COME TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD June 15–21, 2015

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.”  Isaiah 2:2

COME TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD is the call from the our prophets and the people here in the Southeast Africa Area are heeding the call.  They come from the DRC, Zimbabwe, Congo, Zambia, Uganda, places all over South Africa and Swaziland and those are just the ones that I have met.  They come at a great expense for them but they have heard the call and they are “flowing” to the temple.  They discover that the temple brings joy and while they are there, they are filled with the spirit of the Lord.  I wish you were here to feel the excitement as they prepare to enter and then feel that special spirit when they return.  Our Church History Center is located in the same hall as the temple patron housing and we have the privilege of meeting these people as they come to the temple, prepare for sessions and then as they leave to return home.  What a honor to witness this.  How I love their spirit!

In my farewell talk, I spoke about a group of people in Luputa DRC.  They moved to this isolated area because of tribal wars where many were being killed.  For years, they saved their tithing because they had no one to pay it to, they shared the gospel with anyone that would listen and many did, they grew and grew and no one even knew they were there.  After years, the tithing money was brought to Lubumbashi where they were surprised to hear about a church group in Luputa.  Plans were made to visit the members in Luputa and again astonished to find a thriving church.     There were no missionaries, no church buildings, no area leadership, but through the faithfulness of these wonderful members, they were able to establish 9 branches.  In June 2011, the Luputa Stake was established.  I first heard of this story from President and Sister Cook while they were visiting us in Swaziland . I have cherished that story now for two years and have used it to inspire me to be more faithful.  Well, tonight, while working late at the center, a group came in to patron housing and Sandile Makasi came in and told us that they had just arrived from Luputa.  I wept.  I was able to meet some of these faithful members that I so admired!  They only spoke French but I hope they understood how much I appreciated their example and what they have taught me.  They were coming to receive their endowments and will be sealed tomorrow.  There were two families but had a total of 9 children.  Can you imagine the joy they felt when they first saw the temple!!  I will have the privilege of tending these little ones and see them dressed in white as they are sealed to their parents.

The man in front is Selwi Bukasa, the 1st patriarch of the Luputa Stake.  We are going to get his oral history on Thursday.

The man in the back with the red sweater is Sandile Makasi.  He works for the area in helping people get to the temple.  What an accomplishment.  He told us that these members have been waiting for their visas since March.  The happy day as arrived for them.

Look at those children…..

This one is blurry, but it shows that cute little boy at the right….

Monday June 15 – every Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. we have a devotional with all the area missionaries and employees.  It is a day we all look forward to.  Today, Elder Gay from the first Quorum of Seventies was visiting and spoke to us.    It was a great beginning to a day and week.  We finally received our keys for the cabinets, so spend a great deal of time cleaning, organizing and just seeing what we had.  I wrote letters to the Country Church Advisors introducing ourselves.  We even had it translated into French and Portuguese for those speaking those languages.  That night we had Family Home Evening at the Hales.  Elder and Sister Jones are returning home, so shared their experiences and testimonies.  They served as executive secretary to the Area Presidency. (I forgot to take a picture. I’m loosing it!)  It was a fun evening.  We hurried home so we could talk to Matt Heiss from Salt Lake.

Tuesday, June 16 was youth day in South Africa…so it was a holiday and the office was closed.   On our search for a brownie pan, we ran into Elder and Sister Egan.  They told us to come to Dukes Court to one of the flats that was empty and being renovated.  They had lots of kitchen stuff that we could supply our kitchen with.  I found a gold mine – brownie pan, spices, lights, etc. and a Christmas tree!!!! A whole trolley (grocery cart) full!  I was thrilled.  I came home baked cookies and then went to visit Patricia Mbyisa who has moved from Swaziland to Soweto, South Africa to be with her daughters.  What a beautiful reunion to see her again.  Her oldest daughter, Nontokozo, had a baby girl on December 31st and she is beautiful.  Her name is Thando which means love.  It was so good to see all the girls.  We had a great visit.  We ended the day going to Elder and Sister Berg’s flat to call Misti for her birthday. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY  Misti

Wednesday, June 17 started very early for us.  We both could not sleep.  We were up at 4:00 a.m. but was too cold to get up.  We talked, read and tried to sleep some more but to no avail.  I got up made more cookies and went to the office early.  We delivered the cookies to various people in the office – so many have been so kind.  While we were in the center, a couple came in just to visit.  They were from Harare Zimbabwe – Onward and Maureen Chivunga.  He told us his story.  He lost his mother when he was 2.  As a youth his friend introduced him to the missionaries but he ran from them.  One day he happened on a discussion when they were talking about eternal families.  That intrigued him because of the death of his mother, so he asked for more.  He had two lessons a week and after a month was baptized – 1998.  A year later he served a mission in Zimbabwe.  After his return, he was made mission leader where he met his soon-to-be wife.  At first, he refused to teach a girl, but she said she convinced him and 6 months later she was baptized – 2002.  When they first came to the temple they had two children and she was pregnant.  They now have 4.  Such a lovely couple.  In the afternoon, Dennis and I were privileged to go to the temple with the MTC missionaries because they need couples to help those who are going through for the first time and for the prayer circle.  There were 14 elders and 3 sisters.  There was also two couples that were going through for the first time and to be sealed.  I was so grateful that I have this opportunity.  We went home after a few more hours in the office, and found that they had delivered some patio furniture, a braai and a TREADMILL!!!!!!  I was super excited.  It felt like Christmas. 

