16 November, 2012

You are called to serve Where?

We were driving around and came upon this Cultural Centre.  It is near a well-to-do-housing area.  We are not sure what culture it is for,  but it doesn't look African.

(I just found out it is a Buddist Temple)

9 November we visited the orphanage.  Notice this young “Louie Armstrong.”  These kids are very creative when it comes to toys.  She actually made her flexible pipe “horn” play. 





Notice the scary metal pipe "horn"

The empty jug and stick made a fine drum.

It was a Parade! 
They marched all over the yard.

Sister Hoffman has become a favourite already.  She is about the same size as the children.



November 11 we attended Church at the Soshonguve Branch.  It meets in a school.  The school isn’t large enough for everyone, so there is a dependant “twig” that meets in another area not too far away. 



The classroom Globe





One of the members is a teacher at the school.  They have paintings of traditions on the outside walls of the buildings.  She painted a picture of Moroni and the Title of Liberty, and Lehi and the Liahona.

On Monday, we taught a Career Workshop in Kwa Guqa, the ward we got lost trying to find September 16.  Lucy still missed the turns, but now Elder DaBell can find the church without her.

Obedience is the price,

 Faith is the power,

 Love is the motive,

The Spirit is the key

 and Christ is the reason

This appears on the bottom of emails sent from Bishop Jeremy Rakotomamonjy of the Kwa-Guqa Ward. 

Bishop Jeremy is 27 years old, a returned missionary, married in the temple with 2 children.  He is a French citizen, and hasn’t lived in South Africa long enough to have a work permit, so at the present time he is unemployed.  His father is the District President on Reunion Island.  His parents are helping him out until he gets his citizenship. 

Actually, he is employed full time in his Bishop calling.  In the two days we were there, he served the lunch, completed a welfare project, and took a member fishing, a lot of it with his 3 year old son in tow.  The Kwa-Guqa experience was very enjoyable for us.

The area here has a program for mission preparation that starts at birth or age 3 whichever comes first.  It includes getting a driver’s license which is a very big deal in South Africa and surrounding countries, along with a specific spiritual preparation and follow-through.

I will send out a copy of the program to the DaBell groups.

One of our Workshop attendees was Stephen. (below on the right) He is an investigator with a baptismal date set for November 25.  His son joined a couple of months ago.  His enthusiasm is infectious.  He met us at the gate leading into the parking lot while we were waiting for someone to come and open it up.  He is very knowledgeable about the plan of salvation and the restoration.  He loves the Book of Mormon and asked if we had two he could have to give away.  We did.

As we were visiting, a young man walked down the street.  Stephen greeted him and started a missionary approach.  The young man stopped to listen.  It was very fun to watch. 

After we went inside to set up our workshop, Stephen took an empty grocery bag, and walked around the church yard picking up garbage.  When his bag was full, he came inside and helped us set up.

Another attendee was a member of the Bishopric.  He has been a member for 2 years.  He reminds us of Mark Winward in Bozeman.

(not just the hair-do, either)

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, we taught a Career workshop in the Employment Resource Centre in the Area Offices.

Thursday, Suzen came for a piano lesson, then Minenhle, Khumo and Ntando.  I can set two keyboards up in our classroom and have a class. 



Minenhle, left and Khumo





Ntando



I have also found a lot of fun theory pages on the internet, and I found a music store. I picked up some piano method books.  I appreciate the church keyboard course, but it is not very exciting for young students, and does need some supplement.



Khumo teaching his Dad, Dominic, to play There Is a Green Hill Far Away 

Notice there are no ski jump fingers!

 

This week, I add the other young lady, Mazi.  See our blog September 2.  19 months of consistent study will probably get them going quite well.

Saturday, 17 November, we were invited to teach a Welfare Leaders Training for the Centurion Stake.  It is our next stake to make visits to. 

There was a possibility of 7 to attend our session.  We had one show up, Nicolene.  It was one of the most informative experiences we have had.  We shared what we know, she shared what she knows. 

The high school students in SA are tested in different subjects to exhibit their competency to attend tertiary education programs.  8, 9, 10, 11, 12 are high school grades.  Math and sciences are the weakest subjects here, especially in the townships. 

The matriculation tests come in October.  You can matriculate in a variety of subjects. Many of the students do not even receive the materials to study until October.  It doesn’t go well for success. 

The Centurion Stake has a tutoring program available for every unit.  If the materials aren’t there to study, materials are brought in.  The goal is to give the opportunity for success.  The young students need to know what area they want a career in before grade 8.

  

Sunday, 18 November, we attended stake conference in the Pretoria Stake.  It was a broadcast conference with Elder Cordon of the Seventy, Sister Mary Cook of the Young Women’s Presidency, and Elder Christofferson.  The session concluded with President Monson.  I saw Eileen and was able to hug her baby again.

This week is a Self Employment Workshop in Tembisa.  It goes Monday and Tuesday.  Graduates from the Triple L Academy are attending the course as a follow up to the academy courses.  See Blog of 27 October.

We live in a BEAUTIFUL country!

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

Elder and Sister DaBell