Baby asleep on mother's back
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Dear Family,
We had a Christmas party on our lawn last week for the staff at the office (about 80 people) and the missionary couples about 20 that day. Even though it was our lawn in front of our house, it wasn't our party. We were guests too. They roasted a lamb and had African food and it was delicious. There was a devotional first with a wonderful choir made up of some of the people invited and they had been practicing for about 2 months and it was beautiful. Bill and I were in the front looking at the audience and it became hard as the choir sang and I looked into the tear stained faces of some of the missionary couples (wives mostly). They were missing their children and then of course so did I. It is a sacrifice to be here especially at times like the holidays, but none of us would change that. We want to be here. It is a glorious place to be, but I have been going down memory lane this week and have been remembering some of our Christmas times together.
Remember when Michael was about 5 and the day before Christmas a little boy hit him in the eyes with a stick and all of Christmas Day his eyes were covered because the cornea was scratched. He was pretty brave. I remember when John got his skate board and all the paraphanalia that goes with it and Dad and I standing in the living room watching him go down the hill in front of the house time after time and we were holding hands and our breath fearful he would kill himself. Remember when Todd cracked the Christmas package code after I had taken days to try to fool everyone. He sat under the tree with pencil and paper for a day calculating and he did crack it.....although I didn't admit it to him until Christmas Day. Do you remember when Ann got a package of scarves and nightgowns and silky things from Goodwill so she could play dressup with Shelby. That box cost about $5 and she had some lovely clothes that were more expensive, but it was the Goodwill box that was the hit. I remember many times when the boxes the gifts came in were more fun than the gift. I didn't know until many years later, but remember when you took the hinges off the door that led under the house and saw your Christmas gifts and it ruined your Christmas? I remember eating See's candy as we decorated the tree and I remember lovely gifts from each of you that you had made in school....ceramic faces and vases, stamped fabric for a table runner, and cards and pictures and other gifts that I treasured more than anything. Of course the Christmas plays come to mind as we struggled to write it and practice it....the fun we had when you were younger and wanted to practice it over and over and the agony when you got older and we were begging you to write it and begging you to at least practice it once before we performed. What fun when we gradually added your spouses and chldren to our acting pool. John, I am sure is very grateful this year for the practice he has had in writing over the years as he has been asked to write the Christmas play for his ward. Somehow, I don't think it encompasses the nativity. ....but I'll bet it's great. The end results were always fun and worth it. I remember trying to get the pictures ready for the Christmas letter. Trying to figure out what you should all wear and trying not to have all of you in tears at the same time as we tried to get the picture. I remember with fondness killing myself to get the Christmas Eve dinner ready and that it was always worth it even though it twas always eaten in about 15 minutes. I loved Christmas morning as you opened your gifts and usually loved them after Dad and I spent weeks trying to figure out what would make you happiest. I did hate Toys R Us. That place was a nightmare, but we'd get it done early and then hide things at Mrs. Hardings or the McConnaugheys. Reading from Luke was a highlight for us. It was fun to watch someone put Baby Jesus in his manger. It is hard not to have you all close this year....hard not to run around shopping and trying to fool all of you about what you were getting....but mostly I will just miss being with you. Dad and I are going to keep busy with a trip to help us not get homesick...when you are old you can get homesick for old times. However, even though we are missing you we are loving being here. We pray you are being blessed because of our service. We feel so blessed to be here. My health is good, we are together, this place is beautiful and we love the experiences we are having. We feel needed and appreciated by everyone and we know we are in the middle of a miracle as far as the church is concerned. We love the black people we have met. We are in awe of their dedication to the Gospel and their understanding and love of the scriptures. They soak up everything they can about the Gospel and the government of the church. They want to do everything right. They have faith and knowledge that often puts us to shame. Yesterday in the Johannesburg Ward there were 4 deacons sitting right in front of me. They were amazing. They were all dressed in their white shirts and ties and I have to say I loved their hair....short and fuzzy and they even had a little lint in it. Those 4 boys were so reverent...oh they occasionally poked each other as you would expect but 95% of the time they were intent on the speakers and they looked up every scripture that was mentioned. They took notes when Dad talked and their scriptures were worn from use. I loved watching them and even learning from them. They will be the backbone of the church in the next decade...strong, good leaders. This is the kind of thing we see all the time.
