WHAT WE NEED 28 September – 11 October 2015

The other day I was listening to a song by Collin Raye titled, “What I Need”.  The words really caught my interest. 

I knew all the answers

The way my life should go

And when I used to say my prayers

I would tell God so.

It seemed He wasn’t listening.

I thought He didn’t care.

But lookin’ back

It’s plain to see

He was always there.

I’m not saying that it’s easy

Or that it doesn’t hurt

When nothing seems to go my way;

Nothing seems to work.

These days I’m getting better

At goin’ with the flow

Accepting that sometimes the answer

To a prayer is no.

Every time I’ve had a door slammed in my face

In time a better one was opened in its place.

“Cause I prayed for strength and I got pain that made me strong

I prayed for courage and got fear to overcome

When I prayed for faith, my empty heart brought me to my knees

I don’t always get what I want….I get what I need.

How many times do we make plans for the future just to see them disappear and go into an entirely different direction?  We think we know what we want on this sojourn in life, but God in His wisdom, gives us exactly what we need.  One reason God may not give us what we want is because we don’t know enough.  All we know are the circumstances happening to us right now but God has an eternal perspective.  He knows what is best for us based on eternity rather than the fleeting desire of the moment.  Our Father in Heaven is not a “Santa Claus” seeking to fill our wish list but the loving Heavenly Father who knows what is best for us.  I would like to share a story with you:  “When Jimmy was a little boy, he wanted to be a cowboy.  He just knew that someday he would live on a ranch, wear a big cowboy hat, and ride the range like all his cowboy heroes.  When he was seven, Jimmy said, “Dad, I want to be a cowboy when I grow up.  Will you help me be a cowboy?”  His father agreed.  As the years went by, Jimmy grew into a fine young man.  As you might expect, he outgrew his childhood fantasy of becoming a cowboy and turned instead to girls, sports, studying and preparing himself for a career in the business world.  One day Jimmy went to his father again and said, “Dad, I want to go to college and get a good education.  Will you help me?”  His dad said, “College?  Son, you can’t go to college.  When you were seven, you said you wanted to be a cowboy.  So I bought you a ranch in Texas with 50 head of cattle!  There’s no money for you to go to college.  You need to take care of the ranch.  It’s all yours.”  “But Dad!” said Jimmy.  “I was just a child when I sad that!  I didn’t know then what I know now!  I don’t want a ranch.  I want an education.”  We may think WE know what we want, but we do know that the LORD knows what we need!

While we were in Zimbabwe this last time, we interviewed a man that shared a story that started my thoughts on this subject.  There was a time in his life where he had to make a decision to leave his wife and two children in Zimbabwe and go to South Africa looking for a job so he could attempt to care for them.  Things were extremely tough in Zimbabwe.  There was no food on the store shelves, no petro for the kombi transportations, no jobs and he thought his only choice was to try and find a job elsewhere.  So he left and went to South Africa.  For four months he searched daily for work but was unsuccessful.  Every Sunday he attended church – emphasized that he never missed a Sunday even though he had to walk an hour to get there.  Also, on Sunday he would call home.  His children would cry and beg him to come home.  “I use to pray and fast frequently that I would find a job, but it seemed as if it was in vain.  One day I remembered my mission president teaching me that sometimes we have to ask God what He would have us do instead of us telling him what we want him to do for us.  I then fasted asking what He would have me do.  During my prayer I just had a strong feeling that I was needed back home in Zimbabwe.  The feeling was so strong I found myself tearing over and over again.  I then asked the Lord in a fast if He would give me a job to raise money for transportation to go back home.  The next Sunday the Young Women President approached me and asked me what I do for living.  She then made me a poster without me knowing advertising my profession.  I had many jobs coming my way and in no time I raised enough money to go back home.”  After returning home, things weren’t immediately easy for him.  They continued to struggle but they were together as a family and that is where the Lord wanted him to be.  He was called as bishop and he expressed his doubts.  He said he didn’t have a job, didn’t own a suit and even his only white-shirt was fraying around the collar, but accepted the call.  Within a few months he was offered a good job.  He said that he went from rags to manager!  The Lord could bless him when his path became the same as the path that Heavenly Father wanted him to take.

The challenge we have in life is to “unite our thoughts with God’s thoughts”….. To understand that “we don’t always get what we want….we get what we need”.

Dennis and I spent Monday, 28 – 30 September in Madikwe Mosethla Bush Camp with Elder Chuck and Sister Liz Walton, Elder Doug and Sister Marva Peterson and their daughter and friend from America.  We had such a marvelous time as you will see from the following pictures:

We left at 7:00 a.m. and it was a beautiful drive

We stopped along the way and the men bought belts and safari hats

The last 39 km of the drive was on dirt road and when we were just a few feet from the gate to the reserve (picture above), we could feel something was wrong with the car.  We stopped and this was what we saw!  The tire was destroyed.

