Food

I still struggle with the food.    I cook every night and have been finding some things to do with chicken.   But what made it bearable was I found some chocolate chips cookies that are pretty good.. Actually the longer we stay here the better they taste.   

Full Heart

Hi All,

My heart is overflowing with gratitude and joy.   The past 3 days have been packed full with work and blessings.   We are MLS missionaries which means that no one gives us any directions.....we thought the Mission President would assign us something specifically, but he basically said, "I don't give senior couples direction.   They must find their way.   You came with the tools you need."   Some people may love that open ended direction, but I prefer at least a general assignment (activation, organize the primary, focus on one branch, or spend time in all branches)    I also don't want to waste any time on our mission and prefer to get busy and not spend a month or 2 weeks "finding my way".   So this is a challenge.  But we have jumped in with both feet and tried some of everything and hope to be guided by the spirit.

I will start with Sunday and go backwards.    At 8:00 AM we left to pick up the elders and  drove to the branch about 30 minutes away.   We greeted everyone with big hugs.   Then I volunteered to go into Primary.   As I said, they had one portable classroom packed with 17 children on small plastic chairs sitting in rows.   The children are 2-9 years old.   I still don't know where the older children go.   I asked the lady who was teaching if she would like an assistant for the day.   She eagerly agreed and began her lesson in Zulu.  She was reading a story from the Children's Book of mORMON stories (like last Sunday);   Every once in a while she asked me what one of the words meant.   She was looking at the stories in English but telling it to the children in Zulu.   Well, the kids sat there for 30 minutes and didn't move.   Finally I asked if she would like me to sing some songs so she could have a break.   She agreed.   I led the children in: Do As I'm Doing, If you are Happy and You Know It,and  Head Shoulders Knees and Toes.   I could tell someone had taught them these songs (a previous senior missionary??) but they hadn't been singing them.   Then I tried to teach Simon Says.   They loved it but never understood the object of the game.   Then the branch presidents wife came in to teach the second block of pRIMARY.  She gave each child a mango...not cut up.   These were from her tree (this is the branch presidents where we ate dinner).   Juice was dripping down their arms and on their clothes but no one minded.  Here no one uses napkins or paper towels.   They carry a roll of toilet paper with them and roll a few pieces around their fingers and give it to guests (or primary kids) to wipe their hands.    When we were at the Branch Pres. house, he walked up to me and asked if I needed a piece of toilet paper.....I thought he meant to go use the bathroom!

The second block of Primary proceeded with another reading of the BOM stories for 15 minutes.    I saw they had a photocopied paper with the steps of prayer (it was supposed to be cut along the lines and make a flip up book).   I asked if we could use them.   I explained to the children the 4 steps of prayer and passed out the papers.   Then I discovered they had no crayons to color it and no scissors for me (or them) to cut it.   The kids promptly waded up the papers and dropped them on the floor.   They had no idea what it meant in spite of my best explanations!   Carol  Archer we need you here for Primary!!!!  Don't anyone say 2 year olds can't sit still for 45 minutes.

On to Sacrament Meeting.....Larry and I spoke.   Larry was assigned to speak on Tithing and Fast Offerings.   They only have one person paying either(now two people because we pay fast offerings here).   I could speak on anything I wanted.   I told 3 scripture stories that illustrated how we could obey Heavenly Father.   No one said a word during our talks.  Reverent.    Afterwards no one made a comment, not one word from the Branch Pres. who assigned us or branch member.   Within a few minutes all were gone.  (Did we offend, were they bored, could they understand????)

After the block Larry and I went visiting inactives with the Branch President and his wife and the RS Pres.  It was so incredibly hot.   We all piled into our car to drive all over the township.   The 3 Africans are very large people.   I sat in the back seat with the other two sisters and sat on one ladies leg because I couldn't fit anywhere.    We were so sweaty and stuck together.   The car air conditioner would just get going when we arrived at the next home.   Getting us out of the back seat was a huge ordeal at each stop.   We visited people non stop from 1:30-5:15.  The homes were humble and as hot as the car.    I will only share 2 things about the visits.    One house we went to had 10 children and a single mom.  The mom sat in the doorway on the floor, they had an old metal grocery shopping cart (like from King Soopers) filled with their stuff that was tipped over on its side and 3 people sat on that, there was a tire rim for one person and an upside down bucket for another.   Everyone else stood.  Second, I LOVED visiting these people and sharing my testimony my love for them.   It was a highlight!!!    I hope we can help them feel HF's love.

Wednesday we had a couple from the Public Relations mission stay with us.   We agreed to help them in this part of the mission.  We attended their presentation and found it to be very interesting.   It was about the Helping Hands Program.    Our branch didn't have the money to transport any of their members to help in any projects.

Thursday we fed and helped the elders.

Friday at 10 AM the missionaries arrived to type and print a baptismal program.    These young elders were no better than we were on the computer, so it took awhile.    Then mission president called and said he and his wife were in town and wanted to meet us at the Mall.   We raced over and meet briefly with them.  They are outstanding people and we love being with them.   They had a tight schedule so we only had 30 minutes with them. 

WE immediately drove 30 minutes to meet with another branch president from a branch we hope to work with.    We had been visiting 10 minutes when he mentioned a sister from his branch who was in the hospital and he was concerned about.   We said, Let's go see her.   So we picked up her 3 daughters and then we all drove to the hospital (back to near the mall).   It took 30 minutes for the hospital staff to find this patient---we were so glad the branch president was with us and could speak Zulu....we never would have located the sister.    Larry and the branch president gave her a blessing.   Larry tried saying her name again and again and again for the blessing...I think they finally just let him go on with the blessing. 

