Fast Sunday is a special day to me. A day when I can fast from a couple of meals and in return I am blessed with ears to hear the sweetest testimonies of the most humble saints. This past Sunday was no exception. We traveled about an hour from our home to Orange Farm Branch. This branch meets in a schoolhouse like many others. The difference is that none of the streets in this area have street names or signs. Norriss looked at the map and could not figure out how we were going to find the church, we Googled maps with the same results. So we goggled the township and there we saw two symbols indicating two schools in the area. We zeroed in on one of the schools and the put the coordinates of one of the schools in the GPS and off we went. We did have some trouble locating the right school at first. We found ourselves surrounded by Combies as Apostolic Saints poured out of the vans and headed into the first school location. Norriss found someone who spoke English and was able to find out where the LDS church met. Of course it was the other school in this community. We wound around roads paved and unpaved and were unable to cross over the wire fence that separated us from the meeting house school. We finally talked with a man whose eyes we could see over a yard fence. He directed us up two streets and then left where we found the unmarked entry for the school yard which was hidden down a long driveway.
This is a typical home site of the neighbors facing the school.
Beyond the wire are several buildings, the main house, the outhouse and the rental house which is the one closest to the fence. You can see the stove pipe coming up through the roof. A rental house, dismal as it seems means income. Many people also have chickens that run free. Another source of income. Several chickens came into the school yard to drink the water in the drains.
A round house like this one is often used for smoking meats, or storing dried meat.
As I was walking the grounds of the school yard these woman called out to me saying "Mama, how are you today?
I greeted them and asked how they were. I was told two of them had the flu and one had had a stroke. The woman in the striped shirt did the talking and she is the one who is a stroke victim. I took their pictures, as they requested and share them with you now. They were very nice and wanted to know what that other white boy was doing. At first I thought they were speaking of Elder Webb, but then it dawned on me they were talking about Elder Baxter who is serving in this area. I told them we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ come with a message of His love for them. They wanted to visit a bit, which I did. They told me of God's goodness to them. I told them he had sent the missionaries because he loved them so much. I also told them I would bring them the pictures I took of them when I visit next. That is when this young lady came close to the fence so I could take her picture up close. She liked what she saw.
This is the court yard of the school where Orange Branch meets for church. By the time the Sacrament had been served the building was filled to capacity. There were no chairs left.
We took the key board with us so I could play for Sacrament Meeting. This Branch has no piano, but the saint have voices that ring out clear. The chorister was so excited to actually have an accompanist that she kept looking at me and smiling as she sang out leading the congregation with her voice. I couldn't get the key board to play loud enough to be heard above their singing.
After that meeting was over I offered to play for primary. I loved being with the children. They are so loving and open. As I played for them they sang so beautifully. I was told they were practicing for Branch Conference which will be held next week. As primary music time was ending the Primary President gave them an assignment; 3 things they were to pray for before coming to church next Sunday. 1. They were to pray they would sing with their best voices. 2. They were to pray that Sister Webb would be able to come to church again next week to play for conference. 3. They were to pray that the angles would sing with them. I felt very special.
As you can imagine, Elder Webb and I will be attending church in Orange again next Sunday. We love sharing time with such wonderful people.
When Primary was over I let the children take turns playing the keyboard. They were thrilled to have the chance to make different sounds.
Future Ward Organists.
These two pictures are the entire primary. They have a lovely choir and will be a beautiful part of the Branch Conference.
The weather is beginning to warm up. We were able to enjoy our meeting without freezing on this special day.
After the meetings were over we gave a short fireside on the PEF
introducing it's inspirational program to many potential candidates. Elder Webb just keeps getting better and better in his ability to share the basics of the program.
when we are finished these good people can see the blessings available with hard work, determination, and the Lord's help. Africa is changing one PEF student at a time.
I am so glad we are serving a mission. I hear there are relatively few senior couples who actually serve missions. They are missing out on the most amazing experiences; chances to see God work his miracles in small and simple ways; chances to be taught humility by those who are the most humble; chances to grow in ways that cause us to change our hearts and eyes to see and feel more like the Savior. We are not Saints by any means, but we are saint trying to serve in love.
We love seeing the pictures of the beautiful people you meet. Did you make it back to Orange Farm Branch the next Sunday to play the keyboard for the primary kids?
ReplyDelete-Eric and Kath