Oct. 13, 2009 - O'Dell's Weekly Letter

October 13, 2009


Dear Family, Friends & Loved Ones.

Greetings again from South Africa. Time seems to fly by so fast as it is time to write again. We love telling you about our weeks and adventures and hope you enjoy reading about them! Ha!!

We hope you all enjoyed conference as much as we did. It is always so spiritually uplifting to hear the Prophet and all the General Authorities. It strengthens one's testimony so.

We didn't have anything planned for P-Day so we went to the church in the afternoon and watched the movies we told you about last week with the elders. They really enjoyed them.

We had a family home evening with Gary & John O lene and we watched one of these movies. They really enjoyed it. They are anxious to be baptized but we have to get them married first as they are living together. I think this will happen before long. The smoking problem, I believe is pretty much over. They seem like such such good people and they want us there everyday but we can't be there all the time.

We have been very busy this week on teaching lesson appointments. So many of the people we visit want us older missionaries there and we enjoy this. I think they have a respect for the older people. People over here don't live very long; they die at young ages for the most part.

On Tuesday we showed Desiree an old conference talk by Pres Eyring. She was not able to attend Conference. She had tears in her eyes during the whole talk as she was so touched. She always tells us how grateful she is for us. She says her life is happier now than it has ever been. She is worried about her husband as he seems so unhappy. He always seems to be gone a lot. He has been there a few times and seems like such a good man. We know that the gospel could bring much happiness and fulfillment to his life, like it has to his wife Desiree. Desiree just got a new car, it is BMW convertible sports car. It is white. It is so nice, she wants to take us for a ride some time. We are so glad for her as she is such a GREAT person.

We pray continually that the church will grow here and that the people will open their hearts to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ into there lives. Especially when you know the joy and happiness that it brings into their lives when they embrace the gospel.

We have been working a lot with Clifton and Elizabeth. They want to be baptized so bad, but again we have to get them married first. BUT, first Clifton has to get a divorce from his first wife. He has put in for it and hopefully this will be complete shortly.

Well I had another birthday last Friday. They keep coming and making me older even though I don't feel older. I guess the gray hair (what hair there is) and being hard of hearing is a definite sign. I guess things could always be worse. For my birthday we had a 2 hour district meeting as we do every Friday and sometimes for 3 hours. Them we came to our flat and Sister. O fixed cheese crisps, ham sandwiches, cookies, ice cream, fresh chocolate covered strawberries and some cup cakes filled with strawberries. It was all very good!! They had me blow out candles several times, but we couldn't get them up to my age before they were burning up. The elders gave me a nice card they all wrote on.

Sister O made my birthday really nice. She is such a wonderful person and everyone loves her so much. She is such a great wife and I love her so much. She gave me a beautiful card, a really nice golf shirt and a used driver, like new. It is like I have at home so that I can go to the driving range and hit some golf balls once in a while.

Then we went to Plettenberg Baai for a baptismal interview for our African son George. I am going to baptize him next Sunday Oct. 18. This is really exciting for us, our first one. We got home after 6pm. We had some more strawberries, cupcakes and Sister O fixed some nachos with jalapeno. We were tired and ready for bed by this time. ( old remember) Ha!!

On Sunday we had a young man about 20 double over in pain during sacrament meeting. Pres. Matsaluka went to check on him and I went with him. Pres. Matsaluka asked me if I would take care of this and I said I would be happy to do so. I got Elder Botes and Nyoka to help walk him to the car as he couldn't walk. We then took him and his mother to their home in Thembalethu to get his medical card so that we could take him to the emergency room at the hospital. On the way I stopped and got my anointed oil to anoint him and to give him a blessing. After this we took him to the hospital. I got them checked in and I needed to get back to teach my Priesthood lesson. After church Sister O and I went back to the hospital to check on him and his mother. When we got there the young man seemed fine and was walking around. Sometimes it is so amazing the strength that a priesthood blessing has. I have had a number of opportunities to give priesthood blessings. What a privilege it is to have the blessings of the priesthood in one's life. It can enrich our lives more than we can realize and in so many ways. The young man had taken a few of the missionary lessons, and when we took him home he and his mother stated that they wanted the missionaries to keep coming and teaching them so they could be baptized. They need to have all the lessons and be qualified in order to do so.

Sunday we had rain off and on all day. We had the elders for dinner as always, and we all enjoyed spending time together and sharing some spiritual thoughts etc.

Well it is about time to close. We want you to know how blessed Sister O and I are for serving here in South Africa. We love all of you so much and miss you more than you know. I want to thank all my children for the calls wishing me a Happy Birthday. You are a joy to me always.

We are so grateful for your love, prayers an support. Stay close and live the gospel principles and we promise that your lives will be blessed, as ours have.

Love Always
Elder & Sister O'Dell
Dad & Mom (Grandpa Woody & Grandma)