Week of 19 Sept 2010

Went to Church in Nhlangano this morning and we always get the best pictures while traveling that road.  These children were on their way home from the river, the containers were full of water, what a blessing we have in getting running water in our homes.  Church was very good, Sister Blackburn was asked to teach the Relief Society Lesson and Elder Blackburn needed to Confirm the Melchizedek Priesthood on 2 young men.  After Church Elder Blackburn helped one of the new Elders give his mother a blessing for good health.  He sealed and then gave the blessing to his mother.  It was a wonderful experience to watch immediate learning and growth in the Gospel.
Wednesday, Elder Blackburn received a telephone call from President Von Stetten, one of the missionaries in Richards Bay was getting transferred to Swaziland and he asked us to take Elder Denning from here to the border and the couple missionaries from Richards Bay would bring Elder Mutuku and we would do an exchange.  Elder Mutuku is having some difficulties in adjusting and our Swaziland Elders thrive so much he was sent to Swaziland and hopefully he will also thrive here.
Thursday, we went to Mbabane to meet with Nathi's parents, however they went to town, so we took Nathi to town and met his brother, Elder Blackburn had a good meeting with the brother; let Nathi know that he will have to get his own transport to Ezulwini and hook up with the Elders because we will be travelling from Durban.
The week has thankfully been a quiet week. Tomorrow we go to Durban with a layover in Richards Bay where we will spend the night with Elder and Sister Nuzman, it will give us a chance to get to know them and hopefully become good friends.  We will also take the small bakki to the Elders in Richards Bay area, exchange for a car, take it to Durban and exchange for the small car we will use.  We are grateful to get the car because of the gas costs and the huge area we have to drive here, it should cut our gasoline costs at least in half.  Sister Blackburn is really looking forward to the grocery stores in Durban area, we can get El Paso salsa (not as good as Macayo) but works.

Sunday Lunch

We had to go to the butchery to order this ham to make lunch, cannot find ham in Swaziland or South Africa, maybe around Christmas time. anyway they even cooked it for us and it cost us about 450.00R A little pricy but very well worth it. We had not had a ham sanwich since April.  We used the ham to make lunch for
Elder Renlund and everyone in Authority after the District Conference.  We had ham sandwiches, potato salad, brownies and bottles of water.

After District Conference

We had a very quiet day at home yesterday, we must have been really tired, got caught up on laundry.  Last night was checking Facebook and Ryan was online so we surprised him and had a nice little chat with him.  He was at the internet cafe and did not stay very long, he had to get to an appointment "even on PDay".  Good young man.  Today we go get our work permits, about time after 5 months here in Swaziland, the downside is standing in line forever.

8 Sept 2010

13 Sept 2010

Cooked breakfast for all the Elders, they had to be here by 10:00 so we could eat and get on the road to New Castle for Zone Conference, they were on time.  They enjoyed biscuits, sausage gravey, scrambled eggs and juice, they were like well fed cats; no drama this trip, no one got lost, etc.  We all arrived safe and sound.  Elder Blackburn and I stayed with Elder and Sister Ward and enjoyed good companionship.  Springtime in Swaziland is beginning to burst out.  the blossoms are beautiful.

14 Sept 2010
Zone Conference from 9:00 to 1:00 p.m.  We met Elder Renlund and his wife; the theme of the Conference was "Obedience with Exactness".  Everyone was well instructed during this Conference; Exact obedience brings a bubble of protection over you where you can weather the storms of life and not fall prey to temptations.  After Conference we had pizza, took pictures and were on the road back to Swaziland by 2:00pm for the first time.  Very pleasant trip home, we had pizza left over so we brought it with us and shared with the border guards, they love the missionaries and love to talk with us.  President Blackburn reported to President Von Stetten that all missionaries were safely tucked in by 9:00pm.

15 Sept 2010
Zone Development Meeting; the new missionaries were very capable and good leaders; Appointment made to get our work permits at the government offices on Tues. the 21st.

16 Sept 2010
District Development Meeting for Mabane District, we held the meeting at Elder and Sister Blackbulacrn's house, Sister Blackburn served rootbeer floats afterward, it was the first time the African Elders had experienced this delicacy.

17 Sept 2010
Elder Renlund and Wife, Elder Von Stetten and wife arrived in Ezulwini about 2:30pm.  We met them on the highway to lead them to the silver shop to do some tourist shopping, we then took them to their boarding; they met back at our house at 5:30 for dinner, we had chicken teriyaki rice bowls, vegetables, greek salad and apple pie with ice cream.  Everyone was well fed and enjoyed each others company.

18 Sept 2010
Elder and Sister Blackburn picked up Sister Renlund and Sister Von Stetten at their boarding and took them to some of the tourist shops, we had a great time, we met their husbands at the Manzini Chapel at 1:00pm where their portion of District Conference took place, the Swazi Saints attendance was really good.  Good leadership training.

19 Sept 2010

Swaziland District Conference, presided over by Elder Renlund of the South East Africa Area Presidency; great talks given by President Simelane, Sister Zola Shongwe, Nhlangano Relief Society President; President Shongwe, Testimony by young returned missionary Elder Shongwe; Sister Von Stetten, President Von Stetten, Sister Ruth Renland and finally Elder Renlund.  A Very inspiring Conference, made us determined to be more obedient and faithful in our earthly sojourn.  Elder Blackburn was set apart by President Von Stetten as a Counselor in the South Africa Durban Mission and will be known now as President Blackburn.
8 Sept 2010
Transfer days, Elders went to Durban to pick up new companions, our Swaziland Zone has had complete change in Elders in the last 7 weeks, so all will be quiet on this front until next week.