We left the hospital and raced home to get the IPAD and our lessons for FHE.   We drove out to the township to the branch presidents home.   Larry gave the lesson (the IPAD didn't work so we did the lesson without it) and I did the game.    There is no room inside their home, so we sat outside in plastic chairs .   That was great, except I needed a table to put the cards down for the game.   We were able to make the chair work.    I wanted to do a "treasure hunt" but there was only dirt, the dog kennel and the mango tree so I did another activity.   We played the game with them over and over...until 9 PM.   It was pitch black outside but we were still playing.   We had so much fun.    They are a special family.  

We stopped at the store at 9:30 PM only to realize that the stores close at 6 PM.   We were in charge of the refreshments for the branch baptism the next morn at 10 AM.

Early the next morn we picked up the cookies, drinks, cups etc. and hurried to the baptism.  Because our branch had no baptismal font , the baptism needed to be at the chapel in Richards Bay.    Larry made arrangement for the branch (32 people) to attend the baptism.   This required renting a mini bus.    The font wouldn't fill fast enough so someone rigged up a fire hose which worked for 10 minutes and broke.   Then the elders hauled buckets of water from the kitchen sink, down the hall to the font.    When they finished, there was water everywhere.    We had a lovely opening.   Then the branch president announced, "Everyone outside for pictures"   the entire branch went outside and they took pics for 20 minutes....back into the chapel for a talk on baptism in Zulu, then  the baptism,. a fabulous talk on the Holy Ghost given in both Zulu and English---for us. She spoke for 10-15 minutes on "receiving the holy ghost".   No speaker at the baptism (or Sacrament meeting) ever uses a note!    Nothing written!

Larry and I served the refreshments.    Then we all waited or 1 hour while the bus came back to pick up the branch members.   The bus refused to come back and get the members until they finished their other business (whatever that was).

WE went home and prepared our Sacrament Meeting talks.   Then I began cooking dinner.   We were hosting all 10 missionaries for dinner at 6:00 and we were having the district leaders for a meeting at 5:30.   

We had the most fabulous evening with these outstanding elders.    They ate and ate.    We were able to encourage and cheer them on.   This is a very difficult area and several elders were extremely discouraged.    I felt that everyone left buoyed up.  Missionary work is very challenging.  We need to prepare our children and grandchildren.

The elders shared stories, shared ideas, looked at our family pictures, tood so many pics of each other and goofed off!   At 9:00 they didn't want to leave and we didn't want them to leave.  

I heard an idea at the MTC that has worked so well:  I have a large candy jar in our home.   Next to it is a notebook.  I have asked each elder, whenever they come, to write a Tender Mercy they have received that day from the Lord,
(in the notebook),   then they can take a piece of candy.   At first they said they couldn't think of a tender mercy so I said, OK, but no candy.    Pretty soon they came up with things to write.   Then one elder said, If I think of 2 tender mercies, can I get 2 pieces of candy.   I said, Sure.  Now they come in and go over to the notebook and begin writing.    When we received 6 new elders on Tuesday, the "old" elders eagerly explained the concept to the incoming elders.    Last night, an elder said it made him aware of the good things that were happening that it was one of his favorite things to do!  Reading these comments from the elders is a highlight for me.

We love the gospel of Jesus Christ.   We love our Savior.   We love serving his children in South Africa.   The church is true!

Love Elder and Sister Todd

This is long!

Dear Friends,  (I sent a similiar letter to our family.)

This will probably be way too long so feel free to hit the delete key at any time.   

We love South Africa....the friendliness of the people, the sunshine, the palm trees, new plants, unusual birds and the new culture.    It is exciting, overwhleming and even disorienting...all at once.

We have been called to serve in a suburb of Richards Bay, South Africa.   Richards Bay is an industrial city and a large seaport on the Indian Ocean.   It is the hottest area in our mission---which means it is very hot.   The week before we arrived it was 110 degrees plus humidity.    Richards Bay is known for its heat and humidity and Sandy is known for being a wimp in the heat and humidity but I will adjust.   The Lord has blessed me and we have had 3 cooler days since we arrived.  Feb. is the hottest month.   We have learned that it begins to cool down in April!

We actually live a "gated community"!   True.   However, every home is gated.   Every home has a concrete or brick wall 7 feet tall surrounding the house, 18 inches of electrical wire on top of that, and a metal gate that slides open electronically (that works something like a garage door opener) to allow you and your car into the driveway.    We have a key ring with so many keys...those long, round keys that look like they open a treasure chest.    Everything has so many locks.   In Colorado I hated keys and had a key pad on our garage so I didn't have to mess with keys.    But I am learning.   We even have locks on our bedroom closet door.   We have a white wrought iron locked gate across our side garage door and a locked wooden door inside of that.   

We live in this suburb (a mixture of white (60%), black and Indian).   We live here, but we actually work with the people in 5 different townships.   Each township is 25-45 minutes away. Townships are towns or villages where most of the black people live.  They were established during Apartheid and still are prevalent today.   Most are filled with people in  poverty and need.    We don't live in the townships for safety reasons.    Our church is very concerned about our safety.    Several  years ago, 2 young sister missionaries were raped and beaten so the security is increased even more (although they even had strict rules then).    Many/most of our young missionaries have been robbed...but never hurt.   Last week they were robbed at knifepoint.

South Africa is different from Western Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, etc.).    It is more developed in the cities because of the great infrastructure developed here during Apartheid.   Also, when the blacks were given their independence they allowed the whites to stay.   So South Africa is economically better off that many other countries.    That being said, the biggest challenges in South Africa are:

POVERTY, CRIME, UNEMPLOYMENT and AIDS.    Each one of these is a HUGE problem impacting every aspect of life.   South Africa has the highest percentage of AIDS of anywhere in the world.   The needs are so great in each of these areas.

