Monday - Friday, April 22-26 anniversary-office catchup-DGH-Ladysmith

Well, we had a couple of quiet days. Monday was Preparation day, so I washed clothes, ironed shirts and we went to the grocery store and ate lunch at the mall close to our house. We ate at an Italian restaurant in the food court of the mall with a beautiful view. Elder Kyle has been communicating with a young black man that works there. The previous week, he waited on us and saw our tags. He asked about our church, so we gave him a card that gave a list of locations of the churches in town and also told him to call the number on the back for a free DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He said he called, but hadn't hear anything yet, so we asked him if he would like us to bring a Book of Mormon to him. He said he would, but also wanted us to bring a Bible to him.

Tuesday we worked most of the day in our office upstairs and coordinating a venue for a concert by a church member, Emmy Award Winning pianist. We are booking him in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. It's our job to find venues in Durban and Cape Town. We've been coordinating our Public Affairs people here and in Cape Town trying to find a place that is not already booked. He is coming at his own expense and bringing some of his students and giving free concerts and a fireside to the stakes in these areas of South Africa.

We will also be involved in a major Public Affairs project in the New Castle District, in the town and area known as Ladysmith. Ladysmith is the very heart and center of some of the major conflicts and wars between the Afrikaans, the Vortrekkers, and the Zulu. The history of this area effecting all of the races is phenomenal.  This escaping of the Afrikaans and Vortrekker people from religious and physical persecution, and their oxcart and wagon migrations, was in full swing here in South Africa at the same time of the persecution of the English, Dutch, Welch, etc.  early American saints as they were being driven and persecuted in the western hemisphere. The two situations and histories are nearly identical with the white skinned people, for religious purposes, displacing the native peoples that had lived there for generations, and the conflicts that proceeded from each.

The plan is to hold a parade and historical/cultural event in Ladysmith, working with the Dept of History, the city and community leaders, the Historical Societies from New Castle to Petermaritzburg to Durban, and the Zulu, Sotho, and xhosa groups, The event would include an all cultural parade with 6 Co-Grand Marshalls , with people pulling handcarts and ox carts, people parading in their culture clothing, gathering at the Oval, (center of town) a parade down main street, and then turn and end at “The Bend in the River”  where the original Toll House was, which still stands today,  where people had to “pay” to enter town. This Bend in the River is a very historical location including a major part of the resistance forces during the siege of Ladysmith. There is a large park area along the river, directly across from and in front of, the Ladysmith Chapel. The parade would end there, at the park and chapel area and include on Open house on church grounds that day after the parade.

Elder Kyle in Pavilions Mall

Wednesday was our anniversary, so we took the day off (after checking our emails and making some phone calls). We decided to do something American, so we went to a four-story mall, called the Pavilions and saw a movie in their 16 screen theater. We then went to dinner at a place in the mall. I had nachos (I think). They were quite a bit different than I was used to. They were made from Seasoned Doritos with cheese and cottage cheese on top with smashed avocado (known as AVO in Africa) and tomatoes. I also had a salad and Everett had 'spicy' chicken that was not spicy and fries. They serve fries with everything here and they call the 'chips'. It wasn't anything special, but nice to get out of the house/office for awhile. Elder Kyle didn't even complain about driving. ha.

The biggest mall we have ever seen! Sky painted ceiling!

Thursday was catch up day for the things we didn't do yesterday and Friday I had to see the doctor again about the rash on my face. He declared me healed and said I could stop using the cream and antihistamines. Yipee! All in all, a pretty good week.