Richards Bay Zone with the B’s – Elders Wright and Potter are honorary members for the week. Elder Wengert and Maremela – together again. Elder Weaver with Elder Reeder who has been in the Durban mission for 5 days.
Elders Otieno and Tsugula, Elders Musemare – who’s name it seems I never get correct – and Dishon who I will call our French elder even if he is not. Elders Kekana and Babeeyo – the best smiles in the zone. We will get to meet Elder Babeeyo’s little brother on Tuesday at Zone Conference.
Elders Wright and Elder Potter – the traveling elders who are visiting us this week. Elder Bartholomew in his South Africa T-Shirt doing what he likes to do best. Mary, Sister B pointing at Elder Wright with Elder Wengert looking on.
As we drove out this morning to head for Esikhawini something did not feel right. When I stopped and looked I found we had a flat tire on the rear passenger side. So I called the men I usually pick up and told them that they would have to get their own transportation and started to change the tire. Unfortunately the lug nuts had been put on by an impact wrench – or some one with a big lug wrench – and I could not get them to move. I put in a call for help from the Elders and they hurried over. While they were on their way I figured out how to use the metal rake handle as an extension on the wimpy wrench that comes with the car and managed to break the nuts free. Elder Weaver was kind enough to finish changing the tire.
I had changed my clothes before starting on the project but I had worked up enough of a sweat and had enough dirt on me that I took another shower before trying once again to get to church. We did not have time to stop at Esikhawini so we drove right to Port Durnford.
As usual the meeting started about 20 minutes late but this gave us time to meet and get to know a little about our new Zone Leader Elder Wengert. We talked a little about the Zone and what we would like to see happen. He was the trainer for elder Maremela and now they are back together. He figures he will finish his mission here.
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When the weather permits Port Durnford holds the Priesthood, Young Women and Primary outside. Elder Wengert can be seen teaching the Primary children over by the house. I noticed that the outdoor baptism font at Esikhawini had a new member who seems to have been held down too long. Elder Wright served in Richards Bay just before we got to the mission field. Here he is with some of the Esikhawini sisters who he knew.
It is almost a good thing that the meetings start about 20 minutes late on Fast and Testimony Sundays because that leaves just about the right amount of time for the number of members they have to bear their testimony. We had a pretty good turnout of 33 or 34 with about 11 of them being younger children. The one thing that is still missing is any couples – there are no families headed by men in the branch.
After Sacrament Elder Wengert got to teach Primary while Mary and I got to go to the adult classes. The RS meets in the building and the rest of us meet outside – at least when it is not raining. It is a great experience to listen to each of the groups sing an opening song. ElderWengert even got the Primary to sing.
After the PD meetings we took Thandi Nzama and her flock home while a number of the branch plus Sister Khumalo went up to see Sister Mhlongo who is dying of cancer because she would not let them operate. We then went to Esikhawini for the last 20 minutes of their meetings. After the meeting Mary taught a piano lesson to Sazi Mthalane while I helped close up the buildings. It turned out President Malinga had to work a double shift and President Thusi left early so President Nyawo and I were responsible for closing things up.
Elders Wright and Potter were recently called to be traveling elders for this cycle. They are going around to each of the zones except for Swaziland and work with the missionaries to help them. With 24 new missionaries who have been out 6 weeks or less, they will be able to see how things are going and help train where necessary. The two came out together and at the end of this cycle they will leave together. Since Elder Wright served in Richards Bay, he was excited to see how all the people he met and in some cases help come unto Christ are doing. Unfortunately he is finding a number of them are no longer active.
Back at our boarding, we had some lunch and then I pretty much crashed for a couple of hours. It is strange how that happens most Sundays.
In the evening we went to the Bartholomews for the first dinner for the new Zone and the last dinner for the Barts. As always there was lots of good food, discussion about mission experiences, and how everyone was doing. Elder Babeeyo told how when he met his younger brother, who has just come to the mission, in Durban he hugged him for 10 minutes. I took lots of pictures of the new elders, the new companionships, and a final picture with the Bartholomews and the Zone – but come to think of it, it may not be the last one since there will be a tri-zone conference on Tuesday and Sister Mann will probably take a picture. But it will be a formal one where this one is anything but.
After a not so good start, it became another wonderful day in Richards Bay. 1 ¾ mites?
