Monday, July 27, 2015

Transfers coming up

Email #90
Area: Kwa Guqa
Companion: Elder McClellan

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Yeah it was a good week, we had good lessons and saw a lot of people. We had about 25 lessons, the most we have had since I have been here. We hopefully will put someone on date soon. The family that is related to the counselors wife in the bishipric, but I am hoping that they do the assignments that we gave to them this week. It is just weird because this coming week is transfers and to leave would be hard especially the Mphoreng family. Sharon's mom and brothers have now come to church four week in a row, so that is so cool and even yesterday it was freezing cold and they still walked to church. We gave the father a Zulu Book of Mormon, so hopefully when we meet on Sunday he read and we can get somewhere with him. There is a sis serving there from this ward where I am her name is Sis Ngwenya. I am hoping I can find her when I get home and show her pics and stuff and talk to her, it would be really cool. Its so crazy that school is starting in a few weeks its so weird it feels like you were just telling me that it was getting out. Time is just flying by its so crazy! So the girl in the pics is Sharon the one that schools in Pretoria and she is giving us referrals and stuff from her friends and for the missionaries in Pretoria as well. But anyways I am doing good just anxious about transfers as always, but I am just hoping for the best.

Excerpts from Dad's email:

My week was really good and had a lot of good lessons and saw a ton more people. I don't have much to report on just that we saw all the people we had planned for and more so that was really good. We are hoping to find some more people on Thursday because the APs are coming on blitz with us so hoping we can find some more people. Well the week was freezing cold haha and Sunday morning was the coldest I have experienced since I have been here, but it was really nice because the less actives we have been working with still walked to church so that was huge. We have a guy called Gavin from free state that is new and we made an apt. with him for this Saturday so we will see how it goes. He has come to church a few times, but leaving before priesthood. We have never been able to get his contacts, but 2 weeks ago we managed to wait until we got him so hope it goes well with him.

Love,
Elder Bryner


Monday, July 20, 2015

100 Day Left

Email #89
Area: Kwa Guqa
Companion: Elder McClellan

Excerpts from Mom's email:

It's so crazy how much time that I have left and it doesn't feel like a 100 days. Yeah I see the light at the end of the tunnel haha. Yeah I hope it goes by slow, but it won't because I know not to keep track so it will fly. But I hope I stay (in this area), really it will help me and moving places just hurts me and makes me want to come home even more. That is just the sweetest thing that she (Jaela) misses me that much, I never knew that she did that much. It was hard for me as well and her being my only sister it was even harder, but I'm happy that she has made it this far. The week was good, we had good lessons and got to see most of our people. We still haven't seen Mimie this week, but hopefully this week we can see her. She just hasn't been home and it might be hard this week, because school is starting today. But other than that, it was a same week. I'm going to try and send some pics home today, so this one has to be short. But I love you and send greetings to Kerry and Trish. Have a good week mom and I love you!!

Excerpts from Dad's email:

This week was good and it flew by like nothing and each week just keeps getting faster. Yeah our MP is so cool I really like him and it sounds like he doesn't like you to have short areas, so its nice so I might have a higher chance of staying here. It's so crazy that I have 3 (mission presidents) and its really nice that they are all from Utah. It will make things easier for reunions and stuff. College sounds unreal and it freaks me out, but I excited as well to go. It will be nice to meet a bunch of people and there are some people here that want to come to the states to study so I might meet up with them. Yeah I'm going to try this week to send pics so the email will be short but I'm doing really good and enjoying it still. The week was a bit normal like any other week and we haven't seen anyone new, but the bishop has some proposals to start a branch in a nearby area and the other missionaries will have to work there. We will have to take their side of Kwaguqa if that happens, but it still has to go to the seventies to get approved. The stake pres is meeting with our MP this week to discuss things, so I think they will be talking about us going to work in that part of the area, it's called Ackerville. Things are going well haha. My comp is ready to go home, we go home the same time. But I am doing good and love it and don't want to leave, but I hope your doing good. I hope you have a good week and I love you!!!