Meeting with Elder Nathi Nhlambatsayani

 
22 Aug 2010
Went to Church in Nhlangano, we were on our way to St. Lucia to meet some of the other Couple Missionaries from South Africa for a couple of days of R&R.  Our plans were to have dinner Sunday night, then at 5:00 a.m. meet our guide for our mini safari, spend the day in Hulhulwe seeing the big animals, have dinner at the B&B then go for a water cruise in the Wetlands part of the Reserve to see Crocodiles and Hippos. 
The Couples who came were Elder and Sister Peterson, Elder and Sister Cox, Elder and Sister Ward, Elder and Sister Davis and Elder and Sister Blackburn.  The B&B had the most beautiful veranda we have ever seen.  The 2 days went far too fast.  It was a good birthday celebration for Sister Blackburn.

25 Aug 2010
Elder Blackburn had to be back in Ezulwini for a telephone conference on skype for his Mission Presidency Meeting; it was kind of successful although there was no video, not as nice as taking Sister Blackburn to Durban every six weeks.

26 Aug 2010 
Met with Church engineer again, this time in regards to the Mbabane Chapel roof; the engineer condemned the use of the Chapel - the roof could fall in at anytime, even a loud noise could bring it down.  Now Elder Blackburn has to find other arrangements for District Conference on Sept 18, 19.

27 Aug 2010
Elder and Sister Cox and Elder and Sister Allen came to Swaziland in regards to PEF and CES; they stayed at Reillys Hilltop Lodge so we could not have dinner with them; their dinner was included in their boarding and outsiders could not come. 

28 Aug 2010
Met the Allen's and Cox's at Mbabane Building then followed them to Manzini and after their meetings we took them to the Manzini market for some tourist shopping.  Our appointment with Elder Hansen fell through so we had all day free.  The Cox's bought a drum and key rings and had them carved with their family names.

4 Sept 2010
Went to Nhlangano and met with the Elder's landlord.  We signed their new lease and included the water costs so the Missionaries will not have to worry about that; their electricity is prepaid, there is a gadget in the flat for that purpose.  Then we drove 30K to GeGe to meet with Brother and Sister Malinga (she is going to SLC for Oct Conference and wanted to talk to us about that and about getting a branch and building for GeGe; the problems were that there is only 1 Elder in GeGe, and that is Elder Malinga; we explained to Sister Malinga (Elder Malinga was at a Chief's meeting - he is headman or assistant chief) that they need 9 Elders to start a Branch. We hope this made it clear that they need to bring their 13 members into Nhlangano so the Aronic Priesthood and primary children can be trained.  Sister Malinga has set aside some of her own property for the building of the Church; she is prepared to donate the land.

6 Sept 2010
Took Elder Mwite to the Doctor and learned that he was having asthma problems; he got a couple of prescriptions that should make him better; informed the Mission Home that the doctor said "the asthma was being caused by either the flue or extreme excercise and since he has not had the flue it must be the mountain trails he walks in his missionary work.

8 Sept 2010
Missionary transfer today and tomorrow; Elder Mwite was transfered to South Africa where he can be better monitered and his area will be a driving area.  We went to our butchery shop and ordered a gammon(ham) to make sandwiches for lunch on the Sunday of District Conference.  The Area Authority, Elder Renlund and wife; President Von Stetten and Wife; Elder Blackburn and Wife; President Simelane; Brother Shongwe and Brother Maseko will be there for lunch. Then we all will go visit some inactives and good investigators who will keep an appointment.

MIDDLE OF AUGUST
Elder Nathi called us and wanted a meeting and the following is a narrative:
Elder Nathi has been pestering us to buy him luggage, suits, shirts, scriptures, etc., we have kept telling him no, no, and no. Still he comes back for another request, Sister Blackburn finally lost her patience with him and said "we will not buy you anything and DO NOT ASK US AGAIN, then walked away from him.
He went to Sister Shongwe and complained that we would  not buy his missionary stuff for him and he said "she sat me down and explained that I should be working and I should not expect people to provide everything I need or want, I should find something to sell and save for what I will need in the MTC." (finally a breakthrough), so he brought out some porcelain dishes sold in the tourist areas and asked if there was anything we would like to have - we picked out a couple of things, even tho we did not want them, but he needed the reinforcement.  He has been very quiet ever since.  He goes into the MTC in Johannesburg on September 30th 2010. Elder Nathi confirmed to us that Heavenly Father led him to the products he could sell and was blessing him in his effort. (what a breakthrough, Sister Blackburn has felt that the Swazi Saints need these kinds of experiences instead of an American Missionary Handout.)

Elder Blackburn received a call from Brother Holder, he has gotten permission from the Church to remodel the Ezulwini Building - he met with the engineer and contractor to inspect the building and found only a few of the interior walls will have to be removed.  The outside structure will not be touched. (and Sister Jill really wanted just a small amount of the tin roof, since her home leaks.)  She will have to go to plan B.