Baptism!

 Well it has been another great week in the Northwest.  We have lots of people to teach and we had the baptism of Basetsana Happy Boitshepo Baaisi this last Sunday.  It went very well and it is so cool to see how far she has come.  She will be confirmed next week and become the newest member of the Rustenburg Ward.

We were supposed to go to the Temple this week, but since we are too far away, we were unable to go.  I hope my next area is closer so I can go.  We also had transfers on Tuesday and Elder Pedersen will stay with me in Rustenburg.  All is well with us!

Elder Pedersen, Boitshepo and I

The drive to the Northwest!

Well that about does it.  I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you next week.

Cheers, Elder Segil

Time Keeps on Slippin Slippin into the Future!

The title could not be more true.  These weeks in South Africa go by like no other.  As of right now, I only have six months left to serve the people of South Africa.  I am a little scared of how quickly my mission is coming to an end and hope to make the best of my last six months.

Everything is going so great here in Rustenburg.  We are teaching lots of great people and preparing them to take that first great step to show their true faith.  One thing I love most about these people here in Africa is their unwavering faith.  They know God lives and even better, they do what they need to do to know Him.  They don't sit around and do nothing and expect God to do all the work.  They seek Him out and then we, the missionaries, are set in their pathways to find them.  It is truly a sweet experience to be a part of this work.

As you know, last Friday was Friday the 13th and yeah we saw some interesting things.  One of which I will talk about was a car wreck.  We were driving down the road and heard this loud screeching sound coming from car tires skidding across the pavement.  We quickly looked to the left and BOOM!  A truck smashes into the back of a taxi and totals the front of the truck.  Luckily everyone was ok and yet not so lucky on this Friday the 13th.

This last Saturday was Valentine's Day and boy that was scary.  We did some contacting at the mall and there were thousands of women dressed in the most immodest clothing I have ever seen.  I haven't been home for a while and hope they don't dress like that there.  Too many crop tops and short shorts.  Lets just say, there were a lot of Law of Chastity pamphlets given out that day.  Our bodies are sacred and should be treated as such.

I heard a song by Bob Dylan last week and some of the words really stuck out to me.  They were, "Don't Criticize what you can't understand."   No matter what it may be or what someone does, you truly have no idea why they did that.  The best things we can do are help them get back on track, love them, and be their friend to the end.

Well LIFE IS AWESOME.  I love you all and hope you have a great week.  See you soon.

Elder Segil

Lekker! Lekker!

Howzit?

It has been another great week in hot old Rustenburg.  We have recently joined a Cross Fit gym to further our "Six Months to Sexy."  I am getting in great shape and will be in Lekker shape when I see all of you very soon.

My new companion is Elder Pedersen from Atlanta, Georgia.  It is really cool, we came out at the same time and were in the MTC together.  I was the first missionary he met, so that is cool.  We are getting along great.  He likes to workout and will be in the Army when he gets home, so there is a lot of motivation to workout.

I did not take any pictures this week, but I'm sure this last weeks post will cover for a few weeks.  Being in town there is just not that much to get pictures of.  Today we will be heading south to Joburg for a Zone Braai, so I will try and take some pictures and post them next week.  We will be slaughtering a lamb and pig for the braai.  It should be pretty nice.  At least it will be cooler down south. That's all I care about.

We are teaching three sweet women named Boitshepo, Kesa and Candice.  They will be baptized very soon and more will follow as time goes on.  I love the work and I am trying to finish strong these last six months.  Time is flying.

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Cheers, Elder Segil

So many Pictures! Hope you enjoy!

Wow, what a week.  I hope you all enjoy these pictures I have taken throughout the week.  We have been finding lots of people and talking to so many of them.  Good things are happening in Rustenburg.

We went to Sun City last Monday and got some great pictures.

Welcome to Sun City!

Handmade Sculpture of Giraffes.

Yeah...

Where no missionary has or can go!

The SLIDE.....

Sun City

The monster Burger from Yankys.   Only 9 dollars!!!

Bigger then my head.

Took me four days to eat.

It could be HEAVEN or it will be there....I hope!

Our chapel in Rustenburg.

The beautiful grounds around the Chapel.

While we were tracting, these four kids started following us and helping us share the gospel.  They talked to the people and spoke in their language.  It was so cool and they had some crazy greeny fire to share the message once they knew what it was.

I think it is a grasshopper.....

