We have spent the last month at doctor appointments, unpacking our boxes we had in storage, getting everything put away and today we gave our homecoming talk in Church. We have been welcomed home by everyone. On reflection, our mission was the best adventure of our life together, we had many challenges which Heavenly Father directed us in how to face and overcome. He truly opened the Windows of Heaven and blessed us with health, helped our children take care of our financial needs, gave us some of the best friends anyone could ask for, helped us in our responsibilies the last 23 months. He helped us to recognize the small things that he does to make our lives more comfortable, all we have to do is recognize his hand and his works in our lives, we are grateful to have this knowledge. We know the Church is true and that Heavenly Father loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and has given us the Greatest Gift that anyone could be given, forgiveness for our sins. Our greatest desire is for our Children, grandchildren, and their children to be able to meet with us again one day in the Celestial Kingdom where we will be an Eternal Family together forever.
26 Mar 2012
We got up early and started home, then the snow started to fall and we had snow quite a way. However, when we got past Cedar City the roads cleared and the day got warmer the closer we got to Saint George. We are finally able to relax and unpack.
The suitcases are finally empty and we can get our house put together the way we want it.
25 Mar 2012
We spoke in Josh and Rebekah's ward today, we did not have very much time since on of their young missionaries had just returned fromt the Philipines and he reported on his mission. He was so friendly and had such a good mission we enjoyed hearing his experiences. Rebekah had prepared a dinner for us and the family including Josh's parents, we gave the gifts we had brought for them and had a wonderful day with family and friends. We will leave tomorrow for Saint George. On Friday Tom and I went to Deseret Industries where we were able to purchase a wedding dress for Portia, which we will mail when we get to St. George, Rachel modeled it so I could take pictures to send to Portia.
20 Mar 2012
Got to the Mission Office and had our exit interview with President Von Stetten, he gave us letters for our Stake President and our children commending us to them on our missionary service; also a letter for us. President and the office staff took us to lunch at a nice restaurant then President and Sister Von Stetten took us to the Airport and stayed with us until we were all checked in and ready to go to the boarding gate. A very good sendoff. We slept all the way from Johannesburg to London and when we arrived in London the person checking us in at the boarding gate tore up a boarding pass and reissued us another one and had upgraded us to 1st Class, now that is true comfort when traveling. It was late on the 21st when we arrived at SLC International airport and our family who lived in the SLC area were at the Airport to meet us, a very sweet homecoming.
19 Mar 2012
Our day to leave, we were up early finishing off the final touches to turn the house over to Elder and Sister Lombardi and finish packing our bags. The Lombardis arrived and we went over the paper work and book we had prepared for them to help them with their first days in the mission, we tried to include everything they might need to do and places they may need to go. The Ezulwini Elders came to help load our suitcases into our car, it is hard to believe we are really going home, after 23 months, this really feels like it should be home. We will drive to Richards Bay today and spend the night with Elder and Sister Nuzmman and go on to Durban tomorrow where we will meet with President Von Stetten for our exit interview. The Swaziland Zone of Elders presented us with a beautiful wooden tray with their names carved into it.
18 Mar 2012
We went to Ezulwini to Church where the Lombardis were invited to share their testimony, then we went to Manzini for the District Meetings and President Simelane invited Sister Lombardi and Sister Blackburn into the meeting where he presented the Blackburns with beautiful paintings of Swaziland and asked the Lombardis to share their testimonies. Sister Lombardi and I left the meeting and when the Meeting was over we all went to Brother and Sister Smith's house for dinner. Sister Smith had prepared a delicious ham dinner with potatoes and vegetables and desert. Brother Smith presented Elder Blackburn and I a DVD of the last 6 months of our mission, it included the Humanitarian projects we have been involved in, after dinner we and the Lombardis went to our respective homes for the night.
17 Mar 2012
Elder Blackburn started his morning with a telephone call from District President Simelane who wanted some information about who was speaking and where this Sunday, Elder Blackburn remarked, "I know the Lombardis are here and are taking our place, but I feel like they are just visitors and will leave after the weekend and I know it is because I am still receiving telephone calls and requests for help." We spent the day showing Elder and Sister Lombardi Swaziland, how to and where to pay bills, get money; where the immigration office is located, where all the shops are located, where to get food, where the Chapels are, etc.
