Hello Family! From Botswana

Hello Family!

I got my Christmas package this week!!!! AND my birthday, package! FINALLY Christmas comes! I was talking with Elder Crawford this week (our new AP, and my previous zone leader) and he was saying that there were a lot of packages kept at costumes for some reason, so I am assuming that this was one of them, but now I have it so thank you!

I had to laugh pretty hard at the quotes on that pillow case you sent me. Especially the story of grant learning what a co-pilot is! It was wonderful to finally receive photos, although if you wouldn’t mind telling Michael Yeck to gain weight that would be appreciated. That kid needs to get bigger before I get back home. At this rate I will be able to take him in a year and a half! Anyway, I got the mp3 with motab on it, but I have not been able to listen to it yet. I "burnt out" my speakers that I brought out with me. APPARENTLY there is something different with the electricity here and I needed a different converter? I don’t know...but I will probably just buy a new one today.

As well I had a question about my Canadian stamps. Can I send a stamp FROM Botswana using a Canadian stamp? or is that against the rules?

Oh before I forget, about 5 min ago I took one of my suits to get dry cleaned for the first time on my mission. I was pretty excited until I saw them take it and start washing it in a bucket...I guess I can’t expect too much when I’m on the other side of the world. I just don’t see how them washing it in a bucket can be any better than me washing it in a washing machine? Anyway, I’ll be sure to update you on that next week to see how it turned out!

Sounds like the family had a fun week in Canada minus Tyler, Kaylee, and myself. Although I do appreciate the trunky comments from Carly and Joel mentioning the "partaking of moms food" ha-ha. I do miss "partaking of moms food", and look forward to that in the future!

I saw a black mamba this week! Oh man! I can’t believe this was not at the top of my email. So this week when I was slashing through the "jungle" vines to get to an appointment in one of my villages, as I approached the waterfall near the house I slashed this vine AND THEN!......actually no, it was a lot less epic than that, I was driving down the road and saw it dead on the side of the road, but slashing through village vines sounded more exciting. So honestly now, I was driving back from one of my villages, and as I passes our waterfall there were a few cars stopped on the side of the road looking at this guy put a dead snake into a bag. I’m ASSUMING it is a black mamba because the only snakes I have heard of here are cobra's, python, black and green mamba. So Tyler if you can research black mambas and see if they fit my description, that would be appreciated: Dark grey, not to fat, but not skinny, about a meter long, dead.

Moving on. I still do not have a companion. Elder Albertson had to go back to South Africa right after I finished my email last week and they have not sent anyone else up yet. We had Zone conference on Friday, and we were told that the new companions would probably come up with president then, but they didn't. Then they told us it would be Monday, then Tuesday, Now they are saying Wednesday at the earliest. I'm not in any rush though. I’m enjoying being my own companion, and the work is going well. I had 3 baptisms yesterday. They were great because these were the first 3 that I, myself, have physically baptized. It was also great because our fount is outside. I got a pretty sweet photo, but I forgot my memory card to send it with the email (and I’m a little worried about losing my photos on these computers). Yesterday the baptisms were a momma named Joyce and her son Bakang. They have been taught for a long time by missionaries and she was held back from baptism for a while because she works every other Sunday, but President Morgan got involved and gave her the OK to be baptized. She is a great lady with a strong testimony. Bakang is 15, future missionary! And a pretty crazy kid (in a good way of course). The other Baptism was a members friend named Masego. Masego's sister and friend are also scheduled to be baptized on the 13th of Feb with another man named Okumetsi. So things are going well here! The baboons are out, I’m going to mow the lawn today if it isn't raining, I'm my own companion, I saw a snake, Got my Christmas package, I'm in Botswana, Suit is finally getting dry cleaned, Family is happy and cold. It's time to anxiously await the trial which should be following all these good times. It's hard to grow if everything is just going smooth, growth requires trials!

This week zone conference, and study have revolved around Sabbath day. For most of our investigators this revolves around coming to church. Although my thoughts also went back to how I/we could more fully honor the Sabbath day while at home. I think it would be safe to say that most of us are pretty good at going to church. Now that we have finished those 3 hours of the day, what is next. The Lord tells us to rest from all our labors. We do that by not going to work, and we don't go shopping so that we can support others in honoring the Sabbath, so now what do we do! I have thought about that a lot thus far and I have come to the conclusion that we are to rest from OUR labors. Its worded pretty carefully. It doesn't say stay home and do nothing. Could I suggest that this means we could give right service to the lord on the Sabbath? So instead of staying home and wasting life away, what could you do to help someone else out. The first thing that comes into my mind is visiting those that need a visit. We missionaries visit people all day every day, and often we visit people that are in need of more attention than we can give. Maybe you could spend time baking cookies and give them randomly to someone in the ward or a neighbor or something.

Well family, It is time for me to go!

Hope all stays well with the family
Love,
Elder Williams