Johannesburg Training

We have not posted any domestic photos, so here is Sister Gunderson in her little kitchen with curry rice and samoosas.  Samoosas are a wonderful Indian dish consisting of pastry shells filled with spicy meats and vegetables.  Lots of varieties, chicken, lamb, and mince--their term here for hamburger.  I have not met a samoosa that I do not like:-)  Note the curries on the shelf!
We have learned several new South African terms for things.  A dust bin is a garbage can.  Robots are street lights.  A bakkie is a pick-up truck.  They do not use the terms restroom or bathroom - it is just toilet. A braae is a barbeque.  Matriculation or just matric is graduation from high school.  So,we are always not only listening hard to understand the British, Afrikaner, Indian, and Zulu accents, but to also understand what they are talking about.  It is really quite fun and people here say they love our accents????

          At King Shaka International Airport in Durban
This past weekend we traveled to Johannesburg for some training.  We flew there to learn more about our roles, as the Perpetual Education Fund program changed significantly since June 1st and there has been some confusion about the various roles.  We met our new supervisor, Khumbalani Mdletshe, who is the Seminary and Institute Supervisor for all of Southeastern Africa, a very nice man. We are now considered Seminary and Institute Coordinators working in the PEF program.  It is more than just a change in semantics as we will be working more with Priesthood Leaders and training teachers who are key to the workshops that go along with the PEF program.  We will continue to work with the students, our favorite part.  We also may now have Lesoto (another country) and Blomfontaine in the Free State that is west of KwazuluNatal.  Much more area and more travel.

 We are treated very well as senior missionaries.  Our Mission President and Khumbulani have both told us whenever you are near a site that you want to see, take a little time and go see South Africa and its beautiful scenery and wildlife.  We spotted some really pretty beaches on the approach for landing.  So, when we landed back in Durban, and were heading home from the airport,  we took a little detour of about a mile and found Umhlanga, a beautiful beach that is a popular spot for European tourists in the northern hemisphere's winter.  They have the water temperature posted and it was 70F today.  It stays warm because of the currents from equatorial waters that circulate counter-clockwise and come along the South African Coast.  There are shark nets out beyond the rocky, reef area.  I guess they are quite effective.

                                                    Umhlanga Rocks
Not too many pictures to post this time.  However, Thursday we leave for a senior missionary couples conference on Nambiti Game Preserve and we have several, what they call game drives--it is a driving tour in the open jeep type vehicles that gives you great opportunities to see the wildlife.  They are supposed to have the big five there and say there is  good chance of seeing them.  Rhinos, Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Leopards, and Lions and lots of other animals.  Hope to be able to post some pictures of them next week