David and Marilyn Mission Journal

2009-02-09T23:37:00.000-08:00

We finally got around to posting a few of our latest adventures and scenes. On the post for the bird, you are required to guess which of the three pictures contains the bird. Also because we posted too many pictures, go back to older posts to see the rest of what overwhelmed this post. We are enjoying our mission, we hope to have done much good, and to do well in the future, but the future is getting kind of short as we are down to just over two months. We even have dreams of home and adventures that we could only have with our family and toys. Our days are always made brighter by the posts we get on our various family blog spots, as well as reading your e-mails and feeling more a part of you and your families. Thank you for all you have done for us while we have been trying to serve these wonderful people and help improve the quality of their lives. Our plans when the mission is over is to visit Cape Town, Mossel Bay, then London and on to Atlanta for a couple of weeks. Then its home and sitting around getting bored because we don't have a dozen things we could be doing. Life is good.

Adventures in Africa

2009-02-09T23:33:00.000-08:00

An African Sunset

2009-02-09T23:31:00.000-08:00

Didima Rock Museum

2009-02-09T23:29:00.000-08:00

Grandpa resting on a stump

2009-02-09T23:27:00.000-08:00

Grandma breaking mission rules

2009-02-09T23:25:00.000-08:00

Just another African bird

2009-02-09T23:19:00.000-08:00

African adventures, Nambiti

2009-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

More adventures in Africa

2009-02-09T23:09:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:49:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

2008-12-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Well, this thing drives me crazy as when we post a picture, the one we want won't come up, but since we love the rest of our family's blogs maybe it is time for us to get active again. We are loving our mission but were so sad to leave the Ladysmith-Ezakheni area as we knew everyone and loved and were loved. Now we are just trying to figure out the layout of Madadeni which is no easy assignment. We loved having Joyce and Dan here for a week, and exposing them to Africa in so many different ways. They experienced the beauty, the wild life, and best of all the people, especially the African peoplel. It was a quick week and difficult to see them go, but it just means that we are down to our last 4 1/2 months which will go quickly. We soon, in a couple of week s will be the most senior of the sr. missionaries. We have learned that not only can we handle the 24/7 together thing, but for most of the time we really enjoy it. We have learned much more depth about the church, faith, and our relationship with our Heavenly Father. And also at this time of the year, it is hard to feel much Christmas when it is 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity. We do miss our children, especially when we see their blogs and how beautiful each and every one of them are.

2008-07-25T02:09:00.001-07:00

We continue with our adventure here in Africa, and manage to keep busy, and love it when we hear from anyone, kids, grandkids, and friends hint hint. The thing I worry about is that many of the things that held our attention at first have become just normal for us and we don't see them anymore as being different or colorful. We love working with the people and seeing how great their spirits really are. Looking back time has flown, looking forward it seems that nine more months is a long time.

2008-05-06T00:23:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T00:12:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T00:07:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T23:52:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T23:38:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T23:10:00.000-07:00

Some pictures of Africa and the Uffens

2008-04-08T00:29:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch more pictures of Marilyn's seminary class, us and Kudaquash, the Madonsela family out in Matawanskop, a load on the head, and the donkey cart

2008-04-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Marilyn and the kids flocking around her out in Ezakheni

After eating impala for the first time (it was really good, and I'm not for killing animals, it was time for Marilyn to lose her sunglasses

2008-02-26T01:32:00.000-08:00

Swaziland, a kingdom boardered by SA and Mozanbique, beautiful place with lots of great places to visit. We were there for a mission couples conference, and believe it or not we really did work, created many training manuels, and power point training presentations for all positions and parts of a branch. These are just some of the sights we were able to see and enjoy in the extra day we took in going up early.

Mkhaya game reserve, Swaziland

2008-02-26T01:13:00.000-08:00

These really are wild, and beautiful, they even mistook me for one of them and invited me into the tribe (herd).

Barnes and Klinglers walking with us on the Indian Ocean

2007-12-28T23:29:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a fun day with the Barnes (CES) and Klinglers (Newcastle) at Umhlanga Rock in Durban the day before All Mission Conference. It was refreshing to smell some sea breeze and feel the warm breeze off the Indian Ocean!

2007-12-28T23:02:00.001-08:00

2007-12-28T22:51:00.000-08:00

2007-12-28T22:42:00.000-08:00

2007-12-28T22:28:00.000-08:00

Our shower

2007-09-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

2007-09-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Trekkers

2007-09-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

The kids follow dad

2007-09-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

Laying around with my buddies

2007-09-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

Our African lawnmower

2007-09-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

And you think your guests are stubborn

2007-09-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

2007-09-18T00:27:00.000-07:00

2007-09-18T00:14:00.000-07:00

This is the employment seminar in Ezakheni, we had 18 participants.

