Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, 

It's Back to Work We Go........

Elder and Sister DaBell September 2013 Visits and Activities 

(With apologies for making this into a book.....)

4 September Bokang and Awande Tshabalala came to spend the day.

We had a great time!

Elder and Sister Anderson

6- 8  September   We traveled to Bethlehem in the Free State and met Elder and Sister Anderson who had previously served in the Area Office.  













On the way we stopped at a 4-way stop out in the middle of nowhere.  There was a fellow selling rawhide whips.  After a demonstration, we bought one.  He was Abraham.

Bethlehem is a farming area.  It is beautiful.  Rolling hills, quaint farms. 







We stayed at the Cambridge Guest House.

This is the Bethlehem Branch building.

The Andersons arranged a Self-Employment Workshop attended by 22 people from the Bethlehem and the Phuthaditjhaba Branches.





  

This is Joseph January.

He is very busy and cute!!!!!

His Mother is Victoria January from Phuthaditjhaba.  She is investigating the church.  She will be baptized when she conquers her smoking habit.  She has asked that we pray for her

There was a lot of enthusiasm and many of the participants had the beginning of successful small businesses.  Sister Anderson organized a wonderful lunch.

On Saturday night, we were joined at the Cambridge Guest House by the Knudsens who were visiting Bethlehem to obtain an oral history from an Elderly brother.  We had dinner at the Park Hotel.  Nice B&B

On Sunday, we traveled some 65 km to Phuthaditjhaba Branch.  Phuthaditjhaba was an industrialized community of the 1970-80’s.  It was a black community that provided labour for many businesses.   After 1994 and the end of apartheid, the industries closed.  Many people from Phutha drive to the nearby communities of Bethlehem and Harrismith for employment.  The area is beautiful.  Great potential!

We were able to visit the future location of the Branch rental building.  It will be so much better than to the meeting place they now have, the Owa Owa School.  President Thusi is excited with the growth prospects.   

He currently walks 2 hours to get to church. With the new facility it will take him 2 hours 20 minutes.

 The neighbours were interested in the building project!

A lot of the homes are terraced on the hillside.  Nice, tidy yards!

This is the Qwa Qwa School Where the Phuthaditjhaba Branch meets.

There were three vehicles in the parking area.  The young missionaries, The Andersons and the DaBells

We always feel so welcomed.  We spoke in Sacrament meeting. 

We also were able to give 3 bags of the clothing Ryan and Kyoung brought from the United States to the Relief Society President  to give to those in need.  She was grateful and excited.  Included was the white dress Grace wore for her baptismal day.

Once a Grandpa, always a Grandpa.

Then home to Johannesburg and on to a new week!

10-12 September   We taught 6 participants Career Workshop in the Employment Resource Center.

13 September   The Temple opened this week and we were able to serve in the Temple from 2 to 8:30 this Friday Afternoon.  It is humbling and and so peaceful   We were inspired by the new film in the temple.

   Stewart Ncube Stake Welfare  Specialist and Sister Sheasby 
Kempton Park Ward Welfare Specialist.

14 September   We were asked to train Welfare Specialists in the Centurion Stake Conference Leadership meeting.  After being here over a year, we have many friends throughout the area and it is wonderful to meet with them now and again.

Sister Beauty from Tembisa, Sister Noleen Dube from Birch Acres, Sister Thembelihle Cindy from Hospitalview.













15 September   We attended the Kagiso Ward in the Soweto Stake.  Wes Baumgartner, from our ward in Bozeman, was instrumental in establishing the Kagiso Ward over 20 years ago.  It was great to witness its growth since then.  The Ward has over 600 members and will soon be divided.  










We met Abraham the High Priest Group leader who remembered Wes from earlier days.

The chapel was filled

The cultural hall was filled.

This is Abraham, also.

17 September   We met with Elder Cook, First Counselor in the Area Presidency, to have our temple recommends renewed.   He is a very kind and humble man.  We have learned much from his example and instructions.  

He mentioned that the Area Presidency would receive additional instruction on Self Reliance at General Conference and will be able to instruct us here after they return.   

Just a note of interest, a temple recommend from a general authority needs only one signature to authorize it.

That evening, Elder DaBell attended a Dukes court Trustee Board Meeting, a monthly duty of his.  



18 Sep Elder and Sister Lonny and Glenda Adams from Syracuse Utah arrived to replace the Bassos.  They are enthusiastic and have hit the ground running.  He has a background in Sales and Marketing and she was a Special Ed teacher with piano skills.  They will both be great resources to the work.

