We’re Dreaming of . . . . Christmas

We are trying hard to get into the spirit of Christmas but it isn’t easy. We are just mixed up. No cold weather, no shopping to do, no Carols playing on the radio, no Christmas cards, no lights on any houses, no live Christmas trees, no Christmas movies on TV, no chance to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”, no presents to wrap, no surprises or activities to plan, and no family! See? How could it be Christmas???

There are signs that tell me some people are preparing for the big day. The malls are decorated and crowded and we saw a friendly Santa visiting with children last Saturday.

There are wreaths on the office walls announcing the season and there is a tree in the entry area. BYU TV (which we thankfully receive) is playing Christmas programs and the Seniors keep having socials to celebrate together.

But all these symbols still can’t seem to stir the bubbly spirit I usually feel inside by now.

I finally put up a little tree on Sunday afternoon and I have my Tabernacle Choir CD’s playing. We were watching a Christmas special on Sunday and we took a picture of the snowy scenes while the choir sang White Christmas. That helped.

I have acquired two nativities, one from Uganda and one from Zambia. They are very simple and as I set the little figures in place the quiet, reverent feelings that the season always brings easily surface.

Our gratitude for the birth of Jesus Christ is expanding even more as we see the blessings that come into the lives of those who turn their hearts to Him. Yes, we are missing the traditions and activities of Christmas at home, but as others are doing all around the world, we are celebrating His birth and are grateful to be here because, after all, TIA . . . This is Africa

Soweto Maternity Hospital Visit

On November 26, Sister Parmley took a group of Senior Sisters to the Soweto Maternity Hospital to give baby blankets to the mothers who had just given birth. These are women who have no money or very little, and are allowed to have their babies but not stay long. After the delivery they are able to stay in the hospital from 4 to 6 hours. If the babies are in special need the mothers can stay with them in the hospital until they can be released.

Some of the sister missionaries had made the blankets and another had received a suitcase full when her son visited earlier that month that had been donated by her home ward. It was an experience I won’t soon forget.

Sister Jan Taylor and Sister Denise Heap (Medical doctor's wife) opening one of the boxes.

Sister Jan Taylor (husband is Auditor) with some of the women getting checked in.
We don't know if this is a couple or father and daughter, but they were checking her in. She is wearing a hospital issue sack sort of gown and holding her blanket.
Sister Ann Koelliker (husband is counselor in Area Presidency) and Sister Wells

Sister Jolene Watson (Elder Watson is a counselor in Area Presidency) with some of the new moms.
After blankets were given to these mothers they held them up for a picture. The women are admitted to the hospital and are delivered by a midwife or by a doctor if a C-section is needed.

Sister Parmley, Sister Wells, and Sister Sutterfield (standing in the back center) with beautiful newborns.

These mothers are getting their babies dressed and will be released soon. Sadly we were told that sometimes a woman who has no other choice will simply leave her baby on the lawn as she leaves the hospital.

Some of the sweet little ones. The little hat on the one below is part of her new gift of blanket and hat.



This baby was well dressed; maybe the outfit was a gift or maybe the mom was a little better off than the others.

The mothers were sweet and appreciative and we gave 150 blankets that day. I left moved and grateful for the blessing of care and attention my own daughters receive as they are able to give birth in our lovely hospitals at home. And yet I felt grateful that these women at least have medical attention and someplace to go when they have so little resources. Another powerful insight into the place we live -- TIA (this is Africa)

Families from Kitale, Kenya

On Friday, November 28, the Area Office celebrated the beginning of the Christmas season with a Christmas devotional and luncheon for the entire Area Office staff and missionaries. When Elder Grandpa and I arrived that morning the PR people were just taking supplies out to the big tent on the white house lawn so we offered to help. We had to set up more tables and put cloths, napkins, plastic ware, etc. on the tables. Suddenly 4 young people who were here with their families from Kenya for a temple trip showed up to help. Three were siblings and one was from another family. They were so great. They had been here since Monday afternoon and had all been to the temple to be sealed to their parents. They were to leave by 11 that morning.


From Left, Elisha, Lucy, Sammy, and Edward.

After we got set up I spent time talking to them and later met the rest of their families as they came from the temple. Here is what I learned: In one family, The Gideon Chirchir family, the father had been introduced to the gospel in 1991 by missionaries from Salt Lake while on a school break in Sweden from his university studies. He said it was still 5 years before the gospel was introduced in Kenya. I asked him if that was hard and he said it had been very lonely. He said it took time for the church to grow but now there were 5 branches in his area of Kitale. He had been a branch president and now was a counselor to the branch president. He said they had brought 4 branch presidents with them on this trip. I asked if he had been before and he said this was his first time to the temple. They had had to get special permission to have his children sealed to them because 3 of them were already nearly grown.