Love,
Elder Bryner































Monday, July 13, 2015

Interview with new mission president, transition going great

Email #88
Area: Kwa Guqa
Companion: Elder McClellan

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Yeah things were good this week, interview was really nice and as of now the release date is the same and everything. (Are we) Being moved to another place, I'm not sure what will happen. My comp told the MP that I wanted to finish here, so we'll see if he takes that into consideration. He didn't really give me much to work with as far as what will happen. He really seems to work with inspiration as he is supposed to. I got about 3 months left, so whatever happens it's for the best. The investigators, we didn't see this week well Mimie. We found another guy that came to church a few times in the past and came to church along with another person that were seeing. Prince and Gavin are their names, that we usually try and see. A less active came to church and brought her boyfriend with her that isn't a member. He's not in our area, but its still cool. We had a guy come to church that got invited by a less active in our area, so hopefully we can see him next week his name is Sean. Yeah the transition is good, it actually isn't too much of a transition, because we didn't go to bots or anything. The MP, I like him so that's good. There is a ton on my plate right now, but the members are so supportive and love us especially sister Mphoreng and sister Sharon. It's a ton of pressure to finish strong, but I know the rewards of doing so. What comes to your mind is usually what I need to hear, because I'm far from being perfect and have countless things I could do better at, but one step at a time. Thanks for encouraging me, I love you mommy!!!

Excerpts from Dad's email:

The week was really good, the interview was really nice! He really likes sports, so we related with that a lot and talked a ton about sports and high school. He reminds me a lot of Pres Omer. He is really humble and when you ask him a question, he takes a minute to think about the answer. For now he isn't sure how transfers will go as far as movement, but my companion told him that I really want to finish my mission in this area, I love it here so we'll see what happens. I think they like it then they can go into another mission if they are younger on mission, they get a possibility. The investigators were gone this week, so we didn't see them. That's so cool you talked to him (next door neighbor) I actually thought about him the other day and yeah that'd be cool to talk to him when I get home. I will definitely ask (him to come to my homecoming) and I'm used to rejection haha, so hope he will consider it. The weather is up and down here, sometimes its really cold and sometimes its average. It will definitely get colder here in a couple weeks. Hope things are good with the house and other things you got going on there. Hope the whole family is well!! I love you paps!

Love,
Elder Bryner


Monday, July 6, 2015

Settling in with the new mission and mission president

Email #87
Area: Kwa Guqa
Companion: Elder McClellan

Excerpts from Mom's email:

Unfortunately the computers are being really stupid, I barely just got it to work because the browser needed updated to open the emails and I now only have 30 min left. I will try and be quick, but I think I will be only to email you so can you let the others know for me please. So the changes are going well, trying to adjust. The interview (with President Dunn) was just really quick. I guess and he just said that I was a good missionary and it was a hard decision to put you here in the Bots mission, but he didn't say much because we will see each other again back in the states. There weren't any missionaries from Utah there, so I get to see them again. Not much is different just that we have to work out how to get supplies and electricity and everything and as for now we won't go to the mission home as far as I know. Not sure how transfers will go and we have interviews with the new pres this Wednesday. Yeah I'm not sure how anything will work as far as transfers and where I will go or anything right now. I just gotta go with the flow and accept whatever comes so I figured better to just get over it and man up and accept how it is and keep going forward. Other than all that, I am doing really good just trying to finish strong and make sure I come home a changed person haha! I hope your doing well too. Our week was really good we found 2 new investigators, one is really interested. She's about 18 or so and her name is Mimie. She is the sister to the counselors wife in the bishopric, so hope things will keep going well with them. As far as flights and stuff it could be is Joburg or in Pretoria somewhere or bots at this point. It just depends when the mission headquarters travel people make the flights and they could have made the flights already. I'm not sure, but all will be well haha. I will make it home! I hope you have a good week!

Love,
Elder Bryner