Our Cup Runneth Over: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM September 16

Tuesday, September 17, 2013 is my mother’s birthday. I was a little, well, I guess a lot, melancholy. After 20 years of her being gone, she is still central to my thoughts. Whenever I think about her, tears flow freely. I got to thinking what she did to have such a huge impact on my life that after so long, I still miss her daily? I really do not know why, other than she was just an incredible lady – I cannot pinpoint any particular memory or tradition or words she shared, just I admired her and loved her dearly. She was my best friend, my exemplar, my confidant, my go-to person when I needed a cry or someone to listen…she was my security, my safe place…I knew she loved me and made me feel like I was the most important thing in her life. I miss her terribly……I want to share my children with her….I want her to see what amazing adults they have become….I want her to know my incredible in-laws and grandchildren……I want to talk to her to share my mission experiences with her…..I want her to wipe away my tears and reassure me that everything is okay and that I am becoming the daughter she wants me to be. Eish, as old as I am and as long as she has been gone, you would think that I wouldn’t need all this anymore. I guess we never grow to old to need a mother! I know that she is in heaven doing marvelous things and is looking down on me, but sometimes I just need her here!

So this is for you….”Mom, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I cherish the day you were born. I know our Heavenly Father created you just for me and that I anxiously awaited my turn to come to earth to be with you. Thanks for all the love that you gave me even when I didn’t deserve it…you loved me unconditionally. Thanks for the example you set for me on the type of a woman I wanted to be. I am still working on it. I miss you daily and wish you were here. I love you more with each day that passes because as I get older, I become more aware of our Savior’s love and how a heart can expand to unlimited bounds. You were the first to show me that. I want to be just like you so my posterity will remember me fondly when I have been gone for 20 years. I am looking forward to our reunion. I pray that I can endure to the end so I can join you in the realms above. I love you…..your loving daughter.” Now I wish I could insert a picture of her for all of you to see what a beautiful lady she was, but I do not have one on my computer. So that memory, for now, will just have to be mine.

Monday, September 16 we had a marvelous fireside with the elders. We listened to a talk given by Elder Holland entitled, “Divine Companionship”. It is a talk that Dennis and I have been listening to for a month almost daily. It is inspiring on how to include the Holy Ghost in the missionary work. There is one part when he said that at the end of a day, every companionship should ask themself…”Was the Holy Ghost the senior companion today?…the junior companion?…..or was He even in our companionship today?” I have really thought about this. This isn’t just for missionary work….we could all ask this question daily about whether we include the Holy Ghost in our everyday life. He gives us guidance, comfort, words to say to family members or people we meet on the street, helps us recognize places where we could serve, etc. So many ways to make our life better. It is a great talk……look it up and include it in your life. After we listened to the talk, we had each elder bear testimony on what they had learned from the talk. It proved to be a powerful, spiritual evening. Thank you elders for blessing our lives! We love being in your presence.

We had to feed our elders physically before we fed them spiritually

Gathering…aren’t they a good looking bunch

Love these boys

Elder Rowley leading us in “Let the Holy Spirit Guide”

It was Elder Lowry’s birthday on the 20th, but since everyone was gathered we celebrated that night.

Elder Donison, one of our new elders – blurry picture, sorry

On Tuesday, there really wasn’t much time to be melancholy because 16 hungry elders showed up at 8:30 in the morning for breakfast. It was our ZTM breakfast that we have done traditionally now for 18 months. I love this morning of eating, stick game and just having a great time. Then we gathered for ZTM and was instructed by Elder Lowry and Macharia, our zone leaders. We were taught well. After, Dennis took 3 elders to the doctor to receive the final series of shots that they were missing.

Again, being fed physically before spiritually

Honoring our new Swazi elders

Our infamous stick game

Our zone leaders

Our Swazi warriors

Picture from the Wall of Focus

Wednesday, September 18, was filled with running around. Our internet was down, again, so it was a good day to be out and doing. We met Xolani and Futhi to accompany them to order their wedding cake at Pic N Pay. Then had lunch with Zola Shongwe…..love that lady. We had such a good time with her. She told us that she does not want to repeat history in her family. She will not have children until she is married. Then proceeded to tell us that all her friends that she grew up with have children but not husbands. When they ask her when she is going to have a child, she holds up her hand, points to her ring finger, and says, “when I am married”. If more young people would accept this philosophy, Swaziland wouldn’t be in the trouble they are in now. Then we were off to take suits and jackets for the elders to the cleaners, went to Clicks, visited Zweli to deliver a donated suitcase for him for his mission, Dennis attended his district meetings and I wrote emails and blogged. There’s our day in a nutshell.

