11 Days in Paradise

AMAZING CONTINENT....BEYOND SOUTH AFRICA

Our alarm rang at 5:00 a.m. the next morning, and we began our 11 day adventure.   Instead of heading straight home to the USA, we opted to travel to other countries.   First, we flew to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.   Breath taking scenery!   Our photos are very blah compared to the real life version.   We spent 2 hours walking along the falls with our guide, and stopped at all 16 viewpoints.   We also took a 12 minute helicopter ride which gave an entirely different view of the falls. The falls are so long, that it is hard to view the entire area at once.    We have seen Niagra Falls, but that paled in comparison.  The falls were so fierce that we were literally soaked to the skin from the spray, even though we were wearing raincoats.  A rainbow completed this spectacular sight.

View from the air.

There was a complete double rainbow.  Awesome!

Completely drenched to the skin despite our rain gear.

We were able to go on an elephant safari!   So fun!

The fabric they tied over our clothes didn't really help us to look "native" for the  evening program.

Things are very expensive in Zimbabwe and tourists are everywhere, so it was puzzling about the extreme hunger and poverty.    We learned that the government takes the tourist dollars to keep the country functioning.   Tourist money is what keeps Zimbabwe's government in business but very little goes to the people.  

We had planned to get cash from the ATM machines while in Victoria Falls.    However, often there was NO currency available.   The banks, cash machines and government literally had NO currency.   If there was currency in the bank, there was a withdrawal limit of $150 per week!  Not much.

People are humble and very friendly.  Crime rate is low.  The beauty is inspiring.

VICTORIA FALLS was a dream vacation, but I felt "flat" all during the first day.   For a long time, I could not figure out what was wrong with me.   I finally realized that although we love to travel, maybe missionary work makes us happier than traveling.   I longed to be back with our African saints.   It took awhile for us to adjust to leaving our mission.

Botswana

Two days later, we headed for Botswana with our guide.    We booked our tour online and gave our preferences for what we wanted to do.   The price was right so we accepted, but we had no idea we would be the only ones in the tour group!   Andrew made all our arrangements, transported us, guided us through border crossings and shared his incredible knowledge with us!!!   He was from Zimbabwe and we learned first hand about life in that country---starvation, deprivation, corruption in the government, and every adult and child hustling to make a "dime".  Every morning they wake up and struggle to earn money or find food for that day in Zim.   

CHOBE NATIONAL PARK

We were fully in the swing of sightseeing when we arrived here.   Two land safaris and one boat safari left us in awe.  We saw 2 prides of lions, giraffes, warthogs, dozen of birds, amazing waterfowl, crocs, cape buffalo, zebras and a sable (we had never seen one before).      

Rarely seen Sable.

Looks harmless-but looks are deceiving

Looks almost human!

We love to see monkeys with their babies.

King of the jungle. 

We saw herds of Cape Buffalo.   They are very fierce.

The female lioness are the best hunters...they are much faster than the males.

Isn't he magnificent?   He strolled right in front of our jeep.   Our guide knew the habits of the animals so well.  He was able to predict where the lions would go to hunt.  Off he drove and to another location.   For the new hour and a half, we tracked this pride.   What an adventure.

But our favorite was our boat safari (in a small 6 person boat).   Eventually, our guide pushed the boat into tall reeds and onto the shore of the island.  We were so very close, but our guide was ready to push off at any time in the event the elephants became agitated or charged.   Here we sat for 1 hour and watched a large herd of elephants.   They pulled up tall grass, washed the grass in the river, shook out the sand and excess water and ate it.   If there was any sand or dirt left in the grass, the elephants spit it out or re-washed it.   Elephants are social and also travel in families.   We watched them push each other, play tug of war, fight, nurse their babies, and drink gallons of water.   These elephants were on an island in the middle of the river during this time.  The sun began to set and our guide said we might be lucky enough to see the herd swim the river to the main land.   We waited, and sure enough, the leader began to guide the entire herd into the water and across th river.   Majestic!   Breathtaking!   A gorgeous African sunset as the backdrop for viewing the elephant "migration".   

We are sitting in the front of our small boat in this pic.   Look how close the elephants are!

