For anyone interested in how Couples live while serving, we have posted these pictures. The Church has a perpetual fund to furnish and supply the apartments and houses we live in. We pay a rental fee for the furniture and when something wears out or breaks we get to go replace it. This year Elder Blackburn and I replaced all the furniture in our home here. We have a two bedroom, two bathroom (ensuite). Office and another room, plus a laundry room attached to the garage with a bathroom and a storage room. Lots of closet space and cupboards.
24 Sept 2011
Today is Saturday and Elder and Sister Ward are visiting. Their son and his wife are visiting them and they brought them to Swaziland for the Malalotja Zip Line Canopy Tour. Swaziland is a camper and hiker paradise. Many wate falls, trails and scenic spots. They will spend the night and go to Church with us in Nhlangano tomorrow. Elder Blackburn has a couple of Temple Recommend interviews to conduct. That Branch is going to the Temple on Friday the 30th and we hope to be able to attend with them.
23 Sept 2011
Elder and Sister Ward with their son and wife arrrived today; we went to dinner with them at the Calabash Restaurant. The food was really good and good visiting. We considered this our "Pday". We did laundry and cleaned house.
22 Sept 2011
Today we went to immigration to finish getting the Elders their visa. We did not want to go to Manzini to get Elder Maring and Elder Van Scheltema was in training so we took Elder Shannon and Elder Thatcher and they pretended to be Maring and Van Scheltema to get the sign off on the document that states they are not,"an idiot, insane or mentally defective". The Doctor as which one was Markus and we had assigned them the name they were before hand so Elder Shannon spoke up that he was Markus Maring, the doctor then signed both documents and sent them on their way. This doctor is nice enough to do this at no charge to the Church. Our Elders thought that was one of the best and funniest experiences of their Mission. We were able to get 5 passports stamped with two to be done next week. We feel that we are almost an expert at this job.
21 Sept 2011
We had to drive to Piet Retief to pick up Elder Muliaga who had forgotten his passport yesterday. The Elders in Puntadajaba brought the passport to Harrismith, the Hudsons drove from Ladysmith to get it and then drove to New Castle to give it to Elder Ward. What 2 days on the road we have had. We got Elder Muliaga delivered to Manzini, all the training materials delivered to Mbabane and then thankfully home. Elder Blackburn said, "when I get home I am going to destroy my drivers license and you can drive me around from now on".
20 Sept 2011
Transfer day!! We were assigned to deliver 6 Elders to the Petro Port in South Africa - 4.5 hours away. Lots of luggage and young men. It took 2 bakkies to get everyone delivered. This time it felt like we were losing a part of our family they had been in Swaziland so long. Elder Peirce, Elder Cooley, Elder Tklotsi, Elder Shelton and Elder Lyon, Elder Sakapaku
18 Sept 2011
Today we went to Church in the Ezulwini Branch, the Smiths attended there also and brough a friend from the University and Scholarship program. Elder Blackburn then had meetings in Manzini with the District Presidency and these last the rest of the day. He was really tired when he got home.
17 Sept 2011
Today we had a barbeque for the Swaziland District, all the Elders and the Smith Family came, Sister Smith brought a large bowl of potatoe salad. She was very surprised when everything, even all her potatoe salad was completely eaten. Most of the Elders either ride bicycles or walk in their areas so they are always hungry. The Manzini Elders informed Elder Blackburn that their 3 bicycles wer stolen, they were locked with cable locks and somehow they were all 3 taken. The night watchman did not hear anything, he was probably asleep at his job or was in on the theft.
15 Sept 2011
We had breakfast with the Elders in Richards Bay who had served in Swaziland, Elder Martin, Elder Mead and Elder Mbongwe. Elder Martin and Elder
Mbongwe are going home this transfer, we then headed home and stopped at St. Joseph's school and about 3/4 of the wheel chairs were delivered to the recipients yesterday and today.
15 Sept 2011
Drove to Richards Bay so Elder Blackburn could go to the dermatologist about a mole on his face. It was a benign cyst and the doctor froze it and said it would fall off in about 10 days; We met the Nuzmans for dinner and had a really nice visit with them, we were able to spend the night with them. We are so grateful to have made such good friends with them and hope we can continue our friendship when we all get home.
What great memories we have of coming up to your home when the Wilsons lived there to meet with them and the elders for a meal. A lot of food has been cooked in that kitchen over the last 3 years or so.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the name of the African elder who is in the picture with just the two of you? He looks very familiar but I can not remember his name. I think he served in RB with us not long before we came home.
Thanks for sharing your experiences...
Elder and Sister Blackburn, I am so grateful for the way you love and take care of our sons! I have never received a picture from our son, but thanks to you, Sister Blackburn, I have been able to see my son on his mission. Thanks for all of the emails letting me know he was ok and for your thoughtfulness. I love you! Joy Shelton (Elder Shelton's mom)
ReplyDelete