Anyway, please know that my memories of Christmastime with you are numerous and wonderful. I hope you have good ones. Someday, I'd like to hear some of them. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas this year with your families and friends. Our prayers and thoughts will be with you. Sorry, that we can't be as generous as we have been, but know we love you and we love the Savior which is the most important equation of the season. I'm grateful for His life and His love for me. I've been learning even more about the Atonement these past few months and what peace that brings me. I love all of you and miss you, but am so grateful for the part you play in my life. You are all precious to me.....probably more than you will ever know.
Love Mom and Grandma
We had a Christmas party on our lawn last week for the staff at the office (about 80 people) and the missionary couples about 20 that day. Even though it was our lawn in front of our house, it wasn't our party. We were guests too. They roasted a lamb and had African food and it was delicious. There was a devotional first with a wonderful choir made up of some of the people invited and they had been practicing for about 2 months and it was beautiful. Bill and I were in the front looking at the audience and it became hard as the choir sang and I looked into the tear stained faces of some of the missionary couples (wives mostly). They were missing their children and then of course so did I. It is a sacrifice to be here especially at times like the holidays, but none of us would change that. We want to be here. It is a glorious place to be, but I have been going down memory lane this week and have been remembering some of our Christmas times together.
Remember when Michael was about 5 and the day before Christmas a little boy hit him in the eyes with a stick and all of Christmas Day his eyes were covered because the cornea was scratched. He was pretty brave. I remember when John got his skate board and all the paraphanalia that goes with it and Dad and I standing in the living room watching him go down the hill in front of the house time after time and we were holding hands and our breath fearful he would kill himself. Remember when Todd cracked the Christmas package code after I had taken days to try to fool everyone. He sat under the tree with pencil and paper for a day calculating and he did crack it.....although I didn't admit it to him until Christmas Day. Do you remember when Ann got a package of scarves and nightgowns and silky things from Goodwill so she could play dressup with Shelby. That box cost about $5 and she had some lovely clothes that were more expensive, but it was the Goodwill box that was the hit. I remember many times when the boxes the gifts came in were more fun than the gift. I didn't know until many years later, but remember when you took the hinges off the door that led under the house and saw your Christmas gifts and it ruined your Christmas? I remember eating See's candy as we decorated the tree and I remember lovely gifts from each of you that you had made in school....ceramic faces and vases, stamped fabric for a table runner, and cards and pictures and other gifts that I treasured more than anything. Of course the Christmas plays come to mind as we struggled to write it and practice it....the fun we had when you were younger and wanted to practice it over and over and the agony when you got older and we were begging you to write it and begging you to at least practice it once before we performed. What fun when we gradually added your spouses and chldren to our acting pool. John, I am sure is very grateful this year for the practice he has had in writing over the years as he has been asked to write the Christmas play for his ward. Somehow, I don't think it encompasses the nativity. ....but I'll bet it's great. The end results were always fun and worth it. I remember trying to get the pictures ready for the Christmas letter. Trying to figure out what you should all wear and trying not to have all of you in tears at the same time as we tried to get the picture. I remember with fondness killing myself to get the Christmas Eve dinner ready and that it was always worth it even though it twas always eaten in about 15 minutes. I loved Christmas morning as you opened your gifts and usually loved them after Dad and I spent weeks trying to figure out what would make you happiest. I did hate Toys R Us. That place was a nightmare, but we'd get it done early and then hide things at Mrs. Hardings or the McConnaugheys. Reading from Luke was a highlight for us. It was fun to watch someone put Baby Jesus in his manger. It is hard not to have you all close this year....hard not to run around shopping and trying to fool all of you about what you were getting....but mostly I will just miss being with you. Dad and I are going to keep busy with a trip to help us not get homesick...when you are old you can get homesick for old times. However, even though we are missing you we are loving being here. We pray you are being blessed because of our service. We feel so blessed to be here. My health is good, we are together, this place is beautiful and we love the experiences we are having. We feel needed and appreciated by everyone and we know we are in the middle of a miracle as far as the church is concerned. We love the black people we have met. We are in awe of their dedication to the Gospel and their understanding and love of the scriptures. They soak up everything they can about the Gospel and the government of the church. They want to do everything right. They have faith and knowledge that often puts us to shame. Yesterday in the Johannesburg Ward there were 4 deacons sitting right in front of me. They were amazing. They were all dressed in their white shirts and ties and I have to say I loved their hair....short and fuzzy and they even had a little lint in it. Those 4 boys were so reverent...oh they occasionally poked each other as you would expect but 95% of the time they were intent on the speakers and they looked up every scripture that was mentioned. They took notes when Dad talked and their scriptures were worn from use. I loved watching them and even learning from them. They will be the backbone of the church in the next decade...strong, good leaders. This is the kind of thing we see all the time.