This was the first time we had seen elephants in a river because South Africa is in a severe drought and many rivers are completely dry.    Our guide explained how they pull up the grass with their trunks, then shake them vigorously to get rid of the dirt.  If there is dirt or sand on the grass, it ruins their teeth and grinds them down faster.   Each elephant grows 6 sets of teeth--and no more.   If they wear out their teeth too quickly, they will be unable to eat.

Heading home for the night.

ELEPHANT SANDS

We thought nothing could compare to Chobe, but we were wrong.   At Elephant Sands we stayed in a tent (very nice tent with a great bed and bathroom) very close to a watering hole.    This watering hole is in the middle of the desert and it was the dry season so the animals travel long distances to drink.   Luckily, we sat in camp chairs on a concrete patio about the size of a large bedroom. Just 15 feet away (or less) was the watering hole.   As we sat there, between 10-20 elephants arrived to play.   We continued our fascination with the elephants and learned even more from our guide.  As the sun set, they served us a buffet dinner of traditional african food (there were people from 18 tents and some camping trailers).   When it became completely dark we continued to watch as elephants came and left.   Finally, it was time for bed and we headed back to our tent.   Our guide whispered, "Watch for elephants."   We laughed, but as we were finding our way in the pitch dark, we heard a noise.    I turned and saw a HUGE elephant right behind us.   I yelled, and we both began to run for our tent.    We had been warned so often about how dangerous and unpredictable these animals are.   As we were running, I yelled, "Remember, we are NOT supposed to run from them."   But neither one of us stopped running until we were inside our tent!   It was quite a scare.

  

Differences

Safaris in Botswana and Zimbabwe were different than South Africa.    In South Africa we might see 2-8 elephants or Cape Buffalo or zebras.     In these areas we saw 50-150 at a time!   Another major difference is how the countries manage their game parks or preserves.   In South Africa the parks are all fenced.   They are HUGE and contain thousands of animals but there is a fence around the perimeter. 

However, in Botswana and Zimbabwe, there are no fences.   The entire country is the game park.   There are no fences.   They allow the towns and villages to be built inside the game preserve.   We saw zebras and wart hogs wandering the streets a block from our hotel.   Animals have first priority in all matters.   Humans are guests.  

OKAVANGO DELTA

On our drive to the Delta we saw ostriches on the roadside.

Our last stop in Botswana was at the Delta.   The rains had begun and the delta was flooded.   We were able to ride in a traditional dugout canoe.   Our "poler" was a young African woman who stood and pushed the canoe with a long pole for an hour until we reached an island.   We then did a 3 hour walking safari.    These local people have developed a way for their village of 500 people to survive economically.   They take tourists through the delta in the same canoes their ancestors have used for 100 years so we could view crocs and hippos. We were so happy to be a part of this and to help support their efforts to be self-reliant. 

 On a side note, when our group of about 20 people arrived, someone asked for a bathroom.   A man said, "Follow me." and we did.   We arrived at a very primitive porta-potty but it was padlocked shut.  The man yelled, "This is supposed to be opened for 20 minutes for the tourists.   She did not do her job!"   There was shouting, and eventually a lady arried with the key and unlocked the door for us.   No toilet paper.    No one in the village was allowed to use this "first-class bathroom."

Our traditional canoe with our"poler" who took us all over the delta.   The canoe edge is barely above the water  when we are moving.

Baobab Tree is common in Botswana.   You can tell how large the tree is by looking at our van parked  nearby.   The trees are very unique looking.  

CAPETOWN

Andrew drove us to Maun the next day and we flew to Cape Town, South Africa.  We had spent 8 days together and we had learned so much about the people, culture and sights of Africa.    Cape Town was completely different from the Durban area or anyplace we had visited.  

Cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain.

Table Mountain is the Number 1 tourist attraction and we understand why.  The view was breath taking from every vantage point.   There are many trails and viewpoints on top.

View from the top.

We also did a harbor tour.

Seal sunbathing.

Look at Table Mountain in the background.   You can see that it resembles a table.  

Always entertainment in the harbor area.

