I can see my breath... and its may, Welcome Elders, what do you have for me, The work goes forth, Rodizio‏

It's cold man... It's winter and I gave my coat to Elder Black and my flannel shirts to Elder Dirkmaat. Good thing I'm a man and have grizzly hairy arms! I'll just tough it out for a month though I'll miss the winter come July. But here I am in JOZI CENTRA:!!!!! WOOO!!!! It's good to be back home in South Africa and to see the brothers. But... to the week. So first things first. Confirmation of Brother Kaimba yesterday and it was sweet. He just spoke in Priesthood about how good it feels and how he can't wait to magnificate (magnify) his calling haha. He's so great and we even had Youth Conference. Mosha our investigator called us and said "Man the music, the dancing, the young women, the food, the spirit, the messages, the church! Why couldn't you guys find me earlier?!?!?" So in short Kanye is lekker man. I love this place and am so happy I get to die here. It's very Elder Robinsonesque to die in the wilderness I feel and I'm going down with a bang man. In the worlds of E. Jenkinson, you can die lazy, or you can die crazy. I choose to die crazy. So here's some crazy. We're teaching the head pastor of Southern District Botswana of the 7th Day Adventist Church, and we're melting his face with doctrine. this weeks topic, "intelligences, agency, and the immortality of the soul." We're gonna convert that guy man he's actually really humble. Some updates also, are on brother Benjamin who is coffee and tea free for 2 weeks now. June 17th anyone? the only thing we're worried about is cold water. because like seriously it's cold now. This week on a funny note, we went to an all you can eat meat restaurant called Rodizio and all had so much raw meat that 20 of the 36 missionaries in Botswana had wicked gas. But the Dijo was Monate. Time is kinda short, because we have so much to do, but I'm loving it. Joburg feels so nice and its hard to believe the final tour of duty begins tomorrow. crazy. But anywho, I'm going to not die, but fade away and just set Botswana on fire. So to make people ask questions about "why the heck do you get so much mail you're dying" Now is the time. dearelder is free and its only like 98cents for a regular letter. I'll try to write back haha because I've got many stories to tell. but lets make people ask questions and have lots of confusion eh? Back to the work! Love you all Bafundisi Robinson

Is it transfer time again?

Transfer time again and I'm almost positive I will die in the wilderness of Botswana West. Nevertheless... we will go down for transfers because we have a meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. We don't know yet we'll find out on Friday. Yep Mosetlhane, Phenyo, and Brother Kaimba all got baptized it was sweet. at last the drought has passed. I'll probably do a bit of shopping the next two weeks as we'll be in gabs an Jozi. Temple included. Well done BYU, go Heat. Go poo. And so I'm getting a tie but won't be in attendance? I'll try to send some pictures today. and I'll be doin some sweet Zulu singing with officer nasty in about 6 weeks. reunion tour anyone? yeah. Life is good. time goes faster and faster and I'm the oldest man in the mission starting next week Tuesday. crazy, But such is life. We got an eclipse last year and it was sweet. but it was at night. Lunar eclipse not solar.

The drought is over, if I go to hell I go to hell, and then there was 1.‏

At long last the drought is past. I hadn't baptized anyone since January and I was starting to get the itch. But we had a powerful Sunday with 2!!!! future Melchezidek priesthood holders baptized and Phenyo an awesome Young woman. So brother Itebale Mosetlhane and his daughter Phenyo Mosetlhane have never been baptized before... kinda a rarity here. and have been church to church to church for most of their lives. We tracted into him on a day with 0 success or lessons, But look what comes when you go to work. He stood up and just spoke up about how he has found "it" and now will bring it to all the Mosetlhanes. Phenyo was terrified but said in about 5 seconds "I will serve God until the day that I die from this moment forward". Brother Kaimba was found also tracting and though his wife and 2 kids went to another church he said " I always thought Jesus was a joke." But yesterday he was just so happy I've never seen him smile like that. He spoke about quitting drinking and following God with all his heart. POWERFUL. that was a testimony and a half. The service ended with Pres. Nyoni saying "Elders this is the best!" These priesthood brethren are just the miracles we need. Kanye ward 2013??? So back to work. We've had the celebration time to get back to finding now. And so we will. I promised the Lord 2 years no time to take it easy and hang up the boots now. So we went this week and stumbled upon people who wanted to bash with us, which are always some of the funnest lessons because fighting the truth is the stupidest thing you can do. After shutting down any argument and inviting them to pray we had a legend of a quote. "If I go to hell... I go to hell... leave me be." Well our job is done haha. So we closed with a prayer. But seriously what we have is needed by everyone so how can we slow down. If all goes well 8 will be baptized in June and we are going to establish Zion here in Kanye. Only 1 transfer remaining yet so in the words of Bon Jovi its time to go down in a blaze of glory. So quick to the field and lets make it happen. Kanye is legend and there are so many people to talk about that I could never do justice in an email. So just know things are lekker here and June is going to be Legen what? dary. I may not email next week because of the Jozi trip but I'll do what I can... enjoy the baptism pictures!. Elder Robinson. P,S, The computer is too slow to send pics so maybe next week. Much love from Botswana

Some real lekker vors, resident of Malatswanaland, Older brother, that's flippin sweet man.‏

