Flora and Culture

Each Sunday we meet interesting new people in the branches and wards we visit. This African sister was our chorister at a Sacrament Meeting we attended in midDecember. She is dressed in traditional style and fabric of the Tswana tribe.

Today we attended the Munsieville Branch in Roodepoort Stake and met the Branch President and his wife. President Miller's sister is Sarah in our home ward of Dalton Gardens. It was a delight visiting with this young couple.

On December 26 many of the Senior Missionaries drove an hour south into rolling hills to the Ledesi Cultural Center. Set among trees and native grasses and wildflowers, this site recreates five villages in which our guide walked us through time and shared history and traditions of the Pedi, Zulu, Basotho, Xhosa and Ndebele people of South Africa. A show of traditional dances and music preceded an abundant buffet lunch which included a variety of steaming African meats. Both of us tried crocodile (very tender, mild tasting and chicken-like) and springbok (which tastes like venison). Note the small African bird building in the center of its hanging nest.

Johannesburg is a city of rolling hills covered with trees. Ron is standing at the top of the Johannesburg Temple property overlooking the city to the north. Directly down the hill behind him is the Area Office complex in a wooded area which contains beautiful hillside flower gardens amidst tree-shaded paths and a koi pond. The rubber tree I'm standing next to is located in these gardens and is almost six feet tall. Notice the Honeywell lanyard I'm wearing for my access control card. I don't know how it made its way to Africa, but it reminds me daily of my eldest son.

Five Days in Nairobi

December 14-18 Ron and I flew four hours north to Kenya on an assignment from our Area Presidency. Our gracious hosts were Nairobi Kenya Mission President and Sister Taylor from Idaho Falls, Idaho. Nairobi is a teeming city of 3-5 million people and a gathering place for people from some 42 tribal groups throughout the country of Kenya.

On our drive from the airport into downtown we saw six giraffe behind tall fences. Large storks which look too heavy to sit on tree limbs were perched in flocks on treetops along our route.

We interviewed 17 people in 3 days, among whom was an officer at a police station that Ron interviewed with two Kenyans accompanying him. We met remarkable people and truly enjoyed our stay there.

Wednesday Ron and I were invited to join missionaries in a Zone Conference with whom we shared our testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, gave a Security presentation and shared a traditional lunch. We were delighted to visit with elders we became acquainted with at the Mission Training Center in Johannesburg who had arrived in Nairobi the previous week. Our lunch was prepared by a Kenyan sister who served in enameled tin pans dishes of mince meat (hamburger), pop (corn prepared similar to dry cornmeal mush), squash, fresh fruit and cabbage salad. Sodas were in many-times-recycled glass bottles.

New Perspectives

We taught a Security presentation to our second class of missionaries at the Missionary Training Center.

Children up to age four are carried on their mother's backs with unique wraps and ties. This young mother was in the branch we visited today. The Church members are people of great faith with a mature depth of scriptural and gospel understanding beyond their years.

A new perspective to daily living is the electrical connections in our flat. Notice the trail of extension cords and connectors in place of wall outlets.

Almost each night this week we have had magnificent thunderstorms with amazing lightning displays above our apartment building followed by pounding rain. Mornings dawn clear and beautiful, which we are told is typical summer weather in Johannesburg.

Inside Dukes Court

In the second photo our flat is in the lower left hand corner looking down from the fifth floor.

The sixth floor of our apartment building was originally designed for domestic help but now houses mostly young families who access their flats by the fifth floor metal fire-escapes. Our parking garage is on the ground floor. Elder Erickson has become very adept at backing into our space between two pillars with only about a 3" leeway with the side mirrors.

This is the view of our hall and adjoining Senior Missionary door. Our kitchen window is to the right of our door. Each door has a metal gate which we unlock, enter sallyport, lock gate behind us, unlock our door and enter our livingroom (which was completely furnished when we moved in). We decorated our flat with Christmas wreaths we found in our cupboard left by previous missionary couples.

On Tuesdays we assist in the Johannesburg Temple when missionaries attend from the MTC. This week 15 elders received their endowments which was a remarkable session for us.

Elder Erickson was given an investigative assignment from the Area Presidency and has taken considerable preparation time for us.

On Thanksgiving Day we shared a dinner with our Area Office's 15 Senior Missionary couples and two single Senior Sisters, Area Presidency and their wives.

The next day (Friday) we enjoyed our weekly devotional which was the Area Presidency's Christmas devotional and catered Christmas dinner for everyone in the Area Office, the MTC President and South Africa Mission Presidents with their wives, and visiting guests. December is traditionally the summer holiday when native people return to their homelands for 6 weeks, thus our early Christmas celebration as many staff in our Area Office go on holiday. The university and city schools are out now until mid January.

Each Sunday we visit a different ward or branch, meet the local leaders and members and make a Security survey of the buildings. Our days are full.

Gardens in Dukes Court

Our flat (apartment) is in Dukes Court, a secured five story building.














About 25 Senior Missionary couples live here and serve in the Area Office and Johannesburg Temple. We are quickly becoming acquainted with many of them.

Many of our neighbors grow small gardens in the halls outside their doors.

When we arrived the Jacaranda trees were in full bloom. Originating in Australia, these tall trees thrive here.

Vibrant lavender blossoms precede their green leaves.

These photos were taken from a fifth floor flat.

Late spring rains this past week have brought much needed moisture to Joburg.

View from the Area Office

This is our view from the west window of the Area Office each time we use the printer!

We arrived in Johannesburg on October 31 after a week of Security training in Salt Lake City and a 20 hour flight via Atlanta, GA. The couple we replaced graciously trained us for a week prior to their departure.

Our office is in a secured campus which includes the Johannesburg Temple, Area Office complex (offices, temple patron housing, kitchen with dining area, Distribution Center and Family History Center) and "White House" which is the home of the Area Presidency.

Week at MTC

Our week at the Missionary Training Center was a remarkable experience of meeting wonderful Senior Missionaries from several western states, Alaska, Michigan, Maine and England who will be serving across the US, England, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Korea, Australia and Africa. It was a delight visiting with them!

Ready to go

We know that we are getting close to leaving on our mission when asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting. Can you tell that we feel relieved and a bit more relaxed?

We have received wonderful notes and words of support with warm wishes from friends and family. We made a dry run on packing our suitcases and everything fit so we are ready to go!

Our mission timeline

Our summer in Coeur d'Alene is busily filled with mission preparations and fun with family across the country.

October 19 we officially become missionaries and fly to Utah for a week at the Provo Missionary Training Center. The following week we receive training in Salt Lake City as security specialists.

October 30 (visas permitting) we fly to Atlanta, GA, then on to Johannesburg or Joburg, South Africa. Our assignment covers southeast Africa--countries including Sudan south to the Cape, an area approximately twice the size of the United States. Ron will be making security assessments on LDS church properties and I will be assisting him with scheduling, typing, etc.

We plan on updating our adventures as time allows.