A lot of things have been on my mind lately, so I thought I would share some of them with you. First, we were told by the mission office that 40% of those senior couples called to Africa missions turn them down. 40%! This is disturbing to me. First of all, I cannot imagine ever turning down a calling. Secondly, I can’t imagine why. When we first received our call, Africa was not in my thought and I knew so little about it. But I was excited—excited to serve in a place where I could learn a new culture and new people. I had no idea what to expect but I knew the call was from the Lord and I had put my trust in Him to send us to our “perfect fit” and he did. Just think what would have happened if we had turned it down because it was unknown and frightening to us. But another trivia information, for those couples that have served in Africa, it is the most requested place to return for a second time. So once Africa gets them here, they don’t want to leave, so they come back. For those who are getting ready to serve, you will receive a call to the place the Lord needs you.
Look what we left behind!
Second, as we were driving one day we saw tons of children getting out of school walking down the road, smiling, laughing and waving to us. They are the cutest – both Primary age and secondary. They warm my spirit whenever I see them. They have truly taken my heart. Dennis, made a comment that hurt me deeply. He said, “Isn’t it sad to think that the majority of these children will die before they get to their 30”s!” The age expectancy here is 32 years old!! Just ten years ago it was 63. In ten years look how far it has dropped. Can you imagine at this rate what it will be in another 10 years. HIV/Aids is rapid here and the middle age are not surviving. This weekend we attended a funeral of the son of one of our members who was born in 1976 – Trista’s age! He died of AIDS. Then another young mother – 29 years old – died of Aids while under the care of one of our sisters leaving a 6-month old and a 2 year old. She was also laid to rest this weekend. There was another young brother of another member that was buried on Sunday because of this horrible disease. This is just this week and just a few we know about. How many others? I don’t understand, if they know this why don’t they change their morals and values? We got up at 3:00 Saturday morning to attend one of the funerals and as we drove up our road their was this very young couple – both drunk, embraced, barely walking- headed to who knows where but I am sure to no place good and I couldn’t help but think, why would you put yourself in harm’s way. What are you thinking?
Gravesides on the mountain – no markings of who they are
Third – A week ago The Swaziland Times Newspaper had an article entitled – “The best is yet to come – Obama”. Front and center it had another article entitled –“Magic Underwear Not Enough to hand Mitt White House Keys!” With the article it had a picture of our garments with a caption of “frumpy white undergarments – thought to protect believers from danger….is embroidered with sacred symbols.” It goes on to say, “Mitt Romney is said to wear special “magic underwear” in keeping with the rules of his faith…..” His “magic underwear” not to magical. We are having a public affairs dinner on Friday, November 23rd, where we have invited important people from Swaziland to come and be informed about the church. Many of them have said that they are hesitant and afraid to come because of this article.
Fourth – Satan is real and he does not want this work to move forward. Without going into much detail, some of our elders had a harrowing experience this week. While at an appointment with a part member family, one of the young teenagers was possessed by an evil spirit. After much thrashing and threatening, the evil spirit was rebuked and commanded to leave by the authority of the priesthood that they held. Who knows why at this time this experience happened. We do not know but they now have a witness that Satan and his followers are real and does not want the gospel to be spread. As Dennis and I comforted, talked and shared scriptures to these elders, my thoughts kept going to Joseph Smith’s experience with Satan in the Sacred Grove before he received his witness that their was a Heavenly Father and Savior. Satan did all he could to make sure that vision never happened but did not succeed because of Joseph Smith’s faith. Before something miraculous happens Satan tries desperately to thwart the path. But through our faith and testimony we can and will silence him and his followers and the work will go on. We all do not need to have an experience like this to know that Satan is real and has his influence throughout the world. He usually is pretty sneaky in his methods. He will do all he can to keep the young people and senior couples, from going on missions to bear testimony to the world that Heavenly Father lives and his gospel is restored. Missionary work will touch every continent and country with our faith and commitment . Satan did not prevail in this case and will not in the future.
Fifth – on a lighter note…..my Christmas concerts at South Towne Mall has begun. For four years I attended these concerts every Tuesday and Thursday at noon faithfully from Thanksgiving ‘til Christmas. It was my Christmas gift to myself. I loved being blessed with the talents of these amazing singers and musicians. It lightened my spirits and was part of my Christmas celebration. I really miss it. I miss the people that became dear friends. I miss the excitement of it all. My Christmas this year will be totally different than any I have every experienced. I have never been away from home for Christmas and the song “I’ll be Home for Christmas….if only in my dreams” has much more meaning. But I am excited to share it with the elders who I am sure will be homesick like me and these wonderful people in Swaziland. You all will be in my thoughts at this Christmas time. (I did bring my Christmas music on my iPod and I am already listening to it ----- go Clay Aiken, Michael Ball, Reba McEntire, David Archuleta and all the other 250 songs I have! I love it and I love that senior couples have different rules than the younger elders.)
Sixth – could someone find out why there are no rainbows here in Swaziland. I saw a beautiful picture taken by Cassie of a rainbow and I got to thinking that I have never seen a rainbow here and it rains an awful lot. Since that time I have been noticing…and sure enough, I have yet to see one. Does anyone know why?
