Elder Beagley working away at his computer as Vehicle Coordinator. Sister Beagley teaching Mary to enter baptism records. Since both actions were taking place in a corner I could not find any place to stand to get their faces and I did not want to say ‘turn this way and smile.’ I wanted to show them actually doing their work.

The week was pretty much like any other week. We continue to learn how to be Finance and Mission secretary as well as continuing in our other office duties. Mary is also learning how to enter baptisms and confirmation records. Elder Stemile is being very patient with me as I stumble my way through learning his very exacting job. Finances is one area where the Church keeps a very close eye and if anything is not just so, an e-mail comes in asking what is up. However Salt Lake is also very good and patient about helping with any problems that come up and is never further then a phone call away.

Tuesday we went to District meeting and as always it was one of the highlights of the week. The district is struggling a little with getting baptisms but in other areas it is doing well. They set some new goals and committed to doing better. They are a great group of missionaries and as long as they do not get discouraged they will do well. It is really a privilege to be able to be part of their district. 

    

Elders Smoot and Plowman have a bonding moment. The love that missionaries have for one another is so amazing. When they get together for conferences they just want to visit with their former companions and those they were in the MTC together. Elder Conger has chosen to eat delicious homemade cookies and save his healthy orange for later. I know it looks like Elder Beard is trying to teach Mary a dance step but that was not the case – at least I do not think it was.

Wednesday evening we went over to Weston and met with brother and sister Workman to talk about the list of less actives that the ward is trying to reactivate. In PEC it was mentioned that between now and the end of June the ward will lose 37 active members who are moving out because of their jobs. This is one of the problems the ward always has but that many moving in such as short time is unusual. Brother Workman is the HP group leader and between him and sister Workman we learned a lot about the members that should help us when we visit them. I mentioned some suggestions on how a couple of them might be asked to use their job skills or hobbies to teach the young people some time. Everyone likes to share the things they are good at.

  

I took the picture with Mary so I could get the wall sculpture behind her but of course she is the best part of  photo. The last one is another shot of the fountain at night. I steadied the camera against the building while the camera took 10 seconds or so (a lifetime when it comes to taking pictures) to capture the scene. The individual parts of fountain turned into a solid bright star.

Friday night we splurged and went out to Red Lobster for dinner. It was good food and as usual we brought home about half so we will eat well tomorrow. However the cost of the meal was about what we were allowed to spend in South Africa for a food order that fed a family of 5 for a month. I know that we should not think of it that way but it is hard to live so well and not remember those who lived spiritually well on a lot less. It is probably time to increase our fast offerings.

During the week we learned that one of men who was a fairly recent convert when we arrived in Richards Bay was called to be branch president in January. Also this week saw the Blackburns being released and coming home after two years serving up in Swaziland. Their replacements got two days of orientation and then were left to their own devices. The Lord will bless them and they will soon come to love the people as much as the rest of us do.

I had a good chat with Travis Richey who is getting ready to be deployed to Afghanistan in the middle of the year. It is something he really wants to be part and we will pray for his safe return in April 2013 – I told him that we will have to plan to get together since we will be coming home in April also.

The weather continues to be wonderful with almost no rain to speak of this week. Lots of blue skies and temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s – perfect weather.

   

This huge Boston fern is just outside our office building. If it was not confined to a planter it would probably take over the world. Extra parking at the Stake Center where we go to Church is on grass strips across the back of the lot. The Saint Augustine grass is so thick and tough that parking cars on it has no affect. Some 65 years ago my father planted St Augustine in our backyard in California. Within 5 years it had spread to our neighbors. It finally died when we build two houses on top of it.

From Wikipedia: St. Augustine Grass or Buffalo Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) (also known as Charleston Grass in South Carolina) is a warm season lawn grass that is popular for use in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a medium to high maintenance grass that forms a thick, carpetlike lawn, crowding out most weeds and other grasses.

I think that ‘most’ should read ‘all’ weeds and grasses.