23 March 2010 – Tuesday

We had breakfast at Little Haven with the Harms and the Ericsons. We invited them to come to Richards Bay and talk to Sister Mathe to see if they could get to see the King and Queen. Sister Mathe is related to the Queen and she might be able to arrange something.

We decided to do a little site seeing before Presidency Meeting so we drove to an area outside of Durban known as the 1000 hills. From the pictures I saw on the web I thought we would be traveling through a preserve type area with perhaps a few scattered homesteads. Instead we found that the area we went through was well developed and popular with those who wanted to get away from the heat of Durban that was just a few kilometers away.

However we had a good time visiting some small gift shops and having lunch at a restaurant that sat on the edge of a cliff and looked out over kilometer after kilometer of green hills. Some of them were table top hills that looked like excellent places to have homes or small towns. There was a wonderful breeze that made the temperature almost cool. Besides the view, the food was very good and not very expensive.

At the presidency meeting President Mann started with the statistics for the first quarter which were basically off the charts – the good direction. If the rest of the year continues in the same manner – and there is no reason why it should not – the new expanded mission could have over 900 baptisms this year. Also there will be over 60 missionaries serving from the old mission area which means in a couple of years these powerful elders and sisters will be returning to their branches and wards. If put to use they will be a great strength to the church here in South Africa.

After our presidency meeting the couples went out to dinner together. The Harms and the Mickelsens joined us at RJ Steakhouse almost across the street from the Hillcrest chapel. We got to sit across from the Harms and learned about them and their calling in public relations. The only thing that kept it from being a perfect evening was that the Manns could not be with us. They had missionaries coming in and then transfers. President and Sister Mann seem to sleep with their running shoes on.

One funny thing was that elder Swazi-Wilson ordered a ‘lady size’ steak and then a pink milk shake. He even did it in a falsetto voice to everyone’s amusement. We really miss being up in Swaziland with Wilsons as our neighbors. They – like all of the couples that are serving or have served while we were here – are just plain good people who are happy to give something back to the Lord for their many blessings.

22 March 2010 – Monday

We started the week by packing up for our trip to Durban for Mission Presidency Meeting. But before we could leave Richard Bay we had to stop at the hospital where Mary got to take off her last bandage. The drive to Ballito was beautiful as ever.

We got Dr. Pepper for Sister Mann and got some grocery items for us that we can not get in Richards Bay. We then had lunch before getting back on the N2. About 40K from Durban we took an off ramp that put us on the M4 and we took that the rest of the way to the N3 in Durban. It is not a very scenic drive because it is pretty much all developed. But at least it was another way to go and we did get to see the new soccer stadium.

When we stopped at the mission office to drop off some things – including the mission papers for Solo and Musa – we met the Harms and Ericsons who are the country and area public relations directors. They were in Durban to try and get interviewed by some of the radio stations. We also got to meet the Davis who are the new office couple replacing the Johnsons who were leaving for home this evening. Unfortunately we did not get to see them for a final goodbye.

As we were saying hello to the Davis’ I kiddingly asked elder Davis if he had anyone run into a cow yet. He said while there had been a couple of accidents, he was happy to say none of them included a cow. Little did I know when I made the joke that later that evening he would get a call from Swaziland telling him that the elders had ruined one of the bakkies by running into a cow on the road to the Shongwe’s homestead.

When I heard this I apologized for jinxing him but was really surprised that the elders could be going fast enough on that road to do more than bump the cow. Later when we met up with Elder Swazi Wilson and talked about it he said that was the first thing that came to his mind – how could they be speeding on that road that is more like a creek bed than a road.

We checked in at Little Haven and then went over to the Griesemers to join them, the Coxes and the Mickelsens for FHE. It is always great to be with other couples and share their spirit. We are thankful that we get into Durban fairly regularly and that the Griesmers are now coming up most weekends so we can have Saturday night dinner with them.

21 March 2010 – Sunday

Our Sabbath day started very normal as we went to Esikhawini for PEC and then to Port Durnford for Sacrament. None of the speakers showed up so Elder Lerios gave an excellent talk on missionary work. From Port Durnford we headed to Enseleni but I felt a need to stop at the Richards Bay chapel. I thought it was to make arrangements to interview the Baldwins and another member for temple recommends.

