Amazing Pictures

Week #68 - Granny

Dear Family,

It seems like it was just May 1^st, now already it is June and time is flying so quickly.  We have been traveling a lot lately and I think I’m a little tired of it but we get to stay close to home this week so we are happy.  We were actually supposed to go back up to Francistown for an District Conference with Pres. And Sister Bricknell as the Visiting Authorities but we are needed in one of our Branches, Molepolole, as they are having their Branch Conference and the Stake President asks us to attend those.  We told the Riser’s we couldn’t come up their Conference and then we found out that Bricknell’s aren’t able to attend either so we aren’t feeling quite so bad about missing their conference.  We were in Joburg yesterday to the temple with our YSA couple and we ran in to President Bricknell at the Mission Office and it was great to have 5 minutes to talk to him and hug each other and then we were on our way. 

Let me tell you a little bit about our couple, Tabego (Tabo for short) and Gorata (said Horata, like Gaborone with an “H”) are 24 and 23; he has been a member for several years and served a mission in Uganda and she has been a member for 3 years.  She is the only member in her family and his mom and an older sister and a younger brother are all members.  Tabo and Gorata meet at the Church a couple of years ago and have been dating some for the past few months.  They wanted to get married but couldn’t pay the Labola.  Bishop Matswagothata has been talking with them together with their parents and both parents thought they shouldn’t get married until he could pay the Labola, but they are taking a stand and trying to do things the Lord’s way so they braved it and went against both families and decided to just get married with no reception, no wedding gifts, a borrowed dress, no traditional wedding feast and no celebration at all.  They were married at the District Commissioners (like a judge), then took a Taxi to the church house where Bishop Matswagothata married them in the chapel with a few YSA friends and his mom and Sister and husband and a few other Ward members that came to wish them well.  Gorata asked me to bring some cookies and there was punch in paper cartons served in the Relief Society room on a table with a wrinkled table cloth, no flowers, no decorations, but lots of pictures and hugs and they signed all of their legal documents and we put them in the car and headed for the temple.  They were suppose to get their documents from the District Commissioner at 9 O’clock that morning, but there were 10 couples there to be married and because they were going to the church to be married, he told them they had to wait until he married all the others before he would sign their documents.  We were at the church at 8:45 anxious to head to JoBurg, Tabo and Gorata arrived at 12:15 and they were married and out the door of the church by about  l O’clock.  It took about an hour to get to and through the border and we were suppose to have them to the temple by 3:30 (not possible) Bishop called and changed their appointment to 5:30 which was the last available time so needless to say, Dad drove a bit over the speed limit all the way there and we were blessed by our GPS that took us straight to the temple despite 5 O’clock Downtown JoBurg traffic (miracle and many tender mercies) and we arrived at 5:25.  I think we hit every green light on the way and only came really close to smashing into the back of one car.  So we felt blessed and our evening session was wonderful.  Dad and I were their escorts and it was really wonderful to get to go to the Brides room and the Grooms room and hear the wonderful talk about the blessings of the temple, how to take care of our garments, and the privilege of being in the temple. 

Dad and I spent the night at the extra missionary flat in Joburg and our new couple spent the night in Patron Housing at the temple.  I made sandwiches for us to eat as we traveled and gave them Banana Bread, fruit, and some other goodies for them a lunch box as there is nothing to buy there at the temple housing.  We got through the temple so late, that we couldn’t even take them out to eat, so we just dropped them off and we went to our flat for the night.  Tabo’s mom and Sister and husband were coming to the temple for the sealing, but they had trouble at the border so they called and asked us to move their sealing from 11:00 to 1:00 which we were able to do and it’s a good thing because they just barely made it for the sealing at 1:00.  The sealing was beautiful and this sweet couple is so in love and truly know they have done things the right way, despite the opposition from their families.  Even Tabo’s mother (who is a member) is against the way they did things because her parents aren’t members and they are saying that Tabo shamed them all because he didn’t “bring anything to the table” for them to go negotiate with her family for the price of their daughter.  Tabo’s grandparents told him they are ashamed of him for not paying the price for his bride and both families have said they will never consider them married.  However, they are sealed for Time and Eternity in the House of the Lord and we all know how much that means.  Gorata cried and cried to me and said she was so happy and that she knows they did it the right way and that she knows she is a Daughter of God and that she has value even if her family considers that she is worthless since she hasn’t been bought.

