Hello From Harare!

  Yesterday I went with 2 couples and 3 friends to the Mbare market in downtown Harare.   As we were leaving, some people we stopped and talked to wanted to be in a picture with us.  These children were standing nearby and were told to come join us.  They ran over to us with big smiles and were so excited to be in the picture. Outside of the market is a big dirt field that serves as the neighborhood park. Going to the market, we saw a few groups of boys playing soccer.  None of them had a real ball.  This group had a ball made of wadded up paper stuffed inside a plastic bread bag.  Elder David Payne and I each bought a soccer ball while in the market and gave them to two different groups.  Look at their excitement of playing with a real ball.  Tennyson is right there in the middle of it all.   I gave mine to another group.  As they were leaving after I gave it to them, they whooped and hollered and with an excitement I rar...

 Yesterday I went with a few senior couples to Wild Is Life, a sanctuary where abandoned, injured and orphaned animals are given a second chance at life.  They rescue, rehabilitate and rewild (when possible). It was so much fun.  I didn't think I would ever touch the top of a giraffe's head, but I did.                                                   I was especially drawn to the baby animals. Nina is one year old and the youngest of the four elephants here.  The oldest elephant is ready to rewild but is being kept so she can nurture and teach Nina how to be an elephant. This is Nina's foster mother.  She was attacked by a lion prior to coming to the sanctuary and her trunk and tail were badly injured.  Her trunk recovered but her tail had to be amputated.                     ...

 We often hear that the Church is "exploding" in Africa.  Our total baptisms in the Zimbabwe Harare Mission is projected to be around 3500 for 2025.  I am so thankful to be a part of this work.  I am not out gathering Israel like the young missionaries, but I act in a supporting role, as do all of the senior missionaries, to make sure they have all they need to bring the message of the Restored Gospel to the people here.  I love what I do.                                      It is particularly special when families are baptized together. This is Morgan Choi, our Primary President who was just released.  Her husband works at the US Embassy and they are leaving to back to US where he will work in Maryland.  She has 2 little girls and is pregnant with twin boys.  She and her family have been so loved by all of the members of our ward, especially those in P...

I stayed after church today because there was a baptism.  My friend, Rosemary, stayed also with her children Bradley and Lorraine.  Lorraine is my little shadow whose pictures show up sometimes in my posts.  The program and baptism were held outside and Rosemary, Lorraine and I were sitting on the edge of the patio behind everyone else.  Lorraine was playing in the grass.  I had a roll of masking tape that I had used while teaching the lesson in Primary.  She got a little restless so I stuck two pieces of tape on her ears for earrings.  She wanted a watch so I made her a tape watch.  Then she wanted two watches so I made her another.  Then she wanted me to stick a piece on her hand and she found a flower to stick to it.  Then she wanted some glasses.  I asked Rosemary if Lorraine ever plays dress up.  She has not.  She does not know what dressing up like a princess is all about.  But today, she felt so special and dan...

 I had a flat tire yesterday at the entrance to the market I was going to.  Lucky for me, a man selling toilet paper with his children at the entrance offered to help.  He and 2 other young men got it taken care of.  I paid them well which made their day.  The put their hands over their hearts and thanked me many times over. Because I did not want to travel too far with the spare tire on, I went to church with my friends, Elder Jim Davies and Sister Becky Davies.  I loved being with them in Dombotombo Branch.   Here they are with our Stake President, President Bomba.  He owns a car repair shop and keeps our mission cars up and running.  This little girl is 16 months old and is so small.  The Davies are the mission medical missionaries and are going to try to see if they can get her some medical help so she will grow more.   This is the chapel.  It is attached to a house and is a tarp on 3 sides.  It was chilly ou...

 It's always a good week when I get to hold a baby.  Her name is Star.  We had Primary training at the Primary President's home yesterday.  She made delicious crepes.  I am teaching the younger children in Primary and enjoying it so much. This is Elsie. She is 19 and was baptized last week.  It was chilly outside so I know the water was cold, but she didn't seem to notice.  The "font" is the big bathtub behind us.   At church, I sit with my friend Rosemary and her children Bradley (6) and Lorraine (4).  I helped her do some family history this week and she will be able to do ordinances for her parents and grandparents when the temple opens, which may be into 2026 at this point.  Lorraine has been in a few pictures that I have posted.  She discovered my old skin while sitting in Sacrament Meeting and made some worms.                   Here are a few more pictures taken at the Nut...