We have 3 areas of responsibility. 
 1.   We are responsible for 10 young missionaries working in this area (arranging housing for them, watching over them to make sure they are doing well physically and spiritually).   These are 18 and 19 year old men from USA, Malaysia, and Africa.    Most are away from home for the first time and are in a very foreign culture...even those from other areas of Africa.   Just think of any 18 year old young men you know!

2.   We are supervising 5 congregations in the 5 townships...training members, fellowshipping them, loving them.

3.   We are working in those 5 communities to help raise their quality of life and standard of living for everyone.      We have a program we are learning called:   Self Reliance.     Helping them become self reliant has so many components and obstacles.    We try to help them identify the best path for them to become self sufficient,   They must choose their "path".  

We have 3 ways to help them:

EDUCATION, OR FIND A JOB, OR START A SMALL BUSINESS   

 I am so impressed with these programs.    However, it is not easy for them to make any of these changes.   Culture and tradition are very formidable  obstacles.    Previous to arriving, I would have thought that education is the key to everything.   However, that is not the case.   Actually, starting a business is often the best path....but it is a hard path.    We are here to teach, train, cheerlead, help with government issues etc.   But they are to do the work.    They have classes once a week and homework each day.  

As you know, I am a tad bit impatient  so this is challenging for me to work at this very, very, very slow pace.    So I am learning as much as they are....at least I am being humbled by the Lord and hopefully I will learn.    It is as hard for me to change as for them!!!!!

We are so happy to be involved in trying to improve their lives.

A few differences:

I mentioned that unemployment is huge (less than 5 % are employed in our townships).   So we are amazed at some creative approaches to employment.    In parking lots, there are men in orange vests standing in each area.    As you pull in, they wave frantically to try to get you to come to "their" area of the parking lot.   Then they wave you into a parking spot (although there are empty spots everywhere).   Then when you come out to get into your car, they direct you on how to back out.   ( I am not a good driver but I have never had trouble backing out of a parking space in a large lot).   Then they expect a tip...which we gladly give them.    Who would have thought?:    Earn money by helping people back out of a parking spot!

The gas stations are like the good ole days in the USA.   You cannot pump your own gas....you guessed it...you tip them for pumping.

Walking into the grocery store we saw monkeys scurrying between the cars.   They were large and some had babies hanging on them!   I was mesmerized and watched for a while.    However, we have been warned that many carry rabies, so we admire from a distance. 

 Robot means traffic light,  biscuit means cookie, jelly means jello.

Again, along the lines of safety.    We are supposed to drive with our car doors locked at all times.    We keep forgetting.  Here criminals have something that they carry in their pants pocket (so you can't see)  that jams your car door locks and prevents you from locking the door---they approach the car to ask a question and rob you or carjack.    If you have the doors locked in advance, they can't open the door.  

Language:   We heard everyone speaks English...wrong.   This is Zulu land and Zulu is their first language.    Not only is the language difficult, but they use tongue clicks and unique noises.    When they do speak English, it is very hard for me to understand.    It isn't our English OR English from England/Australia.    I might understand 1 in 10 words.   This is heart breaking for me because I want to call them by name and I want to truly communicate with them.   Larry keeps telling me to be patient--that we will learn.   Of course, I want to communicate TODAY. (Patience!)

Stores:    Here everything is in a mall--that's right a mall!   Who would have guessed in Africa???   The grocery stores, electricity and ultility companies, phone companies, repair places, eating places, etc. are all in the mall.     It is for safety.    Everything is enclosed and there is security at every entrance...I have no idea how they keep it safe...the guards are not armed and look like they are 16 years old.   The mall closes at 6 PM.   Every safe place closes BEFORE dark.

Electricity:   Electricity is scarce and very expensive.    The first day we arrived at our "boarding" (place where you live) we noticed a box on the wall.   A few hours later a light was blinking.   We read the label and found out our electricity was about to run out.    We discoveredt we had to drive to the mall (15-20 minutes away) and purchase it.    We hurried and then had to wait a long time to buy it.   We came home and relaxed.    Then we noticed the light was still flashing.   We thought it might take a while to register.   But then  we noticed the numbers going down and down.    We found our land lady and she told us we had to enter the code into our box in a certain way.   We completed it just in time.  Whew!   Getting your electricity turned back on is a long process here.       They have regular blackout and we just purchased our candles and flashlights. 

TIA means THIS IS AFRICA.    We hear  TIA alot.    We struggled to get the internet for 5 days.    Larry would call and be on hold for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.   They would take the information from him and say they would transfer him to a tech.   When they transferred him, he would get cut off.    He repeted this all day.   The next day it happened again so we jumped in the car and drove to the office.    After waiting a long time, they told us to go home and call on the phone.   We explained what happened and they said TIA.  

We have a basic cell phone that calls but not a camera or smart phone, etc. It is provided by the church.     Same process as the internet. 

Sunday we went to church and listened to a mix of Zulu and English and tried our best to get the gist of what they were saying.   Afterwards we were invited to dinner by the Branch President/Pastor.    His home was very humble and would fit in our dining room.   There was no place to sit down.   But we sat outside under a mango tree...isn't that awesome.   They picked 2 mangoes and insisted we eat them right there.   So with the entire family watching (they did not eat) we ate 2 mangoes.   Then for dinner we had chicken, which I love.   I took a bite and my eyes watered...it was so spicy hot I thought I would cry.   There was no water or anything to drink.   I smiled and said it was delicious!   I am not a germophobe but even I was alarmed when we cut lettuce in the same place with the raw chicken and raw chicken juice was on everything.     These people were so humble, so loving.   What a blessing it was to be in their home.     We have a lot to learn from these wonderful people.

