Book of Mormon Musical--our version!

Greetings from Africa,

I am sure you have all heard of the musical, The Book of Mormon.   It is about young LDS elders who come to Africa and are out of their depth...or something like that.   Well, we are living that story BUT we are amazed at our young elders and the incredible job they do!!    For those from the USA, it is a huge culture shock!  Yet they work hard, exercise faith, grit their teeth, press forward and overcome  obstacles.  For many, it is a big challenge, but they do it!   

But now we are experiencing the opposite of that scenario.   One of the wonderful things we are able to do, is help African young men submit their mission papers.   At the present time, we are assisting 2 young men.   Those of you who have submitted mission papers recently, know how time and labor intensive it is.   For them it is all paper and pencil,  because they don't have access to the internet.  Larry even assists the Branch Presidents, and explains to them how to fill out their part in the application.   

One young man has been raised by his grandparents.   His mother died many years ago.   His father lives in the area but hasn't been involved in his life.   We drive 40 minutes to pick him up and then bring him back here for his medical appointments.  He would never be able to navigate the medical system, find the correct department, get to the hospital lab, and explain to the doctors what is needed.        We made separate trips to get his immunizations and to get his TB test checked.   (Of course, he has no idea what immunizations he had as a child.)   Next he needed his dental checkup.

Sanele, is another young man.   He was attending his first year at the University where he is studying Mechanical Engineering.    His cousin passed away and he attended the "unveiling"---(That is when the entire extended family goes to the grave and they unveil the headstone.)  Another of his cousins was a member of the church and invited him to church.   He studied the gospel for 3 months and was baptized.   He is the only member of his family to join the church.   His parents allowed him to join but don't want to hear about the gospel or his upcoming mission.   He is so faithful and is also the seminary teacher!  

Having young men and women who are worthy, willing and desirous to serve a mission is a HUGE accomplishment for the African people.   Most will serve on the African continent.    

It is such a joy to assist these choice young men.  

Another highlight is having all the elders in our zone over for dinner tonight.    They ate enough for a small Army and we dirtied every dish and pan we have.    Larry is in the kitchen washing the dishes so I could send this email.

We love you.   We love our mission.   We are so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy it brings into our lives.   We love sharing it.

The Todds

Email to High Priests from Elder Todd

Dear Brethren:

Sister Todd has sent several emails to sisters in the ward and I thought I needed to let you know how we are doing.  We are assigned to the Richards Bay Area.  It is a seaport about two hours north of Durban. It is on the Indian Ocean and is a big sea port for different minerals from mining. It is about 20-30,000 people but it is the shopping area for a large area.  To the north  and west there are no other towns of any size for two hundred and fifty kilometers.  It is the hottest location in the mission with weather like Houston.  On Christmas Day it got to 114 degrees.  It has not hit that hot since we got here but it is a challenge.  We are in the Richards Bay District which is made up of five small branches.  When apartheid existed they made the blacks live in what are called townships.  They are towns made up of small cement homes with very little amenities.  Even though apartheid no longer exists the townships do.  This is where 90% of the blacks still live.  Where we live it is a study in contrasts.  We live for security reasons in a mainly white area which would remind you of a normal neighborhood in the US.  Four of the church branches are in townships from 30-45 minutes from our home.  The entire home in the townships could fit in our family rooms at home.  In some of the branches there is 95% unemployment.  The biggest challenge is for the members to become self reliant.  The opportunity for employment throughout the entire District is very low.  

Sister Todd and I are assigned to work with the five branches.  We have three separate assignments.  The first is to work with the young missionaries. For safety reasons there are not any sister missionaries in our mission.  There are ten missionaries that we are a mother hen for.  We are assigned to look after their boardings (apartments), cars and general welfare.  We have learned to love them already.  For safety reasons the elders do not live in the townships but travel there every day. The second assignment is to work with the district and branches.  Patience is a virtue especially in Africa. Sister Todd is not a very patient person and wants to have everything done right now but we are learning it with the Lord's help.  There is a saying "TIA" this is African, relax.  We are loving the people, they are wonderful but they take their own time in doing something.  In the last general conference one of speakers spoke on if your country and family traditions do not match the church standards you must chose the church stands and leave behind the traditions.  The area presidency for southeast Africa has really been hammering this subject in very blunt words. So far it is being accepted very slowly.  Our third responsibility is our own personal ministry, doing missionary work.  We love to wear our missionary badges.  We get lots of comments and have turned several names over to the elders.  We walk every morning through our neighborhood.  To get exercise but to see if we can meet the neighbors.  The whites are very unresponsive to the gospel but we are trying.