Anyway, please know that my memories of Christmastime with you are numerous and wonderful. I hope you have good ones. Someday, I'd like to hear some of them. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas this year with your families and friends. Our prayers and thoughts will be with you. Sorry, that we can't be as generous as we have been, but know we love you and we love the Savior which is the most important equation of the season. I'm grateful for His life and His love for me. I've been learning even more about the Atonement these past few months and what peace that brings me. I love all of you and miss you, but am so grateful for the part you play in my life. You are all precious to me.....probably more than you will ever know.
Love Mom and Grandma
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
We had a wonderful time decorating the tree. There were 8 adults and mostly the men heckled us as we put the decorations on. Ann and I picked out the decorations at Mr Lee's and I brought them here becuase there isn't much here in the way of decorations. The men put on the lights and we did the rest. Then we had pizza and dessert. It was fun. It helped us all not to be homesick too much for our families. Wish you were here with us.
Monday, December 06, 2004
Monday, November 22, 2004
Dear Family and Friends,
We have had another adventure in Mozambique. The thing that comes to mind is rivulets of perspiration, no sweat, coming from our bodies. I have never been so hot in my life. As we taught in that auxiliary training meeting my hair became soaked and water was dripping from my head to my feet and every place in between. I was still wonderful. It was very exciting to be there as the church has had missionaries there for only 5 years, and we had 500 people at that district conference, and this year they will have baptized 800 people. The missionaries were outstanding and I really felt a fondness for the assistants who were with the women every minute taking us wherever we wanted to go...sometimes to meetings and sometimes shopping. They reminded me of my sons so much and I guess that is why I enjoyed them so much. There were so good at what they did and they were fun and they were loved by all the people around them. ....the shopkeepers as well as the members. They were wonderful. It was wonderful to be with Elder Bateman of the First Presidency of the Seventy. He is wonderful. He is a masterful teacher and so smart. He remembered every name and every detail of the church in all of Africa. It was fun to travel with him. He was a wonderful sport as sweat dripped off him too. The country is tropical and beautiful and right on the he Indian Ocean.....sometimes it is deceiving to see the coastline and the beauty of nature and then you see the poverty. They are a happy people. They are not hungry like the people of Kenya because there are so many natural resources. For our grandchildren, I want you to know I saw children playing with big leaves again. They are huge leaves, tropical leaves with a large stem that they take turns pulling each other on. It is like having a wagon without wheels. It is easy to pull because the earth is sand. I also saw some children making dolls out of mud and sand. They molded their little families into people and made eyes and mouths out of little rocks. I also saw children that had old wire rims.....maybe from an old bicycle that they would roll with a stick and chase it all over. They were very good at it. I also saw some children dancing to music on the street....little children....age 18months up to 6 or 7 years old. They were having a wonderful time. When you don't have toys, it is amazing what you can do to find things to play with. We loved the people even though they speak only Portuguese. The missionaries were such wonderful translators that it was easy to communicate and I've found it is pretty easy to communicate with my hands and heart.