This is just a small sketch of our lives so far.   We feel so grateful to be here and hope we can serve them and the Lord in this part of the world.     I apologize for the essay!     I want to say so much more, but we just had a group of missionaries who arrived and Larry said I need to get busy and feed them!   I don't know what we have but I must find/make lunch.

I love you all.

Sandy

Accident Report

Elder Poelman,

Attached is the accident report I told you about on Saturday.  Attached also are the pictures you requested.

Elder Todd

Out of Africa

Greetings to All,

The past 6 days have been a roller coaster of emotions and events.  I will start with today because it was fantastic.   We picked up the missionaries assigned to the Enselini Branch and drove them 25 minutes to church.   These elders bike or walk, so the Zone Leaders need to drive them to church each Sunday, then turn around and drive back to their own branch.   We were so grateful we could help with "transport" (as they call it).  The branch was welcoming and uplifting.    The only drawback is that we cannot understand most of their English...about 1 out of 10 words.    We try to at least get the gist of the conversation but it is challenging.   This is compounded by the fact that their first language is Zulu.   We were told everyone spoke English but that hasn't turned out to be the case.   In church meetings they go back and forth between Zulu and English.   Today in Sacrament Meeting the speaker said I am going to speak in Zulu because that is my native language.    He began speaking but every 5 minutes or so he would speak a sentence or two in English...then back to Zulu.

When it was time for church to begin (RS/Priesthood), there were only 9 people there and 4 of them were the missionaries and 2 more were the Branch Pres. and his wife, so we combined RS/Priesthood meeting.   A returned missionary taught it right from the Ezra Taft Benson manual and it was powerful.     Next came Sunday School and the same man taught the Sunday School lesson also.   I went to Primary to see if I could help.    In Primary there were 18 children 8 years and under.   I couldn't tell if it was sharing time or class time.    We were in a tiny room with the Branch President's wife teaching from the Children's Book of Mormon stories.    She said to the children:  You are a Child of God.   Then she asked:    Who are you a child of?    and they replied,, God.    We did this 5 or 6 times.   Then she asked the same question in Zulu (the younger kids only speak Zulu and the older kids are learning English at school).    We all sang, I am a Child of God.    She talked about how God loved them.   We sang, The Wise Man/Foolish Man.   Then we played Musical Chairs (the music was the kids singing).    Each child ate a bag of chips for a snack and we went to Sacrament Meeting. 

We went into Sacrament Meeting and sang without any piano or CD.    A missionary elder with a great voice, started us off.   

They asked Larry and I to bear out testimonies, then there were 2 speakers (one was the same man who taught Priesthood and Sunday School!!!)

Afterwards we stacked the chairs, swept the floor,. boxed up the hymnals, Sacrament trays and sacrament tablecloths and left.    They meet in a Day Care Center for children with AIDS so they only have the building on Sunday.

Then we went to the Branch President's home for dinner.   They live in a tiny place...the entire home could fit into my living room/dining room.    I helped a little with dinner...it was awkward because I didn't know how they do things.    They asked me to make a salad and handed me a head of lettuce and a bowl....do I wash it or do they just tear it up?   how?    The tiny sink was piled high with dirty dishes. I couldn't see a faucet.  I asked if I should wash the lettuce and they said, yes.   I took out the core and tried to get the lettuce under some running water when they told me that I must wash each leaf (iceberg lettuce) one at a time and lay it in the bowl.    I tried to dry or shake off the water but it was very wet.   I am not fussy or worried about germs, but even I was taken aback when they sat the raw chicken  on the clean lettuce and the juice from the raw chicken was all over the raw veggies.   I silently prayed for the samonella germs (or whatever) to take a vacation.   We ate outside because there was no where to sit inside AND because it was cooler outside. We sat in plastic chairs under a mango tree!!!!    It was perfect although there was poverty and dirt all around us.  

The chicken was so spicy hot that I could hardly swallow and we had nothing to drink and no liquids in sight.   They gave me 2 pieces of chicken and I managed to eat them both, although my mouth was on fire.    I ate the beans and the green salad...I made a huge salad but they only gave us each 2 small pieces of lettuce (did I make way too much, did I do something wrong???)  But they gave me a huge plate of rice...I tried to eat it...but I couldn't.    They said I must eat everything...I was feeling sick.   Finally I said, I couldn't eat any more...    I said no thank you to any dessert (in advance), but they brought so much anyway.     The Branch President said he made it just for us.......I ate and ate and felt terrible.   But I said it was good.....so now they invited us over for Friday night where he is going to make it again for us..   Politely, I said, just one desser on Friday night would be great...but no deal....lots more is coming on Friday.

We stayed and visited for 4 1/2 hours.   We had a marvelous time.   They are an outstanding family.   They have only been members for 5 years.    They are filled with humility and the spirit.   We felt such love for them.    We knew they were doing everything to please us, to spoil us, to honor us.   We know they had worked so hard on the dinner etc.   Over and over they repeated that this was our home now (meaning their home).   Usually the senior couple covers 4-5 branches, but they asked us to come to their branch mainly.   We felt very,very honored.

I love these people.   I love being with them and learning about their ways.   I love seeing how they live the gospel.  A huge challenge for me is that I cannot say one person's name.    I love to call people by name.....but these names are sounds I have never hear.   Even the missionaries from Ghana say the Zulu names are very difficult.   How can I serve them if I can't call them by name?    I will have to learn them.