Hello one hello all! Sweet to talk to you all last night and to hear the happening in the US of A. It was a sweet week in Botswana we've had kinda a non typical week because we really were focusing on bringing members with us teaching... and well... We brought bro. Muchara with us to teach a brand new family who struggles a bit with attending church and he went on to tell a 20 minute story about farming, singing, and summer squash only to close by saying and that's why I like church... But lo lo and behold they made it Sunday so woo hoo! The same night he shamboked and investigator for drinking tea and... lo and behold she quit! So even though we were horrified mid lesson... all things work for a reason. We had a bit of sad news this week because Joseph's pastor will not let him leave the church and the Dipuo family wrote a divorce letter from their church to come to ours, only to have a calling extended by their pastor... As I spoke about last night the real difficulty of the work in Africa is not finding someone to teach, but helping them leave kinda the corruption they are in. But... the work goes forth. Mosha, Mosetlhane, Penu, and hopefully Richard and Lesedi will be baptized Sunday the latter two rest on whether he has quit tea completely... And... all else is awesome. We met a 20ish year old girl named Tsapang and invited her to church, and not only did she come but she brought her 4 brothers, sister, and mom, and the father is coming next week. After the service, the mom said "I can see us being members of this church. It was a really cool week full of just little miracles. On Friday I got to go on exchanges with Elder Van Heerden and we had a ton of fun and did great work. He's been struggling with a few things so we had a good chat and he basically told me how I was like his older brother and how he always can turn to me for advice. It was really cool and one of those times where I really felt like I was fulfilling my purpose. I think the reason its so weird and tough to be finishing is simply the people, members, and missionaries I'm around. This is all I know... but it won't be over... just on pause... and these guys will be brothers for life. So in other news sounds like the wedding was sweet wish I was there... but my cardboard counterpart was and I'll see all you cats in a few weeks. I'll be sending a little fun email from South Africa hope you all enjoy it... the rats really are that big in Joburg. Elder Robinson

Lekker Bonskopie, awkwardville, Morray, other funtivities‏

Sweet week here in the land of Botswana! The Benjamins are making good progress but still struggle with Tea... funny story... on Cinco de Mayo which is definitely not celebrated in Africa except by the few the proud and the brave... anywho,after enjoying a real lekker glass of Horchata it hit me... they hate hot chocolate... they don't really like Milo... but who can't like Horchata?!?!? So sure enough that night we had a sweet lesson about fasting and invited them to fast to quit and even to share their testimonies on Sunday. and bum bum bum I brought out the big guns. Horchata baby! 30 minutes later we got a text from brother Benjamin "consensus... Horchata is hot hot hot" Sunday morning came and they haven't touched tea or coffee! Of course the fasting was the real thing... but they did finish half the bag of mix which makes 10 liters haha. Also sweet this week was Bro. Mosetlhane. He stood up to give his testimony on Sunday and was just like " I am trying with all I can to live the word of wisdom and all of these commandments. I want to be a priesthood holder of God, and I want to make my Father in Heaven proud. I will join this church by baptism on the 20th." So all is well here. everyone that we are teaching is progressing, we have 25 people preparing for baptism in the coming three months, and well life is good. We had a cool experience this week as we were preparing to go to Gaborone to be hosts for the BYU young ambassadors. We needed to leave Kanye at 4 to be on time and it was about 3:30 and we had a ditched appointment. So we could have easily gone to the apartment, got some water, kicked it for 5 and left early... but we didn't. We decided to go knock. The very first house we met a guy named Morray who is PREPARED. We sat down and after about 5 minutes of cracking some jokes " My grandfather was a great man but never got the chance to be baptized where is he?" Well we answered. Question 2 "Why don't we have more than just the Bible" Well we answered. Question 3. "why are there so many prophets and churches these days." So yeah haha that's like asking a missionary "would you like to come over for dinner?" Then we drove to Gabs to see the show... The show was nice... and even Whitley Osborn was one of the singers so that was rad. Go Flyers... It was really good to be there, but it felt so awkward. 7PM Tuesday, concert, with dancing, singing, and romance. AWKWARD. Its like we should be teaching, we should be contacting someone but it was just so uncomfortable haha. But we did get to talk to some people about the church and that was nice... But we got home at 11! apostasy! Anyway we came back and we went to see Morray and his car was parked in the middle of the road and this lady was standing outside the house. We asked if she was locked out and she said yes and we asked if Morray was home and she was like yes.... So turns out he broke up with her and now she was back for some kinda crazy revenge. So we were trying to get in and he wanted to keep her out but she did like a banshee leap into E. Klumker who I was on exchanges with and forced her way in... Women are crazy by the way... and we had like the most awkward 5 minutes of my life. In the end... he just ignored her and we had a sweet lesson and he agreed to be baptized though I have no idea how the lesson was so good considering the cirumstances with her right there on the couch...So we left and turns out she cut her wrists at his place was sent to a psychiatric hospital then sent home in Serowe half way across the country. So it was one heck of a Friday haha. But things are sweet in Botswana and I love it here. Our investigators are powerful and bit by bit we're establishing the branch here. It feels good, and the 20th is going to be a legend of a Sunday. Well talk to y'all on Sunday. Welcome home E. Smith the 27 month hiatus on long boarding is almost up! and for that... bones across the globe... Gosiami mense.