More Lessons Learned -gfh

Okay, I just have to write this post! It's actually a form of confession or at least letting everyone know that we aren't the PROs here in the office!
Last week Elder Henrichsen was having trouble with his computer keyboard. When he hit the shift key the z would be typed. Started off first just once in a while. Soon on a regular basis I could hear Elder H's expletives of "rats!" or "don't do that!" or his usual "you dumb machine!". Dudley the computer dude was called in. He sat down at the key board and said. "Oh, there is jam between the keys causing them to stick." (you see, Elder H and I eat lunch in his office and the regular fare is PB & J.)
Now that was one on him and here's one on me......
Yesterday was a long day. It was a Thursday and I was tired from the week and as the day went on I was wilting. Well, the last straw was when I was trying to do some "tidying up" of some jobs hanging over my head and the program wouldn't accept it! I may even have said "dumb machine"...I'm not sure. Took a couple of deep breaths and decided that I would call Dudley in the morning.
This morning I started back in to the project actually forgetting about the frustration of yesterday and I noticed my number keypad was locked. Oh well, just turn it on. And then I realised that my frustration yesterday had been caused by me inadvertently locking the keyboard and as a result the program wouldn't accept my numbers.
Ahhhhhh, the things Elder H and I are learning: 1. Don't eat around the computer (that's an old one) and 2. If the computer isn't working it's probably my fault. I understand they only do what they are told.

YSA Adventure Challenge -gfh

I'm late posting this. The activity took place 24 July. It was a multi-stake YSA activity held on Hartebeespoorte Dam property that The Church owns out about 2 hours from Johannesburg in the hills. Very similar to other Church camp sites.
The activity was kind of a combination between The Great Race and Survivor. Elder Henrichsen and I were at one of the stations. It was called "Splat Rock". There was a huge monument of a rock at our site but the "splat" comes from the water balloons tossed and missed with towels. You'd think that would be easy and the scores would be high but not so. They had ten minutes to score a maximum of ten points but with only two balloons. The most points scored were 4 and that was far and away the most!
They'd come running hot and sweaty to our station trying to get their points and move on. We enjoyed watching the strategy of the teams as they would analyse and some practiced with rocks first. For some there was a special technique for holding the towels. However the team that did no planning, no practicing and no couching scored the 4 points!Oops! so much for planning and practicing!

He Wowed'em! -gfh

"U-nite" is an activity that the missionaries plan so that the members can bring their non member friends and all enjoy an evening together...with refreshments OF COURSE! The elders in the Kagiso (pronouced Kaw Hee Sew) area invited Elder Henrichsen to present a finance/budget evening. Of course he is just the right man to ask! As some of his resources he used Elder Ashton's "One for the Money" pamphlet, quotes from the brethren on the importance of being out of debt and his own years of education and experience with $$$ and numbers! He had a fun relaxed way of presenting boring and intimidating information! It was a full house and HE WOWED'EM"

Fashion Statement -gfh

About the only thing that the elders can use for a fashion statement is their ties. And right off I noticed that quite a number of the elders from the states have adopted the African way of wearing their ties. You know how the guys will tie and re-tie the tie to make sure that the tip of it is just about touching their belt? Well never mind that if you come to Africa! The Africans tie the tie short on purpose so it ends a little below the middle of their chest. One elder showed me how the little boys in his area tie the "grown up" tie so that it works for them.

Behold A Royal Army! -gfh

The dust is settling from the largest transfer in this mission since President and Sister Poulsen began serving here two years ago! We had eleven elders come from the Provo MTC and three from the SAF MTC litterally next door and we had eighteen returning home. There is a great deal of planning, organizing, scheduling, that happens prior to our transfer days and then more of the same to get everything settled in for the normal routine of mission life. We actually a work for six weeks prior and after to make this happen. The missionaries usually come from the SAF MTC but this time all of the American missionaries came from Provo MTC because of the extremely exaggerated prices for flights coming to ZA during the World Cup Games.
Each one of us in the office has orientation that we need to do with each missionary as well as each missionary having a personal interview with the President. This involves forty minutes of time per missionary. OF course some of those minutes take place congruently but it still takes a lot of time and planning. This is all usually done in the morning before the group orientation, new trainer meeting, and then of course the BIG and WONDERFUL actualy Transfer meeting where each new missionary introduces himself and is introduced to his Trainer. Then each departing missionary has the opportunity to bear his testimony and give some words of advice and counsel as if he were sharing with his younger brother. The words of wisdom that these young men share as a result of the spiritual experiences and growth they have experienced are AMAZING! I write down the counsel from each departing missionary and know I would be a better person/missionary if I would use the counsel in my own life.

