East London Zone Meeting

We attended the East London Zone Meeting this morning once our flat inspections were completed.  This meeting began at 10:30 so we were rushing to pick up the mail and complete the flat inspections and get to the church by that time.

Elder Malpage and Elder Wells provided wonderful training on how to become the “Fourth Missionary”.  They gave examples of four different missionaries - all with different levels of obedience and commitment.  They challenged the Elders to set themselves apart and become like the 4th missionary in their personal obedience, personal spiritually and in their personal power.

The Elders are showing their commitment to seek the higher ground and become like unto the 4th Missionary in the training example used by the Zone Leaders.  I have no idea why Elder Smith has up four fingers and his thumb.  Perhaps he is trying for an even higher standard? 

Front row from left to right: Elder Matini, Si’ufanua, Trepaneir, Sister Thomas, Elders Crowell, Wells and Smith.

Middler Row: Elders Monyo, Freitas, Pitsoane, Moffett, Ludvigson, Shabalala.

Back Row: Mmusi, Manqane, Malpage, Pahulu,

Mdantsane Zone Inspections

This morning we inspected the flats of the Elders in the Mdantsane Zone.  There were only three boardings to do today because we had already completed the Zone Leaders inspection and the Elders boarding in King William’s Town.

While we were inspecting the flat of Elder Carniletto and Elder Faitau, we were able to focus some time buffing off some of the tire marking left on their car when they were involved in an accident.  The before and after picture shows the difference.  Not perfect, but not bad!  Elder Carniletto and Elder Faitau are shown in the lower left.

Sister Thomas is shown with Elder Mukonda, Hoffman, Moliki and Ndlovu following the inspection of this boarding,  These Elders also received a 10/10 rating.  However, Elder Moliki had to quickly shave to get his personal grooming up to missionary standards.  His companion Elder Mukonda also had to stand a bit closer to the razor before they went to the area.

When we inspected the boarding of the Mdantsane Third Ward Elders, Sister Thomas gave them a 10/10.  Both sides of this boarding were as clean as we have seen it for a while.  Elders Richards, Ngobeni, Mongalo Sister Thomas and Elder Dean show their flat rating of 10 as we depart.

Elders Ngobeni and Richards sit in typical missionary study mode.

Mdantsane Zone Meeting

We undertook a unique flat inspection today.  The landlord of our small retirement house agreed to come in a repaint the house on the inside.  Over the past three days we have been somewhat displaced as they have moved from one room to the next room in the house.  We have also had to stay close because they have been in our boarding painting for the three days. 

Elder Thomas went to inspect Elder Judd and Mchunu’s boarding. While there, I FaceTimed with Sister Thomas and I walked through the flat.  I showed her the inside of the fridge, the inside of the microwave and the whole kitchen as well and the bedroom and bathroom.  It was as thorough an inspection as we have ever done.

When the inspection was over I went to the Dentist’s office that the Mission uses so I could pay for Elder Chapman’s root cannel.

After that I went to the Church and joined the Mdantsane Zone for their Zone Meeting.  Elder Judd and Elder Mchunu did a wonderful job of providing instruction on when it is appropriate and how to take pictures of young women and YSA.  They also provided some extended training on the reasons for the 5/5/5 and what the Zone needs to do to improve.  It was a good Zone meeting taught with love and focus on the subjects.

It was a boring day for Sister Thomas.  She was stuck in the house with the painters all day long with no food because the painters had the kitchen blocked off.  I stopped and bought her a salad on the way home from the meeting.

Front row left to right: Elders Hoffman, Dean, Cossey, Chapman, Faitau, Mukonda
Back Row: Elders Ngobeni, Mongalo, Carniletto, Zone Leaders, Mchunu and Judd and Elders Ndlovu, Richards, Thomas and Moliki.

Distrupted by Painting Days in our Apartment

Our Missionary lives have been impacted this week as we worked around some painters who our landlord had hired to come in and repaint the flat.  They did a good job with the painting but we had three different conference calls with the painters in the background.

We had to divide and conquer over these days.  Some days I stayed home with the painters and other days Sister Thomas stayed there while the other did some type of errand that needed to be completed or attended a meeting.

Big Burger Night with the Zone Leaders

This morning we had the Senior Couples Skype call where I took the couples through the items that were covered in the Mission Leadership Skype call.  I also provided instruction that was provided to President Merrill from both his recent Cape Coordinating Council and his Mission Presidents Conference in Johannesburg.  It was a good meeting but it was really more sharing information than a real council meeting with the Senior couples.  I will need to work on that.

In the evening we invited the Zone Leaders to join us for dinner so that we could counsel together about a couple of issues.  We took them to a place just outside Gonubie that claims to have the largest burgers in the world.  In fact, they were big.  In fact, they were GIGANTIC.  Elder Malpage was the only one able to finish his burger.  The rest took their remaining burger home for a future meal.  Elder Thomas was only allowed a half burger order and was just barely able to eat it all.  Sister Thomas went for the half portion of calamari.

Breakfast with Zone Leaders before the Mission Leadership Skype call

We invited the Zone Leaders over this morning so they could have breakfast with us before the Mission Leadership Skype call.  Since Elder Judd is going home in a week, Sister Thomas asked him what he would like.  He went with baked french toast casserole, hash browns, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit salad.  It as a nice breakfast and we were done in time for the Skype Call.

The Skype call as always was enjoyable.  The topics covered by these young leaders was necessary.  I believe that they are finely understanding the power of their callings.  Of course, we also had the traditional apple slices dipped in “wicked syrup” as an after-the-skype treat. 

Game Drive through Mpongo Game Park with the Missionaries

We joined the Mdantsane Zone on a game drive.  It was at the Mpongo Private Game Reserve.  It cost R 50.00 per person, which is something that the Elders can afford.  We were able to see a lot of different boks.  Water Buck, Eland, Kudu, Blesbok, Impala, Springbok, Wildebeest are a few.  We also saw giraffe and one very large white Rhino.

There were six vehicles with two people in each car so 24 of us in total.  It was a good drive and only a flat tire on Elder Carniletto’s vehicle.  Too many Elders to be named in the lower left picture.  We were happy to have Elder Chapman (left) and Elder Cossey (right) join us in our car for the drive.  Sister Thomas wanted a picture of the cactus growing out of the top of the abandoned farm house that was on the game reserve.  One wonders how it gets the nourishment to survive up there on the top of the wall.

The Rhino was the star of the day.  Unfortunately, our car was not able to get really close to the Giraffes.