Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22-WC giveaway emails

Friday, some emails started coming in regarding the wheelchair giveaway. This one is from Sipho Duma, our Durban PA Person who couldn't be there (He is a policeman and was on special assignment):

"I am humbled and speechless!!!!! . . .

Brothers and Sisters I followed the give-away ceremony on Lotus FM and I was very impressed on how the radio station covered it live, and I was also impressed by the interview with President Wilford, wow! it was indeed wonderful to hear my Leader. Thank you for being there and I hope we are preparing for the next phase because August 10 is close by and we need to be on our game for the show case? ..."
Regards,
Sipho

This email is from our interfaith PA person Clive, who attended the wheelchair giveaway:

"Thank you for the compliments Elder & Sister Kyle, I recorded the feelings of memories of this great event last night in my Journal. Thank you for the Photo’s too, I can now add these to wonderful and cherished memories in my journal. It was my first wheelchair handover and we really need to compliment Lotus FM especially Lisa and Roberta, who did so much behind the scenes effort to make their radio station look good. I could see lots of strain on Lisa’s face.

We need to get both Lisa and Roberta some type of commemoration, perhaps Mormon Tabernacle Choir DVD who something else special to them after the whole project. Also CE Mobility has played a crucial role yesterday, that gentleman, I did not get his name or number did very well.

Of course Elder & Sis Kyle, being thrown in the deep end and serving and Bro Sipho for his Leadership of PA in the Stake, our wonderful Hillcrest PA Committee, I am a resource to you guys and will always do my best to make any event professional and to maintain the image of The Church and our Leaders.

I was impressed with the Eggetts talks and President Mkakga did very well, I enjoyed his talk very much, he was very interactive with the people and finally our Stake President Wilford, showed us the way with his leadership and live interviews on AIR. Let us not forget the Station Manager Alvin Pillay (speech about our great church), DJ Neville Pillay (applauding the missionaries on Live Air and The Church and our Leaders too), Producer Avashnee Vandiar live interviewing of the people on Air. It will always be best to host these things at their SABC premises for maximum exposure.

Afterwards as I dropped off one of the gentleman who came to fetch a wheelchair on behalf of his bed-ridden sisters and as I looked at their home and listened to his comments about what this would mean to him and his family, I was really touched and humbled to have been a part of it and feel in a small measure the joy that’s comes from service to mankind. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this event as well. I now will continue to email The Invitation to my key contacts, friends and others for the Family History Fair next week. 

Kind regards,

Bro Clive

Lisa Chetty from Lotus FM, sent us this email as a copy that was sent to all the Lotus news programs at the radio station:
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Lotus fm provides the gift of Mobility

Today, 20^th June 2013 marks a milestone for Lotus fm as the station distributed 30 wheelchairs to 30 loyal listeners.

Education around disability is long overdue in South Africa. It is with this in mind that Lotus fm teamed up with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to improve mobility of those physically challenged. “We wanted to restore their human dignity, give these wonderful individuals a better opportunity in life”, comments Lotus fm Marketing Manager Donne Henry.

Station Manager Alvin Pillay, in his welcome stated, “The response from the community to which we broadcast was overwhelming from the start of this campaign. The distribution was heart wrenching as many of the recipients managed to live without a wheel chair despite their dire circumstances. Many had not even been out of their homes since their disability.”
The event ended on a profound note, as President Magaga reminded everyone that we were placed on earth to do good and not evil. He said that it’s this mandate that drives them to do humanitarian work throughout Africa. Lotus fm mandate is to create social cohesion and will continue seeking opportunities to do so."   By: Donne Henry – Marketing Manager Lotus fm.
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As you can see, everyone was inspired by this event. It was a wonderful!
 
Now we need to concentrate on the Family History Fair next Saturday, the 29th. We ordered some triple combinations from the area office, so we can give them as gifts to the speakers and I wrote a press release:
________________________________________________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE                                                   2013-06-18

TITLE:                    COMMUNITY INVITED TO LEARN ABOUT ANCESTORS

DATE:                    2013-06-29, Saturday 1:00 pm to 4:00 PM

LOCATION:         The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
                                Hillcrest Chapel – 18 Old Main Road, Hillcrest
                                (Corner of Old Main Rd and Builder’s Way)

CONTACTS:         Dominic Tshabalala: 083-523-8839
                                Basil Smith: 082-494-9339

Community members interested in learning to trace their ‘roots’ are invited to a Family History Fair to be held Saturday, June 29^th, from 1:00pm to 4:00 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at their Hillcrest Chapel – 18 Old Main Road in Hillcrest (at the corner of Old Main Road and Builder’s Way).

Speakers will include:  Professor Mathole Serofo Motshekga (African History), Mr. Ravi Govender (Indian Indentured Laborers in KZN) and Dominic Vusumuzi Tshabalala (Tshabalala Family History)

Following the speakers, there will be workshops that show attendees how to go about finding their ancestors. “Many people are interested in discovering who their ancestors are,” said Anne-Maree Smith, the Hillcrest Stake Family History Specialist. “Genealogy research is one of the most popular pastimes in the world. Nearly everyone has something unusual in his or her past just waiting to be discovered. Perhaps royalty might be hiding in your family tree.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the largest genealogical library in the world. Millions of people use Family Search records, resources, and services each year to learn more about their family history. Family Search is a non-profit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations. Family Search believes that families bring joy and meaning to life. Their vision is that learning about our ancestors helps us better understand who we are—creating a family bond, linking the present to the past, and building a bridge to the future.

 “We strive to create and link the best and most valuable research resources to help people discover who they are by exploring where they come from. For over 100 years, Family Search and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide.”

The local branch genealogical library services are open to all, regardless of whether they are members of the church or not.

By: Public Affairs Department LDS Church
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Saturday, we spent the day cleaning the flat and buying groceries, plus I cooked up some food for our upcoming family home evening. I started a pot of beans for our upcoming Mexican Fiesta for the groups of senior missionaries and we invited the mission president and his wife, as they are going home in a week and we wanted to honor them and say 'good bye'. Elder Kyle had the idea of us all signing a tie for him and it turned out pretty good, so we shopped for a scarf for his wife and each signed that as well.

Since we were shopping, Elder Kyle bought a book at the bookstore. Books are very expensive here, so he can't do that very often. We got a roast to make shredded beef tacos and some 'mince' to make a ground beef option, plus stuff to make salsa. We haven't cooked Mexican food since we've been here so we are going all out for our Monday night dinner. It was a good day - the flat is clean, the food is mostly cooked and we are tired for a day well spent.