Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

Well this post is late and the last week was a blur. You know when you’re up to your eyeballs in alligators or in South Africa’s case crocodiles and then one more thing happens?… Yep, you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about. Well, that was my week last go around.

ES was sick (again but he’s better now) I was working on the decorations for the Young Women in Excellence program, the weather was Horribly Hot and HUMID and then on Thursday our internet went down! Eisch…. Or however it is spelled. I announce happily that I stayed on my feet with a mostly good disposition during the entire stressful week and weekend.

We took lots of pictures so I'll let the captions do most of the talking.

this is Sister Diahle. She has been less active and agreed to help on this event and the Sunday after she came to church. Yay!

Me hanging the banners the spent the week making. I also made the overlays for the table.

Our cake stand with glasses. I made the cake table wrap with the scraps of colored fabric.

the primary class room after we stripped it of all things primary. This will be the food tables and YW display tables.

 

the entrance

the entrance with balloons and girls. The two in orange are twins.

 

the entrance with balloons sans the girls

the finished event room

 

with girls now and a few leaders

The woman with the short hair & in white blouse is the YW President

 

 

 

Some things we did not record digitally are the lessons we have been teaching (lots of those) and the dinner out at the Kruger’s home in Komatepoorte.  It was great fun and they fed us kudu fillets… Major good meat. (I have a photo of a Kudu from Kruger) I’d eat that critter anytime. Yum. We had lots of vegs, Malva pudding (which is really cake but everyone calls this kind of cake “pudding”) and orange stuff to drink. All very good. I have to say it was a delightful evening with lots of laughs and music and a spiritual lesson. Now, I must add that Komatepoorte is nearly 2 hours from our Nelspruit flat. Long drive but totally worth it.

One of the days of the blurry last week, we went to Lydenburg (another 1 ½ hour + drive) to visit a man who is investigating the church. He came to church the previous Sunday and has met with the missionaries once. Wonderful story—he met the missionaries several years ago (like 8 or so) in Zimbabwe and went to church. He had a Book of Mormon which he has read a bit in from time to time. On one of my seminary visits to Sabie I suggested that we bring pizza to the family. Well, there isn’t a pizza place in Sabie so ES and the Jrs. decided to buy the pizza in Lydenburg after they had done what they had gone there to do. While waiting for ES to order the pizza this tall, rather gaunt man approached them and told them he wanted to come to church and visit with the missionaries again. Long story short, they hooked him up with the Sibanyonis (who live in Lydenburg) and arranged for a ride. He came to church, arranged to meet with the Elders and then for the second lesson I tagged along. But, before that time, on the Sunday he was attending, I was asked to give a talk at Ezrom’s baptism on the Holy Ghost. Immediately after, Calisto told ES that he wanted to be baptized before he goes to visit his family in Zimbabwe so he could have the Holy Ghost to tell him all things he should say to his wife so she will want to join the church as well. During our meeting with Calisto, he told us that he must join this church not only for him but for his children and grandchildren. That this TRUE church will change his family forever. Now, keep in mind that he has just had his first baby girl and he has no grandchildren yet. But he gets it!!!!

Elder Smith asked Calisto to pray about whether Joseph Smith was a prophet and he said, “I already know he was and is. I will pray so my family will know.”  When you talk about Golden Contacts this guy is 24 k. gold with Platinum on top!

We will see him again on Saturday and set a date for his baptism. He can’t make it before he goes to Zimbabwe as there are mission rules about attending church 5 times out of 7 weeks so it stretches it out a bit but he is so excited to learn more. He reads the Book of Mormon always and knows the church is true. WoW!

ES will baptize Kombi this Sunday at KaNeymazane. She is the one who came to church by accident and we started fellowshipping but then she had to move. The KaNey elders began teaching her and now she is ready for her “father” to baptize her 

So, that’s one. Ezrom was baptized last week and his daughter Violet was baptized last Sunday. Ezrom is on end, Violet and her daughter, and Elder Ah Wong. Super family.

Then there are the two girls who are learning in our flat. They actually live in our complex and felt impressed to talk to the white elders with the name badges. The Elders cannot teach a sister without an older male or female present so they asked if they could teach her in our flat. We have had three lessons with Portia and then she brought her flat mate, Shokie, who is super insightful and really ready to learn. She began reading the Book of Mormon and told Portia that “this book is addictive.” Shokie has had two lessons and is hungry for more. They were at church and attended Violet’s baptism. She bore her testimony to them about her decision. Nothing like member interaction with investigators. 

Portia and Shokie.

 

 

Lebogang (exchange the g's for h's to pronounce)

On Wednesday this week we will start having scripture study class at our flat. We will basically be doing a beginning Institute class where we will discuss the Bible and the Book of Mormon—heavy on the Book of Mormon.

Then there is the guy who is the referral from the internet who lives in Hazy View…I could go on and on… but I won’t.

 

 

 

 

 

However, this time of year will begin to slow down our progress. At this time of year everyone who is attending school begins testing or what they call “writing.” I think because all the tests are written essays. Eisch! Not fun! And if you fail one part you must take the entire year over again. So, you can be 25 and still in grade 11. I know I would be still there trying to take that dang math exam! LOL!!!

Consequently, everyone studies really hard to pass those tests. Then when all the tests are done everyone goes “home” to wherever that is. According to locals, there will be no one in Nelspruit not even in church. They will all come back in January and life will begin again and so will missionary work.

If only Home for us wasn’t half a world away. Sigh. But, we’ll have fun and keep on working as hard as we can. Heck, I even bought a turkey (one of the 3 in the store) and since we’re not doing T-day here (like why?) I will save it for Christmas.

So still no monkeys in the kitchen but we sure had a problem with flying bugs… YUK!!! I hate bugs! It’s calmed down now and we only see a fly or two but honestly, I’ve never seen anything like the infestation that one night! It was like a horror movie! I was ready to lock myself in and never go out after dark!!!! Oh, yes I was. I think I’d prefer a monkey. Cheers.