Here We Come

We couldn't believe it when it was time to head home.   Where had the time gone?   We flew back to Durban and picked up our suitcases we had left behind.  The next morning we flew to Johannesburg, then to Atlanta and finally to Denver.   It was so exciting to see many of our family there to greet us with posters and screams.   Stephanie and Dave and their 4 children (including Charlotte, our new granddaughter) , and Angela and 4 of her children gave us hugs and kisses!   It was the best welcome!   The chatter was deafening as we all tried to talk and to listen.  There truly is "No place like home."   We felt such love and comfort as we looked at our family.  It was a perfect ending to an incredible mission.     Our children had planned a family reunion in Winter Park for August 6-17.   So we were thrilled that we would soon see our entire family!!

Thanks

Thank you for letting us share our mission and travels with you.   Great experiences are always better when they are shared.  We appreciate your love and support.

With much love,

Sandy and Larry

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

Although we have returned from our mission, I would like to share a few things from our last week in South Africa.   We were so "swamped", I did not take time to blog.   It was such a bitter/sweet week.  We were anxious to get home to to our wonderful family and 2 new grand babies!  Yet, these people had become our "African family" and were so dear to us.  In addition to being so busy, I could not face trying to express our feelings about our experiences in Africa in writing.

(Because this will be long, I will blog ONE more time at the end of the week talking about our 11 days of sightseeing in Africa after our mission was over. ) 

"All Good Things Must Come To An End"

As I reflect on the last 18 months, I do not think this saying is true.   Many things will last forever---our feelings for Africa, our testimony of Jesus Christ, our love for the people, our appreciation for the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it helps ALL PEOPLE in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.

We do not feel our mission was a sacrifice.  We were blessed beyond measure .  We will never be able to thank the Lord enough for allowing us to serve him in South Africa.

Miss or Not Miss

*We will miss $6.00 car washes which include hand washing on the exterior of the car.  Trunk cleaned, tires scoured, interior vacuuming, carpets scrubbed, dash board polished, windows cleaned on the inside and outside.    This takes a team of young men about 1 hour or more!  Quite a Deal.

*We have not pumped any gas for 18 months! When you pull into a gas station the attendant washes your windshield, checks your fluids and pumps your gas---for a 50 cent tip---even if it is 105 degrees outside.   

*Breathtaking experiences with animals will be missed.  

*Opportunities to serve the Zulu people will be missed.

*We will miss wearing our name tags.   What a privledge it was to wear the name of Jesus Christ on our chest every single day.  Our name tags opened so many doors for us!  Taking off our name tags was one of the hardest things we did.

*We will NOT miss driving in South Africa.   Each time we climbed inside the car, it was stressful.  Driving on the left hand side was challenging at first, but eventually became second nature to Larry.   Crazy drivers never got easier.   The traffic rules are just suggestions in South Africa.   We never saw a traffic policeman stop anyone for any reason.   Having cars pass on your right side and your left side at the same time on a 2 lane road was unsettling.  People randomly slamming on their brakes and completely stopping, taxis and buses stopping to unload passengers without notice in the middle of an intersection, cars and trucks driving with no lights at night, etc.  

Interestingly, we have been home since July 9th, and already the thoughts and emotions have begun to fade as we step back into our life in the USA.   I will not be able to convey fully, the daily goodbyes and celebrations that continued in our behalf.    Because I did not write sooner, the thoughtful acts have become blurred.    But I will give a brief recap of what I remember.

Countdown to Departure

We had not scheduled anything the last week of our mission so we could clean, sort, cancel utilities and pack, etc.  We were "patting ourselves on the back" for allowing time to close up our house.   Well, we DEFINITELY congratulated ourselves too soon!!

Although these appointments during the last week might seem mundane and maybe just "busyness", looking back we know we were guided by the hand of the Lord.   

During the week,  we felt impressions from the Lord during each visit.   We could feel the Lord's love for each individual and felt the Lord sending a unique message to each one.   I typed those simple messages in italics.  

Monday, we drove to Enseleni to have our last Family Home Evening with the Alvana family.   I hurried and made some "treats" for us to eat and packed up any food from our frig that we would not be able too use.    The Alvanas were the first family to welcome us and we have spent so many hot evenings together under their mango tree.   After our lesson, they served us dinner and then we taught them a new game called, "Seven Up" (but not the game from school where you put your hands down on the desk).   We laughed so hard.   Fo the last 2 hours, "we walked down memory lane" recalling so many events from the past 18 months.   When we left at 10:30 pm (they used to go to bed early until we started to visit them), we were shocked at how late it was.  During the evening, we took the opportunity to challenge Mesllissah and Shaga (their teenage children) to continue to do well in school.  We discussed the importance of college and how they might achieve that goal.   They listened and they began planning.   Education is a vital key to their future which we discuss often, but tonight they were eager and receptive.

