Christmas in Grahamstown

Sunday, Dec. 23rd was another hot day.  We presented our family Christmas Eve program in Sacrament meeting.  Tom rewrote the script to include some prophecies of the Savior’s birth.  Elder Swenson, from Sandy, led the singing. Elder Von Brughan, from Pretoria S.A., played the melody with one hand. (Our electronic piano only plays certain hymns.)  Rather than the three kings singing solo parts, we used a choir of Wise Men to sing “We Three Kings.”  Then the branch watched a rebroadcast of the First Presidency’s Christmas Program during the second hour.  Both meetings were well attended considering it’s summer break.  

Evening we served meat loaf to our missionaries and Aya who will leave for his mission on February 21st.  Then we each shared a Christmas memory. Tom played the guitar and sang Island songs.  Alan Bamford, a former Anglican, provided information on the service at the Cathedral which we will attend on Christmas Eve.   Alan is a childless widower.  We always usually include him in our activities with the missionaries.

Aya & Masixoli, Brother Alan and our four missionaries.

Monday, Dec. 24th, Christmas Eve  As all the Internet cafes were closed the elders came to our flat to e-mail their families and set up their Christmas day calls.    The smell of turkey made it hard for them to wait so I gave them fruit to tide them over.  Today it rained and  the weather has cooled down.  At 8:00 p.m. we enjoyed the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes with all the trimmings. After dinner we watched a video entitled “Ancient Rome – The Fall of the Roman Empire” which described the rise of Christianity under Constantine.  At 10:30 p.m. we went to Midnight Mass.   After which we discussed the experience.  We enjoyed the Christmas carols and especially liked “the peace” where members greet one another.  The Bishop of Grahamstown came down the aisle to shake our hands and greet us at the end of his sermon.

Tuesday, Dec. 25th, Christmas Day  

I made turkey soup and then Elder Stokoe and I went to the Brookshore Home Retirement Center.  Alan had invited us and our four young elders to join him for Christmas dinner.  We were served sliced beef and ham, potatoes, red beets, salad and milk tarts.  Alan added a sparkling fruit drink and minced pie with cream.  At 2:00 p.m. we returned to our flat so our missionaries could use Vonage and the landline to call home.   

It's Christmas Day and we just had lunch with Alan at Brookshore Home, in the retirement center's dining room. We are now back at the flat with our young missionaries who are excited to be calling home.   At the moment we have Elder Swensen, from Sandy, on Vonage and Elder Khumalo, from South Africa, talking to his family on the land line.  Tom's outside visiting with Edward, our Indian landlord, who owns the local laundry and I'm trying to put together another Smilebox but seem to have forgotten how to do it on this Apple.  We are taking Masixole to East London on Thursday to fly off to his mission.  It's been wall to wall activities since we arrived here.

Wednesday, Dec. 26th There is a lot to do in this branch including reactivation work.  On December 18^th we went with Elder Olyabo to visit Sister Bumela Athemkosi and her two young children, ages 3 and 6.  She and her nonmember husband own a hair salon which is open on Sunday so she has not been attending church.  Elder Stokoe promised her that she and her children would be blessed if she started attending regularly.  Elder Stokoe is working on the branch calendar today.  

Being set apart by Elder Fowers & President Bell

Arriving at the Fowers Flat in East London

 We left Grahamstown at 1:00 p.m. to take Masixole to East London to be set apart for his mission.  I asked him to share his conversion story.  He said he began attending church with his friends when he was thirteen. His parents were divorced so he lived with his grandmother and cousins.  The family were all Seventh Day Adventist.  His grandmother was opposed to to him joining the church so he had to wait until he was eighteen to be baptised. 

Sister Nye helped Masixole, Ayabulela and Sivuyile make  muffins to sell at the Grahamstown Art's Festival to pay for their passports and other expenses.  Aya will leave for his mission to Johannesburg February 20th.  Ten members of Masixole's family came to his grandmother's home to say "Good Bye and wish him well.  His mother flew in from Durban to see him off.   We stopped at a local gas station so Masixole could give away his fist Book of Mormon.  One of the attendants had asked Elder Stokoe for religious material. In East London we joined the Fowers and Stums for dinner and then we drove Masixole to the Stake Centre to be set apart.