After the session, we went out on the temple grounds and Dad took some wonderful pictures of their beautiful day in the temple.  Tabo’s mom and Sister and her husband were very supportive that day and it was nice to have them there.  I think his mom is just being bullied by her parents; she has to be happy that they were married in the temple as she is a great member and Primary President in one of our wards here. 

After the pictures, we jumped back into our car and headed back to Botswana.  We did stop with Tabo and Gorata and bought them a McDonald’s hamburger (rare treat because we don’t have McDonald’s in Botswana) and then we drove like crazy to get home.  We took them to their humble little house they have just rented.  We drove through Shanty Town and followed directions to their place and when we pulled up to the house, we said “Is this your place?” and they said “no” there’s a little house behind that is ours.  We made some really positive comments about their home being their Castle and always loving and taking care of each other and then we pulled away and came home.  I think dad and I both wished we could rent them our servant’s quarters that are behind our house; but we can’t.  I did tell Gorata to be careful and not walk in that neighborhood alone “EVER” and hopefully she will take my advice. 

Hopefully I will never forget all the things I’m learning here in Africa.  We are so blessed in America and especially as Member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Hopefully I will remember how blessed I am for being born into the church and for being born into the family I have who have taught me all about my Heavenly Father and about His plan for me.  Hopefully I will remember all of the blessings I have that begin with being married for Time and Eternity to a worthy and wonderful and patient Husband; for being blessed to be the Mother of 8 beautiful and amazing and faithful children who have chosen delightful and faithful spouses and have been sealed in the Holy Temple of God.  How can I ever forget any one of the wonderful 36 grandchildren that I have been blessed with; each of whom truly know who they are and are living lives worthy to be called His Sons’s and Daughters and some of whom are now choosing their Eternal Companions and will (and have already) bless us with more posterity and blessings.  I love your Father; he makes my life wonderful and he is so good to me.  Marrying him was the best decision I have ever made and I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with the privilege of being his Eternal Companion.  I am so thankful for each of you kids; thank you for ALL you do for Dad and I and for all of your love and support as we serve these missions.  We have learned so much out here and we hope that we can share our knowledge with you so it can make your lives even better and happier.  We are so blessed as a family and our biggest blessing is that we have each other “For Eternity”.  LET THERE BE NO EMPTY SEATS IN OUR HEAVENLY HOME.”   Take good care of each other for us.  We will work especially hard because of you!!!

WE LOVE YOU ALL

MOM AND DAD, GRANNIE AND PAPA LYNN

Week # 72 - Granny

Hello to All!

     Another week has passed so quickly and we now have a new Mission President which we haven’t had the privilege of meeting yet; but Dad has talked to him a couple of times on the phone.  President Omer asked Dad to stay on as a Counselor until we leave; so we will carry on as normal and try to do everything he wants done and help him get adjusted to Botswana when he has time to come up.  He plans to come up on the 15^th and have interviews with all of our missionaries here at our home just like President Poulsen did; so I think he is planned to carry out the 1^st month or so with the schedule President Poulsen used; and then perhaps make some changes to do things “his way.”  We are anxious to meet him and his wife and get to serve with them for this transfer and then hopefully we’ll have someone else trained to take our place.  He isn’t quite sure which couple he is going to use to replace us so we’re just waiting until someone arrives and then we will go to work teaching them about the amazing Branches and Wards here in Botswana.  He will love the people here and enjoy working with them. But he doesn’t actually get to know them very well unless he does things a lot different than President Poulsen.  This mission is so large that it is impossible for one Mission President to get everywhere and spend any time there when he arrives.  President Poulsen was so busy taking care of almost 200 missionaries that he rarely had time to even be here on a Sunday for a Branch or Ward meeting.  I guess we won’t actually know if anything changes much because I’m sure President Omer will still be getting his feet wet by the time we have to leave and it’s amazing how quickly things change when you leave the Mission and someone else takes over.  We will soon be forgotten and life moves on for everyone.  That is one thing we’ve learned from our other missions is that we are all totally replaceable and the next couple will probably do it better!

