Friday means that it District Development Meeting. This week was a little different because we held it at the Ikageng office instead of in Klerksdorp. This was due to sister Dunn asking us to take one of the elders to the doctor to have his blood tested. It seems he has not been well for a month or so and doctor Barton wants to make sure it is nothing serious.

Before the meeting started elder Hentunen had us play a game using the Book of Mormon and elder Turauskis was clearly the champ as he won all but one of the games. The quote of the day was D&C 4 which I actually know. Mary, elders Bergman, Khwela and Wild.    After the reports, the lesson and of course the brownies that Mary made for treats we went outside for a district photo.  From left to right elders Khwela, Turauskis, Hentunen, Wild, McCartney and Bergman – oh and o course Mary.
 

After that the elders went to our favorite Chinese restaurant for lunch while we had shrimp from another shop in the center. Once they had eaten we took the elder and companion to the doctor and then to the clinic where he got his blood taken. The final step in this experience was to take them back to the Potch elders flat where they met up with the other companionship and headed back to the Jouberton/Klerksdorp flat.

Just as we were finishing this up we got a call from president Kwaikwai asking if we could please take care of a food order for a family in the branch. We of course were happy to help by picking up the mother and taking her to the store and then back to her home. The blessings of the fast offerings are one of the great programs of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Thursday night we took President Kwaikwai to Klerksdorp for leadership training with president Dunn. I wanted a last picture of the branch presidents we have worked with and learned to love. Unfortunately president Mogapi was not able to attend so I only have this one of presidents Kwaikwai, Robbins and president Dunn.

22 awesome elders went home this transfer. They start the day by going across the parking lot to the MTC and bring those elders who are coming into the mission to the mission office so they can be interviewed and instructed by president and sister Dunn, the APs and the office staff of Elder and Sister Allred and the Thompsons.

Then they have time to go outside and say goodbye to the other elders as they arrive. After all the transfers have been shown the departing elders get hugged by president Dunn, pinned by sister Dunn and are given a plaque that is like the photo of their mission that is shown behind them. Finally they are given a chance to share thoughts, wisdom and testimony to the rest of the missionaries. It is a tender time for them and for the rest of us.

Then they all go to the mission home for a final lunch and some instructions and thoughts about what they should think about when they are home. There are too many returned missionaries who become inactive because they did have any plan for when they are released and are no longer serving the Lord 24/7.

                                   

  

       After the last departing missionary speaks, all the missionaries stand and sing the mission song. I have yet to make it through the song without tearing up a little. There is just something about 150 plus dedicated missionaries singing together that with power and the spirit that reaches deep within me. This was the last time we would get to sing it with so many friends and fellow servants of the Lord.

If you like to get an idea of what it is like to hear this song go to the Dunn’s website: http://dunnsinjoburg.blogspot.com/2014/07/mission-song-new-favorite.html

Here are the Lyrics..

There’s a land we have all come to, chosen from on high to serve with our Lord’s guidance leaving all behind. Giving light to those who never knew the way. Bringing gifts restored in latter days.

Chorus:
We’ve been called to build the Kingdom in Johannesburg. We will serve the Lord with strength, love and faith. We shall go forth proclaiming with the Spirit of truth ’til all people learn the things we know are true.

Tumelo hunya kitebe, remember what we have. Hlanganani nonce in this land our banner stands. Giving light to those who never knew the way. Bringing gifts restored in latter days.

Chorus:
We’ve been called to build the Kingdom in Johannesburg. We will serve the Lord with strength, love and faith. We shall go forth proclaiming with the Spirit of truth ’til all people learn the things we know are true.

In this land of many colors with its transcendent past, uniting all God’s children with the plan of happiness. Giving light to those who never knew the way. Bringing gifts restored in latter days.

Chorus:
We’ve been called to build the Kingdom in Johannesburg. We will serve the Lord with strength, love and faith. We shall go forth proclaiming with the Spirit of truth ’til all people learn the things we know are true.

 

It was a special transfer meeting in a number of ways. Not only was it the largest transfer for the mission – especially when you consider that 46 missionaries were recently transferred to the Botswana/Namibia mission – but it also introduced president Dunn’s new counselors. Presidents  Klintworth and Msane have just been approved and set apart – they will be a great help to President Dunn as they can do temple interviews and callings under his direction. They will be sustained in mission dependent branches.

