Our First Missionary to Leave

Elder Sibanda is our first missionary that came on mission since we first arrived to go home!

We will miss him!

Goodbye Collins

Goodbye Elder and Sister Collins

We have been so blessed to have Elder and Sister Collins serve in the Richard's Bay area.

We are going to miss them! They have been tremendous leaders and examples to all who know them.

We wish them the best as they return home!

The Brown's Leaving

Elder and Sister Brown

We were sad to see the Brown's leave us. They have been tremendous missionaries, mentors, and leaders! We will genuinely miss them, but wish them well as they return home to the United States.

New Senior Couples

We are so blessed to have some wonderful new couples join us in Durban!

 The Gysler's are here! They are from Switzerland!

 Elder and Sister Moody

Elder and Sister Perry

Bloemfontein Stake Conference

President Thompson and I spoke in the Sunday Session along with 

General Authority Elder Mark Palmer

and Area Authority Elder Matswagothata 

 Elders Nuusa, Gehlbach, Lowe

 Bloemfontein Zone

With Elder and Sister Hicks, Sister and President Thompson, and Elder and Sister Porter

 This lovely couple have been members since 1981

The women in the choir wore these beautiful head dresses! 

Yay, Our Daughter is Here!

Nicole is taking a summer break from BYU and has come to help with two large projects for

the mission, and a bunch of other things. 

I love that she is keeping to the missionary schedule since she's been here!

She is a tremendous help! 

So excited to have her!

Goodbye to Elder Wilson

We received Elder Wilson from the Madagascar Mission last October.

Several missionaries were evacuated from that mission, and we were privileged to get Elder Wilson finish his mission with us.

Time for Breakfast Then to Work

Breakfast at the mission home!

Then off to their assigned areas!

When our grandchildren spent the night, President cooked breakfast with them....he is keeping up the tradition while on mission!

President Thompson  with Elders McCoy, Hyer, Mabiala, and Kabisa

 Aprons are a must!

 Reading off the recipe for pancakes!

 Elder McCoy is ready to go to his new area in Newcastle/Osizweni

He has about a four hour drive to reach his area today!

 Elder Hyer is traveling about five hours to Bohlokong

 Elder Hyer

 Elder Kabisa doesn't have too far to travel to get to his assigned area!

 Elder Mabiala will travel about five hours to Bethlehem.

 Elder Mabiala

 Loading the trailer with suitcases.

 We call the mission van the "Durban Express"

 Elder Simayile (AP)

 Elder Homer (AP)

 The mission home gate is about to release these young missionaries to their assigned areas! We will keep you Elder Wilson!

 The gate is open and they are ready to go!

Those wearing those shoes are representatives of Jesus Christ! We are excited to have all of these young men join our mission family!

Orientation/Arriving and Departing Missionary Testimony Meeting

ONE DEPARTING MISSIONARY

FOUR NEW MISSIONARIES

 After picking up our new missionaries at the airport and a quick stop at the temple site, the missionaries come to the mission office for orientation, filling out forms, driving lesson, and a 

Mission President interview!

Elder Wilson is our only departing missionary this transfer - we will miss him!

 Elder Kabisa

 Elder Mabiala

 Our new missionaries are informed on safety, boardings, health insurance, among other things at the mission office

 Elder Fullmer (AP) helps instruct the missionaries

We have added to our missionary handbook, and have the new missionaries write

 "Book of Blessings" on the front. We want them to remember that the handbook is not full of restrictions, but rather it is a book full of blessings and protection if they are obedient!

 Our new missionaries come to the mission home where I do my portion to welcome them to our mission family. I instruct them on what to do if they fall ill, and how to keep healthy while on mission. After instructing them, we have dinner and a testimony meeting before they find out where they assigned and who their trainer will be!

 Elder Kabisa shares his testimony

 Elder Mabiala bears witness

 Elder Fullmers bears testimony

 Elder McCoy bears his testimony

 Elder Homer bears his witness. We will miss Elder Homer as an Assistant to the President. He has served as an Assistant longer than any other assistant since we have been in South Africa.  He has been a great example and leader in the mission.

 Elder Wilson will finish mission in two days! He bears his witness and testimony. He came to us in October from the Madagascar Mission when missionaries were evacuated from that country. We have been blessed to have him in South Africa.

 Elder Hyer bears his testimony

 Elder Simayile (AP) shares his testimony

 Elder Hyer will serve in Bohlokong, Mabiala will serve in Bethlehem, McCoy will serve in Osizweni 2, and Kabisa will serve in Kwadabeka

Back: our faithful Assistants, Elders Homer, Fullmer, Simayile.  (Elder Jantjies has also been a fabulous Assistant, but he stayed in his area and will be serving as a trainer!)