      We did a lot of traveling again this past week.  Dad had a 2^nd interview to do in Mafikeng (back in South Africa) so we took a day and went down there.  We made the bad choice of going on Friday and it was a Botswana Holiday (Sir Seretse Khama Day) our President so we got stuck at the border for almost an hour.  I think ALL of Botswana was traveling by car or walking across the border that day and he had to be in Kanye by noon so we left early in the morning and it’s a good thing.  We were at the border (a 2 hour drive) by 9 O’clock that morning, but we lost an hour there so we were still 30 minutes late for his appointment on into Mafikeng.  The interview was only 30 or 40 minutes and then we headed right back across the border and he was still late for his appointment to fix a baptismal font there.  However, when we went to fix the font, we found out that the Hardware Store in Gaborone had sold us the wrong length of cable to fix it with and he couldn’t fix it anyway so that was a total waste of 3 hours travel and rush.  But we did get to pick up Marea and bring her to Gaborone with us for the weekend.  She needed to earn some money so we let her do some cleaning for us and she is a great cleaner.  I told her we’d pay her by the hour and she jumped on that and went right to work.  She got in 3 hours on Friday (she and I did the whole kitchen, cupboards in and out and the whole bit) and by evening the whole kitchen felt cleaner than it ever has since we moved in.  It was nice!

Saturday she cleaned and cleaned all day while I cooked and prepared for a YSA Sisters Conference I was sponsoring today.  I had about 30 Sisters come along with Bishop Motswagothata and his wife Busi come and we listened to the YW Conference tape which none of our sisters have ever heard and then had Chicken noodle soup and rolls, cookies and ice cream to close our fast.  It was really a great day together and I prepared some fun handouts to go along with each of the talks so I hope they all felt Spiritually fed as well as Physically fed.

Marea stayed for the meetings with us and then she jumped on a Combi and headed for the bus station to catch a bus to Kanye while we cleaned up the house and the yard from the party and said our good bye’s to everyone.  Bishop and his wife stayed around for quite a while, they are so fun and we really love them and enjoy it when they come over.  Mike and Roger and Bryce got to meet them so I know they understand how much we love them; I wish all of you could just meet them; you would love them also.  Hopefully they will get to America some day to meet all of you and see that you are as wonderful as we tell them you are.

So now it’s evening and I’m beet but it’s been a wonderful week and we’ve had a stream of visitors all evening including some missionaries who heard there was soup left over to a couple coming over for some Marriage advice (they came alone but we sent each of them home to talk things out together and tried not to take sides or give much advice.) 

We know you are all busy at home; enjoy your busy summer and send us lots of letters and pictures about the kids and all that is going on.  You make my day when I come to the computer early in the morning and there is a letter or pictures of any of you.  It’s even a better day if there is more than one letter so keep the letters and notes and pictures coming; they mean a lot to us.

Love,

Mom and Dad, Grannie & PaPa Lynn

Week # 67 - Papa Lynn

Week 67

Dear Family and Friends,                                             30 May 2011

                I am happy to say that this past week has been a little different.  Today we got back form a 2140 kilometer trip.  We left last Thursday the 26^th of May and went as far as Francistown and I had a second interview that was a tuff one.  We then stayed with Elder and Sister Riser from Roosevelt Utah that are serving up in Francistown.   They are the replacement for Elder and Sister Cardiff.   They are great and are full of lots of new ideas.  They are on the ball and keeping very busy.  We stayed overnight with them and then the next morning Elder Riser and I took the keyboard to the Francistown building and put the keyboard stand together.  Then went back and picked up Mom and Sister Riser and went to look at the purposed building of the Francistown branch and the purposed building for Monarch if is gets split off of Francistown.  Then off we went to head or Kasane.  We arrived at Kasane about 5:00 PM and Sister Cornelia Rotenbach who is the same gal that took us on the boat safari last December when we were then for the couples conference took us to her home where we stayed for two nights.

