Hello from S. A.

Hope everyone is still enjoying their summer.   I heard it's still in the 100's in Utah.   I'm sorry - hopefully it will cool down soon.   It's very sunny and warm here during the day and cool at night but I'd compare it to May or early June.   It's hardly a winter:)   I've worn my coat once.   It gets dark about 6 p.m. though and gets cool.   I get so cold at night but I take a hot bath and climb into bed and am finally sleeping normally thank goodness.   That whole week of jet lag was not fun.   

We had a fun Saturday.   We're trying out different grocery stores and I'm finding better ones all of the time.   We went to a huge mall and the huge contrast between the very wealthy and very poor was made even more obvious.   This mall was more extravagant than City Creek - I would never shop there - we'll probably never go back.  On the other hand, we drove to the temple after church today and the poverty is everywhere.   I know South Africa is doing all they can to provide jobs because there are two or three baggers for every check stand, guys in the parking lots guiding you to a parking spot and helping you back out.   We always give them some money, not every does, but that's all they get - they're just happy the business will let them be in their parking lot.  Then there are the people on every stop light or stop sign standing in the streets begging.   There are just not enough jobs to go around and I guess the most educated and ambitious get the jobs in the restaurants etc.   I'm still wondering what the white South Africans do.  You are never waited on by a white person - in a restaurant  grocery store - any store.  I guess they must all be the managers and executives.   

I'm afraid the temple block was a little underwhelming.  They're working on the roof.  I'm glad I'm here and not down there - it's all gated and protected but it is in a different and maybe scarier part of Johannesburg.  Of course, that doesn't mean anything about the importance of the temple - it's the ordinances inside that matters. 

The sweet AP's are fixing us an "African" dinner today - not just us but the Leavitts who live next door and Elder Fagg and Elder Reeve who also live next door.   Elder Fagg (yes that is his name) is from London and as cute as a button and an awesome missionary.   Elder Reeve is from Hurricane and very quiet but also a very good missionary.   The AP's are great guys and have been so patient with me in the office.   I'm always asking them questions (especially about convert data entry) and they are just kind.   Elder Hill is from Logan and Elder Madsen is from Orem and they work so hard.   

I successfully made my choc chip oatmeal cookies last week (with a little adjustment) and the missionaries devoured them.   I made another version of my mint brownies to take to dinner (can't get mint flavoring here) and I think they're pretty good.   Working all day in the office and baking on the weekends seems to be my jobs - the missionaries just need some homemade stuff:)   However, I'm excited about our ward's service project in a couple of weeks.   We're going to a homeless shelter to clean, paint, do electrical work (Elder Bishop will be a big help there) and make and serve them a dinner.   I told the Relief Society President that I would be there with bells on.

We took inventory of the "consumable missionary flat supplies" and went shopping to replenish many of those items but there are a lot of things stored that they don't use.   I'm going to ask if we can donate them to this shelter.   

Well, you can see that we're getting right into the thick of things.   It takes a while to figure things out but once we get it all down, I doubt that we'll have time to breathe.   It's all consuming - that's what we're here for - we're here to be "consumed" with the work. 

We love you all and are happy to be here doing the Lord's work and doing whatever we can to further the Kingdom.   Oh, I wanted to mention how impressed I am with the talks and lessons in the ward.   The members are amazing and so dedicated - I also like their accents.   Sometimes it's a little hard to understand them but some people have a hard time understanding us.   The cute little black waitress (they all speak some other language) couldn't understand our asking for "water" with our dinner.   Then another said, "You're American right?   I could tell by your accent."   We have an accent???

Second Day

We went on our first walk this morning.   The area is all gated, high fences, barred windows, and if you get past those, the big dogs will get you:)   I guess that is the way it had to be in years past but it gave me an eerie feeling.   We got lost because there are no such things as blocks but fortunately Ross took the GPS with us.

Sister Oborn took us shopping today.  So imagine a super Walmart with everything in different containers, different names, and different prices that mean nothing to me.   We managed to spend $150 on just basics - doesn't look like food is that cheap here.   But you can buy anything you can afford.  They have big fancy malls and any kind of restaurant you can think of.   

We had our staff meeting and received our assignments:   Ross is in charge of missionary cell phone management, traffic ticket management, bid-tracker monitoring, electronic archiving of flat contracts, missionary mail, maintenance of IMOS database for flats and phones, and maintenance of missionary flat consumable inventories.   My duties are:   mission office receptionist, referral management, assistance with baptismal record input, missionary visa management and interface with area visa office, medical claims management, and new missionary drivers license and passport certification.   

Obviously we can't learn it all in a day so pray that we can learn it at all!   We'll pick up some apartments to inspect in the next month or so and the President will check with the Stakes to see if anyone could use a missionary couple in their ward.  This mission is too big for just one person to be in charge of the apartment inspections so they have the senior couples in the area each take some apts.  In the meantime, we'll attend one of the wards that meets across the street at 8, 10, or 12.   The office workers assure us that we'll be so tired by the end of the day that we won't be needing any night activities - or we won't get home from the office until late.    Seems like things have been in quite a turmoil this year.   It will take us a long time to learn all that we need to know but hopefully this will relieve some of the pressure on the other couples.   

