First Christmas in South Africa

President and Sister Reber hosted a senior Christmas party on the 19th of December.  Our anniversary was the 20th so we thought it was a great way to celebrate it.  She had us act out the nativity while she narrated.  After we stopped giggling at the costumes, it was very fun to participate in a nativity for a change.  We then had a gift exchange - like our white elephant game except we were to bring something we wanted to take home from Africa.  I fought for a zebra apron but lost.

Wiseman?

Angel?

Elder and Sister Blake=Mary and Joseph

And the Angels sang=Sister Piepgrass, Sister Jolley, Sister Hymas, Sister Bishop, Sister Leavitt

The wiseman delivered gifts=Elder Jolley, Elder Bishop, Elder Hymas

And a good time was had by all

I thought that if I cooked all day Christmas Eve and invited some people over, it would seem more like Christmas.  So I had been baking all day Sunday (sometimes you have to) and all day Monday and Elder Nilson who lives next door thought I was working too hard.  So to cheer me up, he brought a lovely bouquet of flowers.  He and Elder Hansen were always leaving little treats and surprises over the holidays.

Here are the beautiful flowers from Elder Nilson and all of the wonderful cards, letters, and notes from our loving family and friends.  They definitely helped to bring the spirit of Christmas to South Africa.

So Christmas Eve we opened up our home to Elders and Seniors, had a turkey, ham, rolls (I left the salt out of the rolls but they disappeared anyway:), potato salad, coleslaw, veggie tray, pumpkin bars, and brownies buffet.  We had elders in the kitchen,

In the sun room (Monday is P-day),

and in the front yard.  They are all fun and we love them all.

President and Elder Bishop are discussing something very serious it seems, and Sister Omer, Sister Jolley, Sister Piepgrass, and me were discussing serious subjects while cutting up peppers for the Christmas Day dinner.  I can be very independant but also know when to use helping hands.  It was a fun "warm" Christmas Eve.

The Christmas devotional started with Elder Palmer accompanied on the guitar by Elder Rako......(he's from Madagascar and they have very long names usually starting with Rako or Rando) singing "Mary's Little Boy Child."  None of us knew that Elder Palmer could sing but it brought the Christmas Spirit to me more than anything.  It was beautiful.  Then Elder Mackay played O Holy Night and What Child is This on the flute that was so beautiful.  Elder Rako sang Far Far Away on Judea's Plane in Madagassee with the guitar.  Elder McClellen and Palmer sang O Holy Night with McClellen and Rako accompanying on their guitars.  It was amazing.  There were wonderful testimonies born and Pres and Sister Omer did a scripture reading with Elder Peterson at the piano.  The Seniors sang Silent Night with Pres Omer and Reber singing the second verse in German with a few German and Swiss elders.  It was a beautiful program and the spirit was so strong.

We served 165 of us a Christmas lunch - chicken wraps, fruit, and cookies. 

Elder Nielsen, Farber, Stamp, and Tuttle - great fun loving Elders

It was a very Merry Christmas in South Africa!



Journey Out of South Africa

From time to time, the housing couple have to make a trip to Botswana to take care of business.  This was the case the first of December.  The senior couple who lived in a house in Gabarone (pronounced havaroney) had gone home and it needed to be emptied and closed.  As many of the furnishings as could were moved to the new couple, the Gubler's townhouse.  The Taylors, Rands, and Gublers live in Gabarone but have many different assignments.  So we took our journey across the border, which was no easy task.  We think the border guards see us coming and think "let's send these stupid Americans on a wild goose chase and detain them at the border for a couple of hours."  Thus was the case.  Everything was legal and in order, our passports, licenses, registration, visa, etc. but they managed to give us the run around.  However, we survived and made it across the border to the first city, Labotse, but couldn't find out way out of Labotse to get to Gabarone.  This is when our GPS said, "I don't know this new country" and we were on our own.  We finally asked a young lady and she drew us a wonderful map that got us on our way.  But when we arrived in Gabarone, neither of our phones would work so we could call the Taylors, who we were staying with, to get directions to their house.  Well, we finally managed to get through to them and made it safe and sound.  This was Friday night and early Saturday morning we all met at the new flat to clean and prepare it for it's new furnishings.  We made a lot of progress but we were cleaning out a four bedroom house that had been the Botswana center for missionary supplies, etc.  So we made three piles - one was the things for the new house, the second was things for the missionaries to look over and see if there was anything they could use, and the third was throw away.  We worked until evening and then the four couples went to a nice place for dinner.  We were up bright and early Sunday morning to go with the Taylors to their assigned ward in Mochudi (pronounced just the way it's spelled).  Some day you'll probably read an Ensign article about the "Band of Brothers' from Mochudi.  A group of young men have joined the church and are all fulfilling missions.  Their peer influence has been tremendous and now they're working on the "second generation" of young men preparing to go.  There are also young women but not so many.  Gabarone was just made a stake in November and Mochudi a ward.  However, they have no meeting house but a large tent (like the one we had the boat in only bigger).  Botswana is five hours north of us and the further north you drive, the hotter it gets.  It was hot in Botswana and you can only imagine how hot it was in the tent.  But the members are amazing, love to sing, and have a wonderful spirit of testimony and humility.  We miraculously survived the heat of the tent and went to our different classes in a house near by.

Elder and Sister Taylor with their "Band of Brothers" and Sisters.  Three already had their calls and will enter the MTC in Dec, January, March.  Look at those amazing smiles!

This little guy was wanted his picture taken.  See the "hot tent" in the background.  They've been promised air conditioning but it wasn't there yet.

