Johannesburg Today

 

                           After Apartheid ended, the whites were so afraid they built these stone walls 

                           around their houses.   Most have barbed wire around the top like a prison wall. 

                           However, crime is very high here so it's probably a good idea.  A SA doctor said

                           Great Britain sends their soldiers here to train in the Trauma ER before they go 

                           to Afghanistan because they have so many gun shot victims everyday.                

                          These fellows are weeding each stone by hand.  Don't they have Round-up here?  
                          The unemployment is about 30% so maybe this is a way to give people a job.

Nelson Mandela's Home

 The Roberts, The Harms, The Heningers-Canadians serving in Durbin, The Evans from Congo
serving in the DRC (the Congo)

                  This is Nelson Mandela's home under heavy security.  But of course, silver-tongue
                                      Grandpa smoothed the way so we could get a few pictures.

LIttle Mazzy's School

 

This is our dear Sister Thoba's granddaughter named Mazzy.  Thoba has been so much help to us as new missionaries since she knows so many influential people in South Africa.  This child has been through a lot (father murdered, mother a model and gone a lot) so Grandma is trying to raise her and work at the Area Office as well.  She comes to the office after school often and waits for Granny.
She is such a delightful, intelligent child.  We love her and her Granny.

The famous church for Moses Malangu

                                 About 1960,  Moses Malangu found a Book of Mormon.
                            He read it and knew that it was true, but it was against the law for him
                            to attend a white church because he was black.  So he stood outside
                            the window every Sunday for 16 years and listened to the meeting.
                            When the church received the revelation for blacks to receive the
                            Priesthood in 1978, he was the first black to be baptized in Africa.
                            Apartheid had ended which stopped the custom of not allowing
                            Black Africans from attending the church.
                            Such great faith!

Our new living quarters

 Yes, this is Grandpa reading a book!  Check out our comfy sofa (it's about the 

only furniture in the place besides the KING-SIZED bed.)  Dad conquered.

A Jackarande Tree outside our front window.  Most of the apartments have bars on the window, but
since we are on the 5th floor--we have a beautiful tree instead.  Unfortunately, the tree only blooms
once a year, but at least it was a nice welcome to South Africa for us.

Lion Park Adventure

Our first day with the animals.  We pet these baby lions and really had some fun.  Not so much
 fun for Elder Pugmire, however.  He actually got bit.  He didn't "pet" them correctly we were told.

               

...the ostrich

...a kudo I think and the big mound is a termite mound

...the Springbok--Dad ate Carpaccio
the first night made from a Springbok.








                 ...the Wildebeast

The giraffe love the Acacia Tree

 Our first lion

Wild dog

The Cheetah

The MTC

                          We had a wonderful experience at the MTC.  The spirit was strong, the 

                           presentations were excellent, and we met some dedicated Senior Missionaries 

                           going all over the world to serve.  Elder and Sister (Ron and Linda) Pugmire

                           are going to be Public Affairs Missionaries in Kenya.

                    The Johnson's are going to Japan, the Enderle's to the Phillipines, the Damron's to
                    England and our cute young returned missionary Brother Hepworth.