Did we really?  Yes we did!!!!

One day in August we were presented with a plate of worms and told that eating one was expected of all missionaries in the ERC.  These worms are actually a source of protein, I don't know how many you would have to eat, though, to call them protein????  Elder DaBell ate a whole one and swallowed it.  I took a fourth of one and chewed it up.  I just couldn't get it all to go down.  Then we found out that no missionaries ever eat them!!! 

Our new friends here in South Africa are very proud of us.

 Pretoria

September 25, 2012  Sister DaBell and I accompanied Sister Vivien Roberts, ERC Manager, to the Pretoria Stake Bishops’ Council meeting where the topic was Employment Resources.  Emphasis was made regarding the benefit of registering on LDSJobs.org as a leader.  Also, discussion was had regarding the importance of using Ward Councils to discuss individual Welfare needs and develop a plan to help individuals and families work towards self reliance and council together to provide resources for individuals to solve long term employment needs. 

 LDSJobs.org is a very useful tool for job candidates, priesthood and relief society leaders and employers.  We received positive feedback from the Pretoria Stake Leaders.  Sister Vivien Roberts also discussed the Skills College opportunities that have become available to qualified members in four Pretoria Stake wards.

Memories

 I remember Grandpa Patterson using siphoning pipes to water the garden.  Each bent pipe was filled with water from the ditch and then quickly placed to the garden row.  The water miraculously went from the ditch down the dry garden rows.  The pipes were left in place receiving a full amount of water until the water reached the other end of the garden row.  We have started our siphoning pipes here in South Africa.  Hopefully the water is travelling to the end of the rows where each member will benefit from the employment resources put in place by our church leaders.

Orientation

September 27, 2012   Employment Resource Services hosted “an evening with stake leaders” in the ERC where approximately 25 stake leaders and ERS staff had a light dinner and discussed all of the ways ERS can support Stake and Ward leaders in  teaching Self Reliance:  Training Ward Councils, Workshops, Firesides, Career Fairs, LDSJobs.org.   Discussion was lively and the feedback positive.  We emphasized the ecclesiastical line of authority and the willingness of ERS to help.

Cordencio Gonzales

Cordencio Gonzales is from Angola.  His wife, Carlota Arthur Manuel Santiago was from Mozambique.  He attends the temple every three months, the cost is the equivalent of 600.00 in dollars.

This is his story:

Cordencio learned of his future wife by an email from a mutual friend.  He communicated by phone and email only.  They did not see each other or exchange pictures.  He went to Mozambique to meet her.  He was to arrive on Thursday.  He missed the bus.  He arrived on Friday. 

There was a long line of young ladies.  He was impressed that Carlota was on the right.  He started on the left and met the young ladies.  When he got to the right side, he came to her and immediately knew.  They were married the next day on Saturday. 

Two months later they went to Angola to visit his family.  Two weeks later she contracted malaria.  She passed away one week after that.  Before she died, she said please bury me in Mozambique.  He said I can’t, it is too expensive.  Five days after she died, she was buried in Mozambique. 

Three months after her death, she was sealed to her parents.  26 Sep 2012 he came to Joburg to be sealed to her in the Johannesburg Temple.  They were sealed Thursday, September 27, 2012. Now they have the opportunity to be together throughout eternity.  (For those of you who are new to this, a living person stands in as proxy for the person who has passed away)

Every morning he told her, "you are the best woman in the world."

She would tell him in return, "you are the best man in the world."

THE APARTHEID MUSEUM

The pillars read, Equality, Respect, Responsibility, Diversity, Democracy

We visited this museum on Saturday, September 29, 2012.   This was a sobering experience.  There have been many inequities and unfair practices in the history of the world, but certainly APARTHEID illustrates a particular demeaning treatment of a race of people, an example of the denial of agency of millions of God’s children. 

The white minority were able to rule the black majority for many years.  It took the courage and leadership of black and white individuals to overcome this practice.  There is still some problems, but all citizens now have one vote each and South Africa has an impressive new Constitution that was drafted in the early 1990’s.  

