We spent two days in Durban getting oriented to the mission
and receiving our assignments. Although we had a little practice driving on the
left side of the road in Durban, driving to Newcastle was a bit unnerving.
Newcastle is a small city in the middle of a rural, farming
area and located in the heart of Zulu country. It is about four hours northwest
of Durban and about three hours south of Johannesburg. Most people speak Zulu
or English and some speak Afrikaans. The people are wonderful and are very interested
in discussing religion, especially when they see our badges. Most have limited
income as there is high unemployment. For those fortunate to have a job the pay
is very low.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is small in
this section of South Africa. There are no stakes in our mission except for the
two that are in Durban and one in the far west. We are in a district with seven
branches, mostly in different towns. The Church in this part of South Africa is
99% black, while the population of the country is approximately 85% black. The
people are dedicated and religious and are striving to build the Church.
Our primary duty is to assist the Newcastle District
President with his responsibilities. This involves teaching leadership skills,
providing shadow leadership for him and all who assist him, and visiting people
in the branches who require assistance of some kind. We also work closely with
the young missionaries helping with travel, teaching, and solving problems. We
inspect their boardings (apartment or house) and vehicles. We also introduce
people to the Church and see that they are contacted and taught.
The past week we went to a senior missionary couple
conference and retreat at Nambiti Game Reserve which was about 1½ hours from
Newcastle. (This setting is very different from our experience in Nigeria where
there were no large animals because they had been eaten by the people living
there.) The conference was inspiring and enlightening as we counseled together
and were taught more about our responsibilities. In between the training
sessions we went on animal drives which were amazing. The highlight was witnessing
a baby giraffe being born…a once in a lifetime experience. We were told that no
one at the game reserve had ever seen this before. We also observed various
types of antelope, several lions, elephants, a cheetah, hippopotamuses and
rhinoceroses. It was great!
We love what we are doing! We are much more dependent on the
spirit than our last mission because we set our agenda each week and must
determine what our priorities must be as there is so much that needs to be
done. The people we have met are humble, hard working and religious. We are
welcomed, literally, with open arms and feel blessed to be among them. We may
be giving some to be on this mission, but are gaining much more.
We miss our family and friends, but we know we are doing
what the Lord wants us do at this time in our lives.
Love,
Elwood and Penny Brown
Our group in the MTC
Durban Lighthouse
Children in neighborhood in Newcastle
Newcastle District Center
District President Mashego
Our safari tent at Springbok Lodge, Nambiti, South Africa
Antelope on the game drive
Lions
Sunrise Africa style
Giraffe
Bull Elephant
Penny at gnarled tree
Safari snack time for senior couples
Rhino
Cold early game ride
Our cruiser
Hippo
Our guides
