Mary does not get released from the hospital so she wanted me to bring her real clothes so she can at least dress like a human and not a model for hospital gowns.
I had one of those spiritual experiences today that just kind of sneaks up on you. Elder and Sister Greismer needed a B&B for Saturday night and it made sense to find one near Engwelezane. I tried on line but did not see anything that looked interesting but remembered there was one on the road to the Empangeni elder’s boarding and that would be convenient for the Greismers if they needed help.
It turned out that the Anchor B&B did not look well kept up – there was green stuff growing in their pool – but I had passed a sign for another B&B along the road and decided to give it a try. It turned out that that B&B was located somewhere out of sight on a dirt road that did not look too friendly so I decided not to even give it a look. But once again there was a sign for another couple of B&Bs – I guess there are lots of them in Empangeni. The Panorama B&B was well kept, the pool was blue and the rooms were very nice. This was all shown to me by a very nice young man who looked familiar. When he called his mother to tell me the prices it turned out that they were members of the Richards Bay branch and I had actually seen the young man only a couple of days before as he was playing basketball at the chapel.
So the Lord led me to a nice B&B where the people know about missionaries, is just a few blocks from the elders and has easy access to the road to Engwelezane. Â
I must say that I did not really do much today. We expected Mary to be released from the hospital but it was not to be. She was crying when she called to tell me that she had woke with a small fever and the doctor had ordered some tests and a anti-biotic drip. I guess she was very upset when she was told this and was not all that nice to the doctor. At least this is what I got from my conversation with him later in the day. She said that she did not think she was like that but Mary does not realize how cutting she can sound when she is angry.
Since she was not released and needed me to comfort her at 3:00, once again I had to cancel Youth at Port Durnford. I really do not like to do that but until Mary is at least at home it seems the thing to do.
In the morning I was on Facebook and came across my cousin Melissa Fernald Hoyt. We had a nice chat and I got caught up to date on what is going on in her life. I do not think I would have known her is I had ran into her some place but she is very happy being retired with her husband in Banning. She says Loren and Lea are still doing fine – they must be in their early 80’s or so.
While I was visiting Mary during the afternoon hour, Elder Wengert and elder Nkosi came to visit and Mary asked them for a blessing. She decided that since this is a new problem, she could ask for one.
To end a less than perfect day I broke a piece off one of my front teeth. It had been lose for a number of months and I should have gone to the dentist but didn’t. Looks strange but does not hurt – more work for Shauna when we get home.
Woke much too early but could not go back to sleep – later after breakfast and getting ready I was able to take a short nap.
President Vezi, his wife, and other family came over about 9:00 so I could help him make a business profile that he could turn in to RBM in hopes of getting some business for his construction company. I am not sure how good a job I did for him – Mary would have done much better – but at least he has something that looks pretty good to give them. While we worked on that, sister Vezi and another sister cleaned part of the house. When they asked me for a mop I showed sister Vezi our squeeze mop and she did not think much of it – they are use to using a string mop which cleans quickly and well.
After they left I fixed myself some lunch from the leftovers that I got at Spurs last night. Their fake pork ribs – think McRibs – are very good because they have a wonderful BBQ sauce.  While I was eating, president Mngadi called and we set a time for me to meet him at his shop to go over his needs for the temple trip at the end of the month.
Just as I was leaving for Engwelezane to meet with President Mngadi, the elders drove up and had a fax they needed get right off – they had a combined DDM at RB that I missed because of helping President Vezi. It was the last one for at least elders Wengert and Nare before they head back to their homes.
I had a good visit with pres Mngadi – we went through their plans for the temple trip at the end of February and made arrangements for the Greismers to teach a temple prep class to the three who are going for the first time. The Bartholomews had set this up before they left in October and so their influence continues long after they have gone home.
My next stop was Esikhawini where I went with the elders to meet with an older baba who has been inactive for many years. They thought that having one gray hair talking to another would be good. He has a great knowledge of the bible –much better than mine – but I was able to hold my own as we talked about some gospel subjects. Since I was trying to get to see Mary before visiting hours were over, I had to cut the visit short, but we made an appointment to come back on Saturday, I got him to say the closing prayer, and a commitment to come to church on Sunday. After thinking about it I am not sure I did the branch any favor by having him come.
