Thandokoizi (Zim) Mdledle

We spent the morning helping Zim get registered at Dalmelin University.  The admissions officer gave us a tour of the school.  We discovered that Jessica, who teaches economics, is the organist in Port Elizabeth Ward.   Zim will begin taking classes in February.  First Semester she has Business Communications, Business Mathematics, Local Government Management and a class in Management Principals and Practices.

Jessica and Zim

I majored in Political Science and am pleased that Zim is going into that field.  Heaven knows the South African needs  intelligent people with integrity, training and commitment to run the government.

Brother Mdledle shared his testimony on Sunday and commented on how Elder Stokoe and I are very well matched.  Little does he know. It's been hard being together twenty-four hours a day as we had separate careers before coming on mission and are each used to doing our "own thing."

We visited members yesterday and Elder Stokoe gave everyone a lesson on the golden rules of public speaking.  He shared the hand out which he had used in speech classes for many years thinking this would help the newly baptised when asked to give talks.

While we were walking this morning I made the comment that it might have been better if he had adapted the subject to gospel principles rather than using, "Dogs are man's best friend" for an example.

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Zim with Admission officer & the Academic Vice President

He became very defensive.  He said I had insulted his handout.   He went on and on explaining that he had used this in all his classes and every word had come out of text book written by an expert in the field.   I responded, "Your plagiarized material is just fine but it would have been better to adapt it to the gospel."

He got mad, turned around and started walking home.  When we came on mission I would often say to myself, "I must forgive him seven times seventy" and keep my mouth shut rather than share what I really thought.    However, after companionship training, I now know it's better to resolve differences as you go along.  I knew exactly what he was thinking:

"Lord, the woman that thou gaveth me and commanded that she should stay with me hath insulted my handout!  I am sore vexed.  She goth on and on in the manner of nagging and will not keep her mouth shut."                                                                          
                                                                                       So I hurried after him, caught up and said:

Elder Stokoe, our guide and brother Mdledle in the court
standing in front of the student's swimming pool.

"I am your companion.  We have been taught how to deal with these kind of problems.  I did not mean to insult your plagerized hand out.  I was simply making a suggestion.

The appropriate response is: "Yes dear." This acknowledges you heard me and that you value me.  Words which will prevent further argument and will bring the subject to a close.  Then we can talk about other things."

While driving out to Motherwell, he finally said, "Yes, and spelled d-e-a-r."  Looks like I'm making a little progress.  However he still refuses to say "Yes dear."


Elder S. is now happily preparing dinner for the Zone Conference tomorrow.  I've made a couple of suggestions which were not well rcceived.  He claims that for a farm girl, I am very stingy with the food.

Email from Pat Butts,

I remember when we were proseltying on our mission, David wanted to go door to door. Since we were also working in the office and didn't have a lot of time I only wanted to knock on doors I felt impressed by the spirt to knock on. It was a challenge meshing our two minds.

You two have done so much good. You have been amazing. You have truly both put your shoulder to the wheel. You have finished the work and kept the faith,....  How are you since you had surgery? Are your hormones okay?   Affectionately,  Pat