Exchanges Again!

Hello everyone!

Easily one of the best weeks in the mission so far, time moves so far here. I just got back from bowling in Toti for p-day with our district, I don't have very much time to email unfortunately. This past week I had my first zone conference! So on Wednesday we had exchanges with our DL's from Toti (about an hour from Margate). The next day we had zone conference in Durban which was a great experience. It was awesome to meet a lot of the other Elder's and to see President Von Stetten again. I was really motivated after coming out of zone conference. President talked a lot about effort and attitude as a missionary. Our mission equation is hard work + faith + obedience = miracles. Missionary work is hard but I have found that when we do these 3 things nothing can stop us. A positive attitude plus positive effort will bring about miracles if we exercise faith in the Lord, this is not just in missionary work but in everyday life. We need to make faith become a real power in our lives.

There was a question posed in zone conference which I really spent a lot of time reflecting on. Are we simple masquerading as a missionary or are we true disciples of Christ? As it talks about in John 21, we must leave our nets behind as Peter and never look back- always looking forward to Christ. I have really felt the difference in how intune I am with the spirit when I really am focused on following Christ.

Besides zone conference Elder Jallah and I had a fantastic week here in Margate. At church we had 8 of our 11 progressing investigators come to church which is phenominal. Each week since I have been here church attendance has slowly increased and we are really making progress with our investigators. One sister we tracted into about a week and a half ago is literally a "golden investigator." After teaching her the plan of salvation, we invited her to church last Sunday (not yesterday but the week before). Well we weren't really that surprised that she didn't show up to church that next day after inviting her. Well we go to meet her last Tuesday and find out that she walked all the way down by our chapel but she couldn't find it! So we gave her better directions and she was able to make it yesterday. We extended a baptismal invite and she accepted! We currently have 6 investigators with baptismal dates and we are planning on extending a couple more invites to some investigators this week. We're really excited and making a lot of progress here.

I have a couple of other stories but unfortunately I'm running short on time. A couple of quick thoughts:

1. Chocolate and soda here is delicious and super cheap. I'm seriously going to load my suitcase when I come back home. (50cents for a snickers bar!!)

2. Rain storms here are insane, nothing compared to back home. So intense.

3. Taught a Muslim this past week which was very interesting, I feel sorry for my buddy going to serve in Turkey haha. They are tough to teach! He was asking me if I believe Muslims all blow up people, my thoughts on 9/11 and the Iraq war?! He invited us to his Mosque also but as missionaries we had to decline of course.

Anyways, the work is moving forward and we are very blessed as missionaries! I have never felt the influence of the Savior more in my life and felt more in tune with the Spirit. What a blessing to be serving the Lord.

Love you all,

Elder Summers