Friday we felt like "real missionaries".  I am in charge of the missionary boarding (apartments) so I did the cleanliness checks...won't even discuss that.   But we were able to meet all 10 missionaries we are responsible for.

Saturday night we had the elders to dinner and they announced the transfers for this week.   They arrived 1 hour late after Larry called and asked if we had the right night.  They were still at their apartment and didn't seem to be concerned about coming.  Then we did missionary work with them for 45 minutes and then we ate a reheated dinner.   We are very impressed with these zone leaders.   They were very discouraged and we did our best to "pump them up" and show lots of love.    Missionary work here seems to be very very difficult.

We have tried to make friends at the grocery store and everywhere we go.    I love that part.   In the grocery store a clerk pointed at our name tag and said "Jesus!"    I said, "Yes, we love Jesus!"

Not quite as good as news:

Monday, was the first time Larry used our debit card.    We went to the ATM and then drove 2 1/2 hours to our new home.   We stopped to eat dinner and he discovered the card was missing.     Our cell phone, given by the mission, only works 50% of the time...(our phone is a missionary phone and just calls and texts..not a smart phone.)   The phone wouldn't work.    The next day we tried to get our home internet working and "minutes" added to our phone so we could make calls.   Long story.   No internet until Saturday...phone still sporadic.   We finally got our debit card cancelled......but how will we get a new one?   Our missionary phone will not make phone calls to the USA--not even toll free numbers.  Luckily Larry had another card. 

Then we came out and discovered someone had mashed in the front side of our car.   After that we bought $200 of groceries for our small frig/freezer....but the next day the frig was hot and the food yucky.   We finally discovered that a switch on the wall that looks like a light switch, turns the frig off and on, and we had flipped the switch and turned the refrigerator off!    Then we looked at a box that looked like the electricity box and discovered it was about to run out.    We drove to the store and bought more electricity and thought all was well.   However, the meter still registered that we were in trouble.   We went and got our landlady and she showed us how we had to enter it into our own meter box.  WHEW...just in time.

Larry has been incredible in hanging in there to get the internet.    He called and waited on hold for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.   Then they asked his information and said they would transfer him.   You guessed it...they disconnected him.    He called again and the process repeated.    After one morning of this we jumped in the car and drove to the office.   After waiting 30 minutes, they told us to go home and call.   We explained what had happened and they nodded and said, "That is how it is."   Larry did this Tuesday-Friday for hours at a time.

Larry has been a great driver and it has been challenging.

I have not told you anything about Africa...but I will if you decide to read another word from me another time.  

We Are Here!!!!

I thought this message was sent days ago.   We have power outages for 4-5 hours at a time and it seemed like the message sent.   There is a schedule for the outages but they never come when scheduled.

Hello !

I have to pinch myself---we are here.    It was a very long flight with delays and extra time sitting on the tarmac but they served food which always helps.    We had mechanical difficulties after we boarded in Atlanta but after an hour they were resolved.   We left Salt Lake City at 11:00 am on Thursday (we left the Missionary training center at 7:00 am) and arrived here at 11:30 PM on Friday night.   We arrived at our room at 1:30 Saturday morning.

We had a few tender mercies to be able to make all of our connections. Our flight was late arriving in Johannesburg but we thought we were still in good shape because we had a layover of a few hours.    However, as we walked into passport control we were shocked!   There were 295 people from our plane and about that many from another plane that landed when we did.  All 600+  people rushed to passport control at the same time.     But there were only 2 people to check all those passports....and you guessed it.....those 2 people felt no need to hurry....welcome to Africa.    Our line snaked around and around this huge room and we barely moved.   Larry checked his watch every couple of minutes and let out a sigh. Just when we felt it was hopeless,  4 more passport checkers arrived and our line moved a little faster.     We hurried through the checkpoint and raced to pick up our baggage.   A black man came up and asked if he could help us and we said, "no thank you."  We felt we had everything under control now and there was a chance we could still make the flight.

 Thankfully, he did not leave us alone and finally grabbed our luggage cart.    We showed him our flight info and he started almost running with us close behind.   The airport is HUGE!    He darted in and out and we stuck with him.  We arrived at the counter to get our boarding passes to fly to Durban, and there were angry people everywhere.   There were no lines...just chaos.    He had us wait  while he went around trying to get us "priority treatment" and find out what was going on.    He came back saying that all but 2 employees had left to go home just as the planes landed (although all these people needed boarding passes).    We watched the time tick by and began trying to figure out how to let our mission president know we wouldn't be on the flight.  We did NOT have a cell phone.   Again, at the last minute our "helper" got us boarding passes.   Larry gave him a big tip and we thanked him profusely and said we could find the gate ourselves.   He insisted he stay with us.   It was a good thing because there were 2 locations going to Durban and our gate was quite a distance. We would have probably stopped at the first gate.    Our "helper" shook his head,  like we had missed the flight and he was giving up, when an announcement came over the loud speaker saying our flight boarding was delayed for 10 minutes.    We raced up just as they were boarding and we gave him another hug.     

In Durban, we were the last ones to get our bags and leave the terminal.   We couldn't see anyone waiting for us.   Then we saw a man who had to be a Mission President.   He and his wife had arrived late and thought they missed us, but their timing was perfect. 

They dropped us off at a Bed and Breakfast--Jane's.     They don't have many hotels but mostly use B and B's.     Larry feel into bed but I was too wired to sleep.   About 4 am I heard loud noises like someone fighting.   Eventually I realized it was birds fighting or talking.   I got up to type an email.   We will be picked up this morning to find out what our duties will be.