Two other young men were there to be set apart for missions.  All were going to Uganda.  A fourth elder arrived while we were there to pick up his mission call.  He has been called to Uganda as well.  Early the next morning these three flew off to the Missionary Training Center in Johannesburg.  

It is such a privilege to support Masixole and these young men.   We enjoyed representing his family.  What a great blessing these dedicated young African Elders are to the church. They are leaders of tomorrow.

December 22 - Visiting our missionaries families

Elder Stokoe with Julia Bawuti

On Saturday we visited the families of three Grahamstown missionaries who live in the Townships. It was so hot I almost passed out but such a rewarding experience.  Elder Lunga's mom Julia Bawuti is not a member. But Lunga's twin sister Luthando attends the Uitenhage Ward near P.E.  Sister Bawuti is so proud of her missionary son.  She told us that she expects to be baptised when her son returns.

Elder Siba's mother and father are also non-members.  His father was admitted to the hospital that morning.  He is on dialysis and has been having these treatment three times a week but has taken a turn for the worst.  She asked me to pray for her.  We did and left her feeling much more peaceful.

With Xhandi's Grandmother and Masixoli Ngesi who will leave for his mission to Uganda December 27th

Our third visit was to Elder Xhandi's Grandmother.  She is also a non-member.  She raised him when her daughter and son-in-law both died of aides.  She showed up photos of him and said she is very proud of his missionary service.

It was so hot that afternoon that I almost fainted.  I was suffering from heat exhaustion. So Tom took me to an air-conditioned restaurant and I drank three glasses of ice water so I could stop feeling light headed. What an experience to witness the faith of three young converts and to see the impact their service is having on their non-member families.  We were escorted by Masixole, the branch mission leader, who leave for his mission in Uganda in a few days.  He too is the only member of his family who is a Mormon.

We performed our annual Christmas Eve program in Sacrament meeting at the branch on Sunday and fed the missionaries last night. They were here all afternoon e-mailing to set up their calls home tomorrow. Tonight we are feeding them again and then taking them to mass at the Cathedral in the middle of the town on Christmas Eve.   Alan is hosting us for lunch tomorrow and then the elders will come back here so they can use our Vonage to call home. Things have certainly picked up since we were transferred to Grahamstown.   Merry Christmas!

December 14, 2012 - Zone Conferences

With our new assignment, it's been a busy week with lots of driving. Tuesday we met our P.E. Elders at the Lorraine Frail Care Center and worked on the garden which we planted several months ago. It's coming along nicely now. Elder Tonge, from Draper, worked in landscaping with his father. He was a big help. Tonge stacked up three old tires, filled them with dirt and made grow boxes. There was lots of weeding to do. Then I took Elders Cobabe, Tonge, Sheward, and Slabbert to my neighbours house to spray. They live next door but have a field on the opposite side. With all the rain, many tiny worms have invaded the property. These tiny catapiller worms were actually coming out of the mortar and foundation of their house. As Maurine waters my flowers when I'm out of town, I wanted to rid her property of these tiny pests. It was a good service project for our elders. We had lunch and then Tom played the guitar and sang some Island songs.

 That afternoon we drove up to Grahamstown for Tom's 5:30 meeting with branch leaders. We stayed that night in the visitors flat at Alan Bamford's retirement centre as our Grahamstown flat was being repaired. It won't be available until Saturday. As there is space in a secured area for a garden, Alan wondered if the Grahamstown elders would like to plant a garden for Brookshore residence. He prepared our dinner and then breakfast the next morning.

