Thanksgiving in Lesotho

We hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.  We so missed our family at home, but we gave thanks for their lives and their examples.  We celebrated Thanksgiving a couple of days early with our Elders.  It was such joy to have them in our home.  As they came through the door with big smiles on their faces, (smelling a Thanksgiving dinner), one Elder from America says, “This smells like home.  I think I am going to cry.”

We have the blessing of working with the YSA here in our Branch!  The picture on the blog is a Sunday meal we enjoyed as we planned for their Christmas devotional on December 20^th.  One brother and sister that came have no parents.  They passed away about 5 years ago.  They live together alone in a tiny little place where they have no electricity, no running water.  The girl is 24 and has a job, but it does not provide much.  They are so very thin.  The younger brother has turned in his papers to serve a mission. When he leaves she will be alone.  We love these two so much!  They are living the gospel in everyway.  So strong in a wicked land, all by themselves!!  They never miss a meeting and are such an example for good.  Matsiu’s dream is to go to school at BYU Hawaii or Idaho, but she does not have a penny to her name!  If any one of you would know how to help her get a scholarship at these schools or Boise State or UVU in Provo, please let us know.  She has a 3 year degree in Tourism here.  I pray her dream comes true.

 A couple of really funny things have happened since our last blog.  Our water is off and on so often anymore.  One weekend we actually had 3 days of a trickle and no water at all.  A couple of days later, when we were enjoying a morning of water, I hear Elder Chandler calling from the back room, “Ruby” in his ‘I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM’ voice.  I think to myself, “I thought he was showering, so what is his problem!”  I go back to find a completely soaped up, top to bottom, man with not one single drop of water coming out of the shower head.  I just died laughing.  It was the funniest thing I have seen in a long time and all the time (him not thinking it’s so funny at all saying, “what am I going to do?”)  I hustled into the kitchen and opted for the big water bottle, gallon size, sitting on the floor, over the pitcher full of water in the refrigerator (we only have one big pitcher).  But NO, he can’t figure out how to get the water out of the gallon jug to rinse off and demands the pitcher full of water.  I am more than willing to oblige (thinking of how funny it will be to watch him, when he dumps this ice cold water to rinse off).  He decided the gallon container was the better option after all.

One morning we took some time and went to a town about 40 minutes up the road to explore the Weavers stores.  We have 4 couples coming next week to explore our part of the mission and they want to visit the weavers specifically to buy a weaving of the nativity.  We have been by this town several times on our way to the Leribe Branch, but had never taken time to stop by.  It was such a fun experience when we stopped that I will never forget it.  We met six of their weavers. We watched them work and looked over all their beautiful weavings. We took pictures of them all.  Elder Chandler wanted a picture with all their hats off so they could all see everyone’s gray hair.  They were all in there 60’s.  They were having so much fun.  They were so thrilled about the order I had just given them and the purchases I had made, we all started to sing and dance a thank you, Jesus, song together. It was such joy to see their happiness.  Their building, outside and inside walls, is pop cans.  Outside they are pretty rusted.  It is the most unique building we have seen on this mission.  I hope you enjoy the pictures. 

Then we drove about another 30 minutes to tour the Kome  Caves where a few families still live.  The road was awful getting there, but the tour was fun.  In the early 1834’s cannibalists were eating the village people, so they had to find a safe place to hide their families and animals.  They found these small caves in which to live and hide!  We were even allowed into the caves to see what they are like on the inside.  There are a couple of very poor families that live there still.  They just have a tiny bit of room inside of those caves for a few pots and dishes and their beds and clothes.  They cook outside on an open campfire.  But as you will see from the pictures, the caves on the outside have been refinished for tours and are beautiful.

We had many wonderful teaching experiences this past month with different less active members. Mots’elisi and her mother are two that we love visiting every week.  One night we watched “Meet the Mormons” when she had an ‘aw haw’ moment that melted us all.  She remembered all of her feelings she had when she first joined the church and how grateful she was to be able to become a member.  She comes to church every Sunday now.  We were so happy.  We also visit Sister Joyce’s home.  Her husband was shot to death 18 years ago leaving her to raise her three children.  They were married in the temple before he was shot.  One daughter has been married in the temple and is living in Joberg.  Her youngest is a son 18 who no longer lives at home and wants nothing to do with his family right now.  We have had wonderful visits with her each week discussing the gospel and  we leave a message  with her each time.  The first visit we extended the invitation from the Savior for her to come back.  He needed her and she needs him.  She is an amazing lady and has so much to give.  We ask her to pray for the desire to come back to church.  One week we felt impressed to talk about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.  We read D&C 59 and she said, “That is it! Those scriptures just answered my prayer!  Thank you!”  I started to cry.  I was so happy for her! And she came to church the next Sunday.  We love so much teaching these less-active families as well as investigators.  It is wonderful to watch the rekindling of feelings.  Since then she got the job of painting a home, so she hasn’t been back to church again.  We will continue to visit her and encourage her with love.

One of the couple missionaries living in Bloemfontein over CES here came to do In-service for their teachers. So they came to spend a couple of days with us.  It was so fun to have them here.  He taught seminary for 40 years and may I say he knows so much!  His scriptures are a map.  This is his 4^th set in 40 years.  They are amazing.  Our Korean minister neighbor asked us over to dinner and since we had company they invited them also.  His wife is this wonderful cook of Korean food and we feasted and feasted and feasted.  It was such a fun experience.  Elder Chandler sees this little pepper sliced cut up on a plate and without giving any thought that it might be hot, popped it in his mouth.  I look over and see steam coming out his ears and he is waving his hand in front of his mouth.  Not a drop of water had been poured in the glasses yet, so he hurried and ate a couple of other things to cool his mouth.  It was the funniest thing.  The minister shared with us his conversion story to his church and how he is now a minister of youth to help youth stay busy doing good things.  His stories were awesome and these people travel the globe doing good things for the youth. He lived in India for 10 years. He was then recruited by the Lesotho government to come to Maseru. We had a wonderful discussion about religion.   We are excited to take our turn to have them over to our home soon. 

