Dec in Joburg - training Cinquinis in Durban-miss zone conf-secunda-area office

Missionary Zone Conference: 

We started December in Durban training the Cinquinis and as a result we were able to attend Missionary Zone Conference with them. We met lots of Elders, had some good training and as is customary at zone conferences, had a lot of pizza and fruit. The missionaries are so fun to be with. They all have this spirit of excitement about being in Africa and teaching the Gospel. I love attending their conferences. We have some interesting one-on-one conversations with some of them.


So much happened in Johannesburg with Christmas and holiday activities and yet not a lot was happening at the Area Office. In Africa, everything pretty much stops for at least a couple of weeks, but more like a month during the Christmas and New Year's Holidays. Sean wanted us to be in the office because he and his wife were going to visit relatives in Cape Town for Christmas. I'll admit that it allowed me to figure out the financial system and took away a lot of the stress I was feeling. It gave me time to look for and write stories for newsroom and Facebook. I got caught up on all my stuff. Elder Kyle, on the other hand, was frustrated because all the stuff he needed to do involved communication with others and he could not get a hold of anyone. They were all AWOL.


There were several Christmas celebrations we were invited to. We were invited to a luncheon at Sunnyside Park Hotel for the Area Office people. There was a choir and a special story, plus really good buffet. We were invited to the MTC to hear the missionary choir and play about Christ's birth. Unfortunately, we could not go to that one. We were invited to join other Senior couples at a Christmas party and program at the Area Presidency Residence. It was very nice. We attended a dinner in the lobby of our apartment building on Christmas day. It was potluck and very delicious. Every day someone would bring over a Christmas goodie plate for us. Sometimes we would open our door to our gated patio and it would be just inside the gate. Since there are about 30 couples staying here, we had lots of treats! We have been invited to dinner by five different couples. One time we played cards afterwards. It was fun. We were invited to go to a very nice park on a Saturday and out to lunch afterwards. We went to a New Year's Eve party and had a gift exchange of white elephants that was pretty fun. We also popped balloons with new year predictions in them. Some were quite funny, like "You will get pregnant with triplets."

Of course we have also been to the temple and one time witnessed a sealing of a couple from Zimbabwe and their three-year-old son. It was a very sweet event and the little boy was really sweet. The temple worker brought him in to be sealed to his parents and he was sound asleep in her arms. They woke him up and he was really good, considering. This couple came alone and had no one there to be with them, so the temple worker came to the celestial room and asked if anyone would like to attend. He needed two witnesses. So, we all followed him and they ended up with quite a crowd of senior couples. So, they were not alone and it was a very nice ceremony. It was so touching to see their brown hands and the sealer's white hands on each other. For couples like that it is often hard to pay for transportation to come all that way to the temple. We take so much for granted in the US. It reminded me of when our children were sealed to us. We were so afraid they would bring them in and they would say something about how funny we looked or how upset they were having to be with strangers all that time, but when the matron brought them in all dressed in white, they had their arms folded and were very reverent through the whole sealing. It was wonderful. I am so glad they are sealed to us. We couldn't ask for better children.

Elder and Sister Hamilton from Africa SE Area Office

Since Sean was gone for the holidays, we also got to give the quarterly public affairs report to the Area Presidency. We met with President Renlund and Elder Hamilton, one of his counselors who is over our public affairs department.  They are member of the First Quorum of the Seventy and are called to do that for life! They are younger that we are and yet they have left their families to serve for an indefinite period of time in Africa. They have had children come back from missions, graduate from college, have babies, get married, etc. while here. What a sacrifice for their wives (both of them actually) to leave their children and not know when they will ever be back. Luckily, they have had children come and visit them, plus they get a month off each year to go back home and see their families. This photo is Elder Hamilton and his wife. He is the Area Presidency Member that we deal with the most and he and his wife are both great!