Retraction: On November 23, 2012 I saw my first faint rainbow. I guess Swaziland does have rainbows!!
Monday, November 12th, we said good-bye to the Zawacky’s. We always enjoy their visits and hate to see them leave. While I was doing my laundry and hanging out my clothes, I thought how lucky I am to be here. I looked around and there were monkeys running around and some with babies attached to their stomachs and a then herd of cows just strolling up our road. This would never happen at home and I loved it. I love everything about it. Hanging out clothes with this type of surroundings. The BEST! That night we had the Lobamba boys over for a farewell gathering for Elder Mokoena. We played the stick game, ate dinner, and they talked about the perils of dating. Elder Mokoena bore his testimony and than the boys shared their tribute to him and thanked him for bringing them the gospel and changing their lives. I do not think many elders get this type of send off! Elder Lorimer and Elder Mokoena stayed after and talked. We are truly going to miss this young man.
Elder Mokoena and the stick game
Lobamba boys and Elders Mokoena and Lorimer
Tuesday, we were up at 5:00 and was greeted by monkeys all over our yard ready to play with us, I think. But we had no time. We had to pick up Elder Dickerson and Elder Luddington to get them to Piet Retief – an 1 1/2 hour drive - before 8:00 am where we were to meet up with the Millers to exchange them for Elders Redford and Kiwumi. On our way home we stopped in Nhlangano and Dennis had an temple interview with Kayise. We hurried home so I could prepare for our “Welcome New Elders” dinner that night. But things didn’t go as planned. The electricity kept going out. It would be out for an hour, go on for to minutes and than off again for an hour. This brought my mood down a bit. It is so random the times I get down. But I spent some time weeping and having Dennis reassure me. Some times I feel like we really are not accomplishing what we are suppose to be doing. Wondering if we are really doing anything important. Are we changing lives? Are we bringing the Swazi’s closer to Christ? Are we bearing testimony of the Savior and our Heavenly Father? Do they see in me as a disciple of Christ? Are we helping the elders with making the work proceed forward? Is Heavenly Father pleased with our efforts? At our district conference this Sunday, Pres. Monson pleaded with us to find and “rescue” the inactives. I don’t think I am doing that well enough. Now that I am writing all this, I think that maybe this is one of Satan’s sneaky ways of thwarting the work. It is a good thing that I had very little time to wallow in these feelings because I had 14 hungry elders coming over for dinner. I had to get to work! At 8:00 p.m. all the elders came over to meet our new Swazi Zone missionaries – Elders Kinyaka, Kiwumi and Redford. A great new addition….we miss the old but learn to love the new.
Saying good-bye to Elders Dickerson and Luddington – ones in whites
Elder Luddington
Swaziland welcomes Elders Redford and Kiwumi
New Swazi Elders – Kiwumi, Redford and Kinyaka
New companions – Elder Redford and Gideme
Kinyaka and Guthrie
Lorimer and Kiwumi
Kayise and her new temple recommend
November 14th – Josephine’s 4th Birthday!!! Happy Birthday to my spunky, darling, cheerful young granddaughter. You are a delight and we miss you tons.
It rained and rained some more today. Everytime it rains we have an electricity outage. Luckily it did not last very long because we had visitors over to dinner tonight. We visited the Khambule family – I have mentioned them before – but the make was not there because she has a part-time job now. The babe was out in the field planting and the two young boys were in the house. We had a great visit with the babe and he took us inside the home to show us the pictures of the family displayed that I had brought them. In the afternoon, Kayise and her family – babe, make and three sisters – arrived to stay with us over night so they could make it to the airport. They live 1 1/2 hours away. Also, Thoko , Machawe, Manqoba Shongwe and Zola came over to say good-bye. They also stayed for dinner. Before they left, they sang “Called to Serve” and”God Be With You” to her as a farewell thought. What a touching moment. Later, that evening Dennis set Kayise apart as a missionary in the Kenya, Nairobi mission. The girls, including Zola, stayed up and watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She is going to be missed.
I fed pancakes to all 8 people Thursday morning before we left for the airport. We were at the airport on time – 7:00 a.m. – but the airplane did not arrive until 9:00. So Kayise was late getting to Joburg and the MTC. The hard thing about all this is the knowledge that when she returns from her mission we will be gone and will probably never see her again. Another place that I do not like to go! We took Manqoba to lunch and enjoyed our time with him. Later, that day we met up with Pres. Shongwe and Armstrong – 1st counselor – and drove to Sister Shabangu’s homestead whose son died on Sunday, to prepare for the funeral on Saturday. It was quite an experience to get there. The pictures really does not show the steepness of the road but once there the beauty is incredible. They negotiated the responsibilities of the funeral and we decided to pay for the food for all that attend. Four Elders showed up at our door at about 9:00 p.m.extremely shaken up after their harrowing experience with the person possessed, so they spent the night with us. After searching scriptures and Dennis giving them blessings, they fell asleep.
