Sunday, January 11, 2009
2009 01 11 - The calm before the storm
Dear Everyone:
Since we're between zone conferences and transfers, I have fewer missionary stories and more family updates - feel free to skip around!
Hunter and Morgan are safely back, and I believe they can now qualify as seasoned travelers. You will remember, they had a delayed flight and a racist passenger/re-seating on the flight out. On the flight back they had a messed up ticket - when we changed their South African Airways reservation to a different day, the agent issued 2 tickets in Hunter’s name, and none in Morgan’s. This in spite of two phone calls about it, and a fax with both their names and passport #s, and the fact that the original confirmation #, with both their tickets and names on it, stayed the same. But they handled the lines and the arguments, and got aboard. Unfortunately, their bags all went to Paris and arrived here 2 days later.
Since they got back (was it only 6 days ago? It seems like a lifetime!) we’ve had sleepovers (ranging from 3 to 6 friends) and a party. Steve is muttering something about “boarding schools”… and looking forward to the bed & breakfast during zone conferences! Elder & Sister Watson are coming on a mission tour, and I’m hoping to hear some really good stories about his experiences with the First Presidency (-cies) he worked with. If he’s allowed to tell any, that is.
We had dinner with Ike & Edwina Schwartzberg the other night. Ike turns 78 this week, but they still drive down from Pretoria when they have a holiday. Edwina told me about her grandmother coming into the Church (she was one of the first members here). Edwina was a little girl and lived with her parents in Pretoria. Her grandmother lived in Capetown, and was a very proper Victorian Englishwoman. One day the maid answered a knock at the door and said there were two men there who wanted to tell her about their Church. Grandmother said to send them away – she already had a church. Just then, one of the elders fainted on the doorstep (these were the days of no purse or scrip). She brought the elders in, and ended up joining the Church. She then called Edwina’s mother in Pretoria, with the instructions, “You must come to Capetown and learn about the Mormon Church and be baptized.” And so they did! We have now instructed our elders to faint anytime they are being turned away…
I’m still working on sharing times and pictures for learning Primary songs. Did everyone but me know about ldscoloringpages.org? It’s all the coloring pages from the Friend back to 1970. It’s very helpful, but also an interesting look at how Primary helps have changed over the years. We have at least one picture every month now; some years they only seem to have had one or two the whole year - at least that's all that's on the site. And there were years that were very into mazes, and others that were all “mini-books”… I recognized a lot of the pictures – and not because I colored them in Primary, but thank you very much! – Some have come around again, and I was in Primary (nursery) with all my kids starting about 1982. The Church is REALLY getting good with internet resources.
I got a good look at the work our senior couples put in, today. I was at Pinetown Ward with the boys, and Elder and Sister Markum spoke in sacrament meeting, on seminary and institute. They did a great job, and when I spoke to them afterwards, they said they were now on the way to Queensburgh Ward to orient new CES teachers. Then the Mickelsens arrived for priesthood/Relief Society. They had already been to Phoenix branch, and were meeting with young adults in Pinetown trying to finalize PEF loans. School is about to start, and there are still students who haven't got everything together, so the Mickelsons are working very hard just now. So don't worry about being bored if you come on a mission!
Torry and Chris are relocating to Amarillo, where he starts his job on the 19th. It doesn't affect us much at the moment, of course, since we email and skype anyway, but our other kids will really miss having that "home away from home". And Eva and Brody to play with! They'll be staying with Chris's mom for awhile, so I'm a little concerned about the "other grandma" getting ahead of me - guess I'll have to bring home a giraffe or an elephant to stay in the running...
Our friend Sara sent us a Christmas card that included a talk by her mission president, Tad Callister. It was a wonderful talk on consecrated missionaries that we are "borrowing" to share with our elders. I'm hoping it's alright, because as she explained that he used to give a version of it at the Provo MTC, so our elders missed it? The talk itself is very good, but the bit I really related to was a story he told about two elders in his mission. (It reminded me so much of our stories.) They went to see an investigator to finalize his baptismal plans, and he had turned full circle and wanted nothing to do with the Church. They did their best to remind him of the witnesses he had received, and the testimonies he had expressed, but he was adamant. When they left, they discovered that their bikes had been stolen. They headed for the public transit, only to find it wasn't running, so they walked home (probably quite a distance, and in these stories it's always rainy or snowy). Then one of the elders found his chest hurting, and it turned out to be shingles - not a comfortable illness. But when they met with President Callister, they were smiling and cheerful - because the work is true! Those two elders can join our brotherhood any time!
