Well here we are the end of October and I imagine you are all getting ready for Halloween! Actually they don't celebrate at least I havent heard much about it. There are some things here that are quite different though. Outside of our flat there is a sign that says "NO HOOTING". GUESS what that means? No its not about owls. . Its talking about car horns. They hoot not honk! The trunk of the car is the boot and the front is the bonnet. When they have a garage sale its called " a boot and bonnet sale". The grocery cart is a trolley and you have to pay for the plastic bags for your groceries. You have to ask for ice. They dont automatically provide it in the glasses. The beatiful jacaranda trees are all in bloom and it's a purple world on our street! We traveled to Sabie this weekend since the temple was closed on Saturday. The scenery was spectacular . Canyons, rivers, mountains, rock firmations not to mention beatiful birds, animals and flowers. There were 6 missionary couples that went and it was really enjoyable. This week we have had about 60 patrons from Reunion Island here at the temple. They ALL SPEAK FRENCH. They flew in on Sunday since that is the only flight into Joburg each week and they are staying at temple housinguntil the plane returns them on Sunday. Reunion island is off the coast of Madagascar. Anyway sure wish we knew a little French. Such beautiful people. So kind and humble. By the way if anyone wants to call us we are 8 hours ahead and we have our same phone number that we had in Mink Creek. We had an amazing devotional with Elder Quentin Cook and his wife. Also the Area President spoke to us. It was so uplifting and inspiring. Dad and I have been trying to walk every morning and I love seeing all the different nationalities that live around us; Indian, Asian, African, American and many many different languages all talking at once! Well I hope this finds you all well and happy. We are blessed in so many ways and are having an amazing experience. May the Lord bless you all.
Love,
Kathy
Sister Jarvis
Elder and Sister Jarvis
Johannesburg South Africa Temple Missionaries
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014
One month in Africa
Well its hard to believe but yes we have been out one month already. We have already had some incredible experiences and every day is a new adventure. We continue to havemembers from Botswana, Congo, Zimbabwe, Cape Town, Durbin and Madagascar and Mozambique visiting the temple. Its such a privilege to help these sweet, humble people eavh day. We have to be in the temple every day except Sunday and Monday. On Friday we go at 4:30 a.m. and on Saturday we go at 5:30 a.m. The temple opens about noon on Tues and Wed. And Thurs. Sundays we drive to Soweto to the ward that we are assigned
to. How incredible that has been. Today was the Primary program and it was amaxing. There were probably close to 80 children crowded onto the stand. Each one had a speaking part and the music was beautiful. Every child had memorized their part and it was beautiful. We always are so grateful that we have found the chapel withouy a map or G.P.S. we definitely have been blessed. This past week we went to the Zoo in Pretoria. It was huge and so beautiful. The jacaranda trees are all in bloom there and they are magnificent. Of course all the animals were amazing but so were all the gardens and trees. Tomorrow on Pday we have been invited to go bird watching with President. Atkins of the Temple Presidency. I guess he and Elder Jarvis have been talking a lot about the different in the area. So this will be a great opportunity as the Atkins have travelled around the world to view birds. I wanted to post some amazing pics from our Rhino/Lion adventure but our computer broke this week and we need to find someone to fix it for us. WE have been blessed so much and appreciate your love and prayers in our behalf. We love serving with other temple missionaries. We have Family Home Evening each Monday with all the other temple workers and the temple presidency. It has been great. The treats are pretty amazing too! Well enough for today. We send our love to all of you.
to. How incredible that has been. Today was the Primary program and it was amaxing. There were probably close to 80 children crowded onto the stand. Each one had a speaking part and the music was beautiful. Every child had memorized their part and it was beautiful. We always are so grateful that we have found the chapel withouy a map or G.P.S. we definitely have been blessed. This past week we went to the Zoo in Pretoria. It was huge and so beautiful. The jacaranda trees are all in bloom there and they are magnificent. Of course all the animals were amazing but so were all the gardens and trees. Tomorrow on Pday we have been invited to go bird watching with President. Atkins of the Temple Presidency. I guess he and Elder Jarvis have been talking a lot about the different in the area. So this will be a great opportunity as the Atkins have travelled around the world to view birds. I wanted to post some amazing pics from our Rhino/Lion adventure but our computer broke this week and we need to find someone to fix it for us. WE have been blessed so much and appreciate your love and prayers in our behalf. We love serving with other temple missionaries. We have Family Home Evening each Monday with all the other temple workers and the temple presidency. It has been great. The treats are pretty amazing too! Well enough for today. We send our love to all of you.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
MY 73RD BIRTHDAY IN AFRICA!
