SmithsAfricanAdventures

  Some pictures of our beautiful young women - they enjoyed posing ! This is one of the Bishops four daughters - 

  A beautiful Young Woman, was baptized today in our Kwa-Thema 2nd ward.  Here are many of our young women with her. Elder Winder and the Counselor in the Bishopric with her.  Both elders - they work hard and the members help them - results - wonderful! Meriam and Elizabeth were in our Temple Prep class - not sure of the relationship to the Young Women. Such a wonderful step to take in returning to our Heavenly Father someday.  

  Some of the pretty colorful African fabric we are taking home - most for Emily! The back of the last two small quilts made for office staff we work with - used up the left over fleece! Our wonderful tee shirts that came in our Christmas package from Kurt's family - took four months! Greatest Grandma and Grandpa - Hands Down!  With their handprints - love it and them! The long awaited package from CO - it was at the post office since Feb. 6th - we finally got it!  We didn't know we were supposed to go pick it up!   Our last Senior Monthly dinner - delicious food and wonderful company! More wonderful friends - we will miss them a little bit!  Nice to have technology to keep in touch! Last table of three - we enjoy using the Canteen where we don't have to put tables up and down. Senior BBQ for the Perkins - and to celebrate the Human Rights Day - outside of Oxford - Monday, March 20, 2023 - wonderful senior couples. 

  President Doug Alley, of the Pocatello Alameda Stake visited Johannesburg.  He is retired and flies around the world taking packages to Missionaries when the local Postal Service isn't reliable.  He posted on fb about 6 months ago that he had been in Johannesburg!  We let him know we were serving in the area office and we'd love to see him.  We left his stake in 2017 to serve in Russia and he had no idea we were here! It was so good to have lunch together and learn of the great things happening in Pocatello.  This is Thembo - a collegue who takes the most remote package to other countries by car or plane.  Small world, huh? 

  On Thursday, March 23, Elder and Sister Perkins left South Africa for home - Utah!  Here their family is at the airport to greet them - 18 months is a long time to be apart!! The Perkins are on the far left, then Smiths, Walters, Humberts, Walstons, Jorgensens, Humphreys, Richmans and Watsons.  They had four suitcases to Sims eight!  Sure will miss them, and join them in two weeks! More Welcome Home to the Perkins!  We are next to leave - April 11th!   Elder and Sister Perkins saying goodbye to a nice neighbor - Jasine.  She is Muslim and a good friend of the senior couples who live in Oxford.  We knew her the five months we lived there.  

  Tuesday, March 21, was Human Rights Day - a national holiday.  One of our first Pathway Students, Alu     Ssenge came to the area office with her family.  It was delightful to meet in person, after a year of online meetings! Her older daughters liked the play structure that is at the office for the children of the Temple Patrons who stay overnight.   This is Jasmine - her four month old baby girl who was born during out Pathway Semester!   Her husband came to pick them up - wonderful family and great example of the benefits of the Pathway program.   Dan and Lindsey spoke in their Sacrament meeting - we got to join in via zoom.  Both gave wonderful talks about Personal revelation - we learned and loved!!! and forgot to get a picture of Pretty Lindsey! Our Easter Baobab tree!  Wooden carved animals and paper Easter Eggs! A taxi (commbie) lost a wheel!  right in the middle of the street - across from the driveway of the Senior Apartment Complex.