On Friday night we not only had a wonderful evening visiting with two Young Single Adult (YSA) women and the couple who brought them, but also got a much needed "grandbaby fix" with the couple's 10 month old son, Kalu. The dad, Edgar, is our ward Elder's Quorum president and the mother, Zodwa, works with us in the Area Office. The young women, Celeste and Molele Jeniffer, are university students in our YSA group at Church. The one in the yellow blouse had been engaged for a week and the one in purple announced her engagement to us that evening!
On Sunday after Church we hosted another couple, Thembinkosi and Nonhlanhla, and three YSA women, Noluthando, Mabatho and Sandisiwe who are university students. Thembinkosi serves on the stake high council and is the PEF supervisor in the Area Office. Nonhlanhla is a physical therapist and Primary president in our ward. The young women had asked me to show them how to make my version of pasta salad so they helped me put it together after they arrived.
On Monday we hosted Thanksgiving Dinner for six elders, four serving in our ward and another companionship in a neighboring ward. Three are North American (California, Arizona and Blackfoot, Idaho); one from Durban, South Africa; one from Nairobi, Kenya; and one from Kinshasa, DRC. It was a delight having them with us for a few hours, hearing their experiences and stories of their conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We served our traditional Thanksgiving menu with ingredients available here. These young men ate virtually everything! The only thing leftover to send out the door with them were olives and chocolate candy.
Each of these groups of young people were very open in talking about mixing their cultural beliefs with opinions of life today and their hopes for the future. It is an honor for us to be around each of them so full of hope and happiness. We look forward with positive anticipation to see the future unfold for them.
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