MIssionary Life

A new ward created from another with a new Bishopric.  This keeps Chuck very busy because the growth here is phenomenal!  He deals with boundary changes, new units, church record changes, patriarchal blessings.  You name it, he is probably involved in some way.

Just in case you think I don't work, this is Elder Johnson reviewing the medical portion of some of the missionary applications I process.  It keeps me very busy.

Elder and Sister Rowberry have been the best MLS missionaries.  They are serving in the South Africa Durban mission and we see them frequently when they bring couples to the Temple to be sealed.  They go home in a few weeks and we will miss their enthusiasm and dedicated work,

A Preparation Day included a 15 minute walk from our flat down tree lined streets filled with mansions to the Ditsong National Museum of Military History.  Great planes, tanks, and military transport vehicles to see.  We loved it.

We saw huge and not so big vehicles.  This tank was a very small Italian version.  We are loving our time here in South Africa.  Everyone should go on a couple mission.  Where else can you be so busy yet have so much fun and joy?

Missionary Perks

At lunch time most of the senior couples converge on the Canteen in the patron housing area to catch our breath and enjoy each others company.  It is a bright spot in each day because we are all so busy with very hectic schedules and we need to sit and relax for a few minutes.

On one of our Preparation Days, we went on a tour of the South Africa Mission Office, the MTC, and the Mission Home.  This is the infamous transfer board in President Dunn's office.  He certainly has many great missionaries serving all over his mission area.

This is a spare room at the MTC.  Sister Dunn collects everything a missionary could need or want to serve a mission.  Some of their arrivees, or missionaries in the MTC, are able to go shopping and get the things that they couldn't afford or buy in their own country before going on mission.  Many of our couples and the missionaries themselves, will leave clothes and other things in good condition for someone else to use when the need arises.

More Pictures of Life in South Africa

These men are recyclers.  They spend all day collecting plastic, paper, and metal from garbage cans and then pull their find to turn it in.  We often wonder how they are able to pull their "wagons" up hill, but they manage to get where they are going.

A lot of the people don't have access to cars, so they have to manage without transportation.  

On our way to Tembisa we came across some road construction.  We loved their way of keeping cars off the road that they are fixing. Just find some big rocks to place in the road 

and no one tries to drive there.

This is a typical way of making ends meet.  They sell fruit and vegetables and other needful things from their homemade stores.

Visit to Orange Farm Branch

A new concept in the Africa Southeast Area is something called a Speed Space - literally portables.  This branch is using space on a school ground.  The main building is one big room, mainly used for Sacrament meeting and Relief Society.  Primary uses the school classrooms for their classes.  

But it is a bit of a walk.  

We had Elder and Sister Blake show us the way to their branch.  It took us almost 45 minutes to get there.  But it is surrounded by some beautiful country.

Inside the Speed Space for Sunday School.  The beauty of this kind of church facility is that it can grow with the branch.  As more and more people join, they are able to expand the building to keep up with the growth.

On a nice day they hold Priesthood meeting out under the tree.

President and Sister Dunn came to deliver a mission call.  Sister Zulu has been dreaming of serving in England.  When she opened her call, she was overjoyed to learn that she had been called to serve in England.  This will be such a wonderful experience for her.

Half a block from the Orange Farm branch building is the Branch President's home.  He has installed the baptismal font in his front yard as you can see.  That Sunday there was a baptism scheduled.  All the neighbors can watch and participate if they want to.