17 February 2013  

And Also for My Children in University....................

We had a Valentine's surprise.  Thank you Alex and Lisa.  We were at the petrol station.  You are not allowed to fill your own car.  The attendant was there as we were opening the surprise.  I offered him one.  He came back in a minute and said, could I get another one...and one for my wife, too... and some for my children, ....and also for my children who are in University?

Fun experience with a sweet treat from the USA. Thanks

11-12 February   

We taught Career Workshop in the Employment Resource Center to 9 individuals.  3 were members of the Church and the other 6 were non-members, but very respectful and hoping to learn skills that will help them become employed.  We were so impressed with the endurance of several of these individuals.  

Steven spoke of overcoming tobacco and alcohol and how he attends AA and works with others to overcome addictions.  He especially loves working with youth and would like to become an actor.  We talked of him being a counselor or teacher.  Patience is a young lady who has never had a job and her interview in the workshop was her “first ever” interview.  As she builds confidence, she is actually bright and very engaging.  Joyce is a single mother from Ficksburg by Lesotho, who left an abusive marriage.  She speaks little English, but is determined to find employment to care for her family.

February 13-15   

We visited Swaziland with Andersons and Nielsens.  It is very green and has a large timber industry.

We visited a glass factory.  They use recycled glass.  It was fun to watch the workers create.

We were able to give out many pass along cards and two Books of Mormon.  This young lady, (right) is saving money for education.

Our name tags bring attention and afford us many opportunities to share the Gospel.  This lady noticed our name tags and came over to ask us about our service.  She is the pastor of a church herself.  She was very interested in the Book of Mormon.

Swaziland is very green and beautiful and we enjoyed the accommodations and fellowship of the other couples.  We went to a cultural village.  There were huts, dances, dress, history lessons.  The rock in this picture is known as suicide rock.  If you have done something seriously wrong you were escorted to the top by warriors with spears who then encouraged you to jump off the back side.

The Andersons are part of the legal department

and the Nielsens will be great assets to the new Self Reliance Department.

We did not see DLA's or elephants, or giraffes, but we did see monkeys.

We stayed at Summerfield Botanical Gardens.  Very beautiful, clean and QUIET.

Sweet huh!!!

The food was fantastic.

We visited the Manzini Market.  Lots of fabric, seamstresses, carvings, baskets, food, on and on...

This guy actually had a Book of Mormon from a previous customer.

We saw the local pharmacy

And Chickens on the hoof


We also went to a Candle shop and House of Fire, a market for home crafts.

This lady is weaving a basket.  She works with her feet holding the project.  She is 50 years old!!!

Her friends enjoyed telling us about her.













We did find one of the local branch buildings.

On our way home, we went to Pigg's Peak.  Mr. Pigg found gold in the area.  We stopped on a bridge and saw goats at the top of a waterfall in the middle of a river.

On our way back down from the peak, we stopped where two young boys, decked out in leaves, were dancing to encourage people to stop and buy handicrafts.  It was soooo hot.  We stopped gave them some apples, water and a few rand, and bought some stone pieces from the dad of one of them.


February 16^th    We attended Mama’s son’s funeral at the Multipurpose Building in Tembisa.  
Lots of singing, amens and clapping.  It was beautiful.

There were between 400 to 500 in attendance. We were quite noticeable. 

Mama asked Elder DaBell to represent the Senior Missionaries who had helped at the orphanage and give a few remarks.   He testified of God’s love and the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ and testified her son Phillip will be resurrected.  Families can truly be together forever.  







We were treated with great respect, we were invited to sit with the clergy in the front.  The service lasted almost 2.5 hours:  great singing, teaching in Zulu and English and praise and honor to Phillip and family.   





This gentleman took care of us.  He made sure we did not get lost.  He even escorted us to and from our car, stating that he wanted to be sure that we were safe.

We went to the Tembisa cemetery and observed the burial.  There were 4 burials going on simultaneously.  (probably 1,000 plus people at the cemetery)  A great and humbling experience.   Mortality is fragile and we are so blessed to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are also blessed to work among such a loving and humble people here in Africa.

