Life!

Not a bumper crop of navels -but really good.

 

We've got tomatos! 

This was just a typical month that I will highlight with a few interesting things.
Transfers started at the top of the month and we had all the same guys stay.  We love them all so yeah!   We were involved in transport on Wednesday, our teach day.  We picked up Stabiso, our  African Elder at 12PM to leave on his mission to Capetown.  We  then ran up to a toll plaza on the freeway and met the Woods from the office in Durban and picked up 2 Elders going to Newcastle.  Say goodby to Stabiso .

Stabiso's Mom just went to the hospital so this is Sis Mlangi and son.

 We were to  then meet the Browns at a 1/2 way point along the Newcastle highway and handoff the Elders and have 1 hour left to make our Class in Ezakheni.  We were only 5 minutes late with  no lunch, but we did it!
    Kent and the Elders were involved in the Ladysmith show a sort of festival that goes on every year.  We set up a tent/booth for talking to people.

The Elders welcomed the change in pace for 2 1/2 days.

 The Elders talked to many Africaans people that they don't usually see behind their gates. That was going on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.   Still looking for real estate units on Thursday and home duties.  But, on Friday we headed out for Durban because the pickup truck we had been storing in our garage was needed to pick up a couple of zone leaders going to Newcastle and some bikes.

Says he doesn't need one!

 This took all day with no lunch.  We were in other peoples hands with other's schedules--lots of waiting around. Not much fun!  Just 5 hours of driving with crockpot dinner waiting for all and again no lunch.
  We had catch up Saturday and Fast Sunday with Ladysmith.  Wise and home stuff on Monday.  Tues we looked at more possible boardings.  Wednesday we taught institute class. We looked at property again.  It was raining for a few days and gave us a feel for how cold  it was going to be.  Friday I baked with Sister Adams and made cupcakes for a wedding to be held for a couple that the Elders want to baptize.  No date for baptism but the Elders mentioned that maybe we could have a braai and all of a sudden we had a full Branch party in the works.  The Branch President was not happy to spend any funds for this event, so the Elders used their parents credit cards for the meat and the rest of the Branch and us helped with the rest for about 50 people.  It was a good lesson that you never just mention fun stuff to Africans.  They are like kids, they will just remind you and bring it up at every opportunity till you do it.

This is the bride and groom"s family and close friends.  They are dead center in the back.

  Had Elders for braai  and calls to Mom's all night long on Mother's Day.  My boys called on Saturday so that Sunday was smoother than in December.
  On Monday we took Kent to Laverna hospital where I met Dr Khaun for the first time.  He was deliteful.  Picture a kind, fit, tall, 50ish type, Muslim man, who is very educated and smart.  He has perfect English and gave us a lot of info on upper respritory problems and how to treat  (we were there for Kent's ugly spider bite).  Wednesday we had a fun class for Nqobile's last time.  We touched on how parents can teach in the home and "Don't Eat Pete" made his appearance.  Pres. Ncgobo was there and tried to cheat at Don't Eat Pete but just couldn't get any candy.  It was a fun memory for us all!  Madadeni 2 for Sister Mashayo's seminary class on Thursday in her garage.

Sister Mashayo's class and I'm sorry I didn't get her pic.
(District President's wife)

 On Friday we picked Nqobile up from taxi stop and took her shopping for a jacket for her mission.  We had fun and she picked up needed things she hadn't been able to find like sewing kit and first-aid kit.  Took her to lunch and sent her on her way .  Hair cuts with Jenni .  Went to Dundee on Saturday to Siphe's seminary class.  Only about 5 kids showed but he does a good job.  Sunday we went to Nqobile's talk and sang with her and Sister Sosibo and Elder Varner.  We stayed for more baptisms in this branch, it it getting big.
  On Monday we needed a break and so we went to Winterton again and Pig and Plough for lunch.  We stopped at Spinckope Reservoir and saw no girraffes but did see many zebras and even a white rhino!

We have seen lots of rhino but not without his horn --our first.  They remove them so they won't be killed.

  Crazy Wednesday happened again with picking up from the bus, a coming-home Elder Luvuno from Zimbabwe

and then taking him home to Ezakheni.  We then had 40 minutes to kill at the church so we had a packed lunch and then picked up Nqobile for her bus ride to Durban

and the MTC for her mission to Madagascar.  We had to be an hour late for our class and not many came to the changed time, as usual.  It was hard to say goodby to her but she will be a real asset to any mission president. It took almost 10 months to get her out and we helped for about 7 of them.
  Off to Madadeni 1 seminary for this Thursday and we had 11 students show up in a little living room about the size of a large walk in closet.

Madadeni 1 seminary class

 It was electric talking about the New Testament and showing 2 small videos.  The kids loved them.  We stayed the night with the Browns and
  then went to Newcastle Zone Conference on Friday morning.  We stayed all morning and then helped get the pizza and icecream bars for lunch.  Sister Brown and I skipped out to shop for Elders because I could get  things like rugs and mattress heating pads to all my Elders while they were all there.  She took me to a good and cheap home store.  I could drive and we even found a fountain coke zero with ice at McDonalds. (Big gulps where are you?)   Independence felt great for an hour or 2.
  Friday night we got home after President Thompson took the couples to dinner.  We had a Branch Presidency meeting on Saturday night and that meant Mable and I would be working on her lesson.  We can't seem to get through the whole thing before it is time to leave.  I know we are way busier than the men and they know we are too because of the mess we make of the library and RS room.
  Madadeni 3 meeting was first on Sunday at 9 and when the President found out we were coming we were also the speakers.  I played the piano because this is a new branch and they don't know how to work the electronics yet.  We spoke to Kent's seminary teacher and found out she has not had electricity in her home since 2009.  She powers her phone with a solar generator.  When it is cloudy -no power,  She says it gets very cold in the winter and every winter the government promises her area that she will get power to her home.  I just couldn't quite wrap my mind around no power or toilets!
We then hit Madadeni 2 Branch conference at 11.  We had to hand off teacher assessments to 3 teachers.  We hit a lot of bases and now we must visit Richards Bay again.  We went home and went and took the promised birthday cake to the Chingwenas and VT message.  Something is not ok with Nelson and we hope he will let us know soon what is up.  Cute family!

Sma Chengwena wore her very African garb all day for church.  She loves her heritage!  (I told her not to close her eyes)