The orange crate in the middle serves as the table for everything---playing games (rolling the dice, laying down UNO cards,etc.), serving drinks (they set a large tray with all of the glasses), serving dessert, holding the flashlights on dark nights and much more.  Under this mango tree is where everything is done!!!

Tuesday, Praise and Nondumiso asked us to drive up to Empangeni and tell them goodbye. When we arrived, they announced they were taking us to dinner.   Praise does not have ANY money so we insisted that we would rather "just visit".    However, they were determined to treat us to dinner.   We found a cafe and visited for 3 1/2 hours.   Praise is about 21 and Nodumiso is about 26 years old.   They presented me with a beautiful beaded Zulu necklace and shared their love for us!   

I shared with them more ways to work with the young women in the Richards Bay District.  (I know it was crazy to be training until the last possible minute!)   We both felt impressed to share some thoughts with them.   Larry counseled them about "waiting for the right young man to marry".   So many of the young women have such low standards for a marriage partner. Women receive so little respect.  We expressed our admiration for them.   What choice women they are....we pray for the Lord to send them a righteous man to marry.  

Wednesday we attended our last District Training Meeting taught by the missionaries from 11-1:00.   We will miss their spiritual trainings that they prepare for all of the elders (and us) each week.   It is humbling to be taught by these 19-20 year old young men about developing the attributes of Jesus Christ, understanding the teachings of our Savior, serving others and sharing the gospel.   After the training, we bought pizza and served lunch for the last time.   

Richards Bay elders (with stuffed animal they found in the building).

At 5:00 we drove to Ngwelesane to visit Samkelo Moloi and his grandfather.   They are both struggling and we shared our love and encouragement. We read scriptures together and there was a wonderful feeling.
 At 7:00 pm we drove to President and Sister Gezane's home for dinner.   Again, we were given beautiful Zulu jewelry.  We shared a very simple assignment with them and they readily accepted.   When we feel into bed, it was very late......and we had not done any packing or cleaning so far.    

Gezane Family

Thursday, we went to workout for the last time. I took a Book of Mormon to each of the ladies I have become friends with.   Next, we hurried to get haircuts and then went grocery shopping.   How can I be shopping for food when we are leaving in 2 days?!   I guess because we needed something to eat!   At noon, we took Louise, our landlady, to lunch at her favorite place.   We spent a few hours so she could show us some of her favorite places in the area.  She was so happy to have someone to listen to her talk about her husband and the places they went before he passed away.     We have developed a very close relationship with Louise, and we hate to leave her alone.....there will not be another senior couple to take our place until September or October.

Louise Nels, our landlady and passionate Afrikaner .

At 3:50 we were on the road to Enseleni for our final goodbyes.   We had printed out pictures we had taken at baptisms, and put them in frames to give to give to several youth.   We delivered the photos along with candy bars (a must!).  Next we stopped at President Chiliza's home to say goodbye to the 12 children/grandchildren that live with him.  We asked all the grandchildren to sing hymns for us.   They loved it.   Then we made our final goodbye to the precious Alvana family.  So hard!   Sister Alvana called us so many times until our plane finally left South Africa---that is a big sacrifice, because people are very frugal with their "air time" (cell phone minutes).  

Friday at 10:00, we arrived at Freddy and Asha's home for my cooking lesson.   We had eaten Biryani (how do you spell it??) so many times at their house.   I asked Asha to teach me cook an Indian dish.   She was thrilled to spend the morning showing me how to cook this Indian dish (with many spices I have never heard of). She could hardly wait to tell her friends she gave an American cooking lessons.  Inspite of my lesson, I don't think I will ever be a fabulous Indian cook!  This couple has treated us like family members.   Asha is not a member of our church, but we are dear friends.     These farewells are each heart breaking.

Learning to make an Indian dish from Asha.

