Week #55 - Papa Lynn

Dear Family and Friends,

This past week has been the best week sense we have arrived here in the mission field, the reason is we have had three of our sons to visit and spend the week with us. We drove to Johannesburg on Friday the 25^th to attend a mission presidency meeting at the mission office (the first time I was able to attend in person, I usually am on a conference call with the speaker phone). We visited the area office, and also had a meeting with Elder Martineau a member of the legal department in the area office. I was privileged to meet with President Poulsen and Elder Bricknell in a different meeting as well. It was a good day for me and Mom and Sister Poulsen went shopping. That evening we stayed with the Poulsen’s at the mission home.

Saturday we traded our Nissan Tiida for the mission van so we would have more room for Mike, Roger and Bryce. Mom and I wanted to make preparations for the boys a week later so we found the Bruma Mall and put the co-ordinates in the GPS. While there we shopped a little and then headed for the airport to have a fun time and had a meal with Colin and Jenny Bricknell as they wanted to be there when the boys arrived. The plane was about 30 or so minutes late but it was worth the wait when we say the boys come into the big waiting area. We visited with them and the Bricknells for a few minutes and then we headed out to Botswana. We got back to the border about 11:30 and the border closed at 12:00 so we made it on time.

The next day was Sunday and we had planned to attend sacrament meeting in the Young Single Adult ward where Bishop Matswagothata asked me to talk because one of the speakers wasn’t going to show up. I really think he just wanted an excuse to have me talk but it was fun to be able to make a few remarks in front of my sons. The next morning we needed to get the 4 sisters who’s 90 days were up to the immigration office with their passports and proof of applying for their residence permits. Later we found out they got 7 more days and was hoping to get their permits during the week which didn’t happen. Now they will be illegal come this next Monday but Stix and Brother Thebe say it will be alright. When I suggest they can stay after their extensions they all say we have to obey the law. Oh well it’s not my place to criticize. I got kicked out for doing what they get away with.

About 11:00 we did a couple of last minute things that we needed to do and then headed for the border to go to Madikwe the game reserve we planned months ago to visit. It was great fun and we enjoyed every minute with the boys. It was a camp without running water or power. They hauled in water in large (about 500 gallon) containers on wheels with a specked in the back. We filled a bucket of water and poured it into a donkey boiler which put hot water into another bucket and then you adjusted the temperature by adding hot or cold water for your shower. In the shower area you put the bucket of water into another bucket that had a shower head under the bucket that you hoisted using a rope and pulley system. It worked really well. We didn’t have to prepare food or do dishes so the time was very relaxing except when we were on game drives. We did a game drive early each morning and late in each afternoon.

We were not disappointed in the drives as we saw many African animals of every kind. To name a few: lions, giraffes, wilderbeests, zebra, Kudu, warthogs, impala, elephants, ostriches, baboons, rhinos, wild dogs, hyenas, genie fowl, and many others like rabbit, rodents, many species of birds. We really enjoyed being together a having a relaxing time. The food was good the nights most of us slept well (except Roger “jet lag”). We got back into Gaborone about 2:00 Wednesday afternoon and that is when Mom and I did a fast catch up on many different things. I did the monthly kilometer report for the mission vehicles here in Botswana and the boys went through the many pictures we took while at Madikwe. That evening we decided the next day we would leave for Johannesburg and do some shopping and see the White Lion and Rhino Park. It too was great and then we headed for Bruma Mall to let the boys get some African things to take home. We let them off at the airport about 6:00 and we headed back to Gaborone Botswana. We got to the border about 10:30 and got home and into bed about midnight. We have been watching the clock and trying to guess where the were in their travels back to their families.

Today I had a second interview in Molepolole at 10:00 this morning and then we picked up a few groceries and did some catch up on book work. I headed to Mochudi this afternoon and helped get one of the mission cars started and left the jumper cables just in case they will need them again tomorrow.

Well I will say goodnight and we will go to bed.

WITH LOVE OUT OF BOTSWANA. (I’m not really shouting) DAD and MOM