We got to Skype with our son and his fiance on Christmas and meet her family on the computer. We got to Skype with our daughter and husband on Christmas day and watch them open their presents from us. We got to see our grandchildren open the Zulu outfits that we sent them and then go and try them on. They looked so cute! It was special actually getting to see our children on Christmas. Hurrah for SKYPE! It was a simple Christmas for us...I got a new set of scriptures and Elder Kyle got some casual clothes since he didn't bring much casual stuff. Clean up was pretty easy for a change, unlike boxes and wrapping paper and presents covering every surface of our living room. Our daughter sent us some presents, but alas...the mail in the states and Joburg could not get it to us by Christmas. Now we have something to look forward to.

December was also a month for changes...new apartment (flat) in an actual five-story apartment building. It seems very institutional until you get inside our apartment and it is very spacious and nice. We leave windows open, so we can hear other tenants. We also can smell whatever they are having for dinner...mostly curry smells. They serve a lot of that here. One guy around the corner from us goes out on the fire escape and talks on the phone each night. I am usually in the office on the computer and I can hear every word he says, only I can't understand him, because it is in Arabic!



We hear children crying sometimes, birds squawking and people talking to each other as they get off the elevator. It reminds me of some of the programs on TV where people live in New York, Chicago, Boston or places like that. The good news is that all the couples live in the same building so when we are invited to something, we don't have far to go.

We also live across the street from the mall, where we go for everything, groceries, haircuts, clothing, books, restaurants, grocery stores, drugstore, hardware store, health foods, office supplies, computer and telephone supplies, movie theater, bank, etc. We walk over there, fill our 'trolley' (shopping cart) with all the stuff we buy (even take it in all the stores) and then take it out of the mall and up to the third floor apartment where we live. We don't have to get in a car or carry groceries into the house. I have to admit that it is very convenient. A lot of the couples go up on the roof of the mall each morning and walk or run laps around there for exercise. This photo is taken from the exit of our apartment building. We just walk to the crosswalk and were are there. This is how close it is to us...very convenient. Who needs a car?

Mandela passed at the beginning of December and there was quite a lot of things going on regarding his death. Newspapers were filled with stories and photos about him. People went to his home and left flowers and other tributes along his sidewalk. I was given the task of putting the First Presidency's official statement on all the Mormon Newsroom websites in Africa and on our affiliated Facebook page. People in our office were allowed to go into the devotional room and watch the televised funeral.






Three ladies from the area office finance department and a couple from our office went there to pay their respects. They said people were singing praying outside his home...quite a crowd. Johanna on the right is who I work with directly in the finance department. Everyone I work with at the Area Office is very nice.






We have devotionals every Monday at 9 am. There is a special devotional room where chairs and podium and piano are set up. Employees at the Area Office are assigned the spiritual message and prayer on a rotating basis and there is an opening hymn. It is a great way to start the week. On the rest of the days, Sean comes into our office between 8:30 and 9:00 AM and we say a group prayer with us and Sister Shupe and Sean. We take turns saying the prayer. on Tuesdays we have our group public affairs meeting with the four of us to discuss upcoming events and things we need to pay attention to that are happening in Africa.

We had a missionary couple in South Sudan that had to be evacuated, because opposing tribes were fighting there and they could hear tanks (noise rattled their windows) and mortar fire not far away. The church security was in touch with them and got them out of there. It was sad, because the members of the church there are such strong members and now we don't know when our missionaries will be back or how long the fighting will last. We do know that the Lord is watching over all of us and we can all feel it. I am more convinced than ever that He is determined to get the gospel to everyone in Africa...and they are so ready! This is one fight the opposition cannot win. We put the story of their plight on Mormon Newsroom, but the Area Presidency asked us to take it down, as they were worried about the people who are still there.

Kenya had some problems with terrorist attacks in December too, but our public affairs couple are still there going strong, everyone is safe and the work goes on.

Arriving for church at Secunda Ward Building

Also in December, we were asked to attend the Secunda Branch on Sunday. Secunda is about 1 1/2 hours away from Johannesburg, so we were a little surprised to get that assignment, but we were told that they have been asking for a Senior Couple for months. We figure the Lord has a reason for wanting us to go there. December was pretty sparse at the Secunda Ward. Many of the members were on holiday and did not show up at Church. There were nine of us the first Sunday, not counting the missionaries. They have four elders assigned to that branch. The elders bless and pass the sacrament, give talks during sacrament meeting and teach Gospel Essentials. They help with computer problems and any other issues the ward needs help with each week.