At 2:00 we headed for the mall to buy the missionaries a vacuum cleaner.    They have no carpet, but felt they could clean their apartment better.  At 3:00 we arrived at President duPlooy's home.    We wanted to share our concerns and dreams for the members of the Richards Bay district with him.   He did want to know our ideas, but was seriously disappointed that I had not brought any brownies or cake...big mistake.   It was on my list but we ran out of time.

We realized we needed to cancel our phone and internet service, and hurried back to the mall.    We were informed we had to give them 30 days notice or they would not cancel it. We asked if they could cancel by "flipping a switch" at the office.   They said, "Yes."   But they needed 30 days to put us in the schedule!

TO-DO LIST OR "PEOPLE"

Saturday morning we awoke in a panic---packing not started, cleaning and sorting was still incomplete.  However, I felt like the Lord had guided us all week.  We realized that we had spent all our time with people---not completing "tasks".  HOWEVER, Larry reminded me that we would be up most of the night because of our choices.   We began working in a frenzy.    In the afternoon, I calmly asked if we had time to go and buy me a Zulu skirt.   It is something I had planned to do for months, but had never gotten around to it.   Surprisingly (considering the work we still needed to do) he said, "Let's go."  

ANOTHER TENDER MERCY

We drove to a Zulu market that we had never been to before.   We found a stall with the skirts and purchased on.   The area was packed with customers/vendors but I thought I heard my name being called.   I turned to look and saw Nobuthle running towards us.  She gave us the biggest embrace and greeting.   She was a member of our congregation, but moved suddenly and we had no idea where she went.    She told us she was married and living in another area and was lonely.   We met her husband and invited them both to come to church.  Her husband had not wanted her to attend any church, and husbands have complete control over such things here.   We explained to him why she wanted to come to church and the blessings it would bring to their marriage.   We stood in the market and visited for quite awhile.   

As we left, I knew that the Lord loved Nobuthle and guided us to go to the market at exactly that time so we could meet her and show her love and attention.     She told us that they just "happened" to walk this way to the taxi.  This experience,  "MADE MY DAY".

We hurried back to work and at 9 pm, I began baking brownies.   I was determined to deliver them to President duPlooy before we left (which I did the next morning).  Larry felt  I was crazy, but he continued to pack as I baked.

Sunday morning, we picked up Freddy and drove to church in Richards Bay Branch.   After our meetings, we drove home, put our suitcases in the car, and tearfully drove off for the last time.    

About 4 p.m. we arrived at the Mission Home.   That evening, President and Sister Zachrison honored us and 5 other missionaries who were going home the next day.   We had a yummy dinner and a testimony meeting.  There was so much laughter and tears.   The powerful testimonies of these young elders were amazing.  These young men were returning to Uganda, Johannesburg and the United States.  

Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the last 18 months.  Where did the time go???   In a week I will post the pictures of our 11 day trip after our mission was completed.

Love,
Elder and Sister Todd
Mom and Dad
Larry and Sandy

OUR CUP RUNNETH....... 

"Our cup runneth over" is the only way to explain our feelings.    Some days my heart is bursting with joy and gratitude.  Joy is different than happiness and we have experienced both in South Africa.   The experiences we are having, would never happen in any other place, than on a mission.   We wake up every day grateful for another day to share our love of our Savior Jesus Christ and his mission.  Sharing the "Plan of Salvation" with the people of South Africa is like eating a brownie sundae with extra ice cream and hot fudge.   We have been able to do this day in and day out!   It has been a fabulous experience and we will be eternally grateful.

OVERWHELMED
Because I have not posted anything for 3 weeks, I feel overwhelmed as I try to decide where to begin.   I think I might begin at the end, instead of the beginning.  .   Every night we are working late, each day is packed full as we try to share our love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone possible.  I have lists on the desk, the kitchen table, my nightstand and on our calendar, noting  the special people that we need to visit before leaving.  

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

Esakhewini Branch invited us to a party in our honor on Friday night.   When we were 5 minutes away from the church, my phone rang and Namhla asked how far away we were.   I told her we were almost there.   She replied, "Well, don't hurry.   We are still fetching the key to get into the church!"   We almost died laughing.   It was such a fitting African farewell to arrive and find the building locked and no way to get in!   We did stop to visit a man who is not attending church but he was not home, so we headed over to the party to help them get ready.  