16 Mar 2012
We drove to South Africa to a place called the PetroPort to meet Elder and Sister Nuzman who were escorting Elder and Sister Lombardi that far on their way to Swaziland. We all had lunch there and had a good visit with the Nuzmans. Elder Heninger had sent a wheel chair with the Lombardis and we were surprised, we had requested a chair a couple of months ago, not expecting to get one and in the meantime had found an extra one in the Mbabane Chapel, and not knowing how to get it through Swazi customs without paying a huge import fee, Elder Blackburn had the idea to put the wheel chair into the bakki and put 2 of the Lombardis suitcases on it. We got through customs without a problem and when the Border Post Agents examined the cars they opened the trunk of the car the Lombardis were driving and just glanced into the bed of the bakki through the window of the shell. Heavenly Father had surely screened that wheel chair from their view. The Manzini Elders had just asked Elder Blackburn for a wheel chair just a few days ago for one of their investigators who was missing a leg. When we got into Swaziland, Sister Blackburn sent the Elders a text telling them that "Heavenly Father has sent you a wheel chair via his servants the Senior Couple." The Lombardis now know how to "smuggle" needful items into Swaziland. These Tender Mercies certainly make serving a mission a joyous experience. We met the Zawakys, Petersons (Humanitarian), Smiths at the Chinese Restaurant to introduce Elder and Sister Lombardi and we had an evening of visiting and laughter, after dinner we came to our house where Sister Zawacky picked up the dress she had ordered from Baobab Batik, the Lombardis walked through the house, then Brother and Sister Smith led the Lombardis back to their Bed and Breakfast for the night. These experiences with the other Couple missionaries build such wonderful friendships and we plan on keeping those friendships when we all get home.
15 Mar 2012
Finished cleaning the house today; at 6:00pm we were invited to dinner by Branch President Shongwe and his wife. They first invited us out to a restaurant to dinner because they live in a 2 room house and did not feel comfortable entertaining there, then he asked Elder Blackburn if we would come to the Church and they would fix dinner for us there. When we got to the Church, he had his nephews (2 returned missionaries) work as waiters, had a beautiful table set for us, he had cooked lamb chops with mint sauce, mushroom soup, vegetables, mashed potatoes and fruit salad for desert. His uncle and aunt Jerome and Thoko were invited to join us. We had such a special evening, we gave them the picture of Christ holding a black child "The Worth of a Soul". President Shongwe is a chef at a very nice resort in Mbabane, this dinner was a sacrifice for their family in time and very much in money.
Elder Michael Khoza (waiter) Sister Blackburn, Elder Blackburn, District President Shongwe, Sister Shongwe, Branch President Shongwe (in the Kitchen), his wife Sister Shongwe.
14 Mar 2012
Today has been a very busy day; picked up tourist items we had ordered for ourselves and others. Sister Tembe Zulu at the Manzini market gave Sister Blackburn a special necklace she crafted and to Elder Blackburn a tee shirt that says "Kingdom of Eswatini". These gifts represented a great sacrifice of money and time for her and we are truly humbled by her gift. She gave us letters for Elder and Sister Wilson and for us also. People coming this weekend are Zawackys, Petersons and Lombardis. Going to be busy. We were treated to dinner at the home of Brother and Sister Lydia Silavwe. She cooked the best stew, rice, salad, potatoes and fruit for desert. Then surprised us with going away gifts. Beaded sandals from Kenya for Sister Blackburn, a tee shirt that says "Kingdom of Eswatini" for Elder Blackburn. Brother Silavwe has a PhD in Chemistry from Columbia University in New York, and teaches at the University of Swaziland, she is an excellent homemaker. We had so much pleasure in talking with them about a wide variety of subjects.
13 Mar 2012
We left at 8:00am to take Elder Christenson and Elder Nthombela to New Castle for Zone Conference tomorrow. With the Mbabane bakki wrecked there was not enough room in the 3 bakkis available to take 18 missionaries. It was a very long day. We got twisted around in Ermelo and Elder Blackburn lost his sense of direction and we were driving south instead of north, anyway we ended up 2 hours in the wrong direction and had to go through the Mahamba Border Post instead of Mbabane, we did not get back until after 10:00pm.
11 Mar 2012
We went to Church in Mbabane today, Sister Blackburn was asked to share her Testimony and everyone bid us goodby. In Relief Society, Sister Blackburn was asked to say a few words, and she encouraged the women to work on their Humanitarian project and to introduce it to the their community. They were listening to what had been done in Manzini, we can only hope they will give of their time for this Sani Pad project. It is very much needed in Swaziland.
10 Mar 2012
Manzini Relief Society held a homemaking meeting with the Young Women and they were working on the sani pad Humanitarian project, there were about 30 women there and many of the were non members, (exactly as we had envisioned it happening). They had an assembly type situation where some sisters were cutting fabric, some were marking the pattern, some were sewing. It was great. Sister Ntshalintshali asked Sister Blackburn what "to chill" means. Sister Blackburn had given her a recipe for Ranch Dressing and the instruction said "chill for 2 hours". She had so enjoyed the luncheon we had put together for her Relief Society Training last year and wanted to know how some of the dishes were made.
06 Mar 2012
We drove 3 Elders, Elder Musau, Elder Thatcher, Elder Maring to the PetroPort, they are being transferred to the Southern area of the Mission. This took all day and we did not have any problems at the Swazi or South Africa border posts. These trips take all day.
Thank you for sharing your mission experiences over these last 23 months. We were able to live once again in the beautiful country of Swaziland through your words and pictures. Well done his good and faithful servants...enter into his rest. At least until your next mission!
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