(This one requires you to know that "unjani" means "how are you", and "Baba" is how people address an adult man.) Morgan went with me to buy supplies for the elders. At Hassim's Packaging a short, slight built man was helping with the boxes. Morgan walked up, and the man said "Unjani, Baba!" On the way out the door I turned and said "You know, he's fifteen." The man laughed, and answered "Then I'm twelve!" And yes, Morgan loved it.
There's a lot of rivalry going on around here - Hunter has always been a loyal Eagles fan, and Morgan (who is immensely devoted to whoever is winning) is cheering for the Ravens. Last night Hunter was up all night watching the Eagles came, and we could tell exactly what was going on by the sound effects. At least we won't have to argue over "Church or Superbowl" - we won't get it until midnight!
Morgan's being fanatical about going to the gym twice a day to get ready for rugby - he really wants to be on the U16 A team - so I go with him in the mornings. While I was walking on the treadmill I had one of those "parable" moments where you come up with a very every day example of a gospel lesson? I have a clumsy gene, which a physical therapist had an actual name for (which I can't remember) but it has to do with balance. Anyway, if I close my eyes, even on the treadmill, I can't walk straight and practically fall off, UNLESS I hold onto the side rails. Even if a fog rolled into the gym, holding onto the rails would keep me on the track. (OK, I can't be more obvious than that! So everyone hang on!
Love you!
Mom/Grandma/Susan/Sue/Sister President Mann
ps The car guard profession is undergoing some changes. The guards on the street still wear whatever green or orange vest they can get. A few places add the words "Car Guard" to the back of the vest. Pavilion Mall used to have matching, fluorescent vests: they now have uniforms, with name tags. But I like the guard at the Pinetown Spur the best - his says "Professional Motor Vehicle Attendant."
Since we're between zone conferences and transfers, I have fewer missionary stories and more family updates - feel free to skip around!
Hunter and Morgan are safely back, and I believe they can now qualify as seasoned travelers. You will remember, they had a delayed flight and a racist passenger/re-seating on the flight out. On the flight back they had a messed up ticket - when we changed their South African Airways reservation to a different day, the agent issued 2 tickets in Hunter’s name, and none in Morgan’s. This in spite of two phone calls about it, and a fax with both their names and passport #s, and the fact that the original confirmation #, with both their tickets and names on it, stayed the same. But they handled the lines and the arguments, and got aboard. Unfortunately, their bags all went to Paris and arrived here 2 days later.
Since they got back (was it only 6 days ago? It seems like a lifetime!) we’ve had sleepovers (ranging from 3 to 6 friends) and a party. Steve is muttering something about “boarding schools”… and looking forward to the bed & breakfast during zone conferences! Elder & Sister Watson are coming on a mission tour, and I’m hoping to hear some really good stories about his experiences with the First Presidency (-cies) he worked with. If he’s allowed to tell any, that is.
We had dinner with Ike & Edwina Schwartzberg the other night. Ike turns 78 this week, but they still drive down from Pretoria when they have a holiday. Edwina told me about her grandmother coming into the Church (she was one of the first members here). Edwina was a little girl and lived with her parents in Pretoria. Her grandmother lived in Capetown, and was a very proper Victorian Englishwoman. One day the maid answered a knock at the door and said there were two men there who wanted to tell her about their Church. Grandmother said to send them away – she already had a church. Just then, one of the elders fainted on the doorstep (these were the days of no purse or scrip). She brought the elders in, and ended up joining the Church. She then called Edwina’s mother in Pretoria, with the instructions, “You must come to Capetown and learn about the Mormon Church and be baptized.” And so they did! We have now instructed our elders to faint anytime they are being turned away…
I’m still working on sharing times and pictures for learning Primary songs. Did everyone but me know about ldscoloringpages.org? It’s all the coloring pages from the Friend back to 1970. It’s very helpful, but also an interesting look at how Primary helps have changed over the years. We have at least one picture every month now; some years they only seem to have had one or two the whole year - at least that's all that's on the site. And there were years that were very into mazes, and others that were all “mini-books”… I recognized a lot of the pictures – and not because I colored them in Primary, but thank you very much! – Some have come around again, and I was in Primary (nursery) with all my kids starting about 1982. The Church is REALLY getting good with internet resources.
