South Africa Cape Town | Tips for New Missionaries

	South Africa Cape Town

We compiled this list of tips for new missionaries, and hope you'll find them helpful as you prepare for a great experience.

You returned missionaries, send us your contributions, and we'll add them to the list.

Remember that it is the Spirit, not you, that converts. Learn to say "We" instead of "I" when talking about successful moments. Even if you had the brilliant thought or answer, just learn to humbly include your companion in it. Because every brilliant idea really comes from the Spirit's whisperings and if you are unified, you will be more worthy of getting more whisperings.
Love EVERY companion. No matter how they could bug you, LOVE their quirks as the Savior would. Some people just don't seem to want to be loved but Christ loves them anyway, 1 John 4:19.
Your companion can be your best friend if you let them. You don't necessarily have to share you deep, dark secrets with them, but it's ok to be friendly with them and get to know them. After all, you are with them 24/7 so you might as well make the best of it and gain a best friend. I loved all of my companions (ok, all but one) and they really become some of my best friends ever.

Study the Book of Mormon NOW! They encourage reading it in the MTC, you may not have time to read all of it there!
Study the discussions NOW! Just get familiar with them they will instruct you when you get to the MTC, etc.
No matter what, do not get discouraged in the MTC. The schedule is rigorous but so neat. There is no way you can be prepared enough. Remember, it is the Lord's work and He makes up the difference. Just have patience with yourself and learn to totally trust the Lord.
Thrive on Companion Study. Try to learn something from each companion. Be an equal partner in this companionship. Take note of how many times your morning study topic applies to a specific person that you meet.

Learn to love people and "the people." These people are very easy to love. Let yourself enjoy the rich culture.
Don't ever fight, debate, slam, bash, etc., with anyone! You loose the spirit and have to fight alone. It is not worth it. President Hinkley basically issued the command for us not to at Conference, end of story.

Don't ever count away the days of your mission. It is all over too quickly. You have to enjoy every hard no teaching, contacting day. Love the hardest moments and you will thrive. It is hard to love the Gospel so much and feel like no one will listen, but just when you think no one will listen, you'll be blessed with a golden contact. Think about the moments when you are planting seeds for future generations, I planted some for you and I harvested those that others before me had planted.
Take lots of pictures. Take pictures of homes and boardings. Take pictures of your favorite people, write down their names and addresses. Pictures of people will mean the most to you ten years later. Put yourself in the pictures too.
Do visit the top of Table Mountain, and Muizenburg beach looking at Table Mountain.
Keep the names of some contacts who were not quite ready and send referrals to your mission in a few years.
Buy three-ring journal paper in a Journal binder. Leave the binder home but take the paper. Write all your letters to your family on the journal paper and they can keep it for you in the journal. It saves a lot of writing time in your journal on mission! You don't have to write everything twice.

(Sisters) Buy skirts with pockets. You wouldn't believe how convenient there are.
(Sisters) Take one or two nice dresses for occasions like zone conference so you can feel like a girl every now and then.
(Sisters) Take changeable skirts and tops that mix and match. Lots of light, solid-colored, short sleeved shirts.
(Sisters) Don't bring full waisted nylons, just knee-highs. Trouser socks are nice in the winter.
You will have more hot weather than cold. Bring outfits that can be layered--I went 18 months with only one month of kind of cold weather!
(Sisters) Bring clips to pull your hair BACK--it's VERY windy, especially in Cape Town.
No matter what they say, you DO need shorts for P-day. (who goes to the beach in pants?)
Bring P-Day shoes sturdy enough for hiking--if you're lucky you'll hike Table Mountain!

I was just informed that since U.S. sanctions were lifted, McDonald's is now a part of this great country. There is a Pizza Hut on the Durban beach front.
Do try Ostrich Steak! And Impala!
Don't eat a lunchmeat called Braun if you can help it. ;-P
There is a pizza place in Cape Town, called St. Elmo's, that oven bakes their pizza and the Lasagne is to die for. Plus the calzones were incredible! At least they were back in 1988.
Cape Town also has an Aris Souvlaki on the beach front just about under Lion's Head at Sea Point. They serve gyros. If it is still there, you can bet the missionaries still go there on P-day.
Another food favorite is the "Mexican Kitchen" in Cape Town. A Mexican restaurant that actually serves real tortilla chips and salsa, and usually features an all you can eat buffet.
Pizza inn. in Port Elizabeth was a missionary favorite for the lunch buffet and of course the little after dinner white mints.

Get ready for cockroaches the size of a cassette tape. Don't think that storing your toothbrush upside down in a glass will keep it roach free. Roaches can climb! Expect to find roaches in your cereal box. Memorize the word DOOM (roach killer that will become your friend.)
If someone tells you to try eating a flying ant because they taste like peanut butter, well, your call.

Remember there is no Deseret Book and it takes FOREVER to order from Johannesburg, so stock up before you go! Bring stickers, 5X7 church pictures, highlighters, etc.
Bring a present for your trainer. If you are American, stuff from home is great to another American, and also to the African sisters! Bring American candy (particularly peanut butter stuff like reeces, they don't have it) and stuff from Deseret Book.
Bring art supplies, especially if you are creative. You'll be amazed how often you need colored paper, scissors, and markers.
Here's another suggestion from a missionary whose scriptures were stolen in Namibia--bring two sets! Leave your favorite set home to study with, and take a small light weight one out with you. People WILL try to rob you--I got robbed three times! (I didn't get hurt, don't worry. You're a big girl.)
Make SURE you fill out your papers for Namibia. I didn't understand what they were but I did it anyway. Namibia is the country next to South Africa with only one branch in the whole country. It is the BEST, especially for sisters! Fill out your papers so you can get admitted into the country. (If Pres decides to send you there!)