16 August 2010
The starter on the bakki stopped working this morning, we went to Mbabane Isuzu dealer but they could not fix it for 2 days, we then went to the Auto Zone (even in Swaziland) to get a battery - we thought it was the battery but a new one did not start the vehicle.  After talking to Elder Black (he had trouble with his bakki recently) we bought a new starter then needed a mechanic, there just happened to be a young man at the gate looking for work - he had his own tools; so Elder Blackburn hired him to put the new starter on.  Elder and Sister Harms, the Public Relations couple from Cape Town was in town and we had planned on spending the day with them anyway, so they picked us up;  we went to the Ngwenya glass factory and some other tourist spots, I bought some necklaces to send home for 4 Rand each and that was a good buy.  After a couple of hours there we went back and got our bakki.  The picture is of the mechanic taking the starter apart.  He was sitting on the ground with his friends there and was pounding on a screwdriver.  At least the truck runs and starts good.  Elder Blackburn asked him how much he wanted to fix it and he replied "what do you want to pay me" Elder Blackburn offered him 3 or 4 hundred Rand and then he asked for 5 hundred Rand which came to less than $100.00 dollars - all in all a very good deal. Heavenly Father surely takes care of his missionaries.   We came back to Ezulwini to have lunch with the Harms and after lunch we went back to our vehicles and Elder Harms had a flat tire and then the Elders showed up just as Elder Harms took the spare out of the trunk - so they were happy to change the tire for them.  Again, someone when we needed them.
Elder Ellis called and wanted us the cut his hair, so we gave him a haircut and spiffed him up for the Zone Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Then we accompanied the Ezulwini Elders to the Zulu family for a lesson on eternal families; it did not go well, so today they came by and we did an evaluation on what went wrong and how we could improve.  They were very willing to try something new for their next visit.
17 Aug 2010
Left about 9:00 am for Mbabane, we had to pay our rent for this month, the mission is trying a new accounting office and our payments will come out of Johannesburg for now.  We found a food warehouse and walked around it for an hour, we bought some Nestle Crunch Bars, american foods are so rare to find so we bought 12 bars.  Then we went to the Elders house and met them for the trip to New Castle, the Manzini Elders had picked up Elder Mamba so he could get set apart for his mission and go to Durban with President Von Stetten, everyone was supposed to bring a lunch; we prepared a lunch for Elder Mamba.  We got to Ermelo and all at once Elder Ellis pulled off the road, we thought the police had pulled him over so we followed the other Elders they had gone up a side street and parked, so we told them that Elder Ellis could not see their cars and they should follow us and we would wait for Elder Ellis To catch up outside of town. We got to the intersection - we went one way the elders went another and they got so lost.  Elder Ellis was in front of us so we honked our horn to get his attention; he found a place to turn around and join us; it seems he just got hungry and there was KFC so he pulled over - no police at all -  The other Elders finally found us and we were across the street from McDonalds so we decided to regroup at McD's. McD's will definitely be on our future trips to New Castle, everyone enjoyed the hamburgers.   We got to the turnoff for New Castle and the Elders missed the turn, they got lost again; but they finally found their way to their boarding to find the doors locked and the local elders in meetings, so we sent them to dinner. We always have enough drama that we are worn out when we finally get to New Castle; this trip took 5.5 hours instead of 4. Everyone finally found their places and got a good nights sleep; we enjoyed our visit with Elder and Sister Ward.  They put us up.
18 Aug 2010
Zone conference was really good, new training program introduced; Elder and Sister Ward and us were sent out to do mission business at 1:00 p.m.  The Elders had to stay until 3:30p.m.  Elder and Sister Ward were to drive half way to Durban and meet the newest couple to arrive in Durban mission and lead them to Ladysmith where they were assigned to labor.  Elder and Sister Blackburn had to return to Swaziland to set apart a new missionary, from Swaziland, who would be traveling to the England Birmingham mission.  We got back to Swaziland at 5:00 pm had a nice rest and left for Mbabane at 6:15 to meet the sister of the new missionary; she and her husband took us to her mother's home where Elder Blackburn was to set apart her brother;  we did not expect it, but were invited to dinner, we could not turn it down so accepted the invitation.  The mother is not a member, but was so gracious to us and had prepared a very nice and delicious meal, baked chicken, potatos and noodles with green salad; and we did not get sick!!!!!
19 Aug 2010
Lazy day at home; needed to rest;

