March 21, 2011

Hello Family and Friends,

This was a killer week, I feel TIRED lots and lots of work. Things are going generally really well. Mom, the thing that I mistakenly omitted from my last emails was in fact monkeys... Sometimes I forget I'm in Africa and as soon as I do I see a monkey swinging across the power lines. Monkey's are everywhere.

Sthembele and her family are still not baptized but Coach is coming to church every week and we're trying to plan the wedding for as soon as possible. They would get married tomorrow if we could find someone to marry them, they are so excited. Coach found a job where he works everyday but Sunday. You have no Idea how much of a blessing that is here. Even the elders quorum president cant come to church because of work sometimes. It's tough.

I spoke in church this week. I didn't have a whole lot of time so I reformatted the farewell talk on Moroni 7 I gave for your (my) ward in Utah. I would tell you it was exactly the same but I actually had to add in about 20 minutes on account of me being the closing speaker and the young man before me speaking for about 5. It went over really well, on top of Moroni 7 I also spoke about the origins of the term "Redeemer" and what it means to "take upon you in the name of Christ". I learned this from Institute, I'll give you a short summary in case you haven't heard this. There is an ancient Hebrew custom wherein if I could not pay my depts, say I had a bad season, my sheep died, etc. If there was some on in my community who felt for me they could pay my dept for expecting no money in return. The only thing they would ask in return would be for me to take upon me their name. So say for instance I went into to dept and I could't pay it and my neighbor was Devon Zangger. I would change my name to Scott Brazee Zangger. So that when I went into to market the next time and someone asks my name and I said "Scott Brazee Zangger" they would say "I didn't know you were related?" I would say " We're not, She is my redeemer and I owe my life to her, out of the kindness of her heart she has adopted me." It's a beautiful concept when you think about it. Think about that next time you hear the part in the sacrament prayer that asks to take upon you the name of Christ.

Also I listen to a talk this week ( I think it might also be a book) entitled "Believing Christ" many times we believe IN Christ, we believe he was real we believe he exsists. BUt many times we fail to BELIEVE Christ, take him seriously when he says that through his Grace we can be cleansed. That it's true we must keep all the commandments, but when we screw up, and we will. No amount of our effort can cleanse us. We get caught up in thinking we have to be perfect in order for the Atonement to work for us, that is opposite logic. anyways that could be a whole nother paragraph and a half just know you are all awesome no matter what you think.

We have Zone conference this week and I was asked to do a musical number, I hope it goes over well, I'll let you know what happens. Also my bed has become quit slumped in which is like sleeping in a metal hammock, I have become quit stiff necked as a result. I'm looking for a pad that I can put on it.

Other than that I am happy and healthy and only a little bit sunburned.

Love,

Elder Scott Milton Brazee