 It turned out that the chapel had been broken during the evening and somehow the thieves got into the vault. They pried the safe off the wall and took all the computers. They also took the sound system out of the chapel. However they must not have had any way to carry all their loot away so they put the computers and the new TV in plastic bags and hid them in the gully behind the chapel where they were found by the police. Unfortunately it rained during the night and some of it might have been ruined.

We ended up staying at Richards Bay – I called President Mann to tell him about the problem and tried to call Ray Holder but he did not answer. I left a text message for brother Holder telling him about the problem. Since I was there and they were available I interviewed President and sister Baldwin for their recommends.

By the time everything was done it was too late to get to Enseleni so we headed home and started getting things ready for dinner with the elders . We had tacos, refried beans, a huge fruit salad and ice cream for the crew. For once all of them came fairly early so they finished with plenty of time to make it home on time.

I have to mention that elder Lerios ate his tacos open face with catsup (tomato sauce here) and with a knife and fork. I told him that I do not think I had ever seen anyone put catsup on a taco before but there is a first time for everything.

20 March 2010 – Saturday

A good, hectic at times, day for us. We left early to go shopping for a food order to take to Port Durnford and to pick up a few things we need for feeding the elders tomorrow. We have filled so many orders over the last 14 months that we can do it rather quickly. Elder B used once told me that he could fill a food order in 10 minutes – it takes us more like 15 but he is younger.

We went back to our house to unload the things we bought for ourselves because we would be gone all day. I then loaded up our braai and a drink dispenser that the Hafens had left and took them to the Richards Bay chapel so Theunis DeKlerk could use them for the YSA beach party that was planned for today. We had asked him how we could help before we had to go to Esikhawini for piano lessons and he said that he had it under control.

We delivered the food order and was greatly surprised to find that the elders had been working on a section of the trail to homestead that we always worried about getting hung up on. It certainly made the trip more enjoyable. As we were driving past the PD chapel we saw Quintin, Fufu and Siya waiting for a taxi to take them to Richards Bay and the beach party. We told them we would take them to the Esikhawini Taxi Stand when we finished delivering the food.

Since there is a KFC right next to the taxi stand, we decided to eat there. As we were ordering we started getting calls from some YSA asking to be picked up at the Richards Bay Taxi Stand as the weekly announcement advertised. I gave each caller Theunis’ phone number and hoped he could handle them all. For the next hour or so we were making regular calls to him saying where people were waiting for him to pick them up…he did an amazing job of doing just that.

While we were eating I called the Esikhawini/Port Durnford elders and invited them to have lunch on us. I wanted to talk to them about the two young men we taught yesterday and to thank them for fixing the road. We also told them about a call we got from a neighbor of the young men who they told about what we had taught and wanted us to teach him also…it is pretty good when new investigators invite their neighbors to hear the gospel.

After lunch we dropped by sister Tembe’s house to see how she was and to look at the service the missionaries had done earlier in the day for her. I really should have taken a picture of the pile of weeds and debris the elders had gathered up from her garden area. They have more to do but they had made a good start.

Sister Tembe told us that she can now walk around the outside of the house four times without her walker or even her cane. This is a real miracle as at one time she was told she would never walk again. She is a very determined woman – she says that she is going to get well enough to go back to work as a nurse. If anyone could it would be her.

We then went to the Mthalanes where Mary checked Solo and Musa’s mission papers to make sure everything was OK . We think they are now complete so we will take them to Durban on Monday and let President Mann look them over. Mary then taught 3 piano lessons in a very hot chapel.

As we finished at Esikhawini I called Theunis to see if we could help ferry the YSA from the beach to their taxi stands. He said he could use the help so we enlisted the Griesmers to come with us and we each packed four young people in our cars and drove them to where they could catch taxi’s – think vans – to their home areas. It was a very successful activity with about 40 YSA coming together for the afternoon. As we were leaving Theunis talked about the next one he wants to have in a couple of months. I am very happy to see the YSA program moving forward with little help from us. It means if there comes a time when there are no couples in RB the program will probably keep right on going.

