Fall is here!  11 April 2013

The Ides of March, The March Hare, Frederick Marche, The Marche Sisters (in Little Women), March in time, March to the beat, March in step, We are Marching on to Glory, Grouch o Marx, On your Marks....  Get Set.... Go! and now MARCH is Going, Going, GONE

March 18   Dinner at Mikes to say good-bye to the Andersons who have been reassigned to the Durban Mission as Member-Leader Support missionaries stationed in Bethlehem.  We will miss them, but Bethlehem will be grateful for the support.

March  18-22  We used the week without workshops to plan and schedule training in Benoni  Stake and Tzaneen District.  So far we have been able to schedule workshops and training in 5 units in April and May and training in Bishop Welfare Councils in Pretoria and Bedfordview Stakes.

March 21 was a national Holiday.  I forget what for, but we took the day to attend an antique fair and sale at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria.  We went with the Kundsens, who are here with the assignment to collect the history of the church in Africa.  The Vortrekkers moved from the coastal area to this area in the 1830-40's.  There are as many controversies about this movement as there about the settlement of America and the native Americans.

It was like 300 hundred “garage sales” altogether under one roof.   Eating Thai food in Pretoria was a special Holiday treat.

March 22   We were blessed with the opportunity to attend the Sealing for Sivu and Pheladi.  President Wrench officiated and it was very spiritual.  They had family and friend support. Sivu (left) and his brother.

Pheladi was a bit late..........

An added bonus was the attendance of members Sivu knew on his mission in Zimbabwe who were in town to attend the endowment session of their son and nephew who has been called to serve a full time mission. 

My brother, Ken Patterson, served his mission here in 1966-68.  He met the Nield family in then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.  Reeve Nield was just a young girl then.  She remembers Elder Ken Patterson.  She is now a golf trainer for two golfers on the LGPA, Laurette Maritz from South Africa and Cecilie Lundgreen from Norway. 

Reeve's sister, Sharon, and her husband were here with their son who just happened to be going through the temple prior to his mission.  Sivu, as mentioned, also served in Zimbabwe.  He was an assistant to the mission president while on his mission, and was influential in this young man's decision to serve a mission.  It was nothing short of a miracle that the Nield family members were in the Johannesburg Temple on the same day as Sivu and Phelade were getting married.  The reunion was wonderful to see.

Reeve, Lolly and Cici offered a golf lesson to any who were interested.  Saturday, March, 23 we went to a training facility here in Johannesburg.  The Sister golfers do pro-am tournaments to raise money for a charity Eyes-4-Zimbabwe, a charity that offers sight giving cataract surgery. 

The golf Lesson

March 24    We had the opportunity to visit the Daveyton Ward, Benoni Stake, and speak in Sacrament Meeting.

You may remember Tirhani Ngomane.  She was a devotional speaker last September.  She told of how her mother taught her her to be self reliant.  She said nothing was for mahalo (Free).  She spoke of making peanut butter and doing laundry to save money to go on a mission after she joined the church.

She and her family of five children live in the Daveyton Ward.  Her husband serves as Bishop there.

Stake President Holmes was also in attendance.  He was sustained earlier replacing Jaques Von Reenen. He bore a strong testimony and shared the conversion of his family to the Gospel when he was 17 years old.  It was interesting that his brother in law from California was serving a mission in Johannesburg.  The brother in law’s patriarchal blessing stated he would meet his wife on his mission.  The missionaries were teaching President Holmes’ older sister.  

After the teaching experience the missionary went to the Mission President and said:  “I have found my wife.  He shared his patriarchal blessing and the mission president let him propose to the older sister while accompanied by his companion.   She must have had the same inspiration because she accepted the proposal.  He was immediately transferred.  She was baptized.  After his mission he returned to California and then came back to South Africa and they were married and moved to California for 3 years.  The couple then returned to South Africa and were instrumental in the conversion of the entire Holmes Family which has included 3 stake presidents.  Leon Holmes is now serving as a mission president in Africa.

March  25    We reviewed and compiled a business plan on photography for Rousse and worked on a business plan for the selling and leasing of mining and crushing equipment  for Sibusiso from Birch Acres Branch.  It is helpful that I know how to type!!!!

March 26- 28   We taught 6 people in Career Workshop, a bright, intelligent group.  5 of the participants were non members and we were able to give them Books of Mormon.

March 29   This day is another Public Holiday where the Employment Resource Center was closed.  We took the opportunity to walk to the Joburg Zoo.  (good exercise and lots of interesting animals)


Flamingos sleep standing up, and on one leg.  This one has his eye open, I don't know if they can shut them or not.....

This would make a good balance beam move in gymnastics!!

We watched this little guy try to balance.  He's still learning.

We have seen Birds of Paradise every month since we came here.





That evening the Employment Resource Team including the Tshabalala Family had a movie night at the office where we watched the animated family comedy:  Hotel Transylvania.  Funny movie.  Good Pizza.  Great time with the children..........

March 30  We visited the Easter  Craft Fair at Irene’s Market in Centurion.  Interesting with many people, we distributed some pass along cards.   There was one kiosk with cute swings made of tires.

Cute swings, but the “gentleman” said only people on “acid” could believe the Book of Mormon.  He invited us to take our %#&* and have a "nice" day. Needless to say, he was not a golden contact.  Not even a polite one at that....... but the swings were a cute idea!

In the afternoon we visited the Tembisa Orphanage with the Larsen Family. 

Their daughter and husband and 5 children were visiting from Singapore and they provided lunch and fun games for the children.  

What a fun time.  painting fingernails, getting balls out of trees with a mop, jumping rope, eating hot dogs, and skittles.....  the whole neighborhood joined in.

Mama had taken the day off and went to Mamelodi to visit her mother who is not very well.  Gladness, Mama's daughter in law, was with the children.  Also Simphewe.

This is Mama's Granddaughter.  The Skittles are a real treat! Her mother is Gladness.

Every time we visit the orphanage we are impressed with the great work Mama is doing caring for these needy children and we are glad to add support, both temporal and spiritual.





There is a new building at the orphanage.  It is a library!

There is also new flooring in the room where the children eat.

March 31  (Easter Sunday)  We visited the 
Springs Ward, Benoni Stake, and were warmly welcomed. 

This is Sister has been a member since 1955.  She is widowed now, her husband was the bishop of Springs Ward and they went on a senior mission before he passed away.


We enjoyed the combined Relief Society / Priesthood meeting where President Uchtdorf’s priesthood session talk was reviewed and used as a basis for more effective ministering as Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers.   

We had the opportunity to speak one on one with Bishop Braganca, who has been called as 2nd counselor in the Stake Presidency, about specific employment needs and look forward to returning to speak or teach a workshop.   In Sacrament Meeting, the Bishop and his counselor spoke on the Resurrection and Atonement.  We testify of the singular importance of this unselfish act the Savior performed for all mankind.   That evening we had an Easter Dinner of lamb and ham with the other Senior Missionaries in Dukes Court. 

Next Entry is our Fantastic trip to Victoria Falls!!!  Stay Tuned.