Tues, August 20th - Off to East London

Today we are heading out to East London. It is also a very beautiful drive. The scenery changes often, but is always interesting and eye catching. The thing about their amazingly well-kept highways is that they always seem to be under construction. They have a system where they do 7 kilometres of highway at a time (about 5 miles) and they are down to one lane of road that is passable, so they stop the traffic going one way until all the cars that built up going that way can pass through. Sometimes you have to wait 15-30 minutes to get your turn. It seems crazy, but that is the way they do it here. Often, you will be stopped and the people will get out of the cars and talk to each other. People will magically appear by the side of the road selling everything from pineapples to hockey stickers. The stretch of road from Port Elizabeth to East London is more of the two lane highway with passing lanes every once in a while. A little slower going, but still great roads.


We had the opportunity to pass through small quaint little towns and more of a desert-like feel, though not the same kind of desert as Arizona or Texas. We saw many plants/trees that we never saw before and we saw some countryside that was more like we've seen of Africa on TV in the states. But knowing that the ocean was close by made it seem all the more unique...desert and ocean...hmmm. This photo was taken through the window of the car, thus the spots. This trip was shorter, only about 3 1/2 hours after stopping to pick up lunch.


We arrived about 3:00 and thanks to GPS got very close to our Bed and Breakfast, but had to call when we couldn't find the address. We were just around the corner, so it was easy to find after that. What can I say, but "I did it again." The place is awesome, almost right on the beach (just a small road separates the lodging from the beach and there is this cool tunnel cut right through the hedges leading to the beach. The place itself is beautiful. We got the downstairs rooms (but still elevated on the lot), so the view wasn't as good, but no stairs was a plus for me and my knees and Elder Kyle and the luggage toting.


The man and woman who own the place were extremely nice and took us on a tour. The room where we will have breakfast, is a sun room with glass on the walls and ceiling. It looks out on the pool and garden and is decorated very nice. There are lots of personal touches. She showed us the room and then told us to just drive up on the grass to the paved area by our room. It seemed weird to drive over the grass, but obviously she has a plan.






The room was good sized with an extra bed we didn't need, but a nice bath with a large soaker tub and separate shower. Everything was very fresh and new feeling. There was a desk for us to plug in the computer right by the windows; you could hear the waves from our room; the towels were big and fluffy; there was the herb tea we like with a water warmer, bubble bath liquid for the tub, a heater for the cold and all the other trimmings. The bed was comfortable, the goose-down pillows awesome. No complaints about this place.






This is the view from our room and there is a bench outside the glass door that you can sit on and enjoy the view and sound of the waves, which I did until it got too chilly.








We went exploring right away to see the ocean. This photo shows Elder Kyle going through the hedge to get to the ocean. It was chilly and windy, but we wanted to see what the beach was like. Luckily it was not the time of year for swimming in the ocean, because this was not an area where you could do that. The area beyond the sand was solid rock formations. We could actually walk out quite a way on the rocks.





There was all kinds of animal life on the rocks and some interesting shells...some had actual residents still in the shell.

We spent quite a bit of time just looking at all the interesting life forms on and between the rocks. When the tide is in, the rocks are covered, so it was a very interesting view of what lies beneath the ocean. At the end of this stretch of beach was a sign with all the types of shells and what the critters that occupy the shells are called. It was very interesting, because we had several of the ones mentioned.

We then walked up the road portion to see what the neighborhood was like and to see different sections of the ocean.

We had an appointment to have dinner with the public affairs person there, Brother Flowerday, so we hurried back and got ready for dinner. We were supposed to meet them at the Hemingway Mall at their food court and then decide from there which restaurant to go to. We got there and had no idea where the food court is, so we called them and they met us and took us to the area.


They are a very nice couple that grew up elsewhere...she in Australia and he in England. They both lived in England for a while and then went to South Africa, because she has parents here and they both like it. So they have been here since and are raising their children in East London. We chose to eat at Cape Town Fish Market. They had a sushi bar in the middle where people could sit and dishes of different types of sushi would revolve around them....very interesting. They said there is very little crime and it has a small town feel, so it's nice to live there.

Stephen Flowerday

Stephen is an IT professor at University of Fort Hare in East London and enjoys doing that. We talked about the problems with all the townships that are part of the church and that although the East London Stake has about 4000 members, only about 1200 attend church. We discussed the very difficult situations resulting from baptisms in the area only coming from the poor, unemployed and often single. Elders are unable to get into the homes of the 'better off' and 'established.' The result is high inactivity and low attendance resulting in low tithing and an inadequate budget.  Elder Kyle said he found himself agreeing with the seeming futility of this situation and wondering how could the missionary effort be enhanced to broaden the membership base.

{Elder Kyle said that he then read days later, Luke 14:16-24 (which reads:)}

16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

He then read 2 Nephi 9:50-52 (which reads:)

50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

 51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.

 52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice. 

He then thought, "I know that the Elders are going where the Lord wants them to go."

And I thought of the Lord's comments that the meek will inherit the earth. We will leave it in his hands.

They went on to tell us that many do not have transportation or money for transportation to get to church. There is a lot of poverty and not much education. There is basic problems of no water in the neighborhood. They have to go to a stream with a bucket to get their water. We discussed humanitarian water projects and told him to look into a partnership with the municipality if they are in a government sponsored area or a non government agency they can partner with to bring the water to the village.

It was obvious that he and his wife care deeply for these people, but no ones knows what to do about all the problems...there are so many. When we told them that we were having trouble getting in touch with the stake president...that he had not returned any of our calls or texts, Flowerday explained that for employment, the Stake President installs satellite TV dishes. He is contract labor and gets paid for the units he installs. With this money he is trying to support his wife and three children and run the Stake which has all these problems. He assured us that it was nothing personal, that he didn't return anyone's calls. You basically had to catch him at church for a few moments to talk to him. Most areas of Africa have leaders who are over-extended. It is a fact of life here and everyone is doing their best. It will take time, maybe even a generation before things will begin to run smoothly, as more men will have the priesthood and be able to share the duties.

East London Helping Hands

We also talked about Helping Hands projects in the area and it sounded like they were doing a great job in that area. The poor people do not have a problem coming out to help other people. Brother Flowerday agreed to send all projects and photos to me when they were finished, so that we might get some on the newsroom and in the Liahona.  After dinner they walked us out and it seemed like we had been friends forever. We agreed to keep in touch.