June 10, 2010
We have finally gotten to our blog, we will endeavor to fill in most of the days since we arrived in Southern Africa, especially Swaziland.
May 2, 2010
We arrived in Durban, our plane from Atlanta was very late because of mechanical problems, however President and Sister Mann were waiting for us. Our luggage did not make it from Johannesburg so Tom and President Mann arranged for the airline to deliver it to the Mission Home the next day. We were really exhausted after that endless plane trip. President and Sister Mann took us to a B&B where we spent the night. We did not sleep very well, must have been jet lag.  Breakfast was wonderful, the first time for an authentic South African English breakfast.
May 3, 1020
President Mann picked us up at the B&B and took us to the Mission Home, where I tried to arrange to pick up my dental box from Customs and was not successful. We had orientation for the beginning of our mission, right now we don't remember what we discussed. We were given a car to drive with a gps to help us get around. A couple from Ladysmith known as the Ladysmith Wilsons came in they were going home after 18 months, we were taken to lunch with them, Brother and Sister Cox (CES), Elder and Sister Davis and President and Sister Mann. Went back to the Mission Home, we were given our telephone and arrangements made for us to have dinner with Elder and Sister Davis at their (boarding) apartment with the missionaries who lived close to them. It was a very good evening, we felt like we had started a new friendship with the Davis's.
May 4, 2010
Left Durban following Elder Davis, his job was to get us to the freeway heading to Swaziland, we were to meet the Swazi Wilsons at a Petrol Station (gas station) about 1 hour from the Swazi immigration and border. We met the Wilsons on time and they led us through customs and Swazi immigration, then on to our rental (boarding). We rented a hotel apartment for 1 month since the Wilson's would be going home. He was the brother to LadySmith Wilsons. We had dinner that evening at a Chinese Restaurant which was very good.
May 5, 2010
Drove around area of Swaziland that is most populated, went to Manzini to see the Chapel there, it is a very beautiful setting. Then we drove to Ezuwini, the town we live in, the saints meet in a primary school that is really run down and dirty. The Church is in the process of buying property for a permanent facility, sale not finalized.
May 6, 1020
Drove to Mbabane to pay phone bill and transfer service to Elder Blackburn, we needed our passport, good thing I decided to keep our Passports with us at all times, then they wanted pictures, so we had to make appointment for tomorrow to take pictures to them. Went to Church Building and it is a really nice brick building similar to Manzini. Elder Wilson telephoned the Branch President in Nhlongono and learned his wife was in Hope House in Manzini, a hospice facility run by some Cathollic Nuns. We went there, the facility was so clean, Sister Balunga was being well cared for, Sister Bulunga had tuburculosis and AIDS. I wrote "she will probably die soon".
May 7, 2010
Delivered the pictures of Elder Blackburn to the telephone company so they could change the name from Wilson. Then we drove to Manzini to check on progress of Sister Bulunga. She seemed to be better.

May 8, 2010
Drove to Nhlongono to see Chapel and meet the missionaries, Sister Wilson gave a piano lesson to 2 brothers. The chapel looks like trailer houses on blocks, it does function for the Church very well. That evening we went to Sommerfield Botanical Garden for dinner, there is a very posh restaurant there that Sister Wilson just loves, I think I just love it too. (link to Sommerfield can be found on google) It is worth looking up. We plan to spend our Anniversary there for dinner.

9 May 2010
We all drove to Nhlongono for church today, Elder Blackburn and Sister Blackburn were asked to bear our testimonies, which we did with great boldness. We stayed for all three meetings, Sister Blackburn attended Primary and was very impressed with the ability of the children to sing and bear their testimonies in English, even the 3 year olds. Gave out candy that Sister Scroggins had sent with us and explained that a Primary President in the USA loved them.

10 May 2010
We had our first District Development Meeting in Manzini District and had the opportunity of meeting 6 of the Elders we will have the opportunity to watch over since Elder Blackburn has been asked to be a Counselor in the Mission Presidency for Swaziland. Went to the Manzini craft market place, the Wilsons want us to know all the tourist areas since most couple missionaries will come to Swaziland for souvenirs.

11 May 2010
Attended our first Zone Meeting in Mbabane, we met all the missionaries and cannot remember all of them or pronounce their names, that will be a real challenge, they speak so softly and with such deeply accented English.

12 May 2010
Had a District Development Meeting in Mbabane with 6 elders, then came back to the boarding to pack our bags to go to a Mission Presidency Meeting in Durban, we will spend the night in Richards Bay with Elder and Sister Piers. Sister Balunga died today. The District will have to order burial clothes from Johannesburg.

13 May 2010
Drove to Richards Bay and met Elder and Sister Piers at McDonalds, had lunch with them, a very gracious couple and so willing to help us. They will lead us to Durban tomorrow. We went to an English class Sister Pier was teaching, there were 3 women, it was really an enjoyable experience, the grandmother had not had any schooling and was just about the best student of the three. Then we went to a youth activity, the kids played Book of Mormon Bingo, the Church building was very humble, it was clapboard on piers, no inside walls, no heating, no cooling, no electricity. There were tables and chairs. No paint on the outside, it was considered a portable building.
We went to dinner on the beach to a Thai restaurant, the food was excellent, with excellent company. Elder Pier gave me a lot of mystery books to bring back to Swaziland, Elder and Sister Pier knew Court Roper when they served a Couple mission in Indonesia, then we got an email from Rachel that evening telling us about a Court Roper in one of her classes at BYU, what a coincidence.

