Humanitarian Couples' Training in Johannesburg

 Last week we attended the yearly couples' training in Johannesburg for welfare services.  Not only did we learn good things, but we were able to share things we have learned.  It was a great 3 day conference.  This included a trip to the temple.  The last time we attended was one year ago at this same training.  All 10 couples attended and a special session was scheduled for us.  All participated in the prayer circle and the spirit felt was truly awe-inspiring!

Pool at the hotel.  Shucks! No time to swim.

Dinner at a nice place in Johannesburg after a day of training

 This is a picture of Sister Kaylene Petersen.  She and her husband are welfare services missionaries in Kenya.  Teril really liked her dress that she designed and had made out of some "capulana" material. 

Ready to go eat

Our awesome wives!

Pond and landscaping around the Area Office

 Teril was trying to capture some of the landscaping at the Johannesburg Temple. We had a marvelous day at the temple.  Is there any temple in the world where such would not be the case??  How blessed we felt to have the opportunity of entering the sacred temple and being lifted by His spirit! 

On the temple grounds

 We received permission to stay a couple of extra days to see Johannesburg and visit with another couple there working in Public Affairs; Elder and Sister Gatten from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  The hosted us on 2 great adventures.  The first was bus tour of Johannesburg where we learned a little about the history of the area.  Mining, agriculture, apartheid, new development in the slum areas, etc.  The second was a trip to Pilanesberg Nature Reserve.  We loved it all!

My bald head and sensitive skin requires a hat

 So I did not take good notes.  But this is a school built by the Afrikans during apartheid.  Still in use today, but is open to everyone. 

Red Bus Tour

 This is an artwork "sculpture" of animal and human bones representing the struggle of the people of South Africa to overcome apartheid and move toward greater freedom.  This is inside the Constitutional Court on Constitution Hill.  It used to be a prison where the political prisoners (anyone who was convicted of speaking against the government) were held.  The conditions were deplorable.  Some of the buildings were torn down to make room for the Constitutional Court Building.  Many of the bricks were salvaged and used for walkways.

A part of the prison still standing.  This was the women's section

 Nelson Mandela spent some time in this prison as well as Ghandi.

We spent the next day at the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve.  Teril has sent those pics to the grandkids.  More pictures of giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, impala, monkeys, hippopotami, a male lion, waterbuck, rhinoceroses, and dung beetles galore.
We are now back home working hard following up on our projects.  We have 2 clinics in Matola for which we are supplying furniture and medical equipment.  The first delivery is tomorrow.  We should be hearing back this week that Malhazine school has collected their 10% so we can start their project of rehabilitating the latrines and repairing the roof.  Eduardo Mondlane school project should be approved this week.  We returned to Mateque school and found the community working hard on their own to build 3 more classrooms.  We were so excited about it we offered to build them a latrine and if they complete the classrooms before we leave in 5 months we can get them desks for the 3 classrooms.  We also will be helping in the development of a vision project and a maternal and newborn care project here in Mozambique as well as a water project in Swaziland.  That is a lot to try and get in before we leave in 5 months.  We are sprinting to the finish line!!
There really is only one thing that will save the world, and it is accepting and living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is the Light and Life of the world; our only Salvation. 

Elder and Sister Petersen, Grandma and Grandpa Petersen