Institute, Family History and Scripture Power

Can't get enough of this no matter how long I'm here.  They must start very young apparently!

  On Sunday the 9th of July we went to Madadeni 1 Branch and

 gave talks, played piano for Sacrament Meeting and taught  their Primary -Scripture Power.  During the last hour, we talked with some people in a meeting about how they hated their Branch President. They were very serious about their worries and asked to meet with us. We told them up front that we had no power and we would just listen to their complaints.  (Unfortunately there has been a lot of money corruption in the past and some think that it is still going on.  Mission President thinks there are problems in the Branch but not corruption problems.)  Went to Dundee to chat with the Browns after and in-between their meetings about this. We actually got home at a reasonable time.
   Monday saw us cracking the books for The New Testament class starting on Tues out in Ezakheni.  We also looked at 3 more boardings for the Elders but didn't like any.

Our Institute class that changes every week with this many people.

   Tuesday was our class at 4PM with a Branch Pres.meeting before the class at 3.  Pres. was going to change all the auxillary heads at the same time because everyone had been in about 3 years.  (the Branch's building has only been around that long and the Pres. has been in that long).  This was all prompted by the lawlessness of Primary the previous week and the Primary Pres.(age 17) announcing to the President that she was done.  Long night till 7, but I think the Pres will wait on the Young Women release.
   Wednesday was chile day (to make for zone conference).  We made 2 kinds and the Browns made 2 batches and we traveled to  Newcastle and served it up.  Afterwards we ditched and went to the Browns favorite home store and shopped for the brand new boarding that I knew we would get but did not have yet, for the Elders.  We had to furnish the entire apartment from scratch.  Mop to dishes!     The next day we did home chores and had the Mosia's over for Family History.  We got their membership #s and Elder Rasmussen was going to take them to the temple in Joburg.  As it turned out -the temple was closed for cleaning for 2 weeks when he was leaving for home.  We needed more details from Mosias anyway for names to be taken to the temple.  There is not much of a paper trail to find dead relatives when the black families have lived and died for generations in the townships. Word of mouth from living relatives is about the only way we get information, so dates are  usually slim  and not accurate.

The Elders surprised us with a serenade before District Conference.

   Zone leaders passing through on Friday and Saturday meeting for District adult meeting at 4 with an Area Seventy.  We thought at this point that we would be getting a new District, but nothing happened.  After Sunday meeting  Benson and Bro. Mosia were  set apart for the

The Mosia's , Elder Brown, and Benson and Doreen.

Melchezidek Priesthood.  We took Benson and Doreen and a cousin  to the meeting and brought them home for lunch. They were all eyes at stew and bread.  We had a cold wind storm that weekend.  Not a big deal to us but they live in the shack at the back of the sawmill and they don't eat much meat or get out much.  They loved the brownies and icecream.

When I'm 88 I want to look this good!

   Institute and orientation of new Primary president on Tuesday.  Browns came for dinner and we went out on the 19th.
   We did Madadeni Inservice on Saturday for Institute and Seminary teachers and invited all B.Presidents for the entire Newcastle District.  We started at 9 and picked up Ladysmith and Ezakheni, and Dundee seminary teachers for the meeting.  We provided lunch and salad with  Herman.  We had a big group and Charles, our boss, showed up to give me grief.  We are never on the same page and although he is the professional, seems to give outdated information and just rubs me the wrong way.  Lets face it we just tolerate each other.
   That Sunday, we,  all the missionaries (4 Elders and us) did Primary sharing time and classes.  We had the little GoGo Zwane,(new Primary Pres. who is 88 years old and who had never seen a primary operate) watch us do Primary and then teach classes.  It went well but next week she would have to do sharing time.

 We had a B-day party for Elder Moyo on Monday because transfers were Wednesdays and our big job was to feed zone leaders and let them crash till 1:30AM and then Kent took them to the bus stop for Durban.
   We had more Institute class on Tusday and Primary inservice and then my little Grandma would be on her own.  Primary music is always the hardest calling to find, but as of this writing, not one calling had been issued to help the Primary President with 45 kids.
    Sunday surprised us with a District split and new Branch President in Ezakheni.   President Manqile will be fabulous!   He was 1st councilor and has been off his mission for 3 months. He is very humble and very willing to take and ask questions.

Sister Delkerk bought this cake for our new District Pres.

   The new District President is our very own Pres. DeKlerk from Dundee.  The Ladysmith District will only have 3 branches with Ezakheni splitting soon.  We had lunch after all the settings apart happened.  Sister DeKlerk brought it for us because her whole family was also there.  It was fun and festive and all the work was yet to start.  We did music and Primary classes again.
 

Finally our 3rd and last boarding and it was brand new!

My favorite Mabel, Ivy and grandchild.

 Got a brand new boarding in a triplex that will be on Delhi road to Ezakheni -where we want our third set of Elders to live. I sent pics and info to Sis. Wood and she sets up the lease and money stuff.  Taught class on Tuesday and shopped and cleaned and got ready for Darcy to come on Wednesday and Thursday. Got keys and showed Elders their new boarding.  Home Taught the Madonsela's so we could take belated birthday cake.
   Friday we were to leave for our trip to Richards Bay inservice and to pick up Darcy and Lindsey.  Elders moved in to their new boarding on this day also and met  us at our home to get washer and our sofa.  We were then off to the furniture store for new table and benches.  We didn't leave till 11:30 so we were late to Richards Bay.

Found the restaurant find on the road to Durban.

    Saturday we picked up 2 teachers in Ezekhaweni and that is all we had at our inservice meeting.  It was a good 1-on-1 but a disappointing showing and costly meeting. Later we met up with the Collins's and hiked a cool

Enseleni chapel and 1 of three classrooms.(Richards B)

Sister Collins and I in Rafia Forest!

hike  through the Rafia forest(big old palm trees) down  to the beach of the Indian ocean.  We then ate pizza and got rained on.  All in all a very mixed day!
    Sunday, we finally went to Richard's Bay Branch, which was very small.  We bore our testimony along with the entire branch.  Took off and went to the rest of the meetings in Enselini where I went to the tiniest RS meeting ever.  5 of us talked Zulu and English for 45 minutes. Most lessons are taught by reading in English and discussing in Zulu and English.  Kuhlekani is my Institute teacher there and we had to give him his NT student manuals a little late.  (The big news is that he has a cute girlfriend that I sat next to in RS. I would love to go to a temple wedding while I'm here!  Just sayin!)
   The fun is just beginning--Darcy adventures are coming up soon!