite a set up to get everything ready. We had two of the young men help us out with that, so that was good. But everything turned out great and worked out as planned.
So we have to go down to joburg today, because it takes so long to get there. So we have to stay the night at another flat. We leave about 2 today so I won't be emailing the normal time. I am quite nervous about transfers, I never get the chance to stay with someone I like for the time that I want to. I guess it's how it has to be. I put some pics up of us doing the buckets and preparing for the baptism. Well next week I will let you know if my comp is good or not haha! Have a good week.
Love,
Elder Bryner
Area: Motupa
Companion: Elder Downs
Hey Everyone,
It was a nice new years. We just stayed at the flat mostly. We went up to the falls again and we came back and had a braai as well. So that was fun, but other than that we just stayed around and hungout. It is still way hot and humid. We managed to get the truck 2 days out of the week, so that we can go to the way far appointments so that was nice to find out. Well Elder Downs is leaving and so is Hepworth and Stomps. So three are leaving, so it will be interesting to see who the new guys are including my comp. I really hope that he is a cool guy. I really need one up here, because we walk everywhere and the only way to make the day go by is if you have a good comp. But I have been having mixed feelings about who my new comp is going to be. I was right about who was leaving and who was staying here, so hopefully I am not right about my next companion.
The baptism went great, but the funny thing is that we had to manually fill it up with buckets of water that we carried in the back of the truck from one of the members houses. So in the village they get water turned on once a month or every two weeks or so. The tank that we have at the chapel wasn't enough to fill the font, so we had to get up at 5am and drive to the area and start our many trips to the members house to fill up the water. The member was actually the grandfather to the boy that was getting baptized. The member has a well or bore hole that they can get unlimited water. So it was quite a set up to get everything ready. We had two of the young men help us out with that, so that was good. But everything turned out great and worked out as planned.
So we have to go down to joburg today, because it takes so long to get there. So we have to stay the night at another flat. We leave about 2 today so I won't be emailing the normal time. I am quite nervous about transfers, I never get the chance to stay with someone I like for the time that I want to. I guess it's how it has to be. I put some pics up of us doing the buckets and preparing for the baptism. Well next week I will let you know if my comp is good or not haha! Have a good week.
Love,
Elder Bryner
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| Filling up the baptismal font |
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| Elder Downs and one of the young men. |
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