AllensInDurban: We got jabbed! Week 70

We got our first COVID vaccine this week. In South Africa it is not a "shot." It is a "jab." We finally got the SMS text telling us when to come -- at times when we couldn't be there, of course.

President & Sister Lines had the same problem. So on Thursday afternoon we just drove to the place and got in just before closing time. There were exactly four doses left.

Now to back up to all the fun stuff this week! Tuesday the second half of Durban Zone was scheduled to attend the Temple and have lunch first at Roco Mama's. We were not included, as we went last week, but at 7:30 AM President Lines called and said they had a missionary with a medical emergency, and they didn't know if they would make it to lunch or the Temple, and could we fill in? Of course! So we put our quiet day in the office plan on hold. We got to the restaurant on schedule before 12:30. President and Sister Lines showed up about 1:00, so all was well. We did stay for lunch, because who can skip all that good food? But then we sent everyone else off to the Temple and we went back to work.

Before then, on Wednesday and Thursday we were off to the mountains. The Mission Leadership Council meets monthly. It is the two Zone Leaders from each Zone (We currently have three Zones.), the two Assistants to the President, and President & Sister Lines. (In Russia we also had two Sister Training Leaders in each Zone, but there are no young Sisters at all in this mission.) Way back a year+ ago President wanted to take this group on a retreat to the mountains. COVID postponed it, but it finally happened this week.

We stayed at Khotso Lodge and Horse Trails, west of Underberg in the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains. The ridge line of the tops of the mountains is the border between South Africa and Lesotho.

We drove up in the morning, had our picnic lunch in the yard of the lodge, and then drove up to Lake Naverone to start our first hike.

These are the eight Elders who are the mission leaders.

While President Lines was paying for the hiking permits, Sue was looking at the weather station on the wall outside the building. (We need one of these when we get home!) All you have to do is look at the hanging stone.

The plan was to hike up to Three Pools and back -- about 2.9 km each way.

The ground was black for the first part. The land owners are required by law to do an annual burn to keep down the vegetation overgrowth. But they must put fire retardant on the path? You can see some of the Elders already far down the road. We told everyone they had to be back at the cars by 3:00pm.

All us old people went a little more slowly. We didn't make it as far as the pools, but all the young Elders did. Notice President Lines is wearing blue jeans and sweatshirt! This is the first time we have ever seen him dress-down! He wears a suit, white shirt and tie always!

We all made it back to the cars on time.

And then the Elders did the braai (barbeque.)

We had chicken and steak and sausage from the grill, with corn on the cob and baked beans from the kitchen. And peach cobbler for dessert. It was quite the feast.

Elder Chifarimba was the Braai Meister.

Elder Van Orden helped with the corn.

After dinner was the regular three-hour Council meeting -- except there was load shedding, so we did it by lantern and firelight. It was a good meeting, with discussions about teaching and goals. The spirit was wonderful among these young men.

After the meeting we had s'mores and hot chocolate.

Thursday morning we got up early and went for a pre-breakfast hike just as the sun was coming up over the hills. We hiked up to the top of the hill in this picture. The views were spectacular. Valleys to the east and the tall, tall mountains full of snow to the west.

On top of the hill at Khotso Lodge west of Unterberg in the Drakensberg Mountain foothills with Durban Mission Leadership Council 10 June 2021. - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA

A full westward 180 deg. pan from south to north.

(This is a pi (radians) pan.)

It looked like fall and felt like fall. The temperature overnight was about 2C (36F).

The Elders loved the hiking, and especially Elder Manamela, in the back. He is from Johannesburg and this was his first hike ever!

We stayed on top of the hill until the sun came up enough to put the lodge in sunshine. It's the building where we stayed.

This stream runs along the side of the lodge. The sky was reflected in the still water.

After the morning hike, the Lodge prepared a wonderful breakfast for us. Then everyone got showered and dressed back in missionary clothes for the drive home.

President Lines really, really liked the Lodge's dog. It loved to catch sticks.

MLC: Elders Christensen, Mokhoanatsi, Mbaki, Alotsa, Sister Lines, President Lines, Elders Pettijohn, Chifarimba, Van Orden, Manamela, Sister Allen, Elder Allen.

We arrived home about 2:00pm, unpacked, and then the Lines picked us up to go get jabbed. (See above.)

Friday was quiet in the office -- which we needed!

Saturday we had the privilege of going with Sister Lorraine Willer for her first time to the Durban Temple. She joined the Church just one year ago, and has been looking forward to this day. Because of COVID restrictions, only 15 people are allowed in one service. They were all her invited guests and we felt blessed to be included.

The picture is more than 15 because it also includes some of the Temple workers who helped her that day.

Elder Russell was the first missionary to start to teach Lorraine, but then he was evacuated back to the USA for eight months. Elder Mbaki did most of the teaching of Lorraine before she was baptized. These two wonderful missionaries were able to see Lorraine take the next step down the covenant path.