We have had another adventure in Mozambique. The thing that comes to mind is rivulets of perspiration, no sweat, coming from our bodies. I have never been so hot in my life. As we taught in that auxiliary training meeting my hair became soaked and water was dripping from my head to my feet and every place in between. I was still wonderful. It was very exciting to be there as the church has had missionaries there for only 5 years, and we had 500 people at that district conference, and this year they will have baptized 800 people. The missionaries were outstanding and I really felt a fondness for the assistants who were with the women every minute taking us wherever we wanted to go...sometimes to meetings and sometimes shopping. They reminded me of my sons so much and I guess that is why I enjoyed them so much. There were so good at what they did and they were fun and they were loved by all the people around them. ....the shopkeepers as well as the members. They were wonderful. It was wonderful to be with Elder Bateman of the First Presidency of the Seventy. He is wonderful. He is a masterful teacher and so smart. He remembered every name and every detail of the church in all of Africa. It was fun to travel with him. He was a wonderful sport as sweat dripped off him too. The country is tropical and beautiful and right on the he Indian Ocean.....sometimes it is deceiving to see the coastline and the beauty of nature and then you see the poverty. They are a happy people. They are not hungry like the people of Kenya because there are so many natural resources. For our grandchildren, I want you to know I saw children playing with big leaves again. They are huge leaves, tropical leaves with a large stem that they take turns pulling each other on. It is like having a wagon without wheels. It is easy to pull because the earth is sand. I also saw some children making dolls out of mud and sand. They molded their little families into people and made eyes and mouths out of little rocks. I also saw children that had old wire rims.....maybe from an old bicycle that they would roll with a stick and chase it all over. They were very good at it. I also saw some children dancing to music on the street....little children....age 18months up to 6 or 7 years old. They were having a wonderful time. When you don't have toys, it is amazing what you can do to find things to play with. We loved the people even though they speak only Portuguese. The missionaries were such wonderful translators that it was easy to communicate and I've found it is pretty easy to communicate with my hands and heart.
Elder Bateman and Elder Nelson were traveling together and before we went to Moz. we were with them at a Mission President's Seminar. I loved that. Those mission presidents and their wives are so wonderful and we loved being with them and learning with them. We had a department for the wives which turned out well, I think. We feel blessed to be here. We're having spiritual experiences and funny experiences and educational experiences and all kinds in between. Especially after last year, I feel so blessed to be here....to have my health and energy. We miss you all and think about you often. I even talked about one of my grandchildren in this last conference and the people loved it.....how do I know that? ...they smiled and laughed with me. Someday, I'll tell you who and what I said. We love you all. We love your e-mails. Please keep them coming.....they are wonderful.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Dear Family,
We have had a nice few days. Today was church and we went to a ward in Soweto. None in the Primary Presidency showed up nor did any teachers.....just the secretary and nursery leader......so I taught them for an hour off the top of my head and it was fun. They love the missionaries, so I taught them "I hope They Call Me On a Mission" and they didn't know it and they loved it...and stood and sang it and learned it so quickly. African people are wonderful musicians. They don't have pianos. So we did it without a piano. They usually use tape recorders and CD"S. There were a few who only speak Swahili so they didn't understand anything I said, but they were so reverent and they actually learned the song, even though they didn't know what the words meant. It was really fun. I told them about my grandchildren and showed them pictures of all of you. They laughed and smiled. It was a fun day...we had 6 people to dinner and now we are collapsing, but I miss all of you...especially on Sunday night. We talked to John and his children for a few minutes until the connection broke up and it was great. Claire kept saying, "Poppa". I miss you but know you are all doing your very best. We are too.
Love Mom
We have had a nice few days. Today was church and we went to a ward in Soweto. None in the Primary Presidency showed up nor did any teachers.....just the secretary and nursery leader......so I taught them for an hour off the top of my head and it was fun. They love the missionaries, so I taught them "I hope They Call Me On a Mission" and they didn't know it and they loved it...and stood and sang it and learned it so quickly. African people are wonderful musicians. They don't have pianos. So we did it without a piano. They usually use tape recorders and CD"S. There were a few who only speak Swahili so they didn't understand anything I said, but they were so reverent and they actually learned the song, even though they didn't know what the words meant. It was really fun. I told them about my grandchildren and showed them pictures of all of you. They laughed and smiled. It was a fun day...we had 6 people to dinner and now we are collapsing, but I miss all of you...especially on Sunday night. We talked to John and his children for a few minutes until the connection broke up and it was great. Claire kept saying, "Poppa". I miss you but know you are all doing your very best. We are too.