After the party, we drove away  humbled and grateful for these wonderful people.  They might not start on time, but the love they showed us surpassed anything we could imagine!  On the drive home, both of us were silent as we reflected on the evening.  

Four speakers paid tribute to us with such tender thoughts.  Next,  we were asked to speak but we could hardly say a thing after their generous remarks.   We sang hymns followed by a full dinner complete with a beautiful cake.   Dessert is not usually part of their dinners, but this was a special gift to us.   Last came the gifts.   Oh, the generosity and heartfelt appreciation they showered us with!.  Afterwards they still had a long walk home in the dark.   Most events here end while there is still time to get home before dark, but they stayed and stayed.   How could we be so blessed?

Notice my Zulu hat and necklace--gifts from these wonderful people along with much more!     You can't see the Zulu vest very well that they gave Elder Todd.

Our wonderful friends from Esikhaweni.

We love this quote from Jeffery R. Holland that they printed on the program for the evening:

Keep loving.  Keep trying.   Keep trusting.

Keep growing.

Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever. 

 

Early the next morning, we headed to Ngwelesane.   We knew something was up, but we were not sure what.  We picked up Praise and her mother and they directed us to President Zulu's home.   We found a dozen people already there, but people continued to arrive for the next hour and half.  Praise took me into the bedroom and dressed me in an African dress, jewelry and headdress!   Then she gave Elder Todd his shirt and bracelet.  She instructed us what to say (Zulu greeting) as we entered the room with the guests, and how we should act.   Elder Todd and I went "all out" and got into the Zulu spirit and whooped and chanted!   So fun.   They loved it.  We ate lunch and shared testimonies.   

Praise is turning 21 years old, just returned from a mission to Ghana, and organized the entire party herself!   She said to us, "I learned how to serve others and show thanks on my mission, and I wanted to do that for you."   Again, we were humbled by their love. 

Our Zulu entrance into the party!

My hat and dress, and Elder Todd's shirt are gifts from our friends in Ngwelesane.  The hat is called Inhloko, the dress is Isishweshwe and the necklace is umgexo.

Surrounded by friends!

Sunday the parties continued at the Enselini Branch, but this time we were the hosts.     We brought cones and ice cream for everyone,   We had 75 cones and so much ice cream!!!   They would eat the ice cream and half of the cone and bring the half eaten cone for an ice cream refill.  Some came back for 3-4 refills.      Elder Todd did all the scooping and they loved him!   

We both spoke in Sacrament meeting and I taught my last youth lesson.   These youth mean so much to us.   We pray they will remember and act upon the things they have been taught and know to be true.  

SEE YOU IN THE TEMPLE

Saturday, June 4th, we held our last District Young Women Activity.   The girls, ages 12-19, came from all 5 townships for a day of inspiration, role playing, uplifting videos and lunch.   We asked 2 of the girls to speak and share their thoughts on "Why it is important to keep yourself pure." and ""How can I prepare to attend the temple."  These young women spoke from their hearts with complete honesty and no "polish".  It was a blessing to be able to hear them.   Because I knew I would be busy with the program, I explained what I had planned for lunch and asked 2 African women in their early twenties, to set it up and have everything ready.  I couldn't believe my eyes....it was better than I would have done.   It is beginning to feel like they don't need us anymore....bitter and sweet.  

Lunch time!

They are "supposed" to be working in small groups to come up with solutions to a problem.  I tried to snap a picture, but if an African sees a camera, they immediately stop what they are doing and "pose." 

We gave each young women a beautiful mirror with the words:  See Yourself in the Temple and a picture of the future Durban South Africa temple.  We hope they each time they look in the mirror, they will keep themselves worthy to go to the temple.   They were so thrilled with this gift.

Some of our young women with their mirrors. 

TIME FOR A TUNEUP

It was time for our Toyota's regular 45,000 Kilometer service.   Elder Todd has "learned the system" for auto appointments and called 2 weeks ahead to make an appointment.   An appointment means:   He left at 5:45 a.m. and drove 40 minutes to the dealership.  When he arrived he was number 4 in line.   He sat at the dealership and waited until they finished with the car at 1:30 and he was home at 2:20 p.m!  An appointment means you are allowed to come and wait.   Without an appointment, you are not able to get in the lineup.   Luckily we did not have anything major or it takes days and days.  Fortunately, Elder Todd is willing to do this alone!    I was able to stay home and work on other things.  

