January Letter

January 21, 2010


Dear Family, Friends & Loved Ones.

On our P-Day  Sister O and I went to a large train museum with our RS Pres. Sonja and her daughter Sonika and her baby. It took about 3 hours and was really interesting. It was mainly all about the history of the steam engine etc. with a lot of old trains. They also had a lot of old antique cars and some old buggies and stage coaches. They also had a large display of small electric trains that you could run. That was really worth seeing.  Bonnie and Bob will love seeing the Train Museum.

I got sick with a flue bug and then Sister O got it but we are fine now. There are a lot of people around and some of the Elders don't and have not felt to well. Sister O couldn't get out of bed one morning her neck hurt so bad. It had been bothering her for some time. I finally talked her into going to a Chiropractor and after a couple of treatments she is doing good now.

We are seeing Clifton & Elizabeth again as they called us and want us to come and visit again. I think he has his problems worked out and they seem to be good now. We are so anxious for Clifton to get his divorce finalized so that he can marry Elizabeth and they can get baptized. I guess it is one step at a time and in the Lords Way. We are still making a lot of visits and fellow shipping but I won't go into all of that unless something special happens.

We have had a few fairly warm days but nothing very bad. There has been some really hot days in Cape Town, between 40 & 44' C. Our nights have always cooled off nice though.  It is good!  If only it would rain a LOT so we could have more water. I guess you can say we are in Africa and have only a little water. taking a bath is out of the question for a while I guess. Oh well we do what we have too.

Another Senior couple came by a stayed to night on the way to Cape Town and back It is always fun to have them as we can go out to dinner, and play some games with them. We played pollock rummy and a Golf cards game. We really enjoy that a LOT.  It is so nice to be able to do something fun once in a while.

We visited a new investigator last week referred by a new member friend the Olivier's. She seems very interested and I think she will be really good in time. She only has a 2 room house. The Kitchen, Living room and Bathroom combination. We had to sit on the corners of the bed and on a small chest of drawers. There was only one stool in the Kitchen and there wasn't room to bring it into the Bedroom.

On Saturday Jan 16 the Elders & I did a service project. We were going to help an investigator Sister move. We thought this would be very simple, she has a small place and not a lot of furnishings. We were moving it to her daughters place which was right behind the lot she was on and over one.  The corners of the lots connected. Well after that she wanted the whole house dissembled and moved. We took the roof off which was a tin roof. Then we took what paneling etc off that she had and room separators. Then we took down all the walls. We had to separate the walls in ½ and then carry the walls over to the other lot. We put everything on the ground as there was no cement slab, no footing or anything. That took us about 4 hr. Then this lady wanted us to assemble it all back together on bare ground. This is impossible with no foundation or any thing. No nails or anything. All we had was 2 hammers to work with. I think she was disappointed that we couldn't
>  do that all in one day.
Anyway that was quite an experience and we were really tired. (well I was any way) Ha!! She couldn't believe I was 72 :)

On Sunday we  had our YM Pres. by the name of Shephard to be confirmed to the Mel. PH and to be ordained to an Elder and he wanted me to do it from him I was happy for the opportunity to do this for him. I do this as Pres Matsaluka was there an is such a good man as was our Mission Pres. Pres. Probst. Shephard asked me about a month ago when he knew that he would receive the Mel. PH.  It took that long to get it done. Then Sister Day in our branch asked Sister O if I would come over on Sunday afternoon and give her a blessing and  I was grateful for this opportunity as well. We receive blessings in so many ways when we give them. I know there are many struggles on a mission but  it comes back two fold.

On one morning last week our RS Pres. Sister Sonja & Sister O asked me to take them to play Golf for 9 holes and let them try it. I was skeptical about this but it turned our OK and quite fun. They did much better then I thought and they had a lot of fun. Sister O asked me if she was to old to learn and I told her NO, so I think she wants to try some more. I will probably end up being a golf widower.

We also had a young couple that was recently baptized ask us Sunday after our SS class if  we could teach a couple that are friends of theirs about the gospel. We said we would be happy to.  They live in Oudtshoorn which is about an hour drive away. That is a little out of our area but being a senior couple we are allowed to do this. They want to contact them first and make sure they are interested in seeing us and hearing about the gospel and he will let us know. But he is sure they will want to hear about the gospel.

Well I guess it is time to close but first we want all of you to know how much Sister O and I LOVE the gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings so much love into our lives and helps us to love each of you even more with the knowledge that we all can be an eternal family and that is so important. There is only 2 things in life that really matter, and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ and ones family and the knowing that we can be sealed together for ever. This is so comforting and it makes one want to live life to be worthy of the blessings. We must be forgiving of each others and the weaknesses just as our Savior did and has are we will come up short. This is a commandment from our Heavenly Father. Sister O and I Love all of you so much and are so grateful for such a wonderful family. Thank you all for your LOVE and your prayers for us.

I wrote earlier if any of you would be willing and able to donate a little each month to be put into an account for our African Son George to go on a mission. We only receive one response from on person. "THANKS JACK" 
If you can please let me know so I can set up an account with someone in American to take care of this for us. I promise that your lives will be blessed and we all need the blessings of our Father in Heaven.

Remember we love hearing from you at any time. Don't for get us in Africa PLEASE let us hear from you often.

Love to all from the O'Dell