Hello from SAMTC!

Hie Muhri,

Thank you for all your emails!! They are greatly appreciated. Letters take two weeks, if you’re lucky, according to President Reber. But write me and they will send them on to my mission!! I could use some haha Sister Rebbr is sooo sweet! She has been passing on notes to me of your replies to her. Well, there is sooo much to tell you! Everything is going fine and I'm doing well. I could easily sum up this email and say that the work I'm doing here is proof that the Lord is everywhere and in everything! Including Africa! I know that this is the Lords work and He has shown me through extremely humbling experiences. My room has four Elders. Me, Elder Lipengah (my companion), Elder Brimhall(from the airport), and a really funny elder from South Africa that I've really gotten along with Elder Sidumo. I miss all of you! I got to play touch rugby with some of the elders from the Johannesburg mission cause their home is right next to the MTC. It was fun!! They have pictures on the wall of all the elders that have gone through here at the MTC and I saw Justin and also my friend Steven (from rugby) it was awesome! No celestial dots. All the missionaries here come for a week and a half and leave together to their missions. (We leave Tuesday to the field.) My companion and I have two investigators (they are roles played by our teachers but it IS real and we teach it REAL) One is Quintine and he is a nice successful young man that is excepting the gospel little by little. The other, Kojo, was doing great! That is, until I knocked on his door wrong in an improper way and he yelled at me and gave us five minutes to teach. I offended him because African culture and tradition that I knew nothing about. I felt so bad and it really humbled me and helped me to strive to get the culture. The food is way different but great. I'm getting way better with the different click sounds. People’s names can include them often so I am learning them.

This gospel is not supposed to be droned out into lessons. It is teaching the people and loving them and getting to know them and praying for them and worrying about their commitments. I love this gospel soooo much. We heard from an area seventy. His name was Elder Mkhabela I think. We gave a Book of Mormon to the nurse here in the MTC with our testimonies and she was so grateful! She had been working here for 10 years and never received one!!! I sang a solo in choir.

We have a really big event going to happen on Saturday! It's the MTC's 10 anniversary in Africa. A lot of officials will be here (government ones) and it might even be in the Ensign! So look for it!! Well I better go. I love you all and please write letters!! :) I love you!

Love,

Elder Petrie

P.S. The temple in SA is small but very beautiful!!

P.S. Hie means Hi and Muhri means family in Shono.

This is a song that Elder Sidumo (roomate) and I made. It goes to the tune of "A Girl Worth Fighting For" from Mulan. You can share this with everyone haha it's a bit of a crack up!

"For a long time we've been feeling of the spirit.
And the MTC has helped us to-o feel it.
but our tired eyes, and aching thighs aren't easy to ignore!
Hey! Think of instead, a sister worth serving for.
(what?) Thats what i said, a sister worth serving for.

I want her humble like enoch; courages like Nephi.
I want her loyal like unto ruth, a vision in the sky.
I woudn't try to testify of what she looks like.
but i really hope she looks good in white.

Got a girl back home who writes me like no other.
Yeah the only girl who'd write him is his mother.
You can guess what we have missed the most since we've been called to serve!
(what do we want?) a sister worth serving for !
(wish that i had) a sister worth serving for !
(whistling) a sister worth serving...for !"

Hope you enjoyed it :)