20th January 2014

  Molwni!!  That is Xhosa language for all you malungu's (white people) back home! Haha, molweni is a greeting to more than one person! I am becoming Xhosa! But not really:) My first transfer is officially done with and it was amazing! N.U. 17 in Mdantsane is the best area I could have gotten as a new missionary! Everything is well here in Zion. 

  So this last week was good! Our investigators are progressing and we have 2 baptismal dates for the 16 of Feb. Two girls, Anelisa-15 years old, and Linda-16 years old. They have both been coming to church for over a year and attend seminary! They are awesome and are strong in the church. Hopefully we can get the 4 other investigators back into progress so that they can have baptismal dates again! The Holidays really killed their progress but now school is in and the holidays are done with so we will invite them again to enter the waters of baptism.
  I am learning to budget my money well and to only shop for things that are needed! I eat day by day and eat a lot of oatmeal! For breakfast of course. I love to put banana's in my oatmeal! It is heavenly:)
  I need to tell you all about my makulu (grandma) on mission! Her name is Sis. Ncokazi! Oh she loves us missionaries and we love her! She always is willing to feed us and she never fails to destroy us with food! She is truly an angel from heaven. She is an incredible lady. My district, Elders Prisbrey, Cowley, Black, and Olyabo, are going to get a picture of us with her, frame it, and give it to her before we all leave! She seriously is a sweet lady and I love her!
  Transfers are this Wednesday. Me, Elder Cowley and Elder Olyabo are staying for sure. Hopefully Elder Black stays as well. Elder Black is from Alabama and is a die hard Alabama fan! He is so redneck and so southern its hilarious. His accent is awesome!

  I miss you all dearly! Nkosi kakulu (thank you very much) for all you do!
  Endia Kutanda! ( I love you!)

 

 

 

 

Email dated: 31 December 2013

 

Favorite Scripture this week:

Doctrine and Covenants Section 121, Verses 7 and 8:

  7. My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;

  8. And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.

 

"...This last week, we did not teach a lot. Many appointments were dropped because it is the Christmas Holidays. But one lesson we did teach twice was Lesson 3. The Gospel Of Jesus Christ. So that is Chapter 3 of PMG Lesson 3. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the missionary purpose, which is:

    "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through FAITH in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST, and ENDURING THE END." That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end.

A scripture that I like is D&C 121:7-8. I can send you a new favorite every week if you like!

Advice for future missionaries. Learn to lean on your Heavenly Father. Like missionaries leaving home cannot lean on their parents anymore. They are forced almost to build a stronger and better relationship with their Heavenly Father. Another piece of advice is to learn Chapter 3 of PMG. Those are the lessons that missionaries teach people. Knowing those lessons and knowing scriptures to back up what you are saying is very important.

All the new missionaries and their trainers had a training in Cape Town this past Monday. So me, my father, Elder Thayne, and his father, took a road trip to Port Elizabeth to catch a flight to Cape Town. We drove on Sunday and flew Monday.  On Monday morning, about 40 missionaries hiked "Lion's Head" an amazing hike and it provides a beautiful view of Cape Town and the beaches, which really makes me want to go surfing, but I will resist!

We had a training from President Wood Monday night, and me and my father slept at another missionaries flat. Then this morning, we flew to Port Elizabeth, and we are here still. We are with the ZL of P.E. and we do not know where our fathers are. Whatever though. Today is New Years Eve and we will probably get back to East London late tonight. And tomorrow, we are not allowed in the area so we are confined to our flat. So I am in the process of having a 4 day vacation on mission and it is awesome.

By the way! Christmas was amazing for me and I hope it was pleasant for all of you. It was nice to see and talk to everyone!

Love,
Elder Prisbrey"

Love you all! Thanks for everything and do missionary work! Please! 
Email of 12.23.2013

 

Hello everyone!

     So I am doing well here in MD. I start my 3rd week today in mission today! Time is already flying. This last week was good! Last Tuesday was Zone Conference and we watched "Ephraim's Rescue" which I highly recommend. I also saw Bro. and Sis. Wheeler at Zone Conference! That was nice, and we talked for a good 30 min! I lost my voice last Monday and just regained it on Saturday! I have had a cough for a week now and it is slowly receding. Mom, you will be happy to hear that I am using the essential oils you sent with me! They help tremendously.

     On Saturday, our boarding did some service. We painted this less active ladies wall. Not the house wall but just a wall. We painted it pink according to her command! We didn't do to shabby either! Missionaries are Jacks of all trades. And even though the paint quality sucked, we made it look nice.

     I am picking up some Xhosa which is a dream come true! I can have a simple conversation but after that I am done for! All the little black kids call me "malungu" which means white person! haha its hilariouse but I reply, "enyama" which means black person! Then they get this confused look on their face and I give them a thumbs up and continue walking! Funny stuff.

     Elder Cowley and I have lots of work to do. We have 3 father lead families that are investigators. The Silotile family, the Moya family, and the Bobo Family.  They are all amazing people. The Bobo family wants to be baptized already! They have been taught before we came to them but I guess we were the right missionaries for them! The Lord truly prepares people for us Missionaries. It is incredible.