October 8, 2014
Well this definitely was a birthday I will never forget! My birthday fell on Pday and we were able to go with several other senior couples on the Rhino/lion preserve. It was just incredible. We saw so many animals in a day. Lions...actually white lions with blue eyes...really they are incredible. The white rhinos...we saw them making their way into the watering hole. Beautiful, impalas, springbok and wildebeest. We even saw a new baby zebra...amazing! Even a mongoose or two. The ostriches all stampeded in front of the van! What a day. We also went into the Kromdraai Wondercave. The second largest cave in South Africa. Beautiful formations and colorations. Did I tell you we saw many giraffes and sable antelope. also the waterbuck and eland. Wow...I could not believe all we saw in one day! Anyway we were able to have lunch at the entrance to the cave and it was delicious. /They served dagwood sandwiches which were enormous! They had a burger patty, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avacado and two over easy eggs on top! Joe and I split one and it was still huge! Did I tell you we saw white rhinos? Well the whole thing was the Best ever! How magnificent is the creation! How much Heavenly Father must love us to form all these incredible creatures! What a day!
The temple seems a little slower this week. Possibly because the kids are out of school on vacation this week. But we have kept pretty steady at the temple and I love it. I absolutely love getting to know these people! /They are just amazing and I keep thinking that I know them and have always known them. It's a great feelilng. Well it's time for the old missionary couple to get to bed but we send our love and prayers to all.
Love,
Mom
Grandmother
Kathy
Sister Jarvis
Well this definitely was a birthday I will never forget! My birthday fell on Pday and we were able to go with several other senior couples on the Rhino/lion preserve. It was just incredible. We saw so many animals in a day. Lions...actually white lions with blue eyes...really they are incredible. The white rhinos...we saw them making their way into the watering hole. Beautiful, impalas, springbok and wildebeest. We even saw a new baby zebra...amazing! Even a mongoose or two. The ostriches all stampeded in front of the van! What a day. We also went into the Kromdraai Wondercave. The second largest cave in South Africa. Beautiful formations and colorations. Did I tell you we saw many giraffes and sable antelope. also the waterbuck and eland. Wow...I could not believe all we saw in one day! Anyway we were able to have lunch at the entrance to the cave and it was delicious. /They served dagwood sandwiches which were enormous! They had a burger patty, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avacado and two over easy eggs on top! Joe and I split one and it was still huge! Did I tell you we saw white rhinos? Well the whole thing was the Best ever! How magnificent is the creation! How much Heavenly Father must love us to form all these incredible creatures! What a day!
The temple seems a little slower this week. Possibly because the kids are out of school on vacation this week. But we have kept pretty steady at the temple and I love it. I absolutely love getting to know these people! /They are just amazing and I keep thinking that I know them and have always known them. It's a great feelilng. Well it's time for the old missionary couple to get to bed but we send our love and prayers to all.
Love,
Mom
Grandmother
Kathy
Sister Jarvis
Monday, September 29, 2014
WEEK ONE IN AFRICA!
