I don't think I will ever become FULLY Africanized, but that is probably a good thing!

Dear Family,

Thank you for all your help in getting my BYU application sent in. Like I told Dad, if worst comes to worst I am sure the mission president will let me call BYU personally. He is a really good guy and I have been able to work around him a lot since he has been here. I hope his wife is starting to get used to Africa. It's a rather large culture shock going from Utah to Johannesburg ha ha.

Speaking of Culture shocks, I had the opportunity to go on exchanges to Kanyamazane yesterday (Sunday). Every area in our mission is different and although I have served around and right in the heart of townships/squatter camps (the places with endless shacks) village in the past, I have become very used to life in a big rich town. Kanyamazane is a unique township village and although I have been there many times before, there was something about yesterday that was just a huge culture shock for me. It reminded me of my first week of the mission.

We started the day off my setting up for church. The church is held in the classroom of a primary school. Now get the thought of American primary school out of your head...this is Africa. The room was dark, cold, and although all the windows where bared up, They had all been targeted by rocks and every single window in the room was shattered. Noone, including the branch presidency were present until about 2 min to 9 (the time to start). We started with 12 people in attendance. The entire church service was a culture shock for me, but I am grateful that we have a branch in Kanyamazane and a room where we are able to meet.

Throughout the day I was constantly confronted by T.I.A's (This is Africa). My favorite was when I was watching these 3 kids playing in the yard (they were using a shopping bag as a soccer ball) and one of the kids just stopped in his tracks, turned to the house and just peed on the side of the house ! T.I.A. I guess they learn this when they walk down the street and see all the men peeing on the side of the road?  I would appreciate it if Cami and Grant can get me one of those "Staples" buttons (the one where you click it and it says "that was easy") then maybe paint over the word staples and paint T.I.A. Then send it to me...I don't think I will ever become FULLY Africanized, but that is probably a good thing!

During church yesterday they had me run the music, which made me grateful for the slight music skills I have been able to develop in a short time. Don't get me wrong, I still can't sing to save my life, but at least I know enough about music to lead and teach people about the hymns. Before my mission I took that music class at LDSBC thinking that it would be an easy "A" and that I could just get it out of the way. Boy was I wrong. It turned out to be my least favorite and most difficult class. I HATED attending that class and constantly stressed over music breaking the 4.0 that I had.

As you know I eventually finished that class and came out with an "A", maintaining the 4.0. It wasn't until much later that I appreciated this class. It made me appreciate sweet classical music, but more importantly it prepared me for Africa when the Lord knew that I would have to start a choir and lead the music often. Sometimes we need to take a step back when we experience trials/hard times in our lives and look for the lesson that we are supposed to be learning from it. That is one lesson that every missionary will gain from if they truly learn and apply it. As a missionary you go through trials daily. At first that used to get me down, but now I have learned to look at it in a positive way and learn from the trials that come my way. It makes life much more enjoyable and you grow as a person!

This week marked a milestone for me. I taught my first, white, full father-led, Afrikaner, investigator family! It was a member referral from a New Zealand couple that was here visiting. We met with this guys family and we had a long lesson with them. Another T.I.A, this family had got their house broken into the night before WHILE they were sleeping and the people stole all their electronics (including their phone which was right next to the bed) without waking the family up.

We spent a lot of time to get to know the family. They know a little about the church, but they are currently strong in their "charismatic" church. In their own words, the "happy clappy" kind of church. We will continue meeting with them for a while though. They want to have us over for dinner this week.

Well I am pretty much out of time, and this kid next to me is playing some stupid screamO, so I can't concentrate anyway. I go to Johannesburg tomorrow yet again to pick up a new member of the district. More updates on that next time.

Love you all

Elder Williams