The gospel is true and we love what we are doing.

Elder and Sister Todd.

Sent from my iPad

From Larry's Point of View

January 19, 2015

Hi Everyone,

Mom told you a lot of great information but  did not say where we are.  We are assigned to Richards Bay.  It is two hours north of Durban on the Indian Ocean.  It is a big sea port.  When the mission president told us it was the hottest location in the mission. Mom about passed out and was going to say something but I gave her a look that she should not complain so here we are.  Richards Bay is a district with five branches in the District.  We are assigned to labor in all five branches.  The mission president wants us to choose from two of the branches with the greatest potential and put all our efforts on one branch.  We visited one of the branches yesterday and will visit the other branch next Sunday.  There are a set of young elders assigned to each branch so we will be working and help keep track of 10 missionaries.  Each transfer we will do an apartment inspection and a vehicle inspection.  We did these inspections this past Friday.

The first four days we were here the weather was really hot with high humidity, but it has rained throughout the night and it has been cooler and much more bearable.  We will survive and the winter here should be very nice.  We just have to get through the next 3-4 months.  We will not be complaining about where we live. We live in a three bedroom, two bath, separate office home.  The home has air conditioning in each bedroom but we only run the air conditioning at night and if it is really hot.  Electricity is very expensive here and in short supply.  They have rolling brown-outs throughout the country. We have not had one yet but they are saying Richards Bay could get some this week.  We have been buying candles and making sure the flash lights have working batteries.  The owners mother lives in an addition on the back of our home.  She is a very delightful widow and we have enjoyed getting to know her.  At the mission office they told us we have the nicest place to live for any of the senior coupes.All the other couples are jealous but mom doesn't care about the best place.  She would be happy or happier in an apartment.    The owner of the home has given the church a very good deal because he wants someone reliable to help keep an eye on his mother.  We live in a very nice neighborhood made up of mostly Caucasian people.  Due to the high crime rate throughout the country people hibernate at night and do not come out.  Every home in the neighborhood has bars on its windows, high fences with wire or steel posts on top and a metal gate in front and most have wires with electricity going through the lines.  Unless we have a specific place to go we do not go out after dark  You do not open any windows at night.  We have been told so many times to not go out after dark.  We live in a very nice home and it is such a contrast when we go to the townships and see the living conditions.  Mom told you about the home of the branch president we went to yesterday.  The people are so humble and happy and they have very little as far as worldly comforts.

We do not live in the townships because of the safety issue.   Even the young missionaries do not live there.    Two young sisters were raped and beaten here so there are no young sisters in our mission at all.   

I have gone on too long.  We love you and pray for all of you.

Dad

Names/Education/Classes/FHE/Street Lights/Forgive Me

Greetings to all you wonderful friends and family!

Names

Each day I feel so blessed to be with the people of South Africa.    I want them to feel my love for them.   For me, being able to really communicate with them I need to find out about each of their children, their job (if they are lucky enough to have one), their hopes, their health,  their struggles,etc,  it is vital!  Without this information, I feel like I am unable to offer the love and service I desire.  Basic to that, would be knowing how to pronounce their name properly.    I have described how, thus far, this has been impossible for me.   I said, "thus far" because I am praying fervently to be able to call each person by name.....so they can recognize their own name coming from my lips.   

We work with 5 congregations and I thought I would just list them so you could see them.   We have not been able to get anyone to explain the "rules" or sounds of the letters as of yet.   These are names of the towns we visit each week and I try to say.

