1st week in the field!

Hello my wonderful family! I am finally out in the field in Klergsdorp, South Africa! My companions name is Elder Albertson, as you already know, and let me just tell you what an amazing trainer he is. I am truely blessed to have such a great trainer. We get along great. He enjoys working hard and keeping all of the rules. He is an amazing example to me and is teaching me how to be a great missionary. He is also the district leader and has been out in the field 21 months (lucky) and I will probably be his last companion. He knows almost every language here. Klergsdorp is a very diverse area. There are a good amount of both whites and blacks and we teach and go to rich areas and poorer areas. We are on a biking area and we only get a car two days of the week. The other days the other two elders Elder Smith and Elder Bais, who was in the MTC with me, get the car. They serve in a township called Joberton. Where I am isn't a township, but it's pretty urban. Our flat is right next to a member named Brother Jubber, an old Afrikaans member who owns the flat and works at the temple throughout the week. We are about 2 hours outside of Joburg. We have been teaching like crazy. Our main goal right now is to teach father lead families because we need priesthood holders to be leaders of the church. We serve in a branch by the way. It's really small but the members are great. We had a baptism yesterday for a woman named Sister Meise. Right now we have 10 people on date for baptism so I guess we're doing pretty well. Some of the stories here are amazing and heartbreaking. I feel so blessed to live in America and the blessing I have in the church as well as with my family. I am convinced that the is no one in the world who loves their family as much as I do. Right now I am sitting in an internet cafe. We get an hour each week to write emails every Monday. The only way we can get mail or packages is when we go down to the office in Joburg or someone comes up from the office, which only happens every 4 to 6 weeks, and sometimes maybe longer. Luckily our district is going down for interviews tommorow so hopefully the packages you sent will be there then. I'm glad you got the letters I sent to you guys. If people want to send packages or letters they can do it through the Private Bag X4 address you have, or through the P.O. box 30150 address you have. I don't know my home address yet but I'll see if people are allowed to send me letters there, but I don't know if it's against the rules.Also if you want to watch a movie about the mission work in Africa you can call this number 1-800-962-8061 to get the DVD. Being on a mission is the hardest thing ever! I love teaching people and testifying of the gospel, but it is hard to be away from home. That is the major struggle for me right now is getting over home sickness. Remember when I went to Clear Creek and I called you guys after 2 days to come and get me. Well now I'm on a mission for two years! The missionaries say that after about the first three months time really starts to fly, and after the first year it really goes fast. I sure hope so. Not that I don't love being on a mission but I am awefully far from home and my family. But I guess everyone goes through it. I still haven't heard who one the tournament. It's good to hear how well the Sox did against the Yankees. Hopefully they'll get better than their starting 0-6 record. So is Carsen living in my room now? That would be crazy. Oh by the way, I sent a letter to you guys for Trevis, Jaren, and Ryan so if you just want to get it to Trevis' mom that would be great. Tell Grandpa I said happy birthday and tell everyone I said hi and that I love them so much. Also tell people they can start emailing me. It would be great to hear from everyone, especially the kids and my friends. Well there is so much I can tell you, but I'll save some more for my other letters so I actually have something to write. We will write our letters every week around 10:15 our timeint the morning so if you want to do some quick back and forths that when we can do it. Hopefully I've answered all of your questions. Love you all a ton and will try to send some pictures if I can get it figured out. Stay strong and pray that I will endure my mission well.

Love,
Elder Chandler Kendall

Chandler at the airport and meeting new Elders!

Favorite Pictures of the Day Chandler received his call!

Chandler's Memories of getting his call to South Africa!

Dear Brother and Sister Kendall,

I am pleased to inform you that your son, Elder Chandler Kendall, has arrived in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission and he is doing wonderfully. We are delighted to have him serving with us in the Mission. Elder Kendall will serve initially in the Klerksdorp Area of the Roodepoort Zone. His companion and trainer is Elder Tyler Albertson from California.

I’ve also attached a group photo of the missionaries your son served with in the MTC who also came to our mission, as well as a photo with Sister Poulsen and me.



Uplifting and supportive letters from home are important to missionaries. We encourage you to write or e-mail your son weekly. His email address throughout his mission will be chandler.kendall@myldsmail.net
In fact email communications are preferred.
For Letters and Documents sent through pouch (no checks or photographs)
Elder Chandler Kendall
South Africa Johannesburg Mission
P. O. Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-01550

For Packages and Letters sent through Postal Service
Elder Chandler Kendall
South Africa Johannesburg Mission
Private Bag X4
Ansfrere 1711, South Africa

Packages should be labeled “Missionary Supplies” and be valued less than R300 in order to avoid high custom charges. Missionaries may also receive mail by fax to the Mission Office. We put faxes into the post (mail) delivered to missionaries. The least expensive parcel maybe the US Postal Box which has a flat rate. For secure items please use Fedex or DHL and the physical address: 3 Phillips Avenue, Discovery 1709, South Africa.

We appreciate your support of your missionary and thank you for sharing him with the South Africa Johannesburg Mission. Attached you will find a picture that we took soon after his arrival.

Sincerely,


David E. Poulsen, President
South Africa Johannesburg Mission
The Greatest Mission in the World!
Private Bag X4
Ansfrere
Republic of South Africa

Final Week at SAMTC

Just a few quick notes before I start talking about my week. We can't print things here, but that might change in the field, so I wasn't able to print the fathers blessing. I hope you used Romans 8:16-18 for my plaque. I haven't recieved any package yet but hopefully it will come today. I don't know if you guys got my letters yet. I think they said it takes 10 days to get there. I sent more to the kids on Monday and the ones I sent you last Saturday should be there early next week. Email is great, and it works well to write you every week with it, but I also like getting real letters from people because I don't have time to email them every week. Tell Savanah thanks by the way for the letter she sent me. I guess DearElder.com workds really well. Also let me know how you want me to write all of those thankyou notes. I haven't had time to do any at all so far. Anyways here is how the week went. First of all I think I am adjusting a lot better. I still miss home a TON!, but I think I'm getting used to it more and more. Tuesday we went to the temple again and we were able to do sealings. It was an awesome experience and really gave me perspective about my role as a missionary. Then we had a fireside with one of the senior couples around here and were able to go to the Distribution center. The rest of the week was pretty normal. We just have been having classes and firesides. The teacher for our district Sister Nkokla, got married yesterday so that was exciting, even though we didn't go. Also yesterday night we met with some of the local members to practice teaching and share a message. My companion and taught two lessons and had seven people in each one. It was crazy. Besides all of the fences here and the high crime rate, I think you would really like it here. The weather is really nice and the countryside is really green. Oh, also on Monday the local missionaries stoped by to play sports because it was their P-day. We have sports time every day so we were able to talk to them. I met two Elders from Lone Peak and they said that once I am out in the field that there will be six of us Knights. Also we don't get to watch conference this weekend. We have to wait until the end of the month. Bummer, I know. But I hope you guys enjoy it. Today we get to go out tracting with the missionaries around here. I'm so excited to start doing some actual work. They show us a lot of videos here of actual missionaries teaching and it just makes me want to get out of here and start teaching. We go to our first transfer meeting on Tuesday where I'll meet my trainer and learn what area I'll be assigned to. I'm way excited. Hopefully my friend Elder Bangeter will be my trainer. That would be awesome. Anyways my time is running out and I've got to go get ready to meet the other missionaries. Tell Craig and the team I'm proud of them and let everyone else know how much I love them and miss them. I love you Mom and Dad will continue to pray for everyone every day.

Love, Chandler