The men went to work.  Even though it was still relatively early, it was extremely HOT.

This young man greeted us at the gate after we (the men) accomplished their task of changing tire.

Within a very short distance of the gate entrance we saw this…

…and this….

…and this.  I was so excited. It had been a long time since I had seen the African animals.

Our arrival at the bush camp….very primitive. No electricity or running water.  Our accommodations are pretty much in the open.  But truly magical!

Feeding us before we head out…

Our first drive begins…..

Our guide, Jonny

Sister Walton joins us

Bernard Slawinski and his wife from Germany, me, Jonny and Liz and Chuck Walton

Den with a skull of a giraffe

The day is disappearing…

These rhinos were at the water hole….it was a very, very, very warm day

Our other drives….

We heard lion roars throughout the night.  Apparently there had been a fight between the lions.  Not sure if this one lost or won…

They must have been inspired by a rhino for the character of Shrek!  Look at those ears.

We were so excited to see a leopard.  A rare sighting.  He disappeared in the trees very quickly….then we saw a herd of impala.  I think he found his dinner.

Wildebeests

These wild dogs had not been seen for three weeks.  Our guide, Jonny, was so excited when we were the first to spot them.  There are four adults (the rest of the wild dogs had died during an epidemic) and 9 babies.  Jonny was so excited to find out that all the babies had survived.  They were so cute.  We were very close to them.  Jonny mowed over trees and bushes to get to them.

One of our cooks…

June, the owner of Mosetlha Bush Camp

Our entire group……

She was a beautiful lionness

This is our process for a shower…….first fill the bucket with water…..

Then, fill the donkey broiler with the cold water and hot water comes out the spicket into another bucket…

Return the hot water into the original bucket and walk to the shower….

Lower the shower bucket and then fill the shower bucket with your hot water…

Raise the bucket to your desired height..

Turn the handle and the hot water comes out.  Surprisingly, there was enough hot water to even wash my hair……so fun!!!

Our toilet……a nice hole in the floor with water to the side to flush yourself.

Our going away breakfast…..it was amazing!

Greg, our director of the camp.

We had a great time.

Our bungalow

Always hard to leave……

We were back to the center on Thursday, 1 October where we found Matt Heiss, boss from Salt Lake, and Bro. Holmes.  We caught up on what had happened and our plans for the following day to Zimbabwe.  We were out in the hall and we heard Elder Lombardi, and there stood Elder Daniel, one of our elders that served with us in Swaziland from Zimbabwe.  He was married a few weeks ago and came to the temple to be sealed.  They were on their way home.  I was thrilled that we were able to see them.   Then we met the first two families from Gabon that were sealed in the temple.  We scheduled that afternoon to do oral histories. (Mendene and Makaya families)  Even though they spoke French, it was a spiritual interview.  Elder Moody interpreted for us.  Bro. Makaya had lost his arm during a work accident and could no longer do the job that he was trained in.  So he went from place to place telling them that he would work for half the pay since he had only one arm.  He found work and worked very hard for years to support his 8 children and wife.  Years later, he told us, he now has 26 flats and 6 commercial buildings and he did it from his hard work with no help.  A true example of self-reliance.  They found the gospel just a year ago.  The wife is now YW president and he is a counselor in the Elders Quorum.  I love the spirit of these amazing people.

Elder Daniel and his wife (can’t remember her name)…isn’t she cute

Elder Daniel was in Swaziland when we first arrived and welcomed us so warmly.  His was the first African gift that I received.  It was my birthday just days after we arrived, and he gave me a gift – a Swazi wrap around.  He will be forever remembered for his kindness.

Mendene Family from Gabon – one of the first families to be sealed in the temple from Gabon

Makaya family – the other family from Gabon (they have 8 children but the other 6 are older and out of the home)

This is a picture of a picture that Matt collected of Julia Mavimbela – a member of the church from Soweto, that had prominent standing during the riots and apartheid in South Africa.  Her story is amazing.  We collected this picture and others from her daughter, Thoba.

Thoba in her home where she grew up with her mother, Julia.

2 October thru 5 October 2015 we flew to Zimbawe and continued our training of Never and Everjoice Chikunguwo.  It was an amazing trip.  I have learned to truly love Zimbabwe and the people there.  We spent Friday from 4:00 – 9:00 with Iris Nield and her two daughters, Kelly and Rachel, listening to them talk about all the memories they have  growing up in Zimbabwe and sharing their love for the gospel, the Zimbabwean people and the Christ-like attributes they learned from their parents – Reg and Iris.  Five hours may sound like a lot to just sit and listen but I could have spent another five.  The love I felt in that home warmed my heart and is a time I will cherish.

