Week 39 - Feb 22nd - 28th, 2015

Sunday, February 22nd to Saturday, February 28th 2015

Check week 38 for the conclusion of our daughter's visit to South Africa which carried over onto Sunday and Monday of this week.

Resuming on Tuesday the 24th we sent birthday wishes to the son that turned us into parents 40 years ago today, Jeremy William Hansen.  Jeremy is a trainman on the Union Pacific RR and at present is in training to become an engineer.  He is married to Lilia and her two teen-age children, Liza and Bryan.  They live across the street from our home in Riverdale, UT.

Melanie also had a Tuesday visit to the Dentist to begin a root canal treatment which was quite a way to finish up what had been a wonderful week prior.  She had to return again on Friday for the conclusion of some nice 'chair' time with the nice little Muslim Indian gal, her dentist.  Thankfully all went well.

We had a 'month-of-miracles' miracle on Wednesday while we were shopping for groceries.  Melanie suggested a stop for an ice cream cone and while there we were served by a very friendly clerk who showed more than a passing interest in us and our badges and our accents, etc.  So I talked with her briefly as we were leaving and gave her a pass-along card and told her to be sure to follow up on it.

When we got outside we 'happened' to run into the Zone Leaders Elders who 'happened' to be doing some finding with mall patrons.  So I gave them some money and told them to go in and buy an ice cream cone and be certain to approach this young woman.  They did and later on we heard that they immediately got a teaching appointment with her!  Never know how the Lord will put people in your path when you're a missionary, nor do we always realize the smallest or seemingly insignificant impressions to do things can lead us in the path of the Lord's work.

We made the 2nd trip to Joburg for the dentist and then checked in to the patron housing at the temple for our Branch Temple trip.  I hadn't been feeling well so while Melanie's anesthesia wore off we both took a rest.   She was doing better but after an early dinner I was coming down with something unpleasant.  It got worse and worse, even through the night.   So instead of the pleasure of joining our Branch, and the nine members from our Group in the Temple, we had to drive back home to Polokwane and recover quickly before our Fast Sunday.