April in South Africa

Hello Dear Family and Friends:
Hope you are all well and  enjoying the Spring.  It is Spring there isn't it.  With these backwards seasons I can't imagine you with your tulips and daffodils and us just going into Fall/Winter.  It has been another amazing month here in South Africa. We reached our 7 month anniversary on the 15th and hard to believe we have less than a year left!.  We have been working hard at the temple this week with patrons from Zambia and Zimbabwe.  What an exciting time it has been to meet these "fellow saints" from this amazing continent.  I did tell you that we have 32 countries in our temple district.  The temple is equipped to conduct the sessions in 12 languages including 7 tribal languages but yesterday we had a sister from Zambia who spoke a dialect that no one knew.  But it was quite amazing.  She seemed to understand all that she needed to and was so happy after the session.

There is so much to tell about this remarkable country and I wanted to share a few observations with you this time.  First of all let me tell you about the Recyclers.  These are very poor men and women who are trying to make a little money and this is the way they do it.  The arise early in the morning before the garbage trucks come and they pull a little flat bed cart on 4 wheels with an enormous canvas bag on the top.  They pull it all over town up and down the streets going through the garbage for glass, plastic, paper and anything else that the Recycle center might buy.  Some of them are good about putting the discarded garbage back in the cans but others just leave all of it on the sidewalks or in the streets.  It can get pretty dirty and smelly. Another sight are the street vendors who walk between the cars on the busy streets trying to sell newspapers, magazines, fruit, pop, popcicles, brooms and anything else you can imagine.  It scares me to death to see how close they come to being hit by a car but they are always there as we drive to and from the temple.  Have I told you about the Kombi's?  These are toyota and VW vans/busses that are South Africa's answer to a New York taxi.  Honestly they are crazy.  They are meant to hold about 12 to 14 passengers but they are usually sitting 5 to 6 across in the seats and they don't pay any attention to traffic laws or  lights!  They cut you off, drive through red lights (called robots) and pretty much rule the roads!  They are totally unorganized but are actually the bus system in Joburg.  There are new large buses in this country but the Kombi's are cheap and fast and serve the black people in the townships quite well.  Elder Jarvis says it's sort of like playing "chicken" every time one comes near!

We have been quite adventurous this month trying "ostrich steaks" and Kudu.  I tried the ostrich and it was pretty good.  Sort of like beef.  Joe loved the Kudu but it's such a beautiful animal and we have seen several in the reserves so I couldn't quite handle that.  Anyway before I close I wanted to tell you about power shedding.  Because Johannesburg's power system is not big enough for the demand they have to rotate outages through the neighborhoods two times each week.  Yes we usually know when they are scheduled for 4 to 6 hours but other times there is an emergency and out it goes.  Today it has been out for 6 hours but huray it was back on when we got home from the temple so I could fix dinner!

Well I hope you enjoyed learning a little about this enormous city.  It truly is an exciting, busy, colorful amazing place to be and I will try sharing a little more next month.


We love the people here and never cease to be amazed at their love for the Gospel.  They sacrifice so much to come to the temple.  Yesterday some of the patrons had been on a 36 hour bus trip to come from Zambia to Johannesburg to the temple.  They are so grateful and so very happy. They have the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they are of all people most joyful.  I am so grateful to have become acquainted with them

Well, we love you all very much.  You are in our prayers and always in our hearts.

Mom
Grandmother
Sister Jarvis