Iris Nield in her yard in Zimbabwe among the beautiful Jacaranda trees.

Dennis and Rachel – daughter of Iris.  She is pregnant and was just released from the hospital with complications.

The Nield’s home – a sanctuary for many, many people during some very difficult times in Zimbabwe.  They welcomed all into their home…”and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female;…..and all are alike unto God.” 

So many stories were shared during our five hours in this home.  One memory was for seven years, there was never a breakfast, lunch or dinner served by their mother in the home that didn’t include many non-family members.  They always had the “sick, poor and needy” sharing their home with them.  (There are 6 daughters) What a tribute to their mother.

This was the motto in their home – they experience ‘BLESSINGS EVERY MOMENT”

Iris, Kelly and Rachel

 

Saturday and Sunday was spent with Never and Everjoice doing priesthood training on annual histories in the Harare Zimbabwe Marimba Park Stake, interviews with four priesthood leaders and cataloguing the interviews.  We attended church on Sunday in the Highland ward with the Nield family.

Streets of Harare

This young man was standing at the door of the Harare Marimba Stake house and people were coming and going including me.  I thought he was just part of all the members there.  I had a feeling that I should approach him and ask if he needed anything.  So I did.  He told me that something told him to come into this building.  He had recognized the name on the gate because his grandfather had a Liahona in his home with that name on it.  He was interested to know more.  I thanked him for coming in and then introduced him to the missionaries that were there setting up for a baptism.  Later, I apologized for ignoring him earlier.  He said that was fine.  He just would have gone home and thought that these people were not very friendly. He said it in gest, but I think there was some truth to it.    Shame, I almost blew it.  He said he wanted to go home and clean up and then come back with his wife and two daughters.  He had an appointment with the missionaries. 

I found this sweet member in the chapel bending over cleaning in between the benches sweeping with this hand-made broom.  I had to take a picture.  I have no idea where the vacuum was but she would have had to have back pain. Here she is sweeping between the choir seats.

Members taking the time to clean to get ready for the sabbath day.

Preparing for our leadership training – Everjoice discussing some information with a clerk

Had to capture these moments with these young men outside

Matt Heiss, Everjoice, Never, Elvis Mangisi (Harare Marimba Park Stake Clerk), me and Dennis

Dennis doing some catalogue training with the Chikunguwos

?, Everjoice, Never and Bishop Masiya Mabundu (we interviewed him last time we were in Zimbabwe)

The Harare area was having a missionary reunion activity with all those that had served a mission from Zimbabwe. 

Malone Manhanha with others – the young man at the end we met previously that served in Uganda and knew some of our Swazi missionaries…Spencer Bandi

Most of these men had been at the church since 8:00 for meetings, had our meeting at 10:00, another self-reliance meeting after, and then the missionary reunion.  They will have spent their entire Saturday in church meetings just to repeat it again on Sunday.  They love the gospel and it shows in their SMILES.

I captured the reunion of two sisters – one lived in Zimbabwe and the other had served in this area.  She was from Botswana.

A return missionary…love his shirt!

Some sights I will never tire of seeing…

Getting ready to interview Bishop Myikadzino Madzonga

These are the sights we saw taking Myikadzino Madzonga home

Myikadzino and his daughter who is deaf

How I love the African children….they have captured my heart

Cataloguing Chikunguwo’s interviews – they are learning the computer

Dinner at Paula’s Place after a long day

Sabbath day at the Highlands Ward with Malone….

Computer training

Interview with Bishop Onward Chivunga.  He is the young man whose story I told about at the beginning of my post. 

Everjoice gave Matt and us some of Zimbabwe’s money – billions of dollars that are now worth absolutely nothing

The first Harare Zimbabwe Marimba Park Stake President, Stanley Mabasa.  He was also a counselor in the stake presidency with Elder Dube and was the stake patriarch for 6 months before being called as stake president.  A long life of service in the church

I tried to get a picture of the night life in Harare…didn’t succeed too well.

Late Sunday night we went to visit the McMurdie’s, humanitarian couple in Zim that we met our previous trip.   They were kind to stay up for us.

Monday, 5 October we arrived home around noon and returned to the office.  We tried to catch up with everything we needed to do.  We invited the Weeks over for dinner and games for family night.  Tuesday we spent in the RPC with Matt organizing and  cataloguing.  We worked until 7:00 and then hurried to our activities committee meeting. 

Met this cute family from Madagascar – Jose, Marta, Carlota and Isabel Mendes.

