If you have been reading the blog you know that we have been to the St Lucia Estuary twice in the last 30 days. Here are pictures of some of the things we saw on our trips.

On our second visit we took the road to Cape Vidal and along the way we came across 2 large cape buffalos who let me get closer than I probably should have been and posed for me. The picture of the bay with what looks like a pile of rocks along the shore is actually one of a herd of hippos resting in the shallows. At another stop along the way there was a shallow pond that was the happy resting place for another herd of hippos – these we could get much closer to. I would have gotten closer except for signs such as this:

July 4th might have been Indepedance Day for the US but in Port Durnford it was Engagement Day for James Machaka – the president of the Port Durnford Branch. He is the tall handsome man on the left in the first picture. We did not get a picture of the bride to be because by the time we had to leave she was not dressed for the occasion. The next picture is sister Joyce and friend. The party was held at her home – she was acting like the mother of groom. The guests are shown waiting in the tent for the program to start. I had to show one of the men getting a haircut and shave so he would look good for the party. The clippers kept stopping and a substitute pair did no better. It seemed for a while that he would have a very unusual hair style for the day but they finally got a pair that allowed him to complete the job.

Last week we were on our way to teach English at the Nzama home when we came upon Gogo Nzama carrying her latest purchases home. We of course picked her up and took her to her homestead. The sack on her head is a large bag of dog food – she is holding on to it because the dogs were jumping against her because they know what it is.

The first time the Hafens brought us out to visit the Nzamas, I thought he was turning into a creek bed but found that it was the road to their home. I am not looking forward to doing this during a rain storm.

The last shot is from a larger road near their home. There had been a lot of sugar cane fields burned off over the last two days and the sky was thick with the smoke and particles so we had beautiful but very unhealthy sunsets. This picture captures both the bright orange sun and the thick cloud of smoke hanging over the whole area.

There is a tradition here that all the elders in the zone gather at the Bartholomews for a last Sunday dinner as a zone. So the picture on the far right is the last zone picture – some of them will be transferred on Wednesday. The other four pictures are the elders that came into the zone 6 weeks ago – Left to Right – Elder Peterson, Elder Babeeyo, Elder Mholo, Elder Richey. Elder Richey has been serving with Elder Mbithi as Zone Leaders. Elders Baybeeyo and Mholo – our greenest missionary in the zone – have been serving in a three some with Elder Schlenker. Elder Schlenker – the handsome missionary on the far right in the front row  – is from Canada and will be heading home on Friday.

One of the privilages of being a senior couple is getting to know and serve with the amazing elders that come on missions.

12 July 2009 – Sunday

Up early so I could try to get my talk on tithing organized – it did not work – and then get off to Esikhawini for PEC. I thought at first that once again there would be no PEC meeting but brothers Thusi and Nkhosi showed up just after 8:00 and with the elders we had PEC. They still need more training on what PEC is about and we need to make sure the others who should be there make it but hopefully in a few months it will be fully functioning.

Branch conference at Port Durnford went well. There were lots of people there we did not know, including – so we found out later that night – an investigator couple.  All the talks were good  but President Vesi’s and President Baldwin’s were especially powerful. The only thing that took away from the meeting was a number of crying children. The mothers were pretty good about taking them out but as it seemed that soon after one stopped another one started. Since there is no sound system – there is no electricity – it was difficult to hear all of any of the talks.

Almost as soon as the meeting was over, we said goodbye and headed to Nseleni so that I could speak. We did not know how long it would take so of course we were almost 30 minutes early. However the elders were there starting to set up and we got a chance to say hello to some of the members. President Vilante arrived well in advance and probably could have started on time but he chose to wait for more people to arrive so it started about 15 minutes late.

The branch meets in the local library and today they about filled the largest meeting room. The count was 71 – a large number for them – and it included 15 investigators and their numerous children. What is exciting is that there were at least two babas there with their families. Something that is very much needed in the branch for leadership.

Mary was asked to give a short talk and bear her testimony. I then spoke for about 20 minutes on tithing. I felt that it went well. I tried to explain the great blessings that come from paying tithing and that the Lord could not give us these blessings unless we paid our tithes and offerings. I also tried to keep it simple.

I must mention that the chapel was very quiet and reverent before the meeting and during the sacrament. Since there must have been 30 primary age children in the congregation, that was very much unexpected. When it comes to reverence, the wards in Utah could learn from these branches. I also was glad to see so many young men – 12 to 18 – in the branch. In 3 to 6 years when all of them have been on missions and come home again, the branch will be rolling in priesthood.