                We hurried and changed and she took us in her Toyota all-terrain vehicle and she didn’t tell us where we were going or what we would do when we got there.  We headed almost straight east for 9 kilometers and ended up in a beautiful valley called Leshuna Valley.  Cornelia said only the local people know about it as they want to keep it special and untouched.  After getting the valley we saw many elephants, kudu, Cape buffalo, impala and other animals.  We found a spot in the open and she parked and said here we are.  She got out and took a shovel out of the back and prepared a spot for a fire.  We had a great evening watching the stars in the heavens that were so numerous and very bright.  We had a wonderful braii and spot lighted several animals close to camp.  We could hear the animals in the background all evening.  We had an elephant walk so close to us that we could see it from the light of the fire we were using to cook.  Cornelia was a little nervous as she said you never know what an elephant in the wild will do.   I walked on past so there was no problem.  We didn’t get back to her place until about 9:30 so you can tell we had a great evening in the wild.

                The next morning we got up early to go on a game drive into the Kobe National Game Park.  It is a game park that doesn’t have any boundary fences so the game is able to go anywhere they want.  We saw lots of animals and I took many pictures.  The evening we went on a boat tour of the Kobe river, and I got lots of pictures again.

                We took Cornelia to dinner at an India restaurant.  The first time Mom and I have had India food here on our mission.  It was good and Cornelia loved it as she has eaten there many times. The next morning we went to church at a members home and there was 8 in attendance plus the Riser’s and us so we totaled 12 people.  Elder and Sister Riser spoke first and Mom and I also spoke.  Of course we didn’t know that we were the speakers until we got there.  It went well and we love traveling and meeting people of the different wards, branches and even this group.  I think the early morning game drive on Saturday must have given me a cold (my first sick day in this mission). I am recovering and hopefully I will be over it soon.

                We left directly after church and headed back to Francistown and I felt so impressed to go back on the second interview that I had last Thursday night.  I am so glad that I did because there was clearly a miss communication between me and the candidate becoming ready for baptism.  The second time it went really well.  Mom and I stayed that night in Francistown and got up early this morning and got back home here in Gaborone about 2:30 this afternoon.

                It was a fun trip and we had great missionary experiences in meeting and working with members of the Kasane Group.

                Just for your information I have read my 7 pages each day and even read them on the day they were supposed to have been read.   Lori wrote and said she liked the book mark that keeps track of where you should be while you read.  I am sorry if this letter is unorganized as this is the way me head is working with it being all stuffed up with this cold that I am fighting.  Well I will close with my love to each of you.

Love Out Of Botswana, Dad

Week # 67 - Papa Lynn

Dear Family and Friends,                                             30 May 2011

                I am happy to say that this past week has been a little different.  Today we got back form a 2140 kilometer trip.  We left last Thursday the 26^th of May and went as far as Francistown and I had a second interview that was a tuff one.  We then stayed with Elder and Sister Riser from Roosevelt Utah that are serving up in Francistown.   They are the replacement for Elder and Sister Cardiff.   They are great and are full of lots of new ideas.  They are on the ball and keeping very busy.  We stayed overnight with them and then the next morning Elder Riser and I took the keyboard to the Francistown building and put the keyboard stand together.  Then went back and picked up Mom and Sister Riser and went to look at the purposed building of the Francistown branch and the purposed building for Monarch if is gets split off of Francistown.  Then off we went to head or Kasane.  We arrived at Kasane about 5:00 PM and Sister Cornelia Rotenbach who is the same gal that took us on the boat safari last December when we were then for the couples conference took us to her home where we stayed for two nights.

                We hurried and changed and she took us in her Toyota all-terrain vehicle and she didn’t tell us where we were going or what we would do when we got there.  We headed almost straight east for 9 kilometers and ended up in a beautiful valley called Leshuna Valley.  Cornelia said only the local people know about it as they want to keep it special and untouched.  After getting the valley we saw many elephants, kudu, Cape buffalo, impala and other animals.  We found a spot in the open and she parked and said here we are.  She got out and took a shovel out of the back and prepared a spot for a fire.  We had a great evening watching the stars in the heavens that were so numerous and very bright.  We had a wonderful braii and spot lighted several animals close to camp.  We could hear the animals in the background all evening.  We had an elephant walk so close to us that we could see it from the light of the fire we were using to cook.  Cornelia was a little nervous as she said you never know what an elephant in the wild will do.   I walked on past so there was no problem.  We didn’t get back to her place until about 9:30 so you can tell we had a great evening in the wild.