In this picture President Poulsen is giving the departing missionaries some final instructions before they give their words of counsel.
The chapel is filled with elders who are all dressed so sharply in their dark suits and have fresh new haircuts and the glow of servants of the Lord about them! We also end each transfer meeting with singing of the Mission Song! There hasn't been a meeting yet that hasn't brought tears to my eyes. The senior couples sit up in the front row and I just have to turn and look in to the faces of that Royal Army as they sing! There are really no words to describe the feeling and the power that is there! (I think I have a good picture of the chapel filled and I'll post it later)
This Transfer we had two families who were able to share in the experience with us. They had come to pick up their missionary sons. One family had come from California and the other family came from Madagascar. The mother from California had tears streaming down her checks nearly the entire time. I can imagine it felt a little like being taken up to Heaven for a brief visit. The family from Madagascar has a daughter that is terminally ill with a kidney disease and has just weeks to live. They have saved for a long time and received help from others to come at this time to be sealed as a family in the temple.


At the end of the Transfer Meeting the office is FILLED with missionaries coming in for supplies and last minute requests. We totally devote our time and attention to every missionary. Then the missionaries get all "sorted out" with their new companions, visit and get caught up with previous companions and depart to their new areas to do some good!"...going forth to conquer on life's great battlefield!"

It's A Pleasure! -gfh

The South Africans have a wonderfully gracious way about them. When they greet you they always ask how you are. "Good morning, Ma'am, how are you?" When people call the mission office they always start with "You are speaking to_________ from _______. How are you?" It is so commonly done that if you don't ask them how they are they automatically reply "I am fine thank you". (and I say to myself "Oops, I forgot") Most of our non African missionaries have adopted this courtesy but for those who haven't it is a glaring omission, almost seems rude, when they call and get right down to business. I've really noticed a difference.
However, I don't think I've heard "you're welcome" from the people here. Now that's not because they are rude, but when you thank someone the most common response is "It's a pleasure" or just shortened to "pleasure". It's not only what they say but how they say it. I can't duplicate it but it is very gracious and with the accent it sounds so charming. Little children and young people also have this upbringing. If you ask a child how they are they will say "I am fine Ma'am, and you?" I just want to give them all big hugs!

Yesterday before church started one of our young single adult young men was sitting by a little two year old in the back of the chapel and was polishing the little boys very dusty shoes with a shoe brush. I asked Brassington, the young adult, if he had brought the brush with him. He said he always carries it in his back pack because he has to come far(he has to walk quite a ways) and when he arrives his shoes are dirty. It was such a sweet picture I had to take one. What a fine example this young man was being to little Tholithemba. There are many lessons we can learn from these wonderful people!

Brassington and Tholithemba

Is Anybody Home? -gfh

How would you like to get off the plane returning home from your mission and have no one there to meet you? One of the questions I ask when I make the "trunky calls" to get information i.e. airport they want to fly in to, current address of parents and other questions, is "Will there be anyone at the airport to meet you when you arrive?" I hold my breath and wait for the answer. Many times, if it is an African missionary he will answer "No, there will be no one." And my heart sinks. In this case I email the Stake President or Bishop/Branch President and request that they arrange for someone to meet their missionary. Sometimes several emails or phone calls are made until I get a reply. If no one will be there to meet them, I arrange transport by bus, etc. for the missionary from the airport to his home. I'm reminded of the DVD "RM" when the missionary returns home from his mission, nobody is there, he climbs up the ladder in to a window and soon discovers that his family had moved!
We also have missionaries who NEVER get mail. I talked with one this morning who said he hasn't been in touch with family members for a year. He goes home in three weeks. I'm calling Samoa tonight at 8:00PM our time to talk to his Stake President at 7:00AM Samoa time.(Sometimes the contact persons have no email address) Itineraries are mailed out six weeks ahead to family, Bishop/Branch President and Stake President. However, the mail is so unreliable in many of these countries that follow up is necessary.
And then we have the U.S. missionaries who reply to my question with "YES! My family and the whole town will be there!" And I like to add "and a Big Brass Band!" Now, that's the way it should be.