We left after sacrament and came home. For some reason I was exhausted and ended up taking a nap in the chair. The afternoon seemed to fly by and it was soon time to leave for the Bartholomews to have the Last Supper of this transfer.

We were the first ones there but soon Elders Torgerson and Meistre arrived and we were able to talk about the Enseleni branch. Elder Thorgerson said that he thought my talk on tithing was perfect because they were going to teach the commandment to one of their families and this laid the groundwork. Earlier I had asked elder B how many were coming to Enseleni when they arrived on their mission and he said they averaged in the 20’s – now they are getting 3 times that many. Much of it has to do with a couple of the missionaries who have served here recently. They got the youth excited about doing missionary work and now they are kept busy with referrals and always have someone to go out with them when they teach. In other words member missionary work is going the way it should.

As always the B’s provided way too much food. After filling themselves up, and sending off their reports, the elders sat around for a while talking about who might get transferred out and where they might go. I have been kidding elder Mbithi that he was going to be transferred to Newcastle. I of course have no idea if he will be transferred and certainly not where he might serve next. It will be interesting to see what happens.

We know elder Schlenker will be gone because he heads home on Friday. It is pretty certain elder Makono will leave but he has only been here 4 ½ months. If he goes it will be the second time we have bid him farewell – he was with us in Swaziland. Because of All Zone Conference they think they will get transfer news on Monday night instead of the usual Tuesday.

11 July 2009 – Saturday

Another gap in this blog because I did not take the time to sit down and write at the end of the day or early the next. Each of the missing days were spent out serving in our branches – mainly working with the youth on the road shows.

Today was busy because of a farewell party for Sister Nonkululeko Mazibuko of Esikhawini branch who is leaving next Wednesday for her mission in Ghana. They had a slumber party at sister Khumalo’s for the Young Women on Friday night and then a party today. Sister Mavundla, the  Young Woman’s President, organized it all and when she arrived at the chapel today she said that she was exhausted and too old for slumber parties. But she pitched right in and got things set up for this one.

Mary helped with decorations and I ended up being the taxi for running around getting things that were left behind or came up short. In one way it was really good because I learned where a few people lived and I am now more comfortable driving through the township. I also used the time to set the sprinkler to water some of the gardens – I decided that I could do this whenever we had meetings at Esikhawini to help the sisters with their gardening.

The party was scheduled to start at 2:00 but as usual it was about 3:00 before things really got going. Most of the people who came were women and of course all the youth – including those who came mainly for the food. They had a nice program with Elder Mokopotsa as host and a number of speakers including Sister Mazibuko.

I spoke with the soon to be missionary a couple of times over the last couple of days and she is of course a little anxious about what it will be like to be away from home for 18 months in a completely strange country. It helps that elder Mathalane recently returned from the same mission and has been able to tell her something about what to expect. He had wonderful experiences there and told her about how it really was the best two years of his life.

Speaking of now brother Mathalane, he got a good job as one of the managers for Mug and Bean, a restaurant in the mall we have eaten at a few times, almost as soon as he got back. Unfortunately they are short one manager and for a while he must work on Sunday. However he is able to attend sacrament meeting before heading to work. Once they fill in the last position he is hoping to be able to get Sundays off. I am sure the Lord will bless him so he can.

I helped cook the worst and then clean up. I must say that the sisters here are very good at cleaning up after a party and I was surprised how quickly things were made ready for tomorrow’s services. I then helped lock up and the elders closed the gates behind us. While we were taking sister Mavundla home we came across one of the articulated buses that they use here broken down almost in the middle of a major intersection. It seems that one of the axles broke and it was not going anywhere until they got something big there to lift it up and then tow it to be repaired. Luckily there was room to go around it or we would have had to make a very big detour to get to her home.

We made a stop at the grocery store to get things for tomorrow. While I was doing that, Mary bought some fish and chips from a new take away restaurant near the store. By the time we got home it was pitch black and of course I had not left any outside lights on because I was sure we would be home before they were needed.

We had been home for a few hours when we got a call from the Barts asking us if we could take some things to Esikhawini for them. We agreed to meet at the Richards Bay chapel. When I hit the switch to raise the garage door, something snapped and it stop working. To make a longer story short, we are now parking our car outside until we can get someone here to fix whatever is wrong.

One more story about the day. When the program ended and the eating started, the gogos – grandmothers – and a couple of other women sat in a circle so they could talk while they ate. I stopped by and talked to them for a while. I mentioned to them that single women could go on missions so if any were interested they could put in their papers. Sister Mhate said “So they give you a companion when you get there?” and I said “Yes but unfortunately it is another woman.” This completely broke her up and she almost choked to death because she was eating when I said it. The gogos here are amazing and have a wonderful sense of humor while being very responsible.

