The Little Red Buckets

One day we stopped for gas outside of town and I saw these 3 red buckets hanging there at the station. Just had to snap a picture thinking of the book, “The Little Red Buckets.” Remember it?

Back to JoBurg

Elder Wells is on his way back. I talked to him Monday afternoon, then Tuesday morning at 5:00 am as he was on his way to the airport in SLC, and again when he landed in Atlanta at 1:00. In about 9 hours he’ll touch down on African soil again. (But who’s counting?) We just need to get that fellow back to work, that’s all.
Elder Shelley from England and Elder Kintu from Uganda with Elder Wells.

African Game Drive

We have had two opportunities to visit a game preserve about 5 hours away called Madikwe.
This is a bush camp (Mosethla) without electricity but with very adequate accommodations including do-it-yourself hot water for warm showers.

The cabins are on stilts and contain comfortable twin beds.

The bathroom facilities (down the path a ways) are clean and cleverly presented.

You get hot water by pouring ½ bucket of cold water into the top of this stove and hot water comes out the spout on the side. Presto. You pour the hot water into the remaining cold in the bucket and there is your warm water for the shower.
There are two four hour game drives each day. Guests are awakened at 5:30 for the 6 am drive. The evening drive starts at 4 pm. The first time we went was in October (summer) and it was so hot. This time, on a national holiday in April, we went again. The sleeping was perfect, but the drives were quite cold. Especially in the morning and after the sun went down in the evening. We traveled in this vehicle and when going fast we were bundled under blankets!

Our driver both times was named Patrick. He tried very hard to help us see the “Big Five” -- Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Buffalo, and Leopard. We saw many others as well. These are just a few.






It is hard to believe that we could drive right up to these animals and take their pictures.
In fact I marvel continually that we are living here and serving and experiencing Africa. Amazing!

Fall in Johannesburg

The other Sunday after church we went on a little outing with our firends, the Wrights, to the Botanical Gardens. I was excited to see the changing leaves which helped me believe that it is really autumn here.

The reason we are confused is that trees and flowers are still blooming and the weather is so pleasant.
The Johannesburg Botanical Garden is a wonderful place with acres of grass, a lake, and a rose garden with beautiful water features. Elder Wells did a great imitation of the open mouthed spout here.

While we were strolling along these lovely ladies came up to sell their wares. we told them we could not buy on Sunday but they allowed us to take their pictures.
This fountain at the entrance of the rose garden is very beautiful.
Just thought I'd let you see some of the nice things about Johannesburg on a Sunday afternoon.

A Little Fun in the Office

We may be on the other side of the world, but we are still connected. The other day we were greeted upon our arrival at the office by the announcement that we must log into U Tube and experience this amazing performance. Soon a group was gathered to watch and cheer for Susan Boyle.




What a great performance.

Tembisa Ward Primary

We are attending the Tembisa Ward and one day I took these shots of the children and primary president. This is the primary room.


I am always fascinated with the way these wonderful mothers carry their babies on their backs. This is the primary president, Sister Felleng Mashishi.

You can see from the front the little fellow’s feet on either side of his mommy. I asked her how she gets the baby so securely on her back and even though the baby was asleep by the time I asked she proceeded to undo him and show me how it is done. She unwrapped him, put him back down on the ground, and then pulled him up onto her back and pulled the cloth up over them.




After she fastened it in front she pulled the bottom of the blanket around his little body and fastened that. Can you see the large safety pin in her mouth?

And there you have it. He didn't even wake up.

Washing the Car

We are very fortunate to have this good man, Simon, wash our car every week.


When he has finished and wiped it all down he puts up the windshield wipers to let us know the job was done. We don’t ask for this service but we are happy to pay for it. At the end of the month he comes by the flat to be paid. It works out to about $2 per wash.

One morning we came out to go to the office and he was in the process of doing this task so as we waited and watched I snapped his picture. No hoses or spraying down here -- just a bucket and rags.




There are lots of puddles in the parking garage in the mornings due to the car washing of good fellows like Simon and Isaiah and others who work in the building as guards and wash cars for tenants during their off hours. Don't you wish you had a Simon in your garage?

A Brief Trip Home

When we were oriented and trained before leaving for this mission we were informed that an occasion might arise when Elder Wells would be required to accompany an elder home because of illness. That occasion arose last week when a good young elder from Portland Oregon required some assistance. Elder Wells is right now in the United States and I am alone here in Johannesburg. He left on Wednesday morning, April 22 and will return next Wednesday, April 29. It was a long trip for him as he needed to fly from Johannesburg to Durban to pick up the young man, and then back to Johannesburg to catch the long flight to Atlanta, then to SLC, then Oregon, then back to SLC. But the children are glad to see him for a few days and he was able to take 2 big suitcases of acquired treasures home with him.

Thanks to the miracle of SKYPE we have been able to keep in touch and when the family gathered on Saturday, I participated from here through the computer. Amazing! The only drawback was that I joined their party from 2:30 am to 5:30 am for me. But it was worth every waking minute. I will be glad to have him back, though. You kind of get used to this 24/7 togetherness thing and it seems strange to be apart for so long. Besides, I really like that guy.