Carnivore for Elder Carpenter's last time.  He will be going home in two weeks.

This is what we had for lunch.  YUMMY! YUMMY!

AWESOME STUFF MAN!

The Elders of Israel!

My second area was Modjadji which is the name of the rain queen and this is a statue of her.

It indeed was a great week.  Unfortunately Elder Mead will be leaving me tomorrow and I have been called to be a District leader.  Should be fun.  Well I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Cheers, Elder Segil

Follow the Spirit!

Well I believe this week went by so fast that it was over before it even started, but hey who knows.  Everyday we go to the village of Phokeng to drop off and pick up the Elders.  We go to the Mapeka's home and play with the kids.  They are a lot of fun as you can see.

Sana and I

He really wanted to put my hearing aid in, so I let him.  He really wants a pair and I assured him and told him trust me, no you don't.  He hears fine, just likes the sound they make, as does everyone.

Favorite South African weather.

Love the green mixed with the clouds.

This is a snap shot of my area in Rustenburg.  Most of the houses are built along side the mountains or hills compared to Montana.

We went to Krugerdorp on Friday for Zone Meeting, which was a lot of fun.  I enjoy our zone and seeing all of them.  Other than that, we are still teaching a bunch of people and all is going well.  Last week I was called on by the Bishop just a few minutes before Sacrament meeting to give a talk, so that was sweet.  The spirit prompted me to speak on "Recognizing the Spirit."  All of us are born with the knowledge of what is good and what is evil.  This is known as the "Light of Christ."  When we feel joy, peace, long suffering, meekness or anything like unto it, we feel the spirit, which can come upon all people in different times if they are worthy.  If you wish to have these feelings all the time, you must be baptized by the true authority of God.  I know these things to be truth and is what I have done for the past 17 months.  This church is true and only by the power of the Holy Ghost will you be able to know as well.  Study the scriptures, pray and seek out answers to your questions.  If you don't have a desire, you will never know until it is too late.  This is my promise and testimony to all.

Have a great week everybody and talk to you in February.

Elder Segil

Seven Months to Spectacular!

Well is has been another awesome week in Rustenburg and the work has picked up tremendously, since everybody has returned home from vacation.  We are teaching lots and preparing them to be baptized next month in February.  They come to church every week and everything is going great.

Elder Mead and I have started "six months to sexy" but since I have seven months remaining we shall call it "seven months to sexy".  We have been getting up at 6 am every morning and doing a lot of great workouts.  This one is for you Jon, we have been doing a lot of the Widow Maker by cross fit.  It has been a while since I have worked out in the morning, which is probably why I puked after doing the Widow Maker.  It did feel nice.  Since then I have done it many more times and I'm getting back in shape.  As you can see, we got some protein and other stuff to keep us more motivated.  It is working out really well.  

Yebo Babba!!!

Other than that, the other day we were up in the village of Phokeng for a funeral and they were feeding us biscuits.  They can be compared to English Muffins back home, just a little drier and harder.  So as I was eating the biscuit, Elder Mead informed me that there were ants crawling out of my biscuit.  At first, I was kinda grossed out and then one of the guys said, it's good protein, it's good for you.  I was like whatever, we're in Africa, so I ate the rest of the biscuit with Elder Mead.

Well have a great week everyone!

Elder Segil

Another Transfer Week!

Well it has been another sweet week of mission here in South Africa.  It was transfer week, so we went down to Joburg to pick up another Elder to replace Elder Rizk in Phokeng.  Elder Mead and I are together another transfer, so I am excited about that.  In Joburg we went to Pizza Hut and I got to say, Domino's Pizza is a lot better.  Couldn't believe it, but it is the truth.

 



Yummy! Yummy!

 The Previous district!

I miss air conditioning SO MUCH!

 

We have found and are teaching lots of new and sweet people this year.  I am super excited for the future and the work that is coming to pass.  It's hard for me to believe that I have just over seven months left and then the family will pick me up here in South Africa.  It is a bitter sweet feeling and I am so glad I have seven months to work..  I want to continue to work hard and enjoy this experience while I can.  This Church is so true and will continue to be forever.  If you have a desire to know of it's truthfulness, do something about it.  Live the commandments, pray, read the scriptures and I PROMISE YOU, you will receive the answer you are  looking for.  I Love you all and hope you have a great week. 

 

 

Your Montana boy, Elder Segil