28-30 July 2017 Mbabane District Conference

28-30 July 2017 Mbabane District Conference with Area 70 Elder Chatora

President Leavitt and I drove to Ezulwini Friday night, spending one hour and forty-five minutes getting through the border. It was chilly outside, so standing in an outside line on the Swaziland side for over an hour was not comfortable for anyone. We won't go at that time again. We stayed at the Happy Valley Casino again.

We drove to Mbabane Chapel Saturday morning for President Leavitt and the District Presidency to meet together and to do visits. The men held a District Priesthood Leadership Meeting from 2-3:15 pm. I found out that the women under the District President's direction holds an Auxiliary Training meeting at the same time as many of the women (and small children) travel to church with their husbands and wait for the Adult District Conference session that begins at 4 pm.

I had been working all morning in the Primary Room until Sister Chatora came in to visit. We starting talking and the District Relief Society President (Emily) came in and said we had this auxiliary meeting at 2 pm, and they were looking forward to the training Sister Chatora and I would be giving them. Always surprises around every corner in Africa. So Sister Chatora and I asked her some questions and she left to go practice with the choir that was going to sing at 4 pm. Some sisters brought us some lunch at 1:15 pm. Sister Chatora and I planned what we would do and we made it through the meeting.

We drove to the Manzini Chapel on Sunday morning for the District meeting that started at 10 am. President Leavitt and I both spoke at this meeting. After President Leavitt did some temple recommend interviews and talked with the missionaries. Then we drove home to the mission home.

Pres. Leavitt, Elders Campbell, Nogueira, Francis, Hamilton, Perez, Shamanga

Elders Brown, Campbell, Nogueira, Feliciana, Francis, Hamilton, Perez, Shamanga, Sinclair, Smith, Pres. Leavitt

Elder Brown

Elder Schwalger

Elder Feliciana

Elder Sinclair

Elder Francis

Elder Perez

Elder Shamanga

Elder Hamilton

Elder Campbell

Elder Nogueira

Elder Alvarado

Sister Emily Matinto and Sister Chatora

Brother Nathi Dlamini, 1st Counselor

Pres. Leavitt, Nathi Dlamini, Pres. Siko Ntshalintshali, Pres. Xolani Sithole, Elder Chatora, Br. Motsa, Pres. Mahlalela

Elder & Sister Chatora, Area 70

27 July 2017 Mission Leadership Council

29 July 2017 Mission Leadership Council

All of our Zone Leaders met for MLC from 10 am - 4 pm in the CES classroom. We loved having the Swaziland Zone Leaders with us in person for the first time. Welcome Elder Feliciana and Elder Brown.

In addition to other training and agenda items, we have been refining our Daily Schedule and Mobility Guideline (where missionaries may travel and from whom they need to obtain permission). We came to unity. President Leavitt will incorporate the changes and make the final version to hand out at Interviews.

Our last intermediate MLC on July 10,  we introduced Swaziland and our Swaziland Zone Leaders via Skype and various visa and transition issues for our new Swaziland/Mbombela Zone. We finished the Sports Policy, "In-Safe" Procedures, Schedule through September 7, Baptismal Interview Checklist and Member Social Media Recap.

We enjoyed a lunch break of pizza, salad, apples, and cookies.

We continue to have a great group of Zone Leaders to help make the SAJM run more smoothly and effectively.

Elder Greener, Elder Curriden (BN), Elder Stevenson, Elder Powell (BD),
Elder Cox, Elder Mkwizu (RD), Elder Feliciana, Elder Brown (SM)

Elder Treasure, Elder Chirwa (CN), Elder Dionisiu, Elder Wolfgramm (JO),
Elder Pratt, Elder Sorge (VL), Elder Kilgore, Elder Sousa (SO)

Elder Wikaira and Elder Adams, APs

Lunch break

26 July 2017 Interviews, Orientation, Driving tests

26 July 2017 Interviews, Orientation, Driving tests

On Wednesday, the APs did the morning routine with the five new missionaries, who all slept at the mission home. We had a delicious breakfast (German pancakes, bacon and worsts).

President Leavitt interviewed the four missionaries, and Elder Wagner came and tested the driving of some of the Elders. He needed to test some of them additionally on manual (shift) driving as many of our vehicles in Swaziland are manual.

At 11:30 am, we all drove to the mission office, where the new missionaries had orientations by the APs on missionary work in South Africa and Swaziland, Sister Hunt on flat supplies, Elder Hunt on flats and phones, Sister Wagner on missionary supplies and Elder Wagner on finances and finished the drivers' tests. We also had lunch (Sister Leavitt made Sloppy Joes and Sister Hunt made salad, along with apples, juice boxes and chocolate cookies) in the CES room (and later fed the trainers a late lunch and all had snacks before they drove home).

President Leavitt matched the new missionaries with their trainers, we took pictures to send with their arrival letters, and they all drove to their flats. They came back Thursday morning to finish their two hour safety and security training with Elder Wagner.

Elder Musumhi, trainer, and Elder Ericksen

Elder Samatanda, trainer, and Elder Butler

Elder Trammell and Elder Cowan, trainer

Elder Manzini, trainer, and Elder Simmons

Elder Nielsen, trainer, and Elder Ratshikhopha