Cape Town Mission Field 

    19 July 2018
    Day 222
Thursday

Today was a bittersweet day, excited to see some of the veteran missionaries we've come to know and love heading home but at the same time wishing they could stay longer. Elder Cole is heading to Malaysia where his parents are at right now. His father is a hydro-geologist working there. Elder Clark's parents picked him up last night and are touring the area. Elder Huang's parents arrived from Taiwan and will be touring with them for several days. Elder Lane was has a really sweet spirit about him. He will be dearly missed. The Lord has really tested him with some trying experiences; stabbed, robbed, car crash, etc. There won't be anything he can't accomplish. Elder Courtright broke out in song with Elder Palavi when he picked up his ukulele in the parking lot and they started singing "What a wonderful World". Elder Paskett is a spiritual giant. I will include a recent experience he had while teaching a blind man using a braille Book of Mormon.

Sister Courtright made a beef stew over mashed potato's. Elder Sibiya (from Cork, Ireland) almost broke out into tears as this reminded him of home and his mothers "spuds-n-gravy". Elder Courtright and Elder Sibiya then broke out in song "Oh, Danny Boy" in memory of the great potato famine in Ireland.

Elder Huang with parents

Elder Pavlavi from Australia

Elder Lupeni from Tonga

From Elder Paskett's journal:

May 21

The email for this week has got to be focused on the man who made my week, Brother Akhona! Akhona is my dear friend. He is an amazing person, with a golden smile. He loves everyone and makes everyone feel included and welcome. Something special about Akhona is the fact that he is blind. It gives him a unique perspective of life. It has been a joy seeing life in the way he does, and feeling how the Savior feels about him.

I met Akhona a few weeks back. We saw him and his friends walking, and I had the very distinct impression that we needed to go and talk with them. Grateful we did! That day we joined them for exercise and sport. We played (and now play with them every Tuesday) a game called goal ball. It is played with a special ball that has bells inside, to be used for the blind. I LOVE putting on my blind fold and playing with them. They destroy me in the game, they hear the ball and can find it with ease. For me, I am sure I look like the kid in the movies who gets his glasses knocked off and is searching frantically for them on the ground. But I love it! I feel part of them and that I understand these amazing friends more deeply (in the mornings I even get ready with my eyes closed so I can understand better what its like).

The game is getting so big that there is starting to be a fan base who come and watch us play! It is amazing to feel the excitement as my blind friends feel excited and important. This week a special guest even showed up (flanked by camera paparazzi and his staff) the mayor of East London. So that was pretty cool! 

Akhona even came to church this week! It was so cool when we picked him up. He stays in a squatter camp (tin shacks), so when we pulled up in our mission car with a member in our ward behind us in his black Mercedes we created a scene! Akhona came smiling out of his house, dressed up nicely, we quickly grabbed his arm and led him into the Mercedes and drove off! It felt like a CIA undercover mission picking up the President. Everyone around was whispering and looked shocked! We ended up handing out pamphlets, inviting everyone to join us at church, and explaining we were NOT from the government, taking Akhona away, but from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 

It was amazing leading Akhona around church and seeing the excitement everyone had to meet him! The greatest part for me was watching him partake of the sacrament. His hand struggling along the tray, for the first time, feeling for the piece of bread and later for the water. As I watched Akhona, I felt deeply the love that Jesus Christ has for him, for me, and for all of His brothers and sisters. I understood more deeply truly what His love and sacrifice means. It was overwhelming. Here was a man that Jesus Christ would have most treasured associating with in His life. I was so blessed to observe this special moment with Akhona and the Savior.

I am so grateful for Akhona and for my Savior Jesus Christ!