Friday, February 17, 2017

Scenery


I've been without internet for a week - and making up for it today!
These are scenes from our drive to Bethlehem, and from Bethlehem to Newcastle!
So pretty! There is a variety of mountains and flat lands - but everything is very green due to the rain we've had this summer!

 A potato field. 
The tractor plows the potatoes and the workers gather them and place them in the canvas bags!

 A beautiful church in the town of Clarens.



 Driving along we saw this baboon. We stopped to take photos as he was eating something from the grass.

 Beautiful countryside

 I think this is a Wildebeest! There were several roaming wild.

 This baboon hopped up on the sign as we drove up next to it!


 We visited a Basotho village. This is the chief welcoming us.

 This is the medicine hut. Herbs are growing to the left. A medicine man has a bag with trinkets. He dumps them in your hand. You blow on the trinkets and drop them onto a mat. From the way they land, he reads your health and then treats you with herbs. There are still medicine men today. It takes two years of being an apprentice.

 Some of the more modern day houses.

 These types of fences around the circular huts were for privacy.

 These types of blankets are common to these people. Today, you still see many of the shepherds and people wearing blankets like these draped around their clothes.

 A wild herd of Zebra!

 We opened our hotel room to this beautiful creature.

 Windmills like these are common here.

 Beautiful sunflower fields.

 The clouds here are spectacular - and you can see them forever!

 Lots of corn fields!

We see these birds frequently - they are black and have very long tail feathers. The odd thing is they hover for a long time in one place! I've started calling them hover birds!!!

MLC

 The bunk house conference room accommodates our MLC meeting for the next 8 hours! The office couples are kind enough to make sure we get lunch!

 Someone asked where President and I were at this meeting - there is no room for us at the table, so we are sitting in the front corner!  :)


 The Zone Leaders are busy planning next Zone Conference! President Thompson chose the topic for Conference, but he wanted the Zone Leaders to plan and execute the conference in their respective zones. Teaching in the Savior's Way is the theme. They assigned President and I to speak in all of the conferences!



We also discuss some of the issues and the progress of the mission!

Team Dinner


Last transfer we started a team dinner for the zone leaders. It was a huge success, so we have decided to do it again! We've brought all 12 zone leaders together, and the assistants, the day before MLC (Mission Leadership Council) to participate in a team dinner. President and I provide the ingredients, divide them up into groups of three and let them decide on a main dish, a dessert, and a couple of side dishes.
 While waiting for everyone to arrive, a few missionaries discuss their zones.


 President gives the leaders a quick assignment!


 They get to work!


 Team efforts are amazing!





Look at the creativity! So cool!


 Unfortunately we don't have space for everyone to be seated in the same room, so we set out the food, and the missionaries find a place to eat their delicious creations!
I'm still surprised that no one asks for a recipe! They just create!


 The missionaries are always so kind to dish the first plate for me!

 Amazing food!  We have some very good chefs! As good as any restaurant!

After we eat, we discuss the team work that went into making the meal, and how it applies to our missionary work! These young men have incredible insights!

Departing Elders Breakfast and Airport

Our departing Elders making breakfast before going to the airport.

















 Jumping for joy that these Elders have finished strong!



Saying goodbye is hard! We will miss these fine young men! We wish them the best in all that they do and hope they keep in contact with us!