We have had some amazing teaching weeks this past month.  One Sunday was an all time high with 8 investigators and several less-actives attending Church.  We had a wonderful Baptism of 2 right after the block!  MaPlasa and a young 14 year old girl.  Elder Chandler got to baptize MaPlasa.  She is one very short BIG African woman who was deathly afraid of water, so baptism by immersion had her so frightened. But a couple of weeks ago she had a tender experience.  She knew Heavenly Father would help her overcome her fear, so she prayed so hard that her fear would go away and it did!  It was a tender miracle for her.  She did great throughout the baptism.  In Sacrament Meeting that Sunday two young boys who will be leaving on missions and the Branch President spoke.  Everything at the meeting was focused on the Savior and the Restoration.  It was a great day for investigators and less-actives to be in attendance.  We were in tears most of the morning.  One investigator that we went to this week is a young girl with a 8 month old baby-boy.  She says she is already ready to be baptized.  She loved Church so much.  We had such wonderful lessons all week.  The Spirit was so powerful. Another investigator who attended church that Sunday also said she was finally ready to be baptized.  They have been teaching her for months! Some wonderful things are happening in her life right now that has been a total change her and her family and she knows her Heavenly Father is blessing her. Needless to say, what a joyous Sabbath Day we experienced.

One family we are teaching now, the father has just struggled for years here in Lesotho.  He has a son on a mission right now.  He came from Zimbabwe and had some problem here with someone and stopped going to church.  He has been calling and asking to be visited.  He committed to prepare to go to the temple.  They just had a brand new baby girl, Natasha, We took them in a meal and a little baby gift and little coloring book for their 4 year old.  They were beyond happy.  I do not think that kind of thing happens often in Africa.  Before she left, she thanked me so much for coming to teach them.  Her dream of going to the temple will come true, she said. 

So…, what a fabulous month in the mission field we had in November! We have 4 families now preparing to go to the temple.  One young girl thinking about serving a mission and 2 that said they were ready for baptism!!  We are so busy we hardly know what to do.  We are so blessed and so happy here teaching about our Savior and His “Plan of Happiness”.

This weekend we went to Drakensberg to listen to the world famous Drakensberg Boys Choir do a Christmas concert.  The landscape was breath taking.  It brought us to tears! As we are in a severe draught in our part of the country, Drakensberg is lush green mountains, valleys, and farms.  The various colors of green are totally amazing and we could honestly say, “This is a place we could live”.  South Africa has such beauty in so many different parts of its vast land.  It goes on and on and on.  There is so much land here and so much beauty.  The farms are so beautiful, with cattle just roaming about.  It is a place to come and visit!  An experience of a life time.  The choir was absolutely fabulous.  There are approximately 55 black and 45 white, with a couple of Asian boys mixed in.  They are very similar to the Vienna Boy’s Choir.  I wanted so much while we were viewing the beautiful landscape and hearing this amazing boy’s choir for all of our family to be with us sharing these experiences we are having.  If you want to take a fabulous trip come to Drakensberg at Christmas time, you will never regret it!

We are so happy serving our mission here in this part of the world.  We rejoice with our Brothers and Sisters from our last mission on the Island of Pohnpei. Several of the families we loved, that we taught in their homes, and watched them join the Church, were sealed in the Temple this past weekend.  What joy and happiness fills our hearts as we see their growth and happiness.  So many youth from Pohnpei are leaving on missions.  We stand in awe at the “Hastening of the Work of Salvation” all over the world. 

We love you all.  We wish you a “Merry Christmas” and a “Happy New Year” with many new beginnings and wonderful spiritual experiences ahead for you all in the New Year.  I volunteered Elder Chandler and I to be the props for our Elders Christmas party celebration in Bloem.  Each District has to have two forms of entertainment, so I volunteered to be Mary and I volunteered Elder Chandler to be the Donkey!  Fitting don't you think?    

We have yet to be in a home that decorates for Christmas.  They are too poor!  The stores are full of Christmas, of course, and the two malls are busy. The city has a few lights up, but not a single home has lights thus far.  We hardly even know what day it is now.  The days just all run together!  I am going to help cook Christmas dinner with one of our Branch Presidents family.  The Elders are not to come to our home for dinner, but to be out with the members. Sister Moorosi has been over to our home to eat with her family and she wants to learn to cook American, so no better time than a Christmas Dinner she said.  What an enjoyable Christmas it will be here in Lesotho! I hope you enjoy the pictures this month.

Sunday dinner with our YSA Committee

Thanksgiving dinner with our mission family

The beautiful Drakensberg Mountains

It is so beautiful that we want you all to come see it and enjoy the beauty.

Beautiful Ardmore Farms Guesthouse where we stayed.

He simply did not want to share his french fries.

The amazing couples of our mission enjoying the Choir!

The world famous Drakensberg Boy's Choir Christmas Concert

Anyone for a trip to Drakensberg!!

The Kome Caves and yes they are real!

MaPlesa's baptism

Elder Chandler with the Weavers of Teteyane

This beautiful cactus blooming right next to our boarding

These ladies were so very happy to have us stop by!

The weavers of Teteyane figuring out the nativity scene to weave for us.

You guessed it! A pedaled weaving wheel!  That is how they do it!