Once they were delivered the four of us went to the mall for a nice dinner at Ocean Basket. What was better than the food – which was very good – was the chance to spend some time talking to the Griesmers about what they had done today and other things. They are a great couple and are enjoying their weekends working in Engwelezane – I told them they should move here for the last four months of their mission – but I think they will just come up for the weekends.

This is the track leading to the Shandu’s homestead – this is the good section. Brother Shandu wants his sons Goodman and Tolerance – the two on the left – to hear the message of the restored gospel. The last picture is our way out to the sand road that will finally take us to the main dirt road. The GPS never acknowledge we were on a known road until we got to the dirt road and then it was not too sure about that.

19 March 2010 – Friday

We had a new experience today that reminded me that the Lord does direct the actions of his missionaries.  

But first we spent a morning cleaning out and organizing a number of the files that we inherited from the B’s and the Hafens. They left us lots of wonderful things but also many things that are out of date with some going back to 2005 and 2006 if not before.

The project started when I was looking for a particular list that I knew existed but had managed to file somewhere so safe that I could not find it. This led to examining stacks of papers, notebooks, ring binders and file drawers. Amazingly I finally found it but not until I had gone through lots of other things.

In the afternoon we went to Enseleni for English class but all our students bunked us. I usually call to remind them but since they have been good about coming, I let it slide. We were sorry to miss the class but it did give us an opportunity to leave for Esikhawini and our meeting with brother Shandu, a new convert in Engwelezane. Him, his wife and 13 year old son were baptized on February 28^th. A couple of weeks ago he asked the Elders for someone to go with him to the family homestead to teach the gospel to two of his sons. The elders asked if we would do this and we said of course we would.

We met brother Shandu and his son at the KFC in Esikhawini and he directed us to the homestead. It was outside of Esikhawini on one of the few roads we had not been on before. At one time it was a well graded asphalt road, but as it decayed they did not replace the asphalt so much of it is now gravel which means going slow. We then switched to a single track sand road – I have no idea what we would have done if a car had been coming the other way because it was pretty much a sunken road – and then a trail that was probably much like what the handcarts had to follow across the prairie. So it was a surprise to find that their homestead was fully fenced and included a nice home.

We had a good discussion with Goodman (21) and Tolerance (17)Shandu. We just talked for a while and got to know them a little. Neither of them have jobs so they spend the day around the homestead. I then told them of my own experience of being taught by the missionaries when I was about their age. Tolerance seemed to be very interested in what I said about the spirit testifying of the truth to me.

Mary told them the Joseph Smith story and I asked Goodman to read  Moroni 10:3-5. I then committed them to read Alma 32. Tolerance said that he wanted to read the whole book. I had brought them  a CD of the Tabernacle Choir and suggested they listen to it while they read. They then agreed to have the missionaries come and teach them next week.

When we took brother Shandu – his son stays at the homestead for the weekend – back to Empangani we found that he lived very close to the elders. I must to remember to ask the elders how they found the family since they live in a house that is all by itself along a main road. It does not seem to be a place they would have tracted.

Our drive back to our boarding took a little longer as usual because there was a huge frontend loader sedately driving down the John Ross and no one could pass it because of the traffic coming the other way. It is one of those things that happens here – the traffic backing up behind some piece of road or farm equipment. It is just part of the experience of being in South Africa. It also teaches me to be patient.

Some days I get so involved with what is going on that I do not take any pictures the only one I took today was the Enseleni elders with Khulekani and Bongani outside the library.

18 March 2010 – Thursday

It was a great day for Richards Bay. Today we were able to help 3 young men – Khulekani, Solo and Musa – be interviewed by President Mann so they can send in their mission papers. What a great blessing this will be for their families, their branches and the district. President Mann also interviewed 6 men to receive the Melchezidek Priesthood and to be ordained elders. We are winning.

Besides this Mary got her incision re-packed and later gave Sazi a piano lesson while we were at Esikhawini to help organize the interviews.

Almost by accident – the men we were suppose to meet at 2:30 in Enselini were there 90 minutes early – I had a good meeting with President Vilane and three young men about the less active members of the branch and what they could do to help get them active. I mentioned that since two of them were about to receive the MP that they and Khulekani was about to go on a mission that they really needed to step up and help the president re-activate the many youth that were not coming to church. We especially talked about the need for regular activities for the YM and YW so that they can participate and be fellowshipped.

