Embedded Files
Daily Work
The other Saturday night we were invited to a gathering of Filipinos in Gaborone. We had no idea there were so many here. There are about 300 Filipino people living in this part of Botswana and they really look after one another. This was a festival featuring the native foods of the Philippines. We enjoyed tasting many of them. The entertainment was Karaoke. Part of the feast was mosquitoes feasting on Lynn.
Our friends, Bishop Nyepi and his wife Jocelyn invited us. They met online and he made two trips to the Philippines to court her. Bishop Nyepi is our right hand man in our housing assignment. He can repair anything that needs done in the missionary flats and provides counsel to us regarding needed repairs. Jocelyn crochets hats and purses.
Sunday we headed to the Peolwane Ward to attend sacrament meeting. Their Branch President was called into the Stake Presidency the preceding Sunday, so we wanted to find out who the new leadership would be in the Branch.
Monday was our Prep day, but as usual, part of it was spent in the office. Mark cleaned our flat while Lynn worked.
Tuesday, Mark attended a zone conference while Lynn stayed in the office. She processed nearly 70 payments and was too tired to do the last 32 payments. They could wait a day. She learned that 3 of the missionaries were not going to receive support payments because their MSF (Missionary Support Fund) cards were over the monthly limits. Each of them had been supporting companions who had either lost their support card or arrived in the mission without one. She learned another new thing … how to temporarily raise a limit on the MSF cards.
Wednesday we were the only ones in the office so we got a lot done.
Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Botswana, though they are a thankful people. We attended a zone conference where one of the senior missionaries talked about Thanksgiving (70% of our missionaries are not from the USA). She brought in an apple crisp which she served with ice cream. It was very good but so sweet that Lynn started to doze through the remainder of the conference.
Thanksgiving evening the mission leaders invited the local senior missionaries to the Mission Home to relax and play games. We enjoyed fresh vegetables, humus and brownies as well as good fellowship together.
Today, the fifth Sunday, we attended church in Molepolole. Its fun saying the name of that town: Mow-Lay-Po-Low-Lay. It was the primary children’s Sacrament program. The primary chairs were placed just in front of the podium. The children sat quietly waiting for the meeting to start.
Another Africanism. There is a microphone on the stand, no roaming microphones. The Branch President used the microphone. The person giving the opening prayer stood beside the podium and did not use it. We have noticed that when they give talks, many will not speak into the microphone. During today’s meeting the power went out even before the primary program started. No lights, the A/C quit and the windows were opened. And the microphone didn’t work.
The children did a good job. Most had memorized scriptures. The first song was Follow the Prophet. We was glad it was a song we recognized because English here is not spoken like English at home. It is often difficult to understand people even though they are speaking English to us.
The month ended with 118 souls entering the waters of baptism. Our missionaries work hard at finding and teaching.
We have been trying to get into the Christmas spirit, but it is summertime here. It was hot all day and now at 5:30PM we are having a thunderstorm. There are no Christmas tree lots in Botswana. We do have an artificial tree in the mission office. We have been listening to a Christmas playlist when we are in the car. Dec 17th we will send two Elders home for Christmas with their families and we have 8 more missionaries entering Botswana.
Google Sites
Report abuse