Here we are one week into our mission and I think I finally figured out how to post something. Well maybe. we shall see. I already wrote a family letter but I think I will share again our first week in Africa for those of you who just joined us!. We arrived on Friday, Sept 19 after a very long plane ride. We were taken to Duke's Court which is a walled compound right in Johannesburg, a city of 12 million. Our flat is really very nice. Large living room and dining room and a remodeled kitchen and bathroom. Large window in the office, yes we have that too, and living room so we can see the complex across the street. There are palm trees and many other flowering trees too so it isn't a bad view. We feel quite safe. The door to our flat has a tall metal locked gate and then you have another locked steel door to get into the house. There is security in the lobby and the parking is all underground which requires a code to get in. We have been on a walk or two but we have been cautioned not to go out after dark and since it's almost dark when we get home we haven't tried or rather I should say I haven't tried it. Dad on the other hand goes most every morning except the days we have to leave by 3:45 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. We have met so many wonderful people this week. The couples hale from all over, Maine, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and others. We have Family Home Evening with all the couples and the Temple Presidency on Monday nights. Joe was pretty sick with a cold/flu last Sunday but they had a progressive dinner for all of us to get acquainted. It was delicious and so fun. Here's an idea of what they eat: fruit - berries of all kinds, mangoes, pineapple, papaya, bananas, oranges, apples, etc. main course - stir fry with pork, beef, shrimp in a spicy sauce over rice and then dessert was some kind of pudding cake with custard on top...yum...The new couples got to go on a Safari but Joe was still down with the cold so we passed. I guess it was wonderful but they told us not to feel too bad since we will all go another time. Glad it isn't this week-end since Joe so kindly gave me his cold/flu!!
Working in the temple was just wonderful. We had the MTC there on Tues. and Wednesday and 9 young elders and several sisters received their endowments. It was such a spiritual experience for me. They all were so very reverent and spoke so softly and were so grateful. On Friday we had a wedding and the bride was so beautiful and when the couple came out of the temple all the family from Botswana were making this little chirping sound. Truly it was amazing. I worked in clothing, helped with the baptismal area, did sealings and worked in the name booth and initiatory as well as the sessions. What a marvelous experience.
Yesterday we got another assignment from the Temple President. We have been asked to attend the Soweto Ward and help out there. Yes, the famous Soweto...Mandela's birth place. They don't have anyone to play the piano so I will be teaching a few and playing most Sundays.Joe will have to get his driver's license because it's quite a drive there about 30 miles. at least it's similar to England. Everyone drives on the left! /scarry times ahead! We have a meeting tonight with the Area Presidency and also those who have been called to serve in the area so that will be good.Monday all of the couples are going to a bird sanctuary and botanical garden so I am excited for that too. So after one week I can say I think this will be a truly wonderful adventure for us. Thank you for your letters, phone calls and prayers. /We definitely can feel them in our life each day. We likewise pray for all of you our dear family and friends.
Love,
Elder and Sister Jarvis
Mom and Dad
Grandmother and PaPa Joe
Joe and Kathy
Working in the temple was just wonderful. We had the MTC there on Tues. and Wednesday and 9 young elders and several sisters received their endowments. It was such a spiritual experience for me. They all were so very reverent and spoke so softly and were so grateful. On Friday we had a wedding and the bride was so beautiful and when the couple came out of the temple all the family from Botswana were making this little chirping sound. Truly it was amazing. I worked in clothing, helped with the baptismal area, did sealings and worked in the name booth and initiatory as well as the sessions. What a marvelous experience.
Yesterday we got another assignment from the Temple President. We have been asked to attend the Soweto Ward and help out there. Yes, the famous Soweto...Mandela's birth place. They don't have anyone to play the piano so I will be teaching a few and playing most Sundays.Joe will have to get his driver's license because it's quite a drive there about 30 miles. at least it's similar to England. Everyone drives on the left! /scarry times ahead! We have a meeting tonight with the Area Presidency and also those who have been called to serve in the area so that will be good.Monday all of the couples are going to a bird sanctuary and botanical garden so I am excited for that too. So after one week I can say I think this will be a truly wonderful adventure for us. Thank you for your letters, phone calls and prayers. /We definitely can feel them in our life each day. We likewise pray for all of you our dear family and friends.
Love,
Elder and Sister Jarvis
Mom and Dad
Grandmother and PaPa Joe
Joe and Kathy
Monday, September 15, 2014
Our Farewell
Our Farewell was on August 31st. We had our family and dear friends, the Sawyer's come to visit. Here are some pics!
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