The Month of the Rains

Hello Friends and Loved Ones from Lesotho Africa,

That’s right!  Rains have finally fallen here in Lesotho.  We had about ten days straight of rain off and on.  It was absolutely fabulous.  The rain felt heavenly even to those who were walking.  We all were loving it, every single rain shower.   It was just lovely to watch, feel, and walk in.  The flowers, trees, scrubs, animals, and even the streets were soaking it up.  We have a few small lakes around finally.   For a few weeks water was flowing in the streams again.  The grass is growing tall tall tall and the animals are loving it.  Their skinny little bellies are getting full once again!  The unusual heat wave is gone!  Thank you Heavenly Father for answering the prayers of so many!  The weather is back to normal in the 70’s and 80’s.  Whee!!

We had a wonderful month of cooking dinners many times this month, starting out having our neighbors, Pastor Hong, and his family over for dinner.  It was such a wonderful evening.  We showed our Christmas video we had prepared for them even though it was January 2^nd.  We talked about the Savior and enjoyed a wonderful evening with Elder and Sister Roberts from Bloem joining with us too.

One night we invited a young couple who are recent converts over to share an evening with us.  She looked so very cute!  I thought she needed to be somewhere fancier than the Chandler’s old boarding and kitchenette.  We felt so honored she dressed up so much for us.  We enjoyed our meal together and then we watched the “Testaments” after. We had a wonderful discussion about the Savior and our blessing to know and love Him so much. The new convert wife, said "it wasn't the nails that held him on the Cross, it was his Love for Us". Our hearts were touched by what new converts bring to the Kingdom. Wow!

January actually has been a much slower paced month for us.  A month filled with a few rough days and one fairly difficult week.  Our sweet MaPlesa, that you have seen pictures of, is very sick and has been in and out of the hospital.  She is in kidney failure.  She is one of the most amazing members of the church I have ever met.  Powerful testimony of the Restoration and the Temple!  Best of all she is gifted in being able to verbalize her feelings to others.  She makes my spirit soar when I am around her.  We have been missing our FHE on Friday evenings with all of the little children since she has been so sick.

A couple of the families we have been teaching have had a few set backs and struggles this month.  SATAN works overtime when he thinks someone is getting closer to the temple.  But we just work harder, meet with them more frequently, and pray even more fervently for their spiritual success.  Who said a mission was a breeze anyway!  Not Elder and Sister Chandler, that is for sure.

Two things we saw this week that might help you to know a little about what some of the people go through here. One day we were driving down the street and saw a very very poor woman wearing socks that were made from a black garbage bag.  Her sandals were completely worn out,  clothing tattered and torn, her body & hair unkempt.  She had all the signs of being homeless, which she probably was. My heart ached for her. Then a few minutes later we were parked waiting for Matsiu to come out from the Bank, when a man walking down the street, picked up a wrapper from off of the sidewalk, brought it to his nose and smelled it deeply.  Then he just looked and looked at it. Finally when he was finished savoring what smell there was he began licking the wrapper over and over and over again.  When he was finished he took out a little plastic baggie, placed it in the baggie, then placed it back in his pocket.  Now that was heartbreaking!!

Be grateful, oh so grateful for what you have!  Let Heavenly Father know how grateful you are.  Tell Him every single day.  We have so much when at times we think we have so little.  Always always, be aware of your blessings. 

We have spent time this month training leaders, giving lessons, and planning activities for the youth.  We started Self Reliance classes in two of our Branches, which we are so excited to see beginning.  That program is so inspired and is such a blessing for second and third world countries.  They take a 12 week (2 hour class each week) course filled with several hours of homework each day.  It is amazing what you can learn in these classes and by doing your homework.  In our little Maseru Branch we had 23 sign up for “How to start and grow your own business”. 