We have great appreciation for Nelson Mandela, a black patriot, first President of the new South African government, who still lives in Johannesburg in his mid 90’s.   Here is a quote that describes his greatness:  “For to be free is not merely; to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.   (Consider watching movies:  Mandela and DeKlerk and Invictus).

Witbank Branch

September 30, 2012   We visited the Witbank Branch and we spoke on Welfare and Employment specifically.  President Kingsley also spoke regarding teaching Self Reliance.  Sister DaBell played the music for Sacrament meeting and Primary and also taught the Primary children. ( Sister DaBell Here:  no one came to teach primary.  the Primary President was not there.  the counselor had to take care of a sick child.  The Branch President was going to teach primary, I said oh, just leave the children with me.  We had a lesson on having the courage to choose the right in difficult situations.) 

We announced the Career Workshop to be taught in Kwa Guqa Ward on November 12, 13, 2012.  Several Witbank members plan on attending.

JOSEPH MOKOENA

Devotional October 1, 2012     The devotional thought today was given by Joseph Mokoena, head of area travel.  He gave an inspirational account that occurred in November 2010 when Elder Christofferson was on his way to Africa to dedicate the nation of Angola for the preaching of the Gospel. 

Joseph got a call from Church Headquarters at midnight explaining that they had been unable to acquire the visa for Elder Christofferson to enter Angola.  Elder Christofferson was then enroute to Africa, stopping in Johannesburg and then continuing on to Angola.  Joseph immediately started to make contacts to solve this problem, but he kept hitting road blocks.  Elder Christofferson arrived in Johannesburg and met with Joseph.  When he inquired about the Visa, Joseph told him of the problems, they seem insurmountable. 

Elder Christofferson said the Lord wants me in Angola, you will solve the problem.  Joseph was doubtful.  Elder Christofferson said let us pray.  He beseeched  Heavenly Father for intervention.  Joseph testified of the miraculous events that followed and allowed not only Elder Christofferson to get to Angola on a timely basis, but he took Joseph along with him and his group.  In  Angola, Elder Christofferson dedicated the land and blessed it with peace and prosperity.  THIS IS THE LORD’S WORK! 

Lesedi Cultural Centre

The hat is pointed to represent mountains.  It is from the mountain tribe of Sotho

October 2, 2012 we visited the Lesedi Cultural Centre.  They feature 5 native villages, sort of a Polynesian Culture type of experience.  Dancing and a native food meal were included

We learned about Zulu, the warriors, Xhosa from the Eastern Cape area, the tribe that Nelson Mandela is from,

Sotho the peaceful mountain people, and Pedi a tribe that wears a Scottish kilt.  At one point the Pedi were fighting the British and the British put Scottish men on the front lines.  In their kilts the Pedi thought they were women and did not attack them, because they would not attack women.  They were tricked into a lost battle. They wear a kilt as a reminder.

Our appreciation of so many things has increased through this opportunity!!
Until next week Elder and Sister DaBell.

This is not our speed!

 

Tortoise from Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens. 

This guy was very big. 

And very slow.  

We attended a self employment type of expo.  I noticed a booth that vends cottage industry handicrafts.  Some of you will be receiving items from this booth for Christmas.  Dolls and Carvings.

We attended an Employment Resource Centre Couples Conference Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  It was held at the Sunnyside Hotel.  It is an older facility with pretty upscale architectural detail for the day. 

The Sister here is Vivien Roberts the Employment Resource Center Manager. 
 The Brother in the Blue Shirt is her assistant, Dominic Tshabalala



We met with missionary couples involved in employment from Cape Town Mission, Durban Mission, Kenya Mission, and those of us here in Johannesburg.  We shared ideas, buoyed each other up and had some R & R.  Kind of like a zone conference that lasted 3 days. 

We concluded with a temple session on Friday evening.  What an experience!!!!  I had to stop a minute and cry in the Celestial Room.

