Bethlehem & Phuthaditjhaba

                                                      Bethlehem Branch

On Aaron's birthday we were in the town of Bethlehem! :)  It was rather exciting to go to a town of that name a few days after Christmas.  :)  We were there to do an audit and to train a member of the mission presidency.

The 3 Wise Men of Bethlehem Branch
President Mosia, Br. Motshweneng & Br. Manchu

Elder & Sister Clayton came with us to learn the procedures.  They are new auditors in our office and French speaking!  We are happy for that because they will care for our French speaking countries & we can stop taking French lessons. :)

Happy Birthday Aaron! :)  We got to call & sing Happy Birthday to Aaron from Bethlehem!

Chris is amazing!  Whenever we have an assignment, he finds such fun places to see along the way.  Such was the case on our way to Bethlehem.  We stopped for lunch in a little town called Clarens.  We were surprised to discover that it is not unlike a little tourist town you might find in the US with little shops and a park where there were some young girls doing a native dance.  (It was pretty much just jumping up and down making their skirt flip up in back)

Many African females have shaved heads.
We don't see many Dukus (head wraps) this time of year because of heat.

                                                           Phuthaditjhaba Branch

On December 31st we drove to Phuthaditjhaba to meet with President Thusi.  Phutha once employed many African people in factories but after 1994 and the end of apartheid, the factories closed down and the people really struggle now.  President Thusi is a great branch president who walks over 2 hours to get to church.

The Andersons (preparing yummy lunch for the missionaries zone conference)
and Claytons outside the branch which was formerly a grocery store.