Week #7 - Papa Lynn

Dear Family and Friends,

A lot has happened this past week and I hope I can put it all together in a nice letter. Since Mom wrote last we have been very busy learning all the Olson’s have to teach us. We have been doing a lot of night work after working all day with the Olson’s. Tuesday evenings we spend an hour plus with the Young Single Adults with their institute program. Of course Mom studies each lesson in preparation for the class. I just go and absorb as much as I can. One week we got to G-West and the next week we go to Broadhurst as the class has been broken into two different groups. They have between 15 and 20 in each group so we enjoy which ever class we go to.

Wednesday night we were scheduled to out with the Sisters and the two lessons both canceled so The next night we went on one discussion and Mom and I taught about what our purpose Is here on earth along with a little about the pre-existence. The next night we tried to get into a couple of men to teach them about the law of chastity and the word of wisdom. The Sisters called him on the phone and we scheduled a meeting for Saturday night. We went again and we gave a good lesson. We have never been in a mission where we have been able to go and teach as we can actually speak the language here in Botswana. Mom and I are both enjoying the teaching thing. I think we will normally do it a couple of lessons each week as we have so much to do during each day that we don’t want to overdo. Sometimes we actually feel our age and know we can’t keep up with the younger Elders and Sisters.

We have known that one of the Young Single Adult couples is getting married. She hasn’t been a member long enough to go to the temple yet so they are having Bishop Matswagothata perform the wedding vows for them. Thursday night in their bishopric meeting they decided to have Elder Morgan give a 20 to 30 minute talk at the wedding. I thought the bishop was supposed to do that but he flattered me into doing it. We love Bishop Matswagothata very much. He is about 30 years old and he and his counselors are the only married couples in the ward. We have been in several meetings with the bishop and he think Mom and I can do no wrong. He and I have especially hit it of wonderfully. I took this assignment very seriously and spent about 4 hours on preparing it. Mom said the preparation paid off as she felt that I did a great job.

The wedding couple didn’t show up on time in fact the groom came about an hour and twenty minutes late and the bride came an hour and forty minutes late. The bishop was getting a little nervous as he had the stake president coming all the way from Johannesburg for meetings and training at 2:00 and the whole ceremony and everything that goes with it takes a long time. The meeting started within minutes after the bride got there. After the ceremony they have to go into the relief society room and it is a long drawn out process to do all the paper work. The paper work is a lot like I have to do to get a missionary registered in Botswana. At that point while they were signing everything the women started a yell that was very loud and wiggling their tongue at the same time. After each yell the men would grunt a lout grunt and it started all over again. Even while they were in the yard taking pictures they continued yelling, grunting and dancing. All in all it was a thing for us to remember.

Sherrie we enjoy your letters that you write to us and Dax. I hope you continue them when he gets home. Melissa writes almost every week and there are many that don’t even drop us a line, but most of them call once and awhile. All in all we love to hear from each of you. I know everyone is busy and lives are hectic but try to drop us a line. This next week will be another learning week for us and on Friday we have a dual zone activity. We are looking forward to it. Each set of elders and sisters will be in the area as the next day on Saturday we have President and Sister Poulsen come with the assistants for Zone Conference.

Life is good and we love serving the Lord here in Botswana. We send our love and pray for each of you every day.

With love out of Africa

DAD and MOM