Farewell to Kayise
Lunch with Manqoba
Sister Shabangu’s homestead – she is the lady on the left side on the mattress
Friday, November 16 was filled with cooking, service and teaching. I made a huge amount of pancakes – they were hungry. They had no appetite for dinner after their experience the night before, so they were ready for breakfast. I made rolls and brownies for our conference tomorrow. We met Armstrong and went grocery shopping for the funeral tomorrow and then made our way back up, up, up the dirt, rutted road to Sister Shabangu’s homestead. We then took a short ride up some road that we had never been on but was called back to open the Ezulwini chapel so we could get chairs for the funeral. There was a sudden huge lightning storm following by rain. We found Nombulelo on the road and offered her a ride home. Later in the evening we went with the Ezulwini 2 elders to visit Mlungisi and his wife on a teaching appointment. He is the Gables security man that Dennis befriended and had given his name to the elders. Again, a tiny one room place. Their baby was asleep on the bed that I was sitting on and the wife was on the floor. They have a problem with attending church on Sunday’s because they work. He works from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 12 days on and then has two days off….never on Sunday. She works at Gables cleaning the walkways, etc from 6:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with Tuesdays off. These people work so hard – such long hours with little pay. I asked who took care of their little girl, and she said a lady up the road. How sad! A great couple. The elders challenged Mlungisi to ask his boss if he could have Sundays off. We came home to electricity off which it remained for the evening.
Preparations for the funeral
This is their kitchen where they will be cooking for a couple hundred people
We woke up at 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning to attend the funeral at 4:00 of Obed Magasela Maxwell Dlamini. We did get lost. The area looked totally different in the dark but eventually made it to our destination. The night vigil had been going on all night. The music was loud and the singing beautiful. A group of girls approached us and said they would give us their seats in front. They were so cute – total strangers we were and they were so thoughtful. I have darling pictures of them below. The family and pastor got up and spoke in siSwati, more music and then time to walk to the burial. Again up another steep hill we walk but the view was spectacular. I followed Dennis to the side of the hole where the casket was and after a few minutes I looked around and found myself the only woman up in front. I guess the men and women separate. I tried to slither down unnoticed to where the women were. Not sure how many noticed I was up there, but I am guessing all of them. Again, the young girls rescued me and came and stood by me. During the burial part most of the young boys were going further up the mountain, picking up rocks and bringing them down to the burial site. They use these rocks to mark the place of the resting place. After a few words from the pastor, the make and other women threw some dirt on the coffin which had been lowered into the hole, and then all the men shoveled dirt onto the coffin until it was full .(Periodically, a few young men would get inside the hole and pound the dirt.) Then the rocks that had been gathered was place around the dirt and it was finished. I looked around and there were no tombstones or any markings to show who was buried there. So sad. Everyone proceeded back to the homestead where they were fed. Dennis and I did not eat but came back home to get ready for our District Leadership Meeting. We left for that around 1:00 to prepare. We did a Branch Council Meeting role play to help the branches understand how through a council working correctly, the president’s weight is lifted and it runs much more smoothly and hopefully, keeps the members active and happy. I prepared a light lunch for those whom we had asked to help us with the council. They came early and we were able to put on finishing touches. All the branches Relief Society presidencies showed up which the district was not prepared for. So they were able to watch the Women’s Conference broadcasted before General Conference. They enjoyed that. The role play went well and the adult session after was good. After we went with Xolani and Mphilo to the Raliegh Fitkin Hospital to see Sister Matsebula (Manzini’s Relief Society president) and her daughter who is a patient. The daughter has been unresponsive for four days – she has meningitis. They gave the daughter a blessing. Sister Matsebula has not left hospital in all these days. They do not take care of patients very well in the hospitals. It is up to the families to feed and care for them. In her case though, she is being fed intravenously. Our prayers are for both mother and daughter. A very difficult time. We both came home exhausted!
The funeral of Obed Magasela Maxwell Dlamini
Sunday we were awaken early with a loud animal noise. We looked outside and their were two dogs barking up a storm at the monkeys in the tree because they could not reach them. Such a horrific sound of frustration coming from some dogs. The noises we hear here in Swaziland cannot be described. We picked up Nombublelo and Sbu and left to go to Mbabane to attend our Africa District Conference put on by Salt Lake City. It was broadcasted and was so good. Bro. Cardon, Sister ?, Elder Christofferson and President Monson spoke. Great! Guess who was there and had taken kombi and walked by herself…..Patricia. We were so excited to see her. She said that she loved it. We offered her a ride home also. After, Dennis left for temple interviews in Manzini and I baked for tomorrow’s dinner. I was afraid if I didn’t hurry I would lose electricity. When he returned he wanted to take me for a ride. Boy, was it a ride. We took off on some dirt road and went into some villages that we did not know existed. We were not sure where we were but eventually it led us back to a main road. It was so fun! I love these excursions. We think we have seen this land but keep finding out we have only just begun. I couldn’t believe that I had left my camera at home. I told Dennis that we needed to somehow remember where we had gone so we could return and take pictures.
Patricia, Zola, Nombulelo
I would like to end with one of the scriptures that we shared with the missionaries on Thursday night. I think we all can benefit from its message.
“Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.” D & C 10:5
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