Swaziland

After shopping we went to an amazing place for lunch with the Wilson, a very posh place in a stunning setting and the food was just wonderful!

Swaziland

From Richard's Bay we drove up into Swaziland, a beautiful little country. We stayed 2 nights here with another missionary couple, the Wilsons, such choice people, so wonderful to spend some time with them.

We gave presentations in Manzini and Mbabane, again so great to meet the saints here and feel of their love of the gospel. We had some free time during one day here to do a bit of sightseeing but more especially to do some shopping! These are candles, all made in the shape of animals, never seen anything quite like this!

Richard's Bay

From Durban we headed north up the coast to Richard's Bay where it was hot hot hot! Midday temperatures in the mid 90s! We spent Monday, our Pday here and we were certainly glad to have a nice pool all to ourselves to cool off in and relax by.

We also visited the local country club for a walk, fantastic golf course there but oh, so very, very hot!

Durban and Umlazi

In Durban and Umlazi, again we had excellent presentations. Picture below shows the security measures that need to be taken to protect the Family History computers that we install. Not only is there a security gate and strongroom-type door but the ceilings too have to be strengthened as otherwise, thieves will break through the ceiling to get into the room!

From Umlazi we travelled down the coast to spend the night with another of Stan's cousins, Derek and his wife Babs. We only had one evening there but it was great to spend some time with them.

Hillcrest

From the Drakensbergs, we headed down to Pietermaritzburg and then to Hillcrest, Durban and Umlazi giving our presentations in each locations, busy 4 days but great attendances and wonderful people. In Hillcrest we stayed with Gareth and Lyris Hill for 3 nights, such a lovely couple, so very kind of them to take such good care of us. They have built their own house in a beautiful valley, an amazing location.

While in Hillcrest we had lunch with Coral and John, Stan's cousin and husband, so good to be able to spend time with them.

More pics from our trip

Training trip to Natal and Swaziland

In February we travelled through Natal and Swaziland giving training to members in the newFamilySearch programmes and generally trying to motivate and encourage members in this important work. A truly wonderful but exhausting trip, travelling over 2500 km, giving 8 presentations in 10 days. As with everything we do though, the best part is meeting such wonderful people, especially the saints in the townships who are so grateful for any help we can give them and are so eager to learn. Our first stop was Newcastle where we stayed in a B&B as the missionary couple we had planned to stay with had to go to Durban for a conference. Walking nearby we saw this amazing aloe, you can see the size of it, just huge!

We then had a day free and had a wonderful time in the Drakensburg mountains, just so beautiful and we so enjoyed being out in the fresh country air. This is the view from our B&B there.

14 km hike!

As part of our trip in the Drakensburgs we walked 14km! This was advertised as a gorge walk and we expected it to be along the river with a little up and down but it was a lot of up and down! Very strenuous but worth it with the beautiful scenery.

Drakensburg mountains

During our training trip in Natal and Swaziland, we had a day off to relax as we passed through the Drakensburg area, a mountainous region, just absolutely stunning scenery here, the pics don't do it justice!

Time just flying by!

Just cannot believe it's been over 2 months since I last updated this! Not much time tonight either but just wanted to say hello! We have done a lot of travelling and training locally since last post and tomorrow morning, Friday March 26th, we leave for Botswana. But here's some photos to be going on with! THis one is of us with some other seniors. We had just visisted the Mandela Museum in Soweto and were eating lunch at a local cafe there! Great food, really cheap!

Who writes the blogs and update emails??

Hi everyone

We have so appreciated getting emails from many of you telling us you are reading our blog! Just so that everyone is aware, it was CHRIS that had the gallbladder op! When I'm (Chris)writing the emails and the blog, I (Chris) forget to say who is doing what etc.! It's Chris who writes the email updates and blogs but I (Chris) will try to make it a bit clearer in the future. But Stan has enjoyed all your commiserations and sympathy, he will keep them in mind for any future operation!

We are enjoying the lovely summer here, with blue skies and sunshine and frequent electric storms. Can't say we've missed the very cold weather you're all experiencing in the UK, Europe and the US at the moment. I googled 'Johannesburg Skyline' to find a pic showing blue skies over Joburg and the first image that came up was the one I've attached! Hope you all recognise Angel Moroni on the temple spire! The white house to the side is the White House I referred to earlier and the other buildings are the church offices!

Can't believe that we're already over halfway through January! Take care everyone, stay warm!

PS!!

Having just reviewed the postings I put in today, I just wanted to let you all know that to see all of them, you will need to click on older posts at the bottom of first page! There are about 12 posts with today's date on going chronologically from October to a few days ago with lots of photos etc! Hope you enjoy them!

Happy New Year!!

