Worthy Cause to Speed

Pretty eventful week. We had Zone Conference, so I have no more disposition to do evil...I mean, we are going to do our best to work our hardest this week. Looking forward to it. 

This last week we went and saw a giant statue of Nelson Mandela. Pretty sweet. We also saw tons of zebras, and an ostrich. Also in my pictures is a giant spider in our flat. The other is in the upper corner of our shower. Those guys have been there for weeks. We have an agreement; they don’t mess with us, we don’t mess with them. The two in the shower are Angela and Joey.

In other news, we had great church attendance this past week. We filled up the whole makeshift chapel that fits about 45 with like 50. wooohooo. Our investigators are all doing well. We invited Sister Puleng to be baptized, and she said she would pray about it. Normally people just say yes, but then fall through, so that was kind of different. I think that its a good sign. We’ll find out this week. One of our investigators was being taught by the JW’s as well, so we’re just trying to flush all the false out of him.

Last night our District Leader, Elder Santagane felt pains in what we thought was his appendix, so I assumed the role of ambulance driver and broke tons of laws. Didn’t get caught because my cause was worthy, and it was 11 at night and no one was around. I made our hour drive to Bloemfontein in 30 minutes. The highest speed here is 120, and I was going 160. The senior couples told us to hurry so I blame them when the tracker company calls sometime today! :)  He's still feeling sick, but its nothing serious. 

Elder Preator

Freaking Cold in Africa

So I think this weekend I actually fasted for the first time ever. Just thought I would let you know.

Thanks for the jokes. I will send them to all the potential wives. 
   You know what the worst part about multiple wives is?
   Multiple Mother in laws.

My comp fell on a bike this week and I ran over some wire and it caught around our truck's drive shaft and had the playing-card-in-the-spokes-effect. Everyone was giving us that look. We couldn’t find any wire cutters, and we decided, because we were late, we would just go to our area. It fell off on the highway when I was doing 120 (70 Mph).

Its FREAKING COLD IN AFRICA. Thank goodness Summer is coming soon. We had a particular day was in the 40s. Freaking cold! That was the only day that got cold in the day though. Most days are like Colorado in the Winter or Autumn. REALLY cold at night especially without a heater. And it heats up due to the sun. We could see our breath.

Ok I'm going to answer some of your questions:

1. We live next door to the other two elders in our district. The 4 of us however are isolated about an hour outside of the nearest missionaries. 

2. We have our own "outer darkness" zone conference.

3. I have been driving a stick shift truck for like a week and half now.

4. My companion is Elder Masinga. He is from Mpumalanga, South Africa. He is super cool, and we get along very well.

Elder Preator
Love you guys!

Elder Preator

Funeral Fun in Bots!

This week in Botshabelo (Bots), we had some complications, including a funeral in the area we live, Tabanchu.  This is where the other 2 Elders in our district work. For the funeral, we used the car to transport all the necessary accessories; food, tables, chairs, people etc. For 3 days we didn’t or couldn’t go into our area, but we helped them a lot. On Saturday, we had a small service in the morning before going to the chapel for another, and we, the missionaries, had to find transport for everybody else. So we drove and sped down the road chasing a Taxi and honking at him to pull over. Super fun!

My companion is Elder Masinga. He is from Mpumalanga South Africa. He is super cool, and we get along very well. We live next door to the other two elders in our district. The 4 of us, however are isolated about an hour outside of the nearest missionaries in Bloemfontein. (We have our own “outer darkness” zone conference.) In this area, I have been driving a stick shift truck. (For like a week and half now!)

In other news, we have some progressing investigators who if all goes according to plan, will be baptized by the end of September. Ria is a 16 year old girl and she really understands and accepts the gospel. Tomelo (I haven’t actually met him) is 18 I think, but he has had all the discussions, except the JW’s were simultaneously teaching him. So we are in the middle of a battle. The other is Pulang, and she has come to church on her own, progressing very nicely. The work is so nice and I am looking forward to the rest of this transfer with Elder Masinga.

Love you Guys!
Elder Preator

The Funeral in Tabanchu

A Sotho sheperd

(they wear a “sotho blanket” and what looks like a chinese hat and a staff. pretty cool.)

 Elder Masinga after falling off a bike

Botshabelo in the Freestate (Outer darkness?)

I have been transferred into what has been termed as “outer darkness.” Our mission covers 2 provinces (KZN and Freestate) and the Country Lesotho. KZN is the coast and all the missionaries are close together. There are 6 different zones on the coast, and here in the Freestate, there is only the Bloemfontein Zone. It covers the area of all Freestate which is about the same size as the other 6 zones combined.

Anyway, the place I am now serving, Botshabelo, is a township where they speak Sotho. The work here is very good. People are receptive to the gospel and appreciate and love us. It is nice being loved. As I am new, there is not much to say about the work this week. I did, however, learn stick shift. I am a master now!

Love Elder Preator

Uncle Gopaul

 

Uncle Tarzan (mostly deaf)

Uncle Bunny from Chatsworth

The Govindasamys from Chatsworth. (I know, I’m getting thick.)

My current companion and the first counselor doing service while I take pictures.

Senior Companion in Botshabelo "Place of Refuge"

I am getting transferred to Freestate. The city is called Bloemfontein and I will be serving in a township called Bhotshabelo. I am going to be Senior Companion to Elder Masinga and I take a 12 hour bus ride tomorrow. Super excited to finally have a change in scenery. And aroma.  

You guys guessed it. Really short this week. :) I know for me its hard to read long emails if theres no pictures so I will keep it short.

I will miss the people here in Chatsworth, but I am ready to leave.

More from me next week. I promise.

Love you guys.

Elder Preator

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Botshabelo, meaning “a place of refuge”, is a large black settlement set up by the then apartheid government 45 km east of Bloemfontein, Free State province, South Africa. As many people moved away from the farms in the Free State, they looked for places to stay in the region of Thaba Nchu, another homeland under the old Bophutatswana government.

The policy governing Bophutatswana at the time clearly stated that Bophutatswana belongs to those who are of Tswana tribe. As a result, all other tribes, mainly Southern Sotho and Xhosa, were put at a squatter camp named “Kromdraai”. Kromdraai was initiated by a man who was only referred to as “Khoza”. He was selling a stand for only 50 cents around the year of 1976.

Later on the government of Bophutatswana started to strongly condemn the development of that area and worked hard through their police force during the day and night, striving to dispatch everybody living in the region and who is not a Tswana. As the pressure mounted for the people of Kromdraai, Khoza fled and he was no longer to be seen anywhere.

In 1979, the then Prime Minister of QwaQwa, Kenneth Mopeli together with the apartheid government found a place for all the people of Kromdraai at a farm called Onverwacht. All the people who were not Tswana started to move to Onverwacht for free, and later on when they started to settle in the area paid ZAR80 for a stand. Late in 1980 to early 1981 the name Onverwacht started to disappear and people started to call their place by the name of Botshabelo, this name given by Julius Nkoko.

Botshabelo is one of the towns that have produced soccer players for the Premier Soccer League (PSL) especially for Celtics such as Madidilane, Ditheko Mototo, the late Abram Raselemane, Ntho Moshe, Motseothata November, Ace Gulwa,Lefu Nyapuli,Teboho Salemane and others. Population is mainly composed of people speaking S. Sotho and Xhosa.

Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	99.2%
• Coloured	0.3%
• Indian/Asian	0.2%
• White	0.1%
• Other	0.2%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Sotho	84.5%
• Xhosa	7.6%
• English	2.0%
• Afrikaans	1.6%
• Other	4.3%