Depends on the First Phone Call in the Morning

Dear Family:

Hey, Christie, Jordan, Katy, Savannah, and Claire (we think Stella could care less!)--guess what? WE SAW A MONKEY IN OUR BACK YARD!! It was not close enough to get a picture, but we did see one! We were so excited! We have seen some other African animals, too! We went to a wild animal park and we were driving around and some zebras and some giraffes crossed the road right in front of us--wow! And do you know what? They look just exactly like their pictures in books. How cool is that! Grandpa mailed some pictures of the animals for the blog.

Another Senior Couple was asked what their schedule was like and they replied, "It depends on the first call in the morning". We have certainly found that to be true this week. At 5:00 in the morning on Tuesday we were awakened by a call from the Mdantsane Zone Leaders who said one of their elders was really sick. This is the same elder who spent some time, including overnight, with us becase of illness last week. After some discussion it was decided that he should go to the emergency room. The physician prescribed some medication, and he came home with us for the rest of the day. A couple of days later he went to the dentist because of a severe pain in his mouth and a tooth was extracted and another one filled. He has also experienced some stomach pain. He spent part of yesterday and overnight with us. But we think he is finally, really, on the road to recovery. He is a very dedicated missionary and wants very much to return to the work.

We had a wonderful Saturday where 5 additional investigators were baptized and became members of the church. One of them is an older gentlemen about 70 years of age--it's never too late! It is the procedure here to hold baptisms on Saturday and confirm the newly baptized in Sacrament Meeting the next day. Also on Saturday we taught our Institute class at which 7 attended. The subject was "Revelation: Avenue of Truth." It went very well. One of those who attended is an investigator who was told about the class from the missionaries who are teaching her. She participated and seemed to enjoy the class.

Sunday (yesterday) we attended church in King William's Town. Except for visitors from East London and the elders, there was only 1 sister who was not a native African. The meeting was very reverent and the talks were excellent. It was all done in English, yea! While waiting for the meeting to begin, instead of listening to the prelude music of hymns, the congregation began softly singing with the organ. It sounded beautiful. Sunday evening we received a call from the Mission President who has decided to assign 2 additional elders to the EL Zone. This will necessitate finding housing for them and he asked us to do it. So we are off on another adventure!

We are really looking forward to fall because it has been extremely hot these last few days. January and February are the hottest months of summer, and it should start cooling off a bit in March--"should" being the operative word!

An interesting O in A:

• This week we saw a man carrying a car battery on his head--maybe they don't know the fluid in the battery is acid! Heads are often used as another arm/hand by the blacks.

We are healthy, happy, and enjoying doing the Lord's work. We know this is where we should be. Our prayers are with you every day.

Love, MOM and DAD/Grandma and Grandpa

You can't schedule everything

Dear Family:
We have had another busy week and have come to understand two very important concepts: (1)We should not schedule things too closely together because it always takes longer than you think, and (2)It is best to leave some open time to take care of the unexpected.

Every morning we wake up and wonder what new "adventure" we will have. For example, we thought the only thing we had scheduled Thursday was picking up the post (mail) from the airport where we get the boxes of post which are flown here from the mission office in Cape Town once a week. We had just gotten home when the Zone Leaders called to say that Elder Xaba, one of the 10 black elders of the 30 we are responsible for, was very ill and Sister Egan (Mission Mom) thought we should meet them at the doctor's office, which we did. The doctor diagnosed a sinus infection as well as chronic malnutrition. He wrote 4 prescriptions and told us that the best thing for Elder Xaba would be bed rest. Because Sister Egan was so concerned, we decided to have the elder stay with us and have his companion work in a threesome for the rest of the day. So Thursday and Friday we had an unexpected house guest who slept a lot, except when Dad got him up, gave him his pills and encouraged him to eat. By Saturday morning he was looking and acting better so we went to our Zone Conference Workshop/Interviews and Elder Xaba went back with his companion. This is a young man from South Africa who, prior to his mission was a high school biology teacher. His goal is to become the Minister of Education for South Africa. He is bright and has a wonderful knowledge of the gospel.

