Wow! what a week it has been and one so full of surprises. It's been full of car crashes, powerful spiritual lessons, and fun in the woods. It's also very cool to think how this week is also the week I turn one year on mission, never thought I would get here, but look at me now! I hope you are all doing well and that this week has been just as fun for you as it has for me. I wonder if Jacob is having a fun time working now and how Jill is doing on her own. So first thing first, a car crash! The last Monday Elder Meyers and I went to the McDonald Farm to go do service on our P day, part of me wishes to say that we sacrificed our free time for service, but the truth of it was we had sat around the flat looking at each other all day instead. Plus the McDonald's rule and area great joy to be around. As the day went on with moving things, being attacked by rats, and putting up sheds, we decided to go down to the lower farm to see the place that the branches fathers and sons camp would be. We went down to the bottom to chop wood, clear space, and build a bridge across a small creek then head back. On our way back home we came to the main road. We were off the road waiting to enter when a truck pulling a huge trailer behind it thought it was a good time to overtake a taxi. His trailer bounced off the road and clipped the right side of our car, basically making it look like a bat to a piñata. The best thing was he kept on going. We were all dazed by the thing and amazed he didn't stop. It wasn't till we pulled up to the gate of the McDonald's Farm that two black guys came to tell us the license plate and low and behold the man came back that hit us. It was a old Afrikaans man who stated by yelling at us in his language. It just made him more mad that we didn't speak Afrikaans, and he came to the conclusion that "your damage is your damage and my damage is mine." We were lucky enough to grab both the plates on the truck and trailer as well as the companies phone number on the side of the truck. No worries though, we were all okay just mad at this guy for being stupid as well as stubborn. What a P day. The next big thing to happen to us this week was our appointment with Quintin and Elisa on Wednesday. As we drove to Middleburg, we discussed our goals with this next lesson and our desire to extend the invitation to Elisa to be baptized. We were kind of nervous to do so, because one she was white and second Afrikaans people aren't the most open people when it comes to expressing themselves. We started the lesson well talking about prophets and completed talking about how the church came to be. At the end came the time to put it out there and it landed on me. I've placed many on date before with out any real concern, but this one made my stomach twist. As I extended the invitation we were blessed with a beautiful confirmation full of the spirit. She had been reading the Book of Mormon and the pamphlets at work, as well as talking to Quintin about the things she learned, and the best thing we could have ever heard was how she told Quintin she wanted to join this church! It goes with out saying there was extreme dancing back at the flat that night! We had then placed her on date for the 24 of March. That was the miracle of the week. Finally, Friday and Saturday were a lot of fun. We had been invited by the Branch to the camp out and help the McDonald's to prepare for the camp. It was a blast to see everyone is a casual sitting, it reminded me of many camps back home. That night we ate, I taught them how to play capture the flag (which they soon became addicted too), and I got to tell scary stories that made some of the young men scared to go out to pee. It was so nice to be out there and just talk to really connect with the entire branch. That morning I woke up to a firecracker tossed near our tent and jumped out of the tent half naked, they all got a laugh. We then went on a huge hike to a dam and walked through some serious tall grass bigger than me. It was fun. I'm doing well and loving this area. The work may be slow but it just makes the success that much sweeter! Much love and I wish you a great Valentines day! Love your Son and Brother, Elder Jack F Dalton
ALWAYS FORWARD SOUTH AFRICA!
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