As we come to an end of our mission, we have discovered an important truth - FRIENDS ARE FOREVER. The Swazi's have implanted themselves in our hearts and our memories will connect us forever. We will be SWAZI'S FOREVER....
Sunday, 15 December was spent enjoying the Sabbath day with the Manzini Branch and Nhlangano Branch......and celebrating Xolani and Elder Mkude's birthdays.......and enjoying the company of the Herrington's that came from New Castle to enjoy all the sights that Swaziland has to offer. I love it when people come to stay with us. It fills our home love and laughter. I fixed a traditional Sunday dinner with roast, potatoes, gravy, rolls, vegetables and of course a dessert - apple crisp. A beautiful day. (I have no idea where my camera was, but I have no pictures....shame. Now I realize the value of always having my camera.) Monday, the Wildings joined us (they were returning from Kruger) and we showed them all the sights of Swaziland. Near the end of the day it became rainy and really foggy, so we returned home and played games and got ready for our Lobamba FHE. It was a great lesson that the elders did. They did role playing and they all participated.
Jabu (Mbongiseni's sister) and Hlophile role playing
Herringtons enjoying the lesson
Two future missionaries - Sibusiso...Zambia and Sifiso....Johannesburg
Love these youth
Tuesday we spent the day again with the Wildings and Herringtons enjoying all that Swaziland has to offer....Gone Rural, Cultural Center, Ncwala, Summerfield, Manzini Market and then came home to a lunch that I had prepared. The Herringtons had to leave but the Wildings stayed another day. Bro. Hlatswayo came over to visit. Love that man. One of the blessings of mission is the friendships that we make.
Wednesday, 18 December, I was up at 5:00 a.m. to prepare baked beans, barbecue chicken, brownies for a farewell lunch for the people at the Silver Smith. But before lunch, we met the Wildings at Summerfield for breakfast to say good-bye to them and then the elders came over. Our lunch at the Silver Smith was grand. How I am going to miss them. The owner, can't remember his name but his son's name is Mark, made me a mother's ring that he had designed. It is beautiful! After lunch, we went to Manzini to help Xolani and ended our day at the Shongwe's were we showed them the DVD that I made as a farewell gift. I am a lucky lady.
Jerome and Thoko Shongwe's home giving them a DVD that I made
Thursday I was up again early cooking the same dinner I had prepared the day before. This time it was for our original Lobamba boys. After all our errands, they came over for dinner and then we presented them with a DVD that I had made with pictures of each of them, our Monday nights together and the activites we had done. Those who have left on missions, I had already given them one. We had a Christmas devotional and then they bore their testimonies. Again, a night I shall always remember.
Saturday, 21 December we had our Elder's Christmas Party. We started at Friar Tucks for dinner where I had decorated the table and each elder had a Santa hat and stocking which was filled while reading scriptures. Then it was back to our home where we had a devotional, watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas, gave them our special Swazi Warrior ties and played games and had a special dessert. This was our last Christmas with the elders. How we will miss them. They are a special group of young men. I know that our Heavenly Father is proud of the service they are doing.
Sunday, 22 December, was another beautiful Sabbath day. I taught a special Christmas lesson in the Mbabane Relief Society. I really feel inadequate in teaching. It just is not what comes easy and fluently for me. But I do it because it is part of the Lord's plan to help us grow. Then we rushed to Manzini Branch to be part of two baptisms. Again, we will miss being part of these baptisms so often. There is nothing like the spirit that accompanies those that choose to be baptized and be part of the Lord's kingdom. Then Sister Mdzeniso from the Manzini branch had a gathering for her birthday. Her home was way up in the mountains....it was beautiful. But they were really late in getting started and we had to get home because the elders were coming over. We did stay for most of it. The Swazi's know how to party. We had a great time.
Sister Mdziniso
Part of our heart will always be in Swaziland
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