April 30, 2013

 The Elders came over for Correlation Meeting and had lunch with us.  Rick wanted to have French toast with the homemade buttermilk syrup.  Elder Davuke loved the syrup and asked for the recipe. 

After they left, we left as well and visited the new Nteyi baby…babies are so cool!!  Rick had a meeting with his membership clerk, and while he was doing that, I went to Pick n Pay to do a little grocery shopping.  While I was in the nut isle, a man approached me and shook my hand and told me he was from Peddie and he had three children…no wife.  So what do you say.  Then he said I could be his wife and he my husband.  Whoa!!!  I simply told him I was married and he said Oh…Okay…weird!!!  Really weird…weird.  He then just left…thank goodness.

April 29, 2013

 Rick had invited Brother Canny to dinner and then they were going to discuss speakers for Sundays in May and subjects they would speak on.  We had a great visit with him and heard his testimony of his conversion. 

Nomsa Nteyi had her baby today…a little girl weighing 3.6Kg. Patrick, her husband and the Elders Quorum President, is happy with their new addition.   

April 28, 2013

 The Elders came over at 6:45am to help make sandwiches for the lunch for the branch between Sunday General Conference.  We had plenty of sandwiches…I think we made about 65 of them.  A number of people left after the first session and didn’t eat lunch.  A goodly number of them ate the lunch and then left.  Not very many stayed for the second session…maybe four and all of us missionaries…all four of us.

April 26, 2013

 Today is Elizabeth’s big day at the temple.  As I am typing this note at 9:15 pm South African time, she is in the 3 pm session at the Washington DC Temple.  We Know that she will have a spiritual experience and a great day.  We are where the Lord wants us right not, it is just a little hard not being there with her.  However, we know all is well and Vicki, Robert, Brian and Risa will be with her in the temple, while Cheri will be watching Brian and Risa’s twins.

April 23, 2013

 It is kind of hard to believe that one year ago today, we entered the MTC to begin our mission.  We landed in Cape Town South Africa on May 2 of last year and it seems that time really has flown.  We still have 6 months to go, but we also have a lot more to do.  We are loving the people here and hope we are doing all the Lord wants us to do for them and Him. 

We had Zone Conference in East London today.  The Zone Leaders taught first of all, then President Wood talked for just a few minutes then he turned the time over to Elder van Gass, the mental health person covering all of lower Africa.  He and his wife are called on this mission to help take care of all of these elders, over 2000 of them.  He spoke of mental issues that can happen to those serving, but can also happen to anyone.   Rick meets most of the sign of one who is a perfectionist…not quite all, however. 

I was asked to bring dessert for after lunch and when the Elders were told I was providing the dessert I heard a “wahoo” sound come from some of the Elders.  It makes you feel good when you can bring some joy into the life of the Elders even if it’s through their stomachs. It had to be Elders we have had in Port Alfred and I must admit they have liked most of the desserts I have made.  It kind of made me feel good…and humble.  They like me for something, even if it is food!!

April 20, 2013

 Rick did some work at Hola's on the prep for their water tank.  While he was there, I baked cocoa brownies and zucchini bread.  The AP’s are here tonight and will be staying until Monday morning.  It is always nice to have visitors and we love talking with the AP’s, Elder Zarbock and Elder Twitchell.  Both of them are from Utah. 

 
The brownies did not turn out as good as usual…don’t know what I did to them…bummer.  They weren’t terrible, just not as good.  Yesterday, I burned the potato soup…just hasn’t been a good cooking couple of days!!

April 19, 2013

This last week we have tried to include most all of the stuff we do during a typical day just to show we really are serving a mission and not just on vacation here in South Africa. We will now go back to our normal format of including only our adventures and the more interesting parts of our days that we can write about.