One of our other elders who is a native of Ghana, Elder Pappoe (pap-oh), prior to his mission was on the Jr. National Soccer Team for Ghana. He was being groomed for the 2010 World Cup to play on the national squad. When he made the decision to go on a mission, the Ghana Soccer Association expelled him for 7 years. Since his cousin was also a member of the national team, he is currently boycotting the team because of the way Elder Pappoe was treated. Mike, do a search for a soccer player in Ghana named Pappoe and see what you can find. Apparently he is a highly publized sports figure in Ghana.

Another adventure came Wednesday night. Home teaching does not come easily in Mdantsane. Brother and Sister April, who do not have a car, asked us to go home teaching with them so we could provide transport. Brother April is the 2nd Counselor in the MD 1st Ward Bishopric and Sister April is a Primary and Institute class teacher. Brother April works in East London which is about a 20 minute drive to the east of MD. He rides a taxi (mini van with 10 other riders). He told us that it costs him about 25% of his wages in transportation costs. Sister April works in King William's Town, about 40 minutes to the west of MD. She rides with a co-worker. They leave their baby daughter with Sister April's mother from early Monday until Friday afternoon. This is very common, that is, when the grandparents take care of the grandkids. Anyway, since Brother April had never been to the home of the family we were to home teach, Dad thought we had better try to find how to get there before we picked up the Aprils. So we started down the road about 45 minutes early. It's a good thing we did. The dirt "road" had been severely damaged by a downpour of rain the day before. The last 200 yards was worse than farm roads at Grandpa's farm. We scrapped bottom a couple of times and were bounced around pretty good. But we found the place. We then went back and picked up the Aprils and headed there again. This family of older parents plus 3 children were anxiously awaiting our visit with their scriptures ready, and were so welcoming. Brother and Sister April gave a wonderful lesson from the November 07 Liahona about the power to change written by President Faust before his death. Brother Mgidi (m-hard g-ee-dee) told us that when he reads the Book of Mormon he feels its POWER! And he says it just like that--POWER! He was presented to be advanced to the office of an elder in Stake Conference today.

We learned from [mission] President Egan yesterday that of the 3600 members of the East London Stake, only 120 are white. Nearly all of those presented for priesthood advancement were blacks. During Stake Conference yesterday and today there was a women's and men's choir and each one was 95% black. Boy, do they know how to sing! Such harmony and enthusiasm, it made tears come to your eyes! During Stake Conference the Presidency was reorganized. For the first time, the conference was televised from the EL Haven Hills building to the Queenstown chapel and the MD chapel. We were in the Haven Hills building where, we would guess, there were between 800-900 people. We heard from some of our missionaries this evening who were in the MD chapel that the quality of the picture and sound were not the best. Mike, they needed your techie help!! But it was a very good meeting.

We love hearing from you. Love to all, MOM and DAD/Grandma and Grandpa

One Month Milestone

Dear Family:

Yesterday was a milestone in our mission! One month ago we set foot in South Africa and have been going full steam ahead ever since! We are not counting the days, really, but just took note of the day because it does not seem possible to have learned so much in so little time. Dad is quite the expert in driving on the left side of the road and we have had only a few "American moments"--only one of which left a little rubber on the road as the other driver stopped for us; nothing serious. We are continuing to get acquainted with the area.

We leave our boarding each morning armed with a map, and now can easily find our way to all the supply stops for missionary supplies, the grocery stores (we patronize 3), the mall and all 15 missionary boardings. Most of them are pretty nice, but there is one real "hole in the wall" but the elders don't seem to mind! The mission office "boarding czar" will not replace it because it is the cheapest boarding rent wise. We found the doctor's office that services the missionaries and the hospital where they go for immunizations that they didn't get before coming "on mission" as they call it. Upon leaving for home they must get a TB test which is also at the hospital.