                The next morning we got up early to go on a game drive into the Kobe National Game Park.  It is a game park that doesn’t have any boundary fences so the game is able to go anywhere they want.  We saw lots of animals and I took many pictures.  The evening we went on a boat tour of the Kobe river, and I got lots of pictures again.

                We took Cornelia to dinner at an India restaurant.  The first time Mom and I have had India food here on our mission.  It was good and Cornelia loved it as she has eaten there many times. The next morning we went to church at a members home and there was 8 in attendance plus the Riser’s and us so we totaled 12 people.  Elder and Sister Riser spoke first and Mom and I also spoke.  Of course we didn’t know that we were the speakers until we got there.  It went well and we love traveling and meeting people of the different wards, branches and even this group.  I think the early morning game drive on Saturday must have given me a cold (my first sick day in this mission). I am recovering and hopefully I will be over it soon.

                We left directly after church and headed back to Francistown and I felt so impressed to go back on the second interview that I had last Thursday night.  I am so glad that I did because there was clearly a miss communication between me and the candidate becoming ready for baptism.  The second time it went really well.  Mom and I stayed that night in Francistown and got up early this morning and got back home here in Gaborone about 2:30 this afternoon.

                It was a fun trip and we had great missionary experiences in meeting and working with members of the Kasane Group.

                Just for your information I have read my 7 pages each day and even read them on the day they were supposed to have been read.   Lori wrote and said she liked the book mark that keeps track of where you should be while you read.  I am sorry if this letter is unorganized as this is the way me head is working with it being all stuffed up with this cold that I am fighting.  Well I will close with my love to each of you.

Love Out Of Botswana, Dad

Week # 66 - Granny

Hello to ALL;

This has been a pretty busy week as we had transfers and we lost 8 of our Missionaries and received 8 new ones.  The biggest problem was that 5 of the ones that we sent back to Joburg were out of time on their passports but we were told that we didn’t have to worry about it anymore as Immigration was working on it and we would be given extra days now until they could get their paperwork processed.  We have been just going along, not worrying, and thinking all would be alright.  At 5:30 AM on Wednesday morning, we did breakfast for the departing missionaries and sent them on their way by 6 AM.  About 7 O’clock we received a call from our Zone Leader at the Border saying they weren’t allowed to leave Botswana because their paper work was expired and they were going to have to pay fines for each day they were delinquent.  We tried to call our Immigration Specialist “Stix” that the church hired, but of course, he works on normal hours and only answers our calls when he want to anyway.  To make a really long story short, we had to meet our Missionaries at the Police Station to pay the fines; but the Police Station didn’t have the receipts the Border Patrol wanted so we all had to come clear back into Gaborone to the main Police Station only to be told that the lady we needed to see was headed to a meeting and she would see us when her meeting was over.  We waited (no other choice) and then we got the receipts signed and sent the Elders back to the border and we came on home.  About an hour later, we got another phone call that two of our Missionaries that are from Kenya and Uganda needed proof of immunizations before they would be allowed back into South Africa.  We tried to fax them to the Border Office, but their Fax wouldn’t work so they told our Elders to go back into Botswana and ask if we could fax the information to their office, but their Fax wouldn’t work either so we had to scan it to one of the Elder’s E-mail address and he opened it up and got it off for them.  It is not 11 AM so it took us 5 hours, but we did get them through the border.  Of Course, they missed their training meetings in JoBurg, and also the transfer meeting, but they arrived about 4 PM, just in time to meet up with their new companions and go to their new areas.  About 5:30 we got a phone call saying that the Elder that drove one of the cars down to JoBurg had taken the keys to his new area way up North, was driving with an Elder that had turned off his phone during the transfer meeting and we couldn’t reach them at all.  So we decided to have all 8 of them stay in JoBurg for the night as they would be traveling all the way in the dark and no one had ever been to Botswana before.  They spent the night with Missionaries there in JoBurg and by 9 O’Clock we still didn’t know where the key was so President Poulsen made the decision to have Dad fly to Joburg the next morning at 7 AM and take another key to the car so they could all drive up to Botswana together.  We got up at 5 AM again and I drove Dad to the airport and he flew to Joburg, rescued the stranded Missionaries and they all made their way up here by late afternoon.  It was quite a big day for Dad but he did get some quality time with our new Missionaries on the way back to Botswana and I was able to have dinner ready for all of them when they got here. Life is an adventure in this mission and I guess we’ve just endured another “experience.”

