“It was Palm Sunday, the celebration of the occasion when Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and the crowds cheered, cried out ‘Hosanna’, and threw palms before his feet. Everyone wanted to be there. It was a time of triumph and rejoicing. It would be happy and easy to join in.
A week later was the resurrection, the greatest joy possible for every person in the world, for all the beasts and birds as well, even for the earth itself, and who knows for how many other worlds like ours? It was the triumph of life over death and the beginning of eternal joy. We all want to be there, in fact we want it more than anything else. It is so sublime we cannot even fully imagine it.
Could there be anything more wonderful than to stand in the garden in the early light and see the risen Christ, on that first morning when eternity became real, and hear Him speak your name?
But there is no way to get from one Sunday to the next without passing through the rest of the week. And the rest of the week has to include Thursday, and Thursday evening in that other garden – Gethsemane. Do we heed the request – ‘Watch with me?’
It also has to include Friday morning, and the trial, the scourging and the crown of thorns. How do we answer the question, ‘Aren’t you one of those with him?’ Do we say ‘yes’, with acceptance of what may follow for us? Or do we say, ‘No. no! I don’t know him. You’re mistaken. I’m not one of them! Not me!’
And it means being there at the crucifixion, standing at the foot of the cross, loyal, suffering also, never leaving, even in the darkness the earth knew at his death. How the women must have loved him! They did not deny knowing him, they did not run away, they did not leave but waited there alone, but for John. And afterwards it was they who washed the blood and sweat from the body, and prepared it for burial. And it was Mary Magdalene to whom the risen Christ first appeared.
We all shouted for joy when the plan of salvation was given in the pre-existence. We all want to be there in the glory of the resurrection and the dawn of eternity. Then we must also be there for the times between with its trials. We must live up to the best we know. Where we have testimony and knowledge, that is a great gift. But when we do not, then love must take its place, love will never fail.
We were there on the Sunday of the beginning. If we want to be there at the Sunday of Eternity then we must be there for Thursday and Friday also. It can be done, with courage, grace and humility and above all with love. Others have done it, and we have the blessing of knowing that. We also have the blessing of knowing that we will not be left alone.
Take courage, the second Sunday will assuredly come.” Thank you Anne Perry for your beautiful words. You have expressed my thoughts and feelings of Easter so much better than I could have. This, families and friends, is what I want to leave with you on this glorious holiday.
Monday, March 18th was spent with the animals at Hlane. It is amazing how each time we venture into Hlane it is a different experience. This day we say lots of giraffes, rhinos, deer, 3 hippos and a mama and baby elephant. I do not think I will every tire of seeing these amazing animals. The beauty and hugeness of these animals cannot be depicted in pictures. On the fifth day of the creation, the Lord created some magnificent animals. We returned home to prepare for the Lobamba boys FHE. Monday nights are almost as wonderful as the Sabbath day. Misti brought with her some more of Jaxon’s Eagle project of white shirts and ties. Some of the boys did not have one. So they gathered in our back room and had a great time trying on shirts and picking out ties. One of them said that this was better than Christmas. The elders also took some for investigators who needed them. Within the next few days, almost all of the shirts were depleted and just a few ties left. And the sad thing is, we need more! The last few days I have had a branch president and others calling asking for some.
I never tire looking at these animals – they are so majestic
I love watching them move – those legs are incredible
We started out really close to this giraffe but by the time Dennis’ figured out Misti’s camera, he had started to walk away. Shame!
Hippos
Misti bought necklaces for all her Young Women in her ward made by this wonderful lady.
BEFORE…..
…..AFTER
and IN BETWEEN!
Teaching how to tie a tie!
Look at that empty closet!
Tuesday, March 19th we went to Gone Rural early to visit with the ladies that gather together on this day. Of course, cookies were also included. The Elders came over to say good-bye to those who were leaving us and sweet rolls were enjoyed. Dennis then drove Elders Gideme, Kuwanatsoka and Heki to Piet Retief where they boarded a bus to Durban. But then picked up Elders Goodwin, Caldwell and Norbert and brought them to their new assignment……the magical kingdom of Swaziland - best place in mission. While he was gone, Misti and I walked to the Cultural Village where we enjoyed singing and dancing and lesson of the culture of the people. While there we made a friend, Avital David, a young lady from Israel traveling around South Africa by herself. She offered us a ride home which we accepted and then I invited her home for dinner with 14 young boys, which she accepted. It was an interesting evening. The missionaries did awesome with Avital with great gospel discussion. She is a Jewish atheist – is there such a thing? – but extremely nice and great with the boys.
Gone Rural
Transfer morning
Elders Jones and Redford
Me, Elder Kuwanatsoka, Heki, Gideme, Dennis
Our walk to the Cultural Village
Cultural Village
Me, Avital David and Misti
WELCOME NEW ELDERS!!!
Goodwin (Australia),Norbert (Madagascar), Caldwell (Utah) – that tie is a U of U tie – he has to be magnificent if he is a U fan!
Dinner with Avital
Some days are just better than others because of the opportunity given to us for service here in Swaziland. Wednesday was one of these days. We started early by, of course, baking cookies and brownies for a lot of people. We headed for a care point center in Lobamba where we were greeeted by 70 children from the age of 2 to 6. (Avital joined us) A care point center is a day care for orphans that is totally ran by volunteers. These children do not have parents. They may have gogos or older siblings that cannot care for them during the day because they are in school,but during the day they have no where to go. They receive breakfast and lunch which consists of what food the center can get from donations…which is usually pap or rice. Misti brought a whole bunch of school supplies with her from home – pencils, crayons, ABC teaching supplies, books, stickers, I can’t remember everything – and we presented them to the children. They were ecstatic. We also brought food with us which they graciously accepted. They recited the things they were learning, sang and danced for us and we read a book and enjoyed their company. It was a rainy day but inside of this small building, there was nothing but smiles and sunshine.
