The two lions puzzle was the hardest we have had here. Mary was a true champ and got it done with little help from me. I took this picture of the van because they managed to fit four seats across the back of a standard size van conversion. Those people really have to be friendly or will become friendly by the time they get out. These rooms at Khulekani’s home in Enseleni caught my eye. Notice how the window is almost identical to the one out at the Chirwas that is shown below. Only this one has had a couple of ‘repairs’ done.

This picture does not capture the true beauty of the white tree in Khulekani’s yard. Notice how part of it still has the green leaves while the rest if covered with small white flowers. Over the rooms above is a large naartjes tree. The fruit when it ripens is almost identical to what we know as tangerines and is just as tasty.

Mary finished this puzzle last night. It is by far the hardest puzzle we have bought. I was almost no help except for dividing out colors and even there I did not do much. Mary said that the only way she could do most of it was to look at the shape of the pieces because the colors changed so quickly and were so close to being the same it was almost impossible to know what color the next piece would be.

22 May 2010 – Saturday

When I got up this morning I noticed for the first time that there was a coolness in the air. Winter continues to slide over Richards Bay. The second surprise of the morning was that the internet was down. If it does not come up soon, I will call and see what can be done.

We got an early call saying that our Saturday appointment to teach had been cancelled so we decided instead to go to Enseleni where Mary would teach piano to Mbali and I would go around with Khulekani and put some more member’s homes on the map for the new couple. Before we left I took some pictures of where Khulekani lives to show how it is not where you live but how you live that is important. We managed to visit five homes before going back to get Mary at the Seokas.

We just had time for some lunch before going to Esikhawini for piano lessons. Actually we got there early enough to go visit sweet sister Tembe where we found that she had fully recovered from her fall but her daughter had to have an operation because of some internal problems.

While Mary was teaching piano, the Relief Society sisters started coming to have a meeting. There was a problem with one of the sisters not getting a ride so I went and picked her up. She was very important for the meeting because she was giving the demonstration.

Mary had four of her five students show up – she has not had all five come on the same day for a long time. By the time she was done we needed to leave to hook up with the Barts and the Griesmers for  dinner. We decided  to  eat at Mugg and Bean  which was a good choice because it was quiet so there was no hurry to stop talking. We spent the better part of two hours talking about our missions, the people and why more couples did not go on missions.  I was encouraged when elder  Griesmer  said that he was over  73 when they came out. If we stay home for a year before going again, that is how old I will be when we leave.

As we were getting in the car we noticed that a row of dark clouds accented by the soft sunrise looked like a row of trees or mountains behind the actual tree line. Later at the Chirwa’s homestead I took this picture of a neighbor’s group of houses somewhat shrouded by the morning fog. The morning was perfect, soft and cool and very quiet. We will miss this beauty when we leave South Africa.

I noticed the contrast between the traditional round house with the thatched roof and the modern concrete toilet that is provided each homestead no matter how rural. The rising sun pulled out the details of the construction of the main house. Notice how almost anything is used as fill. I also noticed one of the windows and its simple details. It was probably used when it was installed in the house.

But from this humble house five children of different ages leave for school each morning in clean neat clothes with their faces shining. They are the hope of the future.

21 May 2010 – Friday

We were up very early because we had to be out in Port Durnford by 7:00 to pick up Sandile Chirwa so he could have his medical and dental exams for his mission application. As we drove there, there were pockets of fog hanging over the land. Sometimes it was quite thick but it never went on for long. It was a gorgeous morning – cool and calm and clear.

As we drove along the back road towards Esikhawini, we came across Blessing walking with his brother to school. Blessing did not need a ride because he was almost to his turn-off but we gave his brother a ride to the Esikhawini mall.

Sandile came through his physical and dental exams with flying colors. Between them we went to the mall and had his passport pictures taken. We now know what needs to be done and this will save some time. We talked to the Port Durnford elders and they are going to help him get his application in for a police clearance. We also need to get him started towards a passport.

While we were doing this, the Bs picked up president and sister Vilane and took them to the doctor. We stopped in to give them some things and found president Vilane even weaker than he was yesterday. Later they called to say that the doctor said that it seems the valve they put in his heart a couple of years ago is not working properly and that if it is not fixed he would die.

The Bs took him and sister Vilane to the hospital in Durban where he had the original operation and somehow talked them into admitting him so the surgeon who did the operation could see him. They think that he will be transferred to a government hospital and be operated on. I believe the Bs were prompted to come so that they could save this humble man’s life. We did not have time to do this and I doubt if I could have got him into that hospital in Durban. They really are special people with very large hearts.

After dropping Sandile at the taxi rink with money to get some lunch and transport home, we came back to our boarding so Martin could get the opener back on. This time everything worked perfectly. It will be nice to not have to struggle with opening the doors manually.

During the morning we found out that the library in Enseleni wanted to cancel our Sunday services because some political group wanted to have a luncheon. We decided to see if we could not at least have the room until 1:00 so we could hold sacrament meeting. When I talked to man who seemed to be in charge, he said that he thought that would be OK since they were going to be at the sport complex until 1:30 or 2:00. Later he called and said that would be fine as long as we were completely out no later than 1:30.

We then drove to Esikhawini for Youth. Because the problem of the library was solved so quickly, we got to the chapel early. After talking to Sister Mathe – she was of course working on one of her many garden plots – we went to visit Sister Tembe and deliver some books we have been carrying around for a few weeks. She is a lovely lady and really has great faith in the Lord.

To make the next couple of hours shorter than they seemed to me, we found that the youth were going to work on cleaning up the chapel. What was interesting about this project was about a dozen young men showed up and except for sister Nyawo, no young women.

I got to make three trips to while Mary stayed and gave encouragement. First I went to see president Nyawo at his house and told him he really needed to call president Baldwin. They had not been able to contact each other because president Nyawo’s new phone had stopped working.

Then I took Solo Mthalane to his PO Box to see if an important letter from the area office about his mission had arrived and it had not. So we called the area office and found they had mailed it to his street address and they do not deliver to homes here.  Solo gave him the PO Box number and hopefully it will arrive early next week.

My third trip was to the mall to get some window cleaner. The windows were a mess and they only had about an inch left in their bottle. I think I must have put on 30Ks and never left  J section.

By the time we got home it was growing dark. How nice it was to just push a button and see the garage door go up. I pretty much walked into the house and immediately laid down for a nap. It seemed like I had been running all day. But it is good to be tired from doing service in the Kingdom.