I got a good look at the work our senior couples put in, today. I was at Pinetown Ward with the boys, and Elder and Sister Markum spoke in sacrament meeting, on seminary and institute. They did a great job, and when I spoke to them afterwards, they said they were now on the way to Queensburgh Ward to orient new CES teachers. Then the Mickelsens arrived for priesthood/Relief Society. They had already been to Phoenix branch, and were meeting with young adults in Pinetown trying to finalize PEF loans. School is about to start, and there are still students who haven't got everything together, so the Mickelsons are working very hard just now. So don't worry about being bored if you come on a mission!
Torry and Chris are relocating to Amarillo, where he starts his job on the 19th. It doesn't affect us much at the moment, of course, since we email and skype anyway, but our other kids will really miss having that "home away from home". And Eva and Brody to play with! They'll be staying with Chris's mom for awhile, so I'm a little concerned about the "other grandma" getting ahead of me - guess I'll have to bring home a giraffe or an elephant to stay in the running...
Our friend Sara sent us a Christmas card that included a talk by her mission president, Tad Callister. It was a wonderful talk on consecrated missionaries that we are "borrowing" to share with our elders. I'm hoping it's alright, because as she explained that he used to give a version of it at the Provo MTC, so our elders missed it? The talk itself is very good, but the bit I really related to was a story he told about two elders in his mission. (It reminded me so much of our stories.) They went to see an investigator to finalize his baptismal plans, and he had turned full circle and wanted nothing to do with the Church. They did their best to remind him of the witnesses he had received, and the testimonies he had expressed, but he was adamant. When they left, they discovered that their bikes had been stolen. They headed for the public transit, only to find it wasn't running, so they walked home (probably quite a distance, and in these stories it's always rainy or snowy). Then one of the elders found his chest hurting, and it turned out to be shingles - not a comfortable illness. But when they met with President Callister, they were smiling and cheerful - because the work is true! Those two elders can join our brotherhood any time!
(This one requires you to know that "unjani" means "how are you", and "Baba" is how people address an adult man.) Morgan went with me to buy supplies for the elders. At Hassim's Packaging a short, slight built man was helping with the boxes. Morgan walked up, and the man said "Unjani, Baba!" On the way out the door I turned and said "You know, he's fifteen." The man laughed, and answered "Then I'm twelve!" And yes, Morgan loved it.
There's a lot of rivalry going on around here - Hunter has always been a loyal Eagles fan, and Morgan (who is immensely devoted to whoever is winning) is cheering for the Ravens. Last night Hunter was up all night watching the Eagles came, and we could tell exactly what was going on by the sound effects. At least we won't have to argue over "Church or Superbowl" - we won't get it until midnight!
Morgan's being fanatical about going to the gym twice a day to get ready for rugby - he really wants to be on the U16 A team - so I go with him in the mornings. While I was walking on the treadmill I had one of those "parable" moments where you come up with a very every day example of a gospel lesson? I have a clumsy gene, which a physical therapist had an actual name for (which I can't remember) but it has to do with balance. Anyway, if I close my eyes, even on the treadmill, I can't walk straight and practically fall off, UNLESS I hold onto the side rails. Even if a fog rolled into the gym, holding onto the rails would keep me on the track. (OK, I can't be more obvious than that! So everyone hang on!
Love you!
Mom/Grandma/Susan/Sue/Sister President Mann
ps The car guard profession is undergoing some changes. The guards on the street still wear whatever green or orange vest they can get. A few places add the words "Car Guard" to the back of the vest. Pavilion Mall used to have matching, fluorescent vests: they now have uniforms, with name tags. But I like the guard at the Pinetown Spur the best - his says "Professional Motor Vehicle Attendant."
Sunday, January 4, 2009
2009 01 04 - Coming in Like a Lion
Nonyaka omusha omuhle!
(As you might expect, that's Happy New Year in isiZulu.)
Ours has started off with a bang. I spent most of the week in my clean, quiet, empty house (except when Steve would come home from interviews and take me out to lunch). I de-Christmased the house and put away all the decorations, and started sorting through cupboards that have been waiting to be organized. But mostly I worked on resource materials for sharing time in our district primaries. With Liahonas that arrive 2 months late, no computers, and in some cases not even a building, the Primaries depend on the couplesisters and the mission for whatever they need.