These are the four Elders serving there at that time.

Beautiful Mochudi children

We finished cleaning out the house Monday, and Ross helped hook up the Gublers, stove, washer and dryer, and I hung curtains before we left Tuesday after lunch.  There was still more to do but the bulk of it was done and they had until the end of January to finish.

Elder Madsen was the AP in the office when we arrived and and he was going home December 19th so we had a little farewell dinner for him.  He loved enchiladas so Sister Leavitt and I made those and on the table is my famous no bake cheesecake.  We will miss Elder Madsen and wish him all the best.

Sister Bishop, Elder Madsen, Sister Omer, President Omer, Elder Leavitt, Sister Leavitt, and Elder Bishop.  Elder Nielsen was taking the picture. After dinner they all helped fill the Christmas stockings we made for the MTC Elders and Sisters.  Many hands make light work:)

Ken delivers Sister Leavitt's supplies to the office and invited them to the blessing of their baby girl.  That was in November and we tagged along.  We visited Johannesburg First Ward and what an amazing ward it is.  The Leavitts invited Ken and his family to dinner and also another couple who are Ken's friends.  We later found out that Ken and his friend were missionaries in the Uganda mission when our neighbors, Carol and Lew Wright were a senior couple there.  What a small world.

Is she cute or what? Sister Leavitt and I took turns cuddling her.

Sister Leavitt and I made (embroidered SAMTC 2012) and filled 33 stockings for the Elders and Sister who were at the MTC at Christmas time.  We gave them to them on Monday, December 17th, just before they left for the various missions on the 19th.  We stayed and sang Christmas Carols afterwards.  It was great!

We had to help President with some pick up and deliveries to the airport.  We took Sister Vuki and Sister Joseph to the airport on their way to Botswana.  We don't see Sister missionaries very often because they all work in Botswana.

The cake under Elder Bishop's arms says "Happy Birthday Sister Leavitt."  The Elders wanted to surprise her after their testimony meeting Sunday because her birthday is on Christmas Day.  Elder Watson (center with the beanie- don't ask - it was 90 degrees) is cutting a cake they gave him because his birthday is Christmas day also.

All Ready for Christmas

We're staying true to our new tradition of just decorating with nativity sets for Christmas.  This is the one I bought at the Chameleon Village and the pictures above are my treasures painted by Sister Blake.  They are water colors - not the originals, but copies. I've never seen such brilliant water colors - she's an amazing artist.

This isn't the same set that my family will all be setting out this Christmas, but I thought of you as I was setting it up.  We will be with you all in thought and spirit as we celebrate the birth of our Savior during this special time of year.

Thanksgiving, Elder Bishop's Birthday, and Christmas Shopping

Thanksgiving Day at the Mission Home:  Elder and Sister Gubler, Elder and Sister Hymas, Sister Blake, and Elder Bishop

Sister Leavitt, Elder Leavitt, Elder Blake, Elder Bishop, Sister Blake, Elder Hymas, President Reber, and President Omer in the kitchen at the mission home on Thankgiving Day

Sister and Elder Gubler, and Sister Reber - just finished washing the dishes

Sister Bishop, Sister Leavitt, and Sister Reber at Elder Bishop's birthday dinner.  We thought our coordinating black and white outfits were stunning:)  We invited the Leavitts, Rebers, and Fiona and Mbusa for a birthday celebration dinner.

I never was very good at the lettering on birthday cakes but the decorating wasn't too bad. 

He had a lot of guests for his party - about 22 Elders.  He did a good job blowing out his candles - only missed one.

Everyone dig in!!

We drove about 35 miles northwest to the "Chameleon Village", a super big indoor craft market to buy a nativity set.  Mr. "Zulu" warrior was chanting and offering rides.

I took this because it was the first body of water we've seen since we arrived in South Africa.  It's called Hartbeesport Dam and it was very beautiful.  The ferries were the only boats we saw on the lake but it's a big resort for parasailing etc.

This is an example of the thousands of tin huts that millions of Africans live in.  They are usually side by side packed into a little shanty town.  This was on one side of the road as we were leaving Hartbeesport

And this was on the other side.  This is an example of the extreme poverty and the extreme wealth commonly seen everywhere.

Spiritual Experience with President and Sister Renlund

 Last week we had the privilege of meeting with the Area President, President Renlan and his wife. He was a doctor and she a lawyer but nicer people you'll never want to meet. It was just Elder and Sister Leavitt and us with them. He had us fill out a little personal profile and talked about that for a few minutes then asked us what we did. We went around the table and then asked what problems or concerns we had. He then shared a story about Sister Renlan's father. Apparently, he was an area authority working in Asia I think and was just working so hard with no sleep and Elder Oaks came to visit. He could see that he looked haggard and worn down and reported it to Elder Packard when he returned to SL. Elder Packard told him to tell Elder ? the next time he saw him that he didn't have enough faith. And when you peel him off of the sealing because surely he will have a negative reaction to that statement, read him D & C 123:17 " Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." We all just sat silent for a few minutes and knew that had to be the office couple's motto or any missionary for that fact. Tears of gratitude were shed, the spirit was very strong, and two senior couples had been spiritually uplifted. He had thanked us earlier and told us President Omer praised our work. And he was telling us to increase our faith because the Lord is in charge, it's his work, and after we do all we can do, he will take over. There are so many things we have to do this month and with that scripture in mind, we will cheerfully do all things that lie within our power and know that the Lord will handle the rest. It's hard to convey the spirit that was felt in the meeting but it was certainly an experience we all needed and will always remember.