Zimbabwe Temple Open House

What an adventure for you to enjoy reading! (**)Amazing things are highlighted.

When we received our call to serve in the Botswana/Namibia Mission and heard about the Zimbabwe Temple being completed while we were to be serving, we hoped against hope that we might get permission to attend the Temple Open House, since it’s ‘right next door’.

Other Senior Couple missionaries in Southern Africa had attempted to obtain permission but were getting denied.  Zimbabwe is a beautiful country, but driving and getting around is fraught with peril.

Finally, in Zimbabwe!

We drove to Bulawayo and stopped by the Stake Center, (**)where we randomly met the Zimbabwe Mission President.  One of our drivers was a missionary in Zim and served as an Assistant to the President, so they had a happy reunion.  We then drove to a local friend's house, arriving about 11am.  (**)Unfortunately, we stayed way too long, departing at 3pm.

The main road is a toll road all the way to Harare, but it’s nice, with nerry a pothole to be found. But we did come across a slowdown; (**)there was a bunch of people beside the road, and a person, covered with a rug, lying in the middle of the road, blood seeping out from under that rug.  Obviously hit by the car used by all the people standing around.

We pulled into Harare about 10pm.  (**)Mark had to try three ATMs before he could find one that would recognize our Schwab card and disperse cash.  Zimbabwe has the world's highest inflation, so they utilize US dollars.  It was strange to handle cash again.  The US cash there just keeps circulating, so the one dollar bills are all worn and tattered.  They feel filthy and probably are.

(**)There are two N1 Hotels in the city, and our reservation must have been at the other one, because the one at which we stopped had no knowledge of us.  It was a bit more expensive than the tour had planned, but we were all exhausted, so we stayed.  It was nice enough, (**)except the hot water didn’t reach our floor.

The next morning (Sunday), (**)two sisters on our tour were upset with each other, so one of them extracted herself from the group, and that was the last we saw of her.  We drove to a local ward, which holds its meeting in a framed tent structure!  (**)In attendance was the Area Presidency, two Area Family Search Senior Missionaries and Steve Rockwood, President of FamilySearch!  We see him at Rootstech.  They were all very interested in the Botswana visitors.

After church, because of the (**)mosquitos that had been eating Lynn and the fact that we are in the Africa Malaria-zone, we stopped by a pharmacy to obtain anti-malaria pills. (**)None of our credit cards worked, so we paid US dollars.  We drove by the Zimbabwe Temple (knowing that it was closed) just so we could see that layout.

Afterwards, Lynn and Mark stopped at the only Chinese restaurant in the country.  It was authentic Chinese, unfortunately.  (**)Our Sweet and Sour Chicken turned out to be made with chicken feet.  We didn’t partake of much of that.  The Spicy Chicken nuggets all had bones attached, so eating was laborious. (**)They did not have a swipe machine (that’s what they call a credit card reader), so we again paid with US Dollars.

Monday, we went back to the temple at 9am.  As soon as we drove in, our Zimbabwe previous-missionary started recognizing people.  The tour starts with a video (which lets everyone gather so we’re all there ready), then into the temple.  (**)The temple was lovely!  Sitting in the Celestial Room reminded us of how nice it is back home to have two temples so close by.

We also visited the attached Mission Office, but the leaders were out at some meeting.

When we were finished the tour, the group decided that since the trip home was long, we all wanted to get a head start today, rather than driving it all on Tuesday.  So, we loaded up (minus the one who extracted herself) and headed home.  Google maps said it’s 12 hours, but it takes 16 not including border crossings and rest stops.

We were driving during the day, which is much nicer.  The landscape is like the rolling hills of Pennsylvania,, but with Acacia Trees.  At one point during a rest stop, (**)Lynn was approached by a guy who said “I need a copy of the Book of Mormon.  I know it’s True!”  We are highly identifiable as missionaries.  Of course, we arranged for that to happen.  Three other times, we handed Temple Open House cards to people with whom we interacted. No wonder Zimbabwe has a Temple; the people are so ready.

We made it to the border by 8pm.  There is an outbreak of Hoof and Mouth disease in Zimbabwe. At the Botswana border, we had to step in a solution of something special to clean our shoes (as well as do the same for any extra shoes we have).  The van then drives thru a bath of the same solution.  We cleared the border in 30 minutes!

Twenty minutes down the road we were diverted to a side road to do the solution dance again.

Back in Botswana, our phones were now working.  Unfortunately, the gal who extracted herself was in charge of the finances, (**)so there was no hotel arrangement.  (22)Happily, the Senior Couple in Francistown was glad to host us.  They waited until we arrived at 10pm to hear the adventures of McCuistion in Zimbabwe. They were astonished that we slept in the van at the border.

At 10am the next day, our group regathered and started south for the 6 hour final leg.  We had to do the solution dance once more (Botswana is serious about not letting the Hoof and Mouth disease get in.)

We arrived back at the Mission Office a little after 4pm.

What an experience!