Cape Town, South Africa Mission

Cape Town Mission Field       27 February 2019     Day 445 Wednesday This morning we went into the office and handed out the boarding supplies and helped the elders manage some scheduled repairs for their cars. The area office needed us to go into the motor vehicle division to try and "clear" the car that was stolen 6 months ago. When they went to re-register it the system showed it as still in the "stolen" category. We found out once there that they required some additional paperwork from Johannesburg that we don't have. We will try again tomorrow. Sister Courtright was stopped by one of the workers who thanked her for many old dishware and kitchen items that she gave them when she was cleaning our the shed last week. We can't give away items like that which we are getting rid of to members due to someone's feelings getting hurt so they have to be non-members. He was very grateful and Sister Courtright explained that if more items come up like th...

Cape Town Mission Field       26 February 2019     Day 444 Tuesday This morning we made our usual run to Makro to pick up boarding supplies. We dropped items off at our boarding that we picked up for us then enjoyed the afternoon together. We watched Queen of Ketwa on Netflix. It was a great true story of a girl in the Ugandan ghetto's that learned to play chess and went on to win the countries first place. We then went into the office in the late afternoon and got back around midnight after working on leases and getting the boarding supplies and mail ready to go for tomorrow.

Cape Town Mission Field       25 February 2019     Day 443 Monday We went in early to work today then stopped at the Post Office around 8:30. From there we went home and had some breakfast (when Elder Courtright made slushies he found another stalagmite in the ice cube tray) and then we dropped the bike off at the shop for repair then went to the mall around noon. We decided to see Aquaman. It was a really great movie. We stopped at the office and finished up some paperwork. Funny portrait at the mall Another beautiful sunset over Devil's Peak

Cape Town Mission Field       24 February 2019     Day 442 Sunday We left early for church (8:00 am) to meet anyone that is interested in studying music. No one showed up at the time arranged so we went over to "old man Musheshe's" house to invite his wife to church. She said she would come next week but wasn't ready to come this morning. We gave the old man a ride to church. We had some good meeting's and stayed after the second branch to have a discussion about an upcoming "couple's conference". We got home around 4:30 pm. The president stopped by around 5:00 pm and we talked until just before 8:00 pm. He gave Sister Courtright a blessing before leaving. Shirley stopped by with Anthony, who is the son-in-law to the owner's of our flat. He is visiting from the UK and wanted to meet us. We chatted for a little bit but Sister Courtright began to fall asleep so they decided to leave us so she could get some sleep.

Cape Town Mission Field       23 February 2019     Day 441 Saturday This morning we went to the office only to find that the water in the men's bathroom sink was splashing out of the basin and getting the entire area wet and into the hallway. The water, which as been off for 2 days, must've come back on sometime during the night. Luckily the area is tiled so it was easy to clean up. Unfortunately, the base boards outside the men's bathroom got wet and swelled up and cracked the silicon work that was just completed this past week by the working repainting the offices. That we require another filling and painting. We took the bike we had down to Fish Hoek to get the bigger "Titan" bike for the Tableview elder that is much bigger. We stopped in Milnerton and had dinner at Maestro's, our usual lasagna. We dropped the bike off after picking up the Tableview elders in Parkland. They gave us one of their bikes that had a stripped out pedal. We took some time...

Cape Town Mission Field       22 February 2019     Day 440 Friday Today was a typical day at the office. Elder Courtright was busy trying to get some leases renewed and submitted to Johannesburg but it seems there was always something they kept throwing back at us to do. He was also struggling with the cell phone situation trying to get another line released for the new companionship in King Williams Town. He was able to determine from talking directly with Vodacom (Mike) that the lines he requested to be deleted last July were still active. So all this time he could have just did a SIM SWAP to get another line for the elders. Sometimes the work can be very frustrating. We just keep reminding ourselves that the work we do is "for Him" and that it's not our work and that help remove the frustration and stress. We came home and went over some things that we could do to improve our relationship to help us get through stressful times and we came up with a pla...

Cape Town Mission Field       21 February 2019     Day 439 Thursday Today is our grand-daughter Elodie's birthday. Happy Birthday! We went into the office at 5:00 am this morning to complete some paperwork. We then came home around 8:00 am. Elder Courtright visited the Gugulethu boarding and did an inspection there. He then picked up the extra bed at the Elsie's River boarding after having some training at the office from the Bidtrack (car tracking) agent. We then headed to the mall and watched "How to Train Your Dragon". It was very good with some wonderful uplifting moments.

Cape Town Mission Field       20 February 2019     Day 438 Wednesday We woke up early and were in the office at 5:00 am. We had a lot of paperwork to catch up on including leases, putting out the CREST, getting supplies out, and getting the mail out. I used up the 10 smoke detectors I received last week and need to order more already for the new boarding's we're opening up. We left early at 4:00 pm to call it an early evening.

Cape Town Mission Field       19 February 2019     Day 437 Tuesday This morning we dropped off the extra food items and other miscellaneous stuff we couldn't take with us to the elders. We then went shopping and picked up a washing machine and two single beds with box springs from Marco Polo. When we walked into the shop the employees were gathered around in morning prayer. We joined in. Marc knew Ellen very well, just three shops down, so he is going to arrange to have them dropped off at the boarding with her assistance. We also picked up some pillows, duvets, clothes drying racks, and small tool set for the elders. We finished around 12:30 and were on our way to the airport. We stopped halfway there at a farmstall, Nanaga. We had some nice authentic food. Then took the flight home and the elders picked us up at the airport. We collapsed early and had a great nights sleep back in our own bed. We dropped below the clouds approaching Cape Town and...

