New Senior Couple to Potch

On Tuesday November 24, 2015, Elder and Sister Charchenko, from Arizona arrived in Johannesburg South Africa to begin their 18-month mission. 

We picked them up at the airport and brought them to the mission home for an orientation and dinner with our office senior couples.

As the day dawned on the 25^th, we took them to the mission office for more orientation and to get their police reports completed so they are legal in the country to drive, etc.

We enjoyed dinner together and then encouraged them to get a good nights rest, because we had a full day scheduled on Wednesday November 25^th.

Elder Allred shared information about the phones and flats.

Elder Larsen gave them a run down on their financial questions and Sister Allred prepared a green binder for them with all the maps, contacts and information included about our mission. 

Sister Larsen got their passport information and is making arrangements to keep their valuables protected and make sure they have the proper visa documents.

Add caption

We then loaded in the mission van and headed 2 hours to the area where they will be serving their entire 18 moths, Ikageng. They re specifically situated in Potchefstroom. They will work specifically with the 2 Elder’s in that area, currently Elder Asay and Elder Benson.

We showed them their new flat and dropped off their luggage. We then took them with Elder Asay and Elder Benson to a teaching appointment. 

The Charchenko's are fortunate to have these two great missionaries waiting to greet them and now serve together. Elder Asay is training Elder Benson and they are a powerful companionship.

A pool??? what is that for?

A new convert, Carlissa, was ready for us to come to her dorm where she is studying engineering. We all enjoyed time together talking about the Plan of Salvation.

Clarissa is such an inspiring young woman. She was recently baptized and has now become a powerful missionary herself. She plans to take a gap year with her education and serve a mission herself.

She was a good sport to entertain so many of us on this day, but it was so powerful to participate in a teaching lesson.

It was also fun for us to have our daughter Emi visiting and able to participate in the day. It gives you a good feel for the day to day activities of a missionary.

Emi Dunn Rigby and Carlissa. It was to great for them to meet.

Great to be together with these great Elders.

Next stop was a quick lunch at Nando’s where we met Lydia and shared the gospel with her and put her in touch with the missionaries. We also love that her name is the same as our newest granddaughter! 

We were then off to Klerksdorp where we met Elder Bergman and Elder Adamson. 

They had a teaching appointment set up with Olivia, who is also a recent convert. Olivia takes children into her home and rescues them. She has over 20 children living in the home and it is absolutely amazing to see all the good she does for others. 

She is so generous and loving and has recently been baptized. 

Many of the children she takes in have also been baptized. We really enjoyed our lesson there and a discussion on the importance of families.

Next we headed to Jouberton and met our two Elders there, Elder Khwela and Elder Chirwa. They were waiting for a second interview for their great investigator, David. 

President Dunn conducted the interview and we visited and become even better acquainted with these great Elders.

It is always nice to have interaction in the field with our wonderful Elders. They are doing such a great job in this area and that is so important because they are a long way away from the mission office. They are trusted!

The Charchenko's were not showing any signs of fatigue. Pretty impressive to land 24 hours earlier and to be going all over their new area, meeting everyone possible.

Last but not least, we headed back to Klerkspdorp for a training meeting with all the branch presidencies from these 3 branches, Klerksdorp, Potchefstroom and Jouberton. The Charchenkos got to meet President Kwa Kwa first, who wil be in the branch they are assigned to-Potchefstroom.

These areas make up the Ikageng District . While President Dunn conducted a 2-hour meeting, I took the Charchenko’s to a dinner and for a little grocery shopping. 

All in all it was a great day. We met all the missionaries, saw all the branches, met the leadership and saw their new flat.

We are excited to be together with all these missionaries for the mission tour on December 2^nd.

(Coming: names of all those pictured above)