Mafikeng Update and More Neat Pictures

October 23, 2017 - November 6, 2017

Me with zebras in the background

 

Water Buck 

Kudu bull (good to eat)

 

Zebras..obviously

Springbok (there is a black one in there!)

Me with the other Elders

Dear Family, 

The baptisms went great. Members usually give the talks but it is who the investigator wants. We have a pretty big turn out, it takes place right after church so most people will stay.   We did have transfers and Elder Flood and I will be staying together. Elder Mills and Elder Jaker are new. Elder Mills is from California and Elder Jaker (pronounced 
jack-a) is from Uganda. They are just what the area needed. It will be hard but good for them. They are both kinda new.

I had a good week this week. It flew by!!! We are already half way through transfers. The new Elders are doing great! They make my job easy, which I like.  I am glad things are going well at home. Fun fact. Pretty much all of the game parks in South Africa or neighboring countries you can drive around yourself. We should come back and I can be our Safari guide. Me and my comp are still 100%.  To answer your question, his name is pronounced just the same as Flood. It was translate from Waipuke which means "many waters". But now its just Flood. 

There is opposition in this work but nothing that ruffles my feathers too much. I am just starting Ether right now. I usually read about one chapter a day. I really try to study it. My knowledge has increased very much!! Man, all I can say is that the Church is true..

Love,

Your Son & Brother

News from Africa

Left to right Peter, me, Rhino (Tsapelo) 

Rhino is his nickname, he is an investigator that we play rugby with at NWU. Peter is his friend he brought to church with him. 

From Left to Right (Me, Gape, Stanley, President L., Elder F.)

Jackoranda trees

(In Southern California, these are called jacaranda trees)

 

 

The police cars in Botswana

Our living room

October 2, 2017

Dear Family,

My lens is not broken, the pics were from my comps camera. We went to a game park just to check it out without intention to go in so I didn't bring my camera. We didn't get to watch conference, my comp just downloaded it so we will watch/listen this week. As to your questions about our mission president...he is a rule follower. I wouldn't say he is strict but he is strait forward. The mission is really young, its only 3 or 4 years old. It was formed from other missions.  He  is just what the mission needs. 

I have just begun the Savior's appearance in my personal study recently!! It is great isn't it?  

We have found and investigator at the University and he is on date now. He is way cool, kinda quiet, but genuine.  His name is Thabo.  

Have a great week!

Love,

Your Missionary

October 9, 2017

 Dear Family,

I don't have much time, we have to drive to Botswana today for Zone Conference tomorrow. I had a good week. Thabo is on date for the 29th. Stanley and Gape are getting baptized on Sunday.    I hope you all have a great week! Let me know how all your individual weeks go! Love you so much!!!

Your Son & Bro

October 16, 2017

Gape and Stanley were both baptized! Thabo is going to make it as well, I am sure of it! As for languages I have learned just the basics of Tswana, Zulu and Afrikaans. I feel I know more Afrikaans than the others.  

Dear Family,  

Transfers are tomorrow. We get the news the Saturday prior.(the 14th) The other Mafikeng town area is being whitewashed (all new elders are coming in). Two good Elders are coming which is great.  My comp is from Hamilton New Zealand. Let me know what mission she is in. He knows people all over New Zealand. I cant belive Davis is that old now... Hyo... As for the Christmas call all is well. What ever works is fine. I will let you know when the package is here for sure. I am grateful for your diligence Mom. I have reflected on that these past few weeks. You are a great example to me. I hope you have a good week. Let my fans know I am still alive and I am still wearing a tie. Love you so much!

Love,

Elder Voyles

Big Game Park and Finding Success in Mafikeng

Editor's Note:  Here are the updates from the last two weeks.  Jackson was able to visit a big game park.  It looks like his lens is cracked or has something on it but the pictures are still pretty neat! 

A village in Mafikeng

Visit to Pretoria

My companion--Elder F from New Zealand

Me after a hole-in-one

A little braii in the backyard

Trying to find an investigator in the game park

 A giraffe taking a bow

Pumba at the waterhole

My companion on the phone with the rhinos

Baby rhino!

Rhino Family

September 18, 2017

Dear Family, 

This week was​​ good. We put this girl Gape (gargle the g) on date yesterday. My companion and I get along great, he played professional rugby back in New Zealand for the Chiefs. The new area has a lot of potential. We are seeing things progress. The new place is nice. We are actually moving today.  The office couple is coming up to help. They are the Owens from Arizona. I will take some pics when it is all done. We stay in a separate flat from the other companionship. 