08 July 2009 – Wednesday

A busy morning with the normal amount of housework – we do miss having maid service here – while handling normal morning missionary activities.

I wrote lyrics for one of the songs in the Esikhawini road show to the tune of Book of Mormon Stories. I thought I had to write them from scratch because I could not find the ones I wrote earlier. As I was finishing, Mary mentioned that she had a copied the earlier lyrics onto her computer. So I used some of the old and some of the new to come up with four verses.

We had to be in Esikhawini at 11 but since we had left the paints we needed at Port Durnford yesterday we had to first go there. We have found a more adventurous route to the PD chapel. While it avoids much of the pot hole road we usually take, this one is all packed sand with lots of interesting bumps and one decent gully. We think it is shorter but we will not take it when it is raining or just after a rain. I am afraid it they would have to bring in a tractor to pull us out of some hole.

Of course no one showed up on time but a few youth finally came around and got busy painting the back drop. I am afraid it is a little too detailed but the young man who drew it is really an artist. While they were waiting for the young people to arrive, Mary and sister Mavundla went through the songs. Sister Mavundla was surprised that I had written completely new lyrics for the song.

While the other were working on the scenery, I wrote a short entrée act that will explain the background of the story of the Title of Liberty. I think it is also rather funny.

After being there for 3 hours we had to leave to go to PEC with President Machaka. We left brother Mhtalane working on the scenery and after the PEC we came back to close up the building and headed for home.

Since we needed more paint than we thought, Mary had me stop along the way so she could buy what she thought she would need. It is hard to find large quantities of poster paint so we are using powdered acrylic instead. I am almost to the point where I think we would be ahead if we bought cans of water based paint for the sky and sea – luckily we still have a couple of weeks to get the backdrops painted.

Once we were home, I finished my chores before Mary cooked dinner. After dinner I spent over an hour working on pictures that I have taken over the last 45 days. I have gotten way behind editing and putting names on pictures. When that happens what can be enjoyable becomes a chore instead. Each time this happens I promise myself that I will not let it happen again, but of course it does. I figure I still have at least another hour to get them all done.

07 July 2009 – Tuesday

It was a day spent running errands and working with the Port Durnford youth. The road shows have taken over our lives. We did a lot of shopping for things we needed for the home and the road shows in the morning. The afternoon was spent at Port Durnford working with the youth on costumes, scenery and other things. At times I wonder if there is any possibility that everything will come together in the next 2 weeks? One good thing about the roadshow is that we have a non-LDS young man painting the scenery. He has great talent and we really needed it.

On the way home we stopped by the Richards Bay chapel so I could see how the outside fixtures had been repaired and to make sure President Mann did not plan to stay with us tonight. We were lucky to catch him between rooms and he said he did not want to bother us. I said to him I was not surprised and that he certainly had a lot on his plate over the next couple of months.

This week end the mission presidency meets with all the branch presidencies for a training meeting. Then next week is All Zone Conference in Durban. Soon after that there is a mission tour with the new Area President and then comes Couple Conference. While all this is going on he has to be preparing for lose 25% of his trained elders and gain the same number of new elders in September and October. Of course there is also the little problem of losing 3 couples in the same period with no replacements in sight. And to think there are people who would like to be a mission president.

In the evening Mary worked on music for the road shows while I fell asleep in the chair. I think I am growing old.

06 July 2009 – Monday

We decided that for P-day we would return to St Lucia and take the road out to Cape Vidal. It was a perfect day for it. The sky was clear – at least until they started burning cane fields in the afternoon – and there was a nice breeze to keep us cool.

We were happy to find that our Rhino pass got us into the reserve without needing to pay the R50 cost. The sign at the gate where we checked in says that entrance is limited to 120 vehicles a day and I wondered if they stick to that. There was certainly not much traffic on the roads today so maybe they do or winter may not be a busy season for them.

We took our time and took every loop road and stopped at every view point. We walked down to Mission Rocks – a jumble of rocks that appear to be the remained of a major lava flow but according to the information are carbonized sandstone – and looked for seashells. I managed to find one small shell for Mary. We have yet to find any large or colored shells or coral.

We did not see a lot of animals but we did see a big herd of hippos – I am not sure what you call a group of hippos – in a shallow pool and also far away on the lake shore. Because the ones on the lakeshore was so far away and we did not have any binoculars we could not decide if they were really rocks or hippos. While we were trying to decide a game tour vehicle came up behind us and the guide told us they were hippos. We decided we needed to buy a good pair of binoculars for our animal and bird watching.

