Week of Witnessing

                        April 1-8, 2015

                         Easter Week

In tandem with a world wide initiative by the Church called #BecauseHeLives, President Dunn felt inspired to use this opportunity with outstanding visual materials and an amazing online video about the Savior, to call upon our SAJM missionaries to focus from April 1-8 in a "Week of Witnessing" of the reality of the living Christ. It is an intensive finding effort where groups of missionaries descend upon malls, petrol stations, parks, etc. to share this unique Easer video and message.

"As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in these latter days, we have also been charged with testifying of the realities of the Savior's Atonement and Resurrection...Like those angelic messengers in the meridian of time, we also declare, 'He is not here, for He is risen' (Matt 28:6)
 He lives. And because He lives, we too can know peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come. (D&C 59:23)" ~Elder Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, March 2015


This initiative and our unique approach to it in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission (SAJM) has brought renewed energy for contacting and finding. The day our banners arrived was exciting. The office couples took pictures of the two banner versions and the AP's, who worked with President Dunn to order these for every zone.

Each zone has one visual aid to use in and record numbers of pass along cards specific to this initiative. Below are missionary zones that we have been able to contact with. It has been a great experience to share the message of Easter with people, while driving them to the website.

Day One: Two districts in the Bedfordview Zone gathered together on Wednesday April 1 and made plans of where to go contacting. We split up and headed out after instructions were given.

These 4 beautiful seminary students helped the effort by neatly writing the missionaries numbers on hundreds of pass-a-long cards before we headed out.

The Kwa Thema District enjoyed the chance to ride in the mission van en route to the contacting spot.

On the streets of Kwa Thema Township near the Taxi Stand

Lots of opportunity to talk to many people during the 2 hours we were there.

Every now and then, members would come by to see how we were doing and let us know they were happy to help. These two men are currently serving in the Kwa Thema Ward as the mission leader and the elders quorum president.

President Dunn was great at talking to anyone and everyone!

Elder Stilgoe even contacted cars that stopped in the road. He was fearless.

As the sun started to go down, we ran out of pass-a-long cards. Instead we stood by the banner and waved at cars and people going by, pointing to the website.

We then drove over to ShopRite, where the other half of the group had gone. We took a quick picture before we packed it up for the evening.

You can see the missionary efforts to pick up the sign and move it to where the people are. This is a cue for the ATM. While standing in line, missionaries put this banner right on front of people. We had good reaction from this contacting effort.

Day Two: We join with the Benoni Zone out in Secunda. We met up at a local mall and talked to everyone that came by. It was fun to be with these Elders.

Elder Cluff, Elder Ratsimbazafy, Sister Dunn, Elder Natwijuka and Elder Wild did this fun contacting with us. We later followed them to the Secunda Chapel and met up with a young woman preparing for baptism this Sunday. All in all, it was a great visit.
Day Three: Roodepoort Zone
On Friday April 4, 2015, we gathered at the Roodepoort Mall and did contacting with another set of great missionaries.Pictures above is  Elder Kairu, Silvester, Smith and Quigley, getting ready to descend upon the area of Krugersdorp.

Elders Silvester and Quigley set up to have members from join together with this effort. Here they are all singing with the Venski and Swarts family. It is great when the children, Jaden and Crystal join together with their parents to come and sing and hand out pass-a-long cards!

Elder Brown and President Dunn

Lots of contacting happened outside of Presidents Mall.

Again, the coolest part of this effort with the Roodepoort Zone, was taking the initiative to invite members to participate. It was thrilling ot have 2 families come and share the message of Easter with the Elders. Below is the Ryall family. The parents sent a great example and these young children made a big effort to talk to as many people as possible. Great effort today!

Other pictures sent into our office from other Zones:

Sunnyside Elders in Pretoria

Elder Thompson being creative with the signage.