To end this blog on a high I want to tell you about our temple trip this month to Johannesburg. Oh, how much we have missed the temple!  What a beautiful temple it is.  Matsiu and Lucky, whose parents both passed away a few years back, went with us to do the baptisms for their parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.  It was such a wonderful experience, partly because our good friends from our home ward where we raised our family, run the Baptistery there.  We had not seen each other in years.  What a happy wonderful reunion.  Then Elder Chandler and I were able to do the rest of Matsiu and Lucky’s parent’s temple work.  Now when Lucky goes to the temple before his mission to do his own temple work, we will be able to seal them together as a family!  What a blessing that will be for them and for us!  We have two families who have set goals to go to the temple the end of April, so we are praying to be able to attend with them then.  Oh, how we miss the temple!

We pray you have a wonderful month!  We enjoy your letters so much so please drop us an email.  We would love to hear from you.

 

Saying Goodbye to Elder Icube.  He finished his mission strong!

Elder C, Elder Icube, Sister C, and Elder Patterson

Dinner with the neighbors, the Hong Family

Teaching in a little tin shack Quashile Ruby with Elders Wright and Mbusi

Darling little Natasha and her Uncle

The Khrumba family that we are teaching.

What a happy neighborhood party to start the New Year!!

Happy Birthday Elder Chandler from the Elders

Elder Chandler's Birthday Dinner

Christmas in Lesotho

Matsiu and Lucky (Our family from Leshotho)

On the hike to Thabo Bosiu

Just starting the ascent!

Elder and Sister Todd!  Aren't they so cute?

Eating a picnic lunch at Thabo Bosiu

Hey, wait a minute.  I want a ride!

Do they look like they belong in a saddle?

Notice the Heavenly glow!  How did that happen!

Elder Snell and Sister Rowberry.  "Onward Captain"

Sister Snell and her helper!

Yup!  That is all of us!  Coming back from the long trail ride!

Say "Chesse"  Fun at the Mohale Dam. (Naughty Elder Chandler)

A young native boy fully loaded walking up a steep incline!

Lesotho "Uhaul"

"Special Delivery Service" Lesotho style.

She was so happy with her picture!  Her spinning wheel! 

Smile for the camera!

A young weaver displaying her latest weaving.

This is the weaving they made for us of the Nativity.  It is beautiful!

She is my favorite weaver!  She is so happy!  Her gift bag proudly displayed!

Christmas in Leribe.  The reindeer's antlers!  So colorful!

He was awesome with picking up candy with the spoon and taking it back to the dish!

Elder Pentreath in "Hit the cup across the goal!"  He lost!!

Our favorite baptism!  She is so "HAPPY!"

YSA Planning Activity

Elder Ikube in his usual fashion!

Elder Odama, Elder Mphuma, Elder Reed and Elder Chandler Christmas Day

Elder Pentreath, Lucky, Matsiu, Elder Odama, Elder Patterson Christmas Day.

Twas the week before Christmas and all through this town was four Senior Couples (from Durban) Lesotho bound!  We are so grateful and sometimes cannot believe how Heavenly Father is in the tiny little details of every day life of our mission!  We are in tears so frequently giving thanks over and over again, because of His love for us.  Our week with the couples was filled with little blessings all through the week.

These couples are such amazing people from England and the U.S.  Everyone came early Monday evening, December 14^th.  We had decided to eat at our boarding instead of eating out every night, so we had a meal ready when they all came.  It was so fun to sit around in a home environment and visit each evening.  After a day's events of traveling around Lesotho we would come home late in the evenings, completely spent, and there in the crock pot was a warm meal.  It was wonderful.  Tuesday we hiked Thaba Bosiu and then went to the Weavers in Teye where we received our Nativity weavings. The weavers have been weaving these Nativities for the past month for us.  On previous visits to the weavers Elder Chandler had taken pictures of them, so we copied off their pictures and put them in a plastic folders.  I had made up a little gift bag with an apple, an orange, some candy, and a Book of Mormon with Matsiu and Lucky's testimonies written on the inside cover.  The weavers were beyond thrilled!!  We sang and danced (on our knees even) one of their "thank you, Jesus" songs.  I tried to download the video, but it didn't come up right.  One couple said it was the highlight of the trip for them.  Unfortunately, there are no missionaries in their village and most do not read English.  However, their children do and they said on Saturday when we stopped by that their children are reading the Book of Mormon to them.  I think you will love the pictures.  Tuesday we also hiked the Mountain of Thaba Bosiu and got the same tour guide we had when we hiked the Thaba Bosiu with the YSA.  I had given him a "For Strength of Youth" pamphlet and he said he has read it three times.  His friends, say, "Are you reading that book, again?"  He said he looked up all of the Bible references too.  He couldn't wait to tell me he was reading it.  When we got back from our hike I gave him an extra Book of Mormon from the Bakki.  He threw his arms around me immediately and gave me a big hug and a thank you.  I was stunned frankly at his reaction and so touched!  He too does not have missionaries teaching near his village.  Some day maybe the missionaries will find them all and teach them. 

