Todd's On Safari

We are serving an 18 month mission in South Africa for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.    It has been the most rewarding, exhilarating, uplifting, exhausting experience. Most days we feel happy, but on a few days we have felt discouraged and wondered if we are making a difference.
Two things are certain:   First and foremost, we love our Savior, Jesus Christ, and feel privileged to share His message.   Second, we love the people of South Africa.   
 We have been serving for 10 months and I finally decided to try adding pictures to a blog.   I have been writing letters to friends and family, but have not sent many pictures.

We are really on Safari!   Can you believe it?   I can't!    We had a fabulous 2 days staying at a very nice Safari Lodge.   Our first morning our wake up call was at 5:00 AM and we departed at 5:30 AM.   They served a light breakfast at 5:15 and 15 minutes later we were on our way.   There were 2 couples, our driver/ranger and our tracker.   Our vehicle was an open air jeep.   It was cold (for me) and I was grateful I was wearing 4 layers including 2 coats....Larry had on one medium jacket.   We had only been driving 5 minutes when we spied 2 cheetahs...this was very unusual. These cheetahs were sooo close.    In a few minutes, they noticed a Nyala (glad they didn't notice us) and began their pursuit.   Just as they were about to have the Nyala for lunch, it stepped into a dense thicket and the cheetahs were kept away.   We waited for 10 minutes, and finally left with the result of the encounter unknown.   Cheetahs only hunt in the open where their speed makes them formidable.   But the Nyala was able to out maneuver the cheetah and find protection.   We are learning that Mother Nature is complex and fascinating. 

We continued on our way searching for more animals.   This game reserve has one lodge which can accommodate 20 people but there were only 6 of us today.   So ours was the only vehicle out on safari.  

After 2 hours we stopped and our guides served us a light snack, complete with table linens.   They set up the table right next to the vehicle so we can make a quick getaway if needed.   

We have fallen in love with giraffes.   They are so elegant and graceful.   This baby was less than a week old.
In Africa, most people on safari are searching for "The Big Five"--elephant, rhino, cape buffalo, lion and leopard.   These are the hardest to hunt and kill.   However, we love the giraffes, zebras and nyalas equally.  

Oops!  This pic is in the wrong place but I can't move it. ...Snack Time.

The most thrilling part of the day came next!   Our tracker was able to detect signs of elephants.   He continued following the signs with no luck.   So we stopped for this breakfast snack while he searched on foot.   He returned and we jumped back into the vehicle and headed off.   Ten minutes later, we were rewarded with an incredible experience.
We have been in Game Preserves in our own car--where you drive and search for animals on your own.   You stay on dirt (or paved) roads and do not go off-road.    But on these private safaris the guides go off road and will do anything to find the animals.   Also, they "break" the rules and go very close to the animals.   This is not recommended and is dangerous...but these places do everything to please the guests.

You can see how close they are to our vehicle for this picture.   We sat there for 20 minutes as this herd encircled us and came very, very close.   One elephant lifted his trunk and put it less than a foot from my shoulder.   The other woman on our tour was terrified because she is very familiar with elephants.   She begged for us to leave. She shared a recent story where an elephant picked up a vehicle and rolled it.   And another story where an elephant picked up a man and tossed him, killing him.    But I was so grateful that our guide continued to sit there.   The animals seemed so gentle (maybe that is what every person feels just before the elephant charges!!) 

One of the few watering holes.   The river and other watering holes have dried up during the drought.

We were back to our rooms by 9:30.   Look what was waiting for us---a tame warthog.  She was abandoned at the lodge as a baby and the owners have raised her.    Warthogs disappear so fast and we couldn't get any pictures.   So this was a great surprise to have one stand still for a pic.

 Elder Todd recuperating from a huge breakfast.   This is on the deck of our bedroom. 

One of my favorite memories of this safari was watching elephants play in the river just beneath our deck!   Incredible!

 Or watching the Nyala just a few feet from our deck. Aren't they beautiful?

At 3:30 we were served High Tea....very fancy food which Elder Todd loved.   By 4:15 we were back on the road looking for more wildlife.   This evening drive wasn't as successful.   But we did manage to see a herd of Cape Buffalo.   They are known for being mean, and even the lions do not bother them..unless it is sick or a baby

Doesn't he look harmless?

Completely dry riverbed.

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This baby giraffe nursing was touching.

About 8 PM we saw a tree decorated with twinkle lights.   We pulled up and we noticed candles all along the ground.  It was very romantic.  We stopped for "drinks" here.    They had every thing imaginable except non-alcoholic beverages.   However, at this point they learned our standards and never forgot to provide sparkling juices for us.

As we climbed out of our jeep at the lodge, there was someone to greet us with hot towels to wash our face and hands.   We walked into the dining room and found a formal dinner setting.    The food I could not pronounce or recognize.   There were so many courses that I can't remember what was served.

Another surprise awaited us....as we walked into our room which we expected to be pitch black---there were candles flickering.   On a table there was chocolate fondu, strawberries and marshmallows---now that is my kind of dinner!I licked the pot clean.   Boy, were we being pampered!

The next morning they called us at 4:30 AM so we could get an earlier start.  Everyone wanted to see lions or leopards and they had eluded us.   We grabbed a quick bite, jumped in the jeep and began searching.   The tracker tried everything...no lions.   No animals---- except a snake.   Our tracker was terrified and stayed away,  but our ranger was expert at capturing and handling snakes.  He caught and held the python.   I could not believe how strong it was as it wrapped around our ranger's arm.   He had me feel the snake as it wrapped so tightly.   Then he opened the snakes mouth with a stick and we viewed a mouthful of very sharp teeth on top and bottom.  I thought they strangled their prey to death??   Our Taylor grandchildren raised a python in their basement (next to our guest room) and I had no idea it had razor sharp teeth.   Yikes!

For 2 1/2 hours we searched in vain for the lions.   Everyone watched and stayed alert for any sign of movement.     Finally, the tracker found them!!!   Four lions--3 female and 1 male.  They were lounging and relaxing in the sun.   They looked absolutely harmless.   Our ranger parked a little ways away!  But gradually he moved the jeep until we were only 15 feet away.     He told us to remain sitting and we would be fine, but if we stood up, we were in trouble.   We stayed sitting and watched for 20 minutes.   They did get up and walk around, they played with each other, they nuzzled each other but they were lazy.   We learned they hunt in the early morning and late evening.   During the day, they sleep and rest.   It was hard to believe they could easily tear us to shreds.  God's creations are amazing.

King of the Jungle????

Our "home" for 2 days.   It looks humble, but looks can be deceiving.     We were at Amakosi for just under 48 hours but we experienced so much. 

 We went on 2 morning drives, 2 night drives, had so much food, made friends with people from England and South Africa, and fell in love with Africa AGAIN.   It was a 3 hour drive back home and we were serving a meal for our elders.  Luckily, they agreed to pizza instead of our usual home cooking.  We stopped and picked up the pizza on the way home, and arrived just as the elders were pulling up to our gate!  Whew!

As a farewell gift to me, just as we were pulling out of the Game Reserve, this elephant came strolling out.   Elder Todd was nervous about getting home in time to fed the elders, but he humored me and stopped and we watched this elephant strip the bark off the tree, pull down branches and rip off vines with no effort at all.   Actually, Elder Todd could not leave because this huge animal blocked the road....and took his time to move away.

Even though I have shared this unforgettable adventure, our experiences sharing the gospel are also unforgettable.   Most of our time is spent with the African people...and that is how we want it to be.   The friendships we have made and the testimonies we have shared bring such joy to us.

Elder and Sister Todd
Mom and Dad
Grandma and Grandpa