Firsts

Sept, 18
Firsts
   We did our first Boarding checks with the Ladysmith  Elders on Saturday the 20th.  There were transfers Wednesday and this was a gross job, but is done by the Sr couples every 6 weeks.  Kent has to check vehicles and I go through the fridge and cupboards and check for clean.  Their water had been turned off that day because of the drought so I gave them a bit of a pass.  We send the report form to Durban.
   We had our first Sunday at Ladysmith Branch on Aug 21,  The branch has been struggling because the Branch Pres., Primary president, 2nd councilor in the District Pres and a few others work for Donlop tire company- a big employer here.  They were recently bought up by the Japanese and they started working everyone on a 7 day schedule.  They only get 1 Sunday per month off and it has been hard for this small branch to cope.  I started to teach our Primary "Scripture Power",  since nothing was prepared.  They will get a follow up lesson.  There are 10 -15 children that come on a regular basis.
   We went with our elders to our first visit a family this  Sunday, the Chingwena family.  No pics were taken because we were in shock at being in our first home in a township.  This family lives so far out that they must pay a taxi to come to church and sometimes not all can come.  Sometimes they walk but it would take 2 hours.  She is the Gospel Doctrine teacher.  This is yours, mine, and somebody- elses- family.  That just means that this family inherited children and they don't have theirs yet.  They don't have steady employment yet either, which is the case with many. Family relationships are all different with children from other family members living under the same roof.  Aids is partly to blame and unemployment is another reason.  We just visited and noticed how tidy the home was even though there was no water.  They had electricity and Sat TV.  A huge chicken coop that would have made Carrie proud.  The Zulu people never go hungry even though they have so little.  They also won't let their family go homeless.
   Monday brought the 4 Elders for our first P Day to do their internet stuff because the church system was down.

 Baumgarten and Knutsen left with the Transfers.

  

They stayed a long time and I was getting so ansy because we were teaching the next day.  It is a 4 day process for me to teach and get to Dundee 2 days a week and Tues was our First time.  We leave 2 hours before class because we have road work and stops and starts.  We also went with the Elder's from Dundee to the Ladysmith hospital for Dr. apt for Elder Deihl's  ingrown toenails on that Monday.    A couple of hours and with Surren's help we got an appointment for surgery for that Thursday.  Mean while on that Tues my Old Testament went terrible.  Need to regroup!
   Surren Ramraj had us and the Elders over for dinner for Chicken Curry on Wed and it was very good.  He works at the good hospital.  He's a single man that is in about his 40's and is Young Men Pres.  He has a good handle on the things and has lived in Ladysmith for 20 years.  He's from Nepal and that's not India (he will point out).  It was a fun evening-one that we would repeat.
   Thursday came and Kent opted to go with Elder Deihl and Martin to the hospital to work out payment.  He stayed with them for 5 hours just waiting for the surgery.  I was home working on my lesson.  (Liviticus is not my thing it turns out!)They ended up staying at our place overnight because he was the driver and was in a lot of pain.

     

He is still wearing those flip flops a month later.

Friday morning they leave for home in Dundee and leave their boarding keys and half their clothes at our place.  No prob we were going at noon anyway for our first Friday class, in Dundee.
 

   

At some point we had a first with the Elders eating with us, but I think it was that First Thursday in our boarding on the 18th.  We barely had food.  It took us a few trips to fill up those cupboards.  Did I mention that first store trip was about 21/2 hours long ?  We saw the Elders a lot that first full week!

Sometime on Saturday after our shopping, I got sick.  It's called the travelers disease.  I could not leave my toilet for 3 days.  I missed church and was in danger of wrecking the next weeks fun.  Poor Kent has to stick with me.  I really was the ball and chain for a few days.