Rain with a chance of baptisms

This week was good. It rained most of the week buutttt we some how still got the work done... maybe cause of me telling my companion i was either riding in the rain or we would take the week off. sooooo we rode in the rain. Soooo when we went to one of our investigators the first thing she said, Ok sooo ive decieded i want to be a member. We have never asked or pushed or anything. just taught her about the church. it was way nice. and she went to general confrence this last sunday as well so it was power. ANNNDDDD i loved general confrence..... well the first session on sat. thats all ive seen. And it gave me some personal revelation which was nice. everything tied together.

How are you doing? Great.
How is your weather? Fantastic.
Any new contacts this week? 38 contacts, 2 new investigators.
Did you go into Richards Bay this week? everyweek.
Have you had transfers yet?  NO.
Did you get the instructions for your gifts yet? ummm the email. but no other mail.
How was your Thanksgiving? it was fine. We had a special dinner at the nuzmands. i was gonna put pics up but this computer wont allow me to. sorry.

Do you need anything? ummmmmm nope. but im trying to set up maybe using skype.... on christmas.... maybe sooo if thats possible id need you and the jones cooperation. maybe.

love

shipp

Families are Forever

Q.  How are things in your part of the world? 

A.  Good. they are having a Climate change meeting like 2 hours from our flat. Tooo bad none of the families in the gov so i could see them hahaha. but yea.

Q.  Are you in good health? 

A.  Seem to be fine. im a solid 80 kg's. I'm taking a multi vitamin for general well being and a few other supliments to help with other things. and i feel healthy. ha

Q.  Are you happy?

A.  For the most part yea. i wont lie and say everyday is a dream day. but its more highs than lows.

Q.  How is your teaching pool going?

A.  Pretty solid.

Q.  Do you know if you will have a new comp. before Christmas? 

A.  ummm ill probably have a new comp on december like 12th. but its cool ill just send the stocking with the comp that i have.

Sooooo spiritual experience: Ummmmm we were being harrased by a large group of drunk guys. They wanted a prayer(weird enough.) so Finally they had all bowed their heads and said that i would say it. but i had already blown my temper so i was at a loss for words. but i said the prayer and most definitly was helped alot by the spirit. and i basically taught a lessson in the prayer and alll of them(except one) were quiet and humble after the prayer. they looked sad. and we left. weird. maybe i helped one of them get over their drinking problems.

Side note. I was thinking about Family alot this week(dont worry) not like getting trunky thinking like just thinking about the importance of family. Because in our lifes there are only 2 constant things that wont change. 1 The gospel. no brainer. the gospel doesnt change. if it changes then god changes and i dont beleive in a changing god. and 2 Family. Regardless of dead or alive or being born, freinds or enemies, close or far. they are always your family. youll be stuck with them forever. Soooo that should be the foundation of our lifes. if those are the biggest part in our lifes then life will be stable. constantly. So what are we doing to make those loved ones in our life feel loved? Im really lagging on it. i have like 8 letters to send. and i just havent gotten to the post office. sorry im the worst. but hope i will get better.

Love you guys

Scooter.

The Big Shipp in High Tides

This week we received a welcome surprise!  For Elder Shipp's birthday he received money and with that money he bought himself an e-reader.  He has loved it because there are so many church books that he can upload for free!  Being the tech savy guy he is he also figured out to record his voice on it and send a recorded letter to us!  Yes, we got to hear his voice!!!  It was so great to hear the joy in his voice and know that he is truly happy serving in the area he is in right now.  As a matter of fact it almost sounded like he was having too much fun :)! 

The unfortunate part of having a recorded message is that all I can rely on are my notes...so here goes my attempt to translate his voice onto paper:

He is still having problems with his bike.  There are so many thorns from plants that his tires keep getting holes in them.  The weather has been extreme...90 degrees with 90% humidity and then out of no where cold, windy with heavy rains. 

His companion is Elder Tidwell from Vegas.  His companion is a Zone leader and Elder Shipp is a District leader so Elder Shipp gets to go along on baptism interviews which he enjoys. 

They seem to be having a good time together as he explained their "War with the Wasp".  One night there were many wasps in their flat so to get rid of them they torched them, smacked them with a broom and shot them with pellet guns.  Elder Shipp said that Elder Tidwell is a sharp shooter!  They are also going to visit a game park with water buffalo, giraffes and elephants.  For Halloween they dressed up by wearing eachothers name tags!

Unfortunately they still have not had the opportunity to listen to conference.  That bums him out.

He signed off with:

 "The Big Shipp (Elder Shipp) in High Tides (Tidwell) signing off....PEACE"

This Week in the Bay!

SOOOOOOOOOOO THIS WEEK WAS HOT!!! EISH. AnD HUMID!!! wow. I went from the coldest area in the coldest season to the hottest area in the hottest season in my mission.

But We did the work. Had some trials tho. My area is a biking area and we had tons of bike problems this week. but regardless of the bike problems we continued to work.

So that got me thinking. Why the heck do we face sooo many problems. especially when were doing the right things. Why?? thats like doing what mom says then having her ground you anyways. What the heck! So i started to analyse these trial and figure out what caused them and what was happening casue of them and what the outcome looked like becasue of the trials. And i came to a conclusion. Every trial that we face weather our fault or some other person or things fault is there to help us grow. We walked most of the week but on the days we rode we faced flat tires. and we bonded. i could only pump a tire up so many times till i was finished in the heat. but my companions gladly stepped in and helped with my burden. Instead of getting angry that my bike had problems we worked thru it as a team. and because of it we are alot more like friends then co workers. also the walking this week has helped me bond with them and get to know them. its not easy going into a 3some when the companions your joining have already been together for 2 transfers. eish i was definitly alienated and the bording has been the same for 2 transfers so im the new guy. but now im part of the family. all cause the bikes gave out. But you can apply this principal to all of you life trials. What are we Faceing now in our life? What caused it?? Whats happening cause of it??? These trials could easily be looked at as blessings. and oppertunities to grow.