While we were in Esikhawini I also had a chance to talk to president Machaka and it looks like the wedding is going forward on the 27^th as planned. We will need to go ring shopping with them sometime during the week. Actually it will have to be either Thursday or Friday as we will be in Durban Monday to Wednesday.

By the time we were pulling into the driveway the last bit of light was disappearing in the West. It really was a great day.

The Empangani Zone…announcing the second coming.

16 March 2010 – Tuesday

The big event of the day was that we took Thandi and Nonhlahla to Zululand University to see if I could help them get enrolled in school to become teachers. Although we were not able to meet the woman who is in charge of the program, we did meet Professor Chandru Kistan who is the Director of Quality Promotion and Assurance who helped get her telephone number – it was not listed in the university phone book. I got to talk to him as we walked and he told me some of the history of the university which was established under apartheid as a black university and has never really had the best intra-structure nor equipment.

I think that Mary and I might have been the only white people on the campus when we were there. It was also interesting to see the respect I got that did not seem to be extended to the young ladies who were with me.

17 March 2010 – Wednesday

Two tender mercies come to mind today. First was going to the mall to get a box that I could pack  the Ladysmith Wilson’s Nephi statue in so I could ship it today. When I drove up behind Spar there were only two boxes sitting on the ground that had not already been broken down. They were sturdier than most boxes we have gotten there and were the perfect size for the statue.

Soon after I got home and had started packing the statue, Elder Wilson called to see if the statue had been sent and I was glad to report that it would be mailed in just a couple of hours. One other interesting thing about shipping this statue was that the B’s left behind the end of a roll of bubble wrap that was just right for protecting the statue. So I guess the Wilsons were supposed to have their Nephi arrive in perfect condition as another reminder of their South African mission.

We went to the Empangeni DDM and as always were spiritually fed. After the meeting I took some pictures of the district because at least Elder Dishon will certainly be transferred next week. They are a great group of elders and seem to really enjoy being together. What a privilege it is to be here with them and to be able to share their spirit.

After eating our traditional lunch at the Empangeni KFC we were trying to decide what to do until Mary’s English class when I remembered I needed to call all the branch presidents to make sure all those who needed to be interviewed by President Mann tomorrow had been interviewed by them and knew the time they needed to be available.

When I called President Vilane he told me he was at the mall and had a problem. I could not quite figure out what it was but felt we should go there and help him. It turned out he was trying to renew something that he needed to get medical help and had run into a problem. I was able to quickly solve it and as we were about to part, I asked what he would have done if I had not called just when I did. He said he was trying to figure that out when I called. This is just another example how the Lord takes care of his servants when they are worthy and listen.

We are blessed so often as we serve that sometimes we do not even realize that the Lord is blessing us. Just now I thought about the air-conditioners that the landlord put in that makes our boarding so nice to be in. It was so unexpected that we never even considered asking for it.  But he showed up at our door just as summer was starting and I just happened to mention that it was a great boarding and would be perfect if it had air-conditioning. He did not even really acknowledge my thought but the next thing we know they are installing not one unit but two!

15 March 2010 – Monday

Of course we woke up to rain on this P-day. I mentioned to Mary that when she was in the hospital or recovering it had not rained on P-day. Perhaps we need to ask President Mann if we could have P-day on some other day. Then at least the rest of the zone would not be stuck with rain.

I met the elders at Hi-Q to replace a front tire that was badly worn on one edge. The people there tried to sell us four new tires but we ended up just putting the spare on and getting out. I did talk to the manager about re-imbursement for the rental car but it looks like we are just going to have to turn it in to our insurance company and let them fight it our with theirs.

The next thing that we needed to do was to go to the hospital so Mary could get her incision looked and re-packed.  Hopefully some day it will heal completely and the twice a week trips to the hospital can stop. After that we basically we spent the day running errands and spending money. We picked up my suit – now I have no excuse for not wearing it to church or to zone conference. We did our shopping, went to the ATM, bought electricity and did other necessary tasks.