Wednesday we rode the horses to the Maletsunyane Falls, (We are in a drought, so only a little water was falling over.) and the land around was beautiful.  What was most fun was watching others seniors riding the horses to the Falls.  Seeing these couples on horses was a hoot!  They loved it so much.  Oh my, it was quite the day.  The drive was so long, going up steep winding roads, but the scenery was spectacular.  The trip took us all day, but was such a kick in the pants.  I got to gallop my horse a few times, but then the guide got in trouble for running with me, so I tried to control myself.  These people are such kind loving people all over Lesotho.  The drive was hard in a standard transmission as Elder Chandler had to be shifting all time into different gears to make the steep climb.  He was a tired Elder when we came home at nights.

Thursday we drove to Mohale Dam.  It too was hard to find and at the top of the mountains. (Again with first gear and a tired leg.  Poor Elder Chandler!)  The other car had automatic tranny, thank heavens.  We got into the boats and took a lazy trip, about an hour and a half, out on the dam and around the island.  It was not much, but was relaxing and we sang crazy songs.  We had another native couple, who just happened to be there with us, and they sang and had fun with us also.  The guides, just young kids, said they wish all their tours were like us.  Tee Hee!  It really was fun.

Wednesday night we did a Christmas PowerPoint presentation with 7 or 8 little videos tucked in as a little Christmas celebration of the Birth of our Savior.  It was an awesome presentation and we all enjoyed it so much.  (I learned to do PowerPoint when we were on our last mission.)

The couples are all so kind and we loved spending time with them.  Friday we all drove to Bloem for the Christmas party for the Elders, then back home to give the Christmas PowerPoint to MaPlesa’s and all the little children.  We had 5 teens and 15 children.  It was so sweet and the little ones always give us hugs when we leave.  That is the best of it right there!!

The next day was Saturday and I baked 3 batches of cake mixes for cupcakes and planned out the activities for the Leribe Branch party.  We left at 1:30 to drive the 1 1/2 hours to the Branch Building and there entertained about 25 with some wonderful funny games.  They had so much fun.  Then we went into the Chapel for the Christmas PowerPoint.  We got a lot of mileage out of that PowerPoint  showing it to all our families we were teaching this month.  Coming home in the dark from Leribe was CRAZY!  Drivers here have three problems at night.  No lights, all bright lights, or popeye lights and you have such a hard time seeing clearly at any time, also crazy pedestrians crossing in front of you in dark clothing.  That means black people in dark clothing.  They are so hard to see and they just run in front of you.  We decided best not to drive at nights anymore!  Just way crazy!!

Then I have to tell you about the next day’s Sabbath.  This sister that was suppose to be baptized the week before, couldn't because there had not been water in the building for several days to fill the font.  Elder Mears was going to baptize her and he got transferred and was leaving on Monday, so they were both in tears!  This Sister has an amazing story.  She is probably in her early 40's I would guess.  Her husband died a few years back leaving her a gas station he owned.  His family wanted the gas station and hired a killer to do her in.  Just before he stabbed her 13 times, she heard a voice say, "You are going to be stabbed many times, but you will LIVE!"  Then she recognized the voice again when the Elders taught her the Gospel.  She new right away what the Elders were teaching her about the Restoration of the Gospel was true and she could not wait to be baptized.  Yesterday was the sweetest convert baptism we have ever witnessed.  When she came up out of the water, both her hands flew to the air, saying, "Yes".  She told me she felt this something all over her body and she knew she was completely CLEAN!!!  Then after she got her clothes changed, she was asked to give her Testimony.  She said, "I feel like I could fly! (as she put both her hands out like flying).  I am so happy!!"  It was such a great experience to share with her, especially at the Christmas time of the year. 

