South African Adventure

Elder Billings writes that every day is Prom Day in the DRC. The women above are wearing the bright colors and beautiful print dresses popular in the Congo. These ladies gathered for Stake Conference.
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I have spent hours trying to update this blog over the past several days only to discover that the link for "new posts" is broken. I prayed about this problem and while downloanding some photos of Neil's new baby today, I discoverd that I can gain access by posting photos through Picasa and then adding some text.

So more about our PEF work here in South Africa, Elder S. and I attended a meeting with the other senior couples, zone leaders and the stake mission leader at Kwa Magxaki ward Sunday afternoon. This meeting helped me understand how PEF fits into the master plan. The focus of the meeting was reactivation so we discussed what could be done to retain new members and help returned missionaries who cannot find jobs.

Most of the converts here in Africa are young adults. Priesthood leaders hope to get these young men out on missions and the others taking seminary and institute classes. There are many success stories, for example: Missionaries assigned to East London met a young man being raised by his grandmother in Mdantsane. He was an unemployed. He wore long dred locks. Both his parents had died of Aids. He lived with his grandmother who supported him on a small pension. After a visit with the missionaries Lihle cut his hair and began reading the Book of Mormon. He loved being with the young elders and started going on splits. He read the Book of Mormon and for the first time his life had a purpose. He had a strong desire to serve a mission.

Luci Fowler's sister visited her in East London and met this young man. She was so impressed she and her husband offered to pay for his mission. With money from his benefactors he bought the first suit he had ever owned. Sister Fowers said she wished she had accompanied him when he went shopping. Lihle returned with a suit. Lo and behold, it was black with narrow white stripes. It was ill fitting, and looked like a “zuit" suit. But he was very proud of it so she said nothing. He stayed with them after being set apart and Luci discovererd that he only had a few pieces of clothing. As he was the same size as Elder Fowers, she took clothes from his closet to make up what was lacking. Elder Lihle Lalendle left the next day. He has been serving in Zimbabwe for a little over a month now.

Sunday six young blacks from Kwa Nobuhle Ward opened their mission calls. Only one set of parents attended. All the others came from non-member families. Since church policy requires that a young man pay for the preparations himself including pass ports, doctor and dentist exams and his clothing, many struggle preparing to go. Most are unemployed, so it's very hard for them. The church will support them when they are in the field but they must get ready by themselves.

Elder Van Sickle, has been employing many by having them paint church chairs and doing odd jobs. Sister Nye in Grahamstown teaches them how to make muffins which they sell on the streets. Elder V. drives them to their medical appointments and, if truth be told, probably buys some of their clothing. Elder and Sister V. were present and filmed the opening of the six mission calls. Most will serve in Africa with white companions from “the missionary factory” - Utah. We also have elders here from England, New Zealand, Europe and Australia.

Since most are first generation Mormons, area leaders are encouraging all the young men who are eligible to go on a mission. When they return they are encouraged to attend institute where they will meet a young LDS woman and marry. Also getting an education and a certificate, diploma, degree or license can lead to work in a trade. That's were we come in. Qualifying for jobs that allow time for family and leadership responsibilities is critical to building the kingdom in Africa. Consequently there is a need for PEF here where 68% of the youth are unemployed. If a returned missionary can't find a job, he will likely get discouraged and may even become inactive.

The brethren would like the youth to do as much as possible themselves toward securing their loans. However that isn't happening. Although missions teaches them people skills and helps them learn how to study, some fall back into old patterns when they return home. Some families, steeped in tradition, require lobolo (bride price) before they give their daughters in marriage. Some brides want a big wedding. If the young man can't find work he will not marry. This is a big problem here. These are such fine young men.

Port Elizabeth Stake needs a good reactivation program to support converts as well as former missionaries who have become less active. However it's hard to motivate some of the natives who were raised in an entitlement culture. Many of the young converts have a strong testimony but may not understand the nuts and bolts of commitment and follow through.

Our main concern now is that currently we only have twenty active PEF students in the Port Elizabeth Stake attending college or a university. There are only eleven currently in the East London Stake. And although we have presented firesides in all nineteen wards and branches in the zone only a handful graduate from each "Planning for Success class. (Attendance at all four classes are required in order to apply for a PEF loan.) And of those few who do complete, less than half submit applications. Many never follow through. Others need constant motivation. Some simply do not understand what to do.

