SmithsAfricanAdventures

On Saturday, Oct. 1st - the senior missionaries had a potluck BBQ.  Sister Sims found a small metal grill to purchase and we all paid a little bit back to her.  We brought our own meat, silverware, and drink and either a salad or dessert!  I talked Elder Smith into wearing our Pathway shirts - mine a tee shirt, his a golf shirt - he said he felt like a walking advertisement! What a good program to advertise! At Oxford 51, there are these small patios with plastic grass - the men brought tables and chairs and we all had a good time.  Nice to have a shady spot - delicious food and wonderful friends to sit and chat with - before going home and watching the first session of conference.  

  This hospital is right across the street from the Temple - and the Africa South Area is behind the Temple.  Elder and Sister Johnson are friends who are serving in the Johannesburg Mission about 6 hours away.  They called us on Sunday evening - a young sister from their Ward had a baby with a hole in her spine and was brought to the hospital.  They told us the mother needed some help - toothbrush, clothes, etc.  We were happy to gather a few things and get them to her the next day. This is Thegofatso Mkhandwane and her new baby Masego - means 'lucky'!  The baby had surgery and is doing well - she tells us. We were so happy to be able to be of service to her.  

This is the Church History Department in the Area Office. Elder and Sister Irving were serving here when we came, they finished their mission and Elder and Sister Candland came for six months. They just finished and they were replaced by a Church employee who lives near the MTC and Mission complex across town. He will only come in to this office once in a while.    The shelves of books about Church History in South Africa. Very interesting to look through. On April 18, 1853, three elders landed in Cape Town  from Salt Lake City - Elders Walker, Haven and Smith! They had been in England trying to get to South Africa - for seven months! It was exciting to find a relative was Mission President here.  Nickolas Groesbeck Smith - my Father's uncle, was Mission President from September 1913 to March 1921 - 8 years!  My Grandpa Glenn Groesbeck Smith was his half brother. Shovels used in Temple groundbreaking - Johannesburg, Accra Ghana, Durban and Cape Town. The doors t...

  Kwa-Thema Second Ward had a wonderful baptism on Sunday, September 25t.  These five beautiful young ladies were baptized.  Here they are with one of the mothers. Wish I knew names!  Elder Riddle and Elder Pick with smiling girls!! The other mother of the girls.  The sister in yellow is the Ward Young Women President.  What a happy group - Elders, converts, mothers and YW President. The three young men in the back row are Priests in the ward.  Each of them baptized a young sister.  So many do not have Priesthood in their homes - the young men did great!   Saints waiting for the Baptism to begin - this is in the Primary Room - font at the front.  Special spirit there - as we were waiting to begin our RS President starting singing hymns, and all joined it!  We had to leave before it was over to get to our Mission Meeting.  

  September 24th is a National Holiday in South Africa - Heritage Day.  There are eleven official languages and many different cultures.  This pubic holiday is to recognize and celebrate all of them! The holiday was on Saturday this year and many of the citizens wore their traditional costumes to churc on Sunday, September 25.  Here are 6 of the Primary girls in costumes.  This is the Bishop's daughter and she wanted a picture with me!  Three wonderful Young Women before church began - aren't they beautiful?   Older sister in the ward - I can't remember her name or spell it or pronounce it but she wanted me to take her picture!  Love the humble, faithful saints here.  More wonderful sisters - they are wonderful and easy to love and serve, as our Savior would have us do. This is our great Front Desk receptionist - Two May.  She looked so good on Monday morning I asked to take her picture. Since our monthly Senior Dinner was on Herita...

It is wonderful to purchase these quilt tops - made by African women in Ghana.  They are sold by an African Art shop here.  I usually cut them in half and then border each so it makes a small quilt that is easier for the leaving senior couples to pack and take home!   Thanks Lindsey and Sister Dube for the jumbo rick rack trim - it makes it must easierto bind them. I also can bring the back fleece up to bind the top - when I don't have the rick rack! Elder Smith helping tie a quilt when the power is out!  Nice LED lanterns make enough light! Centipede we found out walking this morning - gross!  They were hugs in Jamaica!!   When I have to walk around the Area Office to conduct business - official or not - I find great pictures and take a picture of them to share with my blog.  These are two of them.  Beautiful family - it is amazing to see the happiness of most of the people here.  By our Western standards they don't have a lot of m...

  Elder Stuart and Sister Evelyn Candland - Church History specialists - leaving for their home in Northern California, on September 21, 2022. They also served in Spain and Argentina - they speak excellent Spanish!  He turned 80 years old just 6 days before Elder Smith!   Some of the senior elders helping to load the van for the trip to the airport.  The flight went to London for a seven hour layover!  The a non stop flight to San Francisco.  Love the willingness of the seniors to help each other!   Love the sisters wanting to chat just a few more minutes!! Wonderful senior missionaries,  Elder and Sister Candland in front, from left - the Smiths, the Goodsons, the Humberts, the Watsons, the Walters and Elder Richman. Heather gave us the link to the Edgemont Fourth Ward Sacrament meeting.  It was their annual Primary Program and we wanted to watch Briella do her part.  She got a cute new short hair cut - but we recognized her. ...