Then right after the YSA was having a little meeting to discuss plans for the future.  So we ran home, cooked hot dogs, made a fruit salad and the cupcakes and everything else we had into the Bakki and had a meeting until 4:00.   What a crazy and wonderful week.  Also on Saturday, while I cooked, Santa Claus took MaPlasa out a garden hose, 2 buckets and a fan.  She is crippled up and does not have a descent bucket to even feed her two pigs.  Then she tries to water her garden with an old hose that leaks and does not reach her garden.  When Santa knocked she was kneeling in prayer!  He said it was so touching.  She cried and said no one has ever been this kind to her!  Now that is a Christmas gift to REMEMBER.  It is so much better to give, than to receive!

Then Christmas day was filled with “Happy Elders” calling their families.  We fed them all day, so whenever they came there was food, but so were families in their branches feeding them.  I think they had plenty of wonderful food on Christmas.  We also had a couple of YSA spend the day.  Their parents and grandparents have all passed away and they are all alone.  They called about 7:30 in the morning, so Elder Chandler went and picked them up.  They got to shower here, eat all day and watch “Ephraim’s Rescue” and “Aspire Higher” (a handcart video from home).  What a great Christmas day. 

Then the next day, the Masionokeng’s Branch President’s wife, Sister Moorsi came over so we could cook the Elders Christmas dinner together!  This wonderful family feeds our Elders every week.  Anyway she wanted to learn to bake pies, rolls, and snicker salad!  We had a wonderful morning together baking, talking, laughing, and eating left over crust cooked with sugar and cinnamon!  Tee Hee!

We love and miss you all.  Even though, we missed our family so much, it was a wonderful Christmas here in Lesotho. You all are having so much fun with all of the snow!  We must say we are sweltering here in 100+ degree weather some days.  The natives say it has never been this hot in December that they can remember. The drought is so bad here.

We took Matsiu and Lucky to the Johannesburg Temple this Friday. We left early Friday morning for the temple.  Alex and Joanne Sutherland, who are old friends from our family ward many years ago, had the baptism area ready when we got there.  Elder Chandler baptized Matsiu and Lucky, for 20 people each.  Among those names were their parents, grandparents and great grandparents!  It was beautiful.  They were such happy kids!  Then we went to Alex and Joanne's for a wonderful lunch of roast beef, potatoes and veggies, rolls and a yummy frozen dessert!  Then we rushed back, did Matsiu's and Lucky's Dad and Mom's initiatory and endowment work!  The plan is that they both take out their endowments after Lucky's mission call comes and we seal them together as a family that same day!  It will be so wonderful and the kids are so excited for that day to come.  Matsiu took her English test on Saturday.  She is trying to get into a college in America.  She has a sponsor, so we are just helping her get all the paper work completed.  Lucky’s mission call went in about 6 weeks ago, but he has not heard back yet.  We just left Johannesburg right after Matsiu’s test and rushed back home to FIND.....

ANTS MARCHING in our boarding. Hundreds and hundreds of ants, single file marching from their bathroom entry, around the room into the living room into the kitchen around the kitchen into the FOOD!! Kick up the “Ants Are Marching” video of the Piano Guys.  It will tell you what it was like.  It was awful.  We felt so violated!!  Tee Hee.  Really I did!  It took us an hour to spray, vacuum, wash up the ants, and clean everything up. The ants were even in the toilet by the hundreds.  We flushed and flushed and they just kept coming!  What a pleasant way to end the blog!  Hmm!!

Have a wonderful New Year everyone!  May all your dreams come true in 2016! Enjoy living the Gospel with all of your heart, might, mind and strength.  The Savior loves you all!

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!