Trunky Duty -gfh

President Poulsen usually takes missionaries to the airport for their flight home. However this week he has been traveling doing Zone Conferences and needed some help with transport. We drew the lucky staw and got special airport "Trunky Duty"!
Missionaries usually go home in a large group at Transfer/Departures every six weeks. However, this time we had three missionaries whose visas expired before the Departure date. (President made the decision a few transfers back that we would not go to the expense, time and stress of renewing visas that would expire one or two weeks before the missionaries original departure date. sign. This has helped lighten my worry load" a lot!)
Yesterday Elder H and I delivered Elder Sande Sande (yes, first and last name are the same) to catch his return home fight to Zimbabwe. As we waved our final goodbyes we turned away with tears in our eyes. Elder H said "How does President Poulsen do this all the time?"
(and RATS! This is one of the few times that I didn't have my camera!)

Elder Sande's flight was at a very respectable time in the middle of the day but today's trip to the airport meant getting up at 4:00AM. By the way, the stars are brilliant at that time of the morning in ZA.
Elder Musembi and Elder Odundo from Kenya had a flight out at 9:40AM so we had to calculate and include plenty of time for travel and "two flat tires". Elder Musembi met us at the office at 5:45 and an early morning volleyball team was there as well. Elder Musembi is in the middle with the ward missionary who will serve until Transfers on his right. (Br. Welcome who has submitted his papers)and next to Br. Welcome is Elder Musemi's soon to be ex companion, Elder McNally from Scotland. And the rest of The Boyz! (shhh, I don't call them that to their faces)We met Elder Odundo at the airport. He had been there for an hour, was all checked in and waiting for us. It's allowed to use the "T" word at the airport.Elder Cannon and Brother Holmes, who is Elder Cannon's companion until Transfers next week (and who has his mission call to Durban Mission) joined in for final goodbye hugs.
Elder Odundo's carry-on was overweight. The attendant told him to take some things out but when I acted so surprised and sorry for Elder Odundo (sincerely) the attendant decided to never mind. I told him I needed to get a picture of such a nice man.Final Good Byes and off to their next mission! I hope we get "trunky duty" again!

Blessings -gfh

This is Nomvula Shelembe outside of the Johannesburg Temple yesterday! She attended for the first time! Elder H taught the temple preparation class and she is the first from the class to attend. I was her escort! It was a beautiful day! One of our many marvelous mission blessings!
(Sister Nomvula is in the Ennerdale Branch but is originally from Swaziland)

Gauteng Zone Conference -gfh

One hundred and thirty seven missionaries assigned to the Gauteng Province arrived today for a Zone Conference (ZC's are now held every three months. So this will be our last one!) It's a great time to do car inspections! This is Elder Watts, our Car Czar, really getting into his work with the help of Elder Porter who was recruited to assist. (Elder & Sister Porter are CES missionaries) Elder Henrichsen is in charge of ordering and delivering the food for 137 missionaries. Kentucky Fried Chicken was the menu with "137 Streetwise 2" boxes! Wow! What a delicious aroma was coming out of that bakkie!

Knit one Purl Two -gfh

This is Alecia and Robin. Two nine year olds who hang around and wait for their moms while they are in Institute class after the block. Elder H and I wait around too because we transport one of the families and he also has branch clerk stuff to do. I very often bring my knitting and they have been fascinated and have been hanging around very close. Two weeks ago I asked them if they would like to learn to knit. They are so polite and shy but I got the message: YES! So the next week I came with yarn of their favorite color and started knitting lessons.




They learned to do the garter stitch and were sent home to practice. This is a picture of their return project. Yesterday, they wanted to learn to cast on and wanted to start a real project. I told them we'd have to take out all of the knitting they had previously done and start over. They were positive! So we unraveled and reballed and I taught them to cast on and away they went. Alecia asked if I would teach them to knit a cap to go with the scarf. I think they'll have to hurry because we only have eight more Sundays together. It makes me wish I had started these little knitting sessions earlier.

Another Office Seranade -gfh

Elder To'o stopped by to give us a little seranade on his plastic ukelele. He added a nice touch to our day in the office.

I Have Nothing -gfh

Yesterday was the last Sunday in Ennerdale Branch for Sister Malitha. I have enjoyed her so very much. She is positive and dedicated to the Gospel. A single mom with a young adult son who causes her worry over his drinking but saves her from snakes. Last month after church she asked me to take her to the train station so she could go to Soweto and stay with relatives because she had a SNAKE in her little place. She hates snakes! and she would not enter again until she knew it was gone. I didn't see her place but it is probably a 12X12 shanty like many of the others. Yesterday she bore her testimony in Relief Society and said: "I have nothing but I am very happy! I have the Gospel and it fills my life with happiness!" We will all miss Sister Malitha!
Sister Malitha is in the middle with the green scarf around her neck.

Shopping -gfh

I hesitated to do this post but here it goes.........There's some great shopping here in South Africa!

About every other month Sister Poulsen, the mission president's wife, arranges a girls day out and we all go shopping! It doesn't matter if one NEEDs to buy something one NEEDs to go shopping! Elder H and I love the saying "Somethings are NEED to have, somethings are NICE to have and somethings are NUTS to have." Well, it seems like one NEEDS to go shopping ever so often. It helps keep one from going NUTS here in the office even if one doesn't find something NICE to have.

Hope you enjoy the few pictures of our outtings:Sister Poulsen and I ended up wearing the same skirt one day when we went shopping together. We didn't know that we had both previously bought the same skirt. After that I was careful not to wear the skirt if I knew she would be at the activity or meeting.This is a shopping trip to Cinda's in July 2010, one of our favorite places.Sister Christensen, the MTC President's wife is on the left. Sister Koelliker, the Africa South East Area President's wife is next. Then Sister Stonehocker one of our senior sisters. All selecting their favorite South Africa bead necklaces and braclets from Bret's.Sister Stonehocker tried on a bridal headdress but decided it wasn't her. This is at Sela's warehouse.

Sela is an African Dealer who travels all over Africa gathering "treasures". He is a wholesale supplier for African markets and shops. Several years ago the Area President's wife at that time came in contact with him and he has been selling to the senior sisters by appointment ever since. It is a real treat because we have found some of his things in other shops for 4 or 5 times the price he charges us. He is only at his warehouse in Jo'burg twice a year. I'll have one for chance to shop before going home. I always seem to find a "NEED" to have at Sela's.