 Then we were off to East London for the Zone Conference there. The Christmas Zone Conferences are a lot of fun for the young elders. We had instruction and training in the morning. Then a gift exchange. Next a catered dinner and then we enjoyed a movie -- "Courageous." We had pizza and cookies afterwards. We will help with Zone Conference for the P.E. Zone today. The three senior couples here have prepared gift bags and each elder. And everyone will receive a neck tie with the mission emblem embossed on ties in either black, red, blue, green or yellow--the colours of South Africa's flag.

 There are many young black converts preparing to serve missions here. We will be driving Masixole to East London on December 27th to be set apart by Stake President Bell. He will fly to Johannesburg the next day to enter the MTC there. I received permission from President Wood to take our young elders to 10:00 p.m. mass at the Anglican Cathedral in the centre of Grahamstown on Christmas Eve.

 We are presenting the Stokoe Family Christmas program in sacrament meeting on December 23th. We will host the young missionaries at 7:00 p.m. that night and will feed them dinner again on Christmas Even. I've received permission from President Wood to take the elders to mass at the Cathedral in the centre of Grahamstown, so we will be doing that at 10:30 on Christmas Eve.

 Tom, Alan Bamford and I are the speakers in Sacrament Meeting on December 30. Our player piano is programmed play some hymns but none of the Christmas songs. So Elder Van Brugham plays the melody with one hand while the congregation sings. Grahamstown branch has a choir but no pianist and no choir director.

 Tom has yet to meet the second councillor in the bishopric. Evidently he has gone inactive as he returned the keys to the church. Evidently this has happened in the past but the elders keep working with him. Many of our young adults congregation have been in the church for only a year or two so there is a serious need for some experienced leaders.

 Zone Conference in P.E. begins at 8:00 a.m. I made two batches of brownies and muffins for the Elder's goodie bags. Tom is cooking ham, potatoes and corn and will pick up ice and ice cream before we eat. Jessica will be here to defrost the fridge and get our P.E. flat in good order. Tomorrow we move to Grahamstown. However we will be back and forth to cover our PEF assignment. As we have Vonage in both flats making and receiving Christmas calls should not be a problem.

November 27, 2012

We had an awesome Thanksgiving Day at the Mission Home in Cape Town with 10 other senior couples.  President and Sister Wood hosted a couples training and we talked about finding our joy in the work the next day.  Our joy is working with the young elder.  Often it's not what you are called to where you receive the greatest satisfaction. 

We have worked hard  but have generated only a few loans as many find it hard to qualify for P.E.F. in Africa. That may change now that the PEF program is evolving.  School is out for Christmas Break but classes will resume in January.  Today we are going next door to the Lorraine Frail Care Center with two young missionaries to plant a vegetable garden.  Two other senior couples will join us in hosting a training with President Wood in the morning and a movie in the afternoon for 32 young missionaries on December 14th.  Tom and I will be hosting an open house on Christmas Day so the young elders can call home.  The weather is beautiful and the flowers and trees are in full bloom here.  There are Christmas decoration and Christmas music in the mall  but it's hard to get in the Christmas Spirit as it's summer in this part of the world.  Please give our love to the ward members.  Love and Blessings,  Sister S.

New Assignment - December 10, 2012

When we were in Cape Town President Wood asked us to attend church in Grahamstown yesterday.  As the Nyes are going home, yesterday (December 2nd) was their last Sunday.   I thought the Pres. wanted some senior couples on hand to see them off.  We left Port Elizabeth early, thinking the road was still washed out but the bypass was opened Saturday so we arrived rather early.  Sister Nye invited me to go along with her to pick up Evelyn, a coloured woman and Romeo, her four-month old son.  On the way there I had the strongest impression that President Wood was going to call us to cover the branch until the next senior couple arrives.  When we returned I was escorted into an office where Pres. Wood was talking to Elder S.   He asked me how I liked Grahamstown?   "It's one of my favourite places,"  I replied.  "That makes this a lot easier," President Wood replied.  And then extended a call to have us move up to Grahamstown at least until the end of January and help lead the branch.

