I can’t believe that I find myself at the end of 2012 and welcoming in a new year. My life has changed dramatically in just one year. 2012 began with fear of the unknown, unsurety of the future, not wanting to give up the past…..down right total stress. But after a few months here on mission in Swaziland, the pendulum gradually changed. I am now looking forward to embracing a new year of serenity – time to capture BREATH-TAKING MOMENTS.
Life is full of these breath-taking moments. First of all, take a nature walk to find little miracles in the song of a bird, beauty of a tree, clouds making shapes ranging from dragons to angels floating by, sunrises and sunsets that lighten the horizon and the freshness of a little child’s voice. Second, look around you for times that are treasured in your heart. Reading your scriptures when a certain verse jumps out at you and your heart skips a beat. After much fasting and praying and “waiting on the Lord”, He answers with a profound “YES”. The greeting and embrace of someone you have learned to love so dearly. The simple smile of a child or actually just a smile from anyone. Witnessing someone walk into the waters of baptism. Thirdly, take the first step towards making a big dream come true. I am living that dream right now….a dream that began early in my teens. We all need dreams and a chance for fulfilling that dream. Fourth, if serenity eludes you, start looking for all the things that you are grateful for. Serenity begins with gratitude. Someone said, “Until you are grateful for what you have, you cannot receive what you wish for.” Fifth, extend yourself to others in need. Practice acts of kindness. “If you do good, you’ll feel good.”
If your story for the New Year is beginning with anguish and stress and you have already made your “resolutions” – all those things on your “should do” list-; stop, meditate, refresh your spirit and capture some BREATH-TAKING MOMENTS.
This man still takes my breath away
Monday, December 31, 2012 – the last day of a marvelous year. It has been a breath-taking year. One that I will never forget and one that I hope I have learned a lot from. We got up early and made brownies – of course, I had to end the year with the thing I did most of this year. Then off to Mbabane, a township called Msunduza in Corporation, to join the members and the Mbabane elders in building a home for a less-active gogo, Sister Masuku, who has 7 children living with her in this very small home. They are building another place for them adjacent to their old one that will triple the size for them. They had started on Saturday and had hoped to finish most of it today. Can you imagine building a place where people will live in two days? We had to leave early to join the Mbabane District at our home for a fajita lunch. Elder Shumway made tortillas and beans and the rest of us provided other ingredients. Yummy! Elder Shumway has the magic touch. Then I made dessert for the weekly Lobamba visit . But before they came over we went for a ride. It is so hot that I needed to cool off in our bakki, and that meant finding some new dirt road to travel on. And we found it. There is still so much to see here. We found some darling children that lightened my heart. At midnight, the fireworks exploded. They lasted for nearly an hour. We felt right at home.
The existing home and the one they are building
We had to transfer the rocks from this trailer over a fence, then wheelbarrow or throw down further and then eventually to the home
Sister Masuku and part of her family – she is the one with the black hat
They build their homes among these huge rocks
Our fajita lunch
Our ride – giving out a New Year’s treat. Some breath-taking moments
New Year’s Eve
HAPPY NEW YEARS - 2013
Tuesday was a great day – a good way to bring in the New Year. I have discovered a new dessert that everyone likes and that is easy and does not require turning on the oven in this extremely hot weather – pudding! So I have been making a lot of it. I started the new year morning by making a great deal of pudding for Manzini’s DDM, plus people visiting today. It was Elder Gideme’s first lesson as a district leader. It was an inspired lesson. Later, the Malinga’s from Gege came over and then Nathi came for dinner. He was suppose to bring his fiance, Masis, but she was unable to catch a kombi in time from her hometown quite a distance away. But we always enjoy visiting with Nathi. He is a counselor in the Mbabane Branch Presidency and he has such a vision for how he would like to see the church grow here in Swaziland. We had a great discussion.
Manzini’s DTM
Malinga’s visiting us
Nathi’s visit
The next two days were spent at district meetings, taking a sick elder to the doctor, having the Zone Leaders here for their ZLT over Web Ex, taking the Zone Leaders out to lunch, baking bread, taking down Christmas, organizing mission papers, laundry, Dennis attending presidency meetings and me just not feeling too well. I have had this cough and heaviness in my chest for a couple of weeks now and it doesn’t want to get better. I just wish that it would leave. Also, Jaxon for his Eagle Scout project collected white shirt and ties for the young men here in Swaziland. He sent some of them over with Trina on the plane – I have not counted but a whole lot of them. So one day I organized them, hung them up, brought in a cabinet to hold them and now I am looking for a dryer rack to hang the ties. Jaxon, you are amazing. I cannot believe how many you collected. They will make such a difference in the lives of some fine young men.
Mbabane DTM – Elder Shumway on the couch was running a fever and sick – the one who went to the doctor
Zone Leaders – Elders Condie & Mabena – receiving training on Web Ex
We went to meet Manqoba Shongwe’s (this is Machowe) girlfriend (I guess you call her that), Tsholofelo Tshikare, from Bloemfontain, SA. She is a violinist and travels throughout Europe with an orchestra. She played for us and it was heavenly. We were discussing why there is no musical talents encouraged here in Swaziland. We could not come up with a conclusion but literally there are no piano players or any other instrument played, singers, etc. So sad for the children here.