So, anyone have any good coloring pictures of African children or families? The Church is making great strides in Asian and Hispanic, but African is pretty sparse. I am learning how to tweak pictures a little so they "suggest" African children... I'll probably ask Claire Bredenkamp, in Pinetown Ward, to draw some pictures for me. She just finished her matric exams (short for matriculant examinations, by the way) and is planning to go on in art.
Friday night we had dinner with the Sessions, Johnsons, Mickelsens & Markums. It's always fun to get together. Mickelsens were relieved to learn that the "gunshots" they had been hearing were holiday fireworks. They live in an Indian area, and every holiday there seems to be a good excuse for fireworks. I can't blame them for being concerned - when's the last time you went out on New Year's Eve to a fireworks display?
Saturday morning we got up to a flurry of emails & gchat messages telling us that Morgan couldn't find his passport. (This is Idaho's Friday night; the boys are scheduled for a 7:15 am Saturday flight to Salt Lake, then a Sunday 8:25 am flight to Johannesburg.) My personal favorite among the messages was Chris's gchat - apparently our computer was on, so he sent a message, and I didn't respond. So he sent another one, this time "yelling": Sister President Mann!!!!!!!!!!!! Then he sent one saying, "I guess the exclamation points don't make it any louder..."
It was too late at home to call anyone, so I sent off emails, including a copy of Morgan's email, suggestions of where else to search, and who else could double check the places already searched (moms figured strongly in that one), instructions for sending Hunter to Utah and taking Morgan to Parma, possibilities for changing tickets if the passport was found Sat am or Sat pm, what we'd do if it wasn't found... Of course, I thought of all these things one at a time, so there were LOTS of emails for the kids when they got up!
Then I waited until 5:30 am Idaho time to call Parker and see what was happening. No passport, so he cancelled Morgan's flight, took Hunter to the airport and checked all the possible Lost & Founds at the airport. No passport. THEN, thank goodness, the passport turned up - jammed between the seat and the console in Parker's car. Morgan caught the noon flight, and all was good. Whew.
The hotel we stayed at was very nice, with an amazing golf course (no, we don't play) and a private beach. The beach is what attracted us, but the website didn't mention that the beach was 5 minutes away by shuttle. We opted to sit out on the patio under some beautiful trees, on the one sunny afternoon we've had in days. Steve didn't quite get into holiday mode - but he came up with a great visual training idea which you will see on a future website.
Oh, and speaking of websites, if anyone wants to look at the member missionary training we're doing, or the movie Parker and Justin put together for us, they're at sadm.site50.net Elder Terry put it together for us, and did a dynamite job!
Sunday we went to church in Margate, our furthest south branch. It is a resort town branch whose attendance fluctuates wildly during tourist season (like McCall). It's also the branch where the elders learn sign language. We saw Elder Wengert signing, but Elder Lerios just got there, so we'll give him a few more weeks! We had some great meetings, and then went to lunch at the home of the branch president, Jean Pierre (and Gina) Ohlerking. His brother and American sister-in-law were visiting, and Catherine turned out to be best friends with my niece Kim (Allen) Tolman. Naturally. Catherine and Rene met during a production at the Grand theater at Salt Lake Community College, which is, of course, where my sister Carolyn worked. They took a picture of the four of us to email to Kim - is it too soon to say "small world" again?
It was a beautiful, green (and gray) drive home, to a water-less mission home. The water system has sprung a leak, which can't be repaired until tomorrow. I might actually have to go to the gym tomorrow morning, so I have an excuse to use their showers. Oh, the pain of it!
The boys will be back Tuesday night, so we have only 48 more hours of peace and quiet, but if Jack Bauer can pack so much into 24, we ought to be able to make good use of 48!
Salani kahle!
Mom/Grandma/Sue/Susan/Sister President Mann
ps The other day a dove flew into the house. I thought it would be nicer to let it find it's own way out instead of scaring it and chasing it, so I "herded" it into the kitchen, closed the inside doors, and opened the scullery door to outside. An hour later, while working in the office, I heard some noises and saw that the monkeys had arrived for their semi-monthly visit. So much for being nice! I had to zip over to the house, assist the dove out of the door with the broom, and then close the door so the monkeys wouldn't come in. Maybe they were all looking for our holiday open house...
(As you might expect, that's Happy New Year in isiZulu.)
Ours has started off with a bang. I spent most of the week in my clean, quiet, empty house (except when Steve would come home from interviews and take me out to lunch). I de-Christmased the house and put away all the decorations, and started sorting through cupboards that have been waiting to be organized. But mostly I worked on resource materials for sharing time in our district primaries. With Liahonas that arrive 2 months late, no computers, and in some cases not even a building, the Primaries depend on the couplesisters and the mission for whatever they need.
