THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE April 29–May 5, 2013

“…I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.”  I Kings 9:3

This week I had the privilege of going to the House of the Lord in Johannesburg.  Around ten years ago, I received a spiritual nudging that I needed to attend the temple more often.  After following this prompting, I discovered there is no place that I would rather be than in His holy house.    In the Lord’s house I become better acquainted with the only true and living God and his Son.    It teaches me of His ordinances.  It is filled with His Spirit.  There is an aura of Diety.  The temple is a place where I can prepare to really know and meet the one who gave me life.  It has become a quiet, sacred haven for me where the outside chaos cannot penetrate and where I find peace, joy and an overwhelming feeling of love.  This past year I have only been able to attend a few times, and boy, how I have missed it.  So I cherish the times when I have the chance to go.

Johannesburg Temple

What is the greatest gift that you could give a child?  Is it education? Enough to eat? Time? Money? Good as these things are there is one gift better.  The greatest gift is the promise that your child will be with you forever.   This weekend Armstrong and Fikile Ngubeni gave their three daughters this gift – their family will now have the opportunity to live together forever.  Yes, FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!

Ngubeni Family – Now a forever family

Monday, April 29, 2013 – it is my son, Pace’s 30th birthday.  It does not seem that long ago that he was born.  What a delightful child he was with his puppy eyes and contagious smile.  We feel truly blessed that the Lord allowed us to be his parents for this earthly life.  We sure wish that we could be there to celebrate this momentous birthday with him.  We love you Pace and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

It was transfer week.  Transfer week always seems hectic to me and this one was no different.  Monday, April 29 was spent in Nhlangano trying to get the boarding ready for the new elders arriving.  But of course, it couldn’t run smoothly.  The former residents were not out yet so we had to put all our furnishings in another apartment.  But in a way, it was a blessing because, Dennis and I did not have to do any of the moving in – the previous missionaries did it all the following day while awaiting the arrival of their companions.  We took the elders to lunch to the only fast food place in Swaziland – KFC.  While there Pres. Bulunga saw us so he joined us and then the elders quorum president happen to pass by and joined us also.  KFC is the happening place.  We rushed home for FHE with the Lobamba boys where we had a pizza party and a birthday cake for Charles.

Moving into the “temporary” boarding

Elders Armstrong, Awalla (leaving us) and Dennis

Lobamba boys learning to roll out dough

Charles’ Birthday cake

The crew

April 30, 2013 was TRANSFER day.  Because Dennis had to pick up 4 elders at the Petro port in SA, I was unable to accompany him for lack of room.  I worried about him the entire time he was gone.  He drove down by himself and arrived late.  He was gone around 10 hours – that is like driving to California from Salt Lake……a long time.  I always hate to say good-bye to the departing elders but love getting to know the new ones.  We have a great new group.  While at home I baked, emailed, cleaned and had the elders that were here over for dinner and birthday cake for Elder Holmes. 

Elders Lime, Redford and Kinyaka (leaving), Jones

Elders Holmes, Norbert, Kiwumi (leaving), Stengile, Condie (leaving), Caldwell in front changing from Ezulwini to Manzini

New elders – Wilson, Ogutu, Nzioka and Preslar at the end….Elders Steed and Gideme are the AP’s

Our new companionships – all but one was changed

Elders Stengile and Weston

Elders Preslar and Nzioka

Elders Armstrong and Wilson

Elders Norbert and Ogutu

Elders Lime and Whiting

Elders Caldwell and Jones

Elders Holmes and Lowry

Happy Birthday, Elder Holmes

You gotta love these boys that are asked to be men

Wednesday, May 1st, was filled to the brim with activities.  First, we met the Ezulwini YSA’s and missionaries (welcome to Swaziland new elders – 7:00 a.m. call) at the Msibi’s for a service project.  We cleaned all the tall grasses that surrounded their homestead.  The machetes, rakes and shovels came out to conquer the job.  We had around 25 that came and worked for around 3 hours.  These youth never cease to amaze me.  Always so willing to help and they gave up their holiday to do something for someone else.  After that, there was a district couples activity that we attended.  It started around 1:00 and again around 30 showed up.  It was really fun.  We played Dennis’ stick game, which they loved, had a discussion time in the chapel and ate incredibly good food – potato salad, lettuce salad, baked beans, barbecued pork, beef and chicken.  Superb food cooked perfectly.  A great time.  Then we went to Welile Dlamini’s home to set him apart for his mission to Zimbabwe.  A great spirit was in his home.  His mother, brother, baby nephew, District President Ntshalintshali, Dennis and I were there.  Dennis gave him a beautiful blessing.  This young man is ready for the mission field.  I have never seen someone so excited to go.  Zimbabwe better be ready for Elder Dlamini.  Tradition was followed as he slept over at our home so we could make sure he arrives at the airport on time.  His mother does not have transportation.  He brought a great spirit into our home.

May Day Service Project

A little game of soccer after

Some refreshment

Simphiwe and Wendy helping us fetch some water

District Couples Activity

Preparing the pizzas

Dennis’ fabulous stick game that everyone loves – male, female, young, old  - the best thing that we brought from America

Pizza anyone

How much do we trust our partner???