Love Mom
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Kinshasha, Congo and Brazzaville, DR Congo
Dear Family and Friends,
We thought we'd drop another note after our 6 day trip to Kinshasha, Congo and Brazzaville, DR Congo. It was a wonderful trip and every single moment seemed to be a journal entry. We arrived at the airport which was a beehive of confusion. Luckily President and Sister Waldram met us to help us through all the red tape and there was also a beautiful member of the church (Josepha) who works there who helped us and believe me, we would still be there if it weren't for them. It was crazy with jillions of people trying to carry your bag and stopping you at check points, etc. They made what could have been impossible so very easy. Our ride into the city was quite a visual. There was and always was a sea of people everywhere....walking and walking and walking. There are cars also, and there are crazy, crazy drivers. I wish I could describe well what we saw but it is hard to put in words. ...I'll try. The women were in beautiful colored dresses....African prints that took your breath away. With their beautiful black skin these colors were magnificent.......very bright and lovely. Many had the fabric tied on their heads in the same matching fabric. Some had other colors on and of course some were in western dress, but not the majority. A lot of the men were in western dress, but there were many who had the same wonderful fabrics in their clothes. They were often designed like a hospital scrub outfit....some wear long dresses of beautiful fabric. The clothes tend to be loose because it is so hot and humid there. Many babies ride on their mother's backs again held there with these beautiful fabrics. We only saw a handful of white people the entire time we were there.
It is tropical, so there was much rain which turned the black dirt roads into mud. There are some paved roads, but many many areas were dirt and it was good we have a four wheel drive to go around in. The markets except for 5 or 6 were stalls with tin roofs or people just sitting or walking at the side of the road selling things. We loved the onion and garlic stalls. All products were stacked in a beautiful way as the people sat on the ground waiting for people to buy.....wall to wall stalls of all kinds of merchandise.
We had to cross the Congo River to get to get to Brazzaville Stake Conference and that was an experience of a lifetime. There are not bridges only boats. There are 2 kinds of boat. One was a motorboat which wasn't as nice as the African Queen and the VIP boat was a little nicer than the African Queen. We traveled on each boat..... the small one going and the VIP coming back. It was so crowded on that little boat. There were supposed to be maximum of 9 passengers and there were 11. It only took about 10 minutes but we were packed in with these life jackets and the fun part was getting in and out from about a 4 foot drop. Honestly, we weren't very gracious in our church clothes. The men had on suits and I know we were a sight, but climbing in and out was hard.....no ladder....only from boat to shore with people pulling and pushing. It was quite a deal. Lots of red tape on the other side. Again, there were people to help us get through.....no computers....everything done in triplicate and many check points. We were going into a different country. The church officials met us and were very glad to see us...dressed in their suits and ready to leave for meetings. I did auxiliary training while Bill trained priesthood. Actually, I did it with Sister Waldram, the mission president's wife. She doesn't speak french either, but she read hers in french and I had a interpreter. It is hard to do it that way, but I am learning and the women were wonderful. They were dressed beautifully in their dresses and head pieces and they took notes, but I don't know what they wrote, cause I don't know if the one translating got it all. We had to start and stop, but the spirit was there and many came up and kissed me on both cheeks and were so wonderful. There were 3,000 at stake conference.....85%. The singing was so fun.....loud and vigorous. The choir was the same....all young adults with big gold bow ties and matching skirts (bright blue satin) and white blouses. There was a new member meeting before conference with about 50 new members who bore testimony and who had lights shining through their hearts and eyes. There were tears