Our next challenge is finding our way around Mdantsane. The roads are not marked with names, most of the houses do not have numbers, and according to the map the elders gave us, the numbering system doesn't make sense anyway! But if we are to look for inactive members, we need to know more than how to get to the church, the Bishop's house for Institute (past the open market from last week's letter), and the new church. We have also done a little exploring along the tourist route by the Indian Ocean in this area. There is a wild animal reserve about 20 minutes out of Gonubie which we haven't been to yet, but part of it is visible from the road and we saw zebras, wildebeasts, and springbok. Check out their website at www.inkwenkwezi.com.
We didn't get any good pictures because the animals were too far away for our camera.

This week we had the opportunity to be laundress, mail carrier, and physician! It was transfer week, our first one, and it was a big one. Monday was homeward bound day--we had one missionary returning home. Tuesday was transfers between areas and also within areas. We had 12 missionaries transfer in from other areas and 3 transfer between East London, Mdantsane, and King William's Town. Wednesday new missionaries arrive and spend the day/night in Cape Town with President and Sister Egan in the mission home and go to their area on Thursday. We had 1 new elder come. Interestingly, he is from the states but went to the Johannesburg MTC. Sister Egan feels strongly that new elders and those changing areas should have a clean duvet insert which meant that we had to go to the boardings and gather up the used ones and leave clean ones. Since we only had 5 in reserve at our place, it meant leaving them and picking up the used ones and laundering them, and doing the same process the next day and the next. Our little washing machine can only wash 2 at a time and the dryer only 1 at a time, so it was quite the process to do 15!

As for the mail carrier part, we were one our way to the airport with the Queenstown post (mail) because it was sent to us by mistake and we were to meet the zone leaders from there who were bringing their elders who were transferring by airplane and give them their post. We received a cell phone call from the elders in the mission office saying that they faxed some immigration forms for one of our elders who was flying to Namiba and needed them before he boarded his plane. We didn't have time to go back home to get the fax and still meet the elders with their post at the appointed time. So we continued on to the airport, Dad dropped me and the post off, and went back home (takes 1/2 hour), picked up the fax and drove back to the airport (another 1/2 hour) with 10 minutes to spare before Elder Armstrong boarded his plane!

This is our list of elder's ills call to Dr. Allen, DVM: broken glasses, chicken pox-like skin outbreak, epilepsy meds, pain behind the eyes, lack of energy on Fast Sunday (duh), foot fungus, eye strain on bright days (again, duh), vomiting and upset stomach after eating half-cooked meat and old pizza, both out of the fridge, flea bites, as well as immunizations and homeward TB tests. The list will undoubtedly get longer!

Only in Africa (OiA)-- (continued)

• ...do you see so much hitchhiking. It is the blacks that hitch. It is not against the law, and in fact, it is the only source of rides for some people because they are too poor to own a car or to afford bus or taxi fare. People of all ages hitchhike on city roads and freeways. They do not hold up their thumbs like at home, but they have different hand signals meaning different things, which we do not know. Or they hold out a little sign with the initials of their destination on it. For example, a sign with KWT means they are looking for a ride to King William's Town.
• ...do you see individuals with shopping carts from supermarkets going along the highways gathering up anything that can be recycled and sold, from plastic bottles to metal of all kinds. Last week a guy was pushing a cart along with an old rusty refrigerator in it.
• ...do you see "informal shops"--tables set up on the side of roads or on the sidewalks in town with someone selling a few plastic bags of homemade breads or a small quantity of homegrown veggies--anything to earn a little money. They do not worry about business licenses or such.

We miss you all, but we have a testimony that the Lord needs us here and has a work for us to do. We know that President Monson has been chosen and called by the Lord at this time, and that this is His true church.

