13 January 2013

Home is the place where you can scratch where it itches!

5 January  2013 we finally made it to the Rhino Lion Park.  It is a drive yourself game park.  We tried going in November twice.  The first time, we got lost.  The second time, it was just after a big rain storm, and we ran the risk of getting stuck with the wild animals.  January 5 was a perfect day.  We took the Hoffmans and went for an adventure.  We saw wild dogs, Lions, Cheetahs, Rhinos, Tigers, Buzzards and other stuff including DLA (deer like animals) who knew how to scratch where it itched.  

Saturday evening we enjoyed a birthday dinner at Turn and Tender with the Curtis’.

3 January,  Friday afternoon, we served in the temple.  It is inspiring to step into a quiet, clean reverent place and feel the peace.

January 6, 2013   Visited Kempton Park Ward.  This building is unusual.  There are two beautiful stained glass windows in the front of the chapel.  








Coming to the building, we were following a bakki (small pickup) with two children in the back and a well used stroller.  We followed them into the church parking lot.  In the chapel, I saw the family again.  This time, I saw a 7 year old boy in the stroller.  He was friendly, smiling and offered me a postured hand to shake.  He probably has something like Cerebral Palsy.  We will check with his Bishop to see if there could be a possibility of a child’s wheel chair, or something a little more adequate than the well worn baby stroller.

 Testimony Meeting was inspiring as usual.  Elder and Sister Bricknell attended.  He is the new second counsellor in our area presidency.  He replaces Elder Soares who has been called to the Presidency of The Seventy.

In Priesthood,  Elder Bricknell was inspired by the Hymn: Brightly Beams and he instructed the Priesthood about being a “lower light” for someone and inviting them to come unto Christ.  He also reminded us of President Monson’s Prophetic Priorities building our faith in Christ, being Missionaries and “rescuing”.  It was inspiring to witness a presiding authority teaching by the Spirit as prompted at the moment. 

Brightly Beams comes into our life, yet again.

January 7-11, 2013   This is a new year and we worked this week to set up training opportunities in wards and branches over the next month.  We scheduled a visit and training opportunity in Hospital View Ward for January 27 and a “business / self-reliance” fireside for Etwatwa Branch for February3rd.   We spent time with Papy from Ennerdale reviewing his business plan and helping him make a list of potential funding sources for new equipment for shoe repair. 

The Employment Resource Center is a busy place.  Sister Piepgrass is a PEF missionary who helps with education loans.

January 12^th   We visited the Orphanage and found some additional repair needs. 

We have introduced Simphwe before. She has been with Mama since she was 7.  She calls Mama Grandmother.  She is a wonderful help.  She completed a level of her schooling at the end of the year in December and was very proud.  

There are currently 2 other teenage girls in the orphanage. 

They have been removed or kicked out of their homes.  I don’t know how long they will be at the orphanage, but they are very good helpers and take on some of the responsibilities of the daily routines.

This little guy has been in and out of his home.  He is currently at the orphanage again.  It is a safer place for him to be.

This is “Shorty” AKA  Siphwe.  He and his brother were brought to the orphanage by their mother shortly before she passed away.  He has been very silent before, sucking his thumb and “twirling” his hair.  Today, we saw him playing and interacting with the other children.

January 13^th   I drove Elder Hoffman to the airport at 6:30 am for his trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  He is checking out the medical needs of that mission and the medical facilities available.  

We then attended Etwatwa Branch with Sister Hoffman and Elder and Sister Anderson.  

This branch uses rented “speedspace” units.  They work out quite nicely, except the branch is growing too large for the space. 

Notice the baptismal font.

Wonderful children here.  We are always popular, because we look so different!

Stake President Von Reenen was in attendance and gave the branch some inspiring instruction.  The branch is growing and we will return on February 3^rd to participate in a Self Reliance Fireside.

The Relief Society and Gospel Doctrine instructors were very excellent.  I have never heard any better discussions.

January 14^th   We had a couples Home Evening where we watched a DVD on the History of the Church in Ghana and Liberia.   It was so inspiring to listen of members who waited 14 years for the Church to send missionaries to teach them.  The first baptisms were in December 1978 5 months after the “Priesthood Revelation.”   They had been reading the Book of Mormon and teaching the Gospel since the early 1960’s and faithfully waiting for the “proper time” to receive the authorized representatives of the Church.  When President Kimball sent missionaries in 1978, they already had 2000 people desiring church activity and baptism.  Would we be so patient and faithful??

When they sing “Come O thou King of Kings we’ve waited long for thee,” they  sing, “Come O thou King of Kings, we wait too long for thee.”

They have morning Glory here, it doesn’t look like the morning glory I grew up knowing, but it is a parasite never the less.  Sometimes things that are beautiful, are not desirable.  

This hydrangea is called the Christmas flower.   It is still feeding my soul.  Until next week, Elder and Sister DaBell.