The Wedding

 

This has been a busy week like most weeks are, but that is how we like them. We spent time at the immigration office and got one of the new missionaries paper work done. That same day we had another missionary stop by the office to see if his residency is in and they told him that they were meeting on Wednesday to decide about our church - if the missionaries could get residency or not. Elder Woolf called the mission president and he called the area office. By Friday, Elder Clayton was up here in Francistown meeting with the immigration officers. Pres. Mabota (from Monarch branch) and Elder Riser and Woolf also went to the meeting. We hope that that meeting helped clarify any questions they had about the church. We should know the outcome this week. Fun side note; Elder Clayton is the father in law to Spencer Nelson. Spencer played basketball at USU and his mother is a very good friend. We also had an open house for the Monarch Church and the second soccer game between Monarch and F-town/Gerald. We had lots of people out for the 'football' game.

We have a wonderful family that is in the Monarch Branch. Br. Burman read the whole Book of Mormon in five days and knew it was true. The couple have four children - one girl and three boys. And like most couples, they weren't married. The wife is from Zimbabwe and had to prove that she hadn't been married before. It took her two trips to Zimbabwe to get the right papers. Last Thursday we went to the government building to see their marriage. There were seven couples that were married that day. We all crowded into a large room with people standing and sitting everywhere. A man spoke for 1 and 1/2 hours on marriage and giving advice to the couples. Then the man who married them spoke for another 1/2 hour. It took 2 hours to get the couples married one at a time. They exchange rings at that time. Br. Burman's family came to support him and that was great.

We went to the church and had a short program and then the family had provided a meal for all. They had goat for the main course along with rice and pap. The Elders had asked me to make a wedding cake and so I made a two tier white cake . You learn to adapt and so I just did with what I had. Br. Burman was thrilled with it and so that made me feel good. Many people came from the branch to support the family and now the family is getting baptised this Saturday. It was a great day.

Servants of our Heavenly Father

The Taylors

In a wonderful mall where I found hair spray!!!

Just wanted to introduce you to an amazing couple.  They are Elder and Sister Taylor and they serve in Gaborone, Botswana.  We stayed with them this past week while we were in Gabs for our Zone Conference.  They have been in Botswana for two months.  This is their fifth mission, fourth as a couple.  When they retired, they sold their home in Utah and are now going to serve missions until their health no longer allows them.  They have six children and when they are done with a mission, they go around and visit their children and grandchildren.  And then after six months they are off on a new mission.  They have been on missions for the past seven years and only one in the states.  What a wonderful service they are doing.  I commented that their flat is decorated so cute.  Sister Taylor said that the flat is the only home she has and she wants it be attractive and pleasant.  My new heroes!!!

A jouney into another world!

The Risers and we decided we were definitely country bumpkins when we traveled to the BIG city of J-Burg this past week.  Francistown is a small city and has a few restaurants and small downtown area.  It has both donkey carts and BMWs on the same road.  We consider it about the size of Smithfield, Utah.  As we journeyed southward and reached one larger city after another, we kept commenting on how big the cities were and what they had for stores and people.  We even drove on a freeway and even if it was a toll road, we enjoyed the freedom of driving on a divided two lane highway.  We haven't done that since our drive to the SLC Airport!  We were amazed on how large Johannesburg was.  When we were there before at the Mission Home, we were in a residential area and then left for Botswana through the back part of the town.  We got to the Temple very easy and got settled in the Patron's Lodging, which was very nice.  We had hoped to make it to the 5 o'clock session but it started to rain with an electrical storm that was so close and so loud.  We couldn't even walk the short distance to the temple because of the heavy rain.  We eventually made it to the 6 o'clock session and enjoyed the Temple and the peace felt there.  Afterwards we went to eat and had a great meal just a few blocks from the temple.  Elder Woolf had his first steak since he has been here and he loved it.  The next day we were busy in the temple all day and it was great.  We met Bert Ashcroft and his wife in the temple.  They are on a mission as temple workers for 18 months.  Bert was from the 5th Ward and was a year older than Dennis and I went to school with his younger brother, Scott.  You do meet the nicest people in the Temple.  You cannot get the feeling of peace anywhere else.  There is also a distribution store and we had a good time there too.  That night we met up with Bobby Lewis and his wife Renae.  Bobby grew up in Riverdale and is just two months older than Dennis.  We went out to eat at a Mediterranean restaurant and enjoyed the company and the meal.  We laughed at every one's experiences that we have had here.  We got up early the next and did one more session before we left to return to Francistown.  Elder Woolf started driving home and then asked me to drive.  All three were asleep and I was not sure where to turn off to head to Botswana.  I had muted our GPS because we didn't want to hear the lady tell us where to go - big mistake!!  I drove into some city that I didn't recognize and the others woke up just then.  We finally realized that we had  - or I should say - I had driven 40 km too far and was headed to Zimbabwe!!  Elder Woolf got behind the wheel again and off we headed back the way we came.  We finally had our one meal of the day about 3:30 p.m. and we were hungry.  We didn't want to take the time to eat it at the pizza place, so we took it and ate it in the car and a pizza never tasted so good.  We enjoyed the Temple trip very much; it was a great diversion for us.  We even got to see some animals on the way home. 