I would love to wake up to these sweet things every morning
Receiving their breakfast
Dennis entertaining them while they are in line for lunch
The children enjoying Avital
We all got quite dirty – you gotta love Swaziland’s red dirt!
Misti reading one of the books that Koy’s family donated – that is the teacher (totally volunteering her time to help these children)
Performing for us
Then we drove to the Msibi family. We haven’t seen them for awhile. We found them with no food, no water and no wood for a fire which they cook by. Oh, I do not know how they survive from day to day. We love this family so much and worry about them constantly. We took their water jugs to fill them with water from their tap but when we got there the tap was dry. So we went to the river to fetch them some water. While there I called the elders and asked if they would please get some wood for them which they graciously agreed. We have no idea where to go and how to get wood. By that night they had brought some wood to them and by Saturday, their stack was HUGE!! How I love these elders. Their mothers have taught them well. We returned with the jugs and promised to come back. Later that night, Dennis had to go to meetings and Xolanit, Futhi and Mpilo came over to watch the movie Hildalgo.
Thursday, March 21st – During our morning scripture reading, we came across this scripture: “ Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.” Mosiah 28: 3. It hit me like a ton of bricks. A testimony to me that no matter how many times you read the Book of Mormon, you find scriptures that impact your life at that particular time. I have learned here on mission this intense feeling that the sons of Mosiah were feeling. I love these people so much that I can not bear the thought of any of them not having the gospel in their life and experiencing here on earth the joy that comes from understanding the plan of salvation and feeling the presence of the Holy Ghost. It changes lives….I have seen it. It brings pure heavenly joy when there is not much joy in a life. It gives direction when a life is going no where. Each day I look around me and the desire of my heart is that everyone would listen, read and understand the teachings of the gospel and feel the love of their Savior. I “quake and tremble” with the thought of even just one Swazi not joining Heavenly Father in his realms on high.
Thursday and Friday were spent doing the following: baking all sorts of goodies, Dennis taking the new elders to see the doctor, going to one of my favorite spots – Baobab Batik, visiting the Shongwe family, seeing Zweli at his snack shack, Dennis having mission presidency meeting on Web Ex, took a long ride up the Tea Road, visited with Nombulelo, Tilungila invited us over for dinner where she had a spread for us. When we came home there was a cake from the elders on our patio. Enjoyed sharing these days with Misti.
Drying some scarf material just dyed at Baobab Batik. If you look at a picture below, you will see a scarf that Dennis bought me made from this design.
The Tea Road
Some amazing children we found a long the way
A market we discovered
Tilungile and Carol who had us over for dinner
See my new scarf…
Saturday, March 23 was just a good day. I love a day when Heavenly Father gives me a chance to really help someone. We went to see the Msibi family because we have been worrying about them. When we arrived, Sister Msibi was trying to do her laundry – the piles were huge – and she had no water. We went to fetch some water for her and then I brought some of those piles home to help her. While I was doing the wash I noticed that the boys’ pants at the crotch was totally missing any stitching, the girls uniforms had no buttons or seams under the arms and their were no hems. Remember last weeks blog I showed a picture of two girls at school – one with no hem and one hemmed with safety pins. I said I wish I could take them home, clean them and fix them. Well, Heavenly Father gave me the wish of my heart and I was able to stitch Wendy’s hem plus sew up the crotches on the boys pants. While I was doing this, Dennis had picked up Pres. Von Stetten for a district presidency training, then they came over for dinner which Misti fixed – stuffed mushrooms for the president because we heard he loved mushrooms, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We ended the day with the elders coming over. I always enjoy our time with them.
Laundry at the Msibi’s – those at home imagine doing laundry by hand for a family of 8 – this is what it would look like
Fetching water at a tap that is quite a ways away – Wendy carries those jugs on her head
Wendy
Simphiwe
Masabandsa’s pants – I have no idea how he wore these
President Von Stetten for dinner
It was Ezulwini’s Branch conference on Sunday and what a powerful meeting. The President attended along with the entire District presidency and District officers. Misti and the president sang with the choir two numbers and it was directed by Elder Kiwumi. It was just amazing! We started the meeting with three confirmations and then followed by talks from Pres. Shongwe, Ntshalintshali and Von Stetten which were so moving. I just loved every moment of it. The theme for the conferences this year is from Mosiah 2:6 – focus on the temple. A great theme. Nombulelo came and the topic was hard for her to understand – temples – very foreign to her. After church the president came over again for dinner before Dennis took him to the airport. Later that evening we took the clothes back to the Msibi’s and when they discovered the mending job, they were all ecstatic. Their smiles was all that was needed. More mending was brought home to do. After, we went to see Patricia, packed souvenirs that Misti is taking home for us, the elders came over and shared their day with us and went to bed filled with heavenly joy from a wonderful Sabbath day.
Simphiwe discovering his new ‘pants’
Look at the firewood the elders collected for the Msibi’s – aren’t they wonderful!!!
Patricia and her new sewing machine
Elders Caldwell and Stengile
It has been a good week and we love having Misti here. We hate to see her leave us. Hopefully she will enjoy the memories and friendships that she has made.
We wish you all a very HAPPY EASTER. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday for us was a joyful one. But for those of you who may be struggling, the Second Sunday will come!
Love you all………