On December 15th, we attended the branch and met an older couple named Harrison. Brother Harrison told us as soon as he met us that they needed a new printer, that he could not print the reports for the Branch Presidency and theirs had not worked for some time. He then told us their PA system was terrible and they needed a new one. He said it was terrible that they could not get these things fixed. Then he turned to me and told me they really needed a computer. I agreed to check into it and he said to Elder Kyle, "See, when you want something done, go to a woman." He is a very interesting little guy. We got him a printer!

President Soko's very cute daughter

In attendance, there was only us, four elders, the Harrisons, the Fouries (both Africaans) and four black people, the Branch President and his counselor (both also black). We weren't sure what to think of their low attendance. After sacrament, they held Sunday School in the chapel taught by the missionaries. Then there was a combined meeting with the men and women also taught by the missionaries.

President Soko's very cute son

The following Sunday was the same and the Branch President let everyone go home after Sunday School. His wife operates the electric piano. No one conducts the music. His little boy is about three and quite active. His daugher is about 13 and very well behaved and sweet. They were the only children there.

Elder Pearson

In sacrament service the 22nd of December, the Elder going home (Elder Pearson) bore his testimony of how much he learned to draw closer to Jesus Christ on his mission and how he loved serving the members of the Secunda Branch. He expressed his love for them and urged them to continue to grow and serve one another in hopes that they can eventually become a stake.






Then the missionary from Nevada bore his testimony. He said that he thought he would miss Christmas at home and opening presents with his family, but he said he found out that a mission serving the Lord was the perfect way to celebrate His birth. Not only was he not sad, but he was very happy to be here.

Elder Buchanan

Elder Buchanan talked about the story of Agnes who was raising eight children in Salt Lake after the death of her husband. She was working hard to make ends meet and had sacrificed much to make the trip to Salt Lake because of their conversion to the gospel. Her daughter Isabel at age 14 was taken into a wealthy family's home to help them with their children. She worked there for three years and the family became very fond of her. The family had to move to another state and asked Agnes if they could adopt Isabel into their family and take her with them. They told her that Isabel was like a daughter to them and they would treat her as such and provide her with whatever she needed and pay for her education and find her a suitable husband when the time came. Isabel also pleaded that she be able to go, but Agnes said, "No." She was not about to trade her daughter's spirituality for wealth, as this family was not in the Church. The sacrifices of her family to come where they could worship the Gospel freely she would not trade for the worldly things this family was offering her daughter. Isabel, after she was grown and Agnes was gone, gave a talk about this and thanked her mother for teaching her what this family could not, something precious that money could never buy.

Then Elder Buchanan talked about those who leave the church because it is 'too hard' or because they don't want to spend three hours plus at church each Sunday...or give up coffee, tea, alcohol or cigarettes. He told them to think of Agnes' sacrifice to keep her children in the gospel, to teach them righteous principles and to be in the world, but not of the world and to remember Isabel's thanks to her mother in later life. She knew that her mother sacrificed everything for this and she was grateful for the gospel in her life and the kind of life she was blessed with because of her mother's decision.

Many people believe that they have been converted, but then become offended by another and stop going to church. Being converted is not just having a change of life, but a change of nature - a shift is made. Mosiah says we become as new creatures and unless we do that we can in no wise inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. When we are converted, we possess a light in our countenance that others can see.

Some people say, "I'll be happy to live the law of tithing when I receive a confirmation that it is true, but the Lord wants us to put in the effort first before he gives us a confirmation of the truth of tithing. There is no shortcut to conversion. Conversion is a quiet process - continuing effort will lead to conversion.

The elder continued with a story about himself. "I did cross country at home and didn't like it much, but I noticed when  I would see the finish line, I would pick up the pace and I became better and better and learned to like running. That's what we need to do to be converted...if we want to get to heaven, we need to pick up the pace and finish the race. I'm striving myself for pure conversion. I'm not there yet...I still have room to grow. Let us each think about what we need to do to grow and reach true conversion."

After sacrament Elder Cazier taught Sunday School. We all met in the chapel together. There were only a couple of children there and they were Branch President Soko's son and daughter again, so primary was quite small again this Sunday.

