Water Shedding

This week was transfer week. So, I was saying goodbye to all the people I've met in Illinge and Queenstown.  It was definitely hard leaving Illinge, but I'll be back to visit one day. 

Yo, Monday night I woke up at like 1 am and was like "dang, I really gotta throw up." The whole night was spent throwing up. It was probably one of my worst nights. It turns out that I got food poisoning from some pesto chicken pasta. It did me so wrong. But, 2 days later I felt fine. Also, another Elder in my Queenstown district had to get surgery on his balls. They called it "Bilateral testicle exploration". I guess they all got twisted in his sleep. That's why you shouldn't be wearing tight pants, lol. Crazy it's the 2nd time it has happened to an Elder in my area.. 

We left for Port Elizabeth Friday night. Waited at the bus station for a few hours then left around 8pm. Elder Lindblom and I traveled together. We sat at the top of a double decker bus. It was kinda fun. It was about a 5 hour bus ride. Got to PE around 1:00ish. The next morning drove to Makhanda which was like a 2 hour drive back the way I had just came from, lol. But, I'm here now in Makhanda. We cover 2 branches. Both Makhanda and Port Alfred. Makhanda is a university town with townships surrounding it.  Port Alfred is a beach town with super nice homes, as well as big township. It's about an hour drive to Port Alfred to Makhanda.

Here in Makhanda we have a water shortage. So that means water shedding ... yay. Which is just the best. It means that the water just turns off for like 3 days and also every night at 6:30, lol. So, we take a ton of containers and fill them up at a spring outside of town and that's the water we use to take showers with and everything else. So, I get bucket showers for a bit now. Africa baby! 

On the way to East London from Queenstown we saw Giraffes.  We also saw some more on the drive to Port Alfred from Makhanda. Which was pretty cool. Wild Giraffes just chilling. 

In Makhanda, I'll be finishing Elder Killpack's training. It'll be 6 months straight of training. But I'm up for it. I'm excited to meet and teach people here in Makhanda and Port Alfred!

A scripture I've been thinking about this week is from Alma 5:12-17

"12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true. 

13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved. 

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? 

15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body? 

16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

 17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?"

I've been pondering a lot of what that mighty change of heart really is. I think it's conversion. For one to be converted to the gospel and our Savior Jesus Christ one needs to experience this change of heart. After one has those experiences they'll have an earnest desire to share the gospel and treat others more Christ like. That's why this mighty change of heart is so very important as a missionary and as a member in general. If we're not truly converted how can we bring the spirit into other people's lives t help them become converted? This conversion comes through diligently study, prayer, fasting, faith, and sacrifice.  That's the only way for one to have the knowledge and experience to be converted. But I promise you it's worth anything to know the truth and beauty of the gospel. And I challenge you all to do something this week to strengthen your own conversion. We must ask ourselves 2 questions that will help us strengthen our conversion. What am I doing that I must stop doing? And what is something that I should start doing? Listen to the spirit and do what you're prompted to do as you'll find increased joy and peace. I can promise you that in the name of Jesus Christ amen. 

-Elder Quick