       

After the new counselors introduced themselves and bore their testimonies sister Dunn gave some counsel and then president Dunn spoke to the elders about being reverent and respectful in the chapel. He especially stressed the need for these attributes during transfer meeting when sometimes the elders get a little noisy and physical when some of the companionships show up on the screen. This had an immediate affect on the rest of the transfer meeting. There was still some sounds from the elders but not nearly as much as before.

Next came the time for the new missionaries to introduce themselves and then they were introduced to their trainers.

 

Elder West – Australia

 

Elder J.J. Ahome’e – American Samoa

 

Elder Mbiriwiri – Zimbabwe

 

Elder Ete – Samoa

 

Elder Eki – Switzerland

 

Elder Malunga – Zimbabwe

 

Elder Matanga – Zimbabwe

 

Elder Hlophe – South Africa

 

Elder Derera – Zimbabwe

 

Elder Gramu – Zimbabwe

 

Elder Njovane – South Africa

 

Elder Zitumane – South Africa

 

Elder Muweesi – Uganda

  

Elder  Randrianavalona – Madagascar

 Elder Valikoula – Tonga – came to the mission a few weeks ago and is being trained by elder Tukia the former Vaal Zone Leader.

Another Last Time experience as we went to Transfer Meeting. It was a huge transfer with 22 missionaries completing their missions and 15 coming in. All but 8 companionships were changed with lots of new zone and district leaders. I took 218 photos and will post them over the next few days. The hardest part of any transfer meeting is singing the mission song. To feel the spirit of 150 or so missionaries as some sing the song for the first time and some for the last time is an amazing experience. Sister Dunn and I seem to always end up with tears in our eyes.

All the missionaries were asked to come to the meeting even if they were not being transferred so a mission photo could be taken. The rules were you had to be on time and wearing a suit. I think all the missionaries were there except for the Scotts and Swans.

These are pictures I took before and after the meeting…

 I was surprised to find that the first and last photo I took were of elder Todd! Here is signing some missionary’s journal. Years from now the missionary can read this and remember the bright South African day and elder Todd. Elder Todd has a new calling as a zone leader.

Over an hour before the meeting starts the elders start driving in so they can stand around talking to friends and former companions, signing journals and for 22 of them enjoying their last morning in South Africa. By this time tomorrow they will probably be in a plane or airport on their way home. Elder Kaufusi will be going home to Roosevelt Utah.

Elder Yates on the left will be heading for Connecticut while our good friend elder Harris will be going to beautiful Tooele, Utah.

The four photos above include sister Allred who is not only the mission secretary but also the official mission photographer. If you have a missionary serving here in the Joburg mission you will want to check the Allred’s blog on a regular basis. 

Elders Dlamini , Riley and Mavundla and us with elder Mayende. 

The Madagascar contingent gather together on the top left and the next two are just photos of groups in the lot. The bottom right photo above includes elders Rushton, Cummings, Hughes and our own elder Wild.

Elder Stilgoe will soon be home in the UK – he had already packed his flag so I could not include a photo with him proudly showing the colors. Elder Graham, who now a district leader serving in North Riding, is having a tough time holding elder Stilgoe.

A final photo with elder Barton who is heading home to Farmington, Utah and his former companion here in the Potch area elder Alvial who is a new district leader while training elder Eki from Switzerland. They must be the tallest companionship in the mission.   

The missionaries gather for the mission photo. It was rather like herding cats to get them where they would all fit in the photo and be seen as more than a head of hair stuck between two other missionaries. We got to sit down while all this was going on.

 President Collins of the MTC took the photo while standing on the ladder. I did not get a shot of him on the ladder and his faithful wife holding on to his legs to make sure he did not take a tumble. Talk about standing by your man.  Elder xx, sister Collins, sister Dunn and elder Collins are in the left photo while it is sister Dunn and the two new counselors to president Dunn – Klintworth and Msane with sister Msane between them.

One last gathering photo and one of elder Wilkerson with his parents who came to pick him up so they can see part of South Africa before heading home St. Peters Missouri. They were also kind enough to bring us a package that sister Clegg had sent to them from Amazon. Senior couples are blessed in many small but important ways. 

Count down to the start of the meeting. After the meeting I only took a few photos because we had a lunch appointment with elder Mdletshe of the 70. He wanted to thank us for our service both to the Potchefstroom branch and the seminary program.  But I was able to get a photo of elder Clegg with his new companion and fellow zone leader elder Adjei. 

Elder Mayende with his new son elder Muweesi and elder Kwabaisi. A last couple of photos with elder Alvial who served with us in Potch before moving on to be a district leader and trainer.