I did not make it to the hospital in time so I just got some fuel and went home. I was only here for about 90 minutes and then I left for the RB chapel and District Council meeting. I asked President Baldwin before hand if I could be excused early so I could see Mary and give her the clothes she needs to come home in tomorrow. He of course said it was fine.
Mary looked and felt fine but was not happy about the food. About 80% of the time it is not very good but then hospital food seldom is. We went for a nice walk around the floor for about 10 minutes. She moves quite well and hopefully will get stronger each day. She will feel much better when she can come home and not be so bored.
Although there has been some trauma in our lives these last 10 days – Mary’s operation and loss of the car – I still feel blessed for being here in South Africa trying to do the Lord’s work. How different it would have been if Mary had become sick in Indonesia. It would have been at least one day and perhaps more before we could have gotten her to Singapore for an operation in a safe hospital. But here she was operated on by a very qualified surgeon in a good hospital just 15 hours after she first became aware of the problem.
By the time I got home I was dead tired and I was turning off the light by 9:00. I think I was asleep 2 minutes later. It was a good day in Richards Bay…
In the morning I met with President Vezi to help him with his business plan. He has some good ideas and if he can keep to his plan he should be able to have a good income for his family. The great news is that he has obtained the contract to build a home and if he can work out financing with the bank, he stands to make a nice profit. My goal is to see that he keeps to his plan and realizes that much of the money that comes in should be put in the bank to finance the next house. I gave him a copy of ‘Where there are no jobs’ and told him that he needed to follow the rules if he wanted to have a successful business.
I also got the HT and VT messages for February off the church website and made copies for Esikhawini. I will also make them for the other branches if they want them.
The afternoon just kind of went by without me accomplishing much. I really miss having my Eternal companion with me. She pointed out the other day that while she had been in the hospital or away for a week or more in the past, I always had one of the kids around the house. I seem to have no desire to eat well – Cindy told me in a chat that I needed to take better care of myself – or do much. I certainly will be much happier when she is finally let out of the hospital.
I got a call from Mary saying she was moved out of ICU to the Surgery ward. That was great news and maybe that means she can come home tomorrow. When I visited her she was again sitting in one of the chairs and looked really good.
She did have two complaints – the food for the day was not very good and she kept falling asleep all day. I think her being up and around just has caused her fatigue so her body wants to rest. There is not much that can be done about the food. I have been taking her bottles of Crystal Light which she really enjoys – especially if I bring it frozen.
During the evening visit she talked to Sister Mann and got the good news that there were two new couples coming to the Durban mission in April. One is the friends of the Hafens and we do not know anything about the other but they are proselyting missionaries and that is what we need. I imagine President Mann will send one to Richards Bay but nothing is certain. Â
I woke very early so I could meet the Elders at the RB chapel and then take them to the Umfolozi game park. They almost all arrived on time and we were on our way by 6:10. It took just about an hour to get there and after some maneuvering by the great staff, I got them all in for only R225 and our Gold Rhino Card.
Once I saw them safely through the gates, I turned around and came back home. Along the way I stopped to answer the cell and found a text message from Mary saying that she felt I should stay with the elders and I had to write back that it was too late. Later in the day when I talked to her she said she had a bad dream during the night that something was going to happen if they were left on their own and so she had the nurse text me. I was able to report to her that they had all returned safely with no losses.
On arriving back in RB (the initials for Richards Bay is the same for Redondo Beach where we lived for some 15 years or so and I served as a bishop for 8 of them) I stopped and treated myself to breakfast at McDonalds. If I take the strange – to me – ham off the egg  McMuffin it tastes like home.
I then spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon doing some errands, laundry, and house cleaning with breaks for e-mailing and reading along the way.
Shortly after they got back from the game park, Elders Kekana and Ketili come over to use internet so  Elder Ketili could work on his application for BYU and Elder Kekana could check his mail. I asked Elder Ketili about his chances of getting into BYU and he said he did not know but if he did get accepted he would find some way to go. I find many of the elders realize the need for a good education if they are going to have a life where they can support a family and serve in the Kingdom.
In the afternoon when I went to see Mary, I found her sitting in a chair. She had been unplugged from all her monitors and tubes and was able to walk to the bathroom, take a shower, etc. She only has to drag along the bottle from her drain. The wonderful thing is that even without the epidural she does not have any pain.