Maureen and Onward Chivunga from Harare, Zimbabwe – coming to the House of the Lord

MTC missionaries going to the temple – 4 of them for the first time

The cute short sister went through for the first time – Sister Collins, wife of MTC President

Santa arrived early

Our patio

Thursday, June 18 – another day of presents. We received a call in our office that we needed to come home for a delivery.  That was a surprise for us.  They delivered a beautiful entry vanity (not sure what to call it.)  Went back to the office and a sweet couple came into the office with a little girl.  They were also from Harare, Zimbabwe as the couple yesterday.  They introduced themselves as Shepherd, Primrose Zengwe and their daughter, Isabella.  They were here in Joburg to become a forever family.  We discovered that they knew Elder Manhanha who served with us in Swaziland.  I took their picture and sent it to Manhanha…..we were connected even though we were miles apart.  We were later called back to our home for a delivery of two book shelves……I told Dennis I guess I had to buy memorabilia to use up all these shelves!!!  We called Trista and Terry for their anniversary!

Shepherd, Isabella and Primrose Zengwe – now a FOREVER FAMILY

Our entry cabinet

One of the shelving

Look at all those shelves! I have to fill them with something.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Trista and Terry

Today was a combination of success and failure!  The day started great with taking cookies and cards to the Davis’.  They are traveling to Swaziland for the weekend and it is Constance and Tilungile’s birthday and we wanted them to receive cards from us.  That morning we did our first oral history in the field.  Queen Rose Gwavu (her father named her Queen Rose because he always wanted her to remember that she was a queen) is from Port Elizabeth and has been a member since 1998 and seen a lot of growth of the church in that area.  She has taken an 18 hour bus ride to Joburg from Port Elizabeth to attend the temple with her aunt.  A couple of things that stood out to me was there was a point in her life when she was conducting her own church in her home with her two children because she had been discouraged about other churches.  The missionaries knocking on her door was an answer to her prayers.  Also, she felt like the church started really growing when Mandela was released from prison because at that moment, in a sense, all blacks were released!  We were able to finish the processing of the oral history.  In the mid afternoon, Dennis was checking our  Mountain America account and discovered that our credit card had been compromised….a $1000 worth.   Consequently, he spent the next three hours getting that taken care of while I catalogued our oral history.  Not a fun way to end the day.

Aunt and Queen Rose Gwavu

 

Saturday we went to the office early and met Warner Molema for the first time (he has been in America)– who is the Area Church History Advisor – we are assistants.  We went over all our responsibilities, checked the RPC, discussed goals and 4 hours later we were done.  We went and bought propane for our heater – I am still freezing -, went to Macro (South Africa’s attempt to be a Costco store) and bought blankets and food.  Home to make muddy buddies, salad and prepare for our guests at 6:30.  But at 5:30 the electricity went out!  Luckily my dinner was cooked so they came over.  At 7:00 the power went back on just in time for games. We had a great evening with Connie and Bruce Barton and Robert and Martha Egan. (I forgot to take a picture…shame).

FATHER’S DAY – I fixed Dennis pancakes on the new griddle that he bought himself.  We attended the Kagiso Ward for church.  So good.  The Sacrament talks were on the sacrament and the high council talked on staying faithful.  He shared this….After the death of his daughter, he asked the Lord what he wanted from him.  He read his patriarchal blessing and the Lord revealed that he was to testify of the Savior.  Later, he was talking with a friend and said that life had been so hard that he wasn’t sure that he really shouted for joy to come to earth.  Interesting thought.  Sunday school was on Luke 22…sacrament, whose the greatest, service – service has no boundaries, I don’t care what you know until I know that you care.  In the opening prayer of Relief Society, the sweet lady said, “help us to sharpen our ears” and “so much grateful for our prophet”.  I sat next to a darling YSA – Mbali Ndwalane.  She was just sustained as a Relief Society teacher.  She was just so friendly. After church we were surprised to see Elder Mohau Sele – another elder that we served with.  They all look so grown up.  We also met another young man, Joseph ?, a return missionary from Zimbabwe, as of 2 months ago and now teaching at the MTC.  He was just a really friendly young man.  Loved our visit.  I fixed Dennis’ Father’s Day meal of roast beef, potatoes and gravy and homemade rolls.

Father’s Day with his red plate

Mohau Sele

Joseph – he was just visiting this ward…scoping out the possibilities.  He lives by Patricia

Mbali  Ndwalane is the last one on the right

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Norah – she is on an Alaskan cruise for her birthday

“Why are so many willing to give so much to receive the blessings of the temple?  Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult to receive those blessings.  There are never to many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure.  They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”  Our African saints understand the importance of THE HOUSE OF THE LORD and they come!