January 26, 2015 - A New Area

Hello everyone! :) So I have a new companion from Colorado named Elder Preator!  

It rains here a little but it’s really really hot! It’s by the coast and the closest missionaries are about 50 kilometers away (approx. 32 miles). We have a nice time :)

So we are going to start teaching here in the townships....I like this place, its different; it's a city and I’m not used to that on my mission!

We are working with a brother that is Zulu who is like the bomb! He is teaching me martial arts. :) haha He is a great member. :) So we are hoping to start a group in another far away township.

It's very nice here for sure.....just hot. I think this area has a LOT of potential. :)

So the Branch here has many different cultures. I’m not used to that either, on my mission. The Zulus understand me and the others think (with my accent) that I'm from Europe. ;) haha.

So by the way, I'm still enjoying my deep studies of the New Testament and as well the words of Isaiah.

OH, and I went to a game park last P (preparation) day too and when I got out looking at something the Elders (that remained in Ladysmith) drove away and left me for a few seconds and I was stranded with all the animals.... hahaha crazy! We also took pictures with a Rhino :) hahaha

Well, I don't have too much time but I love you!!!! Have a nice day!!! And week! :) Love you!!!!!

Love,

Elder Petrie

Kwa Dukuza (Stanger) here we come!

I GOT MY CHRISTMAS PACKAGE!!! :) I loved the chocolates and they're gone now but I lived off all the meals and they were AWESOME! :)

I'm glad you like Disney World.....Me, I like anywhere I can wear a light saber!:P hahaha

So yea mom!! Rugby was SWEET!!!!! I got to play touch and ya know....I enjoyed it too much haha I still got it, at least a little bit of it. Haha ;)

So I got transferred.....my last area Ezakheni has had four missionaries but now they will only have two, Both my companion and I are leaving....I'm going to Stanger, or Kwa Dukuza, and it's the edge of Zulu land near Durban. I will be with a new companion and the way I understand it is we will be the only Elders there. Still nothing about Ulundi but we'll see.....Anyways, I am soooooooooooooooooo sad to leave this place, we’ve had great success here! We even had record attendance. We walk to church with MANY people now and many people are coming or coming back! It's a sad thing to leave. We even had many come to the center of the township with us and talk to people and hand out cards and pamphlets. They all wanted to do it again......

Anyways, I gotta pack...haha

Well I love you soooo much! :) Thanks for all you do! I think this is my last area so we'll see! Have a great week!!! :)

Love,

Elder Petrie

January 12, 2015

So mom, two things that I'll share! I have memorized the Living Christ :) It took about 2-3 days but it's sweet! I can recite it now :) Another thing, we are playing rugby today :) YAY!!! :) can't wait.! I've been working out so I'm back in a decent shape haha. 

And the story for the week iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis, So in our branch we were expecting some baptisms yesterday. We had the programs and the clothes in the truck and we were at church ready. Well, during church, another Elder wanted to borrow the keys from me to get something from the car during church.....Turns out, he locked the keys in the car. So everyone was panicked and we had to put some things together very quickly haha But nothing can stop the work of the Lord so they were baptized, (though after we had to deal with the issue).....Sooooooooo we locked the church up and the gate so our bakkie would stay safe and we took a taxi from Ezakheni to Ladysmith and walked the rest of the way to our boarding...It rained as well....YAY :) haha It was quite the experience haha Anyways...hope you enjoyed the story! Love You! Have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Petrie

A Little Christmas Spirit from South Africa

So I have to be very honest with you! I have like no time now because the guy is closing the place down....SORRY! But I'll tell you my new companion is a Xhosa from South Africa. He is Elder Mbuse....cool Guy :) I have also spoken to Elder Mathebula.

Oh and this week we had a sweet Christmas party with near 200 people in attendance. :)  I did a bunch of cultural dances and stuff :P hahaha It was sweet. :) But as well we went on a hike today but this time we had it announced over the pulpit and we had about 50 branch members join us :) It was Really really really nice.  :)

 Hey so I hope this picture brings a little African Christmas spirit.  :) Know that I love you a lot and think of you often. Can't wait to speak to you  :)  

Name:  ngikukhombula khakhulu! haha kodwa Ngiyajabula khakhulu ngoba wena uyazama ukukholumanami ngisizulu :) Ngempela mama :) Ngijabulile!!!!!

I love you! Sala kahle!

Sawubona mngani wami!!! Unjani?

Hahahahaha Merry Christmas to me. :) I’ll show you what I got another time :) hahaha Anyways........haha I won't see the Christmas Devotional because we usually don't get it here....Oh well, but we have a Christmas party this week and I'll be performing some African things :) haha 

Yea so my brother, Elder Mathebula, completed his mission and went home.....4 1/2 months of great memories....THAT was the hardest goodbye I have had on my mission....He called me right before he left for home today but I guess that he is with his mama right now and she is VERY happy to have her son back...I may hear from him later :) As well, I am getting Elder Mbusi. He is a Xhosa (yes a click) and he is from the southern part of South Africa. I'm glad, but tonight are transfers and I get to stay up all night running people in the district to and from the bus station.....like 2 am in the morning :( There goes my sleep haha eish.

So I prepared to send a picture today but these computers don't have the appropriate connections.... :/ Oh well. Anyways...I think I could live in a township forever to tell you the truth....pretty sure that heaven will be one big township because everyone will know everyone and be like WOAH!!!!! Hey how are you!!! Every time you pass....but they will be speaking Zulu cause it's the language of heaven :) Ezulu is heaven so isizulu is the language of heaven ;) haha so you guys are WAYYYY behind! You better learn ;) When you pass the angels will be like Sawubona mngani wami!!! Unjani and you'll be like...wha?? hahah :) Just kidding....kind of ;) hahah Well, I love you all VERY much :)

Love,
Elder W. Clay Petrie

Study the words of Isaiah

Hey mom!!! Don't worry about sending Christmas stuff....ummmm I might get uh something.....Tell everyone don't worry about it :P haha

I would feel like I was cheating you all if I didn't continue to urge you all to study the words of Isaiah.....I have learned SOOOOO much!

So mama wami I was thinking about you all sooooo much over Thanksgiving but guess what, next year . . . I'm there ;) haha I have missed you all too and I will miss no more. :) Hahaha My clothes and shoes and things are starting to show wear and tear, haha,  but it'll last me :)

So this week was nice. We had a meeting with President and saw the couples....doesn't happen much. :/ But our area is moving a little slow now because of some things that happened, but everything is fine just eZakheni for you..... Umm, my beloved brother/companion is going home next week and I'm going to be VERY sad. I've been with him for over 4 months..... My Zulu brother is leaving :( But he is ready and has done a great job....everyone will miss him.

So today we had to spend most of the day fixing our shower because the tub had some kind of a leak beneath it.....Wow....there were like organisms living there like mold and stuff so we had to clean that out and what not...YAY! “P” day was FUN! :) haha Psych, but it'll be alright.

 I'm glad you all got to meet at the Mesa temple lights! :)

So we decorated for Christmas this week with the decorations from last year and Brother and Sister Herrington saw it and were like, "wow....you guys beat us even on decorations....we just stuck a tree on the table..." hahaha We went all out ya know....tinsel on the ceiling and fan and what not :P Bells in the hallway and Merry Christmas penguins dancing around the walls. Oh, and pictures from my family and friends :) Yep :) hahaha Side note....mom I'm starting to be a really good cook if I do say so myself....Well, I love you and I hope you have a great week! I'll talk to you soon! Really......in 25 days ;) Love you!!!!! :)

Love,

Elder W. Clay Petrie