Love to all,
MOM and DAD

Only in Africa (OIA)

Dear Family:

This has been an eventful week! The news of President Hinckley's death came on Monday rather by happenstance. We received a phone call from the senior sisters companionship about another matter, and in the course of the conversation told us the news which they heard from Utah emails. The news coverage here on President Hinckley was zero. We are saddened by his death, but recognize that his life has been very productive--all 97 years of it! Saturday evening we watched the funeral over the church satellite system at the East London Ward.

We enjoyed reading your comments on your family's blog, Scott. You asked for our mailing addresses: for letters send them to us in care of South Africa Cape Town Mission, P.O. Box 181, Observatory 7935, SOUTH AFRICA For mailing packages send them to us in care of South Africa Cape Town Mission, 2 Liesbeek Avenue, off Liesbeek Parkway, Observatory 7925, SOUTH AFRICA

During the week we made preparations for our Institute class which we taught for the first time on Saturday. Five students enrolled, and there were two students on summer break from college and the Bishop's wife who sat in as well. We introduced the course which is Doctrines of the Gospel, and then had each person present share with the class something meaningful which they remember about President Hinckley. We felt the spirit as each student bore testimony that they know President Hinckley was the Lord's Prophet and they felt such love by and for him. Here are the first names of our students: Vuyo, Mthobel, Methembukazi, Sipha, Thobeka, Avis, and Nomfundo. Besides pronouncing their names, would you like to guess which are boys and which are girls? OiA=Only in Africa!

Also on Saturday we attended the baptism of four individuals--a mother and her young adult daughter, a middle aged woman, and a young adult male. They will be members of the ward we are attending (Mdantsane 1st.) The young adult daughter has asthma which caused her to inhale the water as soon as it covered her face and she came up out of the water before being completely immersed. It took 4 tries before she was baptized. At the conclusion of the baptism all four shared wonderful testimonies with those who attended. The young sister must have swallowed quite a bit of water because she was ill today and was not able to be confirmed in Sacrament Meeting.

Another special event on Sunday was the two wards in East London were realigned into three wards. The Stake President said that it was 17 years ago when the very first ward was organized in EL. It is our understanding that nearly all the growth of the church in recent years has been by the conversion and baptisms of native Africans. We have met quite a few of them now. They are faithful, they understand the gospel, and will be a great strength to the church in the future. There are several teachers in our ward who are returned missionaries of about 22-26 years of age and they give VERY, VERY doctrinally sound lessons.

The highlight of our week, however, did not occur in Africa! We were delighted to hear from both Julie and Scott early Thursday morning our time that Stella had arrived in good health. We are also thankful that it was an easier delivery for Julie than Claire was. We wish we could have seen her, but Matt sent some wonderful picture, 4 of which we made into 8x10s which now adorn the bookcase in our livingroom. Thanks so much, Matt, for emailing them to us. We hope Stella's jaundice can be managed without serious consequences.

We have been busy this week providing elder support including buying and assembling fans for several of the missionary boardings. Some days here are unbearably hot and humid, some are hot, humid, and windy and are quite nice, but the best of all are the overcast breezy days. Life is tough in the palm tree zones of the world in December! The African sun is especially intense, but the orange sunsets are remarkably beautiful.

In the movie "The Wizard of Oz", Dorothy say, "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore". Daily, we are reminded that we're not in Utah anymore--OiA=Only in Africa---

• would you see a sign in a residential area which reads "Caution Childrens, Dogs, and Bunnies at Play" or "Children Roaming" [could this mean "Caution Children at Play"?]
• do you see ant hills about 3-4 feet tall and 3-4 feet in diameter. Some fields will have dozens of them, but we don't have giant ants at our house.
• would you see an open market where fresh pineapples and fruits of every kind are being sold next to a booth with piles of meat, whole chickens with claws, and intestines with the seller waving a mop-like thing over the fresh??? meat to keep the flies off, sometimes unsuccessfully. We will pass on the meat, but the fruits look great!

But we love it here. We are healthy, very busy, and we are enjoying the work. It's great to hear from you. Love to all, MOM and DAD