President Nye, Khaya, Elders Quorum President with Sister Nye

Grahamstown is a community steeped in history.  The English Settlers arrived there in 1820.  It's a college town and hosts a Fine Arts Festival.   He asked Elder Stokoe to assist the first counsellor until a new branch presidency can be called. For the next six week and perhaps beyond.  Gramstown Branch is a mostly black.  As far as I can tell only Alan Bamford and the Thomas family are white.  Alan is seventy-seven.   He a gifted guide and historian.   We have been planning to go up there sometime in the near future for a guided tour.  Ninety people--both members and non members attended the Nye's farewell party Saturday.  Most of this branch, like others in the mission is comprised of young unmarried adults. 

President Wood asked at the Couples Conference last week how things were going with PEF?  I said, “If we worked for a bank we would be fired!   We have generated only a few loans since we arrived.” We have found satisfaction working with our young Elders doing missionary work.   Elders Pack and Acton saved us when we arrived.  They invited us to everything.   President Wood said he had prayed about the matter of the Neys replacement and felt impressed to call us to this work.  However as we were assigned to PEF he had to get clearance from Elder Cook of the area presidency in order to extend the call. 

We are expected to help host Christmas Dinner for Zone Conference in P.E. on December 15th along with the Van Sickles and Shurberts.   We will drive back and forth to P.E. for the next two weeks and will continue to cover PEF from Grahamstown.  That will not take much time as we have had only had two loans application in November.  Luckily Janette Lake was able to help us scan and bundle paperwork for Jo Berg.   Before those application our last loans were in July July and Elder Taylor was able to help.  We are still having trouble with the PEF software.

As for the PEF program itself our experience here has not been very good.  We have discovered that PEF is not really a good fit here.  We met with President Malvern Cedras when we were in Cape Town.  The information he gave us was similar to what we heard when we arrived in P.E. and also Bishop Bray's advice.  President Cedras said that until the local leadership buys into the program we are spinning our wheels and will not be able to make much of a difference.   The home teachers and visiting teachers should be assessing the needs and reporting to the ward council.  That rather than providing welfare the leadership should focus should be on self reliance.  That this should be a ground roots program.  This information squares with Elder Suarez's recent message to the youth.   

Last night P.E.'s three senior couples met to discuss assignments for the Elder's Christmas Party.  We learned from Elder Van Sickles that our project, getting Michael and Charlene Toies PEF loans is doomed.  Michael has been given many opportunities for employment but always fails to follows through. Bishop Mahaluba bought him a weed eater so he could mow lawns to support his wife and two young daughters but he returned it.  Elder V. got him a job interview.  He failed to show.  PEF requires that the applicant make 50 rand a month.  Elder Stokoe drove them all over Port Elizabeth to collect documentations but neither has submitted applications.  We had hoped that PEF could help this family but it's not happening.    

 Johannesburg has finally approved Headman’s daughter Sanililsiwe's loan  even thought the requirements have changed and the church no longer funds four year program.  Only short term loans are granted for certificates that will result in a job.   We almost missed a conference call with Johannesburg while waiting at the church for Sanililsiwe to bring the list of classes she will be taking next year.     She gave us a packet on Sunday but included a bill for last years tuition rather than a quote for 2013.  It's constant frustration trying to help.  (Sanililsiwe's PEF loan was later approved.  However she got word that her application for a government loan was also approved so she will use that instead.)

We spent Saturday morning inspecting the elders flats.  We have not done this for a couple of months as we’ve been in East London during October and November doing firesides and PEF training.  We discovered mold at the Elder's flat on Nugget so we bought Mold and Mildew cleaner and told them to take care it.   Hopefully that will be done before transfers on Wednesday when all flats and cars must must be cleaned and in good condition.  

We three senior couples met last night to discuss what we will be serving for Christmas dinner after their training at 1:30 on Dec. 14^th.  We decided on roast, ham, potatoes and gravy.  There will be a movie in the afternoon and games then pizza, soft drinks, brownies and ice cream.  We are serving 48 and the mission pays for everything,  but we must prepare and/or order the food.  I do not know what East London is doing for our Grahamstown Elders but I know we will also be hosting our four elders on Christmas Day.