Yesterday we had our humility eyes opened. We took a day trip to Lesotho, and we took some food in which included six apples. The apples turned out to be soft, so after taking two bites I threw mine out the window. Two little girls aged about seven saw it from up the hill and started running toward the car. We went past and noticed that they were still running down the road. They were trying to get the apple I had tossed out the window. We then stopped and gave the remaining three and 7/8 apples to four children walking from school. They were so excited to get an apple that they fought over them. We need to think about that every time we sit down for the meal we take for granted. We are doing fine in Africa and have just finished with the employment missionaries a 16 hour course on how to obtain employment.

2007-09-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

For p-day the Pattersons and us went to Lesotho just for a day trip. It is a small country located and surrounded by South Africa.

2007-09-17T23:48:00.002-07:00

The curious baboon who checked out our car

2007-09-17T23:48:00.001-07:00

The curious baboon who checked out our car

Buying meat for a funeral at one of the local butcherys

2007-09-17T23:36:00.000-07:00

2007-09-17T23:24:00.000-07:00

2007-09-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

2007-09-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

We are afraid that summer is coming here in Africa. Today was really quite warm, and the last day of winter is 21 Sept, so I think we are in for a warm nine months. The off-set is that we got a newer car today, a KIA and the air conditioner actually works. We had to drive up to Newcastle, about 100k's from here, but it was worth it. Even the acacia trees are getting a beautiful green.

Another view of Africa

2007-08-28T01:33:00.000-07:00

Some of the housing out in the townships, very humble, very clean

What beautiful animals Africa has.

2007-08-28T01:14:00.000-07:00

We are getting more and more into the African culture, sometimes too much so. Marilyn seems to have no fears, and in fact when our mission president's wife, Sr Mann saw what Marilyn does her comment was, I can't really see any of the other family members doing that. We have learned so much and are finally getting used to the names, and in fact are remembering them. We are finding the people to be great, we are also told that it will soon turn a deep shade of green all over and will be beautiful. It is beautiful now if you like straw color. This truly is a unique experience, but it is not for every person where we are. Our highlights are tuning into our children and grandchildren e-mails.

We are trying to post some of the pictures we have taken in SA.

2007-07-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

We are still learning. We are falling in love with the people of SA and having a wonderful time. It is still winter, and this week we went through a windstorm unlike any other we have ever experienced. We had some with Dan and Cindy in Idaho, this was like that but lasted for two days with winds of 60+ miles per. It did take part of the roof off from our EZ church that I am trying to post a picture of. So far in the time we have been here it is dry, except one day of rain that was kind of unusual. Our work is going well and we are enjoying it. We have visited so many members of the branch and they are all so accepting. Again, they are both bright and beautiful. We will keep on working on pictures, but for now that is all. Dave and Marilyn

South Africa, what a place

2007-07-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we find ourselves in South Africa and although so very different, it is a good place to be and we are loving it and the people. We find them to be kind and loving and the members of the church here are fantastic. We find that the ways are different, especially if you want to get something and you are not a citizen or when you buy things it has to be done their way or not at all. Most of the stores are owned by Indian people, and are friendly. The townships all black, mostly Zulu) are filled with people who live in very small houses but they couldn't be cleaner. We have been in many of them and have found ourselves very welcome. Sometimes we think that in the states we are a little too accostomed to things that really don't add to our happiness, because many here have nothing but are very happy. It is dry and brown here, and we are hoping that when summer comes it will be as green and beautiful as people tell us it is.

Dad Sends His Love...So Does Mom

2007-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Blowing Kisses and Hiding Tears

Airport Departure

2007-06-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Saying Goodbye to Mike and Annie

2007-06-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Saying Goodbye to the Farrell Family

2007-06-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

We're headed to work!

2007-06-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

With our last few needed items, instruction, support, and faith we are now ready to go!

Durban, South Africa

2007-06-17T19:03:00.001-07:00

It's somewhere around here!

Moving Day

2007-06-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ready or not....Here we come!!!

Home Sweet Home

2007-06-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

We will be in the Jacob Hamblin Building during our week stay in the MTC.

Room 154

2007-06-12T08:57:00.002-07:00

I thought they had me scheduled for a luxury suite?

Elder Uffens Reaction

2007-06-12T08:57:00.001-07:00

Putting on a good face (considering 15 minutes earlier I tried escaping the vehicle transporting me to the MTC)

Sister Uffens Reaction

2007-06-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

I was doing really good until now...but I will be okay!