Elder Cummings from England

Elder Cummings from England (6'5") based his talk on the new year. He said that this time of year people like to think of things they've done and how to improve on those things they've not been able to do well. He said that after a year has passed and the new year begun, we should reflect over the last year and instead of thinking of things we did not do or did not do well, we need to think of our blessing the past year and how much we've gained. We need to remember those special times when we felt the spirit. He said he was very grateful for that blessing the month before he came on his mission.

He then talked about committing to be better in the new year. He quoted Alma 29:4, "I ought to harrow up in my desires the firm decree of a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire..." How can we be better? If we commit to change, Heavenly Father will respond to us. Why wait a couple more days? Let's make ourselves better now. We all know our weaknesses...Let us start now to make our weaknesses into strengths. If we commit to righteous goals and do our best, God will grant us our desires.

Branch President Soko (middle) and Counselors

The next speaker was a counselor in the Branch Presidency (on the right). This guy smiles all the time and looks very young. He is very kind to everyone. I love his smile. In his talk, he said: "Have you ever heard that people who get lost tend to walk in circles? The GPS people tracked several people that they sent on a journey to find their way to a destination. Those with the sun followed an almost perfectly straight course, but on a cloudy day they walked in circles, not following a straight course. Without fail, this always happened. President Uchtdoerf gave a talk about this recently. He said we need  two landmarks to help us reach our destination. At this time of year it is the time we cross our own path once again. We ask ourselves, "Didn't we cross this path before? Didn't we say we were going to do this the same time last year, but didn't do it?" This time, let's ask Heavenly Father for help staying on the right course and avoid crossing our own path and going in circles, never really accomplishing goals or getting to the desired destination, but always returning to the starting line to try again.

In 2Nephi 32:3 it says: 3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

How do you get tea in a cup to be clear again? Pour two liters of water into the cup until it is clear.
The first landmark is 'the word of God.' Without spiritual landmarks we go in circles. Reliable landmarks are why Nephi and his brothers were sent back to Laban to get the plates that contained the history of their people. Why is it so difficult to read the scriptures? People can read the entire newspaper in one afternoon or they can read a novel for hours at a time. Opposition from Satan keeps us from getting back on the path and causes us to walk in circles.

The second landmark is General Conference. In Alma 37: 38-47 is says:
39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to show unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness.

40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means it did show unto them marvelous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

General Conference is like our Liahona. If we pay attention, words spoken there guide us on the path we should go. It is not easy to pay attention, because Satan continues to distract. Is there not a way for us to stay on the path? If we but look, we would live forever...'Look to God and live'. In South Africa the Liahona magazine contains info that will help us stay on the path. Read the conference talks twice a year over and over again until they are ingrained in your mind and heart. The word of God is our light. Without us we are in spiritual darkness.

President Monson is a true prophet. He gives us truth piece by piece. When we continue to read talks that General Authorities have given, we need to ponder their statements and pray about what they tell us to do, so that we will stop walking in circles, looking for our destinations and will walk a straight path and find it.

"I am going to stop walking in circles. I know what I need to do: focus on scriptures, General Conference and the Liahona to increase my faith. All of us need the gospel and the landmarks that will guide us back to Jesus Christ.

Branch President Soko

Branch President Soko was the final speaker. He said he was surprised that the chapel was not full. He expected people to be back today from their holidays. He said while thinking about what he should talk about, he came across the photo of Jesus and John the Baptist. Jesus sent an example for us to be baptized, even though John said he was not worthy to baptize Him. Jesus also set an example of washing his apostles feet, even though they thought he should not be doing that. He was showing them that we should all be humble enough to serve one another, regardless of our position in life. Our main purpose on this earth will always be to serve others.

