22 January 2010 – Friday

The yard crew showed up at about 8:00 this morning and that meant Mary got to stay home and relax while I went up to Enseleni to pick up Khulekani to have his TB test check. I took one look at the spot on his arm and knew that he would need an X-ray to go with his papers. We ended up going to the hospital twice and the doctor’s office twice. Luckily we could walk back and forth between the two. We also spent quite a bit of time sitting until it was Khulekani’s turn.

After a couple of hours I left him waiting to get his X-ray and drove back to our boarding to pick up Mary and the sewing machine. We arrived back at the doctor’s office not long before Khulekani finally got a clean bill of health from the doctor. Now all we need to do is wait for his pass-port and police clearance to send in his papers. With the Lord’s help this should all be done by the middle of February. He is very excited about getting on his mission. He is going to be a fine missionary.

We treated him to lunch as a bonus for his patience in spending so much time just sitting and waiting. We then took him back to his boarding in Enseleni. We then went over to see Thandeka and talk to her about eating better. However once again we found she was not home but in Durban. I could not quite understand why she went or when she will be back. We are going to have to take Khulekani with us when we visit people so we communicate with them. Our last stop was at Mama Zulu’s where we dropped off the sewing machine so she can make some clothing to sell.

We had some time before English lessons so we drove back to the mall and checked up on what happened to the solid inter-tubes that the bike shop was supposed to get for us. They said the supplier was out but I think that they had just forgotten to order them.

We then went down to Meernsee to check our PO box – not even an advertisement – and stop in at Williams shop – that is a piece of grass along the road to the ocean – to pick up Ladysmith Wilson’s Nephi statue. We also picked up some salt and peppershakers that have carved animal heads on the top.

Mary had both of her students for English class in Enseleni. President Vilane needs to be more diligent in his studies – I told him he needed to sit under his tree and read aloud to improve his pronunciation. We checked with Nonhlahla and Khulekani to make sure they were prepared for Youth. They said they were so we decided to let them run with it. Next week we will suggest we provide the games and treats. But since we have no idea if there will be a couple called to replace us – or any of the other two proselyting couples going home in May and June – they need to be able to run their own program as much as possible.

On our way back to the boarding, we stopped and did our week-end shopping. With the elders coming for dinner Mary pretty well filled the shopping cart. Food is the one of the things that is not less expensive here than at home. The other major item is fuel which is only slightly less than in the states.

After dinner we pretty much relaxed until Mary did a baptism program for Engwelezane. There are baptisms in three of the branches but unfortunately there is only one candidate each. While it is wonderful to see anyone go into the waters of baptism, what is really needed are families! The elders find them and teach them but hardly ever do they come to church and get baptized.

On the health side, elder Vinson called last night and said he was feeling much better and is going out today. We will pick him and elder Dishon on our way to Esikhawini and piano lessons. Elder Harmsworth went to the doctor today – I made the appointment while I was there with Khulekani – to try and find out what is causing his problems. Hopefully the blood tests will turn up something that can be cured.

21 January 2010 – Thursday

Another cool morning – hurrah for Israel and Richards Bay.

The morning was a combination of the spiritual and the mundane. On the mundane side was returning the non-functioning air-conditioner to Games for a refund. I thought I might run into some resistance when I asked for a full cash refund, but it took only a few minutes and no hassle to get a slip that I could take to any cashier and get the cash. However since the store had just opened they did ask that I come back later when they would have money in their till.

We then went to DDM where I gave the spiritual thought on D&C 4. I suggested that while we have it memorized, we should take the time to read it carefully and ponder just what is said. I discussed a few of the verses and ended with pointing out that the last verse – the promise of what would happen if the missionaries did what the Lord asked in the rest of the revelation – related to everyday missionary work. ‘Ask and you shall receive’ reminds us to ask for referrals from EVERYONE as emphasized in PMG. Then ‘Knock and it will be opened unto you’ could relate to Prime Time when they should be knocking on gates and doors.

After DDM we stopped at McDonalds drive-up and got some lunch to bring home. We then filled up the car with the things we needed for English class and Youth at Port Durnford.

There was one more mundane thing that needed to be done – cashing the four checks I got from the District last night. I never know what it will be like when I try to get a check cashed. There can be anything from long lines and multiple people who have to approve or there can be no lines and the check quickly cashed. Today it was the latter and it was made even faster by the fact that the same teller who helped me yesterday, helped me today.

On the drive to Port Durnford we noticed that the cool morning was slowly giving way to a warmer afternoon. The clouds had thinned and the sun was finding holes to shine through. Since we got to PD earlier than we needed to, we drove up to see if Thandi Nzama was coming to Youth. It turned out that she was gone but we did get a chance to see how the re-model was doing and it looks great. They have a new roof, an expanded front room and for the first time they have ceilings so you do not look up at the underside of the roof. It looks really nice.

Mary had a very reduced English class of one. Only sister Mlondo was there but in some ways that was good because she knows less English than the others. Mary found out that she never got to go to school because her father did not think women needed schooling. So any education she got was on her own.

Youth went well. We registered them all for Seminary or Institute, gave them their manuals, gave a short lesson, and then played the spoon and bean game. We have 6 stalwarts – we found that Blessing was staying with family away from PD and of course we still have not seen Gabi since before Christmas. She is supposed to be getting home from Durban this week and we hope to see her on Sunday.

We were leaving the PD building when I realized that we had not given them their snacks. Siya had been trying to get away to study with his friends but I had convinced him to stay for Youth. As soon as youth was over he started to hurry away. But when I mentioned there were treats he immediately turned around and joined in eating the goodies. Some things are more important than friends and studying.

Some days I wonder if we are really doing any good here and then I think about the young people we have the opportunity to work with and decide that if we can help just one or two of them to stay active in the church, go on missions, get married in the temple, or just keep the commandments and stay pure, the time and effort is more than rewarded. We may never know what good we did until we meet some of them on the other side.