of joy as they bore testimony. That was a very moving meeting to be part of. It was Bill and I and the mission president and his wife and the new members and the missionaries who had converted them. Those missionaries were also "shining". We were given huge bouquets of flowers, which of course we couldn't carry back on the boat, cause it was about all we could do to get ourselves and our suitcase on board, so we gave them to our drivers to give to their wives. Our drivers were CES people and our vehicles were trucks. The cars take quite a beating because of the roads......We hit many potholes very hard as we traveled about for the 6 days. We loved being with the Waldrams. They were so gracious and fun and helpful. We are so impressed with their upbeat attitudes with hard living conditions. They are a great blessing to the people there and are doing a wonderful job in everything they do. They took us everywhere to see the churches there and the sight which they hope will be for a temple one day. Mostly the saints meet in houses, but we saw one lovely building and the ground had just been broken for the next one so they are making great progress. Those saints know there scriptures very very well and are very educated in the Gospel, and are learning much about the church organization. We have only had the Gospel 13 years in Congo, so these people are the pioneers. They are very teachable and humble. It was wonderful to be with them. Language was a barrier, but we felt the Spirit together and learned together and worshiped together. It was a blessing to be there and we loved it. We get tired sometimes with all that is going on but it is a good tired. The missionary couples continue to inspire us. Those in the Congo have a very hard life, because of the living conditions, but they are doing it and are sooooo needed. They are something else. We miss all of you and love your e-mails....it is an experience of a lifeline. We love what we are doing and are getting ready for our next adventure. We go to Durban in 2 days, so must do the laundry and get ready. We want you to know that we feel very blessed to be here and we know this is the Lord's work and it is a privilege to be part of it. The Gospel is true.
Love S
Please keep in touch.....
We thought we'd drop another note after our 6 day trip to Kinshasha, Congo and Brazzaville, DR Congo. It was a wonderful trip and every single moment seemed to be a journal entry. We arrived at the airport which was a beehive of confusion. Luckily President and Sister Waldram met us to help us through all the red tape and there was also a beautiful member of the church (Josepha) who works there who helped us and believe me, we would still be there if it weren't for them. It was crazy with jillions of people trying to carry your bag and stopping you at check points, etc. They made what could have been impossible so very easy. Our ride into the city was quite a visual. There was and always was a sea of people everywhere....walking and walking and walking. There are cars also, and there are crazy, crazy drivers. I wish I could describe well what we saw but it is hard to put in words. ...I'll try. The women were in beautiful colored dresses....African prints that took your breath away. With their beautiful black skin these colors were magnificent.......very bright and lovely. Many had the fabric tied on their heads in the same matching fabric. Some had other colors on and of course some were in western dress, but not the majority. A lot of the men were in western dress, but there were many who had the same wonderful fabrics in their clothes. They were often designed like a hospital scrub outfit....some wear long dresses of beautiful fabric. The clothes tend to be loose because it is so hot and humid there. Many babies ride on their mother's backs again held there with these beautiful fabrics. We only saw a handful of white people the entire time we were there.
It is tropical, so there was much rain which turned the black dirt roads into mud. There are some paved roads, but many many areas were dirt and it was good we have a four wheel drive to go around in. The markets except for 5 or 6 were stalls with tin roofs or people just sitting or walking at the side of the road selling things. We loved the onion and garlic stalls. All products were stacked in a beautiful way as the people sat on the ground waiting for people to buy.....wall to wall stalls of all kinds of merchandise.
