Tranferred to Umlazi!

I'm glad you liked the pictures. :)

So there is a lot to tell so I'll just get down to it. I am leaving Mpumalanga. I am being transferred. I got the news Saturday night and it was a surprise because everyone thought I would stay another transfer but I guess my time is up here. I was very blessed in this area to see people come back to church and to see many accept the challenge to follow Jesus Christ, our Savior, and be baptized, but I just won't be able to see them actually BE baptized :( I love these people sooooo much and it hurts to think I have to leave them now. I will leave my companion Elder Whiting after this one transfer. It is a shame because Elder Whiting and I got along to well and we were having heaps of success. But all good things come to an end....And then more begin :)

I am going to a place called Umlazi!! It is one of the biggest townships in South Africa...if you don't know what a township is look it up. Haha. :) It is about 1 million people I think and they all speak..........ZULU!!! Yay I will continue to speak Zulu :)

My heart is full. It is an extremely bittersweet experience and a lot of people were sad with me but they recovered quickly because they won't really miss me. ;) Haha. It's been pretty cool here. We had stake conference and there was a story told that I liked a lot. “A man was driving very fast in his jaguar that he just bought and while he was cruising a brick hit the side of his car. When this happened he slammed on the brakes and backed up and got out. He grabbed the closest boy he could find and yelled at him for doing such damage to his nice car and was telling him how much the repairs will cost and then when he asked the boy if he had anything to say the boy began to cry and say I'm sorry for hitting your car!! I just needed some help because my brother has fallen out of his wheelchair and he is too heavy for me to pick up. You were driving so fast that the brick was the only way I could get your attention. Please help my brother he said. The man choked back his tears and helped the boy and put his brother back in his wheelchair. He took his handkerchief and dabbed the wounds and scrapes of the brother and the boy said thank you sooooo much and wheeled his brother up the street. The man never got that noticeable dent fixed so that he could always remember not to go too fast in life that you have to get hit by a brick to stop. “Clever story eh? I got hit by a brick when I was told that I was leaving. Soooo I'm glad I never took this place for granted :) I love these people gosh.... Well I love you all soooooooo much!!! :)

Love you!!

Your missionary,

Elder Petrie
P.S. I love you all back home sooooooo much :)

P.S.S. Hey! I learned a hymn the other day and I am continuing to learn the hymns on the piano so I can play for church. If they have a piano....haha.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Uyazalwa nomhlanji uyazalwa nomhlanji uyazalwa Ubaba uyazalwa nomhlanji! Happy Birthday Dad!!! :)

So today I am emailing from just across the street from the Indian Ocean in the heart of Durban, and I'm sweating and it's super loud. Fun fact about Africa....it's loud in the city.

Hey! So you got my pictures? Guess what ma!! I MISS THE TEMPLE :(

So I can greet many different people here in their native tongues and it is SO confusing sometimes. Haha.

Oh I learned how to play cricket! It's pretty cool actually. :P haha. I have gotten wayyy better at soccer here. I am usually put in the keeper spot for a half then sent up top to score in the second. :P My companion is super good at soccer and whacks everyone when he gets the ball.

So this week we went on splits a lot cause Elder Zsembery had knee surgery. We had to drive one car to the area to pick up a ward missionary then drive back and get the other car and drive back to the area and do it all again only opposite of that when we go back for the night. Missionaries can't drive alone and so that was the best solution. Our boarding is about 15 minutes one way. Soooooo you can do the math.

We met some people this week that showed me what the gospel can do for their lives....The gospel CAN change people. I have seen people take enormous steps in their lives this week. I got to work with an RM (returned missionary), named Lindani Ndlovu. He is now the Elders Quorum president and I got to do splits (visits), with him. He served a mission in JoBerg (Johannesburg, Justin worked with him). When he got home, his parents who are not members, wouldn’t support him. This guy is soooooooo solid in the faith though. I love that guy. So we were in a discussion when we asked this man if he wanted this message to bless his life...He paused and looked at us seriously and then said Yes....I would really like that. I'm soooo used to people taking this message lightly that I was like....WHAAAAA????It was soooooooooo cool :)

So Ngiyanithanda kakhulu!! Salenikahle!! I love and miss you alllll sooo much stay well!

Love,

Elder Petrie

PS I don't think I can Skype here....no one has computers. I have to start taking pictures of my area so you can see the living conditions of these people. Haha. It will change your whole outlook on life :P

A normal week of cool African things.

Carolann (A member Elder Petrie helped come back to church), told me she was going to write you. Haha. She is pretty cool.

So this week was great! Missionary “fun” this week was...fun! We had lots of rain and also lots of humid HEAT! That sucked. White shirt totally was soaked with sweat. So, I got to talk to more drunk guys and got to help someone clean a burned house and got yelled at and we also taught some great lessons and helped some people to come back to church. Not much different happened this week, just typical things. I guess all the cool African things are just normal to me now. haha.

So....OH! Ngiyakhombula! (I remember) We went to a road that had been closed because of weather, this was a road that we use a lot, well when we got down to it there was a hole in it, (a sink hole), that led to the cliff below. The water from a storm made the whole road fall!! I got some pictures and I even took a video like I was a news reporter...(the things you do on mission to stay young and immature) :)

Sooo how was your week! Thanks for all the emails! I love reading them! Sorry my emails are so short.  :) I love you all and I hope you have a great week!!!!

Love you!

Elder Petrie

P.S. We have a soccer game lined up for this P-Day against some Elders from another township. It's on like Donkey Kong! Yea I'm really excited :)

Usual Fun in South Africa!

I'm so glad to hear Brother Tukuwafu is home and recovering! He is such a stud. How are all the missionaries from the ward doing? Penili comes back in July next year I think neh? Man! I'll be a year then. It's almost my 4 month mark already...Holy COW!!!

So, we have had some GREAT success on our less active work here. A lot of people are coming back to church and it is simply fan flippin tastic. We finally got to confirm Akhona as a member and blessed him with the gift of the Holy Ghost. He is a cooooool kid.

So not much different has happened this week. Nothing crazier than the usual gun shots and drunk people. ;) haha But really....It's normal. Drunk people are EVERYWHERE and there one main target is to talk to the “holy white men,” haha so we are getting really good at running away. ;) But, I still love it here and some people are getting very close to baptism. :) People have been really receptive to the message.

 Well, I love you all and I hope you have a good week :)

Love,

Elder Petrie