SmithsAfricanAdventures

  This is the Birthday package as it arrived in Anchorage - - Sam sent the photo and said: I think they dragged it behind the truck!  All inside was okay - I don't send things that will break! Just wanted you to see the Summer Sale sign - Feb. 18 - 28th!! Elder and Sister Forsyth invited all the senior couples to have cake in honor of her birthday on Tuesday - 02/22/2022!  Delicious chocolate cake!  Fun senior couples.  This is our lunchroom.  Before Covid it was full of temple patrons who were staying in the housing in the building.  They even offered food for sale from the kitchen.  Now we eat our lunch there and somtimes there are missionaries from far that come to the temple and bring their lunches.  Elder and Sister Forsyth - she is 67 - so young!   Elder and Sister Humphreys gave us their porch plant - it has about doubled size in a couple of weeks - we think it is happy! Sister Denkers gave us her white poinsettia, and Elder Smith bought me the yellow mini-rose for Valentine

  Elder and Sister Elggren were exposed to Covid and they stayed in their apartment for 10 days - toward the end of the days Sister Elgreen said she was discouraged and when she found this potato in the shape of a heart - it made her feel better!  Small sign that she was loved!! Elder Perkins with a couple of snakes around his neck!  yikes!   Sister Swift petting a lioness through the fence - brace lady and nice lion! Elder Humphreys arriving at home!  They stopped at a gas station so he could purchase cherry Pepsi - they don't have any here!  Senior couples are fun!! Elder and Sister Humphreys - our host couple.  This is their first day at the Mayfield Branch.  They did so much for all the saints in Mayfield for the 18 months they served.  We feel blessed to know all the senior couples - because the Humphreys did so much for us they will always be special!

  On Friday, February 11, we had a Senior Missionary activity - a Zone Conference at the Johannesburg MTC.  We also have a BYUPathway Gathering at 10 on Fridays - and we were able to accomplish both - well - part of the Zone Conference.  Since our PW meeting is virtual - we took our computer to the MTC and held our Gathering in a room next to the Conference.  We missed the first hour of the MTC President and wife speak, but attended the rest.  Area President Elder Golden spoke and then this Sister who is the Director of the MTC. Our MTC is the smallest of the ten International ones - maximum of 50 missionaries.  It was dedicated in 2003 and the week we were there they had accepted their 332nd group!  There were nine young elders from all over the world.   They teach English, ESL, Malagasy and soon will add Portuguese.  They have a small kitchen, great gym and outdoor sand volleyball, soccer and basketball.   It was amazing to learn about the training provided here.  They have their own

  Monday February 7th, we drove with Elder and Sister Swift to the National Botanical Gardens.  The Swifts are the Area Medical Advisors - they invited us to go with them on a hike - we left at 6:30 am! This is cork from a cork tree - Elder Smith broke off a couple small pieces.  They told us that the tree is stripped of the cork for commercial purposes and then it grows back! One of the things that has amazed us about South Africa - is all the nationalities that have been involved with this part of the world - for centuries!  this monument is to the French Huguenots - 300 years ago! Elders Swift and Smith at the monument.  Beautiful trees in the background. There was a whole hillside of fountains - with animal heads - no water though. See behind on the hill - they were all connected with waterways and it would have been awesome to see water in there. There is a Dam and lake at the bottom of the Gardens - these are Egyptian Geese - smaller in size to what we are used to. This pretty cr

Sister Elggren and TwoMae - the receptionist at the Area Office - with three of her four daughters.  The Elggrens are the Executive Secretary - and leaders of the senior missionaries - great people. TwoMae is a good worker and helps us with deliveries of packages.   On Saturday February 5th, we drove with the Perkins out to a trade market - we had been there before and there are lots of booths with lots of stuff for sale.  Also food, entertainment, etc.  It had rained heavily the day before and the trade market was not open.  We did have lunch at a café and this play structure was so interesting - just branches joined together and the kids loved climbing all over it. Also Saturday, February 5th was Del Mortensen's funeral.  this is the Bishop talking - you can see part of the casket with the American Flag on it. Kate gave a wonderful opening prayer - it was a very nice service and I'm so happy I was able to see it.  Family is Forever!