We had to cross the Congo River to get to get to Brazzaville Stake Conference and that was an experience of a lifetime. There are not bridges only boats. There are 2 kinds of boat. One was a motorboat which wasn't as nice as the African Queen and the VIP boat was a little nicer than the African Queen. We traveled on each boat..... the small one going and the VIP coming back. It was so crowded on that little boat. There were supposed to be maximum of 9 passengers and there were 11. It only took about 10 minutes but we were packed in with these life jackets and the fun part was getting in and out from about a 4 foot drop. Honestly, we weren't very gracious in our church clothes. The men had on suits and I know we were a sight, but climbing in and out was hard.....no ladder....only from boat to shore with people pulling and pushing. It was quite a deal. Lots of red tape on the other side. Again, there were people to help us get through.....no computers....everything done in triplicate and many check points. We were going into a different country. The church officials met us and were very glad to see us...dressed in their suits and ready to leave for meetings. I did auxiliary training while Bill trained priesthood. Actually, I did it with Sister Waldram, the mission president's wife. She doesn't speak french either, but she read hers in french and I had a interpreter. It is hard to do it that way, but I am learning and the women were wonderful. They were dressed beautifully in their dresses and head pieces and they took notes, but I don't know what they wrote, cause I don't know if the one translating got it all. We had to start and stop, but the spirit was there and many came up and kissed me on both cheeks and were so wonderful. There were 3,000 at stake conference.....85%. The singing was so fun.....loud and vigorous. The choir was the same....all young adults with big gold bow ties and matching skirts (bright blue satin) and white blouses. There was a new member meeting before conference with about 50 new members who bore testimony and who had lights shining through their hearts and eyes. There were tears of joy as they bore testimony. That was a very moving meeting to be part of. It was Bill and I and the mission president and his wife and the new members and the missionaries who had converted them. Those missionaries were also "shining". We were given huge bouquets of flowers, which of course we couldn't carry back on the boat, cause it was about all we could do to get ourselves and our suitcase on board, so we gave them to our drivers to give to their wives. Our drivers were CES people and our vehicles were trucks. The cars take quite a beating because of the roads......We hit many potholes very hard as we traveled about for the 6 days. We loved being with the Waldrams. They were so gracious and fun and helpful. We are so impressed with their upbeat attitudes with hard living conditions. They are a great blessing to the people there and are doing a wonderful job in everything they do. They took us everywhere to see the churches there and the sight which they hope will be for a temple one day. Mostly the saints meet in houses, but we saw one lovely building and the ground had just been broken for the next one so they are making great progress. Those saints know there scriptures very very well and are very educated in the Gospel, and are learning much about the church organization. We have only had the Gospel 13 years in Congo, so these people are the pioneers. They are very teachable and humble. It was wonderful to be with them. Language was a barrier, but we felt the Spirit together and learned together and worshiped together. It was a blessing to be there and we loved it. We get tired sometimes with all that is going on but it is a good tired. The missionary couples continue to inspire us. Those in the Congo have a very hard life, because of the living conditions, but they are doing it and are sooooo needed. They are something else. We miss all of you and love your e-mails....it is an experience of a lifeline. We love what we are doing and are getting ready for our next adventure. We go to Durban in 2 days, so must do the laundry and get ready. We want you to know that we feel very blessed to be here and we know this is the Lord's work and it is a privilege to be part of it. The Gospel is true.
Love S
Please keep in touch.....
Monday, October 25, 2004
Driving on the wrong side
Dear Family, It is a beautiful day here and in a few minutes I'm going to walk 4 blocks out of the compound with Sister Brown to the fruit stand. We are quite brave to do this, but it is great to get out. The street we will be walking on is lined with jacaranda trees which are all in bloom and it is breath taking. They are huge trees (like oak) so it is a canopy over the street. The blossoms are beautiful lavender. Saturday we went with 2 other missionary couples to Pretoria to see the trees which are more abundant over there and then to a wonderful monument honoring the men and woman who trekked from Cape Town to avoid persecution. ...in about 1835. The had covered wagons and were heroic as our pioneers were. It was a very familiar story, however instead of Indians attacking they had Zulus attacking and killing. When you come we must go there. We saw some animals roaming around but I can't think of the names......beautiful with long straight horns black stripe down the center. I am going to buy an animal book, a flower book and bird book.....there are so many unusual kinds here. We went to church in a ward about 20 minutes from here. A very small ward. I visited the Primary of 12 children and it was fun. I was asked to play piano there and in Sacrament meeting because the don't have any who can play. This wonderful black chorister came up and asked me if I played, by any chance. I said I hadn't done if for years and years, but I would try. He said he had prayed for an angel to help him with music that morning. I looked at him with a chuckle in my eyes (if that is possible) and he got very serious and said, no, I really did pray for an angel to help me. I guess I was the angel, but I had a little trouble with 3 sharps. Jenna, keep practicing those hymns. You are going to be needed.