Updates at last!! We are now just over one quarter way through our mission, time is starting to go quickly but it still seems like a long time since we left home on 1st August 2009! We miss you all more than you can ever imagine, you have no idea how much your skype calls, emails and especially the Christmas cards and pressies keep us going! Following are some pics that show what we've been up to the last few months. We spend most of our time in the Regional Family History Centre which is on the Area Office/Temple complex in Parktown, Johannesburg. We are trying hard to liaise with the other centres in the area to help them be more familiar with the new temple and family history programmes. We are also being trained on oral history and hope to get more involved in this exciting work. We love to read your comments, so please feel free to add something here, that way, we know someone is reading all this stuff!!!!

The White House!!

This is what is known as The White House here! It's the offices and homes of the Africa SouthEast Area Presidency and is on the Area Office and Temple site in Johannesburg. As senior missionaries we sometimes use the grounds for farewells and activities. Stunning views from the grounds but all spoilt by the noise from the motorway just below the area office complex!

Voortrekker Monument

In October we visited the Voortrekker Monument near Pretoria which commemorates the northern trek of the Boers from the Cape area of South Africa to escape British rule and try to have more freedom and land. The monument is huge with the displays etc giving such moving accounts of the treks which happened in the 1830s and 1840s. So much comparison with the early pioneers of the Church who trekked west to escape persecution.

Jacarandas and Zoo Lake

October is Jacaranda month when these stunning trees blossom and really brighten up the city! The pics are of some streets and views with the jacaranda trees and also of Zoo Lake, which is a favourite spot to walk, about a 30 min walk from us. On the weekends and holidays the lake area is packed with friends and families getting together for picnics.

Halloween!!

We had a missionary outing on Halloween to a church owned camp/recreation centre near Hartebeestpoort Dam about an hour's drive from us. This is run by a missionary couple who used to live in Birmingham UK, and are great friends with the Balloch family from Weston; we had met him once and had a walk in the Quantocks where the guys got us lost! The site is used for Young Men/Young Women/ YSA/Ward/Family and Stake camps. Very remote and beautiful but a very energetic hike up the mountain! We had a great day though and it was so good to get away from the city and breathe such clean fresh air! At the top of the mountain is an old Boer Fort, stunning views from there, the pics just don't do it justice. We then enjoyed a braii (BBQ) and just enjoyed a relaxing day together. This was a hike in the true Woodhead Walk sense of the word!!!!

Our chapel!

We finally got our car at the end of November, the red one in the pic! So very good to be independent and have our own transport. We requested to attend and have been assigned to a little branch about an hour's drive from our apartment. Stan's Mum lives about halfway between so we often visit her on Sundays on our way home from Church. This is a black african township unit on the outskirts of Krugersdorp; wonderful people, such a joy to meet with them. The Branch is growing very quickly, as are many other places in Africa; our mission president told us that there have been almost 1600 baptisms this year in the Johannesburg Mission! We attend the Gospel Essentials class in Sunday School and there are always between 12-17 investigators in attendance!

The building in the photo is our chapel, a modular building with large chapel and several other untis for classrooms.

Gall stones!

At the end of November I had another attack of gallstones which seemed to go away but then came back with a vengeance the next morning! The mission doctor came to see me, confirmed that the problem was gallstones and arranged for me to see a consultant at the local hospital a few hours later. He gave me some strong painkillers which unfortunately made me extremely nauseous and dizzy; even driving to the hospital, being moved in a wheelchair once I got there and then when they took me for X-Rays on my bed, all movement made me throw up; felt pretty awful that day! That eased enough the next day for me to have an MRI scan which, with the X-Rays and ultra sound, confirmed I had at least 4 large gallstones plus other bits and pieces in the gallbladder! Surgery happened Weds 25th Nov and through prayers and fasting of family and friends, the doctor was, to his surprise, able to perform keyhole surgery; the tests had shown inflamed liver, gallbladder etc which made keyhole surgery unlikely. Such a relief when he came to see me 9pm that night to tell me that all had went well with keyhole procedure. More or less back to normal now, took it easy for a couple of weeks and rested when I felt tired! Had some beautiful flowers delivered from the kiddies and a cute card from Ellie and Jayden!

We just love the batik which you can see on the wall behind the flowers! Where are we going to put the stuff we have bought and know we will buy here!!! More to the point, how on earth will we get it all home! Think we'll have to leave all our clothes here!

Madikwe

It was so good to get right away from the office for 2 days, no computers etc etc! The bush at night was just so quiet with just the sounds of animals and birds and only light from the moon and stars....plus oil filled lanterns and torches of course! We went with 3 other couples and met an LDS couple from California also staying at same bush camp! The picture above right is our room for the night!!!