So, anyone have any good coloring pictures of African children or families? The Church is making great strides in Asian and Hispanic, but African is pretty sparse. I am learning how to tweak pictures a little so they "suggest" African children... I'll probably ask Claire Bredenkamp, in Pinetown Ward, to draw some pictures for me. She just finished her matric exams (short for matriculant examinations, by the way) and is planning to go on in art.
Friday night we had dinner with the Sessions, Johnsons, Mickelsens & Markums. It's always fun to get together. Mickelsens were relieved to learn that the "gunshots" they had been hearing were holiday fireworks. They live in an Indian area, and every holiday there seems to be a good excuse for fireworks. I can't blame them for being concerned - when's the last time you went out on New Year's Eve to a fireworks display?
Saturday morning we got up to a flurry of emails & gchat messages telling us that Morgan couldn't find his passport. (This is Idaho's Friday night; the boys are scheduled for a 7:15 am Saturday flight to Salt Lake, then a Sunday 8:25 am flight to Johannesburg.) My personal favorite among the messages was Chris's gchat - apparently our computer was on, so he sent a message, and I didn't respond. So he sent another one, this time "yelling": Sister President Mann!!!!!!!!!!!! Then he sent one saying, "I guess the exclamation points don't make it any louder..."
It was too late at home to call anyone, so I sent off emails, including a copy of Morgan's email, suggestions of where else to search, and who else could double check the places already searched (moms figured strongly in that one), instructions for sending Hunter to Utah and taking Morgan to Parma, possibilities for changing tickets if the passport was found Sat am or Sat pm, what we'd do if it wasn't found... Of course, I thought of all these things one at a time, so there were LOTS of emails for the kids when they got up!
Then I waited until 5:30 am Idaho time to call Parker and see what was happening. No passport, so he cancelled Morgan's flight, took Hunter to the airport and checked all the possible Lost & Founds at the airport. No passport. THEN, thank goodness, the passport turned up - jammed between the seat and the console in Parker's car. Morgan caught the noon flight, and all was good. Whew.
The hotel we stayed at was very nice, with an amazing golf course (no, we don't play) and a private beach. The beach is what attracted us, but the website didn't mention that the beach was 5 minutes away by shuttle. We opted to sit out on the patio under some beautiful trees, on the one sunny afternoon we've had in days. Steve didn't quite get into holiday mode - but he came up with a great visual training idea which you will see on a future website.
Oh, and speaking of websites, if anyone wants to look at the member missionary training we're doing, or the movie Parker and Justin put together for us, they're at sadm.site50.net Elder Terry put it together for us, and did a dynamite job!
Sunday we went to church in Margate, our furthest south branch. It is a resort town branch whose attendance fluctuates wildly during tourist season (like McCall). It's also the branch where the elders learn sign language. We saw Elder Wengert signing, but Elder Lerios just got there, so we'll give him a few more weeks! We had some great meetings, and then went to lunch at the home of the branch president, Jean Pierre (and Gina) Ohlerking. His brother and American sister-in-law were visiting, and Catherine turned out to be best friends with my niece Kim (Allen) Tolman. Naturally. Catherine and Rene met during a production at the Grand theater at Salt Lake Community College, which is, of course, where my sister Carolyn worked. They took a picture of the four of us to email to Kim - is it too soon to say "small world" again?
It was a beautiful, green (and gray) drive home, to a water-less mission home. The water system has sprung a leak, which can't be repaired until tomorrow. I might actually have to go to the gym tomorrow morning, so I have an excuse to use their showers. Oh, the pain of it!
The boys will be back Tuesday night, so we have only 48 more hours of peace and quiet, but if Jack Bauer can pack so much into 24, we ought to be able to make good use of 48!
Salani kahle!
Mom/Grandma/Sue/Susan/Sister President Mann
ps The other day a dove flew into the house. I thought it would be nicer to let it find it's own way out instead of scaring it and chasing it, so I "herded" it into the kitchen, closed the inside doors, and opened the scullery door to outside. An hour later, while working in the office, I heard some noises and saw that the monkeys had arrived for their semi-monthly visit. So much for being nice! I had to zip over to the house, assist the dove out of the door with the broom, and then close the door so the monkeys wouldn't come in. Maybe they were all looking for our holiday open house...
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