So ready set go - we report at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow!   Love you all

We arrived in Johannesburg - our apartment and Mission Office

This the gate to our apartment - ours is on the left - it is opened by a remote.

This is the guardhouse to the Mission Office, MTC, CES Offices, and chapel that houses three wards.

This is the Mission Office where we'll spend the next 18 months.

Welcome to our living room - those fancy grills are aka bars

Can you see the African print on the lampshade - pretty cute. This flowers and sign are a welcome from the senior missionaries.

Remember my white painted cupboards - but they're clean and don't you love the green floor - a little wax does wonder!  The tall skinny refrigerator is great

Notice the fancy bars on these windows - we have some blinds to put up and I'll make a little valance but just haven't had time - but look how my floor shines:)

Cute bedroom - there's a purple and gold theme here.

Last but, not least, is the beloved tub!

First Day in Johannesburg

We won't talk about the plane ride.   It was a nightmare and we escaped any deep vein thrombosis and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Our apartment is bigger and nicer than I pictured.   We'll take some pictures as soon as we get some hangers and get our clothes hung up. I was right, there is no carpet on the floors so I'm grateful for my slippers:) We have a car but driving on the left side of the road is crazy so we've got to do a little short driving practice.   We've met everyone at the mission office - all very nice.   It seems they're all a bit over loaded and stressed but I think that's the nature of a mission office.   We'll meet with the President tomorrow and he'll tell us what he wants us to do.   Looks like Ross could be major help with the finances and the fleet if they're willing.   But the President is the boss so we'll see what he says.   The mission office, MTC, and CES office are in a nice little area called Discovery and our apartment is just across the street.   The MTC will get new Elders August 2 so I don't know how much we're involved in that.  It is about 40 minutes away from the temple and area office and the temple is closed for repairs until September.  After chatting with the sr. couples, we all went to a nice restraurant for dinner and it was very good.  They had cereal, fruit, and milk here for us for breakfast so we haven't had a chance to go shopping yet.  We don't know what ward we'll be assigned to either.

The jet lag hasn't been too bad - we've been going all day and it's our 9:00 p.m and we're both still on our feet, but we haven't really done anything today except unpack so I imagine after a day at the office, we'll be beat. 

Saying goodbye to our family

We were all together for the first time in a long time so we took advantage of the opportunity.  Aren't they beautiful?  We have a wonderful family and we love them and miss them. 

Ready or not, it's time to go.  We look ready, don't we?  We have official badges so we must be ready.

"Grandma and Grandpa are going on a mission."  The family planned a wonderful FHE with song, musical numbers, and a brief summary of the culture, history, weather, food, etc. of South Africa.

We were also given some very valuable words of wisdom and advice.

But no matter how we dreaded it, the time to say goodbye had to come.  This was very hard for us!

Second week at the MTC

Our office training room with 6 couples, 12 computers, and our instructor.  It was very hot!

It was fun to learn hands on instruction of mission office procedures

We had great classmates - Elder and Sister Hunt on the right were in our District.  They were on their way to the Nashville, Tennessee Mission Office

The Provo Temple was a source of comfort and inspiration as it overlooked the MTC campus

Getting Set Apart, Leaving and Life at the MTC

 Brooklyn, Sheridan, Preston, Jeff, Tiffany, Natalie, Kyle, Elder Bishop, Ammon, Sister Bishop, Jesslyn, Alyssa, Targhee, Leilani, Monica, and TJ.  We were happy to have these family members join us when we were set apart, July 1, 2012 by President Bell

 Grandma and Leilani saying goodby Monday morning as we left,

 July 2, 2012

 Elder and Sister Bishop just as we left for the MTC

 This is the entrance and main building where we met every day (do we look official?)

 A senior moment inside the Campus

 This is our district (Elder Bishop was the district leader :) left to right

Sister Jensen, Elder Jensen is hiding in the corner, yours truly,

Sister and Elder Browning, Elder and Sister Hunt, Elder and Sister Pack,

and our morning instructor, Sister Cluff

 Us, the Packs from Sandy, Ut. going to Nashville,
 the Hunts from Oregon going to Nashville,

the Jensens from Canada going to the Philippines,
 the Brownings from Idaho going to Riverside, Ca.

and Sara Cluff from BYU (she can't believe she gets paid to do this)

 

 The Denton's - amazing returned missionaries from the Philippines, Africa, and the southern states

 Brother Carrington, our afternoon instructor

 Last day goodbyes for the senior couples (we had six single sisters)

 We had great teaching experiences with Elder and
Sister Engels from Gilbert, Az. going to Washington DC South

 We met Elder and Sister Mills our very first day.  They're from Providence, Ut. going to the Czech/Slovak mission.  Every time we saw them going to language training, we were glad we weren't them.

 We had our best and most spiritual teaching experience with Elder and Sister Klingler from Mesa, Az going to Toronto, Canada

We were off duty on Saturday so we went to the Mount Timpanogos Temple

 and then spent the afternoon with Ross's Uncle Shirl and Aunt Doris Ann Bishop.

  They took us to dinner and are such gracious and lovely people.

  They have served two missions and we had a wonderful time

 hearing about their many life experiences.  They are very excited for us.