Esikhaweni

Empageni Ngwelezane

Enseleni

Mpumalanga

Richards Bay----we've got this one down
 Pathuthaditjhaba--this is not a congregation we visit but is another town

Here is the name of a two ladies I have met:    Ntombikayise Ntuli (I left out her middle name), Snenhlanhla Mthcthwa Sanele

So you see a little bit of my frustration.

Education

Education is one of the areas of our focus in trying to "lift" the people in this area.    Learning new things and reading (just about anything) has brought so much joy into my life.   I want these families to be "on fire" with a desire to learn more or at least a vision of what learning can do to brighten their life.....mentally, economically, and spiritually.   So-o-o we began a quest on how we could do that.    We are still taking baby steps but we are making progress.   We hope this is just the very beginning and much more is to come.   Although education is one of the options in our Self Reliance program offered by our church, we felt the desire to try to reach an even broader audience.   As usual, this is up to us to forge a plan. 

Friday we stopped by a Primary (elementary)  School to offer our services for free tutoring or classroom assistance to a classroom teacher.   This hasn't been as easy as expected.    I have been trying since the second day we arrived.   Friday we decided to try just stopping by and trying to speak to the principal.   We really prayed that someone would allow us to help in this school.    We arrived there and it was so discouraging....the metal gates, locks and no Welcome sign.   we saw a security guard and waved him over.    He unlocked the gate and pointed to the administration office.   We had to be buzzed inside.   Then we were in the lobby of the school but the secretary/reception's desk was behind glass.   We buzzed and she answered the intercom but did not open her window.   We explained why we were there and she left to go ask someone.   A while later, she invited us back into the office of the assistant principal (or something like that).   This hallway had another locked metal gate to pass through.   We had a wonderful visit with him and he was very excited to accept our services when he realized they were "free".    We discussed several scenarios and he will get back with us.    We left "walking on air".   As we left, I couldn't help having such a sad feeling in an elementary school.   It actually felt a little like a prison...metal gates everywhere, buzzers.  I am so glad that the schools I taught in were not like that. 

On Wednesday we had another exciting "baby step".   Larry and I went with 2 young missionaries to the University of Zululand.   It is about 45 minutes away.  They have 16,000 students on this campus.   We went to see if the university would allow us to use a classroom that would be available 2 nights a week to teach a class there.  We went from the administration building to 3 other buildings as we tried to locate the "decision marker" for finding a classroom.   We would like to set up a seminary class that is open to anyone on campus.  We would provide a teacher (Zulu) at no charge if we could have the room.   As you would expect, this turned into quite a wild goose chase.   Eventually, we made our request to the "number two" person and they said we can talk to the "number one" person next week.    We felt VERY encouraged.    While we were there, one of the administrators mentioned youth organizations.   We decided to try to form a youth organization also.   We went to the Dean of Students, but she was out of the office for 5 days.   We will call her when she returns.   How exciting to possibly work with University students.

Classes to Teach

There are things that you and I take for granted and assume, everyone knows and accepts.    As we talked to the schools and University personnel we realize this is not the case.   For example:   Hard Work.   Our missionaries are teaching classes on hard work in high schools.    That sounds ludicrous to us.    But they are teaching students the value of hard work at school and to accomplish your goals and dreams. Students do not understand or believe that hard work helps.    Many schools are asking for this.   Another class is on honesty, and another class on clean speech and another class on modest dress.   The administrators do NOT have to be convinced of the value of this...they see the value to their students.    Now that wouldn't be happening in the U.S.!   So many basic principles that haven't been formally taught here.

SUPPLIES

I wanted to find basic supplies for teaching/tutoring/setting up a curriculum, but it has proved a challenge.   The school year begins in mid January so it seems like a perfect time to be able to buy school supplies.    I have wanted to purchase a simple desk where someone could study...just a plain, fairly sturdy desk.    We have looked in our big mall, in all the small malls, in the 5 surrounding towns, online, in industrial areas.      We are looking for new or used desks:  in pawn shops and Goodwill-type stores, in upscale furniture stores and cheap stores etc  When I ask for a desk, they give me a puzzled look    Some people don't know what I mean.   Most  people have asked me to repeat what I need....they don't understand purchasing a "desk".    I went over to a desk in an upscale furniture store that belonged to the sales staff and pointed to what I needed.   They replied that these were special made for their company and why would I needed it.   .So, on Thursday we drove 45 minutes away to another town.  We saw kind of a "sketchy" area but we parked and walked toward a sign that said "furniture".   We were quite uncomfortable as we parked our car and walked the block.   Our presence was definitely noticed by everyone.   We went in to the used furniture store and the owner came over to us.   He was very polite but he firmly asked me to hold my purse close to my body.   He suggested we leave this area of town immediately.   He asked where we were parked and said to leave NOW.   We did.   Still no desk. 
  