The big news is that I'm learning to drive.....on the wrong side. I know it doesn't sound too hard especially for you Ann. I know you are going everywhere over there in Australia, but here it is different for several reasons. There is lots of traffic, with not too polite drivers. They tend to be impatient. The street names can change 2 or 3 times in a 2 mile stretch, but the main reason is the problem of safety. You really can't stop and ask for directions unless it is a service station and they are not too plentiful and the people who work there do not drive, so they can't help. Many , many people do not have cars and they are in the middle of the street selling things like glasses and fruit and newspapers and all sorts of things. It is a little nerve wrecking, BUT the good news is that I now can drive to 2 shopping centers and I don't feel trapped. The grocery stores are in the shopping centers for security reasons and there are guards to take care of the cars while we shop. We tip them a few rand to do that.
We hope you are all well. You are in our prayers morning and night and in between. I now you are all busy and that is good. We have a meeting in the morning with humanitarian missionaries. They are amazing and are doing wonderful things. They are coming from all over Africa. It will be fun to See them as we meet them and get to know them as we travel. Dad is speaking. We go to Congo on Thursday which will be quite a trip I know. We will not do much when we are not in meetings, but stay in hotel or mission home.That is one place we have to be careful, but I am thinking that mission president's wife will take me shopping...That is a must, don't you think. I am taking her some books, because she can't get them there. It is a french speaking country. I am also taking them a few treats that they can't get there. Will e-mail on return. We are fine and it is good to feel needed.
We do miss you though and love your e-mails. Here is some news that i know:
Carol is busy as PTA pres. , Michael is busy with practice. John is busy with trials, Elizabeth is busy as soccer coach, Todd is in play about atomic bomb, Ben is busy traveling with work, Ann is busy learning new city and is new counselor in Primary.I love you all and really love your e-mails even if they are short. Did you think about Skype and a t least a microphone? I am gong to spell check on orders from John, or should I say because of criticism from John. Be safe. Love Mom
The big news is that I'm learning to drive.....on the wrong side. I know it doesn't sound too hard especially for you Ann. I know you are going everywhere over there in Australia, but here it is different for several reasons. There is lots of traffic, with not too polite drivers. They tend to be impatient. The street names can change 2 or 3 times in a 2 mile stretch, but the main reason is the problem of safety. You really can't stop and ask for directions unless it is a service station and they are not too plentiful and the people who work there do not drive, so they can't help. Many , many people do not have cars and they are in the middle of the street selling things like glasses and fruit and newspapers and all sorts of things. It is a little nerve wrecking, BUT the good news is that I now can drive to 2 shopping centers and I don't feel trapped. The grocery stores are in the shopping centers for security reasons and there are guards to take care of the cars while we shop. We tip them a few rand to do that.
We hope you are all well. You are in our prayers morning and night and in between. I now you are all busy and that is good. We have a meeting in the morning with humanitarian missionaries. They are amazing and are doing wonderful things. They are coming from all over Africa. It will be fun to See them as we meet them and get to know them as we travel. Dad is speaking. We go to Congo on Thursday which will be quite a trip I know. We will not do much when we are not in meetings, but stay in hotel or mission home.That is one place we have to be careful, but I am thinking that mission president's wife will take me shopping...That is a must, don't you think. I am taking her some books, because she can't get them there. It is a french speaking country. I am also taking them a few treats that they can't get there. Will e-mail on return. We are fine and it is good to feel needed.
We do miss you though and love your e-mails. Here is some news that i know:
Carol is busy as PTA pres. , Michael is busy with practice. John is busy with trials, Elizabeth is busy as soccer coach, Todd is in play about atomic bomb, Ben is busy traveling with work, Ann is busy learning new city and is new counselor in Primary.I love you all and really love your e-mails even if they are short. Did you think about Skype and a t least a microphone? I am gong to spell check on orders from John, or should I say because of criticism from John. Be safe. Love Mom
Friday, October 22, 2004
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
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