14 May 2010
We got up early to drive to Durban, we followed the Piers to the Mission Home, Elder Harmsworth helped me to try again to get the box from customs, we went to customs and were not successful. Will have to try another route. Had to get my passport certified at a Post Office for customs. Took all the missionaries to lunch (that got out of hand) however they enjoyed it so much we could not begrudge. Elder Blackburn and Elder Pier went to their Presidency meeting from 3:00 until 6:00 pm. Then all the couples went to dinner with Sister Mann, President Mann was somewhere "putting out fires". Then we went to our B&B for the night, it was a beautiful setting and a really comfortable KING SIZE BED.

15 May 2010
Went to Victoria Street Market in Durban and wasted the whole morning at a giant tourist trap.
We left for home at about 3:00 and stopped at a new grocery store Elder Piers showed us, there are a lot of things we cannot get in Swaziland (Rootbeer, cornchips). We had the worst rainstorm we have ever been in, for 3 hours. We were so glad to get through the border into Swaziland, we felt like we were home!!! We hope we never have to drive in rain like that again.

16 May 2010
Went to Nhlongono for Church then drove to GeGe for another Sacrament meeting. The meeting was held in a tent, the missionaries, Elder Martin and Elder Sichinga were very powerful leaders during that meeting, Elder Blackburn, and I were invited to bear our testimonies, it was a very good meeting, then we learned from Elder Wilson that the GeGe area is not supposed to have meetings every week. Their meetings except for 2 times a month are not authorized by the Church, the missionaries will address this issue with Brother Malunga. (Malinga)


17 May 2010
District Dev. Meeting in Manzini. Elder Thomas advised that the Zone will be probably losing Elders and the Elders are to prepare people to keep the Church going using Branch Missionaries, especially in Nhlongono. The Elders testified about the importance of couple missionaries and how much we help them when we bear our testimonies.

18 May 2010
Drove to New Castle for Zone Conference, we met at the Wilson's boarding at 12:00 to leave in a caravan. We got to the border and the small car would not start, it took about an hour before it finally started, Elder Mbongwe said he was giving it a blessing. We spent the night with Elder and Sister Ward. President Mann and Sister Mann took the senior couples to dinner at a Chinese Restaurant, we had a very good meal.

19 May 2010
Zone Conference, pizza and brownies for lunch, left for home about 3:00pm.

20 May 2010
Went on game drive (mini safari) with Elder and Sister Wilson, first break since we arrived in Swaziland. Saw Elephants, Giraffs, Water Buffalo, Zebra, Rhino, Hippos, had lunch of Nyala, tasted like beef stew. A really great day outdoors.


21 May 2010
Memorial for Sister Balunga at the school where she was a teacher, it was a neighborhood Church School and they wanted to give the memorial for her, all her students were there and the singing was really awsome. No music. Acapella words cannot describe the feeings the music generated. The ministers called for a collection and we were appalled at how they used music to play on peoples feeling to get them to give and when they stopped giving, they called on them to give again. We were shocked that a collection was asked at a memorial service. After the service the body was taken to her home where a service of LDS was carried out. Then she was taken to her homestead to be buried. This took all day and all night.

22 May 2010
Went to Court with Elder Sichinga, he had a traffic accident and was guilty, Court was closed, he was told to come back at 2:00 And pay his fine of R60.00 = $7.00 American money. HAHA
Could not help but laugh at the amount of the fine for a traffic accident. Picked up the Braai (barbeque cooker) for a barbeque at the Wilsons.

23 May 2010
Church in Ezulwini, Elder Blackburn was asked to bear his testimony, we met President Shongwe. Attended primary where we gave the candy Barbara had sent. Went home and rested, did not do anything else.

24 May 2010
District meeting in Manzini, then went to Wilsons for Braai. Elders were in and out all day, did not finish cooking until about 5:00. The Braai worked very well, Elder Blackburn was very proud of it.

25 May 2010
Zone Meeting in Mbabane, took Elder Ellis antihistamine for his stuffiness. When we went to the pharmacy to get them, we were surprised that we had to ask for them and then had to buy however many tablets we wanted, so we bought 6 tablets, what a surprise, no across the counter meds except aspirin or headache powders. Have not seen headache powders since the 1950's.
The antihistamine worked wonders for Elder Ellis.

28 May 2010
Got my hair cut, had the best hairwashing ever, such a good head massage. Marilyn did a great job. Surprised me that a black hairdresser in a black country could cut white people's hair so well.

31 May 2010
District Meeting in Manzini, then Elder Sichinga had a dentist appointment, he had a filling fall out, exam showed 3 teeth needed to be fixed. Then we were free to move into the Wilsons boarding, they have left for home, they were so gracious and helpful to us, showing us around Swaziland and introducing us to the leaders. We will always remember their kindness to us.