Wednesday, 7 October we were picked up by Leon and Liz Holmes and Matt Heiss and we drove 5 hours to Madikwe game reserve where we stayed this time at Impodimo Lodge.  We wanted Matt to experience a game drive.  It was a different lodging experience than our stay last week.  They had beautiful chalets with indoor and outdoor showers, air conditioning, etc.  They also had a huge waterhole by the lodge where the animals gathered.  We ate with the elephants, zebras, giraffes and impalas.  There were no gates around so the animals were free to wonder through the camp.  Pictures of our next  two days follow:

It was a beautiful drive….

At our rest stop we met these ladies from Botswana going to a retreat for their church

Arriving at Impodimo Lodge – foyer

Our chalet….

Where we watched a herd of elephants pass us

Our first drive….

Matt Heiss, Dennis, Liz and Leon Holmes

Holiday, our tracker

Holiday, our tracker and Roland, our guide

While we were watching these lions, all of a sudden all four of them lifted their heads and looked in the same direction.  The two lionness’ started gradually moving in the same direction very cautiously.  They would move and then stop and then proceed again.  They were going in different directions.  Roland told us that they must hear and smell a herd of  wildebeests.  They got to a certain spot and then they both lowered into the grass so they were hidden.  Sure enough a herd of wildebeests entered into the clearing from the shrub.  There were a lot of them.  The lionness’ stayed quiet in wait.  The herd went right past them but apparently they stayed too close together for the lions to pounce and get one.  We were pretty disappointed – shame to say that, huh?  But that would have been quite the adventure to see.  After the last wildebeest passed, the lions joined the lionnesses and then laid back down….I am sure quite disappointed.  Our picture of the wildebeests did not turn out!

That blot of black are the wildebeests coming into the clearing

Unsuccessful and disappointed….

As we were outside on our deck, we saw a herd of elephants passing right by our chalet…there must have been at least 15 – both big and small.  So fun to see them so close.

While the men were checking out, Liz and I went down the path to the waterhole and was able to watch another herd of elephants on the balcony of another chalet.

About 1/2 hour into our drive home, we were stopped by a riot going on.  They had put sticks and rocks across the road not allowing any vehicle to pass.  We gathered with the rest wondering what to do.  Finally, someone was walking by and we asked what was going on.  They were trying to get the government to listen to the villagers in the area.  They needed water and for some reason, were not getting it.  We decided to turn around and almost were we started we found a dirt road that after around 30 km we were connected to another main highway.  We really did not loose much time.  The city that was in protest was Zeerust.

The men in the green shirt, red shirt and blue with red and yellow stripes were coming from the barricade and telling us to turn around.

Friday 9 October, Matt and Leon flew to Zambia to do some training.  We were left in the center to process histories and take care of the center.  We met Elder and Sister Swan serving in Nelspruit area and also the Taylors serving in Ladysmith.  Vusi Mamba came in to see us.  We received our Swazi fix!!!!  It had been awhile since we had seen one of our Swazi family members. Saturday, we went for a walk, cooked and shopped and joined the senior couples at a Mexican fiesta party at the Weeks.  A great time but I forgot my camera.

10 October was Sunday and we attended the Pimville Ward in Soweto.  We watched the Women’s session of conference.  After we drove to Atteridgeville (an hour drive) to see Grace Modiba at the Kalafong Hospital.  When I called to see how she was doing she informed me that she had be readmitted to the hospital right after we saw her at the temple.  She had tried to go back to doing things too soon after her operation on her appendix and her wound reopened.  She spent three weeks in the hospital.  We arrived at 12:30 not knowing visiting hours are from 11:00 – 12:00.  Dennis told them he was her spiritual leader and they let us in.  The hospital was quite big but all the hallways were outside.  She was in a ward of 24 women.  She said she was receiving great care and the ward members were visiting her.  We hurried home to feed and do an oral history with Elder Lane and Sister Eileen Davis to record their experiences as a senior couple in Cambodia, Finland and now in self-reliance in the ASEA office.  Such great examples of dedicating your live to serve the Lord.  FYI – when they finished their Finland mission, they had no one to replace them in the office so Sister Davis spent 9 days longer (their daughter was having a baby and she wanted to be there) and Elder Davis stayed another 7 weeks. They are leaving soon to return home.  We will miss them.

Elder and Sister Swan

 

Hospital were we visited Grace Modiba

Sister Eileen and Elder Lane Davis

Our computer went down in the middle of all this.  We were using it and it all of a sudden went black and turned off.  It would not reboot.  We took it in to the ICS employees and they were trying to fix it.  So this is why I am so late on writing.  It still is not working correctly. After each single word and picture, it stops and says it is not responding.  This post has taken me hours upon hours to finish.  My patience is at its end and I am about ready to burst!!!

D & C: 88:67-68…”And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you;…..Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you…..”