Welcome November!

Just a hut that looks cool

Call-ins on a Sunday night featuring Granola and Yogurt

Saw this guy cruising down the street

Mamelodi skies    

November 7, 2016

Hi,

I responded to a lot of emails this week and don't have much time. I love you all so much!! SOOOOO MUCH!!! I have transfers this week so PRAY to Heavenly Father I get a good companion. My greenie is done training so we will be separated. Thanks for the hydro flask btw. It keeps ice cubes all day so when its hot in the area it cools me down. I also left my camera at the flat today so no pics.... sorry.   GUYS I LOVE YOU I see a lot of family issues here and it makes me thankful for you guys. I LOVE YOU!!!!! 

Love,

The one, the only... weighing in at fatter than he left!!! Elder Voyles 

November 14, 2016

Dear Family,

I did get a new companion this transfer!  He is funny and we get along. This week had been SUPER slow because I had to drive all the elders to their new companions and was basically driving a lot! All in all I drove about 650 kilometers (400 miles) this week. 

Love,

Your Son

November 21, 2016

Dear Family, 

This transfer will be fun because I am in a four man flat and we have a lot of laughs!!! It is awesome. At the end of this transfer I will have been in Mamelodi for 7&1/2 months!! It is a long time... I love it though, I KNOW the area. The families love me and we get fed probably 5 to 6 times a week. It mainly consists of seven colors. I am getting a kapunda (tubby belly) but it is kinda fun to have. I am super happy. 

Love you sooooo much!!

Love,

Your chubby son

Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2016

Volunteering at a boxing gym in Mamelodi

A CRAZY STORM HIT PRETORIA!!! 

There was lightning every half second and it was non stop flashes all over!! It was INSANE!! 

This is a pic took at night of a bolt of lightning!

My "flat".  That's me getting into the car.

Hello!

My week flew by! It was super busy!! We worked hard here this week.  We had a lot of lessons and now we are shifting our focus to less actives and it is working. We have about 360 of them in the ward so we need to start to change that. We had something like 30+ lessons this week which is a lot for here. It is very common to have like 3 appointments cancel a day but still I am happy.

It is heating up here! It is 38 degrees Celcius (100 degrees Farenheit) and I am in tin huts half the time. A/C does not exist here. But I am told the more you walk in the sun the prettier your future wife gets. Dad must have walked in the sun his whole mission.

No news on Namibia and when I might go. I think I might go this coming transfer but who knows.

Love you all so much,

Elder Voyles

Short and Sweet

October 18, 2016

Viva Las Vegas

From left to right: Elder Homer, Charels, Letsabo, Khutsong, Unknown person

Mormon helping hands!

The service we did at the other Elders chapel (school house).

Playing with a lion

Dear Family,

We had three baptisms this week and it was wonderful! I am so happy and having a blast!!  This week as flown by!!!! I feel like it is Wednesday of last week! (Editor's Note:  I asked what the hardest thing and best thing was about the mission). Truthfully, the hardest thing about the mission so far is the disobedience, it makes things pretty difficult. I think the best thing is the people, they are so amazing. I love the people of Africa so much! I love my district, they all have a strong desire for obedience and hard work which makes my job a lot easier. I love you, have an amazing week!

Love,

Your son

It's All Good

October 10, 2016

Our car being mobbed by children

Making Cinnamon Rolls 

 Package Received

PUPPY!

Dear Family,

I received my package!!!! Thanks so much for everything!!  I am not sunburnt, it is just hot and I am flush a lot of the time.  In answer to your questions about being district leader, I have a good district, THE WHOLE DISTRICT IS GREEN!!!!  None of us have left our first area so we are all considered green, including half of them who are still in there 12 week training. They are all good obedient guys so that's good. I have fasted this week and it actually was awesome, I have had some crazy cool experiences!! I will tell you more about it next week.

Love,

Elder Voyles

October 3, 2016

Me and my Comp found import candy!!! (And Mountain Dew chapstick, haha)!

We just took an "African" photo (no smiles)

Our investigator Charles has kittens!!

Kitten giving momma a bath!!! SO CUTE!

Hello!

So in answer to your question, we were able to stream conference at our chapel! It was absolutely amazing!  I got called as district leader over the Mamelodi district. I probably won't go up to Namibia for another transfer or so. They don't have a spot for other Elders up there yet.  I am doing good. I am so happy! I was able to bear my testimony when I was on exchanges with the other elders and it was amazing.  I love my mission and I am really excited for everything! I gotta go now though so I'll talk more next week! LOVE YOU!!

Just Another Day in Paradise

September 26, 2016

 Charles (an investigator) giving us some African plums from his tree

Me being a goofball with a big spoon at our ward heritage day

Me learning how to Zulu dance at our ward heritage day

Zone Conference

Hello Everyone!! 

Not much time. Not a lot happened this week. I heard my visa got accepted to Namibia so I might go this transfer but who knows. I am super excited! 

In response to your question, Mom, about my driver's license, my license confuses the cops so they don't say anything, haha. I have only been pulled over twice.(no tickets)

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,
Your Missionary 

Last Two Weeks

September 19, 2016

Hello Everyone,

I don't have too much time this week. This week was interesting to say the least. All in all, we were locked out of our flat one night, our phone was stolen, we got our car back from the shop and it broke down again that same day. We then got a different car but my companion misplaced his license in a taxi. So demolition derby champ Elder Voyles is back on the road. We had a slow week because of the difficulties so I will write more next week. Stay safe and stay strong!
Love,

Elder Voyles

September 12, 2016

Helloooo!

           First off we had a great week this week. In weeks past the teaching pool was massive and we had a lot of people who weren't serious so we had many lessons fall through leaving us dead in the water. So what we did was just narrow the teaching pool and try to focus on people who are willing to apply the gospel in their life. We have a few new investigators who are solid, one of which was from Durban and has already been taught the first 4 lessons and told us he wants to be baptized. We meet him for the first time at church yesterday... Amazing right!?! Other than that we are working hard, the times I feel the most joy are when we are in the area working. The more I realize that the more I come to appreciate the words of President Ezra T. Benson when he said "I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work!" I have made it a goal of mine as a trainer to instill that in my trainee. The harder you work on the mission and align  your will with the will of our Father's, the happier you become. Needless to say, trials are still going to be there. It is like a constant "gut check" for us and our Heavenly Father to see where we stand. As long as it is on the side of the Lord, the blessings will come, that's a promise. 

            And now, The Story... This week we have been walking again because our car broke down. We had a lunch appointment yesterday that was way far from all our lessons in the evening. As we were treaking back to the chapel for our next appointment, we round a corner to find a man engaged in a vigorous battle with absolutely nothing. He had a stick and was swinging it yelling loudly!(the guy was off his rocker) He then come over to us yelling and I was low key freaking out. I quickly pulled a pass-along card out and he took it and started saying random stuff (trying to read it) Me and my companion then quickly went on our way. 

         All in all I hope everyone is doing well. Have a wonderful week and never forget where it is that you stand. 

Love Elder Voyles

Just a Quick Note

September 5, 2016

Guys, I don't have much time, our car broke down so we walked to an email shop close to our apartment and it is pricey.  I can't send pictures this week, sorry!

Coop!  YOU GOT A DOG?!?!? That’s so cool she looks so cute!! 

These last few weeks have been a bit rough. My comp is a bit reserved so sometimes I have to carry the lessons but he  just got here so I understand.  Just at the start of the transfer a lot of the people we teach and some who were on date are G-Ghost now. It’s tough, but the only way is forward. Plus, we don't have a car for a while and my comp was sick this week. So thanks for the words of encouragement!   

Love Elder Voyles