Saturday In Ennerdale -gfh

Last Saturday took a drive out to Ennerdale about 4o miles from home to visit a couple of YSAs(YSAs are 18-30yr old unmarrieds) who needed some TLC and do our hometeaching. It started out with an adventure!
First let me tell you about the "pt'oles" here in South Africa. Actually you know them as potholes. They are so prevalent that there is a pt'ole brigade formed to do the repairs and you can report your ptholes in an email. We were traveling along a two lane highway on the inside lane going about 80Km (55mph) and Elder H saw this huge pt'ole that had been prepared to be patched. He tried to avoid it but BAM! CRASH!ZOWIE! One side of the car hit hard and drove thru it leaving us with hub caps flying down the road, and two bent rims! Elder H pulled over to assess the damage and found that he needed to change one of the tires because it was leaking.

Elder H did a "pit stop" repair worthy of bragging rights! I was so grateful that he knew what he was doing. He told me to watch closely so I could do it someday if I had to and I told him I was sticking close to him for all future flat tires.
On to Ennerdale to first visit some YSA's. This time of year there are lots of little road side stands selling mangoes, and other fruits and vegetables and metal barrels turned in to "roasters" for ears of corn. We stopped at a couple of stands for corn(I needed an ear of corn for a object lesson for one of the lessons I was teaching Sunday) but had to keep looking.

This lady was working and when she saw my camera she posed for me. The people here love to have their picture taken.



On down the road we found a roaster. I'd been wanting to try some and it would also work for my OL.

We visited the home of one of our YSAs but he was at school (on a Saturday). We enjoyed visiting with his mom, enjoying her garden and beautiful roses.

This is Sister Suzen. She plays the keyboard for sacrament meeting having been taught by three former senior sister missionaries and she is also the Primary President.

Do you recognize this little guy, his name is Gift. The first Sunday of our mission a year ago I took his picture wearing my sunglasses!

This is a little side building that Suzen's oldest son Nthandini, our YSA, stays in. The family house is very very small and with three boys they need a little"breathing room". I think probably any young adult would like to have a place of their own and would love to call this "Home Sweet Home".

Cars in ZA . . . rh

Driving around town (and a bit in the country), we see a lot of cars. I'm pretty sure that Toyotas are the most prevalent. Most of the "taxis" are 14 passenger Toyota vans (combis). I'm sure that helps them be the most numerous on the roads. There is also a great number of Volkswagens around. Most of them are older "Citi" models. These look like the old Rabbits we had in the USA.

Since we drive a Subaru, we look for them, mostly in vain. We will go weeks without seeing even one and then, like last Saturday, we see three in one day. American cars are not around much. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that most of the mission/church cars are Chevy Aveos, we would seldom see any GM cars. There are a few Chryslers, Dodges and Jeeps. Ford has the biggest presence of American vehicles on the streets and roads.

Then we get to the cars we seldom or never see at home. There are Daihatsus, Daewoos, Tatas, Mahindras, Opels and Chanas. I think both Daihatsu and Daewoo are made in South Korea. Tatas and Mahindras come from India, Opels from Germany and Chanas from China. Of these, Tatas outnumber all the rest combined.

As for us, we drive a Nissan. About 10% of the church fleet are Nissans.

Okay, that wasn't very important, but interesting.

Blessings of our Posterity #45, #46, #47 -gfh

Introducing #45: Alexander Layne Henrichsen, born 22 December 2010. Weighing 7# 7 oz 20 inches. Daddy and Mommy are Chris and Jill Henrichsen and big sister Mikelle 10 and big brother Christian 6.


Introducing #46: Makenzie RayAnn Fish born 26 January 2011 weighing 8# 12 oz and 20 inches long. (And YES, she was born with a pink bow in her hair) Daddy and Mommy are David and Angela Fish and big brothers Hunter 4 and Shepard 3.



and Introducing #47: Beckett Scott Fish born 27 January 2011, weighing 8# 5oz and 21 inches long. Mommy and Daddy are Scott and Kirby Fish. Beckett has the privlege of being the first in their family and being the one his parents get to practice on.

Wow! That was a fantastic 35 days of anticipation excitement prayers and tears of joy and tears of wishing we could be there closer to cuddle and love and help! David, whose little girl was born the day before Scott's little boy, call Scott and said "Has mom called you yet? She's a mess" Yes,I was, a mess of emotion!
We've put pictures up in the mission office announcing the three new arrivals and their "ranking in the grandchildren line up"! I quickly explain that this is posterity of two families combined but the numbers still create ooooohs!! and ahhhhhhhs!
Being in South Africa during this special time may be considered a sacrifice but we know we are where we should be right now for at least five more months anyway. I believe the technology of cell phones, FB, SKYPE and videos was invented so grandparents could go on missions and still share in these wonderful moments. I heard of a returned missionary grandfather who said that his grandchildren thought grandpa lived in the computer. We've had some cute experiences when SKYPE-ing where one of the little kids will get really close with their face next to the computer screen and loooooook inside. I think they're looking for grandpa and grandma. We've even gotten kisses that way!
So, we are being very blessed while serving here in South Africa! #'s 45,46,and 47 are three blessings we count as the very best! And we certainly have a lot to come home to!!
President Monson asked senior couples to arrange their lives so they could LEAVE HOME and GO on a mission. Our mission is in desperate need of senior couples!! Our mission president is very concerned. So, if you're grandparents, pray about it! Get yourselves set up on SKYPE, buy yourselves a laptop and "Let Go and GO!"
You will be blessed, as well!