We were able to visit our YSA Branch today as it was their Ward Conference so we spent a wonderful day with our wonderful Bishop Motswagothata and with our Stake President, President Hall and his counselors.  They are all dynamic men and they each gave excellent speeches today in Sacrament meeting.  Last night they actually called a special meeting with all of the Auxiliaries of all the Branches and Wards here to discuss “tranditions and customs” and it was too interesting to tell you all about on paper; but we had some really good discussion about how the members of the church need to take a stand against “traditions” like feeding all the relatives for 8-10 days when there is a funeral and also the “witch doctor” practices that go on at the burial sites and a few other strange things that are happening at their funerals.  The second half of the meeting was spent discussing the “Labola” or Bride Price traditions that are making it absolutely impossible for our young adults to marry at all.  It was two very touchy subjects; but President Hall handled things extremely well considering he and us are white and everyone else in the chapel was not.  He was careful to identify everything with a Gospel Principle and try to teach the people that it wasn’t a matter of “Our Church against Their Traditions.” It’s a matter of not doing anything that goes against the Laws of God and to always identify what the Principle is and how to always try to help their families (especially non-members, but not always) to keep Gods Laws.  It was a very difficult situation, but our leaders did an excellent job and things never got heated and hopefully everyone went home with good feelings.

We also had a couple of visitors over the weekend from two different missionaries that have served with us up here in Botswana, but are now finished with their missions and are touring a bit with their parents.  They had each been gone for about 10 months, back serving in other areas in South Africa so it was really good to see them and see how much they have grown in their missionary work and their over-all attitudes and life skills.  Both Elders had delightful parents and we could definitely see why they had been such good missionaries.  One was Elder Bryce Michael Call and he lives in Boise so hopefully we might get to see him again sometime after we get home. 

This next week we will be traveling on assignment clear up to Francistown (5 hours) on Thursday we will drive on up to Kasane (another 5 or more hours) for training on Saturday, Priesthood business and attending their little “group” of about 20 on Sunday.  We will pick up the Riser’s from Francistown and make the rest of the journey together.  Lots of work to be done there, but hopefully a little time for maybe a boat ride on the Chobe River or a little 2 hour game drive if we are lucky.  We aren’t looking forward to all the driving, but we’ve been told that when we get that far up North we will see some “wildlife” and even elephants crossing the road and etc.  We’ll see if we are lucky!  This is the same area that we had the couple’s conference last December, but we flew to Kasane last time and this time we are driving.  I’m always a little nervous about the training part and hope we can understand their needs and be able to help them see a bigger vision of the church for themselves someday.  I think dad sent you a KSL news-clip of the Kasane Branch a couple of months back of something that was televised and run during the break between Conference Sessions.  I’m not sure if you could down load it or not, but it was done well and told of their secluded little Branch clear up in the Northern most part of Botswana and all they are doing to try to do missionary work and bring their friends into the church..  Anyway, we will write next week and tell you how it went and what we got to see (if anything).

Time is passing too quickly and we are enjoying our work here.  Every Day is an Adventure in Botswana and I think everyone of the other couples in our Mission wishes they could serve up here with us.  Actually, we could use a little Adult company once in a while; but we love what we are doing and we are doing it the best way we know how.  Thanks for all of your prayers and your support.  We absolutely could not do what we are doing without your help.  Tell all of your kid’s thanks for their prayers too; we feel their prayers in everything we do.

We Love You ALL,

Mom and Dad, Grannie and PaPa Lynn, Lynn and Lorraine

Botswana Testimony - Granny

Dear Family,

     It’s not my week to write the family letter, but you have been on my mind so much this week that I just have to write to all of you.  I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for the blessing that you are in my life.  I’ve had the opportunity to bear my testimony a few times this past week to members and investigators.  Every morning I pray that Heavenly Father will place people in my path that I can tell how much the gospel means to me and tell them of my love for my Heavenly Father, for my Savior Jesus Christ and for the witness of the Holy Ghost in my daily life.  I realize that our time here in Botswana is getting short, and I want to have done EVERYTHING that I promised Heavenly Father that I would do while I was here.  I know that I knew in the pre-existence that I would serve a Mission in Africa and I certainly hope that I am living up to my end of the bargain and that I am keeping all of my promises and covenants that I made with Heavenly Father.

