ELDER AND SISTER MICKELSEN: Happenings of the week 1-7 March

Started our week out with a great day because Sandy finally made time to get her hair cut and we had our FHE, which this week included the Piers. They had come down early for the Couples Conference. Sister Pier was feeling much better than our last visit together up in Richard's Bay!
Tuesday, we arose early in order to get some laundry finished before leaving for the Couple's Conference at Pumula Beach Hotel, on the south coast, about 50 minutes from Durban. The day had very little sunshine, which kept the temperatures down, but sun would have helped make the ocean with its shimmering, rolling waves even more beautiful. Lunch was ready and waiting for us as we arrived and it was a feast. After checking in and eating, we made our way to the stairs to the conference room where we officially met Elder and Sister Van Blankenstein who have been serving in the country of Lesoto, a new part of our mission since the boundary realignment. Also discovered that since they go home in May, the Knudsen's will be transferred up there for the last seven months of their mission. The area is remote and the Van's have been kind of on their own, so President Mann doesn't want a new couple to have to figure out a mission, plus learn all the ins and outs of Lesoto. Each couple brought pictures to be used in our new recruitment DVD, which was the focus of the conference, and so they were turned into a mini slide show. It was great to see the flats, the chapels, baptism occurrences, the young elders and people in the different areas. The entire afternoon was spent brain-storming for the DVD--what do prospective couples want to know, how can we make them feel comfortable, the fears some might have about Africa, what would excite them to go? Each couple then signed up for a block of time to share answers and ideas on videotape. Then it was back into the dining room for dinner, which was way more food than anyone should ever feel good about eating! The ocean waves, going in and out, could be heard all night from our room up in the Crow's Nest.
Wednesday, we had decided to get our little segment over with early, since neither of us are wanna-be movie stars. For our part, we shared the blessings of being able to communicate with our family so easily and how we had been able to see Karsyn in the arms of her daddy, just minutes after her birth and before any other family members did, because of the 9 hour time difference. Also talked about the quality of the young adults that we are privileged to work with in PEF, how much fun they are to be around and that we see them all as the future leaders of the Church here in South Africa. President Mann also asked us to give a report on our PEF work since coming on our mission. After lunch we had free time, which was also being used to shoot other video segments. Since we had finished, we walked along the beach, watching sand crabs running back and forth to their holes and we were trying to avoid the waves, but not being all together successful. There is a traditional testimony meeting held at these conferences and this one was particularly tender as we all realized that by the first part of July, all the couples minus two would be back in the United States.
Thursday morning our breakfast filled us right up and then we went into the last session of our conference. Elder Johnson spoke of service and its different aspects in respect to a mission. Sister Mann shared her video presentation for the Mission President's Seminar which highlighted what senior couples do for a mission and President Mann gave some concluding remarks. Afterwards there was lots of picture taking and goodbyes. Later that evening at the Durban Stake Leadership Meeting, Arlo talked with the bishops/branch presidents about our work with PEF and what a tremendous blessing this program can be in many ways.
Saturday, we took care of some office work, mailed Flat Stanley back to Kobe in Southern California, then decided that we needed an animal fix and drove up to Tala Game Reserve, about one hour west of Durban. This is a small reserve with giraffes, hippos, rhinos, and assorted antelope families. As we were doing our self-drive through the area, we discovered that a wedding was going to happen later, outdoors with zebras and giraffes for a backdrop!
Sunday, we made the drive up to Mpumalanga Branch so that we could sign loan documents with Thandiwe and help two young men trying to make decisions on a career choice. It was also fun to visit with some of our past PEF students and hear what is happening in their lives. This is a great branch with very strong, capable priesthood leaders. Today was fast and testimony meeting where a steady stream of members from the congregation bore firm, strong testimonies of the gospel and a thankfulness for everything, even the adversities. Even though English is the language that is to be used in the church meetings, much of what was said today was a mixture of Zulu and English. So though we couldn't always understand, the love for each other and the church could be felt. Many of the youth in this country are the only members of the church in their families and some testimonies included thanks for their branch "family." Two young men came to the pulpit to speak and a woman sitting next to Sandy started to weep. After Sandy put her arm around the woman, she whispered, "Those are my sons-one leaves for Ghana in ten days to go on mission - the mother's face was beaming through the tears. An exceptional Sabbath Day!