Hello everyone! This week has been really good. Last p day we went to Sardinia beach (Maria) and then played soccer and dug holes and built sand castles and sculptures and also got our feet wet and stuff. It was seriously so pretty here.
But we had a lot of investigator lessons, and saw a lot of weird and awkward and awesome stuff. We went to visit Ali again, and he read and had questions and wanted to keep learning, I am really hoping he keeps progressing. But for other investigators it can be really hard at times to teach because of the lack of English understanding. We have to teach extremely simply. and scriptures are hard to use because they can't read really well. But when people have questions it is really awesome to see that they are understanding!
Another time we were driving down the street, and out comes this mama, no shirt on. Just all out there. when she turned around we called her flapjacks hahaha but it was scary lol. There were also a bunch of boys that just go on runs for fun, also naked.
Last week a drunk guy came up to us and wanted us to teach him, we went back to his house and ugh its frustration cuz he takes questions off topic so much and we can't teach very easily. But he had a daughter Lilhe who was really interested and then came to church!! (which is in the school you saw) and she has a lot of friends there and loved it! You can tell she'll be baptized, but not gonna say it just crossing my fingers haha. But she is progressing very well and we will teach her again Wednesday!
It is really crazy though, because there is SO much trash. Everywhere. and as dad said, cows are all over. They eat plastic, and trash, and plastic, and ugh its gross. But funny. We had 86 people at church Sunday! The ward in Port Elizabeth averages around 75. It is crazy. Like they just need to hurry and build the chapel and get a ward! haha. But we park the car at church at 9 ish and then will walk and pick up investigators. It is really fun to see how dedicated people are to going to church. They live up to 45 minutes or an hour away walking, and with kids its longer at times and they go every week! The commitment. Never take church for granted! People save so much for a temple trip once a year to Joberg. But they love the Lord so much it is awesome and humbling.
On Saturday it was heritage day! It was so cool because everyone dressed up in there African clothing and painted their faces and then a lot of dancing and singing. And then the members wore those to church Sunday too! It was so cool to see the diversity and how much they get into it!
But yesterday, a member referred us to her cousin, who is an investigator, whose daughter got a really bad burn, and asked if we could go and help or give a blessing at all. So we went and it was so bad. The little 2 year old girl had fallen into a bucket of boiling or really hot water, and her whole chest and stomach and face and arms and hands and legs were burnt. BADLY. Like I asked Elder McCarroll how bad it was after, and he said it resembled how bad his hand was when it got burnt off kinda, so like 3rd degree and worse, but the mom carried her daughter into the front room and the girl was stiff and couldn't move because it was all painful. She looked so sad and just I felt so bad for her. We asked if she would like a blessing and she said yes please. So I thought elder McCarroll would give the blessing like earlier in the week when we blessed a 45 week pregnant mom, but he said he would anoint her, and then I would bless her. It was a lot of pressure and I was really nervous. Just trying to think what I should say, or I didn't want to mess up, and just thinking to how dad did blessings. But as soon as I put my hands as gently as I could on her head, this amazing feeling of peace and comfort came to me. My hands stopped shaking and I was fine. As I said the blessing, I knew that EVERY word came from our Father in Heaven. It was one of the coolest experiences. I am so thankful for that opportunity. It humbled me a lot and was a lot of support for the future.
I miss home a lot, and hearing about the snow at Snowbird and the fall leaves and cool temperatures is so awesome! Because here it is starting to be spring and summer and is warm. Totally crazy and different. I hope you all are doing well! Its funny, this week people can't say Ivins still, so they call me alvin and say alvin and the chipmunks. and ah these people are so cool!
Love, Elder Ivins
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