These are the shirts that Jaxon collected – we ran out of extra hangers so we had to double, triple up the hanging shirts. The picture of the ties are coming. Fantastic job!
Friday found me not feeling very well still. I had a hard time getting going. I was having a bad morning so went on a walk to lighten my spirits. It was so delightful and refreshed my hurting soul. I am compiling the Lobamba boys’ conversion stories and testimony. So I spent some time typing them. Then we went and picked up Patricia’s family to spend the afternoon with them while their make worked. We had a great time. There were 7 of them that came – that included some friends that joined in. We watched “My Dog Skip”, ate popcorn and cookies, played Dad’s stick game, Patricia joined us, ate, talked, sang and had one of those breath-taking moments. They love being around each other – so sad that they only get this time once or twice a year. I don’t know how Patricia can stand being away from them. I know that she is praying that Monday will never come when they have to return to SA. A prayer that Heavenly Father cannot grant but maybe He can help her in some other way. Maybe he can make it possible for them to be together every day! With God nothing is impossible.
Patricia and her family and friends. My heart will break when they leave. Can you imagine how Patricia is going to feel? She told us they have been separated for 10 years. We do not know why.
He was dancing for us – again I have it on video – you would absolutely love it. He is only 2 years old!
Saturday, January 5th. It is Elder Kiwumi’s birthday so we took over a smoothie for breakfast. He does not like sweets so we tried to come up with something good for him. Then we went to Majaha’s homestead to give him his Christmas present and cookies for his relatives that live around him. They woke him up and we felt so badly because he had worked until 5:00 a.m. But it was good to see him. We went shopping and while there we found out that it was the birthday of the daughter of one the security guards in Pick N Pay that we have become friends with. He works from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., 12 days on and 2 days off and rarely sees his daughter. He was so excited to be able to celebrate with her tonight. We asked if he had anything for her and the answer was no. So we went home, baked a cake and we bought a little doll for her. Such a simple thing that means so much to these people. Also, the missionaries had asked if they could have a discussion at our home with Patricia and her kids. Her children have been going to church and listening in on Patricia’s mission discussions. They wanted to show the Restoration movie to them. It was a great discussion with questions and a challenge after for them to pray and ask if this church was true. Patricia has already done that and is being baptized on the 13th of January. It was a spiritual evening. After we had birthday ‘Heavenly Delight’ for Elder Kiwumi. Why am I so privileged to be serving here with these incredible people? Once again, I love this family. We had dinner with the Clusters after.
Heavy, heavy hangover – Patricia loved doing it over Elder Kiwumi’s head
Dennis and Majaha
Trina wrote me today and expressed her desire to be here to experience a Fast and Testimony Meeting in Swaziland. She was able to attend 3 Sundays here and began to understand my love of the Sabbath day here. Testimonies are simple just like the people and very heart felt. Never a moment that is not filled with someone expressing their love for the gospel. They are WOW moments. We spent this Fast and Testimony meeting in Nhlangano. Xolani Sithole and Lucky Khoza came down with us as District YM Presidency. Dennis presented the new youth program to the members during the second hour. The greatest moment today was not a testimony, but the presence of Bro. Hlope’s wife! This is the man whose kitchen collapsed during a rain storm and we have been helping rebuild it – but, most of all a dear friend and recent member. Every time we visit, his wife is at work so we have never met. While I was visiting with members before church began, I went up to this lady who just arrived and acted like I knew her because I thought I was suppose to know her. After a hug, she told me that this was her first time and then said that she was Bro. Hlope’s wife. My heart skipped a beat – I was so excited, I rehugged her and showed her around. We sat together during church and I kept hearing her say Amen during the testimonies. Awesome! I pray that she felt the spirit because these two would make such an impact on this tiny branch. (I didn’t get a picture of her – dang) We hurried home after the block so Dennis could attend District presidency meeting. Later, we went over to Patricia’s to say good-bye to the girls and take some breadsticks and goodies for their travel home tomorrow. Tears were shed.
Swaziland is on fire with the missionary work. We had a total of 49 investigators in our branches this Sunday: Ezulwini – 17; Nhlangano – 13; Manzini – 11; Mbabane – 5; Gege – 3. We also had a lot of less-actives that came. I did not get that count. Now we just need to help that spirit in these investigators continue to burn until they enter the waters of baptism. As they say here – the church is true!!
Nhlangano Sunday
That’s Bro. Dludlu in the background. What a powerful testimony he gave. He says he is coming to Utah to visit. He had better hurry.
We wanted you to see how the house turned out that was being built. I know if I showed the pictures on next weeks blog, it would be hard to compare. So here are the pictures. We visited the family and her youngest son was in the process of mudding the walls. They never cease to amaze me. They have taught me so much. Sister Masuku kept saying to me that she is so HAPPY. How many of us would be happy living in this place? This was a breath-taking moment . We will definitely return to this homestead to feel of their spirit.
Her son…it is amazing how nice those walls looked. He just gathers the dirt, adds water and ‘muds’ with his hands.
Sister Masuku
For an enlightened New Year, instead of the usual resolutions, let us all search for serenity, ways to refresh our spirits and finding those breath-taking moments. They are all around us.
Here’s wishing you a year filled with love and gratitude, good health, joy and many breath-taking moments. From your dear friends that love and miss you……Elder and Sister Lombardi
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