My wish.........
To play a grand piano in my lifetime..........

Thabo, from Lenyenya, is a graduate of the Keyboard Course published by the church.  He was taught by Senior Missionaries a couple of years back.  We first met him and his friend Mpho Saturday, November 16, 2013 in Lenyenya at a Career Workshop. The next day, Thabo played the electronic piano for Sacrament meeting.  He played VERY well, all his hymns were from the regular hymn book.  He improvised on his prelude music with ease. 

During this visit, we went to dinner at the Fairview restaurant with the Heyens and the Smiths. There was a grand piano there.

Thabo is in the light blue shirt, Mpho in the yellow shirt

Thabo and Mpho were preparing for their missions at the time we met them.  Thabo told Sister Heyen his wish was to play on a grand piano sometime in his lifetime.  The Heyens took Thabo and Mpho to dinner at the Fairview restaurant.  They asked ahead if Thabo could play the piano there.  Permission was granted.  Imagine Thabo's surprise!  He was invited to play. He sat down, then he asked where the volume button was.  It was the first piano he had ever played!

The boys were amazed as menus came out and they were invited to order anything they wanted! They had never had the opportunity to order of from a menu at a restaurant before. 

Thank you Elder and Sister Heyen!  Thabo is now on his mission in  Kenya.  Mpho has his call for  Durban.

Elder and Sister DaBell January 2014 Visits and Activities

5 January   We visited Mamelodi II Branch and visited with President Nkambule and the members regarding the workshop scheduled for 11 January.  26 members registered for our class on Saturday, 11 January....Whew!   We are still adding more from Mamelodi I Ward.  The attendance at the Branch was near 80 members in the school where they meet.

The Branch President's Sons help set up the school for meeting.

The Klingler's attend this branch.  Sister Klingler has a keyboard student who now plays prelude music.  He will soon be ready to play the simplified hymns!

We love Gospel Doctrine Class.  The message is always clear and well understood.

6 January   I was surprised in the office with a birthday cake made by Sister Adams.  The highlight of my birthday was talking to all the kids and many grandchildren. 

Flora, who keeps us tidy in our office gave us Zulu names.
Elder DaBell is Siphiwe.  Sister DaBell is Siphokazi.

7-8 January   We taught Career Workshop in Kwa Thema Ward to 22 people.  It was well received and we had the Elder’s Quorum President and Self Reliance Specialist in attendance.  (President Ntengu and Sister Mashiyane)

Sister Mashiyane, Ward Employment Specialist

President Ntengu, Elder's Quorum President

Great Class.  Baby Tracy attended also!

Wonderful full time Elders, always ready to help

Kwa Thema Building

9 January   I met with 6 members in Vosloorus Ward, some working on a Waste Management Company and several others starting a Sewing business.  We will teach Self Employment Workshop there in February.  I then met Elder and Sister Eggett in Kathelong and toured Brother Jacob Mlambo’s  sewing business.  He employees 5 people and sews uniforms, traffic vests, hats, and other clothing. I will review his accounting later.

Jacob Mlambo

Sister Eggett modeling a hat.

Jacob and Elder Eggett

10 January, we drove to Ennerdale to look at the garden.  Sister Suzen Nkomo, one of my piano students is in charge of this project.  Different people plant boxes.  Some are ways for needy people to supplement their diet.  Some people work on the landscaping by contract and are paid.  It is very impressive.

Suzen Nkomo Head Gardener and Relief Society in Ennerdale Branch

The Chapel

The tidiness of the church landscaping has had an effect on the neighborhood.

10 Jan This is Sister Alvonna from Enselini Branch by St Lucia.  We met her husband when we traveled there last August with Ryan and Family.    She has had some major health problems.  The family is here to attend the temple.

11 January we taught 25 people from the two Mamelodi Units Career Workshop in the Mamelodi Ward Building.  We had Bishop Dlamini and President Nkambule there at the beginning and the Mamelodi Branch Self Reliance Specialist in attendance.  On our way home we ate at Lotus Thai in Pretoria.......Delicious!

12 January   we spoke in Sacrament meeting at Tembisa First Ward.  President Chatora was in attendance.  

Modjaji and Ofentse

After the meeting, we went to the Orphanage. We introduced Elder and Sister Barnes.

 Mama showed us a certificate from the planning commission allowing a 3 story building.  She also had drawings to renovate making private bedrooms.  We hope a local construction company is helping her and will allow her to get government certification with funding.  

Essa is almost hidden by Lerato and Mpho

I think this is Themba

We then drove to Nelspruit with the Adams’ and ate a dinner at Elder and Sister Hunt’s apartment celebrating a young missionary’s, Elder Kalana from Kenya, birthday. 

13- 14 January  We taught Career Workshops in both Nelspruit Branch and Ka Nya Mazane Branch. 

Coming up to Nelspruit, we became lost.  We asked a policeman for directions to the Towne Lodge where we were staying.  He gave us an escort.









The Branch Building is in a rather questionable area.

Nelspruit Branch

Love the missionaries!

Indoor Baptismal Font

We had 12 in one workshop and seven in the other.  Monday night, we taught a 4 hour abbreviated class on Self Employment in Nelspruit for 10 people from both branches.  Elder and Sister Baxter and Elder and Sister Hunt , Member Leader Support missionaries, are such great hosts and great help in these branches.  

We met a young man, John Paul, at the workshops who was baptized this week in Nelspruit. 

Lomthandazo Silombo had a job two days later.

As we teach, we always invite the students to set long term goals.  Do you now where you're going to?  Do you like the things that life is showing you?

Ka Nya Mazane Branch

Elders DaBell and Adams spent the day in Ka Nya Mazane Branch.  The cute little girl stayed the whole day, and then attended the Self Employment session at night.

The evening Self Employment Workshop

16-17 January  We taught 6 people Career Workshop in the Employment Resource Center.  This was a particularly bright group.  One member got a job on the second day and 3 others already had interviews lined up.  

Left to right, Siyubulela who got home from his mission 5 days ago, Georgina, very well qualified and confident, Her son, Michael, who has a Civil Engineering Degree, Maanda in the dark blue, and Lancelot, on the far right who was baptized 26 January just 10 days after the class.


17 January  we served in the Temple in the afternoon and in the evening  joined the Adams’, Barnes’ and Roses to celebrate Elder Adams’ birthday. We ate at JB’s in the Melrose Arch. (delicious and fun)

19 January   We attended Church at Alexandra Branch and spoke with President Tladi about employment and other Self reliance needs.  

The first time we visited Alexandra, it was night.  There were rats running all over!

When Branches meet in schools,
they come on Saturday and clean the building for Sunday worship

Alexandra Branch meets in a Secondary School.  It has a very nice courtyard.

This is a hair salon.

Need a muffler?

Alexandra on a tilt!

In the afternoon we attended a two hour meeting with the 7 Gauteng Area Stake Presidencies with our Area Presidency and Elders Gay and Sitati and Brother Murray instructing them on how the Priesthood Leaders will lead out in PEF Self Reliance.  Much time was spent on the Doctrines of Self Reliance and how Heavenly Father wants us to be Spiritually and Temporally Self Reliant.  This is the essence of the Gospel according to President Uchtdorf.

20, 22 January  Elder Adams and I taught another Self Employment Workshop in the ERC.  We had business ideas:  Restaurant, machine shop, multi level marketing,  consulting, and fresh orange juice sales .

Suzen Nkomo has made a CD herself playing hymns that she plans to share with her keyboard teachers.  Suzen is very talented, focused and a wonderful friend.  

Congratulations Suzen!

 (See Ennerdale Branch Garden above)