South Africa Mission 9/7/2010

Hello Family and Friends,         (we send our love and blessings and thanks for your support)

Last Monday we had to run to the store and buy a food order to take to Ezakheni.  We went right out to Ezakheni with the food. 

We then came back and finished packing to go to Newcastle for zone development.  The Elders cooked lunch for us.  Dishon made flour tortillas.  Then cook hamburger, chopped onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and graded cheese.  We were to eat at 2 but it was 4:30 before they had all the tortillas made for 14 Elders and 4 senior missionaries.  The Elders play UNO and soccer.  When they left for appointments the seniors played Mexican Train-domino game.

Tuesday we met at the chapel and the zone leader conducted a training session.  It was very good and we learned some great tips.  We closed with everyone bearing their testimonies.

Wednesday we had some new experiences.  We had to mail reports to Durban.  They were to go by fast mail.  There were two long, long lines.  After standing for about ten minutes, a lady came out asking people what they needed.  We were sent to a much shorter line.  We then bought four bowels of Kentucky fried chicken.  We told the two missionaries that work in Ezakheni branch we would bring them lunch at noon.  They had three afternoon appointments that they wanted us to go on.  On the way out we had three little pigs cross the road in front of us.  We have to watch for goats and cows all the time.  The animals just run free.  We visited a Baba and Mama whose house was made of corrugated metal sheets for the walls and the roof.  They had their bed in the room with couch and chairs.  They also had a tv.  A lot of the houses are made of blocks they make from mud and straw.  Some houses are even cement blocks.  Most don’t have indoor toilets.  They have out houses.  Some don’t have electricity or running water.  They have to carry their water.  But these people want to believe we have a heavenly Father.  They are very spiritual.

When we drive anywhere we see people walking out on the road side.  Sometimes we see no house.  These people walk everywhere or stand at the roadside to catch a taxi to town.  They just seem to wander everywhere.

We visited Lorraine Thursday.  The Elders went to Ezakheni to do a service project.  The project was tilling the garden, not with a tractor, but with a shovel by hand.  We actually visited six families last week.

We had Newcastle District Conference Saturday and Sunday in Newcastle.  We went up Friday and stayed with the Ward’s.  We finally met the Mission President Von Stetten and his wife.  He took us to dinner at a Chinese Restaurant---Elder Hudson’s favorite.  It was good too.   We found a Chinese Restaurant here in Ladysmith, but I didn’t like what I had.  We had Elder Collin H Bricknell of the Seventy here at the conference with his wife.  We also had President Dalldorf 2^nd Counselor Johannesburg Temple and his wife.  It was a great conference.  Three bus loads of people were brought from different areas.  I played the piano.  My piano teacher would have been so proud of me.  I am the only piano player in the district.  I have six students so far who want to learn to play.  We start lesson this week. We love being here and love the work and people and we need your prayers and thoughts.