Then we wanted file folders to get organized.   We have been unable to find any file folders at all.   At a office supply shop, they were out and said they didn't know if they would ever get them.   In the school supply areas of the large stores they had no folders or files of any kind.   Same thing for spiral notebooks and scotch tape dispensers or refills. 

No one seems to feel the need for desks and some study supplies.   ....at least my way of studying.

FAMILY HOME EVENING

One of the heart breaking aspects of South African culture is that men are largely absent from families.   By that I mean, they have abandoned the family, or they must work 24/7 to provide a meager existence, or they are plagued with alcoholism and spend all their time and money in that pursuit.

So we have offered to teach a "Family Class" one night a week.   We have many requests.   We have one family who "hosts" the evening.   This home is so humble that we sit outside on plastic chairs in the dirt.   I have told you about this family and their beautiful mango tree.   So we show up at 6:00 PM and there will be anywhere from 6 to 15 people there.   One of us teaches a 15 minute lesson about being kind to our family, being honest, obeying our parents, or a story about Jesus.    Then we do a few games and sing some songs.   Then we have a treat.   This family is so humble in worldly things.   But now they insist they provide DINNER for all in attendance.   We have begged them not to, but so far they insist.  They consider it an honor.   We are working on eliminating the dinner without offending the host/hostess.   

Each time, the family stays until 9 PM or later.   They ask for more and more "family nights".   We only do this in one township but we have requests at other townships.   

It may seem ridiculous, but it took Larry and I four hours (probably longer) to decide on a lesson, prepare it, find songs to teach them, find games to play outside in the dark with people ages 2-72...and who don't speak English or understand it very well.

Street Lights/Lamp Posts

Two blocks from our house I noticed a broken street light...the tall metal kind like we have in the US..or they look the same to me.    The second day we were here, I noticed it was broken and the top two-thirds was leaning at a 40 degree angle.   We looked closely and noticed it had  been "repaired" with duct tape.   Looking closer it also had "cable ties" (giant twist ties or like the plastic ties they had years ago for large garbage bags where you cold cinch it tighter) on top of the duct tape.   Interesting repair job.    Two weeks later the top of street light is gone.....will they replace it.

Wednesday, we went to the one church location (for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) where they have an actual church building (rather than renting a library or day care center to meet in).   I mentioned before that the church has a wall around it (only 5 feet high) and an metal gate (like most places) that opens to let you in.   We drove in and parked.    By the front door of the church, I noticed a cement square object.   I asked what it was.   Someone replied that it had been the base to a street light that shone on the front doorway and sidewalk of the church.   One day they came and it was gone!!!   Someone had ripped out a tall metal street light and managed to carry it over the fence and haul it away.   What do you do with a street light?????

FORGIVE ME

I am afraid I repeat myself.   I have not spent the time to organize "email lists".   So each email I randomly try to remember everyone and include them.   The only official "list" I have is my children and dad, so they are always all included.   I know I am not consistent with who I send things to.   Sorry.   Hopefully, in the next 2 months I will make a list with everyone's name and hit the button once.   So I might send something to a person twice and not include someone else. 

I miss all of you!

Love,
Sandy

Creepy Crawlers

Hello from Africa,

Creepy Crawlers:

I am blessed to not be afraid of spiders, but I definitely don't enjoy any creeping bugs.   As I said before, it is so incredibly hot and so if there is a breeze (and even if there is a slight movement of air) we have our doors open.    Even after dark, we keep them open...which of course, gives an inviting invitation to bugs.   However, I think they will find their way into the house regardless.  

