South Africa Johannesburg Mission: 19, 29 May-15 June 2018 Interviews & Training

19 May 2018, Saturday, Interviews & Training

We drove to the Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, and Jouberton Elders' flats and inspected them--very clean. While President Leavitt interviewed, I trained on both topics--working with members and the articles about Race and the Priesthood on history.lds.org as explained below.

It is a pleasure to work with all of our missionaries. They are all improving in wonderful ways. On the transfer last Tuesday, we opened five areas and took away about 14 cars. So there have been adjustments. The area presidency wants more of our missionaries to be walking and biking among the residents instead of driving by in cars. There will be more changes as the missionaries and leaders work together to decide where and as flat leases expire and better flat locations can be found. In some areas, missionaries will share a car, bike, walk and/or take taxis.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to take any pictures on Saturday as I was training and President Leavitt was interviewing.

Potchefstroom:
Elder Brayden
Elder Eriksen
Jouberton:
Elder Reneer
Elder Thornton
Klerksdorp:
Elder Papenfuss
Elder Mlenze

President Leavitt and Elder Fugal went to a meeting in Jouberton while I visited with Sister Fugal and gave her the talks and discussed with her what we were training on. We ate a delicious dinner with Elder & Sister Fugal at their flat and President Leavitt interviewed them. We stayed at a B&B overnight in Klerksdorp and attended church in Jouberton on Sunday as President Leavitt had two branch counselors to change for President Mdlambuzi and interviews for some other changes and some temple interviews. We arrived home at 5 pm.

29 May 2018, Tuesday, Interviews & Training
Benoni Zone

Rynfield:
Elder Blow ZL
Elder Zwane ZL
Mayfield:
Elder Dmitri
Elder Almeida
Kempton Park:
Elder Kealer
Elder Mataky
Etwatwa:
Elder Galbraith
Elder Avanitele
Daveyton 1&2:
Elder Boshoff
Elder Sande
Daveyton 3:
Elder Spencer
Elder Nalesoni

Sister Foxx and Sister Willis first asked the Elders what they learned from the special conference yesterday with Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Sister Clayton and President and Sister Hamilton. Two repeated answers were that we should be "exactly obedient" and "once we use our agency and have agreed to be a missionary and be obedient to the mission rules and commandments and sign our name, we give up our agency. We made the decision and commitment to be obedient. Other instruction was also remembered.

Sister Willis and Sister Foxx then cover more in depth the videos and materials presented in zone conference about working with members. They are also collecting the Elders' ideas on ways members can help with different aspects of missionary work using their varied talents.

Considering we are doing missionary work in Africa and the church on June 1, 2018, had a celebration of BeOne in commemoration of receiving the revelation on the priesthood being extended to all worthy male members and temple priesthood ordinances extended to all worthy members, Sister Leavitt wanted the Elders to understand and be able to teach this subject.

The Elders took turns with Sister Leavitt reading the church's essay on Race and the Priesthood, and A Personal Essay on Race and the Priesthood by Ahmad Corbitt, both found on lds.org. During the reading, we stopped and Sister Leavitt would discuss events in the scriptures as additional help. She also would ask what they had learned or if something stood out to them or did they have a question about the section just read. We had an enlightening time.

Sister Leavitt and all the missionaries would like to thank Sister Foxx and Sister Willis for extending their mission as MLS missionaries after completing their CES mission in January 2018, and helping with training in zone conferences and during interviews. Our Elders have become even better missionaries and teachers with their training. They are leaving us on 23 June 2018 to eventually make their way home to Oregon, USA.

It is hard during all the training, gate opening and closing, greeting, saying goodbye, timing--knocking on the interview door, and feeding missionaries to remember to take pictures. I apologize to those I missed. I love working with the missionaries in this way.

31 May 2018:

Bedforview Zone:

Alexandra:

Elder Palkki ZL

Elder Sekhhholomi ZL

Bedfordview:

Elder M. Lee

Elder Flood

Germinston:

Elder C. Lee

Elder Ondricek

Katlehong:

Elder Bogosavac

Elder J. Smith

Eastfield:

Elder Keya

Elder Kisembo

Vosloorus:

Elder Behunin

Elder Bete

Vaal Zone:

Ennerdale:

Elder Harris

Elder Lubelwana

Orange Farm:

Elder Mpapa

Elder Flynn

1 June 2018:

Centurion Zone:

Centurion:

Elder Sorge ZL

Elder Samatanda ZL

Rabie Ridge:

Elder Gray

Elder Eatough

Birch Acres:

Elder Dorn

Elder Mendes

Hospital View:

Elder G. Smith

Elder Garcia

Tembisa:

Elder Greener

Elder Santos

8 June 2018

KaNymazane:

Elder Jolley

Elder Esele

Elder & Sister Jensen

Nelspruit:

Elder Williams

Elder C. Smith

Sister Leavitt did the training on Friday, 8 June 2017, in Nelspruit after driving from Swaziland with President Leavitt. We had the Mbombela District Conference on Saturday and Sunday. Sister Foxx and Sister Willis drove back to Joburg on Friday. See separate post for Swaziland Zone meetings. This picture was taken on Sunday after the conference.