February 17^th  We attended Centurion 2^nd Ward and spoke briefly with Bishop Dwomoh regarding Welfare and Employment.  The Ward Employment specialist was out of town.  The Nielsens went with us.  (they are PEF missionaries. Perpetual Education Fund offers low interest loans for students, monies paid back are then loaned to another...perpetual)  Stay tuned in the future for an amazing coincidence regarding Bishop Dwomoh....

These are the cars for two wards.  This is actually a more affluent area. and the parking for a stake center.

Nombuso Sibanyoni

Nombuso is the intern in our ERC Office.  She was the devotional speaker today, 17 Feb 2013.  She shared her lessons learned first hand from her father.  People have said to Nombuso, “No wonder you turned out like this, you have a wonderful father.”

Mr. Sibanyoni was born in 1952 in Soweto, the largest township in the Johannesburg area.  His father was a railroad worker and his mother was a domestic worker.  They did not earn much.  He grew up in a shack.  The family had meat two times a year, Christmas and New Years.  Mr. Sibanyoni wanted his children to have meat Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  He had one pair of shoes at a time until he was in his 20’s.  Like most of the boys his age, he went bare foot.

In School he fell in love with books. 

As Nombuso was growing up, for punishment, her father bought a newspaper, and she had to sit and read it, and then report to her father what she had learned.  If she failed, she got a hiding.  Nombuso and her sister started asking neighbors what such and such in the newspaper meant.  Her father found out and started giving them Shakespeare to read as punishment, instead.  It sparked a desire to read.  She read.  When the children earned good marks, they received books.  When they were naughty they received books.  For presents they received books.

When Mr. Sibanyoni was in Grade 7 his father was injured and lost his job as a railroad worker.  The mother did not earn enough money for school.  Mr. Sibanyoni took a job for seven years as a cleaner in a butchery.  He went to school at nights.  He passed his matric in 12 subjects.  (Matric would sort of be similar to college prep classes)

He wanted to study to be a doctor, but black people were not allowed in universities at that time.  He became a gardener.  He worked for Mr. Smith.  Mr. Smith spoke Afrikaans, no English.  Nombuso’s father taught Mr. Smith to read and write English.  Mr. Smith was impressed with this gardener who was so learned.  He helped him get a job in HR in the company he worked for.  Mr. Sibanyoni studied HR.  Nombuso’s sister has memories of him studying.

Mr. Sibanyoni was able to buy a car.  Nombuso remembers the car.  It was yellow and had furry seats.  She used to pluck the fur.  She was punished with a book.  The Sibanyoni family had been living in a 4 room house.  They moved to a bigger home.  Nombuso remembers that the children were allowed 1 hour a week for play.  Her father checked the homework.  If they did well, they received a book.

In High School, Nombuso was studying Shakespeare in English class.  The teacher would take her questions to Nombuso.  She received an A+ in her Shakespeare class.  She told the instructor that reading the Book of Mormon would help her understand the thee’s, thine’s and thou’s.  In fact, she recommended reading the book of Mormon to many of her friends for that same “reason.”

Nombuso completed her matric with 5 distinctions.  She is fluent in 7 languages.

Her father was promoted to the position of divisional HR.  One day later, he had a stroke.  He had been right handed.  The paralysis was on the right side. The Sister, brother and Nombuso all took leave from their studies to help him.  They went to therapy with him.  Mr Sibanyoni pushed very hard.  There were dark days.  Nombuso and her sister were members of the church.  The Elders came and gave their dad priesthood blessings.  For 7 years the Elders had been teaching Mr Sibanyoni.  He did not believe in Joseph Smith.  The service from the Elders softened his heart.  He determined he would actually pray to find out for himself if Joseph Smith was who he said he was.  His answer was yes. He read the Book of Mormon in 4 weeks and was baptized.  

He grew in the gospel by leaps and bounds.  He pushed himself and his children in gospel scholarship.  He is active in the High Priests Group.  He has learned to be very proficient with his left hand.  He cleans the chapel when the assignment comes around.  He is the first one there and the last to go home.  He cares for himself, and cooks.  There is not anything he does not do.  He says, “Look at my history.  I never had much.  In every situation you give your all.”  Each day when Nombuso gets home he asks,  ”How was your day?  Did you give it your all?”  Nombuso has served a mission.  She would like a career as a diplomat.  She gives each day her ALL.

Until next week, Elder and Sister DaBell