Love,

Your Son

September 27, 2017

Dear Family,

I went on some adventures this week. I hope you enjoy the pics.  I am feeling old, both in age and mission. I don't really know a lot of the missionaries here  in South Africa because I was in Namibia so long. It is weird to see all those people who were younger than me on mission now. I am emailing today because Monday was a public holiday and all the email shops were closed and yesterday when I was emailing the mission president made a surprise  stop up here in  Mafikeng.  Me and my companion are doing great.  We pass the rugby ball around here and there. We go to practice with some rugby players at the university when occasion permits. From the looks of it we are going to get a few investigators out of it as well. We have two on date for baptism- Gape (mentioned in last week's letter and Stanley. Gape is a student and she had met with missionaries when she was young. Her mom was a member but had passed away. She is on date for the 8th. Stanley is in his late 40s and is VERY knowledgeable about the church. He was taught about 5 years ago and was on date. We don't really know what happened but a few weeks ago he came back to church and now wants to be baptized. We are finding a lot of success at the university here. I hope you have a good rest of your week.

Love,

Your Boy

Goodbye Namibia---Hello Mafikeng (South Africa)

Warthog Skull

A HUGE Kudu skull

Wildebeest

Kudu

A beautiful Oryx

Warthog

 

Baboons

A really cook rock formation

August 21, 2017

Hello Fam Bam,

I don't have too much time to e-mail everyone. We went to a game park and were there like all day. It was WAY sweet!!! There were no predators in the park so we went on a 9k hike. We went on so many different game trails though so it was probably close to 15k. I got a lot of sick photos so I will send as many as possible. We saw Springbok, Wildebeest, Kudu, Orix, Warthogs, Baboons, and a few other unidentified animals. It was so cool. We were legit walking through African bush! We got some baboons to call back to us....we would bark and they would bark back!   I only have 2 more weeks in Namibia. I have truly fallen love with this country, it is so sweet. The people, the food, the culture, the country as a whole is wonderful. Maggy is going to be baptized on Saturday. I am soooo excited for her!  I probably have to go now. I hope you enjoy the eclipse and let me know how it goes!!

Love,

Elder Voyles

August 28, 2017

Dear Family,

I had a good week, we had a baptism on Saturday. I like that quote you sent, it's like another one I know. "Get comfortable being uncomfortable." It is something I am learning. If there is no opposition, if everything is completely calm, you are probably doing something wrong. It is now my last week in Nam. I am sad. This country as a whole has changed so much in the past months. I feel like Ammon in Alma 26:12.  I will never forget it as long as I live.  The Gospel is true (Die Kerk es waar). Have a great week. Love you!

Love,

Your Son

September 4, 2017

Hey Fam!

I touched down in Joburg (Johannesburg) about 5 hours ago. I am going up to Mafikeng tomorrow. I don't have a lot of  time. I will fill you in on the details next week. I will send pics next week. Sorry, duty calls!

Love,

Your Son/Brother

A Month's Worth of Highlights

July 21 - August 7, 2017

Goat Head--we call him Smiley

A former investigator got baptized

Showing some kids some gospel art pics in front of my flat

My thumb is healing nicely

YSA Activity

This little girl....so cute

Joe's Beer House---Kudu, Oryx, Springbok & Zebra

Capanas---a meat market we went to

On our way to the Namibia National Museum

A great view of Windhoek

Inside the museum

Editor's Note: I have been terrible about getting Jackson's letters out to everyone.  Here are some highlights from the last month.

• Transfer news came in and I will stay in Namibia another 6 weeks. Which I am happy about. 
• Nanale (Pres. daughter) was baptized. 
• We found a new family which I am excited for.
• Two of our investigators were kicked out of their renting place partly because of them meeting with us. The Relief Society are in the process of helping them with housing as we speak so don't worry too much. 
• Yesterday I had milo cereal for breakfast (Cocoa Puffs)
• We had a missionary activity this week where the YSAs were to invite friends to a dinner where we would share a spiritual thought and play get-to-know you games. It went way well! We have a few new investigators from it. 
• Our Mission President's counselor, President Swartbooi, always feeds us after church. His wife made lasagna. 
• Mission is great! 
• We ate at this SWEEET place called Joe's Beer House where I got to eat Kudu, Zebra, Oryx, and Springbok. They all tasted sooo nice!!
• Sundays are slow. We have church from 1-4. I used to teach Gospel Principles quite often, but then the branch missionaries stepped up which is good. 
•  I have only gone on splits once on my mission so far. Generally I conduct exchanges once a transfer though. 
• I ate goat brain and an eyeball this week. On a real note it wasn't bad.