Example: Headman in Kwa Magxaki called and talked to Elder S. about his daughter who had applied for PEF several months ago. Sanelisewe did not fill out her application correctly last summer so Elder Webb e-mailed her and told her to make the corrections over a month ago. Evidently she did not get that e-mail. (Only one family in ten in S.A. has a computer. So applicants must go to the library, a computer cafe, or the family history library to apply.) Headman called Elder S. when he got a bill to cover classes that Sanilisewe is currently taking. Elder S. explained that PEF is not retroactive. PEF can pay for her school classes in the future. The program will not pay for classes she enrolled in before her PEF loan was approved.

One Ward's Future Missionaries

Karin Van Thiel, the stake PEF director of Teachers for the Planning for Success Workshop, says the bishops should be monitoring the students who are already in classes. If they are failing, someone in the ward should be called to tutor them and be their mentor. However, such a person may not be available in some units. “It takes a village to raise a child" or, in this case "It takes a ward and priesthood leaders if PEF is going to help these young people." With such a crying need for education and good jobs, and so few taking advantage of PEF loan opportunities, we sometimes find the work discouraging. The adage, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" is true.

Today I’ve been thinking about little Annabelle Jane and recalling the talk given in P.E. Ward last Sunday. I liked it so much that I complimented the Sister and ask if I could have a copy of her talk. She opened her purse and gave me her notes:

Sacrament Meeting in Port Elizabeth Ward,

South Africa, October 28, 2012

Gordon B. Hinckley told this story: “One evening, I put on a record, turned down the lights, and listened to Beethoven’s Concerto for the Violin. As I sat there in the semidarkness, I marveled that such a thing could come of the mind of a man, a man who, in most respects, was as I am. I do not know how tall he was or how broad he was or how much hair he had, but I guess he looked very much like the rest of us. He became hungry, he felt pain, he had most of the problems we have and maybe some we do not have. But out of the genius of that inspired mind came the creation of a masterpiece which has entertained the world through all of these many years.

I marvel at the miracle of the human mind and body. Have you ever contemplated the wonders of yourself, the eyes with which you see, the ears with which you hear, the voice with which you speak? No camera ever built can compare with the human eye. No method of communication ever devised can compare with the voice and the ear. No pump ever built will run as long or as efficiently as the human heart. No computer or other creation of science can equal the human brain. What a remarkable thing you are. You can think by day and dream by night. You can speak and hear and smell. Look at your finger. The most skillful attempt to reproduce it mechanically has resulted in only a crude approximation. The next time you use your finger, watch it, look at it, and sense the wonder of it.

You are a child of God. His crowning creation. After He had formed the earth, separated the darkness from the light, divided the waters, created the plant and animal kingdoms–after all this He created man and then woman.”

Sister Susan W. Tanner also spoke of the marvels of our human bodies. She said: “I have just returned from a visit where I welcomed into the world our newest little granddaughter, Elizabeth Claire Sandbergy. She is perfect! (As is our grand daughter, Annabelle Jane Stokoe, Neil's daughter, born at 7:49 A.M. on October 30th in SLC weighing 6 lbs., 7 oz.)

I was awestruck, as I am each time a baby is born, with her fingers, toes, hair, beating heart, and her distinctive family characteristics–nose, chin, dimples. (Annabelle's photo look like Neil as a newborn.) Her older brothers and sister were equally excited and fascinated by their tiny, perfect little sister. They seemed to sense a holiness in their home from the presence of a celestial spirit newly united with a pure physical body.

In the pre-mortal realm we learned that the body was part of God’s great plan of happiness for us. As it states in the family proclamation: 'Spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life.' (The Family: A Proclamation to the World.) In fact, we “shouted for joy” (Job 36:7) to be part of this plan.

We were so excited. We understood eternal truths about our bodies We knew that our bodies would be in the image of God. We knew that our bodies would house our spirits. We also understood that our bodies would be subject to pain, illness, disabilities, and temptation. But we were willing, even eager, to accept these challenges because we knew that only with spirit and element inseparable connected could we progress to become like our Heavenly Father (see D&C 130:22) and “receive a fullness of joy." (D&C 93:33).

