I WISH TO BE UP AND DOING November 26–December 2, 2012

“I am no longer a young man filled with energy and vitality.  I am an old man (woman).  I’m given to meditation and prayer.  I would enjoy sitting in a rocker, swallowing prescriptions, listening to soft music and contemplating the things of the universe. But such activity offers no challenge and makes no contribution.  I wish to be up and doing.  I wish to face each day with resolution and purpose.  I wish to use every waking hour to give encouragement, to bless those whose burdens are heavy, to build faith and strength of testimony.”  President Gordon B. Hinckley

I ran across this saying by Pres. Hinckley and remembered him walking fervently, waving his cane at the dedication of the Nauvoo temple and thinking to myself, “Oh, how I hope that I have that much energy when I am his age.”  As I start down the path of being “old” (it is amazing how the age of old keeps changing ), I pray that I can incorporate this philosophy.  I think I could have the tendency to sit in my rocker/recliner at home, watching ‘Dancing with the Stars’,  ‘Law and Order’ reruns, etc., reading good books and being surrounded by my children and grandchildren.  But I know that this is not what the Lord would have me do.  I, too, “wish to be up and doing.”  I enjoy it here in the mission field, because each day has a purpose, an opportunity to bless lives and the joy of spreading his gospel.   I pray that the Lord will continue to bless me with energy and vitality to continue to do his work.  I am so grateful for President Hinckley’s example.  One day I hope you find me waving my cane!

This week I am going to clump our activities together with just few words but lots of pictures.  It was a week of visiting members, non-members, “rescue” members, missionaries and the mission president and his wife.  We were able to enjoy the spirit of all of God’s children in all different stages of conversion.

We heard that Muzi, one of our Lobamba boys, had the chicken pox.  So we went to visit but he was not there but we found these two darling children next door.

On Monday, the Lobamba boys joined us for their Preach My Gospel discussion plus it was Senzo and Maxwell’s birthday during the past week.

 

"’Heavy, heavy, hangover’ tradition

Our traditional breakfast before ZDM

Elders Kinyaka and Zsembery

Wednesday, November 28, we visited Lydia Silavwe, Futhi Dube, Pres. and Sister Mahlalela and Nombulelo.  Lydia just returned from Kenya where she was visiting her family.  Her mother has passed away and she went to support and receive support from her family.  She brought back with her a new business venture- sandals and bags (or baskets as she called them).  Aren’t they awesome?  All the beads are applied by hand by a group of young women.  As of now, all the bags are sold and a lot of the sandals.

Thursday, November 29, we went to visit Vuzi Mamba’s family – his sisters are members but not the rest.   We love this family.

Proud of her seminary certificate

They performed some of their traditional dancing for us and got me into the action.  And then we taught them some ballroom.  Have a video but do not know how to include it.

We went to see the Nkambule family to give them some banana bread with all the bananas they gave us and a picture of their family, but they were not home.  But we found these darling little children that wanted us to “shoot” them.

Then we headed for Durban for a meeting Dennis was suppose to be at on Saturday by way of New Castle.  We stayed with the Millers, then woke early and continued on to Durban.  We took a wrong turn coming out of Ladysmith which we ended up not on the freeway but in some beautiful country.  Then it started raining – really raining and did not let up all day.  We did some Macro (kind of like a Costco) shopping for Christmas and then on to the Von Stettens to spend the night.  They graciously invited us to stay with them.  It was such a fun evening.  Dennis and President woke early for their meeting.  It was a information and training about the new youth program.  Reenie (Sister Von Stetten) and I did some shopping while they were gone.  Dennis and I headed back to New Castle (a 4 hour drive) in the rain to again spend the night.

President and Sister Von Stetten in their beautiful backyard  

Friday, November 30 I have two wonderful people in my life who has birthdays….Gina Arkell and Maria Lombardi.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to two amazing women.  It has been tradition for about 6 or 7 years to go to a talk show called “Good Things Utah” on their birthdays.  So they went without me but I was there in spirit.  They went to breakfast first and then to the broadcast.  Thank you both for blessing our lives.  We missed being there with you to celebrate.

Gina and Ben

Maria and her four sweet children

Breakfast together

Cassie, Misti, Gina, Trina, Maria and me

Good Things Utah – November 30, 2011

Sunday we attended Fast and Testimony meeting with the Millers at the Osizweni Group in New Castle.  Have I mentioned that I love the Sabbath day here in Africa.  What an incredible Sunday.  The church is true.  The spirit of the gospel is found all over the world.  The members are dedicated, strong, accepting and loving no matter where you are.  These church members touched my heart.

They meet at this school house

 

Preparing the room – wiping off the chairs

The missionaries are loved – Elder Kiser

Sisters Miller, me, Khamulo

Osizweni Primary class

Young Women’s class and teacher

Khamulo family – baptized Dec. 24, 2011

Where they live

This extended family is being baptized on December 22nd

The Lord has blessed me and all those I love at home and here in Africa.  We are all truly “children of God”.  If there is nothing else that I have learned on this mission, it is that simple but important truth.  We are CHILDREN OF GOD and he loves everyone of us. 

“Cultivate in your hearts a testimony and a love for God your Eternal Father.  We sing, “I Am A Child of God”.  That isn’t just a figment, a poetic figment – that is the living truth.  There is something of divinity within each of us that needs cultivation, that needs to come to the surface, that needs to find expression.  You fathers and mothers, teach your children that they are, in a very literal way, sons and daughters of God. There is no greater truth in all the world than that – to think that we have something of divinity in us.”  President Gordon B. Hinckley.