Summer Winter Mystery Series

I've still not mastered this photo thing and after spending time trying to move where these posted I just gave up and left them here! They are terribly out of order but... they're not quality but they're quantity this time!

This is the entrance gate to the Mine in Barberton where the Mashalee's live (don't really know how to spell their name)

The road before the gate

the mine They do gold!

their home

another view

The family with really tired missionaries

The family without the missionaries

Chapter 25… I have pictures!

HOT AGAIN! Wowza! It has been awful but it rained today and cooled off things. However, the wonderfully nice rain keeps things cool for a bit then causes humidity to build and whoa… Humid again. But, I’m almost thinking it is better than being on the east coast right about now. Must be really, really cold and ugly.

So, I’m content to be here and sweat to death for a month longer. The winters in Nelspruit are quite pleasant. I remember using a blanket last year. I actually got cold at night and had to wear a sweater in the day. I’m dreaming of those days and nights.

ES and the Jrs went to Barberton to teach the Meshelee family. I stayed home and read my Seminary lesson. Next time they meet I will go as well. They think they have a taxi that will get them to church. That would be wonderful. We will start contributing to the Branch’s taxi fund. With so many outlying people depending on assistance it drains awfully fast. But, we can see no other way to help so many in need. If I could, I’d buy them a car and teach them to drive… but, oh well…. O that I were an angel and so on and so forth… We know how that ends.

Martha came and cleaned today and told me stories of visions she has had. She is certainly a remarkable woman with visions to teach her. When she had her first missionary lesson and the elders taught her about the Book of Mormon she had a dream that same night where she saw herself running after the elders yelling, “Give me the book! Give me the book!” Her husband was with her but he was not running only walking behind her. She knew from that vision that the Book of Mormon was true. Later, she came to realize that her husband was never really converted. He has since divorced her and left the church…in fact, he tried to have her killed. But, she always has these great dreams. This is how the Lord communicates with her.

I was sure I’d have a busy week and I was not disappointed. Wednesday saw lots of lessons and preparations for other events. I decided I would make a throne for the YW/YM event. I began acquiring the supplies for that. Sadly, the Elder’s car broke again so we had to rescue them with antifreeze. We got home in time to fill the reservoir and follow them to the dealership. I worked a bit on the throne; designing and deciding how it would work… it always looks so much better in my mind until I actually start putting it together. But I’m glad of the end result.

Wednesday evening we hosted another Institute class. We had 13 again. Three of them were new to the class who are investigators. These are the daughters of the woman who is the second wife to a man who has 4 wives. They are delightful girls who favored us with a song. We fed them pizza which everyone devoured. These students love the pizza around here. I’m just going through the Book of Mormon and teaching chapter by chapter and explaining the ins and outs of the story-line, the people, and the principles taught in the book. The three sisters said it was the best, best, best class they had ever attended. Of course, they are not used to coming to church classes so they’ve only had school to compare.

Thursday was the event of the century… Well, in Nelspruit anyway. We and the Swan’s hosted the first ever (and probably last ever) Pig-a-Thon! At Spur (the restaurant that is gilded over in Native American Motifs) on Thursdays has all the BBQ ribs and chicken wings you can eat. It was the Nelspruit Elders verses the KaNeymazane Elders and not the seniors. We were sensible. They ate 4 plates full each and when Elder Willombe started to get sick we called it a draw. Our Elders certainly could have won because afterwards Elder Kankkunnen still had room for a milkshake. The restaurant was helping with the competition as we arranged with Arnold, the first waiter we ever had at Spur, to be the judge. Usually, when during this time of all-you-can-eat ribs on the second and subsequent plates you get you only get ½ portions of each…only 4 ribs and 4 chicken wings…but on this night, the restaurant opted to do full sized portions. The manager said that our contestants hold the record for Spur of the most ribs and chicken wings ever eaten! How proud are we! The manager even asked me to go to Facebook and join their site and post a photo. I stand a chance of winning $300 in food coupons! Yay! That would be nice. It would almost pay for the meal! The Swans shared the cost with us thank goodness!

teaching Institute

Second phase

Teaching Institute

First phase: an ordinary chapel chair

As silly as this seems we are now celebrities with Spur. The staff was still talking about it today when we ate “Linner” there today (Saturday.) We were starving after being at church from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. The food they had at the branch was definitely not on our diets and we are doing really well at staying away from those nasty carbs. ES is doing magnificently and I am doing like I am supposed to be doing.

Third phase... to become a throne

Friday was busy with breakfast for the Zone Meeting. Yes, the ZL’s came over from Pretoria and spent the day with the Elders. ES and I spent the day decorating the primary room and setting up for Seminary.

It doesn’t seem possible that it is February already. We will officially be on our mission 6 months in 11 days. That nearly seems impossible.

More institute class members

We're down to Sunday and waiting for Debbie to come for a lesson. Portia came to church with us this morning and really enjoyed it.

I cooked a turkey last night since it cooled down sufficiently. Funniest thing--this turkey was born and bred in South Africa and when I started to dress it I discovered it still had its FEET attached. Wow! So from now on I will (if I do ever again) only buy American turkeys. No feet!

But I wasn't about to cook a monkey or invite one into my kitchen so I cooked the turkey with the feet! Cheers until next time. Enjoy the snaps!