Catch up time

10 July 2011
Elder Tlkotsi, Elder Lyon, Elder Herrity

Elder Tlkotsi, Elder Henson, Elder Tualofu

Today was District Conference in Mbabane, President and Sister Von Stetten were here for 4 days; it was a very spiritual conference, the Saints just hung around after the meeting wanting to talk and visit with anyone who was there.  President had all 18 of us missionaries stand up and it was a very powerful statement to see that many missionaries in a conference.  He urged the Saints to give them their friends and families to teach and to pray that the District will grow and become a Stake.  Some of our Elders were just MIA when we took the pictures; probably talking with their investigators.  Sister Blackburn shared her testimony and there were a lot of tears; Elder Blackburn spoke in Conference at yesterday's meeting.  There was a lot of good fellowship as we spent the last 4 days with the Mission President and Sister Von Stetten.  We have been talking with Sister Ward everyday, Elder Ward is in the hospital in New Castle and they have not decided what is wrong with him.  Elder and Sister Hudson have been going up there from LadySmith everyday to give her support.  Otherwise, we would drive down there and stayed with her.  We, the Couple missionaries find ourselves quite alone in these circumstances, because we live and our assignments are so far from each other.

President Von Stetten related this incident to us last night;  there is a young man from Lesotho who is in the MTC in Johannesburg waiting for his police report so that his visa can be processed, he has been waiting a long time so Brother Mokoena drove to Lesotho, picked up Elder and Sister Dahle who are assigned there and they went to the Police Headquarters to get a copy of his police report (background search).  They were informed it would take at least 30 days to get the copy, after inquiring why they were told the copy machine could not be used, when asked why, they said there was no toner and no money to pay for some so it would take 30 days to get enough money to buy it;  Elder Dahle asked if another machine could be found in the building and use it, he was informed that this machine was the Police one and another one could not be used; Elder Dahle then offered to go buy toner and bring it back to them, he was told that they could not accept a gift of toner since that may be a bribe.  There was nothing they could do they would just have to wait the 30 days and hope there was money for toner.  So the Bretheren had to leave without the police report copy.  The missionary will have to be assigned somewhere else until all can be sorted out. Someone once said "there is no way these things can be made up"!!! One of those African Experiences.