     It is super hot down here in MD and I want snow! Ha but I got burnt to a crisp painting that ladies wall. My arms looked like a lobster! The oils once again helped out tons.
    Love you all! Thanks for everything and do missionary work! Please!

Love,

Elder Prisbrey

From Paul and Kathy Wheeler, serving in the South Africa Cape Town Mission.
paulandkathywheeler.blogspot.com
December 16, 2013
Zone Conference


 
       Sister Kathy Wheeler, Elder Prisbrey and President Paul Wheeler


"We had the best time visiting with Elder Austin Prisbrey
 at Zone Conference. He is from our home ward (L5)."

12.16.2013

Hello everyone!

     So last Tuesday morning at 9:40 AM, I with 3 other missionaries from the Jo-Berg MTC left for Cape Town, where the mission home is located.  We got to the mission home and immediately went sight seeing! We saw Table Mountain and its peaks and learned some history about the area. I also saw Green Point Stadium, I think that is what it is called. That is where the World Cup (Soccer) was held a couple years ago. HUGE stadium though. That night I went in a threesome with Elder Barney and Elder Hixson. They are the assistants to the AP's and they showed me their area and some cool places. We had a fellowshipper with us (member, like going on splits) and they took us to a real ghetto area in their area with houses made out of tin. So it was all shacks. They had been here before and proselyted and I wasn't even scared! The fellowshipper was scared and he is South African! Haha very cool/funny first experience as a missionary. The next day I met my trainer Elder Cowley from Utah. And I also saw Elder Stratton which was awesome! When I saw him I called him, "Cam" just cause that is what I am used too! This is all so weird now!

     So my first area of my mission is the Mdantsane 3rd ward. You pronounce Mdantsane like dawnt-sawn-e. Horrible explanation but its a totally different culture here! Our area is full of coconuts, or rich blacks. Which is good cause its not as ghetto but that means the rich people have money to get drunk every day of the week it seems like! And the holiday season isn't helping either. But the drunks aren't aggressive which is nice.

     Our boarding, (flat or apartment) is in Cambridge by East London.  We aren't allowed to live in the area cause of the potential danger factor. Another big detail which isn't the greatest detail. My first area is a WALKING area!! And Mdantsane (MD) is a hilly township. The weather is humid and hot right now and I sweat all the time! Looks like I won't gain any weight in these first 3 months!! By the way that's how long I am here, 2 transfers. Transfers are 6 weeks long. On Christmas day I turn 1 month Old on the mission! In the Mission Home I found out I get home November 25, 2015. Which seems like a long ways away but I will not think about that now! My mailing address is the same I believe but here it is just in case.

 

Elder Prisbrey

South Africa Cape Town Mission

P.O. Box 181

Observatory

7935

Cape Town

South Africa

I almost wasn't able to email today which made me super sad! I guess its some public holiday today and all the email shops were closed! But we luckily found one and it made my day! I'll send some pictures today but not in this email. Patience is a virtue! 

 

I have been having so many deja vu's on my mission. Super weird and a lot of the missionaries that are in my zone, I feel like I have seen them before and they look so familiar! Weird but cool. Anyways my hands are spent and I still have to write President Wood!

  

Thank you for all your prayers and I miss you all! Say hello to anyone and everyone please! 

Love,

Elder Prisbrey

Elder Stratton (from Austin's home ward), unk Elder and Elder Prisbrey

 

12.10.2013
From: President and Sister Wood

Tuesday Elder Prisbrey arrived in SACTM (South Africa Cape Town Mission) with others of his MTC group.  The Elders received orientation to the mission all day Tuesday, and did missionary work with Elders from Cape Town area that night.  They spent the night at the mission home, and were assigned to their areas and trainers Wednesday morning.  Elder Prisbrey's trainer is Elder Cowley from Bluffdale, Utah.  We will allow him the opportunity to tell you all about his first week in the field, and his first area when he writes on Monday, his P-day.  Due to the great difference in time, you may want to write him on Sunday, so he will receive your emails on time.

Pictures were taken at Signal Hill (overlooking Table Mountain), and at the mission home.  We included several takes, so you may choose which you like best.  The group on the mission home lawn includes December transfer trainers and trainees. Trainers are on the top row.

We thoroughly enjoyed listening to him play the grand piano at the mission home.  We love piano players in this mission!

                                   Elder Austin J. Prisbrey in Cape Town, South Africa

President and Sister Wood with Elders (Elder Prisbrey front, 2nd from right)

                        

                                     Elder Cowley from Bluffdale, UT and Elder Prisbrey

Elder Prisbrey (front row, second from left)

Sister Janet Reber
South Africa MTC
12.10.2013


"The MTC is empty.  There is no more laughter in the halls.  The missionaries left this morning for their missions.  They were excited and ready to get out into the field.  I will most likely know their trainers. 

These are the final photos I'm sending to you.  It is the group photo that will hang on the wall of the MTC....and also a Preach My Gospel photo with them holding up their training manual.

Thank you to those who send me kind notes and helped me feel that it was worth the effort to email you."

Austin J Prisbrey (2nd row from front, 1st on right)