Cape Town Mission Field       18 February 2019     Day 436 Monday This morning we met an agent at 9:00 who showed us 3 boarding's near the beach where the elders are presently staying. They have 14 units in a large complex that are going for a long term lease due to the poor experience they were having with transient students attending either the hospitality school or the flight school. These would all work out nicely. They were the right size and only needed to have a washing machine added. We then went downtown to look around some more because we didn't have any other appointments until later in the morning (our 10:00 am appointment got pushed back). We found another agency Southby's that thought there might be an opening at a house not far from the chapel and that we should check later to see if it opens up. So we then connected with Brother Gobeni who showed us his flat near the west edge of town. They are moving to Uitenhage in East London for work...

Cape Town Mission Field       17 February 2019     Day 435 Sunday The sun was up at 5:55 am so we went for a walk along the beach at 6:15 and came back around 7:30, showered, had some breakfast, then headed to church. We had a great service and Francis came and he said he felt a strong spirit there and was very glad he came. We met some lovely members who were excited to see missionaries again. They haven't had missionaries there for 4 years. We had a quick bite to eat at the cottage then met at the Halyard Hotel for a river cruise. It was a very peaceful and enjoyable ride. Afterwards we drove up to Bathurst, north about 15 km. The Giant Pineapple was closed but we got a picture of it from the road. It is a 3 story fiberglass with metal frame structure celebrating their cash crop in the area. They found pineapples grow quite well here back in the 1820's when they were first starting to farm the area. We headed back to town and ate dinner on the river a...

Cape Town Mission Field       16 February 2019     Day 434 Saturday We had breakfast at the Penny Farthing and met Kanisimo, a member, who was our server. She works most Sunday's so she doesn't get to church much. We met Robyn from Jawitz Properties and she showed a nice 2 bedroom that is furnished. The owners however will return this coming summer (November) so we can only have a 6 month lease. The agent suggested if we want it then she can work on a full time lease in the interim. We met the elders back downtown to pick up some pass along cards and Sister Courtright met a Zulu priest walking the streets. She gave him a Book of Mormon and he will share this with the other 4 Zulu's he's with. We then met with Brother Gobani and his lovely wife. His parents serve in the Johannesburg temple. They are moving to Port Elizabeth to Uitenhage and have their flat for lease. It seemed a bit high for what we were getting and farther out of town, but it is an opti...

Cape Town Mission Field       15 February 2019     Day 433 Friday We headed to Port Alfred this morning but first stopped at the Beal's to pick up supplies to the Port Alfred elders. They also needed Restoration pamphlets but they were still at the Post Net office having just arrived from yesterday's shipment by Sister Courtright. So we stopped there and they pulled out 2 packs for us. We enjoyed the nice ride along the coast route to Port Alfred. We arrived and picked up some KFC for the the Port Alfred Elders and the Grahamstown Elders who were both having a District meeting at the chapel just up the street. We had a nice lunch and had a great chat with them. We noticed the pictures on the wall and recognized the Peterson's who left from here about a year ago. We met Brother Kenny who showed Sister Courtright the stores up the street. They also picked up a sack of prickly pears from a lady selling them on the street. We did some shopping then headed ...

Cape Town Mission Field       14 February 2019     Day 432 Thursday Happy Valentine's Day! We woke up at 4:00 am to take Elder Mushipi to the airport. He's finished his mission and is heading home to Zambia. He was a truly wonderful elder and we really enjoyed his sweet spirit. Elder Mushipi and Sister Courtright practiced their farewell move at the airport. We then spent the day at the office preparing for our trip to Port Elizabeth and Port Alfred. We managed to get a booking at a cottage on the beach. We said goodbye to Elder Warren who is also headed home this afternoon. We arrived in Port Elizabeth and headed for the Lemon Tree B&B. It was a beautiful B&B. We ran out for some snacks and picked up a pizza for our Valentine's Day romantic dinner (ha ha). We met the elders from Lorraine outside our B&B and they dropped off a pouch for one of the elders in Cape Town. They also said the new Port Alfred elders needed proselyting supplies ...

Cape Town Mission Field       13 February 2019     Day 431 Wednesday Today was transfers. We picked up the sandwiches we ordered yesterday while picking up the post at Pick n Pay. We then headed for the Gugulethu Chapel to set up the snacks and lunches as elders arrived and departed to their areas around the West Cape and to the airport for those going back and forth to the East Cape. We drove two cars back to the chapel then set up the lunch for those elders staying over the night and traveling back home tomorrow. We set up the lunch in the mail room because the workers were busy painting the kitchen area. We then worked on sending out the arrival letters and organizing our trip to Port Alfred this weekend. We left around 6:30 and took Elder Hutchings to the airport. He is leaving to go back home to have a hernia operation. We strongly believe he will be back on mission in about 12 weeks. He still has 20 months to go. He is a wonderful, humble elder fr...

Cape Town Mission Field       12 February 2019     Day 430 Tuesday Today was the day our new elders arrive from the Johannesburg MTC. It was an unusual receipt because of the 11 elders only three were not from Africa. One was from Tonga, one from "Stalia", and the other from St. George. We received two Elder Vetters. First initial L and R. So we figured we had a left and a right Vetter. They are cousins from Johannesburg. One of the other elders that arrived with them is a second cousin. We also got an Elder De Beer. Kind of rings up thoughts of the diamond mines in the central part of South Africa. Turns out he is not related. We took them to Signal Hill and back to the office for training then out to dinner at the River Club.  Signal Hill burnt last week Baby on Board (surfboard that is)