Along this same loop trail we came across a family of baboons that basically ignored us, three zebras that were just standing on the plains and hardly gave us notice, and finally three cape buffalos that we stopped about 20 yards from. We got out and took pictures of the buffalos because they were so close. They did not pay much attention to me but when Mary came around the car in her bright blue flowered blouse they started paying attention. I was tempted to walk closer to them for a better picture but decided that I did not think I could out run them back to the car and would be happy with what pictures I had.

All in all it was a very pleasant 5 hours of enjoying the quiet and beautiful coast area. Now that we know more what is there, we will probably visit the area again. We certainly want to take the boat ride up to see the hippos and possibly – if I think my stomach can take it – go out and see the whales passing.

By the time we got home Mary was really tired and that was not helped by her almost constant need to sneeze. I think there must be something in the air because a number of the elders are also having the same symptoms.

I should mention that when we go out on P-day we always wear our tags and we see many people reading what they say. I also carry the pamphlet “Who are the Mormons” in my pocket and if people seem interested I offer them a copy. Today there were no takers but I like to be prepared.

05 July 2009 – Sunday

I crashed early on the couch last night and later staggered into bed. Of course that meant I woke really early and could not go back to sleep. But the Lord blessed me and I was able to stay fully awake for all the meetings.

President Malinga held a good PEC but unfortunately the Elders President was not there nor was the Branch Mission President. The latter had to work an extra shift because of a shortage of available men in his department. Hopefully once everyone realizes that there is going to be a PEC every Sunday morning, all of the folks will come and be prepared to be contribute to the meeting.

President Malinga started the meeting almost on time and that meant people kept coming in for the next 30 minutes. Hopefully if they continue to start on time people will get the idea and plan to be in the chapel by 9:00. It was a good fast and testimony meeting with some excellent testimonies being given. A non-member man, who the elders had blessed when he sick, stood up and recounted his recovery. Brother Themba – the man I had the privilege of baptizing a month ago- also bore his testimony. It is still being developed but he has shared it each testimony meeting since he was baptized.  Earlier in the meeting he was sustained to receive the Aaronic Priesthood and to be ordained a Priest. I think he will make a solid contribution to the branch.

Elder Mbhiti taught the Sunday School class on the subject of sacrifice. They need to call a regular teacher for that adult class. As I sat there, I thought again how serving the Lord and His children is never really a sacrifice. Benjamin points this out very clearly in his great discourse and as we have served our missions we have found this to be true. As Benjamin says as soon as we do something in his service or keep any of the commandments, the Lord immediately rewards us. We feel the peace and joy that Mormon discusses in Moroni 7. Eternal Life is the bonus that comes after all the other blessings we receive when we keep the first principles and ordinances of the gospel.

Earlier during PEC while we were talking about Home Teaching and its importance, brother Thusi – the first counselor – suggested we have a Priesthood lesson on what home teaching was and how to be a home teacher. I agreed to teach it and then they surprised me by asking me to do it today. So I took some of the SS time and read the lesson on Home Teaching from one of the basic PH manuals so I would have some background for the lesson.

After a rather rocky start, the Lord blessed me with a knowledge of what to say. I think I was able to teach them why home teaching was important, how to work with your companion to be good home teachers, how to get to know your families, and the blessings to both the family and the home teachers. I got almost everyone involved in the lesson and used the manual only for a couple of good stories. Now all they need to do is to get the home teaching organized and in the PH hands by next week.

After the block, Mary taught piano to her five students for an hour. Without them having keyboards there is no real way for them to practice. Hopefully we will have some in a month or so.

Once we were back at our boarding we enjoyed a quiet afternoon reading and trying to take naps. I was sure that I would not be able to keep my eyes open long enough to eat lunch but when I finally laid down I could not fall asleep. So instead I read and wrote some e-mails.

In the evening we made our way down to the Bartholomews for the usual dinner with them and the elders. The Esikhawini elders told me earlier they would not be coming but they changed their minds and showed up. So it ended up that all of the missionaries were there to eat tacos. Some of the African Elders at first were not sure about this idea but they soon found out how good they were and dug right in.

It is great to sit around and talk about how our Sundays went. Elder Schlenker told me about a meeting they had with a Baba today.  He had asked them to teach just from the bible and they started to do this but the Baba asked them questions that required them to use the Book of Mormon and he was open to that. The lesson continued along that way with the Baba asking just the right questions to bring in the spirit. Elder Schlenker said he thought it was the most spiritual lesson he had ever been a part of. It fits right in with Elder’s talk on the Spirit as a companion when teaching the gospel.

It has truly been a wonderful spiritual Sabbath for me. I felt the Lord’s hand and tender mercy a number of times.