The oldest daughter, Juliana,(in the purple suit) served a mission in Cape Town. She graduated from the University before her mission and is now teaching high school chemistry and biology and next year she will begin her Master’s program. The next daughter, Damaris, is attending the University in Kampala, Uganda and plans to be a teacher teaching Christian studies (that’s not the name she called it, though) and another subject, maybe Swahili, and the next one, a boy, Elisha, who had helped me earlier is in college in Kitale studying business management. The youngest one, Eliazer, I didn't meet till this picture. I was so impressed with all of them! What a wonderful family. What a blessing that these children have had the experience of attending primary and young men and young women as they grew up.

The other family, the John Mdungu family, have children slightly younger. Sister Bragg is with them. She is over Patron Housing, where the families stay when they come to the temple.


Their father is the current branch president and very warm and friendly as were the children I met. They have been the church for 6 or 7 years and the children have also been through the church programs. They were easy to talk to and so helpful and willing to share their stories with me. All were planning to go on missions and to college.

All family members were so grateful to be at the temple. The adults attended sessions every day and the older children had been doing baptisms for the dead. Returning home would involve a 5 hour flight to Nairobi, then 10 hours by bus back to Kitale. The father said there was a plane flight, but it would be too expensive for them. But no complaining. Then the gal in college in Uganda had another bus ride, 6 hours I think, to get back to school by Monday to complete her exams. What a great experience for me to share this time with them.

This young couple with their little ones we met and talked with earlier in the week and were so excited to be at the temple and to have their picture taken.

I'll send the pictures on to these great families and tell them how much I enjoyed meeting them. Everyday I learn something new because - TIA (this is Africa).

Marriage Conference at Johannesburg Ward

Today Elder Wells and I participated in a marriage conference for the two Johannesburg Wards. We arrived at 9:00 (the designated starting hour) and could see Elder and Sister Parmley and President and Sister Dilldorf from the Temple presidency waiting on the front steps. They were to be the first 2 speakers. We joined them there. Our assignment was not till after lunch. Soon the new bishop of the JoBurg 2nd ward arrived dressed in a pair of capri’s, sandals, and a great pink and tan striped golf shirt. He waited with us. We had a nice visit till the person with the keys showed up and let us all in.

A few couples began to gather and by 9:38 Bishop Molombo of the 1st Ward dressed in a beautiful black brocade dinner jacket, white shirt, and no tie, (I could see it peeking out of his pocket, though) stood to conduct the meeting. He said, “We learned a lesson today about inviting full time missionaries.” (We assumed he meant because we were on time) “It’s Saturday morning and our people are just a little slow. They’ll be coming along. But it is good for us to begin this meeting.” He announced the opening song and Sister Parmley looked around and then jumped up and went to the piano. The bishop led the music himself. There may have been 5 couples in attendance when we first began. The good bishop told the group that they were about to learn how to have stronger marriages, and be more united and loving in their families. He told them that they must be examples for those who did not come today so that others could see the difference in them and their families in the way they treat each other and lived the Gospel.

President Dilldorf’s message was very nice about preparing to attend the temple, and Sister Parmley talked about why she loved her husband, offering positive examples for the brethren to hear. Elder Parmley told about their first years as students and how poor they were, then gave 14 suggestions for improving marriage relationships and then told why he loved his wife.

By then it was a little after 11 and the stake president who was supposed to speak (according to my earlier notes) wasn’t there so we broke for lunch. They set up tables and chairs, put on cloths and utensils, brought out the food and we were ready to begin eating at about 11:45.

Before the prayer on the food the Bishop told those who had just arrived that they had missed some important messages, but welcomed them anyway. He told us that the spirit needed the food that we were receiving today and that our bodies also needed food to keep our energy up so we should relax and eat and allow our bodies to be strengthened.

The food that the women had prepared was delicious. It was our first sample of dishes that African moms would make for a ward dinner: rice, beef stroganoff, cooked spinach in some sort of sauce, mashed pumpkin, chicken pieces in a curry sauce, and a great green salad with feta cheese, cucumbers, peppers, etc. No paper items were used except for napkins. Here is Bishop Molombo and his wife.



Elder Wells looking handsome as ever.

This couple is, Sister Nomalonga and her husband Paul. We have been working with her and have made good friends.



Everyone had a good time relaxing and around 1:00 we started back into the chapel for the next 3 sessions (ours was last). Not everyone stayed for the afternoon meeting. We had maybe 12-15 couples just after lunch. They left little by little. The bishop did an excellent slide presentation on Eternal Progression – having the vision and setting and meeting goals. Next an amazingly articulate and motivating young man, Dominique Musimusi, spoke on financial management or how to change the traditional African way thinking about and using money. He included budgeting and teaching children to understand and budget their money. Very interesting, but very long. By the time Dad and I were up just before 3:00 I had decided to give up my part altogether except to explain my handout and mention briefly the ideas of “catching them doing something good” and “using positive statements.” I turned the time to Elder Wells who took 20 to 25 minutes to an audience of about 20 tired but receptive and relatively attentive people. (We had originally been asked to take an hour from 2:00 - 3:00 or longer if we desired.)