I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ.   What happiness it brings to me.    I know our Savior lives.      My heart is so full of gratitutde.

I love you.   Sorry this is so long again.  

Love you!

What did I forget?

Hi!

In the days before we left the MTC, I saw the other missionaries who were departing.   They each had  2  bulging suitcases plus 2 huge carry-ons and a purse or computer sitting out in the hallway ready to go.     When I packed to leave, one of my suitcases was only half full and the other was 3/4 full.  I didn't even need a carry-on!  Larry has 2 bags that are full but not bulging and his only carry-on is his laptop.

What am I forgetting?    I am sure it is something very important.   Probably lots of important things!

Love,

Sister Todd

Hello Friends!

Hello Friends,

We have been having incredible experiences the last 9 days in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.   There are 1,700 young missionaries 18-19 years old, and there are 83 "senior missionaries" (ages 55-80).  

We have become good friends with most of the senior missionaries during this short time.   These new friends have come from all over the U.S. and will be leaving to  serve all over the world---Utah (22 people),Las Vegas, Atlanta, Tampa, Kansas, Arkansas, Washington DC, Ukraine, Albania, Philippines, Beijing,

 and the Congo.   We are the only ones going to South Africa.

 Some will be teaching college, some will help high school age kids graduate by enrolling them in an online diploma program and helping them for the next year, some are delivering wheelchairs that have been custom made for the people in the area, some will do other humanitarian projects, etc.    We still do not know what we will be doing or where we will live.   But we will find out when we arrive.

We all eat together in a cafeteria and you can imagine the energy that comes from the 1,700 young men and women!  I kept thinking of my days doing "lunch duty" as an elementary school teacher with 60-100 students eating at one time....that was nothing! They treat the "senior missionaries"  like royalty and let us go to the head of the food line and open the doors for us, etc.  

Each day we have had classes from 8-5 with a break for lunch. After dinner we study and/or have inspirational speakers.    For the first hour each day we are taught by someone our age.   For the rest of the day we are taught by young men and women ages 23-26 who have served missions!!  They are knowledgeable, kind and very patient.   They are one of the highlights.    The first 4 days we studied Jesus Christ.   We were supposed to leave after that but my Visa had not arrived.   Larry's had arrived a month earlier......I have always been the troublemaker!!!   So we have been here a few more days that we originally planned.   

We just found out an hour ago that my Visa arrived and we fly out early tomorrow morning (Thursday).....Salt Lake City to Atlanta to Johannesburg to Durban.    We will arrive Friday night at 10:00 PM if all goes well.

We had been told not bring bring an engagement or wedding ring if it had a diamond or precious stone because theft is such a problem.  We were told to buy inexpensive wedding bands.    We had left that task until the last minute.    We ran into Walmart and went to the jewelry counter.    I asked the young clerk if I could  see the wedding bands.  As she brought one out of the case,  I kept asking how much it cost.    After she replied,  I would say, "Do you have anything cheaper?"   Finally she pulled out a band for $27 and I said, "Great".    It was a little big but they didn't have anything in my size.    She asked when we needed the band so she could order a ring my size, but I said "Now" (we were leaving for the Missionary Training Center.  ) Flippantly I said to the clerk, "Oh, that will do."   I pushed the ring toward the clerk and said, "I have to go to the bathroom, he will pay for it .  (I pointed to Larry)."   And I ran off. 

 Next, Larry said to the clerk, "Do you have something similar?"   She gave him a matching ring and he paid the total bill of $58.00.    In 5-7 minutes we were on our way.   The clerk who looked like she was in her early 20's probably thought, "That man is such a cheapskate!"   or, "How sad they are only spending 5 minutes to buy rings that they don't even care about."    We laughed as we drove away.

We are so excited to have the opportunity to serve the people of South Africa.   We feel so blessed.   We still don't know what township we will be in or what we will be doing.   

Disappointed/Blessed!

Hi All,

After our computer class this morning, Larry saw he had a message on his phone.    He immediately listened to the message.    It was from church travel and they said that there still was a problem with my visa.    He said, it didn't seem like it could be resolved soon so he suggested we contact our daughter in Kaysville (Angela) and see if we could come and stay with her for a month while they waited for the visa or found a new mission for us.    I knew Angela would welcome us and that her family would be so loving to us, but Larry and I were devastated.   We have learned so much and have such a desire to serve now!

Larry returned the call to the visa department but the person was gone.    We knelt and prayed again.    I prayed for the Lord's will to be done, but if it was his will, could my visa be approved.     Thirty minutes later, Larry checked our email and found a message saying:  MY VISA HAD BEEN APPROVED!   They will begin to make travel arraangement for us.

Such a HUGE tender mercy!   The Lord has blessed us so much.    We are filled with gratitude.    Our children just replied and said they fasted for us on Sunday that my visa would come!   I know he heard our prayers. 

Love, Sister Todd

Trying to Learn Patience

Good morning,

My visa has still not arrived, so yesterday we began new classes.    We are now being trained as an "office couple. "    Yesterday we sat in a computer room from 8:00 am until 5:15 pm with time for lunch.  For those of you who know my computer skills, you will realize this was challenging. However, like everything else at the MTC, they made it as plain and painless as possible.    Our young elders (teachers) were so patient, kind and helpful.

The church has developed a new computer program for the mission office.   It is quite comprehensive and helpful to the mission president.  

There are only 4 couples left from our original group.    Most everyone left last Friday or Saturday morning, one left yesterday at 2:30 am.      People are coming and going 24/7 at the MTC.   Yesterday 104 senior missionaries arrived.  

