We Have Arrived in Johannasburg

It's been a long days night but we have finally arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa. We left Salt Lake City on Monday at 11 am Mountain Standard Time and arrived in Joburg on Wednesday at 12:15 pm (not sure what time zone we are in) after having a 5 hour stop in Chicago and a 10 hour lay over in London which actually ended up being a little over 13 hours because of a delay. We did manage to shower while in London hoping to be presentable when we arrived here. Norriss, who's hair never changes from perfect, looks the part of an executive. I on the other hand looked like I'd been caught in a rain storm during transit. Our lodgings at the airport in London (what lodgings?) had an electrical capacity for an electric razor not a curling iron; good thing to check before one commits to this activity! I did enjoy the long hot shower however, and can not complain about the Heathrow Airport. We felt quite comfortable in a lounge that allowed each of us to put our feet up and sleep for several hours.

We were met here by the Neilson's. Dr. and Mrs. Neilson or Elder and Sister as we are known. Can I just say we were so grateful to see Elder Neilson in the sea of new faces? They are serving for 2 years as the head of the Area Welfare program here in the Johannesburg office of the LDS church. They travel all over several countries; their primary job is to oversee water safety, and food and wheel chair distribution to the truly needy. I was impressed with the heavy duty wheel chairs which are for AIDS victims. These are multi-terrain chairs with a large third wheel out front of the chair for stabilization. The LDS church is certainly not cutting corners there.

Our home for the next two years is an apartment complex across the street from a mall of which we were given a tour. We were then hosted by the Neilsons to a lovely homemade meal.
After our heart felt thanks we headed back to our apartment to try to unpack a few things. We no sooner walked in than the phone rang and it was Sister Jane Howell, who delivered some fresh bake chocolate chip cookies. We visited for a bit and then Sister Howell excused herself, knowing we must be very tired. We had noticed we were becoming numb and pretty much non responsive. Just a mention about the cookies: Norriss had been looking all over for a good chocolate chip cookie....they are not available. The cookies here are biscuits. The brown sugar needed to make a good cookie is one of those treasures from the U.S.A. Sister Howell brought several bags with her when she came and she is getting down to the last of her supply. The fact that she would share this much coveted treat with us is very touching.

Sister Howell and her husband leave today for Madagascar to help train church leaders and help them organize their branches (congregations). She said these sweet people had a couple of chairs and a note pad and were trying to do the best they could to run a branch of the church. The Howells will be taking supplies as well as helping them learn the basics.

We finally went to bed at 10 and I awoke at 2:30am. I laid in bed trying to sleep until 4 and then finally just got up. I now hear a few birds beginning to greet the soon to be dawn. I am looking out the window of a small office here in our apartment to what must be the East. There is a very slight reddish glow beginning to appear, I imagine it will spread quickly now.

Good Morning South Africa. Today we will learn about our assignment and exactly what we will be doing in this part of God's very beautiful world. I love the faces of the people here. They are every color.