Xolani and Futhi ordering their wedding cake

We have a good time with this young lady – Zola

Thursday, September 19, started with breakfast for Sbu and Mac……Sbu washing our bakki and Mac helping me with a DVD. These are great young men that are now considered family! Mac was telling us that he may not have much now, but he knows if he can endure to the end he will have all his Father has in the hereafter. He continued by saying he looks around at what some have, but he has the gospel and so grateful to be one of he few that does. I love listening to the testimonies of those here that surround us in the church. These two young men’s testimonies are built on a sure foundation. Both of their feet are planted firmly in the gospel. When I am with them, I know that the gospel in Swaziland will be okay. I love talking about the gospel and bearing testimony of its truthfulness. When we get home, I hope that we will still have these opportunities to just sit together and discuss the most important thing in our life, the gospel. After lunch with them also, we rushed to Baobab Batik to get a tablecloth and napkins for a gift, bought hot dogs for our soccer game at the butcher where the Machlalela’s work, and then met the Mbabane members at the chapel to travel together to the Mangerino family. Their 12-year-old son, Jason, passed away today. He was bitten by some dogs on Monday and when they took him to the hospital to get stitched up, they put him under and then could not revive him. He died today. My heart is aching for the family. I wish I could take the pain from them but that is up to the Comforter. The members were sharing with us that on Sunday he passed the sacrament for the first time and his father was at the table blessing. They all said that everyone noticed the joy in the father’s eyes as he passed his son the tray for him to fulfill his priesthood duty for the first and last time. When visiting with the father, he said an amazing thing. He said, “I now have to do good to join my son. He was a good boy and is now with his Heavenly Father. It is the Lord’s will.” The faith of these people is an incredible thing to witness. They have taught me so much about the trials of life and how to endure.

Mac, Sbu and Dennis eating our new favorite food after lunch, of course– Hazelnut Chocolate ice cream bar (what is Mac doing?????)

Friday we got a phone call early from Chomba, director at the Motjane Orphange, saying that he unfortunately had to postpone our soccer game on Saturday. Someone important from the community died and they feel like they should not be playing a soccer game but attend the funeral. We were so disappointed but understood. Actually, it turned out for the best because Saturday was a terrible rainy day. A blessing in disguise. We had planned to buy all the food and deliver it to the orphanage today, so it is a good thing we are flexible….all of a sudden our day was open! Dennis has to pass off new elders on their driving, so this gave him some open time to do it. He took Elder Tibbitts driving. He enjoys this time with the elders. While he was gone I wrote emails to parents of new elders and fixed our missionary wall. We opened the Ezulwini chapel for Pres. Malinga and Phila so they could measure the inside and outside perimeters…not sure why but we think new flooring and landscaping….yea!!!!! We have all this land but there is nothing on it. So much could be done. Sibusiso came over to visit. Elder Hansen had to show us his new Swazi shirt that he got from Sister Mayala, then we enjoyed a free evening because I would have been busy cooking if the soccer game was still on. Maybe, the Lord let all this happen for a reason……we needed a little R & R.

Our Ezulwini skyline is changing – the big white structure on the left is a new mall being built – I am still trying to find a picture I know I have of what it looked like before. Our quiet piece of heaven, is changing.

Elder Tibbitts having to face Elder Lombardi’s scrutiny

Elder Hansen’s new Swazi shirt

President Malinga and Phila measuring the Ezulwini chapel

Like I said earlier, Saturday was rainy! Our first real rain storm of the season. It would have been miserable to play soccer in. So instead of soccer, we joined some members of the Ezulwini branch at the Lobamba High School to wait for the results of the parliament elections. I awoke early and made coffee cake because I knew that they had been up all night and would be hungry. I was right – tired and famished. She lost but the experience was a positive one for them. We attended the Ezulwini institute class with the Sutherlands – our CES couple from Durban. Zola did a great job on the lesson and then they enjoyed hot chocolate and brownies after for a treat for facing the rainy, cold day to come to institute. Sibusiso told Dennis that he was ready to have his mission papers submitted. He didn’t want to wait until February anymore……he wants to go NOW. So the first thing on our list to do on Monday, was to call president and inform him to get those papers in……YEA! We joined the Sutherlands and the Kyles for dinner that night. The Kyles just got in from Durban also. They are our PA couple. A fun evening.

Waiting for election results

Thoko Shongwe’s daughter, Collette – her husband, Jerome, in the back left

Coming to the bakki for a bite to eat

They had been up all night

Warming up with hot chocolate after institute class

I am Swazi through and through

A busy Sabbath day – We attended Mbabane Branch with the Sutherlands and Kyles. The elders spoke and did a great job. Eish, it is so hard to believe that these young men are so young….ages ranging from 18 – 21. They speak with such conviction, humility and boldness. I was honored to be there and be part of the spirit that was there. After, Masisi was baptized. So excited to finally see her enter into the waters of baptism. She shared her testimony after….strong and anxious to serve. After, we went to see Sister Mangerino so she could be given a blessing. It is only the Lord through the Holy Ghost that can comfort a mother at a time like this. Please everyone pray for her and the family. While we were there the Manzini branch came over to offer their support. I love how the whole district gets together to help one in need. We could learn from them back home. We didn’t get back until 5:00 and the Sutherlands and Kyles were at the home waiting for us. I had invited them to dinner but shame, they didn’t get homemade rolls….there was no time. We love having the couples over. We talked and just enjoyed each others company. After they left I performed my weekly Sabbath day writing of missionaries. It took me 3 hours to get it all done. I went to bed late and tired…….

Masisi Mabusa Dlamini – baptized September 22, 2013

Elder Ferrin, Masisi, Nathi and Elder Daniel

Tilungile doing her Relief Society job of welcoming a new comer

Elder Kyle and Jerome discussing PA affairs after church

I’ve always wondered what happened to the leftover sacrament bread

The elders with an investigator

The Newman family – they just moved to Mbabane from Virginia and are members. She is working in the US Embassy and he is Mr. Mom. Can’t wait to have them over.

Helping me get dinner ready in a timely manner

Men doing what they do best – staying out of the kitchen

A little bit of randomness….

We are having someone draw a world map for the Lobamba Care Point……here is the outline. Now we just need to get different color paint so they can finish. Looks good, huh? That young man is proudly pointing to Swaziland.