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and feel so lucky to be serving a mission.    The people we have met are wonderful.     I am reminded that Jesus Christ is at the head of this church every day.   I feel the spirit here so strongly.....the challenge will be to keep this spirit in the mission field.

Love,
Sister Todd

MTC is Incredible!

Happy New Year to My Dear Friends!     (This is a similar emai to another one I sent.    I am writing emails to different groups of people and may repeat myself---sorry.)

What an incredible experience we have had at the MTC!   The spirit is so strong and manifest in many ways.   I wish I could convey the love, dedication, hard work and genuine caring that is evident  everywhere from the missionaries to the teachers to the volunteers and office staff.  I am filled with awe and gratitude to be among these men and women.

   

There are 1,700 young elders and sisters and 83 senior missionaries (3 single sisters and 40 couples).   One of the highlights has been getting to know many of these people.   How interesting and varied their lives are.

We were supposed to leave Monday but my visa has not arrived.   Larry's is here but there was some problem with mine.   We are extremely disappointed but we know the Lord is aware of our situation.    Almost all the senior couples have departed for their missions...there were only 5 couples at dinner last night.    We spoke to the Director of Senior Missionaries and he  asked us to begin taking the Office Couple Training beginning Monday morning.  

Back to the beginning:  We arrived last Monday morning in a blizzard and felt blessed to arrive safely.  Angela and her kids drove us down and dropped us off.    We were met by young elders who unoladed our bags, opened the doors for us and showed us where to register.   From there we dropped off our bags in our room and went immediately to Orientation.   Everything was soooooo organized.    We didn't stop for the rest of the day except to eat.    We returned that night to unpack and study our assignment for the next day.  

Our teachers are incredible.   We begin each morning being taught by someone our age.     He is funny, direct, wise and he understands senior missionaries.   I always leave feeling uplifted.    For the rest of the morning we have Brother Herman who is 26 years old.   Our training for the entire week is Preach My Gospel----nothing else.  Even though none of the senior missionaries were called on a proselyting mission, we were all instructed our first obligation is to "Proclaim the gospel and bring people to Christ."   Back to Brother Herman, he understands the spirit and how people are converted.    I loved learning from him.     We had the following format every morning:    Direct teaching from Brother Herman, role play teaching an investigator, debrief our experience.   We repeated this again. I  dislike role playing greatly, but it was the most powerful learning tool during this week.   I felt the teaching/learning experiences here are the best in the world.    After lunch we had a 23 year old brother who taught us until dinner...more role playing.  

After dinner on Tuesday we had a devotional from Elder Antony Perkins of the Seventy.   

Saturday we went to the Mt. Timp temple (Provo Temple was closed).

Can you imagine the spirit you would feel from 1,700 full time young elders/sisters?    Well, that is what we feel here everyday.!!  There is no place like it on earth!   We feel like the luckiest couple to be a small part of this.

We are amazed at the variety of senior missionary opportunites:    Preserving historical records in Houston, digitizing books in SLC, helping young adults take online college classes in Albania, tutor failing college students at BYU Hawaii, office couple in Las Vegas, sewing costumes, and stay at home missionaries.   There is a pilot project for seniors serving full time missions and staying in their own homes---these are proselyting missionaries and we have 8 couples on this pilot project.    These seniors are all from Cedar City or St. George.   Couples don't have the stress of what to do with their homes, it saves the couple and the church money, and couples serve in a place and culture they understand.

I know this email is way too long but I want to give you just a little info about our experience here.

    I feel so blessed to have your influence in my life.   You have each been a blessing and a strength to me.   You have added to my testimony and you have added to my happiness.    I can't thank you enough for your friendship. 

The MTC is the best!    The church is true!

Love, 

Sister Sandy Todd

Can You Stand Any More?????

Hi!

We slept in this morning for the first time.....there was no breakfast served so we didn't have to hurry to be to breakfast by 7:00.

We attended church in a branch with young elders and sisters.   What a sweet experience...the branch president asked every young missionary to bear his/her testimony.   It was very spiritual.   Some are so ready and prepared.    Several were really struggling with self doubt, loneliness or culture shock.    One elder was from Johannesburg South Africa (Caucasian).    He said his world was turned upside down since he arrived in the U.S. and he didn't like the food, self flushing toilets, the language, etc.    He was trying hard to get his bearings.    Interesting.   Others had incredible testimonies of prayer and/or the restoration.

You are probably so sick of my emails.   Forgive me.    I want to share this wonderful experience with you.

Love Mom

Hello AGAIN!

You probably feel like I haven't left----but I just had to send out a short email again.

Larry and I just returned from 2 devotionals (back to back) from 5:30 -8:00 PM.    They were completely different.   I feel so filled with the spirit that I have to tell someone. 

One speaker said, You will be able to tell your children and grandchildren (mostly speaking to the young missionaries) that you participated in the exciting era of the "Hastening of the Lord's work."   The speaker said, we don't fully appreciate that we live in the times foretold by prophets for ages.    THIS IS IT!   She said, "Pinch yourselves every once in a while to remind yourself that these are exciting times for members of the church and especially for missionaries."

The MTC President spoke and really held up a high bar for everyone in the audience.   

He gave the following advice to all missionaries.   I thought this would be good for all of my grandchildren, your children, and Carol's Sunday School class:

1.  A MISSION IS HARD!   You have rejection constantly, broken promises and loneliness...just to name a few.   He said, You must push through it.   You will want to quit.  Don't.    You can make it if you rededicate yourself to more prayer, love, obedience, submitting to the Lord's will and WORK.

2.   No Regrets......don't do anything that you will regret...not even small disobedience.    He said, when he was mission president this caused much heartache even after his missionaries returned home.   