We did have one adventure for the day. Not far from Meer en See there is a road that takes off from the John Ross and according to the map joins a road that runs along the lake. Mary has wanted to go there for a long time and she convinced me to give it a try. As many roads here the pavement ended at a single track dirt road which we took through the jungle until we came face to face with a bakkie coming the other way. It turned out that a tree had fallen across the road so it was blocked.

I backed up and managed to get the car stuck in the mud. The driver of the bakkie helped me try to get it out but it would not budge. Just then two men came up the road and gave us a hand. I have no idea where they came from and they just as quickly disappeared back into the bush. Maybe it was two of the 3 Nephites or if not at least two tender mercies for sure. We then tried the other fork of the road but after going through a couple of nasty little puddles we gave that up also and came home.

The rest of the day just moved on through. Mary started a new 1500 piece puzzle of a leopard that we bought earlier. From the looks of it is going to keep us busy for a couple of weeks at least.

While at the mall I dropped in to Woolworths to get some strawberries and Portuguese rolls – they did not have either but they did have fresh sweet corn on the cob. We have not had any since we got here so for dinner we had hamburger patties, sliced tomatoes and delicious corn on the cob. It seemed like we were home again.

I was in the Meer en See mall a couple of weeks ago on a P-day and I did not have on my white shirt and tie but I was wearing my badge. A man, who I did not know, walked by and said ‘where is your white shirt and tie.’ I explained it was our day off and he just kind of nodded. Now I have not been in that mall very often and I am not sure he was commenting because he had seen me before or if he had just seen other missionaries with their white shirts and ties. Anyway I felt rather bad because usually even on P-day I will wear whites when we are out shopping.

What was funny was that a week later I was back at the mall trying to pick up my cleaning but this time I was wearing shirt and tie. Amazingly the same man walked by, looked at me and said ‘I see you have your white shirt and tie on. Good for you.’ I guess the lesson to be learned here is that people recognize us because of our badges even if they do not know us personally so we should always look and act like representatives of Jesus Christ and his Church no matter what day it is.

14 March 2010 – Sunday

We woke up to a rainy Sabbath Day. It was our early Sunday of the cycle because the zone leaders are up in Kozi Bay so we picked up the Esikhawini elders at 7:00 and then dropped them off  at the chapel before picking up President Nyawo and his family for PEC. A month before we leave I will stop picking him up so he gets use to getting to PEC himself but for now it is a gives me some time with him to talk about the day ahead. PEC was pretty good but there is still much room for improvement.  Just the fact that they have it and presidency meeting is a big step for the presidency. They are also now always talking about home teaching even if they are not all doing it is another step.  While we were in the meeting it the rain increased and that is never good for attendance.

After PEC we headed for Port Durnford. Mark Duplooy was assigned to be the District Council speaker he was supposed to meet me at the Esikhawini chapel and follow us to PD. However when I called to find out where he was, he said that he had forgotten our arrangements but was in and while we were Port Durnford and was getting instructions to the chapel. They must have been good ones because when we got to the chapel he and his wife was there.

The rain may have kept a few people at home, but for the main part the stalwarts came. Many of them were dripping wet after walking 2 kilometers or more in the rain to get to church. Fufu arrived soaked to the skin as did one other young man. The smart ones had umbrellas. Sister Chirwa and Thandi Nzama gave good talks and so did Mark. Mark talk on D&C 1 gave me some ideas for my own talk I would be giving later in Enseleni.  By the time they finish straggling in, there was 26 present.

When we got to Enseleni it was again raining and there was  just a handful of members present.  When president Vilane started the meeting about 15 after noon, there was less than 20 and it ended up at 37 because instead of 20 primary children there were only 5.

I felt good about some of my talk and not so good about some. I did notice that some of the audience was following in their scriptures and marking some verses that I was discussing. Khulekani taught the youth and I joined them. I think we had a good lesson and I tried to add some thoughts without taking over the teaching. All of the YM joined in at one time or another which is why I like the fact that they are dividing the YM and the older group.