Elders Perkins and Graham are together in North Riding where elder Graham is the DL. Elder Perkins was serving in our district when we arrived here and then elder Graham came in to replace him when elder Perkins was transferred. It is good to see them together.

 As mentioned elder Todd gets the last photo in this group as he is shown here with his new fellow zone leader elder Jackson. They will serve in the Fourways area which is one of nicer areas of the mission.

It was another cold morning in Ikageng but 52 dedicated Latter-day Saints came and enjoyed a wonderful fast and testimony meeting, Sunday School, and other classes. The favorite place to go between classes was the courtyard where the sun was warm and comforting. 

The young single adults gathered together. Sister Ratema seemed to need more than one hymn book. Below sister Thulo stopped for a photo while young Papa Thulo acted like an ostrich and hid his face in his hands as sisters Ncapayi and Williams were walking by.

  The other warm spot was in front of one of the heaters in the chapel where brothers David, Phillip and Simon gathered and discussed weighty matters before Priesthood meeting.

We were invited over to the Kruger’s home to help celebrate sister Viona Kruger’s birthday. Mary sat out in the back yard and enjoyed the warm sunshine.

Jacque and Shavonne were not at Seminary on Thursday so they got their warm hats today. Blue seems to be their favorite color.

The Ncapayi children were more guests.

President Kwaikwai came to the party and chose a hat for his wife who is away helping a sick relative. He became the braai chef on the fire that I got started thanks to some fire starting sticks and lots of great kindling.

    Elders Wild and Hentunen came to the party as did sisters Georgina and Merriam both dressed in blue. Viona’s mother chose pink while sister Williams bundled up in red and black.  The group pictures finally includes the birthday girl with her special hat – it was not crocheted by Mary!

When we started serving in Richards Bay in 2009 the Hafens and Bartholomews introduced us to a tradition called the Last Supper. On the Sunday before transfers all the elders in the one were invited over to the Hafen’s home for a Last Supper. It was called that because almost every transfer one or more missionaries would be transferred out of the zone. After the Hafens and Bartholomews finished their mission we continued the tradition. On the last Sunday before we left the mission we had what we ended up calling the Last Last Supper.

When we got to Fort Lauderdale we decided we would like to continue the tradition for the district we met with. However president Anderson wanted the missionaries out working during Prime Time so we changed the  it to being a Last Lunch of each transfer and of course that made the final one the Last Last Lunch. And so it has been here in the Johannesburg mission as we held them after the last district meeting before transfers.

Below are pictures for the transfers Last Lunch and since we will be home for the next transfer it is this mission’s Last Last Lunch – are you following me? Since this may be our last mission – only the Lord knows at this time if that is true – that would make this our Last Last Last Lunch.

This missions Last Last Lunch was with elders Wild and Hentunen, Elders Peterson and McCartney and elders Khwela and Tarauskis. As usual here in Klerksdorp, we held at McDonalds!

 Below on the left is the Richards Bay Zone at their last Last Supper and on the right is the Fort Lauderdale zone at their last Last Lunch.  However the actual Last Lunch we had while serving in Fort Lauderdale was with five above average sisters who we had come to love but were no longer in our zone.

Mary was released as the branch Seminary teacher a couple of weeks ago. She decided she wanted to show her appreciation for the student’s support over the last 17 months by crocheting warm watch caps for each of them. Altogether she made 13 caps – the young ladies get ones with flowers and the young men get ones with stripes. We will miss the couple of hours we got to spend with these special young people who are the future of the Church in South Africa. After seminary and cap selections it was time for photos and then a dozen games of Book of Mormon Bingo.

I called the elders to get them to help me with a project when elder Wild told me that they had just been in an accident. Mary got the location and knew where to go – she is my personal GPS, When we arrived we found that a taxi had backed into the front left side of their car. Of course the taxi driver said that they had run into him and none of the witnesses would make a statement to the police. Besides the hole in the fender, the only damage seems to be that the washer reservoir was broken. I told the elders to keep an eye on the heat gauge just in case the liquid that poured out included a leak in a hose to or from the radiator.

       

I took a couple of photos of some of the spectators. The little fellow in red was reluctant to have his photo taken but his big brother got him to pose. When I showed him his picture he got a big smile. The young lady seems too young to have a child but here it happens regularly.   

Elder Wild wanted a souvenir of the accident so he posed with the police officer. She seemed surprised to say the least. I had the elders pose with their damaged car.