In our front doorway I thought I had spilled some sort of brownish-orangish liguid but I had no idea what it could be.    As I began to wipe it up....it moved!!   It was a huge, ugly cockroach.   YUK!   I tried to kill it but it escaped....did it go into or out of the house?   The cockroaches are large!   

The next day we saw a gecko (lizard) in our home.   It was in our bedroom and I didn't want it crawling over my face at night so I asked Larry to kill it.    I am not a bug lover, but I felt guilty.   The next day I had a chance to redeem myself.   Our kitchen dishes sit on a shelf in a bookcase so there are no doors or cupboards,    I saw a gecko running all over our dishes.   I tried to shoo it outside.   It ran over everything in the kitchen--food is sitting out on a shelf.   Finally, I got a container and was able to turn it upside down on the lizard.   But when I tried to get the lid on, it escaped.   Eventually, I was victorious.   I took it outside and threw it into the yard and told it in my sternest voice to "Not come back into my house"....we'll see what happens.

But 3 days ago, was the worst.   When we walked into the kitchen the first thing in the morning, there were worms all over the place.    That's right.   Real worms.   They were white, chubby and about a 1/2- 3/4 inches long.   They were squirming everywhere...the floor was covered and they were crawling up the walls.   It was absolutely disgusting and alarming.   We had no idea where they came from.   I found a can of Raid and  almost emptied the enitre can in the 4 by 3 foot area.   Then I started spraying the walls.   After 10 minutes the worms were still alive.   It was gross.   I sprayed the rest of the can of bug spray.   Then I got the broom and began sweeping them up.    I put them in a bag and sealed it.     But where did they come from?   Why?   The only thing we can think of,  is we cut a pineapple and put the skin in the garbage.   But now I want to take the garbage out every night and they don't like us using many plastic garbage bags.

Flies are so thick everywhere in our house.    But we are celebrating.   After 8 days we found a fly swatter last week.     We have looked in dozens of stores, shops, booths. etc.    I would ask for a fly swatter but no one knew what I meant.   So I developed an elaborate pantomine.....I made the noise of a fly and used my finger to show a fly flying in the air.   Then I took somethng in my hand and swatted at the imaginary fly.   The clerks and employees stood mesmerized and then shook their heads.   As we walked away I imagined they were thinking "What a crazy lady from America!"    I began to feel very crazy after performing this many times.   Then we wandered into a tiny store (we were looking for a spiral notebook which is impossible to find).  There in the back corner, Larry saw one---hot pink and in the shape of a flower.  I literally clapped with glee.   We went to pay for it and the puzzled clerk asked us what it was.   We tried to explain, but don't know if she understood.
  

Walking:

Each morning, I feel desperate to do some sort of excercise....Larry does not share this feeling but he is a good sport and comes with me for safety AND because we are companions and he needs to be with me.   We walk around and around in this general area for 1 hour (sweating up a storm and not from exertion...from just moving at a slow pace).   As I mentioned, each house is surrounded by a fence and a metal gate in front.   Almost every home has 1-3 dogs that run to the gate to greet us with a bark....actually, non-stop barking.    There are 2 kinds of dogs that are popular:   Big ones, especially Dobermans and German Shepherds, and small ones that yelp and bark wildly.  No mid sized dogs.   I thought they might be getting used to us, but not yet. 

Larry said that when he was a young man on his mission in  Georgia and Alabama (1964-1966) the Mormon missionaries rode the public buses for transportation if it was too far to walk.   He said, the only people who rode the buses were the Mormon missionaries and the blacks...no one else.

Well, it is kind if like that during our morning walks.   The only people walking are the Mormon missionaries (us) and the black domestic help.   They are walking to the homes were they are employed as cleaners or nannies.   We always say hello and now they are greeting us with a smile.   There is nothing as heart warming as a South African smile!     

Because of the gates, we have only met 2 neighbors and I try hard.   There is NO intercom or button to push at the gate to get someone to answer.    When you pull up to the gate, you call the person on your cell phone (unless it is your home) and they come out and open the gate.   If you don't have their phone number, you don't get inside.    Maybe when it gets to be cooler, people will step outside.