After the meeting I talked to President Vilane about any who needed to be interviewed for receiving the MP and he said there were at least two. One of them is Thokozani Zikhal who Elder B introduced to me back in October as one who should be made an elder in the future. President Vilane feels he is now ready so he will be interviewed on Thursday.

Before leaving Enseleni we drove over to Mama Zulus to tell her we missed her at church. She had a couple of excuses but still said she was sorry she did not come. She showed us a nice coffee table book that the B’s had sent her for Christmas.

By the time we got home we were both quite tired. We had left the house at about 6:30 and it was after 2:30 before we got home. I hope we had done some good in the world today.

12 March 2010 – Friday

In the morning the ground crew came over and harvested our lawn…it has been about 5 weeks since they were here and the grass in some spots was at least two feet high. It took two of them almost 3 hours to get it all cut, trimmed, raked and carried away.

While Mary stayed home to keep an eye on the workers, I went to the Richards Bay boarding to do an inspection. Other than one of the fridges, it was really neat and clean. While I was a there I noticed that Elder Lemmon and his companion had an excellent way of keeping track of their investigators, less actives, etc. 3 x 5 cards were on the wall with color coded dots that not only told what they were, but what members were friendshipping them.

After the crew was done with the yard, we went down to Meer en See to pick up my cleaning and to mail off some of the insurance claims that we hope to get reimbursed for. Mary had spent much of the morning getting everything documented and in some kind of reasonable order. It turned out my cleaning was not back and if I do not get it tomorrow, I will not have my suit for Sunday.

We picked up some treats for the Enseleni youth and then came home to grab a quick lunch before heading to Enseleni for an English lesson, followed by Seminary and Youth. After Mary had taught the English class, I met with President Vilane and we went over the branch list to see if we could come up with a way to get some of the less actives back to church. He has been diligent in contacting many of them and although they promise to beat church on Sunday they seldom make it.

Khulekani teaches both Institute and Seminary. Since he will be going on a mission some time in the next few months, I suggested to President Vilane that they might need to change the day that the Youth meet to a day when Nonhlahla will not be going to school.

13 March 2010 – Saturday

I spent my morning finishing up the end of the year audits. Calwyn was there working on the computer cables and President Baldwin was there teaching President and sister Vezi computer skills. Mary stayed home and worked on other mission business.

I got home in time to have some lunch and it was soon time to head out to Esikhawini for Mary’s piano lessons. While she did that I delivered an old computer and printer that the Hafens had left to President Nyawo so he could do branch business.  While I was there we talked about branch business and I helped him fill out the sustaining list for tomorrow’s branch conference.

I went from there to the Malingas’ house to just have a nice visit with brother Malinga. We used to meet almost every week when he was branch president but it has been a couple of months or more since I was there. We had a good talk, I got to see Senzkile’s new baby boy and take a picture of him with his mother and grandfather. While I was there Mathuba came home and I had a short talk with him. It is really too bad he is not interested in a mission because he has tremendous talent. I guess he never really developed a testimony along the way.

By the time I got back to the Esikhawini chapel, Mary was almost done. I had a nice visit with Sister Mthalane who was digging up sweet potatoes out in her garden. What a great lady who has raised her children so well in the church. The daughter is married in the temple, Sne has been on a mission and is planning for a temple marriage some day in the future. Solo will be putting in his mission papers on Thursday, and Sazi will go when he can. Add to that her semi-adopted son Musa is will also be putting in his mission papers on Thursday and you have a very special and spiritual family. Her name will be blessed by her family for generations to come.

I also had a short talk with sister Malinga who was there cleaning the church for Sunday. She does not come to church so I was surprised that she was willing to spend an afternoon cleaning. I wonder if she knew English better she would come. We have tried to get her interested in English classes since the month we got here but she never comes.

After piano lessons we met up with the Griesmers and had a nice visit with them as we ate dinner at an Italian place in the mall that Mary wanted to try. The food was not terrible but it was also not good enough to want to come back again. But we enjoyed talking with the Griesemers and their very interesting day. They had tried all afternoon to find a missing member who was supposed to have a farm somewhere outside of Engwelezane but after visiting three places without any success, they gave it up as a lost cause. They even had two members along as guides and still were unsuccessful. But I think they still enjoyed the experience of being out in the field – literally!