I did not stay very long because Carrie and Vanessa Baldwin came to visit and they were soon followed by sister Khumalo. This certainly brightened her day.
Between trips to the hospital the Esikhawini elders come over so the Zone Leaders could view and pring the graphs for the week. They all looked very tired – especially elder Nkosi. It turned out they got up at 4:30 to get ready to be at RB by 6:00. As I bid them goodbye I suggested they all get to bed early tonight.
My evening visit is not too long. I took her the newspapers so she could do the puzzles. She is now eating semi – solid food. Some she says is quite good but some is typical hospital food.  She is reading in the Book of Mormon and fellowshipping one of the nurses who has had contact with the missionaries in the past.
I pretty much spent the day at the hospital from about 9:00 in the morning until midnight. There was a break for a couple of hours to get something to eat and pick up some things to take to Mary.
In the afternoon after waiting for 3 hours to find out when she would be operated on, we were told that it would be quite late. So we decided I should go home and get some dinner and then come back in an hour or so. I had just left McDonald’s when the phone rang and I was informed she was going to the operating theater. I made a quick U-turn and was back to the hospital in 5 minutes.
She had already been moved to the surgical waiting area but she was 2nd in line and they were working on an unscheduled emergency of an earlier patient. After another 2 hour wait she was wheeled off to the operating theater and I had another 2 plus hours of waiting before I got to see her for a very short time in the ICU ward.
The doctor told me that everything went well. The rupture occurred when the mesh from an earlier hernia operation failed. They say she will be in the hospital for 4 to 6 days and then there will be 4 to 6 weeks of recovery.
We will have to see how things work out over the recovery period but I will just have to do what I can do in working with the Youth and the leadership. Unfortunately I am sure it will be 3 or 4 weeks before she will feel up to giving piano lessons. The important thing is that she gets well so we can finish our mission and hopefully accomplish what the Lord sent us to South Africa to do.
Not the best day we have had on our mission. Mary woke feeling terrible and believed she had developed a hernia. To make a long day short, we spent all of it at the doctor’s office or in the Richards Bay hospital. After a number of tests and a CAT Scan it was determined she did have a hernia and they admitted her to the hospital so she could have surgery tomorrow.
Today’s Tender Mercies…
Although it was hard to see them while they were happening, there were many tender mercies showered upon us today. Elder Reeder, Tsegula along with Khulekani came down from Enselini and gave her a blessing. Khulekani anointed for the first time and it showed me that we needed to work with him on ordinances so when he will be prepared when he goes on his mission. I count that as two TM.
Dr. Kelling, Mary’s surgeon, is very nice and told her that he would give her some medication to try and reduce the hernia so he would not have to operate. It turned out not to work but it gave us a feeling that he would not operate unless he really needed to.
Dr. Kelling wanted to make sure it was a hernia so he asked for a CAT scan. The first nurse we talked to at the x-ray department said we would have to come back tomorrow, but another nurse came by a little later and said they could do it today and gave Mary a barium milkshake that she had to take over a 2 hour period. She also said that it would cost about R6600 – that is about $750 US. Later when we came back and Mary had the scan it turned out that they did not have to use the dye so it only cost about half that. As we were waiting for the scan to be ready so we could take it to Dr. Kelling, I decided I would speed things up so I asked if I could pay for it. As I was waiting for the cashier, a doctor walked by and asked what I was waiting for and when I told him he went up to the window and told them to help me right now. The scan had been sitting there just waiting for the cashier to get around to asking for payment. As I was paying I told Mary to take the scan and go to Dr. Kellings office. When she got there it was closed but a very helpful nurse paged him and he had Mary put in an emergency room until he could look at the scan. There are a number of TM in this part of the story.
The hospital will of course not let you be admitted unless there is some way you can guarantee payment. I was on my way home to get some things that Mary would need when she was admitted and they called to say that I needed to come back so they could work out how the bill would be guaranteed. I told them the mission would guarantee payment and gave them the office number. When they called wonderful sister Johnson told them the mission would be happy to guarantee the payment and I think sent them a fax to that affect. Since we have more than enough credit on our mission account to see us through the rest of the mission, the amount of the hospital bill should just about make us even by July when we go home. Another TM..
