Hey Everyone!
Thanks for you emails, and for your concern. I made it through the riots - they've moved to Johannesburg now. The Taxi drivers are rioting, they don't want the new bus system to succeed since more busing means taxis will have to lower their prices or go out of business.
Elder Sicotte and I have had some fun biking the past few days. The Car has been fixed from several weeks back, this time it was the Elders in West. Friday evening they sent us a message announcing that they were going to drive to the mission office, meaning we would have to bike back to the flat. It's about a 9 mile trip. The other Elders had biked the last 6 miles in 30 min a week or two before, we wanted to beat their time. The trip was was exhausting, it was uphill almost the whole way! We didn't let up though, every time I began to slow Elder Sicotte would push past me untill he'd wear out and I'd push past him. I'm pleased to say that we made the trip in under 45 min! The next morning the Elders in west had to leave a 6am to go on a hike with the youth in their branch, they planned to be back before 10. It didn't work out so we biked back in the morning, luckily it was downhill and took about 30 min. I think if we keep it up I'll be able to fulfill Elder Holland's wish that each missionary work so hard that he has to be carted directly to an ambulance after the plane ride home.
On Saturday I found out that I'm being transfered to Klerksdorp 2. I've been in Mamelodi for 4 1/2 months, so it was about my time. Elder Sicotte is going to train a new Elder (we have 21 coming into the mission). Reality didn't hit me until we visited Sister Mogaswa and told her the news. Every time I visit her family my heart melts. I don't think I'm overly emotional, but I was almost in tears. I bore my testimony that I knew the Lord's work is inspired. I knew I was supposed to meet her family in Mamelodi and now I need to be elsewhere. I am so grateful that I was able to work with so many wonderful people. I'm really excited for the Branch. We're just finishing the branch mission plan, the auxiliaries are now involved in correlation. We have quite a few recent converts and ward missionaries that are helping with the work - on their own they are going to visit less active members and visit recent converts. We have a plan for the Home Teachers to instate a family mission plan with each family in the ward. We have 18 people preparing for baptism, and many more that are ready for baptismal dates! As I've said, the work in Mamelodi is exploding, yet it's about to go up another level. As you can guess, I wasn't very excited for transfers. Not until I found out that I'm going to be companions with Elder Pidune. He's one of the Elders from my MTC group! He's a dedicated missionary who came out from Germany. It's still going to be really hard to leave Mamelodi, but I am excited for the work we'll do in Klerksdorp.
The last few days have been pretty crazy, as to be expected everyone wants us to stop by before I leave. I was wondering why they wait to give us transfer news until 4 days before transfers, I think it's so we don't spend the two weeks counting down the days till we leave. Overall, things are going pretty well. I have loved serving in Mamelodi and the time has flown by. I hear that the time only continues to move faster as mission moves. Thanks for all the prayers and support! I'll make sure to let you know how Klerksdorp 2 is in my next email.
Thato (Love),
Elder Keith Halterman
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