3.    Increase your testimony of Joseph Smith.   It must be strong.

4.   Learn how to bear a true testimony...and do it without fear and with confidence.

The next speaker is in charge of all media relations for the missionary department.   Just a few statistics:   

In 2014:

200,231,061 unique visitors to Mormon.org (they only counted each person once)

388,500 visitors decided to "chat"

118,254 referrals generated

He is the Gift Initiative:  33,489,505 viewers       200,000 referrals so far

Isn't the church wonderful?  I know it is true.   I am realizing more and more how much the Lord wants to bless his children......all of us.

I love the calendar the ward gave us.   I love the notes and birthdays.  LeAnn I love your thoughts.   All the days blur together so we really need a calendar to have any idea which day it is. 

I love you all.

Sister Todd

P Day

Today was our PDay.     We went to a session at the Mt Timp Temple.    It is a gorgeous, large temple and it was packed!     The Provo Temple was closed for a month for repairs and cleaning so we had to be creative to get to the temple.

We got back too late and missed lunch.    I was so starving and finally found somewhere where I could buy some candy and bought a bag of chocolate covered peanuts......they were not as good as the Costco Chocolate Almonds but they did the trick.
Larry did laundry (isn't he nice), then we went and worked out, then study, eat and study.

The "role playing" is not my favorite part, but it where I learn the most.    It is easy to think "I know how" or "I understand", but applying it is another story......humbling.   I have more and more admiration for the young missionaries and what they do.

They use the latest teaching techniques and it really does make a difference.....they teach a concept, we discuss, then we are forced to do it, then we evaluate.      We repeat this.      We have a large group activity for 1 hour, a small group activity for 2 hours, then a video or guest speaker.     They are constantly changing things which helps so much with the concentration.

The MTC is filled with such a wonderful spirit.   The volunteers, Branch President, etc. sacrifice so much for the missionary program.   The first day, the director of the senior missionary program and his wife spoke to us.      He said we can call him any hour of the day and night.      He was sincere.    Then he said, We have told our married children that they CANNOT CALL US at night.....but the missionaries can.     They are here long hours.    

We still have not heard about our visa.   We won't hear any more until Monday at noon when the mail comes.
Today there were only 4-5 senior couples at dinner.    Most everyone has left for their missions.     Many left at noon on Friday, some left Friday night and lots left this morning.     We miss them.    We have meet the most incredible senior couples.     They have had so much church experience and bear powerful testimonies.    They are kind, interesting and I can feel their spirit.
I feel so blessed to be here.   What an incredible church we belong to.   I feel the Savior guiding this missionary program.......men and women could not orchestrate this amazing program.

I love each of you.     We are fasting for each of you specifically tonight and tomorrow.   Fasting at the MTC is helpful.    They close the cafeteria at 6 pm and don't open it until Sunday at 430 or 5:00.     I need the Lord's help that comes from fasting but it is always difficult for me to go without food for 24 hours.     I know there is great power in the fast and I am asking the Lord to bless each of you as well as hurry our visa.
Love,
Mom

Update

Happy New Year!
We are so impressed with the quality of teaching here.    Our young elders (23-26 years old) have such wisdom for their age.    Not only do they have a great knowledge of the gospel, but they understand people and building relationships.    They are so supportive and encouraging.    They force us to answer our own missionary questions (not gospel questions.....but how should I answer this or what should I do in this situation).   The last 2 days we have been doing HOURS of role playing!    No one likes to do it but it is the best teaching/learning experience of all.    We role play in our small groups a lot.     We actually have to teach in front of our group.     Our teacher does everything to make people feel comfortable.     They make you debrief after each experience .......I would rather the teacher critique me but it doesn't work that way.      After we critique ourselves, our teacher makes comments also.
Yesterday, today and tomorrow we go to the TRC (Torturing Retired Couples) rooms.    We don't know the real meaning but they call it Terrifying or Torturing Senior Couples!      The MTC has arranged for volunteers from the community to come in each day.    They are supposed to be investigators but they are members now.   They each have a true story and they become thAt character.     We have to find out their story, their concerns, their questions, their interest and discover what missionary lesson would be the best.........and then teach them the gospel.    We have 45 minutes for each of these teaching experiences.    We are evaluated in a very kind way after this.  Some of the couples are very stressed with this and some are resistant.    Larry and I don't like doing it but we don't worry about it.     We know they won't kick us out if we aren't perfect so we just do it.     We have really learned a lot.     Today we were teaching a lady and Larry kept talking and teaching.    I finally turned to him and said, "I want to tell her about this part!!! "   Poor Larry, he couldn't believe I said that.

Tuesday we went from 8 am until 8 pm.     Usually that is NOT a long day.    But sitting in classes for 12 hours seems long....we had 1 hour for lunch and 1 1/2 hour for dinner......so that was great.    During those breaks we have errands to get papers signed, pick up,prescriptions, etc.

Very bad news!!!!!!!!!!      We were supposed to leave Friday, then we were to fly out Monday.     But my visa hasn't come yet so we might not leave until Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.     Everyone else leaves Friday except those who need another week of specialized training.    So it will be lonely.   We are very disappointed and Larry has been so upset. But he finally said, I can't do anything about it.

I arranged for someone to drive us to the temple in Saturday.    The Provo Temple is closed so we had to go to Mt. Time which is a ways away and no one could find out if a bus went there.

We will keep you posted
We love each of you.   Thank you for your support and prayers.     It helps us a lot.

I have been living on ice cream, French fries and cookies......way too much.   I feel like a slug.   But I found the workout Area and I have been going each night.
Love, mom