The last one was getting her a bed. The hospital was jammed but it turned out one patient went home late in the afternoon so all we needed to do was wait until they sanitized the bed and then they took Mary up. So all in all it was a day where we learned patience and where the Lord blessed us through our suffering.
As I prayed I remembered to give thanks for Christ’s love and for His taking upon Himself our sins and sorrows. While this will reduce what we can do over the next few weeks, it will not cause us to go home early so we can hopefully fulfill whatever the Lord sent us here to do.
Neither of us felt like doing anything that took a lot of driving today so we stayed in the Richards Bay area. We got a call from the Zone leaders asking if they could bring the district leaders over and use our computer to show them the weekly graphs. We said sure without realizing they would need to use the internet which was down because we used up all our bandwidth for the month.
When they said they could not access their mailbox I remembered the problem and hurried down to the mall to buy some more gigs of web time. Monday is usually very busy at Telkom but when I got to their office there was only one lady in front of me and she finished her business quickly. Mine also got done in record time but as I left I noticed the line waiting for service was now out the door. I count this as the first tender mercy of the day. I was able to get the elders online before they ran out of other things to discuss and they were able to leave happy.
Our excitement for the day was to go to Meerensee to pick up my cleaning and check the PO box – nothing in the box today. We then went to the mall for lunch at Spurs and checking times of movies at the multi-plex. Back at our boarding I managed a short nap before returning to the mall to see Sherlock Holmes. We knew it was going to be different than Basil Rathbone’s Holmes – I just found out that he was born in South Africa to English parents but left when he was 3 – but did not realize how very different it was going to be. Although it was different it was quite good and except for a couple of sequences near the beginning where they put his thinking process on the screen we really liked it.
When we got home from the movie we found the Zone leaders boarding waiting for us. Elder Wengert needed to transfer some pictures off his camera so he would have enough room for the last two weeks of photos. He also got permission to call the US to solve some problem with his bank card.
While this was going on the elders from Empangeni boarding showed up because Elder Kitili needed to check something about an application to BYU. Then elders Reeder and Lemmon dropped by – they were working in the area – so we had 10 of the 12 here before they started to move out again. Since the Enseleni elders had come by early in the day to pick up a set of scriptures for their new convert we managed to see all our great missionaries for the second day in a row.
Once the group had moved out – it was about 6:30 I think – we settled down to a quiet night. Mainly we worked on the puzzle and read. It was a nice peaceful P-day for us. Just as I was getting ready to head to our bed, I remembered I forgot ….
We picked up Elders Vinson and Dishon in Empangeni and took them to Esikhawini for PEC. There we dropped off the elders and after PEC took the District Young Women’s presidency to Port Durnford. After sacrament the members break up into classes. The YW hold theirs under one of the trees. The last picture shows them under the tree and a good shot of one of the buildings on the homestead where one of the YM has a room.
Two of the young men – Lindani and Lungani – taught Primary under a tree in the front yard. With no more trees available, the PH spread out in the strip of shade along the front of the chapel while the sisters held RS inside. As hot as it was, I am not sure the sisters got a good deal.
After the Port Durnford meetings we dropped our District passengers off at the Richards Bay chapel to attend one of the two baptisms services that were held today. We then drove up to Enseleni where I took this pictures of four young girls playing a slapping game. It took me a while to realize that what they were chanting was the ABCs in English. After the meetings in Enseleni some of the branch took a taxi down to the Richards Bay chapel where we held a baptism service for a brother – Michael Mini Ntshangase. We thought we were just there to give support but Mary played the organ and since President Vilane was going to do the actual baptism, I conducted the meeting. I was once again struck by the beauty, simplicity and power of the ordinance of baptism and how this rather simple act changes the candidate’s life forever.
The latest addition to our boarding and a true tender mercy – Air Conditioning. We expected 12 elders for dinner but was surprised when Elders Lemmon and Reeder brought a guest – a three foot long snake that came into the house with them. It did not look dangerous but I used the broom and gently escorted it out the door and watched it hurry away across the lawn. After eating, Elders Lemmon and Reeder are calculating their statistics for the week – the stats for the zone were great this week.
Even Mary got a chance to taste the food she worked so hard to cook for the elders – the last picture in the row show Elders Vinson and Dishon enjoying their food after a great Sabbath day of service. They look different from the shot of them in their suits as they started the day.