Saturday we returned to the orphanage.  We are always greeted with warm hugs and smiles. 

While we were there, the police brought in a little boy 2 years old or so, who was found wandering on the street.  No name, and no one around him knew to whom he belonged.  He will stay with Mama until someone comes forward to identify him.  He did not talk.  He was half naked when they found him, He did not cry, or resist. 

He enjoyed haing his face painted.  The South African Flag theme is for heritage day on Monday. (see below)

The new roof has a problem that will require some work and funds.  The material used to replace the roof was donated and is of very poor quality.  It will have to be redone.  Dominic and his family from our ERC office came and delivered a commodities request.  He manages the funds raised by Elder and Sister Savage’s daughter.  (See earlier blog) 

 There was a high school group there doing some outside cleaning and painting South African Flags on the children’s faces.  They played jump rope (skip rope here). They were delighted to have their pictures taken - High school students and children alike.

Sunday we attended Church in Mabopane.  We had the opportunity to train in Ward Council, speak in Sacrament Meeting, teach YSA, play the music for Sacrament Meeting, and play more music for Primary. 

 The children sing!  We really had a good time together.

Monday in celebration of Heritage day we went to the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens.  Beautiful area!  Things are getting so green, the flowers are blooming, the day was beautiful and just the right temperature.  20 or so of us serving here went together.

There were some large green grasshopper type bugs that are poisonous if you touch them, and will kill you if you eat them.  Their wings are very colourful.

At the back end of the gardens is a beautiful water fall.  It reminded me of our final family picnic at Bridal Veil Falls!!!
(sorry I can't get the picture to stay rotated)

Until Next Week!! E & S DaBell

OH, WHAT A WEEK!!!!

Saturday, we went to the Johannesburg Zoo.  It is very, very, nice.  It also seemed to be Creche (daycare) day.  There were busloads of small children with adults from some of the outer townships, including Orange Farm.  The children were beautiful. 

 They enjoyed having their picture taken and then looking at what I had on my screen.  I even had some of the moms posing with their children and then enjoying the picture before we moved on.

The crocodiles were big ones, they were in a pond and couldn’t get to us, Bridger.

How many hidden crocodiles can you find??????

We saw Siberian Tigers.  They were a bit shy.

Would The Real Lucy Please come forward?

Interesting Sunday on Sep 16, 2012.  It started with the car battery being dead as we tried to leave for our assignment in Kwa Guqa Ward.  The trip is about 120 or so  kilometres and we wanted to leave before 7 am to allow for whatever.  Elder DaBell pushed the car from the parking place, and then ran back to the apartment.  He called our neighbour who is techie minded to see if he had jumper cables.  He didn’t.  But...He suggested that he and his wife could ride with another couple who attend the same unit, and we could take their car. 

We were travelling down the freeway and a policeman waved us over.  He said “we are doing a survey.”  One of the things they warned us against in the MTC was unusual stopping by “police” it could be dangerous.  I was wringing my hands.  The policeman asked for Elder DaBell’s driver’s license.  He said “what are you doing in the country?”  We told him.  He said,” oh, you are a minister then.”  Elder DaBell then pulled out his ministerial license signed by President Monson and it satisfied the policeman.  We were on our way again.

The next adventure was a toll booth, for which we did not have the right change, but we did have enough rand.  Then we were on our way again.

Lucy said turn left onto unpaved road.  We did.  We wound around through one of the roughest townships we have seen.  NO church.  NO people walking carrying scriptures, and Lucy led us out on the same road she led us in on.   

Lucy, Oh Lucy!  Please, light the way, the right way.  We moved on to another township and she did the same thing.  By this time it was evident that Lucy was in outer darkness.  (See Previous post about Celest).

Elder DaBell got on the phone and called the Bishop.  Just as he answered, we saw the church building on the outer edge of the township (number 3) up on a hill.  Lucy said we should go one way, a driver stopped, said you look lost and as we asked his direction, he said opposite of Lucy and added in many, many turns.  You have to understand there are no street signs.