SLEEPING POLICEMEN

Rarely have we seen a traffic policeman in South Africa.  There are 2 kinds of police:   traffic and crime.   Each is specialized and only functions in their own area.  So a crime policeman cannot stop anyone for traffic violations no matter how flagrant or dangerous.      However, the speed is controlled by speed bumps or what they call Sleeping Policemen.   These bumps come in 3 sizes and all are effective.   But the largest bumps  force even the most aggressive drive to almost come to a complete stop.   On major roads these bumps are so close together and keep you crawling at a slow speed.   These are a challenge for Elder Todd because on major roads, a driver must continually come to these stops.   Cars creep along for long stretches.  One road had many deaths per year until they put these speed bumps the entire length of the road.  

ENVIRONMENTALIST

Dung beetles play an important role in removing poop that is everywhere in the game parks.   When you have hundreds of enormous animals, they leave a mess behind.   These beetles are protected and our safari driver spied one in the road and went out of his way to avoid hurting it.   They carry dung larger than themselves, great distances and bury it!

Vehicles strictly obey this sign no matter how inconvenient.

Look at that chunk of dung the beetle is carrying. 

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Two hours away is an amazing place that allows elephant interaction.   When I learned of it, I knew I needed to go   Elder Todd wasn't quite sold on it, but agreed to go.   Afterwards, we both agreed it was an incredible experience.   It is hard to comprehend how large and powerful these animals are.   There were 3 elephants and we were able to spend about 10 minutes with each one.   Our favorite was Rambo.

This was even more fun than it looks.   We were able to feel the heartbeat, reach into his mouth and feel the huge tongue and feed the elephant.   The power of their suction pulled on the sleeve of my shirt and I had to push my sleeves up.

SWAZILAND

We had an amazing opportunity to go to Swaziland.   It is a small country that borders South Africa.  It is only a 2 1/2 hour drive to the border crossing.  We were able to visit Ruth Berg Newman, her husband Rob and their 5 children.  Swazi people speak a language similar to Zulu and have many things in common.   Swazi people are very artistic and have used these skills to develop thriving businesses.   We were able to visit a glass factory and see beautiful glassware being made, and to watch candles being carved by hand in another city.  Ruth works at the American Embassy and is involved in women's issues in Swaziland.   She introduced us to businesses that sell handmade jewelry.   The jewelry is all made by local women and all of the profits go directly to them. Their pictures are posted on the wall.   It was interesting to visit these businesses and see the variety of crafts.

Traditional Swazi dancing

This traditional home has 3 skulls over the door indicating this family had slaughtered 3 cows that year. 

Typical scene as we drove along the road in Swaziland.

A wrong turn that turns out right......

We had planned to go to a nature reserve with Rob, but we took the wrong entrance.   It ended up to be a "good" mistake.   We visited the oldest mine in the world (according to them.)  .It has not been operating for years.   As we toured the museum we were asked to sign the visitors log and discovered only 5 people had been there in the last month!   Obviously, not a hot tourist attraction.   We hiked to the top of a lookout and to see the previous opening to the mine.  During this time we became friends with the guide and began talking about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   In a nutshell, we arranged for the missionaries to visit him.  He specifically wants to read the Book of Mormon!  It is so WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL! We know this did not happen by chance.  

SO LONG TAYLORS

Another senior couple, the Taylors, stay with us once a month because their mission requires traveling to different areas for seminary and institute training.   They came the first weekend of the June, and we baked carrot cakes for a training they were putting on and stayed up way into the night sharing thoughts.   The next day, Elder Taylor and Elder Todd had work to do, so Sister Taylor and I went walking on the beach.  Elder Todd does not enjoy walking on the beach so he was thrilled that I had someone to walk with.   They left 3 days later for the United States.    It was sad to say goodbye. 

Our adventure is nearing an end.   Actually, Monday, our mission ends.   Then we will travel for 11 days before returning home.   I have only posted a few of our activities because of frustrating problems with the internet and our computer.   But we hope you feel how special the Zulu people are.   It will be very hard to say goodbye.    Luckily, we have the most wonderful family waiting for us at home!!!!    Can't wait to see them.  

Love,

Elder and Sister Todd