Yard Work 

On our morning walk we saw the lawn being mowed.....it was a black lady, bent way over with a machete.   She was swinging the machete methodically to "mow" a large yard.   Hard way to mow a large lawn!

Along the sides of the highways, they have crews of men cutting grass the same way.   We aren't sure if they do this because they want to employ as many people as possible or because they have always done it this way and don't want to buy mowers.

TAXIS

Taxis are the main type of "transport" here.   But they are not like the taxis in America.   They are just a little bigger than a mini van (maybe a full sized van) and are white.   They loop in a specific route but there is no schedule at all.   There are places along the road called Taxi stands (but most are just an area along side the road with no markings but the people know where to stand...a few have a cover or shade).   People wait here until a taxi comes.   The taxi leaves when every seat is filled.   It may take 2 minutes or 3 hours.   You tell the driver (when you are new) where you want to go and he tells you if he is going there.   There are ddifferent prices depending on how far you are going.   Sometimes if the taxi is almost full, they might leave and try the next taxi stand to fill up but mainly they sit there until it fills.   Different taxis go to different locations so you must ask the driver if he is going to where you want to go.   I asked how often taxis come to pick people up.   They shrugged and said from every 30 minutes to  every 2 hours for popular places that are nearby.   If you want to go to someplace 2 hours away, they will come once a day or every other day....you stand and wait, I guess.    They said: We don't need a schedule, you just wait and the taxi comes!   

However, most or all of the domestic workers who come to clean homes in Richards Bay, come from the townships (very poor areas ourside of town).   Some of these people ride a regular bus from their township into town where they are dropped off at a few different locations and then they walk to their employment.   The bus leaves every morning at 6:30 AM and returns at 3:30 PM.    I don't know why everyone doesn't ride this bus...maybe it costs more or maybe it is only for certain employees.    I ask millions of questions from everyone I meet but there are still so many puzzles.

MALL

I told you about our mall.   Today, we went to pick up supplies for people at the mall and the power went out.   Lights went out, stores closed.   Two big stores stayed open with just a few lihgts (the rest of the store was dark).   This is called "LOAD SHARING".   I guess it means, you have to share the load of no electricity.   We waited and waited and found out the power outages would be until 8 PM.    People were eating lunch at restuarants, but the kitchen must close because of no electricity.   Interesting.  

I want to let you know more about this mall:    It is as large as the Park Meadows Mall.  Maybe it is larger, I can't tell.   It is huge.  But there are no large open areas, places to sit, wide walkways. It is kind of airconditioned.   It is defintely cooler than outside but it is still hot and muggy.    Every space is used.  No chairs or benches in the mall or in the stores.    We couldn't find one place to sit to try and read something.    The mall is 2 floors and they just got escalators a few years ago.    There are so many people that I can't figure it out.   The place is packed from early morning to 6 PM when it closes.   Richards Bay is not that large.    Unemployment is so high.   Where do the people come from and where do they get the money to shop?    I have asked and asked and have been told thst they come from up to 300 Kilometers away to shop, they come from all of these townships.    But they are shocked that I ask.   They reply, This is not crowded.   Today a man said, wait until Saturday that is a payday.   You have to find a spot to walk and have to  push your way down the hall.

DRYING CLOTHES

Last week (Monday) I washed the clothes and hung them out to dry.   The clothes line is on the back of the house and I can't see it.   Out of sight...oout of mind.   I forgot to bring them in.   It rained the next morning so I had to leave them out.   To make a long story short, each time I went to get the clothes it had rained earlier.    I didn't get to bring the clothes into the house until Thursday night!  I hope rain water is clean.   They were in 3 rain storms and I didn't rewash anything.    Each time we looked for clean clothes, I remebered I left them outside.  

We actually have a very small tumbler (dryer) but it heats up the house so bad, it is like an oven.    Plus it costs quite a bit to run it.   Our landlady considers "tumblers" a huge extravagance!   But I haven't used a clothes line for decades...maybe since before I ws married.

