6 December 2010

Hello all!!!!

So this week has been crazy. Our house is made for 2 elders but 4 live there and plumbing comes and goes upstairs and downstairs or no stairs at all! Makes bucket bathing very fun (all cold water. we don’t have a working geyser). But at almost every member’s house and even some investigators house they feed us and feed us well. So my diet has gone to PB&J  two times a day with a nice lunch. Needless to say weight loss is going well and i feel good. Working out is fun here. I do push- ups fast so you don’t have bug bites haha. Our house is improving and the stores here have American food. I saw Kraft mac and cheese!!! (very expensive but it’s here) All the ladies here give us much fruit so we always have fresh mangoes and pomegranates. Also the 2nd counselor here plays the guitar so every other day we get a free concert. Very cool. Always Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. Walking down the streets you always here American music. So I'll be three weeks late on new songs but i hear them. And this week my tire popped so had to fix that. Not as many pot holes here as in Zambia but there still a few around. Also we had 2 missionaries from the MTC with us for 2 days that was pretty cool. Found out I’m an office missionary. so I now know everyone in the office. Always fun. So our area takes us a 30 minutes or so drive to get there so work here is fun. We get there early and leave late. That’s all in Zimbabwe news. My companion and I are working out some kinks but all is well. Camera is acting funny so sorry there are no pictures. I wish I could show you how I fixed my suit with tape. Then I actually sewed it.

29 November 2010

This week has been hectic. Monday we played soccer with locals and ate a HUGE dinner with the Esplins (the senior couple.). Tuesday I found out I’m going to Highfields in Harare, Zimbabwe.  We got into a car accident. I wasn't driving and no one was hurt but the car is totaled. That was fun. Wednesday one of our bikes handlebars just flew off so we have no bikes, no money, and many people to teach made life fun. Thursday we ran about a mile in the rain at night to go to thanksgiving at a member’s house. We had to bring all the food. Pasta, sauce packets, chocolate cake, oil, beef, and chicken. It was crazy but the food was good. Friday we had the zone leaders sleep over and then Saturday at 0500 we woke up and got on a bus for 5 hours arrived in Lusaka and did missionary work there. I got to see some good friends of mine.  We played some soccer with some kids. I’ll send some pictures. I forgot my camera today. Sorry everyone. Sunday I got to see the primary program in Lusaka branch. Soooo cute!!!! I smiled the whole time. After we had chicken enchiladas at the Esplins and then we got on a plane and now I’m here. Be grateful for plumbing and electricity. The town here is comparable to Ft. Lauderdale downtown so don’t worry about me. I am also able to get letters every week instead of every 6 weeks. That’s exciting. So feel free to write at any time. Love you all!!

Bonus

Robert sent home a memory card from his camera. On there was this video tour of the Johannesburg MTC. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8nDbSJ_zx0

15 November 2010

I want to ride my bicycle.

My poor brakes...I mean shoe..I mean brakes.

The rain is falling all around.

Zone Conference

We love our investigators!!

So this week has been very good. We went to Lusaka for Zone conference (got a package!!!!! thanks mom!!) and learned much. We even had pizza!!!! We had to take a bus but we slept most of the way. When we got back home we had to break into our home because our keys were 5 hours away. We gave them to other elders who were driving by mistake. Luckily, they live across from us.

Tuesday when we were doing interviews we had at least 50 kids playing around with a soccer ball with us! It was very fun.

Rainy season is in full swing meaning I bike in the rain often. Fun? 

The work is great. We’ve had 10 baptisms and we have 20 or so investigators. We don’t tract because there is no need .Haha. We are gaining many investigators and the work is going very well here. My Bemba is improving so I might speak some Bemba when I call on Christmas. I  hope to have letters and packages and emails from all!!! Christmas music is playing already and has been for 2 weeks or so. Christmas is coming quickly!! love you all!

8 November 2010

Sorry for the delay in posting... here it is!!

Hello one and all!!

Wish I could send pictures but the computer is being Zhing (baser). But this week has been interesting. My first bike (Christina) was working ok but when I was riding to an appointment the handlebar broke. In half. When I was riding. Makes for a good story. This bike now that I have (Rebecca) has no brakes. That makes riding down dirt hills very fun haha. It is not good for my shoes.

 I loved general conference. Gah!!!! If I could show this to the world I would!! This week I challenge that you should all go out and tell 1 friend about the gospel a week. It is very easy to do. Invite them to church. Read every day from the Book of Mormon and Bible. When you do this the Lord’s church will grow and so will you.

Oh! I had fried chicken this week. It was very good. Last night had hamburgers, fries (I made them from scratch), baked beans, and watermelon and drank soda with it. We are doing fine food wise. We are going to Luska Wednesday for Zone Conference.( Its like Miami to Orlando away) Can't wait!!!! Hope to hear from you all very soon and love you all very much.

Love,

Elder Hales

1 November 2010

Hi, We're the missionaries.

Sweet-so not -ours- Ride

This tv is "ultra-slim" yeah right! 50LBS of bulk!

Yello yello yello!
 
Zambia is great. It’s getting about 45C or 115F here and I am walking many miles almost every day. Luckily now we have bikes so we'll bike many miles haha.

Life is good here. We had 3 Baptisms yesterday and it was great to see.  Nora (10),Joyclyn(12), Scombe(30's). It was wonderful to see them be baptized.
Unfortunately one of our other investigator’s father and brother-in-law are
preventing her to be baptized. It is very hard for her and us. The Church here is growing nicely. One of the groups here, Kawama, is getting a new building and becoming a branch soon. Very exciting!!

 My new companion, Elder Motshikana (from Congo), is comparing everything to chickens. Hungry like a chicken, tired like a chicken, run like a chicken, bike like a chicken, etc.

We missed General Conference because no one showed so I was only
able to watch the Saturday morning session with 5 people including me. While
waiting for conference to start, I helped water the church's yard… with a bowl. We let a hose go in a bucket and use a bowl to spread it. Very ghetto but very fun.

Sister Rose (she’s like our mom here)fed us fresh chicken (meaning she killed it and fried it) Mmmmm very good. I made custard with chocolate. It was very good. I'm getting to be quite the cook! 

Have a great week. I love being here and I can't believe how quickly the time is passing.

Love, Elder Hales