2. Sister Probst & Desiree at the Baptism at the Beach
3. Sister O Desiree & Sonja in the BMW
4. Family Home Evening with the Kibido
February 22, 2010
Dear Family, Friends & Loved Ones
On Monday Feb. 1 we had the Millers, another Senior Couple here to visit with us and go to dinner, which is always nice and so enjoyable to spend time with another senior couple. Sister O. usually fixes them a large breakfast before they leave. This time we didn't have time for breakfast. We had to leave at 7:50 AM to go to a wedding. Brother and sister Bongo, who we had gotten close to from our class, called us to be to the wedding of her brother Thando and Khongelies Kibido. He forgot his ID papers so we had to wait about an hour for him to get them. It was a justice of the peace wedding and it is so lacking in feeling as a church or temple wedding.
After the wedding they wanted to go to the church for me to give them both a blessing. I was happy for the opportunity and thought what a wonderful way to start a marriage and they were both really grateful and in tears. We then made Sister O. happy as she had time to make her hair and nail appointment. Then after lunch, Sister O. and I went to Great Braak River to visit the Meyer family. Sister Meyer is struggling a little with faith but seems much better. I asked her to read Moroni 7 to help her better understand faith. I also wanted to give them a framed "The Family: a Proclamation to the World." We will visit them again on Saturday with Elders Caine and Maja.
We then visited John O for a few hours. Helping her to get information and started on trying to get a loan for school. Sister O and I go home at 7:15 and very tired. We laid down for a rest and woke up at 10, just in time for bed.
The couple that Sister O and I gave the blessing to wants to teach them but we probably can't do all of it as it isn't a safe area to got to. The elders will have to do most of it for safety reasons. Elder Whiting was stabbed in the arm in that area, but he made a bad mistake of allowing several young men into their car to find an area for them. No. No. No.
Last night (Tues) was a wonderful night. Desiree committed to baptism and her daughter, but her daughter is not quite ready, nor is Gerard. I suggested that we wait for Gerard to be baptized and let him receive the priesthood so that he could baptize his daughter Elizabeth. Also Douglas' wife, Yolanda, and their son Niko, committed to baptism. What a wonderful day.
On Friday after our district meeting, we had lunch with the elders at a chicken place called Nandos. Then Sister O and I needed to go grocery shopping, and a lot of reading and studying as we had Sunday school lessons, a priesthood lesson, and a young women's lesson to give. I have had the opportunity to read and study a lot since being in Africa and my testimony has really grown and been strengthened.
On Saturday February 6 at 12 noon, to Sunday noon we had a special fast and prayer for rain. Hopefully if we are humble and sincere enough we will be blessed. I have seen much power in fasting and prayer while on our mission and we have also been commanded to do so. We visited and taught Douglas' family and his dad Hein and finalized their baptism date on February 20. Then we went to Great Braak River to visit the Meyer's family. They are a great young family and seem so interested to have the gospel back in their lives.
We really had a great and spiritual fast and testimony meeting on fast Sunday. President Mason was here. He is first counselor to President Probst. We received an email from the Chamberlains serving in Joburg, and they told us they had received 13 inches of rain in January. I wish we had part of it here in George.
Our African son, George, hitch hiked from Tsitsikamma (two and a half hours by car) to George. He came to church and visited us. We were so busy with our lessons that we didn't have time to visit with him and he was able to ride clear back to Plettenburg bay with President Mason. He is such and amazing young man I wish we could have received some support to help him go on a mission but I'm sure the lord will bless him and make it happen.
For Sunday dinner we had a real treat. Sister O fixed tacos and burritos. She was planning a Spanish rice but forgot about it until the next morning. You're not going to believe this one, Elder Maja wanted Mayonnaise on his tacos and burritos. Can you even imagine it? Yuk! On February 8, P-day, we were busy until about three thirty and then went golfing for nine holes. We had family home evening with the mother of Sister Bongo and Bro. Kibido. They are a big family and a very close and loving family, which is wonderful to see. We had 22 people in all with five missionaries. In 1980, the mother had a dream. She was sick and in a coma. She dreamed that Christ's church was brought back to earth in America by a young white boy. Do we recognize this? Wow, how exciting is that? She has looked for this event since but has never been able to find it until now.
We visited with Desiree on Tuesday. I was going to teach the law of chastity to her daughter, but she couldn't be there, so we went over the word of wisdom and her baptismal plans. Before the meeting with Sister Desiree, she took Sister O and Sonja in a ride in her BMW convertible. Sister O is now spoiled. We did get some good pictures. We'll try to email them to you.
On Friday after our district meeting, we went to Tsitsikamma with the Knysna elders to teach George and his cousin Elizabeth. When we got home, we went with the Thembalethu elders to teach the family that we had family home evening with. It was great.
On Saturday February 13, we had two baptisms. I had a feeling that we needed to check out where we usually baptize people. I did and it was nearly out of water. So the search began for another area. We found a place in the ocean below Pacalsdorp. This was a different experience of baptizing in the ocean for me. We had a large turnout. I baptized Stefaans Pieterse and Elder Caine baptized Dominic. It took me three times to get him under the water before we got a wave deep enough for complete immersion. Well the wave kind of baptized me also, as I went under as well. Desiree came as she is getting baptized the following Saturday.
We then went to Great Braak to teach the Meyers. This time we took the Pangels with us. We taught them about the temple and the three degrees of glory. They were very, very interested and I told them to read D&C 76 and we would talk more about it the next time we saw them.
President and Sister Probst were at the baptism on Saturday, and also at church on Sunday. I missed the opportunity to be with Gary when he received the priesthood. I really wanted to be there and he wanted us there, but we were in a meeting with President and Sister Probst. He was so excited to receive the priesthood and we were excited also. What a wonderful blessing.
Well, it is time to close as we have a lot to do today. Please know that we love and miss you all so much, but we feel that we are doing what we need to do. We are enjoying the experience that we have been given and blessed with and we know that our lives have and will be blessed. We really love the grandchildren and are anxious and excited to see them all again.
Love to all from Elder & Sister O'Dell Mom & Dad
Grandpa & Linda Grandma & Grandpa Woody
PS The big family that we had the family home evening with got robbed the other night, and one of the sons got stabbed but was OK. I'm glad Sister O and I were not there alone teaching. Satan really works hard to keep people from the gospel. I feel this is how he works sometimes.
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