Sunday, June 9, 2013

Zone Conference

Family and Friends, Wow do the days go by fast when you are busy and also when you drive up and down this country for meetings and training. We attended our first Zone Conference with Pres and Sister Omer and with Elder Bricknell and his wife of the Southeast area Presidency. It was really inspiring and interesting and fun to be with all the Elders and Sisters who will make up the start of the Botswana mission on July 1. We did sit for 5 hours in the meetings with only 2 short breaks but we also were doing the food after as senior couples and the senior sisters went in and out a bit. A couple facts you may not know are that only Botswana has Sister missionaries here in the Joburg mission as they were taken out of South Africa about five years ago because of the dangers. We have 6 here in Francistown and they are awesome hard workers that get to the investigators and teach a ton of lessons. This conference was held in the capitol city of Gaborone. The G is pronounced as an H. This 5 hours south of us and when driving at 120k at night to get home things are really dark and not fun, as there are domestic animals wandering everywhere. We all said our prayers before driving it and all five cars made the journey with no incident and no breakdowns, thanks to the good work of the "car czar" [Elder Davis]. The very next morning Pres Omer and his wife flew into F town for their last visit before they lose this country from their mission and we had disciplinary counsels and other interviewing all day with we 2 senior priesthood holders helping. It was fun because Sister Omer spent the day with Sister Davis and as you may already know she is a total twin to Mary's dear friend Connie Poulsen. They drove around taking pictures of our three meeting houses and had a luncheon for all the Sister missionaries. We did have a fun evening though as we hosted a dinner for them and the other Seniors and Sister Davis out did herself by preparing roast, potatoes and gravy, vegetables, rolls and a drink. Our usual Sunday dinner at home and her first try here in Africa, and it was delicious. And NOT CHICKEN. Hurray. We will get to visit one more time with the Omer's as there will be a farewell for them in Gaborone at the end of the month. I know that we say this every post but this weather is so unbelievable. In 35 days we have not even thought about a jacket and have seen not one rain drop and yet we have not needed a/c in our flat or heat. Each day the sky is clear blue and no wind, it really helps us get things done, even though the people and the slow service and the lack of professionals and many other thing hold us back. We have a few pictures to include and will try to download as this is our first day of internet at our flat and it is ssssslllloooowwwww. Love to all and may Gods blessing find everyone safe and happy. Elder and Sister Davis
found my shopping mall in Gaborone

(some of the sisters in our zone 3 are missing
The one up the top far left goes to Utah State her name is Sister Pierce she and her companion live just 2 doors down from our flat they are a lot of fun,( her companion is right in front of her,
Sister Nyambita
Hungry boys at zone conference

This is some of the Elders in our Branch and 2 of the sisters are eating with them are also in our branch.

 This little guy was taking lemons out of the empty glasses and eating them it was fun to watch him, and most of the glasses were not just empty with water, they had some other liquid in them.
 Charlie and I standing in front of this beautiful lodge that we went to in the Chobe National Park
This is our resent baptism on Saturday her name is Malebogo

1 comment:

  1. Love the crazy little animal - we hope it was a monkey?? The shopping looks interesting. And the Zone Conference with missionaries looks very similar to what we see here - the Church is the same around the world!! We love and pray for you all. Keep the work moving forward.

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