Happy August!

(The pants in the picture are called "Zulu Pants" worn for celebrations).

Wow!!! The trip to California was almost the whole family except Dad and I! I didn't get the pictures.

I chased some Zebras today. They were on the side of the road, so we parked, got out, and ran like Africans at them haha. Ngiya thanda Mpumalanga. The township is like a ton of little shack/houses that are made out of just concrete and metal, pretty awesome. Yes, I got groceries at a store, I'm not eating dirt haha. You did the shoe picture at Disneyland?? Awh! That's awesome!

They play something in the township called house music that is always blaring wherever you go ha. We don't live in a township, we live in a place called Camperdown. It is where the "rich people" live. It's soooo beautiful here. I saw some lions today too, at a park. They were right outside our car!! haha The food here is chicken and rice and rice and chicken. I ate the meat off the rib cage and spine of the chickens the other day ha. We made a steam bread the other day called Jaqe (the q is a click off the top of your mouth). My companion has been out for 16 months. And now I know the area very well; all the units and houses. It's a maze though.

We were teaching a Ma one day and the baba drove up as we were leaving and he asked us who gave us permission to enter the house and got mad and told us never to come back (rejection story of the week). She was so humble and ready to here our message of Jesus Christ though! It was sad. Many people are willing to get baptized but going to church is hard because they have to walk a good distance or take taxis (big vans).

These past days have flown by! I miss all of you! But I love Africa a lot. Some things...not so much. People are always walking, which is cool. But towards the end of the month a lot of babas are staggering around cause they're drunk... :( sad face for that one. They can be so humble or very prideful. Both are here.

Well, Ngiya ni thanda!

Thanda,

Elder Petrie

PS. Hahaha Monkeys are so fun to play with :)  One took a banana out of my hand the other day :)