Dear Family and Friends,
We have been here 12 days and a lot has happened in such a short time. The first Saturday the wards were doing Helping Hands and we were lucky to help at two of the branches. Ladysmith donated blood. We had about 10 members able to donated blood. A few couldn't donated because they didn't have good veins. At the Eqakheni Branch there project was to help a childrens home. The young women cleaned windows and was dishes in the cupboards. The young men tilled the garden. All this was done by hand. A very humbling experience.
We have been to church at the Ladysmith Branch twice now. Elder Hudson was asked if we would teach the temple preparation class. This is five weeks of teaching. He has now taught two lessons. We are also going to go out to Ezakheni and teach the temple preparation class. We will do that a week from this Saturday. We both taught at Ladysmith today. We taught the Priesthood and the Relief Society together. My part was on self-reliance and Elder Hudson was on the Church Welfare Program.
Friday the branch President came to town with three sisters to buy the groceries for there Saturday family activity. We went to a grocery store, a meat market, and a store similar to a Costco. We paid for all the groceries. We also bought a food order for one of the sisters at Ezakheni branch. We have to go buy another food order tomorrow and take it out to Ezakheni. The branch is to pay us back out of their budget. We went to the Ezakheni Saturday for the braai---family party. A braai is a barbaque. They cook the meat over charcoal. They sing a hymn, opening pray, Elder Hudson gave a talk and one of the Missionaries gave a talk. The youth put of a play. It was really good, but because that had a lot of none members they talk in Zulu. But the play was about a family who are members and a family who are not and the husband has a drinking problem and is mean to his family. They invite the family to family home evening and then invite the missionaries over. It was very nice. Then the President invited the Relief Society to bear her testimony. She also gave in in Zulu, but I could tell she was very sincere.
Last Thursday the missionaries took us out in the country to visit some members. We thought it was really a long way out. We traveled a long way on dirt roads. One family had the flu and ask for blessings. The second family had his sister visiting and the Elders gave her a lesson. The lesson was very simple---that we have a Heavnly Father who loves us and wants us to be happy and he sent his son to die for us. They have to teach slowly so she will understand. The missionary also had to teach in Zulu for she does not speak English.
Now your Zulu lesson is this. Woman is called Mama and the Man is called Baba. The county is hilly and dry now. They said when the rains come it will green up. We found out that I am the only one in the Distric that can play the piano. So, I am playing for Sacrament. I need to practice some more. They do love to sing the hymns. They sing very good without the piano.
We get up everyday around 6. We study for two hours each morning. We have breakfast and then were ready for the day. We are trying to go out and drive just to see where they live and to get our bearings.
We pray everyone is well, we miss you and love. Mom & Dad Sister Hudson & Elder Hudson
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