Week 4: Madadeni!

Sawubona umuntwana! click here for translation meaning!  

So this week is my first week in the legit field.   My trainer is super dope.  (Elder Thorsen) I'm in a place called Madadeni and it is definitely Africa.  We saw some springbok on the drive from Durban.  I went from jungle to desert.  We teach people in tin shacks and cement houses that they build themselves.  The other day one of our investigators and her family hadn't had food in 3 days so we brought her some pop and beans.  It really is sad how poor these people are, but they are the happiest people in the world! I have already seen miracles. Also some sketchy stuff has already happened and I will tell you guys in 2 years. haha. 

So were planning on going and wrestling with lions and stuff soon so that will be good photos.  haha (Mom sure hopes he is joking) This morning me and Elder Thorsen (my comp) Elder Eastmond and Elder Ibosa hiked to waterfall and this is Africa for sure.  Also the picture of the tin shack is the 1st counselors house. We had only 37 people that went to church.  The president of the branch told me to give a talk literally 2 min before I had to get up. lol. Here are the pictures finally. 

Love you all.

Here are a few words from his letter to us as well.  He said that the branch he is in is small and that they all have great conversion stories.  His flat is a house in Newcastle and they drive to Madadeni every day.  They are teaching a lot.  They have been fed good food.  The juice and fruit is to die for, best in the world.  He also told me not to send candy because apparently they have the best candy there.  They can drink water from the tap.  

This is Africa

Home to many Madadeni families

The arrival, testimonies, and assignment

Upon wakening this morning, I checked my emails and to my excitement there was one from Sister Thompson, the mission President's wife.  

Sister Huff,

We are so excited to have your son join us in Durban!  President Thompson and I picked up 14 missionaries yesterday.  Given the large number, we brought four cars to fit everyone (including the mission van).  

The email continued on to also talk about getting to know Landon and thanking us for raising such a faithful young man.  They also had a testimony meeting where all 14 shared their testimonies and how strong the spirit was.  

He also received his assignment last night and will be traveling 4 hours by car today to Newcastle to meet his companion Elder Thorsen.  He will be serving in the township of Madadeni.  She said that this District will be split next month and they are hoping to make it a Stake within a year.  "The people here are prepared to hear the gospel, and those who are already members are extremely faithful and committed!.  Some walk 13 kilometers to church every Sunday!"

We are so excited for Landon and look forward to hearing more about his area and the faithful people of Madadeni.  

These photos were on the mission blog site which you will find a link on this blog in the right column.  Landon looks so good.  So happy and healthy.  Excited to be there and go to work.  Love the new haircut.  

Arrival at the Durban Airport

New Elders for the Durban Mission

Singing at the airport

They gather around a piano at the airport and sing

Durban LDS temple 

At the Durban temple site

Dinner and testimonies

Testimony

His assignment - Madadeni 3 in Newcaselt with Elder Thorsen

Paper work

Overlooking the Temple site

Week 3: Welcome to Durban

Landon's MTC group.  16 Elders were joining him in Durban.  

Holy crap!  Durban is gorgeous!! It's a jungle on the beach and I freaking love it already!

I've only been here for a day but we got to see the new temple site and all the cool buildings and also the soccer stadium!! I also got to drive today which was way fun on the left side of the road!

It was sad leaving the some of the missionaries going to different places because the MTC is so small everyone become best friends.  Haha people are way more obedient here rather than Joberg.  Zulu is coming along pretty good!  I know basic conversation stuff on street and what not, but they laugh at me but say its okay!   

Man Africa is so fun! Some towns have super big houses its nutz! The ocean is of course beautiful. I have been seeing a lot of skaters! To bad I'm in a car I'd challenge them to some skate.  The people here are super humble.  
I don't know who my trainer is or where I'm going yet, because its only 14:00 here.  By the way the system down here throws me off but I',m freaking rich! (I believe he is referring to the metric system and monetary value) every thing is seriously a couple bucks compared to back home. 

I gotta watch out for these monkeys.  They are not the brightest and I don't like them very much.  Have fun!  Live it Up Love it Down.

 Je T'aime(i love you in French) laterz
Elder Huff

There are lives to Brighten, there are hearts to touch, there are souls to save

- Thomas S Monson

Week 2: Sawubona! Hello

Landon is doing very well it seems.  I feel like in his emails that he is limited on time.  He said he only has 30 min to read and reply.  Reading his emails I feel like he has million thoughts running through his mind and he is trying to type as fast as he can.  I do edit, because I am a mom and I am a little ocd about grammar, not that I'm the best grammar corrector myself, but it is a little easier to read.  I try and keep his personality in the message as much as possible.  