Next Saturday and Sunday we will be back in Grahamstown to cover our assignment.  We will be staying in Alan's retirement community on Dec. 8th and 11th until the Grahamstown flat is ready on the 15th.  We have been asked to drive a car to East London tomorrow and will need to be back in Grahamstown for a Branch Presidency meeting at 5:30 p.m.

The car we are delivering replaces one that was hit head on between Queenstown and East London in an accident with the Kings security guard last month.  (There is a king for every tribe in S.A. and each normally travels with an entourage.)  Evidently the guards ignored the white caution lines, and speeded over the hill in a Mercedes.  He hit three cars—including one that the one that our elders were in.  They were returning from a district conference in East London.   Elder Romney had just put a pillow behind his head.   His companion had adjusted his seat moving it forward.  This protected his legs.  Neither sustained serious injury.  However, all four cars were totalled.   The two elders were laid up at the Fowers flat for a couple of weeks.  Elder Romney had to have dental work done when he returned home.  He left on schedule the week after the accident.  They are both doing well now.    By the way,  our cousin Elder Kevin Farley will be released this Wednesday.  No word yet if John and Nancy are coming to collect him.  I guess my cousin John Farley can't get away from his dental practice.

Elder Van Sickle has struggled with hives for months now.   As the employment specialists for the area he is under a lots of stress but has been able to get a lot of young men on missions.    Elder Sherbert thinks Elder V's problem is stress related.  He just arrived in the car we are driving to East London tomorrow so I will close.  This will be the longest drive I have I have made since arriving in South Africa -- about four hours.  We will leave early to avoid the heavy morning traffic. 

Thanksgiving in Capetown

This digital slideshow made with Smilebox

Sunday, November 18th

    It’s nice to be back in P.E.  Last Sunday at this time we were driving back from Queenstown.  We were supposed to do PEF training for three teachers but only two showed up.  We attended the ward there at 9:00 a.m. and were finished at 12:00.  So went to the gas station and bought sandwiches to eat at a picnic table outside until our cell phone rang and we hurried back to church.  We ran into Sister Ganca our PEF teacher in Queenstown.  We found a room and went ahead with the training since she had two young children with her.    Sister Ganca  was very enthusiastic about the career workshop.  She said she the training to to start her catering business.  About the time that class ended, Brother Simanga arrived in a taxi with the other people from Sada.  That group were an hour late for the meetings.  Brother S.  joined the church a year ago.  He  has been called to be the Planning for Success teacher in Sada.  He is about 40 and unemployed.  He began working on a IT program but ran out of money so did not continue.  Brother Simange is unmarried but has two children who live with their mother.  He wondered if he might qualify for PEF to become an Internet Technician.  I told him that the we heard that PEF would soon be available to all worthy adults in Africa.  The teacher from Ilinge Branch never showed.   We don’t know if one has been called yet. 

 While we were in East London we attended District Meeting with the Young Elders on Friday and I borrowed a history from Gary Human to transcribe .  I'm trying to locate all the material I can find on the LDS Mission in South Africa.  I called Alan Bamford in Grahamstown before we left Gonubie to ask if he had anything I might be interested in.  Alan joined the church in 1987 and has been collecting church books ever since.  He said he had one so we stopped by on our way home.  Brother Bamford is 87 and as his only son is not a member, he is offering his entire collection for sale on the Internet.  I bought  Cumorah’s Souther Messenger – 1948-1951 for  L 60, British pounds and we had lunch in Grahamstown.  We could not get the car started so had to have it jumped  so we could get home.  We drove straight to Port Elizabeth and bought a new battery.

 Tuesday Tom drove the Toise’s around to finish up the paperwork for their PEF loans.  He discovered that neither had interviews with their bishop and stake presidents which will hold up the process so they may not be able to start school in January.  I spent the day updating my blog and now I'm current through Nov. 14^th.  I have know idea why I can't post anything using Tom's lap top.  Perhaps it has a virus.    I felt so empowered  that I visited Incredible Connections where I bought my Apple and had an IT show me how to post photos.   

