Allred's Depart!

The beloved Elder and Sister Allred leave the SAJM on

Thursday February 25, 2016. 

Boy, 18 months just flew by.

Their homecoming will be held on Sunday March 13th at 9 am in the Linden 8th ward of the Linden West Stake at 1600 North 1030 West in Orem, Utah.

A few days before they left we hosted the world wide mission broadcast and it gave the Allred's the chance to meet and greet with each missionary in the mission as we did car inspections upon departing.

We also passed out homemade brownies at the exit to everyone with a clean vehicle. There was not one group that did not get the clean car incentive!

In honor of the Allred's the polynesian elders gathered and surprised us all with an honorary Hakka reprise from the Christmas Talent Show.

Very professional and ceremonial. It was done wiht a great deal of passion, love and energy!

All the other Elders grabbed camera's and came to watch.

We will miss this great couple. They have left their heart and soul with the SAJM. We look forward to seeing them stateside in 16 months!

World Wide Training

World Wide Training

Tuesday February 23, 2016
We gathered all the SAJM missionaries to gather for this rare occasion of viewing a world-wide missionary broadcast. this has been done rarely in the church and the last one was 10 years ago. 
the theme was "Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts.
We had a quick pizza lunch before the broadcast began and ended with car inspections where we offered departing brownies to all clean car occupants. Needless to say, everyone earned a brownie!
It was a great day and the last day the Allred's (senior couple going home this week) would see all the missionaries.

Hold On!

Our next door neighbors and dear friends the Holdings arrived in South Africa on Saturday February 13th and paid us a visit. We were delighted to get Lauren and Charlotte along. They stayed 14 days in Africa and did so many cool things. We saw them three different times as they were coming and going.

We started at the temple and gave them a tour of Johannesburg's most important building! :)

Our Sunday together was epic. We started with a Valentine breakfast....

Complete with heart shaped pancakes...

Orange juice

and pink smoothies made by President Dunn

Christine marked the way to the Benoni Stake Center

where Stake Conference was held. That day went on to be so special..see the post about Benoni Stake Conference and Pierre's baptism to see more.....

The next day they headed back to the airport for a quick trip to....

Victoria Falls....and other related safari's, elephant rides and raft trips in Botswana...

.....next they came back to Johannesbrug and took donated missionary items (suits, shoes, shirts, ties) to the Johannesburg MTC and met President Ashton and all the current missionaries there.

We also loaded up their donated school supplies that Charlotte did as part of her "Hope for America" project and went to Skeerport area to deliver....

Charlotte and Lauren did a lot for others while here on vacation.

Field of Dreams is a cool non-profit that we took the items to. Visit our Summit post in November to understand more about the founder of this great non-profit- Lee den Hond (3rd South African woman ever to summit Mount Everest)

Very happy space is created for the children served here

Holdings with the social worker and philanthropist Rene'. They were so appreciative of the donations and visit. We hope to bring our missionaries back here for a day of service in the future with the local township children.

School visit followed.....

Amazing children....in this combined school form nursery age to high school..

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AS we walked through we couldn't get over the beautiful faces and the sweet people we met...

....these teenager boys had quite an immaculately organized store.

Charlotte- you did a great job here.

Village central water source..women gathering their daily water.

even the children help!

We even got 2 bike rides in with them while they were here.

One to the Botanical Garden on a Monday morning and one to the Big Red Barn on the Saturday they left.


Last but not least, the Holdings saw animals!  Here are a few of the pictures they sent to us form their adventures. I have even more to add when I get them. Fun to live vicariously through their fun outings and experiences. We loved being with them and appreciate their effort to come around the world to see us.