Two Months and One Day :)

It is hard to believe that we have been here in South Africa for two months and one day!  We have learned so much and done so much it seems like it has been much longer.  Needless to say, we are enjoying our time here very much.  We started serving in the temple one week ago.  We go on Friday afternoons at 1:30 and stay until about 8:00 pm.  We have been there two Fridays now and are moving right along with what we are learning and are able to do.  This particular assignment is truly a dream come true.  Serving in the temple is a wonderful addition to our other missionary responsibilities.  We are certainly keeping busy.  Saturday, Charlene (my sister-in-law) and I gave a family history presentation to one of the out-lying wards for their Relief Society.  We work from 6:30 in the morning until 1:00 on Saturdays in the Family History Centre so we had to leave around ten to make the 11:00 meeting. There was a good turn-out of the sisters (about 20) and lots of questions for us. Today, Allan and I went to one of the local wards that we have responsibility over and met with the High Priest Group Leader who is also filling in as the Family History ward consultant until a member of the ward can be called to hold that position. The ward was established this past January and we are anxious to get their family history program up and running.  We are planning to return on Tuesday night to start our training.  We will visit each ward where we train for about six - eight weeks.  When we feel we have done all we can for them, we will go to another ward and train there.  We do not have a permanent ward to attend - we have the responsibility of eight stakes throughout South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho.  So, all of the wards and branches in those eight stakes are where we will be training.  We are tentatively scheduled to travel to Mozambique around May 6th. We are waiting for our letter of invitation from Mozambique so we can get our visas.  We will be training there for two days and the stake there is making the arrangements for us.  We will be in the city of Maputo which sits on the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean.  Looking forward to more adventures!

Now for a few pictures of our trip to Swaziland:

A thatched meeting place in the Mlilwane Game Reserve where we stayed.

The "Beehive huts" area - we were in Bleesbok #4!

Inside our beehive hut!  Very comfortable but a wee bit spartan.

Cement floors, two outlets, no chairs but the beds were comfortable.

Through the arched doorway is the bathroom....nice shower and plenty of hot and cold water.

The four Lees in front of our two huts.

Two of the crocodiles in residency here.

Cooling off!

A zebra that the crocodiles had drug into the water and drowned.
The next day they had dragged it closer to shore and were feasting on it.

These guys were huge!

A sweeter and prettier side of nature.

We have moved on from the nature reserve to Summerfield Botanical Gardens Resort.

A few extra amenities here that were missing in the beehive huts.

One of the pathways at the resort.

The trees and bushes and flowers around the resort were very interesting.

I love my new t-shirt - it says:
"Stressed out?  Unwind in the Kingdom of Swaziland"
A little history for you -
There are hundreds of monarchies in Africa, defined as either actually or nominally self-governing states, territories, or nations on the continent of Africa where supreme power resides with an individual who is recognized as the head of state. All are similar in that the sovereign inherits their office and typically keeps it until their death or until their abdication. However, only three are currently sovereign, while the remaining are sub-national monarchies. Two of these are constitutional monarchies (Lesotho and Morrocco), in which the sovereign is bound by laws and customs in the exercise of his or her powers, and one is an absolute monarchy (Swaziland), in which the sovereign rules without bounds. 

More interesting folage.

I thought this tree was fun.....all of the lower branches and roots were on the top of the ground.

On our morning walk around the pond by the restaurant.  This is one of the outside eating areas.

The large building in the background is the main restaurant - four floors and lavishly decorated.

More outside tables around the pond.

They had several different kinds of statuary in and around the entire resort.  These were my favorite.

This is a very peaceful, tranquil place to spend time.

A beautiful resident........

.......and his friends!

Another view of the walk around the pond with its many eating and resting places.

A night view by the pool.

A momma and baby rhino!  Even baby rhinos are cute!!

More adventures to come!!!!