Pre mission photo:  Credit Pam Hall photography

Sawubona abantu!!  Means hello people!
I'm learning Zulu and it is so easy!!  This week went by so fast.  I'm in the happiest prison ever! The temple trip was so sick!! I loved it! By the way the temple is tiny.  Johannesburg smells like smoke all the time and what not! We can't leave the compound because it's to dangerous! I'm having fun playing soccer everyday!  The food is supreme here!  They are cheeky because they try to feed us a lot.  We won't be fed our entire missions. (I highly doubt this, but maybe not as much as they do in the MTC or some areas of his mission.) I'm stoked to get out to Durban.  All these Africans kill me. They are hilarious! Anyways I leave a week from today so that is good!  I'm learning a lot.  My mission president makes me laugh! Ngithanda abantwana!  (Translation: I love children) They are the best. It's so sad here because when we were driving to the temple there was a mom and a baby boy begging for money on the street. By the way, the drivers here are nuts and the cops don't do anything here! Everything is kilometers and stuff!  Sorry if my grammar sucks I don't have any time! I'm so stoked and the MTC is freaking easy and I hate it but I  love it and most of all I love the people! So many languages. You guys have fun in America.! I will be 10,000 miles away just playing soccer.   

love you guys

Landon also mentioned in his email to us that he has a new companion from Missouri, (Elder Hinnen)

Elder Hinnen from Missouri.  From his mom's FB page.

who he likes and gets along with very well.  He loves learning Zulu and he also had an opportunity to teach English to some Elders from the Congo who speak French.  He mentioned how it was so cool to read and understand French when he has never spoken it before.  He say the gift of tongues has been a blessing.  

Week 1: Yebo, yebo!

Translation: Yes, yes!  (Zulu language)

I think the last 7 days were the longest 7 days of my life.  We were all very anxious to hear from Elder Huff.  Though it was very short and not full of to much detail, it did give us a small gimps of what he is doing at the Johannesburg MTC.

Johannesburg MTC - Smallest in the world capacity 38

Hey guys I don't have much time, but this Africa place is freakin nutz!  I love it here in the smallest MTC in the world hanging with all my French speaking Congo friends!! We play Fut-ball every day and these kids are gonna be pro one day I swear!! Anyways so far its been a breeze! Yebo yebo!!  I've been picking up on like 4 languages so yeah I've seen the gift of tongues in full power with these Congo guys! Such big hearts! Love you all and sorry I cant send pics yet but I will out in the field.

I'm alive...

I think!

I've been told by others that sending the 2nd missionary is easier because you've done it before.  Wrong!  It was harder with Landon.  Not really sure why, but it was.  His flight to Salt Lake and Atlanta went well. Atlanta to Johannesburg was delayed a couple hours.  Which just made an already long day longer.  I am one of those moms who tracked the flight all the way there.  When I knew he had landed in Johannesburg, I then began watching for my email.  Surprisingly enough it was not to long before I got the email.  I was ecstatic.

Landon Paul Huff 

hey i got to the mtc finally... im alive and well i think! the roads throw me off bad. But its fun.  In SLC i met 15 kids going to the same mission.  turns out were the whole mtc too so fun.  anyways goodnight love ya.

Landon was a little sunburned from spending the previous day outside at a water-park. 



He told Maysa to have fun at school.

He told Hayden to find a girl and get married

He told Aubrie to enjoy High school 

He gave his dad an extra long hug. As Dan tried to pull away so I could get my hug, Landon pulled him back tighter.

My hug was not long enough. I squeezed him so tight I was afraid to let go. I think it was harder this time because I have already experienced it and I know how long 2 years really is.  Can't wait for my next hug in 730 days, 104 weeks or 24 fast Sundays. But who's counting! Looking forward to Tuesday MTC p-day!  

The call to serve.

On Friday March 10, 2017 Landon received a large white envelope in the mail.  He was in Sun Valley on a ski trip with the 6th ward.  So we had to wait until Saturday evening to open his call.  It was so hard for me to not steam it open and see where he would be serving.  But he was patient and I knew I could be too. 

He had many friends come to support him as he opened his call. 

Elder Landon Huff you have been called to serve in the Durban South Africa Mission.  You will report to the MTC in Johannesburg on July 6th.  You will teach the gospel in the English Language.

Landon and his Presli.  Love both of them.  She also received a call to serve and will leave July 12th to serve in Colorado Springs Colorado mission.