     I want all of you to know that when I tell people about Families being Forever, that I bear witness to them of the support and love I feel from my own family.  I tell them that because my children are all member of the church, they have married in the Holy Temple to worthy companions;  that you are raising ALL 36 of my grandchildren and my 1 great grand-daughter in the Church; that you go to church every week; you love each other and look out for each other and that I recognize the blessings of Heaven every day in my life.  I tell them because Heavenly Father has given me so many blessings and because the Gospel of Jesus Christ means everything to me, I am here in Botswana to share all that I know with the beautiful people here.  I tell them that they too are sons and daughters of God and that Heavenly Father has looked hard and long to find a way to bring them the Gospel and that they should hang on to it with all of their being and never let anyone pull them away from the church.  I tell them about the pre-existence and that we are all brothers and sisters and that we knew each other before we came to earth.  I tell them that we were all taught at the feet of our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ and that we knew about the Gospel before we came here.  When they hear the messages of the Missionaries of the Restored Gospel and about Joseph Smith and The Restoration; it all sounds good to them because they have known it in the pre-existence.  Their Spirit’s remember, even though the veil is drawn and they can’t personally remember all that they knew. 

I tell the Sister in Relief Society how much I love being in the same room with them; and how much the Relief Society organization means to me.  I tell them that we were placed here as Sisters and we are to love and look out for each other.  I tell them how much I miss being with all 8 of my daughters and even how I miss being with my Sisters in my Relief Society Room at home.  I never hesitate to mention how proud I am of my two grandson's that have married beautiful women in the temple and that I also have a grand daughter that is married, also in the temple  We are so proud of the legacy you are building for the rest of our grand children and I love to tell our famailies story to the people here.  It gives them faith and hope for the future and something to strive for.

   I gave each of the Sisters a small wallet sized picture of the Savior when I’ve visited them this time around  to our 5 Branches and 3 Wards; and they absolutely loved the pictures and acted like it is the only picture they have ever had of Him.  It probably is!  Gay sent in some 5 X 7 pictures also, and I’ve framed some of them and given them to special people in each of the Branches as we visit and they really love and appreciate them as a real treasure.  They especially love the ones where the Savior is hold the little black baby and also the one where Christ is walking with the little black girl.  I love these myself and hope to have one framed and hung in our home as a reminder of our wonderful 18 months here in Botswana, Africa. 

Anyway, I’ve been so grateful for each of you in my life.  I thought that I’m telling everyone in Botswana how much I love my family and how much the gospel means to me and the most important people that I want to know that are all of you.   I am a blessed woman and I want ALL of you to know that I recognize how blessed I am.  Heavenly Father has given me so many blessings and I am thankful to have all of your support while Dad and I are serving this mission.  We would not be able to be here if we had to worry about things at home.  Thanks for all your love and support; we love each of you and we tell people how wonderful our family is.  Thanks for loving each other; thanks for taking such good care of your children, your church jobs, for working so hard to provide a living for your family and for recognizing the things that really matter most.  When all is said and done and when you are “old” like Dad and I, you will know that all the “things” you accumulate won’t matter at all, it just becomes “stuff”.  You will want to walk away from all of that and serve your Heavenly Father and all that really matters is that your children have testimonies of the gospel and that they are living the commandments and loving each other  like all of you are.  That’s why our lives are so good and that is why we can serve our Heavenly Father full time on this mission.  We thank you and we love you with all of our hearts.  I just want to make sure that there is no doubt in any of your minds, that I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  I know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves each of us and that we also have a Heavenly Mother who prays with her companion over each of us.  I know our Savior lives and loves each of us and that His atonement makes it possible for us to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Parents Forever if we keep our covenants and follow their teachings.  Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God who restored the true church of Jesus Christ back to earth; including the Priesthood of God which your father holds and honors with full fidelity.  Thomas S. Monson is our living Prophet today and he truly talks with God in our behalf.  The Book of Mormon is the most true book on earth and as we study it, our testimonies of the Gospel will become more precious to us every day.  The Holy Ghost is the testifier of truth and as we listen for His voice and follow his promptings, we will receive more and more of our Heavenly Father’s guidance and blessings.  Know that I love you and I want you to know of my testimony and for there to be no doubt that your Mother knows this church is the only true church on the face of the earth and I love it with all of my heart.  I also know that each of you have testimonies and it warms my heart.  I am so proud of you and I am so grateful for each of you in my life.  You have taught me a lot and blessed me beyond measure.