Transfers

Transfer week is always a sweet and sour experience.  We hate losing the wonderful missionaries we have worked with here, but we seem to always get the best ones to come and fill the empty spots.  We lost four wonderful missionaries in this past transfer: Sisters Lovell and Hadlock and Elders Sithole and Van Herdeen.  We have a going away social and have the ones leaving bear their testimonies AND have ice cream.  The next week we have a welcoming social and have the new ones introduce themselves and bear their testimonies AND have ice cream. 

Goodbyes and Ice Cream.

Elder Van Heerden and the Sisters

Some of our new missionaries



Nose to Nose (Trunk)

We were able to go to Kasane this month to take the members their church supplies for the new year - manuals and such.  We left Francistown later than we wanted and didn't get up to Kasane until 3:30 p.m.  We went to see Cornelia at her work and visited with her until it was time for her to leave work.  We went down by the river to check it out and there must have been a sand bar near by because there were four hippos playing in the river and they were standing in the water.  There were two smaller ones and two larger ones.  We must have watched them for half an hour.   They were playing with each other and splashing around.  It was too bad it wasn't just a bit closer.  The sun was going down and Cornelia used our camera and got some wonderful pictures.  She is a great photographer and just published a calendar with some of her pictures.  They are just incredible.

We checked out the place were we are hoping their group will be meeting soon.  There was a lot of work still to be done, but it could be done by next month.  They are so anxious to get in the building.  We went and ate at an Indian restaurant and it was very good.

  Then Cornelia took us on a wonderful adventure.  Because Kasane is right by the Chobe Park and there aren't any fences, animals move at will.  In fact, Cornelia told us that there had been a lion kill just the week before just below her house.  (You do not go out at night for a walk in Kasane)  Across the street behind her house is where we went in her SUV.  It was dark at the time and she wanted to look for hyenas.  We saw some getting a drink by the watering hole.  Cape buffalos were roaming around, but the most fun part was the herds of elephants we saw.  One group had around a dozen.  A very young one was nursing while two big elephants were jousting with each other.  They had their tusks and trunks interlocked and pushing each other around.   Cornelia left the lights on and turned off the SUV and we sat their and watched them for a long time.  Did I mention that they were VERY close!!  They didn't seem to mind us at all.  I kept saying that I couldn't believe how close we were.  We drove on and came upon another herd.  This one had one of the teenagers just off the road.  We waited for him to move and when he finally did, as we drove by, if Dennis' arm had been just a few inches longer, he could have patted the elephants behind.  There were so many birds out and calling to each other.  It was a magical night for Dennis - Elder Woolf and I.  Thanks to Cornelia.

The next day was Sunday and we went to church with the Kasane Group.  We still met in a home and because of the holidays, Botswanas take off two to three weeks for the holidays, there were only nine of us at the meeting.  The President of the group had to work and didn't make it until Priesthood/RS meeting, so counselor took charge and Elder Woolf blessed and passed the Sacrament.  The talks were so good and again, the spirit is so strong there.  We love going to Kasane!! 