LOVE THE PEOPLE

The main reason I started to write was to tell you all the wonderful things I am learning here.   Most of all, I have a strong desire to be of service.   Communicating is still a challenge because I can't understand,,,,,neither the English OR the Zulu.    But I never give up...I hope I won't.   I am trying to learn everything I can so we can be of service,.  
Today we spent 1 hour questioning a Zulu man to get a better understanding to the roadblocks and obstacles of his people for bettering themselves.   He is an educated man and came from poverty.    We were wandering around trying to find our way and we were lost.    He stopped to help us.   Then he saw our name tags and that we were from the Church of Jesus Chrit of Latter Day Saints.   He was also a member of our church from a small township.   He felt inspired to come and help us even before he knew who we were.   He spent over an hour leading us to wherever we needed.  Then he spent an hour helping us understanding the Zulu people better.   It was an answer to our pleading prayer that morning.

We love you.

The Todds

Three emails in one day! A Mission is Hard!

Please save and read this one on Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday...not now.

Hello to the most Wonderful Children and Spouses and dad!

I owe you an apology.....I am always having to apologize..

A mission is HARD!    That's right...it is hard.    Of course, most anything that is worthwhile is usually difficult/hard.   I am so excited to be here.  I wouldn't change it.  But everyday is very humbling....and exciting. 

When you or your spouse went on a mission,  I had perfect confidence in you (this would be true of my in-laws also, even though I didn't know you when you went on a mission).         I never, ever worried about you on your mission.   My friends and other moms, often spoke of how they worried about their children when they were on a mission.   Not me.   I KNEW you would be OK.   I KNEW you were faithful, and obedient, and were serving the Lord.   What more could possibly be done?   The same with my mom and dad...I never worried about them. 

I knew you had hard times and you sometimes sounded "down".   But I never, ever, thought you would fail, give up or even be sidetracked.

But I didn't know how hard it was!.    I love and respect you even more,,,now that I am serving a mission.    Thank you for your wonderful service to the Lord.   Thank you for working hard, no matter what.

Dad, (Grandpa Clark) the same goes for you.   You served 3 missions!   I loved you for it, but I didn't realize how challenging it was.

Love to you all.

Mom, Sandy, Sister Todd

Dad's Point of View

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to give you an update; from my standpoint; and include some pictures we have taken.  We have had a  wonderful last couple of weeks.  We are starting to feel better about what we are doing.  This past week we did several things.  We are teaching a FHE every Friday in a branch president's home.  He will invite a new family each week so we are getting to know some people better.  We went with a set of missionaries to Zululand University.  We are trying to arrange a room on campus where our members can hold an institute class.  We are also trying to get an LDS group registered on campus as a recognized social group.  There are15 other religious groups registered on campus so we are hoping for the best.  They look on religious groups as a positive group.  In this mission in the districts the senior couples meet with prospective missionaries and give them the forms to fill out to go on a mission.  We meet with Samleko Molio on Wednesday and gave him the paperwork.  Today at church he had filled out everything and I gave the branch president his forms to fill out and complete.  He will be interviewed by the branch president and then the mission president.  It is very exciting to be involved with this process.  We met with the principal in a primary school (Elementary) to see if we can volunteer in the school once a week.  Mom is very excited to do this and it will be a wonderful experience.  This school is at least 75% white and is very close to our home. There are a couple of members in the school.   In the townships the schools would be 100% black.

I have attached several pictures.  The first two were taken at a converts baptism.  The elders and the sister and then the branch members who attended the baptism.  There is only one font in the district and it is in Richards Bay so the mission rented a small bus to get the branch members a ride to the baptism.  The next picture is the members in front of the chapel.  Next are the elders at our home for dinner.  Last P day we went to a nature reserve about 30 minutes from Richards Bay.  The pictures of the zebras are at the reserve and also the beach.  We could very close to the zebras.  We could not believe we were not in a zoo.  The beach was beautiful and we had it to ourselves at first and then one man came and started fishing.  He was fishing for sharks. 

We are having such a wonderful time with some very special experiences.  We love you all and we are praying for all of you.

Love,  Dad