Dear All,
One of the most difficult things about writing is in deciding which of our very diverse activities would be of interest to you. Most importantly, we want to write about things which will uplift you and serve to increase your faith. The greatest part of serving a mission is that you witness the Lord's hand every day you serve. We pray frequently for protection and guidance from Him and certainly see those prayers fulfilled on a regular basis. Our faith has been increased tremendously as a result of our missionary service and we hope that yours will also be increased through reading our messages.
Our senior couple in Grahamstown, the Petersons, called the other day and said that they were stopped by a lady who wanted them to send missionaries to see her nephew who was in the hospital in Port Elizabeth. So, we went to visit this young man, Luvuko, and found that he had been stabbed in the back and it did major damage to his spinal cord. He has no movement in the lower extremities and cannot move his fingers. He explained that he was in a tavern drinking with friends and they got into an altercation with another group which led to him being stabbed. Whenever we ask someone in the hospital what we can bring them they always say food. They receive very little while there and it is, reportedly, awful, We have taken Luvuko food and have spoken with him about faith and hope. He says, without hesitation, that he will never go to taverns again, and he has opened his heart to the message of the restored gospel. We love Luvuko and know the Lord will bless him in his trials.
We spoke in Sacrament Meeting of the Cleary Estate Ward last Sunday. We then hurried to Motherwell where I spoke in their Sacrament Meeting. We felt the spirit in both meetings and felt that our messages were well received. It is great to see many in the congregation nodding in approval to what you say! While we enjoyed being in Cleary Ward, and in their fancy carpeted chapel, there is nothing like being with our Motherwell brothers and sisters in their little overcrowded classroom. I spoke on the second great commandment, to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is a vital principle/commandment which we must strive to live each and every minute of every day if we are to be found acceptable to God. In reality, it is only by living the second great commandment that we will be living the first. By so doing we are demonstrating our love for God in a meaningful way .
We had a young white couple in Motherwell Sacrament meeting on Sunday. It was Brother and Sister Black, newlyweds of about one month. They are from Alabama and he served as a missionary in Motherwell about was 4 years ago, not long after the Branch was established. He participated in the teaching, conversion and baptism of three or so families in the branch. It was wonderful to see the love these people had for him. The members here love the missionaries and especially those who were directly involved in their coming into the restored gospel.
We are loving our mission. It is certainly challenging at times; however, we feel loved, we feel needed, and we know we are doing what the Lord would have us do at this time in our lives.
Lest you forget, we love our amazing family and dear friends very much and do miss you all greatly.
With all our love,
Elder and Sister Watson
Picture above: These are missionaries from the KwaNobuhle Zone. They come from England, Ireland, Germany, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, South Africa and the USA, and each one is wonderful.
Here's the Port Elizabeth Zone, minus the 4 in the George District, which is 4 hours away. As you can see, they don't like each other much. 😉 It's a bunch of Americans with one from New Zealand and one from South Africa.
I have always taken great pride in my prowess as a furniture packer. Well, pride is not a good thing, and it comes before the fall. I had this once lovely table stacked on a carpet in a trailer loaded with furniture. The carpet went flying and so did the table...and it's not so lovely now! Thankfully, it missed hitting the care behind us but just by a little.
Here's the mighty George District! Eight of our Elders were transferred out yesterday but ten new ones joined us, including two to open a new area. Elder Lane (second from left) was one who was transferred. We became close to him as we helped him after he was stabbed and as he opened a remote area where he enjoyed great success.