Thats about all i got for this week.

Love elder shipp

Elder Shipp almost lost it....

I GOT AN EBOOK READER!!!! So i can get rid of all these books i have and just have them digital. sorry haha

Q. Did you get a couple of packages and a letter from us?

A. one from you and one from jenifer! sweet thank you guys.

Q. So, how have you been?

A.  Weelllll ive beeen pretty drained. like the bikes are broke so were walking and its 80 percent humididy soooo im just tan and super spent but enjoying it. im learning the area alot better. soo thats cool.

Q.  How is the weather there?

A.  ummmmm not too hot persay but humidity is pretty bad. haha but yea. like hawaii.

Q.  You said that you have dinner appointments every night, so what have you been eating?

A.  umm the usual foods. chicken beef rice pap. not very crazy cool of a meal plan buuuttt its food.

Q.  Are the people friendly?

A.   yea for the most part. toooonnnssss of drunks and im the only white guy again sooo its a cause of minor bumps in the day but not too bad.

Q.  Had any spiritual experiences this week?

A.  We had 4 baptisms yesterday. that was cool and one of the boys went to bear his testimony and just started crying so i helped him to the side and he said all he could think about was his mom. he said she was smiling down on him. and yea elder shipp almost lost it .... but i was tough and kept a stone face. haha

Q.  Had any fun experiences this week?

A.  Ummm No, we taught a 14 year old pastor.... that was funny.

Q.  How is it being a District Leader?

A.   Hectic. stressful and fun. but yea. its weird being in the decision making process since ive just been a grunt this whole time. kinda have the option to choose my fate.

Q.  Do you drive or walk when you go out?

A.  Walking/ biking. 

Q.   Are you the driver?

A.  i would be tho. neither of them have license.

Q.  How long have your companions been out?

A.  Ummmm one is new on mission 3 months and the other goes home at the end of this month.

Q.  Do you like them?

A.  yea there cool.

Q.  Do you have a new missionary couple there?

A.   ummm yea. hevent seen them much but will tell you when i do.

Q.  Do you have any sister missionaries in your area?

A.  No durban mission doesnt have any cause of a rape thing in like 2000 or something.  

Q.  Are you still eating alot?

A.  Tooo much. but no real weight gain.

Q.  How was your leadership training?

A.  Ummmmmmmm Intresting. but cool to see my old friends.

Q.  Are you closer to the Mission home now?

A.  Yea just about 2 hours. Closest ive been all mission.

Q.  Will you get packages and letters quicker?

A.  Ummmmmmm im not sure. i think the same speed as newcasle my first zone. but well see.

Q.  What are you doing different being a leader, than just being a missionary?

A.  Ummmm alot more stress and responsibility. if some thing goes wrong i get in trouble and have to punish those lower than me.

Q.  Have you noticed a different spirit in the people in this new area?

A.  Ummm back to the zulus. soo little more stubbor group but cool.

Q.  Are  you close to Ladysmith?

A.  about 2 hours.  

Q.  Richards Bay sounds like you are near a beach or harbor, can you see the ocean?

A.  yea on mondays. :( i miss the beach.

Elder shipp

Love you

Happy Birthday Elder Shipp!!!

Today is Elder Shipp's actual birthday.  He is a bit down today, so if you would like to send him an email or letter he would love it!!! His email is clinton.shipp@myldsmail.net.  The address is on the side bar.

He was transferred to Eiskawine by Richards Bay and is serving as District Leader in a threesome.  The transfer took him thirteen hours by bus...he did not like it :)!  The people speak Zulu in this new area  and he his able to see the ocean.  His companions are native South Africans.  Their names are Elder Nkambule and Elder Karabonanya.  

District Leader

Ive been great. But still i eat way to much. hahah im just chowing like 5/6 meals a day. and yea. idk im not getting fatter tho just eating. haha sorry thats why the card usage has been up. i just get starving in the area and need food. thats after i eat the food i packed.

The weather is HOTT!! and its getting hotter.

I am being transferred to esikelwini(or something like that).   ill be in a 3some......... weird. I will travel to the new area via Greyhound...for a long time!


Last week we did exchanges with the zone leaders and me and elder webster( hes my zone leader now, not companion haha) were walking allll day. we ran in to this drunk guy and his Rasta friend. soooo the drunk guy kinda pulled me aside and was trying to take my phone and talk to me and stuff. wierd. and the rasta guy was just telling elder webster that were satan followers that were bringing satan to the blacks. that it needs to stay with the whites hahahahaha. then the drunk guy grabbed my phone so i snatched it back and told him in the most serious voice i could that he needs to watch himself. So the drunk guy kinda left and the rasta guy was just blabbering on so i walked over to webster and asked him "rasta baba, so you respect ppl?" he said "too much" so i responded " kk We are respecting you and your opinon right now. will you respect us and our job?" so he said "sorry sorry. go then." and yea. so that was the fun experience of the week. nothing exciting. sorry.

Elder Shipp

P.s.- Elder Shipp sent Uncle Ryan an email today asking for advise on running a Distrct because he is now a District Leader....so we can only assume he is now a district leader!