Tom went to Telcom to sort out phone bill problems.    Since arriving in P.E. eight months ago we have been getting mail addressed to Gary Human at the Senior Couple's Post Office box in Sunridge.   The night before we left for East London, Sister Shurbert collected the mail and brought over a letter addressed to Gary Human in East London.  When he opened it he was shocked to learn that he owed Telcom 1,000 rand for a land line with the same phone number  we had used when we lived at Turnburry.   Evidently the church set up the line for S & I several years ago in Gary's name.  1,000 rand is a lot of money for a South African and not paying the bill could destroy his credit.  The church is not responsible as he now has another line  So this matter, which is common here, had to be taken care of.

    Luckily the manager at Telcom is a recent convert so Tom went to him.  Turns out that Telcom has been billing Brother Human, Brother Van Sickles and us for the same Internet land line for many months.  Brother S. and V. each have their own line. Both have been paying their bills monthly.   While Brother H., who  lnow lives in East London, has not used that number for many years.  Yet records show it has never been cancelled and the bill continues to increase which is interesting since they cut our Internet if we are late with payments.

  Brother  Muchumo was able to get Gary Human’s line cut and his 1,000 rand bill cancelled.   Elders Stokoe and Van Sickle each paid a 700 Rand deposit to set up their separate land lines.  However, since then the only way we can access Internet is by connecting Tom's HP directly to the router and even then our Internet service is sporadic at best.   Our wireless system is completely gone.  Internet is an off again on again proposition.   Since we are going to Cape Town tomorrow, we hope it will be working when we return.  

  The best and worst thing about this mission is the technology.  We could not function without a GPS and a cell phone and we need the Internet to communicate with Jo Berge and to process PEF loans.  Given our limited ability to function in a technology drive world, we feel a lot of frustration.  But we are learning and the Lord continues to bless our efforts.   Somehow things seem to be working out.  But it's frustrating.

 Saturday was Stake Conference.   The Fowers drove here from East London to present their “Finding the Lost Sheep" Program to the priesthood leaders.   Tom set up our Eiki projector for their power point presentation while I was in the library typing up historical information.  Stake Conference began at 4;00 p.m. under the direction of our new Stake  President, a black brother from Kwa Magxaki Ward.  The theme was Faith.  President Neku said he felt very inadequate in this calling until he returned from training in Johannesburg and realised that the Lord had called him to the position.  President Neku followed President Palmer, a white Afrikanner, who had led Lorraine ward  for over 13 years.  

President Parker, who is a white Afrikanner, is his first counselor.  He talked about applying the scientific method in developing faith.  Just put the Lord to the test.  Live the commandments and you will be blessed.  President Wildskut, of Indian descent, talked about a movement among some Christians here in P.E. to discount the divinity of  Christ.  He encouraged us to stand up for our beliefs.

  Today we enjoyed the African Area Quarterly  Conference which was broadcast to 66 stakes and 59 district from SLC.  Craig A. Cardon of the Seventies encouraged the young Africans to get married.  He discouraged  parents from insisting on Lobolo or “bride price.”   THis discourages the young people from getting married as young men simply cannot come up with that kind of money.  Consequently many young couples just live together.  Young women have child out of wedlock with young men without jobs who often abandon them.

Interesting that President Zuma’s 35 year old son Edward just had his BMW and other personal items auctioned off to  pay the balance of what he owed for his expensive wedding including entertaining 500 guests at a game reserve last year.  Edward Zuma  said he thought he would be receiving “foreign money” to pay for the festivities.    Guess his foreign guests did not come through.    Mary N. Cook of the Young Women’s Presidency, encouraged  young women to “Arise and shine forth."   I am impressed to say that as difficult as technology is to learn it has certainly blessed the Saints throughout the world to enjoy messages from our leaders often in real time as when we were able to watch some sessions of General Conference.