                 Elephants on the road to Kasane.  Yes, they are that close to the road!

Cornelia standing by a picture she took - amazing, huh??

The beautiful Chobe Rive at sunset.

Why you come to Kasane - the beautiful sunsets.

The hippos are playing in the water.  I know we weren't close enough to get a good picture.

Christmas Botswana Style

Christmas 2011 will be the one of the most memorable ones for the Woolfs.  First of all, it is hot here and it is crazy to sing "Jingle Bells" in 90 degree weather.  And second, the members and missionaries here made it so fun.  The day before Christmas, the zone got together and went caroling to the three branches.  We went to members and investigators.  One dear lady, Lucy, is wonderful to go and visit.  She brought out her hymn book and sang along with us.  There were two other ladies that came and joined us when they heard the music.  At an investigators place, there was a man who was wearing a hat and he removed it when we started to sing the Christmas songs.  The dear Sister Missionaries made sugar cookies to take with us.  At a new members place, the Jacks, we asked the husband his favorite song, thinking he would tell us a Christmas song.  But no, we sang "Rock of Ages."  They love that song here. We enjoyed singing with the missionaries.

We then went home to get ready for Sunday.  Elder Woolf knew he needed to speak at church.  We read the Christmas story that evening for our Christmas Eve tradition.  When we got to church, President Mabote told Elder Woolf to hint to Sister Woolf that she would be talking also.  It was a good thing that I had read an old December Liahona that I had found at church.  It had a good missionary Christmas story that I retold.  Speaking on Sundays is getting to be old hat now.  We had 23 at church and we actually felt good about that.  Many of the members leave and go to their villages for two or three weeks during the Christmas holidays.  We will be glad when they all get back.

Christmas dinner was held at the Risers.  It was a fun time and we all enjoyed being together.  We had lots of good food: baked potatoes, ham, jello salad, peas and corn, rolls and desserts that everyone brought.  After eating we shared family traditions, memories, or whatever.  Sister Riser shared a family tradition with all of us.  On Christmas Eve, she reads the "Polar Express" and afterwards talks about believing not just in Santa Claus, but believing in the Savior for one more year.  She then put a bell around our necks and asked us to believe for one more year.  Their family has done this for many years and we were glad to have that tradition shared with us. 

Three of the elders came and skyped their families on our computer.  It was fun to just visit with the elders that weren't talking to their families.  We have a new zone leader who is from Scotland.  I was getting skype set for him and I got his mother on line.  I could not understand one word she said, and I think she was speaking English!  We had the most delight time skyping our children and grandchildren for Christmas.

Christmas in our home in Francistown.

Themba, Elder's Quorum President in Gerald, helping us sing Christmas songs at Lucy's home.  The girl in the salmon colored shirt is the one who just lost her father.

My young friends singing Christmas carols.

Getting my Christmas Bell.

Christmas Carols

We have been able to go to two totally different places this past week to sing Christmas Songs.  The first place was at a hotel and we were suppose to sing out side, but it had been raining all day and it looked like more rain when we were suppose to start.  We were given candles to have while we were singing.  It was a fun experience.  We had our hymn books and we sang out loud!!  Some of the songs had many more verses than we know or some had different melodies than we know the song with.  But hey, that didn't stop us from singing along.   When we had sung the religious songs, we started singing the Santa songs.  In came Father Christmas.  His suit is much different than the Santa we are use to, but the spirit is the same.  The children were excited to see him. 

The children were asked to come up to the front to sing "Away in a Manger'"

Father Christmas

The Sister Missionaries - Nelasiba, Lovell, Collister, and Hadlock by the Christmas Tree at the hotel.

Then two days later we sang and read scriptures to women in a prison for illegal immigrants.  We also gave them personal hygiene kits that one of our branches had made.  It was a humbling experience and one we won't soon forget.  The people have been there for years or just arrived.  They don't know how long they will be there.  Make sure you thank Heavenly Father for all your blessings!!