Elder DaBell said we are going this way.  He started through the township (number 3) opposite of Lucy and turned here and there, and there and here.  We ended up just at the church, even though we could not see it as we wound up the hill. The real Lucy did come forward.  (When the call was made to the Bishop, Elder DaBell said he felt a calmness come over him).

When we entered the chapel, we were 10 minutes late, the prelude music was playing and the congregation was waiting patiently, quietly for us to arrive.  Then the meeting started.  We had a wonderful experience in the Kwa Guqa Ward.  We spoke in Sacrament meeting, taught Sunday school lesson to the Young Single Adults, on choosing a career, and we taught training for the ward council after church.

Bishop Jeremy Rakotomamonjy is 27 years old, father of 2 and a returned missionary.

Devotional Spiritual Thought given at the Area Offices of the African Southeast Area on Monday, September 17, 2012 by Tirhane Ngomane: 

She said she is a mixture of Zulu, Swazi and Shangaane.  Her mother could not read or write, but she taught her children to love, pray and go to church, and made sure they had the opportunity for schooling.  At the age of 10 Tirhane joined the Dutch Reformed Church.  Her two brothers and sister joined other churches.  She was the youngest of the 4 children.  Her mother taught them self reliance at an early age.  They tilled the ground and grew food to survive.  When Tirhane was 17, her mother died.  The father was gone.  The brothers had married and moved to Joburg.  Tirhane lived with her older sister and they survived because of the self reliance her mother had taught them.  Her sister got a job and she was able to work ironing for others.

She moved to Joburg and lived with a brother and went to the university.  In her final year she met the missionaries and joined the Church.  Her brother did not approve, so she had move out and get her own place.  She decided to serve a mission.  In preparing she remembered her mother said nothing is for “mahala”  (free) so she washed windows, ironed and made peanut butter to save for her mission.  Many in and out of the church said why do you do this?  She said for me it was important to save and be self reliant.  Self reliance was an attitude since birth.  Even now I have a garden, she said.  She said I can go to the Temple and feel peace and make covenants with God.  How I was kept safe until the missionaries found me is a mystery.  Why me, why did the Savior do this for me?   (D & C 19)  I read the scriptures every day.  Pres. Monson said:  learn what you need to learn, do what you need to do, be what you need to be.

Foot note:  What an example of Self Reliance.  She is a mother of 4, her husband is Bishop of the Daveyton Ward, Benoni Stake.  She walks the walk, not just talk the talk.

Monday, after devotional, we celebrated Heritage day, which is actually a national holiday next Monday, so we will not be in the office.  We had a beautiful flag ceremony with the South African flag.  The National anthem was sung in first verse zulu and xhosa, second verse sung in sotho and third verse sung in Africaans and English.  There were several dressed in traditional African dress.  I had a sarong I wore over my regular clothes.  It was a gorgeous morning, warm with the sun shining.

In the center are Elder and Sister Renlund, (our area President).  Until next week.......E&S DaBell

September 11, 2012

 

Future missionaries from the Atteridgeville Ward!!!

September 2^nd           We visited Atteridgeville Ward, inspiring!  Met with Bishop Maleka regarding Welfare and Employment.  Met with Sister Mashila, Ward Welfare Specialist.  We taught and  oriented her, but emphasized she is to follow the Bishop’s counsel.  Testimony meeting was well attended and we had opportunity to bear testimony.  I am continually impressed with the strong testimonies borne of the Atonement and the Book of Mormon.

Moses

I greeted an elderly man in the hallway.  I said, “Hello, I am Sister DaBell.”  He reached out his hand gave the Zulu hand shake and said, “I led the children of Israel to the promised land.”  I said, “Oh you must be Moses.”