15 August 2010

This week we had two appointments with the Elders; one in Mbabane with a family where the father was a little reluctant for himself; we gave a lesson on eternal families and he was really touched; we challenged him to come to Church today and he was there with his oldest daughter, he really has a testimony of prayer and we challenged him to pray about the information we gave him. The other lesson was in Manzini with a couple who have been living together for 12 years and not married; we gave a lesson again on eternal families and they expressed a desire for that but had to get married first, we were able to discover that the reason they had not married was they truly believed a ring was a necessary part of the ceremony and had not been able to save enough to buy one. Sister Blackburn had not put her wedding ring on and showed them her bare hand and they were so surprised and relieved that a ring was not necessary (Sister Blackburn will not be able to wear her wedding band to church in Manzini ever again after that lesson. The brother then started expressing how much he loved his (wife) and was so happy to be able to finally marry her. All in all a very fulfilling week for us.

We left Mbabane and arrived in Ezulwini in time for Sunday School where we were informed that the police and a representative of the Chief had been there and threatened to not let us use the school for meetings anymore if we did not attend their special meeting today; the whole congregation was commanded to attend, so we all piled into what vehicles we had and everyone went to the meeting, which turned out to be a church meeting for the sole purpose of collecting offerings; the offerings were to go into these wooden boxes which were decorated with red material and a lot of white and red gathered lace and ruffles; we informed our members to not give any offerings since they had already paid their tithes and offerings. So we will see next week if we are able to use the school until the Church decides what to do with our property here in Ezulwini.

Time of year the women gather grass and reeds for weaving into baskets and mats for their homes; it is not unusual to see the women carrying large bundles of grass or reeds on their heads. These women were sitting alongside the road so it was easy to get a picture.

08 Aug 2010
Elder Blackburn was in meetings all day, I get to stay home after our block of meetings.

09 Aug 2010
Had to take a Bakki to the border and meet the Mission mechanic; trying to get all the trucks fixed up and running good.  This took all day.  We are driving a small car while the missionaries have our bakki.  We don't dare let them have the small car.

11 Aug 2010
Mbabane district meeting, Elder Black made cheerio (rice chrispies) for the elders today;  We were asked to go to a meeting with the Mbabane Elders to teach a family; the father is a little reluctant but wants the family to participate.  We went to the meeting and met the family; there was a great deal of love in the family for the children and the children for the father and mother; the children were 3 girls of young adult age and a boy who was not there. the father had a great testimony of prayer and was challenged to pray about the Priesthood, prayer and sealings of families and they were challenged to go to Church on Sunday; they accepted both challenges;

12 Aug 2010
Went to the border again today to exchange the small car for the last bakki.  All trucks are fixed, painted and running like new.  Hope the Elders keep them that way.  We drove into South Africa and took the road that runs along Swaziland's southern border.  Found a grocery store in Pongola and bought some real ham.  We had a ham sandwich while driving and it sure was good.  We drove through high mountains with pine trees and valleys with beautiful rivers. We saw women washing clothes at roadside wells and a woman carrying a big door on her head and my camera battery was dead so did not get the pictures I wanted to.  When we got home we had an email from Pres Von Stetten inviting us to Durban in October to meet 3 General Authorities, Jeffrey Holland from quorum of 12, Elder Snow of Presidency of 70s; also Elder Koelliker of the 70s. Was a great day.

Traditional healer or "Sangoma" our version of "Voodoo". Notice the crosses on her
wrap, she has a bag of bones and things that she uses to tell fortunes, etc. Makes enough
money to educate Elder Mamba. A very, very sweet woman who truly believes in what she
does, a mixture of Christianity and traditions.  Someday Elder Mamba will have to come to terms with this Culture and the Priesthood he holds.

Sitiki

We took Elder Mamba to Sitiki, his homestead, where his Auntie raised him, in the African traditions the oldest son and the youngest son stay with the father and his wives, all the other boys have to leave, so Elder Mamba went to live with his mother's sister. These pictures are a true depiction of his life there. The homes are made from sticks, mud and grass. They sustain themselves with home gardening and raising their livestock, sounds like our country in the 1800's. Auntie Phila was very happy to see us and see how well her nephew is doing, a previous missionary couple paid for his clothes and all his paperwork for his visa to leave Swaziland. His mission is to South Africa, Johannesburg. We drove him around the area to say goodbye to friends and teachers. Elder Mamba a did not want to just disappear or as he said "appear to have run away", without letting everyone know what he was going to do. A very rewarding day for us.