Last but certainly not least; I want you to know that I love your Father.  He makes my life wonderful, peaceful, and I pray every day for Heavenly Father to help me be worthy to be his Celestial Companion.  He works so hard here to do all that he can to keep the Botswana end of the mission running.  He is constantly in demand on the telephone, at the front door and doing all the running required by 45 missionaries, their cars, their apartments, and also doing 2^nd interviews for President Poulsen, buying plane tickets, bus tickets, recording gas purchases and sending reports to the Area Office as well as finding buildings for meetings houses and buying property to build on in the future.  I don’t know how he stays on top of everything, but he does!  The Missionaries all love him, the Branch President’s all rely on him and his opinion on everything; and our Stake President Pres. Hall calls him to take care of all kinds of Stake business up here also.  I think they all think he IS the Mission President; but he constantly reminds them all that he is not; but that he will do his best to communicate with President Poulsen and do what he can for them.  It’s is such a treat to serve this mission at his side and we are thoroughly enjoying our time together.  Someday we will look back at our experiences here and wish we could return for another “go-around” but this time will never come again and we know it so we are working hard to do our best and make the very most of each and every day.

Know that we love you,

Sincerely,

Mom

Week # 65 - Papa Lynn

Dear Family and Friends,

     Every other week I have sent a letter home with thoughts ideas and happenings in the mission field and I want this one to be different.  I am offering a challenge to all to follow the reading schedule listed below starting of Friday the 27 of May.  Seven pages a day and you will have completed The Book of Mormon between then and when Lorraine and I get home on 12 Aug 11.

The start date is the 27th after everyone should be out of school for the summer, if not it will be close.  I know the Lord will bless us as a family if you want to join in and read along with all in the family.

READ THE BOOK OF MORMON BEFORE GRANNIE AND PAPALYNN GETS HOME
PAGE	DATE		PAGE	DATE		PAGE	DATE
INTRO	27-May-11		182	22-Jun-11		364	18-Jul-11
7	28-May-11		189	23-Jun-11		371	19-Jul-11
14	29-May-11		196	24-Jun-11		378	20-Jul-11
21	30-May-11		203	25-Jun-11		385	21-Jul-11
28	31-May-11		210	26-Jun-11		392	22-Jul-11
35	1-Jun-11		217	27-Jun-11		399	23-Jul-11
42	2-Jun-11		224	28-Jun-11		406	24-Jul-11
49	3-Jun-11		231	29-Jun-11		413	25-Jul-11
56	4-Jun-11		238	30-Jun-11		420	26-Jul-11
63	5-Jun-11		245	1-Jul-11		427	27-Jul-11
70	6-Jun-11		252	2-Jul-11		434	28-Jul-11
77	7-Jun-11		259	3-Jul-11		441	29-Jul-11
84	8-Jun-11		266	4-Jul-11		448	30-Jul-11
91	9-Jun-11		273	5-Jul-11		455	31-Jul-11
98	10-Jun-11		280	6-Jul-11		462	1-Aug-11
105	11-Jun-11		287	7-Jul-11		469	2-Aug-11
112	12-Jun-11		294	8-Jul-11		476	3-Aug-11
119	13-Jun-11		301	9-Jul-11		483	4-Aug-11
126	14-Jun-11		308	10-Jul-11		490	5-Aug-11
133	15-Jun-11		315	11-Jul-11		497	6-Aug-11
140	16-Jun-11		322	12-Jul-11		504	7-Aug-11
147	17-Jun-11		329	13-Jul-11		511	8-Aug-11
154	18-Jun-11		336	14-Jul-11		518	9-Aug-11
161	19-Jun-11		343	15-Jul-11		525	10-Aug-11
168	20-Jun-11		350	16-Jul-11		531	11-Aug-11
175	21-Jun-11		357	17-Jul-11

 

Good luck and may the Lord bless you.

Love Out Of Botswana

DAD