News of the Month

It has been an incredible month! We received a new senior couple - The Hampshires. (photos coming soon). We are so grateful they are here and will work in our mission office!

Durban experienced a horrific storm the same day the Hampshires arrived! Lot's of flooding and some damage around Durban! Missionaries stayed safe as they were instructed to stay inside during the storm!

We received seven new missionaries from the Madagascar Mission. We are blessed to have them with us. The Madagascar Mission is now closed due to an outbreak of bubonic plague. Missionaries were relocated as a safety precaution.

The mission will break a record for the number of baptisms in one month: at the end of the month there should be 72 baptisms on record, with several more on baptism date! We are so proud of all our missionaries and their efforts to further God's kingdom here.

We begin our mission tour on Monday, with President Kevin Hamilton and his wife, Claudia. President Hamilton is the South Africa Area President. President Thompson and I will travel with President and Sister Hamilton for the week, and visit several Zones and hold five Zone Conferences before attending (and speaking at) Durban Stake Conference.

President Thompson and I were blessed with two new grandchildren. Our eldest son and his wife added their third boy to the family, and our daughter and her husband added our first granddaughter. That makes a total of 8 grandsons, and 1 granddaughter! We are grateful to prayer and priesthood blessings that helped get these two precious babies here!

Escargot

Trying escargot (snails) for the first time!

 Our Hillcrest Zone Leaders are trying escargot for the first time!

 Elder Legas examines it first!

 He tries it and likes it!!!

 Elder Lowe isn't quite sure!

He tries and says it isn't too bad!!! It was better than he thought it would be!

Scenes

A few scenes!

 It's common to see bananas for sale along the roadside.

 The Stanger Chapel

 Typical streets

 Take away (fast food of South Africa).

All Missionaries Are In and Safe

Durban experienced a turbulent storm earlier today. We kept all missionaries inside, and they are all safe! The storm is subsiding.

Zone Conference Richards Bay

 Our Final Zone Conference This Round

This was the seventh Zone Conference this month!

Each one is powerful!

 Great Zone in Richards Bay!

 So thankful to our Missionary Couple in Richards Bay, Elder and Sister Collins. Elder Collins is the Branch President of Port Durnford. Don't know what we would do without them!!!

My mother-in-law, Doris Thompson

 Elder Reed, Zone Leader

 Elder Nuusa is so impressive!

 Lunch! Thank you Elder and Sister Collins!

 A short run in place break!

 Elder Chiromo teaches!

 Elder Reed and Trapnell. Word has it that Elder Trapnell has learned to speak Zulu quite fluently! Though we are an English speaking mission, many of the people in Kwa Zulu Natal, speak Zulu! Brilliant!

 Richards Bay Zone!

 More instruction!

 Great participation!

 Elders Jonga and Ekirita

 Richards Bay Zone Conference

 Elder Trapnell

 Elder Youngman

Elder Simayile (Zone Leader)