The Vaal Elders Meet in Vereeniging

We pulled up in "The Vaal" and met up with 12 Elders ready for interviews. President Dunn and I traveled to Vereeniging in the Vaal to meet them. Pictured here, L to R, Elders Savage, Tukaraskis, Carter, Rizk, and Nuenschwander.

What began as a sunny day turned into a rainy wet fall day.  This is in the Center of the Vaal Zone. This is the SAJM zone that is the most spread out. These Elders serve far away from each other. 

We were delighted to get them together today in the Vereeniging Chapel. Elder Tukia and Elder Tokiatomai are the Zone Leaders. It is also Elder Tukia’s 21^st birthday today.

Back Row:, Neunschwander, Carter, Mwale, Savage, Yates,
Front Row: Tukia, Andriatiana, Tukia, Stomps and Togiatomai

It was a nice opportunity to share some of the service workshop information with them and also to listen to President Uchtdorf’s talk, Come Join With Us, from the October 2012 Conference.

 So, due to the length of time they were involved in interviews today, I brought some chocolate chip cookies and we also enjoyed  some pizza for lunch for those that were here longer.

Plenty of joy in Joburg

On Tuesday April 21, we welcomed the Joburg Zone for a day of interviews. 8 came at 9 am and the next group arrived at 11 am.

Back row: Elder De Hunt, Elder  Bua, Elder Ryan, Elder Perkins, Elder Mamhere, Elder Reese, Elder Nelson
Front Row: Elder Lamini, President Dunn

Cornbread Muffins are staged and ready to be made.  A main staple in Africa is Miele, which is similar to cornmeal. We used this for our recipes to encourage more use of this staple.

Elder Lamini and Ryan starting on the cornbread muffins

Elder Nelson as both cook and dishwasher

AS well as Elder Hunt....

Elder mamhere , Bua and Reese take time to write notes of appreciation as an act of service

Irene adds color to the mission home. She has been especially helpful to our service minded missionaries by giving them service needs around the mission home.

Elder Nelson and Elder Lamini

Elder Perkins making thank you cards.

and Elder Mamhere....

Enjoying the fruits of our labors with a snack.
Below, the next group arrives.
Elder Riley, Elder brown, President Dunn,
Elder Wood, Elder jackson, Elder DeLaCruz, Elder Whitesides, Elder Hentunen, Elder Compton

Hentunen and Jackson in the kitchen

Elder De laCruz good with the iron

Elder Wood making a very creative Hogwarts card

Elder Whitesides reaching high to clean the blinds

Elder Jackson getting perfect muffins in the oven first.

Elder Riley and Whitesides enjoying the coffee table safari books

Soweto's S'wonderful!

On Wednesday April 22, we welcomed the Soweto Zone to the mission home for their interviews. We had 2 groups of 8 Elders arrive, 2 hours apart. It was a great day with these wonderful Elders.

Elder Mayende, Elder Macrangqua, Elder Mavundla, Elder Mapende, Elder Roybal, Elder Edeyaoch, Elder Roybal, Elder Harris, Elder Widdison

President Dunn takes time with each and every missionary. It is a special time to have one on one time together.

While they are in the home, we have a great chance to do a workshop. It is fun and informative and focusing on service.

ANother group started in the morning: Elder Wilombe, Elder Ramiliarijoana, Elder Manuma, Elder Wilkerson, Elder Browning

Our wonderful mission home helper, Irene Shabalaya interacts with the missionaries and gets them involved in service around the mission home.

Elder Wilkerson and Elder Rami use their ironing  skills to serve the MTC.

Elder Lyon is a happy cornbread chef!

Elder McCartney is competent in the kitchen!

Elder Spiri and Elder Browning tackle the basement blinds to help Irene around the house.

Even more blinds for Elder Browning 

Elder Wilombe writing thank you cards

Elder Harris and Elder Edeyaoch are happy campers in the kitchen

Their finished products smelled and tasted delciious.

We even made and sampled some peanut butter cookies. Elder Widdison and Elder Roybal are making perfect cookies.

Elder Mayende always can be caught going the extra mile.

Nice way to finish our service project...with a healthy snack and time to visit.

\

On their way out

Please come back again soon..... We love the Elders.

Roodepoort Rocks!

The Roodepoort Zone showed up for interviews today. We even had two birthdays to celebrate in the first group with Elder Kwaibaisi and Elder Thompson. Pictured here are Elder Quigley, Kwaibaisi, Thompson, Taylor, Brown, Deichmann and Silvester.

Singing happy birthday

Elder Kairu and Elder Smith are the leaders of this great zone
The service begins while the interviews take place!

Elder Kwabaisi and Elder Quigley getting ironed shirts ready for the MTC.

Elder Brown helps with the process. These Elders are good at ironing shirts perfectly!

Elder Taylor is quite the cornbread chef!

Elder Thompson whipped up his muffins quickly and now washing all his dishes.  Impressive!

Elder Silvester and Elder Deichman serving in the missionary room. They had fun while they were at it!

Elder Kwabaisi and Elder Quigley using their musical talents to serve!

Next group: Elder Pedersen makes a mean cornbread muffin.

Elder Graham and Elder Majozi unwrap and iron new shirts for the MTC to give to Elders needing more clothing.

Elder Bergman taking time to offer service by giving thanks.

Elder Dean hard at work mixing up muffins

Elder Mukasa also writing some notes today.

Elder Mdletshe and Elder Robins cleaning up the fall leaves, keeping the mission home clean.

Before they leave, everyone enjoyed muffin, apples and conversation It was a great day with the Roodepoort Zone. We really enjoyed visiting with and sharing service ideas with each and everyone of them.  They left the house better than they found it in every way.

A new cat in the house is keeping an eye on everyone.