Jouberton Branch Building

18 Sep We welcomed Elder Keaton Segil from Livingston Montana to the Johannesburg Mission with a batch of brownies

Service project needed on this community property.

21 September We went with Elder and Sister Adams to Jouberton Branch in Klerksdorp, 177 km South of Joburg.  We were able to teach 32 people on Careers , Education, CV’s and related items.  There was a lot enthusiasm and Elder and Sister Adams will be back there from 13 to 15 October to train and conduct workshops.  We met Elder and Sister Dummer, from Sandy, Utah, who are Member Leader Support missionaries.  They have been here 1 week and are eager to serve.

Wonderful lunch/dinner at Mikes Restaurant in Klerksdorp with the Adams and Dummers.

22 September   We trained Welfare Specialists in the Springs Ward and taught a combined Relief Society / Priesthood meeting on Self Reliance Principles.  A great turnout and many meaningful comments.  We are having ongoing communication with people from Springs regarding draft business plans and follow up on our workshops we taught there on 31 August 2013.  








Sister  Hetta Saccagia is a very energized, organized, Welfare Specialist.

24 September    South African Heritage Day:   We visited the Cradle of Humankind where many fossils and other remnants of early civilizations have been unearthed over the years.  Afterwards we went to a favourite restaurant in Pretoria, Lotus Thai.

25-27 September   Vivien taught Career Workshop as a training demo for Elder and Sister Adams.   It is hard to believe she did that for us over a year ago.  Its also hard to believe that we have taught that class 36 times since we came to South Africa.

27-29 September    We traveled to Mokopane, Limpopo to teach a Self Employment Workshop and teach the Youth / YSA  on critical choices.  Elder and Sister Adams accompanied us.  We have enjoyed getting acquainted with them the past two weeks and sharing some of our teaching and training methods with them.  

We stayed at the Platinum Bed and Breakfast.  It was very nice and reasonably priced. 

Elder Chastain "This job is very tough......"

Friday night we went to dinner with Elder and Sister Chastain who serve as Member Leader Support Missionaries here.  He also serves as Branch President in Mokopane Branch. 

Saturday we had 17 participants in our Self Employment Workshop.  The participants varied from adults with going businesses to youth who are finishing their Matric.  We were able to get commitments from 10 to send draft business plan and also able to discuss expectations for the youth to obtain proper training for the future. 

On Sunday, We met Seminary and Institute couple, Elder and Sister Heyen, from Portland , Oregon. They serve in the Tzaneen District, they spoke in Sacrament Meeting. 

We taught most of the adults in the Branch, including the youth and YSA in the third hour on making Critical Choices from age 12 to 32.

Our Volunteer here in the Employment Resource Center, Agnes and her husband Lucky and three boys were sealed as an eternal family in the Johannesburg Temple 5 October 2013.  She invited us to attend.  It was a beautiful experience to witness. 

5 October we took the Adams to the orphanage and introduced them to Mama and the children.  They were an immediate success.





This toddler was brought in by the police.  Mama does not know her name.  She asked me what my name is.  I said Margaret, she said I will call her Margaret.  While we were here, the dad came to visit.  He wanted to take the baby with him, but he needs permission from the police.  It was very traumatic for this baby to see her dad and them have him leave her.  Mama picker her up, put her on her back, went inside, got a towel and tied her on.  We gave her a sweet and she was content.

This little guy is 11 years old.  He was left home alone with no food or supplies on September 27.  On October 5 the neighbors notified the police.  They brought him to Mama.  He was very quiet, and very hungry.

We were there at meal time. They were served Chicken and Pap.  They recited their prayer twice for us.  Very sweet.  Shorty is doing well.  His arm is fine.  A couple of the new kids have some skin fungus, but the others looked like their lesions had cleared up.

Simphewe is the big sister, right hand helper and just an all around sweet young lady.  She receives a lot of respect and love from her "orphanage siblings."

There are 20 children at the orphanage currently.  
The 6 new toddlers from a month ago are still here.

The garden is looking very nice!

Mama has a serger sewing machine.  It is a Shaung Gong Four Spool.  It needs to be threaded.  I will look on the internet to see if I can fine any instructions, but if any of you know anything about this particular sewing machine, please let us know

This is OBED from Tsakane Branch, who recently obtained financing for his Chicken business.  He has worked on his plan for the past 3 years.

This is REBECCA.  She was just notified that she will be able to open a pizza franchise

Until next post
Elder and Sister DaBell