Back To Cape Town

-It was transfer week last week, so it was full of saying goodbye to everyone in Makhanda and Port Alfred. Although I was only there 1 transfer, I was still a bit sad to leave. The people there are awesome. I love the Eastern Cape.  Hopefully I will get to serve there again before going home. Friday, we drove to the Port Elizabeth Airport, and then I flew for about an hour or so to Cape Town. 

-The first few days here in Elsies Rivier have been slow because it was Heritage Day weekend. So, everyone was just basically partying, lol. There are some pretty sketchy places here, like Belhar. We went contacting there and we turned the corner, and some crazy looking guy whips a gun out of his pants waving it in the air. We just walked right by him, hahaha. He was Afrikaans, so I have no clue what he was saying. But right after that we met our guy Whitney who was drunk, but super nice. Because we were lost in this sketchy neighborhood, he walked with us the entire way back until we found our car. He was definitely a blessing because I was not feeling too good about walking around that place looking at our phone. The Lord blesses us in unexpected ways sometimes, hahaha.

- Also, the first day In Elsies my campion Elder Morin was looking at the phone in the car at an intersection. As we waited for the light to change, some 14 year old looking kid tried to open his door and snatch the phone.  Luckily the door was locked.  But they ran away fast after that, hahaha. 

- The members in Elsies seem awesome, so I'm excited to work with them this coming week. I am also excited to meet those who we are teaching and help improve the area. 

- Alma 32:28 

"27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."

I love this chapter of Alma and specifically these verses. Because I've found throughout my life, but especially on my mission, when I truly search and let the word take root in my heart my love for the scriptures grows. The gospel is simple. Coming to know the truth of the scriptures, either The Book of Mormon or Bible, is simple. And this chapter shows us that. If we let the word into our hearts, it will start to sprout. Then we must nourish is constantly and it'll start to become like a tree with deep strong roots. I've seen my testimony and conversion grow so much because of the scriptures, especially The Book of Mormon. I know it Is the word of God because I cannot deny the changes it has brought to my life, the knowledge of our Savior that I have gained, the blessings and power that flow from its pages, and most of all: I cannot deny the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost that constantly comes when I seek diligently within its pages. I love the scriptures and I invite you all to seek to have a stronger relationship with them. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

-Elder Quick