D&C 18:15-16 and great will be your joy!

Ask us if we are having fun yet.

I love this ear.....well I love his tie!

Sweet reunion!

L-R: Beverly Retronnell Soko, Angela Nicollate Zenda Soko, Mark Elliot Soko & Sister Henderson

Joshua

L-R: Elder Mukasa, Beverly, Angela, Mark, Sis H & Elder Bryers

L-R: Beverly, Angela, Mark and cousin, Brian Fenga

    This trumps any P-Day any where any how hands down. Upon arriving in Cape Town Elder Henderson had to promptly return to the states for his mother's funeral. The first Sunday I attended church was with Elder and Sister Mahler. They were assigned to the Langa Branch, in Langa.
I was sitting by a woman and we started to talk. I assumed she was a member of the church but as we were talking I found out a little bit about her. She told me she had to work on some Sundays and her children, daughter Beverly 15, and son Mark 11, started to come to our church. They were not members. She said she had a hard time getting them to go to church with her. This particular Sunday she decided to come herself and see what it was that was attracting her children. Angela told me her husband, Elliot Soko, had died about six months ago. It was then I told her about Heath and his death. How the gospel had made such a difference in our life and given us hope for an enternal family. I asked her for her e-mail address and since that time we have been mailing back and forth.
    Today, January 22, 2012. ANGELA NICOLLATE ZENDA SOKO, along with her two beautiful children were baptised members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints. The joy felt this day has been amazing. This sweet woman and I have truly become sisters. She looks forward to going to Jonhannesburg to be selaed in the temple with her husband....we hope to go with her.
    I felt through the spirit that I should give her a set of scriptures. I had asked about ordering some but was told it depended on whether there were any available in the Johannesburg office. Then Sister Oldham remembered that there was a set at the office that someone had ordered but decided they didn't want. We gave them to Angela. Never have I given anyone a gift with such a reaction. She had been asking her cousin Brother Brian Fenga, who is a member, how she could buy some. She shouted for joy, not once but it continued for about five to ten minutes. JOY-JOY-JOY.......Pure JOY, what an a "Amazing" day!!

P-Day at V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

African handshake

How Sweet and funny too, he was scaring people as they passed by.

Oh darn, Elder Henderson missed the kiss on the cheek that Sister H received from the mime.

This was one of many groups we saw perform today.

The Flowers in South Africa are "Spectacular"

This is the national flower, the Protea, it is the size of a large dinner plate.

Even the dandelion!

Some needed R&R...P-Day at Cape Auglhalas'

Longest white sand beach in the world.....17 miles

Look out for the sharks.....only get your feet wet.

I can't believe I finally made it here.

One of the two oldest lighthouses in the world.

The day seem to never get started. We had arranged to go to Hermanus to inspect the elders apartment and also buy some large decorating pots for the mission office, therefore is was necessary to take the mission van, in order to bring back the pots....they are huge. We stopped to buy the pots first and found a perfect matching pair. There was a small cafe there so we had some lunch. On to see the elders and then started our journey to Cape Auglhalas'. We drove and drove and drove. And there was almost nothing to see. At one point we saw two baboon's running across the road. One looked like a baby. I wanted Elder Henderson to stop but it wouldn't even slow down.....I was not a happy camper. Finally we were getting close, it was about a 3 1/2 hour drive.....forever! Then Elder Henderson saw a dirt road that he wanted to explore. At one point we stopped the van for fear me might get stuck in the sand. From there we traveled on foot. Then we came upon the most beautiful white sand beach you have ever seen in your life. The sand felt like powered sugar or flour. We hiked quite a ways to get to the water. Later as we were having dinner a resident told us it was the longest white sand beach in the world, 17 miles. I could have stayed there all day. As we were driving into the town we noticed something peculiar...there were no bars on the windows and doors and no rod iron gates. What a change from where we are living. We made it to the point by 4:45pm but because we went there first instead of the lighthouse we missed getting to go in the lighthouse as it closed at 5pm. Darn! We had some fish and chips and headed home. Again we saw some baboons and Elder Henderson would not stop, grrrrrr! Later we found out that they are very dangerous and had we stopped they may have attacked the van and could have even busted out the windshield if they saw food inside our vehicle. I had to repent of my anger and tell Elder Henderson I was sorry. More than anything I want to see some real live animals....maybe someday. We didn't get home until about 10pm....what a very loooong day! We slept all Sunday afternoon to catch up.

SAYING "GOODBYE" TO THREE OF THE "FAB FOUR"

Elder Frost from New Zealand

Elder Kyuvi from Keyna

Elder Moangare from the Island of Kitipaus

Elder Frost, Elder Moangare, Elder Kyuvi, Elder Cowey (in the bk)

 

It is sad to be parting.....

Bye Mom!

Little did we know that transfers and biding our sweet elders "UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN" was going to be so devastating. The night before, Tuesday of last week we had our regular Young Adult Activity at the Mitchells Plain Branch. The young adults are usually about 30 minutes late as they need to  be picked up by one driver. There was time to talk to the elders and share our feelings about their departure the next day. None of us could hold back the tears. From the beginning they have been tagged as our "Fab Four" and they called us mom and dad. It was like saying goodbye to our own children. The next day we had breakfast at President and Sister Wood's where we took our farewell pictures. Such fine young men....friends, loved ones and brothers in the gospel. Elders you will be sorely missed.....but until we meet again, God be with you......GO GIVE THEM "HEAVEN!"  and WE LOVE YOU....and yes, we LOVE you too Elder Cowey, our stay at home "son."