The bishop closed the meeting by telling them how important it is for them to use all these principles and ideas and that they needed to keep learning and changing and when they did so they were to be examples to others because they were building Zion!

We had a closing prayer and adjourned for dessert – a wonderful pudding cake called Malva pudding with a vanilla custard sauce. Yum! (More fresh plates and utensils were used. The young women who had been tending the children helped in the kitchen now as well.) At the end of the meeting we stopped to talk to a handsome couple (you can see him in the pink shirt taking pictures during lunch.) His wife was dressed in a beautiful African outfit. We were talking and she shook her head and he said haltingly, "We do not speak English." They spoke French. Had they stayed the entire day and not understood anything?

We headed for home about 4:20. I had been up so late preparing and had enjoyed a late SKYPE visit with the family at Matt and Anita’s and so after cleaning up the table which was full of Ensigns and notes and papers I laid down on the little couch listening to our new Christmas CD and slept for nearly 2 hours!

Another day of learning important lessons because TIA (this is Africa)

Treasures

On Thursday, November 20, Sister Parmley took 16 senior missionary sisters on an outing. She drove one 8 passenger van and Sister Cannon (from the MTC) drove another. We first visited the home of young man who is involved in textile export and sales but who has been "adopted" by sister Parmley and allows her to bring groups to his home and purchase his merchandise privately. Cash only. Elder Grandpa gave me 1000 Rand (about $100 at today’s exchange) and I assured him I had no intention of spending it. Somehow I gave up a good portion of that with the treasures I found there -- Cushions covers for my couch pillows, a little cloth for the coffee table, 2 or 3 little purses . . . .

Next we drove across town to the home of 2 artsy ladies who are sisters and who have a terrific shop in the back of their amazingly artsy home full of treasures heretofore unknown to me. Plus, the purpose of our visit was to hear one of them give a lecture on beads. Her bead knowledge and collection was vast and extremely interesting. She had antique beads from everywhere, precious stones and jewels, oh my! And the antiques and fascinating items from African countries on display and for sale in their shop were remarkable. And appealing. And irresistible. Although we were assured that there was no obligation to buy, everyone did. You would have too. Fortunately for all of us they did not require cash only so we were free to charge to our hearts desire on our American credit cards! So I came away with some treasures.


The beaded doll on the left is called a Namji doll from the country of Chad. It is a fertility doll. There were two but I chose the one with two heads giving the suggestion of twins. I will loan her out upon request. The little Zulu angel in the middle will adorn my Christmas tree. The necklace is a Maasai collar from Kenya.

Our flat was completely monochromatic and I just needed to find some RED to put somewhere so I bought these great pillow covers. There is a basket from Zimbabwe on the coffee table with a nice little African cloth for more color. But my favorite find of all is this great chicken! Besides that it looks so cool it has a real purpose.

It is from Yoruba, Nigeria and it is a "mouse divination box." Here's how it works. The tail comes off to reveal a hole where you put any sort of bones, rocks, teeth, etc.

Then you put a live mouse in on top and put the lid back on. The mouse runs around scrambling the items and then runs out a little hole and out the bottom. Then you take off the lid and read your fortune or the answer to your problem or whatever you are searching the answer for. Now, that is unique, don't you think?

Other treasures I have collected are dolls from Uganda, Mozambique, and Lesoto.

Some "refugees" from Mozambique,

A Poiki pot from our Medikwe game drive. They use cast iron ones to cook the meals in, very much like our dutch ovens.

These shells and starfish I picked up in Mozambique and on Mauritius on beaches of the Indian Ocean.

We also purchased a nice mirror the other day for the front area which we haven't hung yet but you can see how good it will look here.

All in all I am feeling better about the place because it has some warmth and color and that is always good. We will gather for Thanksgiving dinner next week on the lawn at the Area Presidency white house. And I found some boxes in the cupboard that say Christmas so soon I will put up a little tree and try to believe that this is the holiday season.

Then I will remember the best and most valuable treasures I have ever collected.

The adventure begins

I suppose to say this is the beginning is not quite accurate. They have spent years dreaming of, planning for, and preparing physically and spiritually for the moment when the cameras would emerge to capture the start of their missionary service. And, of course, the recent weeks as Mom and Dad raced around were an exciting challenge in their own right, but this is where the FUN starts.

I can't help but think of the many hours of encouragement, shopping, packing, and prayers these two have offered every family missionary before them. We're delighted that it's finally their turn.

Elder and Sister Wells were set apart on Saturday evening, July 5th with as much family as could make themselves available. Of course, we all wanted very much to be a part of this special moment. We, their children, are so proud of their hard work and determination to serve the Lord. What an example to us all.
Way to go, Mom and Dad. We suuure love ya!

Getting Started

We are leaving soon for our mission to South Africa.