Week 78 - Nov 22nd - 28th, 2015

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

A little more MLS work trying assist the Seshego Branch with getting their checkbook and budget money so they can proceed with what they need to do.  The Area said they would help with the bank, but it appears there will have to be some transfer adjustment agreed to with the former Polokwane Branch for budget money until the new year begins.

Also some support work with members and Elders with a VISA payment, a water leak at a flat, a fan to be replace for Jimmy, and a few calls (which are now diminishing significantly thanks to Elder and Sister Hawkins).

This makes enough room in our schedule to continue our walks around the housing estate in the mornings.   Melanie continues to help me appreciate the flowers, the birds, anything creeping, crawling or African.

Melanie loves these purple 'Dr. Seuss' flowers that bloom a couple of times each year.

The yellow masked weaver birds actually built a triple decker nest off of this limb.

This crawly lizard made the mistake of hiding under our garbage can just as I shifted it and cut off his tail
and accidentally smashed him.   He died but his tail kept wiggling for about 15 minutes.   Then the ants
came and began to feast on him since I'm sure he feasted on many of their brethren as part of his diet.

Melanie was busy this week gathering items and making preparations for a traditional 'Thanksgiving' dinner for us and our non-member neighbor Maggie and the Zone Leaders, Elders Lybe and Kusi-Poku.  The meal was great and the company and the visit and the thanksgiving was a true expression of gratitude and love.

This week also was a major effort to part with much of our personal things, clothes, etc. that we will not be taking home.   Lots of chores around the flat to deal with and I helped with the laundry, sort of like hanging things on the line but Melanie made fun of the way I did the shirts.

Melanie made an announcement at the front gate of the housing complex which more than did the trick of gathering the domestic workers to our flat for our own version of 'Black Friday' here in Africa!  These first two were calm and friendly enough to even thank us and pray for us before they left.   The other large group were a little, well, a lot more aggressive and grabby even to the point of taking Melanie by her shirt.  She finally gave in and gave them the shoes off her feet.

We followed this up with our last visit with the Molepo family in Seshego.   We have grown very fond of them and feel such love and a close attachment to Gpa and Gma Molepo.   Since they are both non-members we felt a little more free to pass along some things to them that they could use, enjoy, share, etc.

Our week finished up with the crowning visit of them all with our brother Jimmy Letsoalo and his pal Simon.  We had some special things put together for them both along with some Primary class drawings from our daughter Annie's class in Draper, UT. which they were excited to receive.  

We prepared some Christmas card letters for Jimmy that he could send through us to some of his friends from around the globe.

He surprised us with a couple of personal thank you cards and a special copy of his Dish Africa cookbook that he published last year.

The finale was some tributes and singing that we captured on video of him and Simon which I followed with a priesthood blessing for each of them.  A tearful farewell until we meet again on the other side.  Sad that it is over, but so very happy that it happened and that we could be a part of it!