It's been a crazy week!

Hey dad
Ya its been a crazy week, I did not get my package yet but it will
come soon. Ya we just played risk on Christmas eve Christmas and new
years but we do play chess often if we have time. We actually have
this thing in are flat called mochudi kings chess league, I know it
sounds nerdy but its fun, I'm actually the current champ...not to brag
or anything,
And actually a correction I'm just training a ward missionary he is
part time, and all of us in the flat are like district leaders because
we do not have one at the moment, so we all take turns doing things.
But its been great this week, but really hard actually because I've had
to take the lead on everything, but I've grown a ton already and
become alot more confident in my teaching, you learn so much more when
you actually teach, I have also found this in my Sunday school
class. I actually taught the young single adults and Sunday school
this week because my last companion was the ysa teacher and he left so
I think they kinda dumped the class on me, it was fine though, it was nice
teaching somebody not 30 years older then me. But anyways I have just
realized that all the knowledge we take in is just useless if we do
not put it into action. And I know exactly what you mean about having
to rely on the spirit alot more, a couple days ago we were teaching
this girl that for the first time and all of a sudden she just starts
crying and telling us about these problems she was having and all
sorts of stuff, it really caught me off guard, and I had to just kinda
say what was on my mind. My companion does not really talk much in are
lessons so I have to do most the talking and its been helping me alot
getting out of my comfort zone, the mission president said always try
to go out of comfort zone, because that's where you will grow the most
and I think I have for sure been doing that.
O and gaps is slang I think. Its actually called Gaborone, its kinda
like a city I guess about 45 min away from Mochudi.
And thanks for the verses I will look at them tonight. Thanks alot though
I love your guys emails!
Love, Justin

Hey mom
Its good to hear from you, And yes dad always has something really
good to say I like reading the things he sends me, but yes this week
has been good me and my companion have been teaching some good lessons
I feel, actually we had one of the best lessons I have ever had last
wed, we were teaching this guy names motsamia and the lesson went so
good. Just a little background though, the day before me and my companion
set a goal to find 4 more priesthood holders and when we went to
motsamias house turns out that he has 3 other brothers and we also
took a ward member with us named Andre and he actually went to school
with motsamia! It was really crazy turned out they used to be like
good friend's, the point is is that I just found out how much the Lord
prepares people before they meet us, he also said recently he just
felt like he should stop smoking and drinking, it was really cool. I
also want to bear my testimony of the power of music, Bob Marley used
to think that he could actually like change peoples hearts and minds
with his music and I know for a fact that that really works. So we
went to this family that me a my previous companion had dumped but I
felt like we should go back there, the reason why we dumped them was
because in all the months I have been here not once they came to
church. But we went there and we just sang hymns with them with the
guitar, and they loved it. specifically hymn 100, that one is a
killer. people love it, but after about 6-7 songs the 2 daughters and
the dad said that they would come to church and guess what they
actually did, not all of them but it was nuts, after 3 months of
teaching them...nothing but go there once and sing they finally come,
its kinda cool don't you think? But ya sorry I kinda went on a rage
there.
I think that I have actually heard of that book before, my teacher
talked about it at the mtc it actually really sounded like a good book
so ya I would love to read it.
Ha ha i remember those days when we used to play monster, i miss that,
I'll have to do it when I get back though. Its funny how you miss little
things that you never really thought about before when your on your
mission. You even miss things that you like hated before you came on
your mission. Like remember how you always would call me if I was away
from home for like more than an hour and it would drive me to the
point of insanity...but I actually miss those little things, its
funny.  But I miss the kids like crazy, I even miss the times when
they would all come in my room screaming after a very hard day at
work. ya.......good times, but I'm in good times know to, I have really
loved my mission thus far and have learned more on my mission than 18
years of my life, not just in the gospel but in literally everything,
but I love to hear from you guys, tell everyone I say hi. Love ya
Love, Justin