AS we sang the song, "Come Follow Me," I was reminded that we as humans always have doubts and excuses. Peter when he saw Jesus walking on water and Jesus beckoned him to walk on it too, he did it until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began having doubts and then he immediately sank into the sea. Doubt and fear cause us not to believe - doubts that we can be perfect, that we cannot succeed. He is our creator and as long as we keep our eyes on Him we can overcome fears and doubts and accomplish great things. It is only when we take our eyes off Him that our fears double and doubts creep back in. He knows us better that we do ourselves. If we come unto Him, he will show us the way and take away the fear and doubts. Let us try and emulate Christ's attributes. Pick one that you need to work on, like: faith, patience, humility, love toward your fellowman, trust in his love, keeping the commandments and continuing to do those things He expects of us. Faith brings many miracles. 

Moroni 10:7 says: 7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

And in Moroni 7:3-4 it says: 

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

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Of course the way to end my summary of December would be New Year's Eve. We really lived it up. We were invited to the Shupes flat for a NY Eve party. We were to bring gifts that nobody would want or that everyone would want  for a gift exchange (Why we did this on New Year's Eve was beyond me). We picked an old soccer ball that was dirty and worn and left in our flat. We also picked the yellow clown's wig that I got at the couples' conference in Durban. We wrapped them up very nice, so everyone would want them...tricky. 

At the party we had finger foods. We had balloons that we had to pop and read the predictions for 2014 in the balloon. They were pretty silly, for example: All senior missionaries would get a silver Porshe in 2014; All Sister missionaries would have to wear 5-inch heels in 2014; In 2014, President Monson asks all senior missionaries to extend one year.

Then one person at a time would open a new present or take the present someone else opened and they would then take a new present. The popular presents were: A wooden chicken, A wooden giraffe, a wooden cat with a bird feeder in it's arms, a Rummy Cube Game and dart guns, a book of celebrity conversion stories (which I ended up with) and Christmas candles. The worse gifts were, shoe polish, the soccer ball, hairspray and mousse (which Elder Kyle ended up with).

Sister Susan Shupe

We ended the party with each of us telling a special experience that happened in 2013. Sister Shupe told a story that happened back in California before they went on their mission. They moved to a different neighborhood and one of their neighbors was a black man who never smiled and acted quite grumpy. Sister Shupe said she tried everything to be nice to him, but he did not respond with anything other than a mean look. That summer, his 15-year-old granddaughter came to visit him. Susan said she and her husband were having all their children and their families over that night and realizing that the girl might need something to do, she invited her over to meet her grandchildren who were of a similar age...She came and seemed to have a good time, so they invited her to Church the next day. She began to take the missionary lessons and became very active in the church. When she finally got permission to be baptized, 180 people, including her grandfather were there. It reminded Sister Shupe of the scripture where Mosiah clapped for joy at the baptism of the people.

Sister Hoffman talked about the ward they attended here and how the Bishop asked her to teach Sunday School 14-15 year olds even though she told him she had never taught the youth before. Each Sunday different kids would come and go. One week they stayed for a baptism and she discovered it was a boy in her class that she thought was a member. In her class, she had asked him to pray several times and he participated in class. She just assumed he was a member. She said the same thing happened with six other teens who attended her class. She thought they all were members by the way they participated.

Sister Nielsen

Sister Nielsen said she went across the street early one Saturday morning to walk on the roof of the mall, but it was too cold up there, so she came back down into the mall and saw a guy trying to put up a huge decal on the window of  Woolworth's store. She could see that he was having difficulty and not sure how to get it up, so she asked if she could help. He seemed surprised that she would offer, but said that he would appreciate some help. She helped him for forty minutes and then had to get back. On her way back to the entrance she ran into another sister missionary who had her jogging clothes on and had decided it was too cold that day too. She asked her if she would go and help the young man trying to put decals on the window. When she told the young man that Sister Nielsen asked her to come and help, the young man told her that last night he was praying because he knew he had a hard day ahead and didn't know how he was going to accomplish what he needed to and then he came to work today and the Lord sent two angels to help him. He is now taking the missionary lessons, he quit smoking and is preparing for baptism. Sister Nielsen is currently putting together stories for the Liahona and she works in the Perpetual Education Fund Department. She is an English Professor.

This was a great way to end 2013, a year of changes, a year of joy, a year of missing family, a year of finding friends, a year of seeing beautiful places and magnificent animals, a year of understanding God's plan for us, a year of building faith, a year of miracles and blessings pouring from heaven.