It's Braai-B-Que Time!

On Saturday September 27^th, we invited all 7 Stake President’s and their wives to our first Braai, which is a South African BBQ. So, in fairness, we had to call it a Braai-B-Que!  We used our BBQ skills combined with great meat and techniques they use to have a fun potluck dinner together.

We have already taken each Stake President and his wife out to dinner or lunch, prior to this evening. It has been so fun to get to know each one individually and as a couple. It is already making a difference in our connection and ability to work closer together with the missionaries and their stake. President Dunn has set this as one of his highest priorities. He is calling it "mesh"ionary work...charging them to "mesh" with their wards and work together, not independent. The goal is for ward members to be so sad when they get transferred or go home, because they have knit themselves into the fabric of the ward and the hearts of the people.

We thought it would be fun to bring them all together in the mission home before too much time passed, so we picked a date and set a time. Many of them had never been in the mission home.

We were thrilled that 5 of the Stake Presidents could attend this night and we will get together with President Hall and President Martin as soon as possible. We missed them!  We also invited the Temple President and his lovely wife, President and Sister Eppel.  The Makasi’s joined us with his role as the Area Seventy over our mission.  President and Sister Collins from the MTC were also with us.  A wonderful night spent together.

 

The Eppel’s-Temple President

The De Kock’s-Johannesburg Stake

The Makasi’s-Area Seventy

The Holmes-Benoni Stake

The Collin’s-MTC President

The Msiza's -Bedfordview Stake

President Lebethoa-Soweto Stake

(Sad not to get a proper picture of President with his darling wife! But, so glad they were with us.)

The Boshoff’s-Pretoria Stake

The Martin’s-Centurion Stake*

The Hall’s-Roodeport Stake*

*not able to attend, due to other commitments. We will get them over soon.

I received such beautiful Protea arrangements from dinner guests. I can’t get enough of these flowers.  They are truly magnificent and the official flower of South Africa.

Sister Makasi insisted on helping with the dishes. Before I knew what had happened, she and Sister Collins had the entire kitchen cleaned up. Bless their hearts.

We also encouraged everyone to tour the mission home and see what a great space the church provides for it’s South Africa Johannesburg missionaries.  We showed them our new transfer board, with all new photos and information cards on each missionary.  Each card tells place of origin, date released and leadership roles experienced thus far. We are excited about the usability of this board moving forward.They look like baseball trading cards, but will be much more valuable over the long haul.

We have another board just like this at the mission office.

The basement is a good place for our Elders that need a space to stay while they come down from far away assignements for Leadership Council or  Zone Conference, meetings, etc. We also use this room every 6 weeks when the departing Elders go home and  they get to move all the luggage in and relax and spend an evening with us.

It was fun to tour everyone through the rooms on the main level in addition to the basement. It is great to have them understand this home as an asset the Church has and it belongs to all of us. We are happy to host events, as we can, and so it is good for our leadership in the area to see the new and improved mission home!