Food, glorious food…

Welile Dlamini and his family

Welile and Pres. Ntshalintshali

Thursday was another full day as a missionary.  We woke early to get breakfast and make sure Welile was ready for his big day.  Then off to be at the airport before 7:00 am.  He was ready and prepared.  We had to hurry home because the zone leaders were coming over to use our computer for their zone leader training meeting on Web Ex.  Luckily, our internet was working this time.   I made smoothies and sweet rolls for them while Dennis went and tried to register our bakkis.  After the zone leaders meeting I was planning on having lunch for them – just the four of us – but just as we were getting ready to eat, 6 other elders showed up plus Xolani and Nathi.  Needless to say everyone just received a tiny bite of the food prepared for 4 not 12.   After the initial shock, I truly did enjoy having everyone around.  I was too busy trying to make sure everyone was fed to take pictures of the chaos.  Oh well, you will have to imagine it!  Dennis had to take all the new elders to the doctor and get passport pictures for their work permits.  I stayed at home to prepare for our trip to the Joburg temple.  We quickly fit in going to Mbabane to the Shoprite store to fill a food order for Pres. Shongwe.  Dennis attended district presidency meeting.

Dennis and Welile in our home just before we left for the airport – sorry about the blurry picture

Sending him off for an incredible adventure – Branch President Vusi Malinga, District Pres. Siko Ntshalintshali, brother, Welile, mother, Bheki Dlamini, me (can you tell I was cold..brrrr)

Elders Holmes and Lowry – Web Ex training.  This is when it was peaceful

Friday early we were off to the border and then to Johannesburg for the temple.  You can’t know how my whole heart and soul longs for the opportunity to visit the House of the Lord.  I have a hard time containing my excitement.  We arrived later than we desired.  We went to see the Curtis’ to check on one of our young men’s mission papers.  We submitted them in the middle of February and he still has not received his call.  After much searching we found it packed away in an area that would never been found.  Good thing we inquired.  They sent it immediately and they hope that it should be assigned this week.  I talked to him on Sunday and he is so anxious and wondering what was happening.  I did not tell him that it was lost, just that it was in Salt Lake and he should be hearing.  We talked to Knudsens, Eggetts, Petersons and then Portia.   So good to see these friends.  They have added a great deal of pleasure to our mission experience.  We attended the 6:00 p.m. session with the branch and Portia and Sindisa joined us.  It was a full session with all of us.  We were asked to be the witness couple which was extra special with all our dear friends in Ezulwini.  It was a spiritual experience.  After, we had dinner and I brought a birthday cake for Bahle Ngubeni who turned 19 a few days earlier.  (She was one of the daughters sealed to her parents.) They sang, ate caramel popcorn, laughed, had a singing competition with a group there from the DRC and just purely enjoyed being together.  Oh my goodness, we enjoy being with them!

Johannesburg Temple

Machawe Shongwe

Ncamsile Dlamini, Chosen Dlamini, Thoko Shongwe

Getting ready to eat

Bahle blowing out her birthday candle

Portia and Sindisa Mabasa announced the arrival of a new little Mabasa in September

Enjoying birthday cake

Our singing time

Sister Chosen really gets into it

Our friendly competition with members from the DRC

Sister Chosen and Shabangu getting ready for bed

“ That thy glory may rest down upon thy people, and upon this thy house, which we now dedicate to thee, that it may be sanctified and consecrated to be holy, and that thy holy presence may be continually in this house;  And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord’s house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that thou hast sanctified it, and that it is thy house, a place of thy holiness.”  D & c 109: 11 – 13

Saturday was a day of pure bliss.  The temple was very busy but there was still calmness and peace inside.  We started with initiatories.  While we were waiting in the hallway to do an endowment session because there was not room in the chapel, we saw these hands waving at us over the recommend desk.  We looked over and there was Siya – Patricia’s daughter that lives in Soweto and we attended her and her sister’s baptism a few months back.  She was there with her ward youth group.  But the strangest thing was the person standing next to her – Simphiwe!  She is Patricia’s niece that had stayed with them the month of December and had also received the lessons along with Patricia and her daughters.  But she was not baptized with the others and we did not know she was interested.  What was she doing here?  Siya told us that she was baptized a week ago and now here at the temple performing baptisms for the dead.  The church is true.  The church changes lives.  The church helps us all grow into the person we were meant to be.  The church gives us the formula to find happiness here on earth.  I am a witness to all this in just the few lives that I have been honored to be around.  Dennis and I couldn’t stop smiling.  We were so thrilled.  We later found out that even Patricia did not know that she had been baptized.  I believe that she was as happy when she heard that news as she was when she was baptized.  Four people baptized because my sweet husband “opened his mouth” and invited someone to listen to the missionaries.  We were asked to be the witness couple again during our session.  Twice blessed to have this opportunity.  A spiritual feast was partaken.  After we said good-bye to the Ezulwini members and took Siya and Simphiwe home and saw Nontokozo.  What strong young girls looking forward to the time when their mother is able to join them.  We arrived home late.

Us with Siya

Simphiwe and Siya’s youth group

Ezulwini members – they were also excited to see Siya & Simphiwe

I really wanted to climb in that kombi with them

Siya, Nontokozo and Simphiwe giving their mom a “I Love You” sign

Sunday, May 5, 2013 was Fast and Testimony meeting and we attended in Manzini.  There were so many that had the desire to bare their testimonies that we went way over…but we enjoyed every one.  Den was able to do a temple recommend interview that truly touched his heart.  He attended District PEC while I was at home.  We went to visit with Patricia to share all the wonderful news with her.    A wonderful week!

“Therefore, may all who seek this holy temple come with clean hands and pure hearts that thy holy spirit may ever be present to comfort, to inspire, and to bless.  If any with gloomy forebodings or heavy hearts enter, may they depart with their burdens lightened and their faith increased; if any have envy or bitterness in their hearts, may such feelings be replaced by self-searching and forgiveness.  May all who come within these sacred walls feel a peaceful, hallowed influence.  Cause, O Lord, that even people who pass the grounds or view the temple from afar, may lift their eyes from the groveling things of sordid life and look up o thee and they providence….” David O. McKay, Dedication of the LA Temple

I am so much grateful to be able to enter into His Holy House and feel of His love.