Behind The Scenes -gfh

I've blogged about our transfer days before but didn't say about the behind the scenes.
First of all, I am in charge of the Transfer Packets. This is a plastic bag for each area (85 of 'em) with the forms, planners, Transfer News, and Ensign/Liahonas that the missionaries will need for the next six weeks. A couple of weeks before the bags need to be "stuffed" I compile all the forms. One morning there were a couple of elders in the office with nothing to do so I recruited their help! It was the fastest counting and sorting I'd ever seen because those young guys turned it in to a competition. Speed and accuracy!! and the winner is......



On the morning of Transfers the President, Sister Poulsen and the Assistants pick up the incoming missionaries at the SAF MTC (which is just through the door from our office). I tag along in the background to keep things going smoothly and to try to keep everyone on schedule. Pictures are taken outside and then the elders hurrying to the chapel(which is also in our compound)for orientation.


I love this picture of President with the new elders. He is giving them counsel about how to button their suits, show their teeth when they smile, hands to side...

Then off with the luggage to the orientation meeting where the office couples get to take a few minutes to introduce ourselves. President wants the missionaries to know that we are "real people". If Elder H and I fail to tell them about our long distance bike riding President reminds us. He has even asked the missionaries "Any of you ride bikes? What's the farthest you've ridden? The Henrichsens will tell you what a REAL bike ride is". So that opens up a fun connection with them.

And after the orientation there are three hours for President interviews and orientation from the office staff relating to medical,flats,cars, post,finances, etc. etc. I'm sure by the end of the day everything is a blur. (hopefully a happy one)
Elder H is in charge of lunch and it's pizza and cold drink (soda) for all the new missionaries and their trainers.
Then the big Transfer/Departure meeting at 1:00 with testimonies and sometimes, parents here to pick up their missionary. It is a Fabulous day of activity, inspiration, and exhaustion! Just thought you'd like to know.
We really do love it!!

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!

Pray For Botswana -gfh

We are experiencing first hand why the prophet has asked us to pray for governments to allow missionaries to come in to their countries. The Church has had a good relationship in the country of Botswana for the past 20 years. Botswana is part of our mission. When we got here there was one zone of missionaries and now there are three. The missionaries are having tremendous success there! There are many Sundays with 10, 20, 30 baptisms taking place. Because Botswana is a different country it has different visa requirements than South Africa. When a missionary is transferred to Botswana he needs to have a visa to stay in that country. In the past it has been a little bit of a hassle and inconvenience but now it has become a very difficult thing. We’ve had missionaries visas denied, and they have had to leave the country and new ones sent in and visas denied again. Documents not requested before are now being required. In fact the government of Botswana is investigating all churches in their country or those requesting to come in. This process should be completed by the end of March and then a decision will be made. In the meantime we are trying to get our missionaries in on 90 day visas. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. The Visa Czar at the Area Office is very much involved. He has personally escorted missionaries across the border trying to get them as many extra days stamped on their visas as possible. This last group got three days. The church has hired an attorney in Botswana to handle the hassle. We needed a local man who understands the customs and traditions, not a white American. Even the missionary name tag can be offensive. It says Elder. These are basically young kids that are expecting to be called “elders”! Can you picture this and how it can go against tribal customs.
I had a ‘melt down’ when this all hit the fan. I am the person who gathers up all of these documents from our missionaries’ parents who are in far off countries. I was receiving urgent requests from Botswana for documents needed “now now” and missionaries needing to sign forms and get medicals and…and…
It just so happened that our quarterly interview was scheduled the Friday of that week. After chit chat and smiling faces he asked how things were really going. I wasn’t going to say but Elder H told on me. Oh my goodness…please pass the Kleenex! I finished with saying “President, don’t let these tears bother you. The dust will settle and I’ll be fine”. Poor guy!
Well, the dust has settled. ..at least the stress and pressure of the initial frantic few days. Now I am fine and the work will go forth in Botswana with much fasting and prayer. I may have said this before but I believe that the governments and bureaucracy of countries do not realize it but the adversary is using them to slow the work. I love this scripture Moroni 9:6, “And now…not withstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness…” Please pray for Botswana.

"It Feels Good In Here" -gfh

Friday a small group of elders came in to the office to do a little “shopping” and check their mail. We’re a very popular place for that. After they’d been there a while one of the elders said in a very pleasant and quiet way “it feels good in here”. Sister Watts and I looked at each other and smiled. I said to the elder, “that is what we pray for every morning. That it will feel good in here when you come”. Each morning we have a devotional to start the day. We take turns presenting a scripture and spiritual thought and offering a prayer for the day. That prayer usually always includes a request that there will be a spirit of love and peace in the office for all those who come and we dedicate ourselves to the Lord and his work that day. This was a sweet way of confirming to us that indeed this was happening.
As I have served in the office this past year, I’ve had my testimony strengthened that “all things are spiritual unto the Lord”(Doc & Cov 29) I sometimes feel uncomfortable blogging because so much of what I write is about the out of the office activities because the office is so “daily”. We pretty much do the same things in a six week cycle and it can seem pretty much just like office work. Not much to blog about there.
But I do know that this work is important…this letter writing, phoning, filing, visa applying and reapplying, getting passports copied, answering the phones, assigning out referrals, helping the elders with their requests, assisting the president and his wife in any way we can. This all is part of the work of The Kingdom and we are so grateful to be a small part of it. And I am glad that when the elders come to the office they can say “It feels good in here “.

A Magnificent Lunch Break -gfh

Yesterday we closed the office and all took our lunches to the Walter Susilu National Botanical Gardens about 2o minutes away. We've been here a year and none of us had been there yet. President said "Let's close the office and go!" This is the rainy season so we weren't sure the weather would cooperate but we were all equipted with umbrellas....that's rain insurance, neh? So of course, no rain.

The website for the garden reads: "Against the backdrop of the magnificent Witpoortjie waterfall, the Walter Susilu National Botanical Gardens covers almost 300 hectares and consists of both landscaped and natural veld areas. This Botanical Garden was founded in 1982, but has been a popular venue for outings since the 1800's. The Garden has been voted the best picnic spot in Gauteng for 5 years in a row.





The natural vegetation of the area is known as the 'Rocky Highveld Grassland' and consists of a mosaic of grassland and savanna, with dense bush in kloofs and along streams. The variety of habitats accommodates over 600 naturally occurring plant species.




A breeding pair of majestic Verreaux's Eagles nest on the cliffs alongside the waterfall. The Garden is home to an abundance of wildlife with over 220 birds species recorded on site. There are also a number of reptiles and small mammals, including small antelope and jackals, which occur naturally in the Nature Reserve."
(and some large beautifully colored grasshoppers seemed to thrive in the gardens as well)


Look closely. There are about a dozen grasshoppers on this bush.



Elder Green, one of the President's Assistants whom we worked closely with is going home parents came three weeks ago to pick him up and tour his mission areas and visit South Africa. They joined us on this picnic the day before they flew out to return to Renton WA.


We each brought our own lunch and the Green's had to try out something that South Africa is famous for - A Kota! It is a quarter of an unsliced loaf of bread, some of the innards taken out and then stuffed with french fries, cheese, bologny, chakalaka, and anything else that sounds good especially if it's unhealthy!




More radom pictures of the Botanical Gardens:


Come see us in South Africa and we'll "do lunch" at the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens.