Dear Family and Friend from South Africa March 13, 2011,
We had a really good week. I want to start with Thursday when we taught piano at Dannhouser and Dundee. We pick up a new girl at Dannhouser and she is very shy but she is trying very hard. We then went to Dundee and the Mother said the boys were off, so no piano lessons today. I said we found some clothes in the garage and we thought they could use some of them. One of the older boys we teach for two weeks in a row has had the t shirt that was pretty thread bare at the shoulders. So, we gave him two new shirts and the other boy one shirt. The rest of the clothes was for toddlers 2 to 4 and then some six year old clothes. Elder Hudson had called the contractor to meet us at the house and we told the Mother we would just sit there and wait for the contractor. He was over thirty minuets getting there. Well, they started trying the clothes on the kids and one by one they came out to the car with their new t shirt or short and t shirt and thank us for the clothes. It was so cute to see the little kids just beaming with their new clothes. One of the little girls came out in three different outfits. She not only gave her grand kids the clothes but she shared with her neighbors and gave some of them clothes. One grandmother(Go Go) came out of the house and thanked us for the clothes. She didn't speak a lot of English but I knew what she was trying to say. I then decided to take a picture of the kids. They all got in line for the picture. As soon as I had taken the picture they swarmed me to see their picture. One of the little ones we couldn't find in the picture so I said I need to take another. They started lining up again. The little girl was again lost in the group. I found her and brought her to the front where we could see her. Again they all swarmed me to see the picture. I am going to bring my camera in and print a picture just on regular paper and take them. I don't have any photo paper. I did find some at Game and will buy some photo paper. This was our high light of the week, to see these shining faces.
Today, Saturday we went out in the country to visit two different families that have been assigned to us because they are so far from town. We are the visiting teacher and the home teacher. I taught the lesson today and next month I told Elder Hudson he could teach the lesson. They live in a concrete house with a concrete floor and a tin roof. Today the temperature was in the 90's and we sat in this house getting very warm. The mother was really happy to see us and she said I was thinking about you today. The father broke his leg in November and they had to put pins in it. He is still having trouble getting around on it. It swells up if he is on it too long. They had five kids there and only two were theirs. One boy was his brothers son. Really very nice kids and all so polite. Then we had to drive to the second family which was about 60 miles from Ladysmith. All in all we put 100 miles on the car. The second family the mother and dad had gone to a funeral that was in the neighborhood. We visited with the niece and gave her the message. The niece is a member and she teaches in primary in Ladysmith.
Tomorrow we are going to Dundee. It is their Branch Conference. One of my students is going to play a song by reading the notes. He is playing both hands but only one note at a time. His grandmother is really excited, so am I.
The Elders want go out to the farm for their District activity. So, Friday when my piano students didn't show up at Ezakheni we drove out to the farm. This farm has been in the family since 1865. This is five generation. They have cattle and Tyler is here learning what he can from this farmer. Tyler is going to cook hamburgers and we will take the rest of the food. The Elders want to play soccer and the owner has a really big yard for them to play soccer.
Well at half past three today we had a lightning and thunder storm. It would flash out the window and then the thunder would roll across the sky. It was so loud a couple of times I jump and let out a scream. We also got some rain and hail about the size of a pea. You have never heard thunder like it thunders here in South Africa. This has helped to cool off the day. It has really been a very hot week. The temperatures have been in the nineties.
We went to church in Dundee today and they just have some ceiling fans moving the air around, but it didn't move it fast enough to cool you off. Our student played the piano today. He played the song out side before we went in just perfect. He did make one mistake when he played for everybody. It was very good because he was reading the notes. We are to start at 9am. It didn't start until 9:15 and went to 11:15. Then we separated for classes. I went to primary to help teach some songs. One song is not in the Children's Primary Song Book, so I played it and taught the kids some of the words. The Relief Society and the Priesthood all meet together. They finally broke up at 12:15. Church is to be over at 12. Some of the leaders went to the old building that Dundee use to meet and and came about 10:45. It was a good meeting, just not done in the time frame. We have to remember this is the first generation of members here and they are still learning. The young ones coming up will make really good members. The kids all crowded around the key board because one of their members had played and I think they want to just know more about the key board. It was a lot of fun.
The public affair couple are on their way here and will spend the night with us. We have a zone activity tomorrow, but will save all about that for next weeks letter. I hope you are enjoying hearing what we do. I know it is not real exciting but we are enjoying and loving the people here. They love the gospel and try to live the commandments. They know the Bible really good. They would put me to shame. We are reading the Book of Mormon for the second time since we got here.
We love you
Sister and Elder Hudson
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