After Church, Moses met me again in the parking lot.  He said, “I love this church so much.”  He then told his conversion story.  And told how much he loves his wife.  She has passed away and he is grateful for the opportunity to be with her once again.  He said, “I can pay tithing in this church, and they give me a certificate saying that I am a full tithe payer even if it is just two small coins like the story of the widow.  In my old church, you had to pay a lot, like the whoo-whoo big shots.”  Then he gave a swaggy sway to his hips. To the right of Brother Moses is Elder Hess from Ashton, Idaho.

 September 9^th   We visited Pretoria Second Ward.  We did Welfare / Employment training in Ward Council.  We then had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament Meeting regarding Welfare Principles.  In the third hour, we met with 3 individuals regarding their individual employment needs.  We committed to speak with President Dele Davies to schedule additional Career Workshops and Self Employment Workshops in the Pretoria area.  After church we met with Bishop Alexander to debrief and speak of individual needs.

This piano is 110 years old!

I met Ilene.   She has a cute 5 month old little girl.  She let me hold her.  It was so sweet.  The baby looked at me smiled played with her dress a little and fell asleep, snuggled in my arms.  I thought I was in heaven.

The Alexander’s invited us to dinner.  Bishop Alexander is a professional chef.  They live on 4 hect acres, in an open plan large home, with a pool and extensive gardens.

This is a Weaver bird's going in it's nest.  If the wife doesn't like it, it is torn down and another one built. This one is newly built, it is still green.

Elder Taylor Hartman and his wife Sister Jean Hartman are serving in the Johannesburg Mission.  You may remember that Elder Hartman is the author of The Color Code.  They presented "The Color Code" for Home Evening last night.  It was Fantastic!  Elder Hartman is a true yellow.

Until next Week...............Elder and Sister DaBell

September 2, 2012

Busy week again this past week.  Wednesday Thoba gave a demonstration on doeks (DUKES) (head wraps) and carrying babies on your backs.  She is an amazing woman who loves her Zulu culture and is happy to share and patiently teach.  She dressed her daughter in a rectangular piece of fabric and tied another piece of fabric around her head.

Thursday we took a day off and went to Philanesberg National Park.  We were very fortunate to see a lot of animals including 2 lions, 3 rhinos, 20 hippos, and 20 or so elephants including a mother feeding a baby, 3 small crocodiles, scores of zebra, impala, springbok and many other types of deer, water buffalo, wart hogs by the dozens, many types of birds including a king fisher killing a fish and swallowing it, baboons, monkeys, blue wildebeest,  8 giraffe, water buck, gave away one book of Mormon, two pass along cards, and had a great time.

The park is about 2 hours away from us and very inexpensive.

 

Yes, Bridger, we are watching out for crocodiles!!!!!!

 

Friday we went back out to the Tembisa orphanage and fixed a washer. We had a nice visit with beautiful Mama and the children.  And gave away some cookies.

This beautiful young girl had been living with a sister, who was not taking care of her.  The authorities put the sister in jail and took the girl to Mama's. 

This baby comes for day care.

Take a look at this little guy playing.  His toy is made from a piece of sturdy wire bent into a circle with a long shaft attached to a wheel from a toy truck.  I watched him play with this for a long time.  It was a prized possession.

Saturday we helped with a NICSA event.  This is an interfaith group.  About 500 attended at the Bedfordview stake center.  The singing as a congregation was something too beautiful to imagine.  Amazing that all of these different religions could join in the same music.

There was a state official in attendance.  This group could probably turn into a political activist group is it moved out of control.  Representing the LDS was Dominic Tshabalala from our Employment Resource Center.  He presented very well, emphasizing that social problems start their solutions in the family.

We attended church at the Atteridgeville Ward.  We got there a little early and noticed a Teacher setting up the sacrament table.  He had a cd playing hymns as he thoughtfully carried out the responsibility.  For the music, one teenage girl played a single finger melody and a teenaged boy played a single finger base line.  They did very well.  It was a nice accompaniment.  It was fast and testimony meeting.  These people are so strong.  Their testimonies are beautiful.