With the fullness of the gospel on the earth, we are again privileged to know these truths about the body. Joseph Smith taught: “We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the Celestial Kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The Devil has no body, and herein is his punishment (The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook [1980] p. 60.

Satan learned these same eternal truths about the body, and yet his punishment is that he does not have one. Therefore he tries to do everything he can to get us to abuse or misuse this precious gift. He has filled the world with lies and deceptions about the body. He tempts many to defile this great gift of the body through unchastity, immodesty, self-indulgence, and addictions. He seduces some to despise their bodies others he tempts to worship their bodies. In either case, he entices the world to regard the body merely as an object. In the face of so many satanic falsehoods about the body. The body is a gift to be treated with gratitude and respect and one of the ways that we can show this gratitude and respect for our bodies is by obeying and living the word of wisdom. This includes not partaking of the things that we should not, but also partaking of the things that are recommended as good for us.

The booklet, True to the Faith, describes the word of wisdom as follows;

The Word of Wisdom is a law of health revealed by the Lord for our physical and spiritual benefit. In this revelation which is recorded in section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord tells us which foods are good for us to eat and which substances are not good for our bodies. He promises spiritual and physical blessings for obeying the Word of Wisdom.

In the Word of Wisdom, the Lord command us not to take the following substances into our bodies:

Alcoholic drinks (see D&C 89:5-7)

Tobacco (see D&C 89:6)

Tea and coffee (see D&C 89:9); Latter-day prophets have taught that the term “hot drinks” refers to tea and coffee.

Anything harmful that people purposefully take into ther bodies is not in harmony with the Word of Wisdom. This is especially true of illegal drugs, which can destroy those who become addicted to them. Stay entirely away from them. Do not experiment with them. The abuse of prescription drugs also leads to destructive addiction. The Lord declares that the following foods are good for our bodies:

Vegetables and fruits, which should be used “with prudence and thanksgiving." (see D&C 89:10-11)

The flesh of beasts and of the fowls of the air,: which is to “be used sparingly (see D&C 89:12-16)

Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are “the staff of life: (see D&C 89: 14-17).

I believe that there are not many of us who do no know what the word of wisdom is, but maybe we do not always remember certain elements, for instance, what things we should partake of. At times we may also forget that the blessings we receive from obeying the Word of Wisdom are not only physical, they are also spiritual.

To those who keep the Word of Wisdom, the Lord has promised:

“All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them (see D&C 89:18-21)

Russell M. Nelson said:

“One keeps the Word of Wisdom knowing that obedience will not only bring freedom from addictions but it will also add blessings of wisdom and treasures of knowledge.”

Sometimes obeying the Word of Wisdom is not easy, because habits are hard to break and we may fell pressure from those around us to disobey. As we obey the Lord’s law of health, however, we learn self-control and feel self-respect. We also increase our ability to obey other commandments.

A young Mormon boy who enlisted in the army was awakard. . . After one parade, when he had gone through everything backwards, he was called by the captain to his office. The captain said, "I have noticed you, young fellow. . . You are a Mormon, I suppose.”

“Yes, sir,

Well, I just wanted to make friends with you. Will you have a glass of beer?”

“Sir, I do not drink liquor.”

“The captain swore and said,”. . . Maybe you will have a cigar then?”

The young man replied, “Thank you sir, but I do not smoke.”

“The captain seemed much annoyed by this and he dismissed the boy from the room.

When the young man went back to his quarters, some of the lesser officers accosted him angrily and said, “You fool, don’t you realize the captain was trying to make a friend of you, and you insulted him to his face?”

The youth answered, ‘Gentlemen, if I must be untrue to my ideals and my people and do things that I have been instructed all my life I should not do, I will quit the army.'

While overseas later on in the war. . his captain, who had then become a lieutenant colonel, needed a soldier for a very important assignment. He needed someone who was absolutely trustworthy. A man of character. The lieutenant colonel, his former captain, selected and assigned this young man who had the courage to stand before him and say, ‘I do not smoke. I do not drink.'” (Hugh B. Brown, “A time of Testing," Improvement Era, June 1969, p. 98).

There are a number of these stories and experiences which I found on the Internet. I am sure that many of you can share physical and spiritual blessing that you have received by living the Word of Wisdom. If we want to know the blessings that will come, we need to put the Word of Wisdom to the test and experience these things for ourselves. . .