Andrea is a New Missionary!

Aaron & Andrea at the MTC dropoff

Andrea entered the MTC yesterday!  Tom & Sharilyn and the kids took care of her this past month and saw her off.  Emily & Aaron greeted her at the plane in SLC and Aaron took her to the MTC.  Jen & Vic & Andrew sent their love across the miles as did I.  Em & Amy have done much for her as well.  I just feel so overcome with gratitude for my very dear family.  I love them all so much.  In the world to come, time and distance will no longer be a barrier to loved ones.  That is a very joyful thought.  I love you all so very much!

Maropeng Museum & Cave

Yesterday we ventured outside the city for the first time.  It was fun to “get away”.  We went to an area called “The Cradle of Humankind”.  It is a World Heritage Site.  This is about an hour northwest of Johannesburg.  We first toured the Sterkfontein Caves. 

This is one of the most significant and famous archaeological sites in the world.  The limestone caves here have produced hundreds of hominid fossils.  These are considered to be ancestors to the Homo sapiens.  The most famous fossils found here are Little Foot – a complete skeleton of a hominid that once walked upright – stood about 4 feet high.

Another famous fossil was the skull of Mrs. Ples – which may have really been a man – the skull contained 32 teeth – significant in terms of evolution.  The cave tour showed us where these fossils had been excavated from the flowstone and cave rubble.  The tour was not for old people.  Stooping, scooting, ducking, waddling, climbing, in poor light and unstable footing with 180 feet of vertical were the actions of the day.

Debbie had a vegetarian burger for lunch.  It was nothing like the garden burgers in the US.  It was mostly potato and corn.  I drank a “Stoney” – ginger beer which is non-alcoholic of course.

Next we visited the museum at Maropeng. 

This complex looks like a grassy mound, but is really a building covered with dirt.  There is an impressive museum that describes the “Cradle of Humankind” area and talks about our evolution as a people. 
There is also a raft ride that is a part of the exhibit that takes you “through” the ice age and history of the earth’s evolution.  But I think Splash Mountain is better.

Johannesburg

Our front door (left side)

  Johannesburg South Africa greeted us after a very long journey.    We flew out of Salt Lake City on the 17th, traded planes in Chicago and then flew to London, arriving there in the morning.  With an 11 hour layover, we decided to find a place to lay our sleepy heads.  A few hours later we boarded the plane for South Africa - 12 hour flight, landing in the morning Weds 19th.  Elder & Sister Eggett met us at the airport and took us to Dukes Court where we will live for the next year and a half or so.  We are on the 4th floor (5 story building).  Everyone has bars on the windows and the front doors are enclosed behind metal locked gates.

In front of our office in Johannesburg

 We work at the SE Area Office with absolutely delightful people.  They are so cheerful and kind and have made us feel very welcome.  We're a little bewildered trying to learn everything we are supposed to know and do and driving on the left side of the road and just having to figure so many things out every day.  Tired brains. 

Sunday we went to church in a town called Tembisa, about 40 min away.   I think we will be the only white people. The members were very warm and friendly. They have a keyboard for a piano but no one knows how to play.  It is quite funny because the ward assumed that because I am an America Sister Missionary, I play the piano.  Even though I am not a piano player, I can limp along with the hymns and will play as best as I can.  I will be teaching a sister in the ward piano lessons so that she can become the ward organist.  The church has loaned her a little keyboard to practice on & they've loaned one to me as well.  :)  

There are some very interesting words here.  Shopping cart is a trolley, elevators are called a lift (of course), hood of car is bonnet and trunk is the boot, taxi's are combies, water heaters are known as geisers and the best one, traffic lights are called robots!

On the temple grounds

The Johannesburg Temple is next door to the office so we like to walk around the beautiful grounds during our lunch break.  The weather has been so beautiful even thought it's winter.  Usually in the high 60's.  

Yesterday after work, we went off looking for a music store supposedly 10 min away because Chris wants to purchase an inexpensive ukulele (since he didn't bring his here). Two hours later we were home safely with no ukulele.  Driving is a bit crazy over here. There are people all over the place IN THE STREETS!  They come up to your car windows as you are stopped in traffic, stop signs or lights (robots).  They are either trying to sell something or holding open a bag.  We thought they were begging, which many are, but the ones with the big bags are actually offering to take away any trash you have in your car.  I'm sure they love some rands for their service.  Anyway, today we went out again to music store hunt, this time charting it out on a map before trusting the GPS and we found it!  Chris now has a ukulele for next months Hawaiian themed gathering of our fun office workers.  I will post pictures of it!

Chris has already been asked to sing a patriotic song for the 4th of July celebration. 

This photo was taken by a sister in our office.  We often see ladies walking with a baby wrapped onto their back and often carrying something on her head.  One difference is that here in the city the ladies are walking along high traffic streets.

Mission Training Center

TODAY WE GOT TAGGED!   Pinning on our missionary tag was very exciting!  Spirit was strong.  Love abounded.  Smiles greeted.  Hearts were full.  It is thrilling to gather with people from all over the country, who are going all over the world, to serve the Lord full time for a time. :)

Last week the MTC checked in 1036 missionaries!!  (101 Seniors on Monday and 935 youth on Wednesday!)  The MTC has increased it's wards from 55 to 75 and are preparing to have 125!!  What a blessing to be a part of the hastening of the work in these last days.

Personal Training!

Friday Chris and I reported to the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City for training.  I was expecting to be in a room full of people but was surprised to find it was just for us!  Dan Dahlgren was our host.  He and three other brothers trained us all day in different areas using handouts and power point.  One of the brothers used to work for the FBI and another sings with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was wonderful and a great spirit was there.  We even got treated to a delicious lunch in the cafeteria.

 

The Week Before!

Andrew came from Virginia to help Chris & I and Andrea move and we got to play with the grandkids!











Payson got to ride in the U Haul truck with Grandpa!

  Had a lovely visit with Mom and Dad, my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews.                            

Chris & I and Andrea went to breakfast with our friend Shanna in Cedar Creek in Salt Lake City.

We went to dinner with Emily and Amy and to a movie (Star Trek) with Aaron and Andrea.

Two Suitcases, Two Years

We are official!  Today the King and I were set apart as full time missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  President Basden gave us both very beautiful blessings and blessed we do feel to have felt the spirit of the Lord's presence in that occasion.

This week we will be saying goodbye for a time.  I despise goodbye and prefer to say "see you later".  The good news is that goodbye, I've come to learn, always seems to be followed by hello. I believe this is so even in death.  Months ago we bid fairwell to our dear Spyglass home and neighbors, and said hello to a new home & neighbors.  We bid fairwell to our dear Sequim Bay Ward, and said hello to a new ward.  There were many more goodbyes, the hardest of which I shall not mention because I just cannot.  This week we say "see you later" to our dear town of Sequim and sweet beloved friends & my dear sisters of Na Hula O' Wahini Ilikea.  We will say hello to a new land and new people.  I will love them as I love the people here.

Off to Africa we will go with two suitcases.  What a great exercise I'm excited about, to live with less and love with more, to forget about myself and serve others in whatever way we are needed.  So blessed we have been all our days.  So blessed we feel to have an opportunity to give back.  We will do so with all our hearts, all the while praying for all our dear ones back home.

               Our hearts will be tugged as we leave you but We Will See You Later!