17 Oct 2010

Went to a Missionary meeting with Elder Holland and the Missionaries in the Durban area, the couples had a special invitation; we had a picture taken of the whole group with front row seats; it was great;  Elder Holland gave a great pep talk and firm counsel to the missionaries. The meeting was held in the Berea Building, it was the same building Elder Blackburn attended 50 years ago as a young missionary, it has been kept in very good condition.  The house where he lived was no longer there, torn down many years ago to build an  apartment building.   After the meeting Elder Blackburn and I left for Swaziland.  We had a beautiful drive back.  Saw a couple of giraffs and a wart hog, we managed to get a picture of the wart hog.  It still surprises us at the wildlife we manage to see when we are out driving.

16 Oct 2010
Elder Blackburn, Elder Ward and Elder Hudson went to the 9:00 Priesthood Training Meeting with Elder Holland as the main trainer.  All our Swaziland leaders who were invited to come actually came.  Elder Holland ended the meeting by shaking everyone's hand.  I know our Leaders from Swazi were very impressed with getting to meet an Apostle, they were only planning on hearing him speak and yet because of their faithfulness they got a personal greeting and handshake.  The Sisters and I went shopping at the largest mall in Durban, we had a good time and only bought stockings. Met our husbands back at the B&B and went to the Single Adult Fireside then dinner with the Couples, we had a great day.  Sister Harms had some Mandela 5 Rand coins she wanted us to get made into necklaces for her associates at the Area Office and they gave me one for getting them done, so Sister Blackburn will have a necklace too.  It has become a very rare coin, minted to commemorate his 90th birthday.  Sister Cox had packed a lunch for us to eat on the drive back to Swaziland and I really appreciated the good fellowship with these Sisters here in South Africa.

15 Oct 2010
Drove to Durban today, fun drive had rain the whole way, lots of rain.  Met everyone at the Mission Home.   Took papers for getting the bond to cover driving the vehicles in Swaziland to Elder Davis, now he has the responsibility.  Met the Wards and Hudsons at the Mission Home and went to dinner at the Mall food Court. Then checked into our B&B.  We were really tired.