Welkom Thanksgiving

Elder Edington and I work most closely with the Welkom Elders so when we found out that they were not going to have the opportunity to come to the Bloemfontein Thanksgiving or to have one of their own we decided to take Thanksgiving dinner to them.  This was the second of two Thanksgiving dinners we helped with and neither one on Thanksgiving day.  That day was a day of work for us as well as the missionaries so we did not eat a Thanksgiving meal that day.

The Lord, or at least the missionaries where teaching me the importance of being patient.  The Elders were an hour and 20 min late.  One set of Elders had a good excuse though.  The key for their door broke in the lock so they were locked in their flat for a long time.  They actually broke out through a high kitchen window and were able to eventually get the lock fixed.  We are still not sure what kept the other Elders.

The American Elders loved having Thanksgiving with most of the trimmings but most of the black Elders had never eaten turkey before.  (From the people we talked to it seems that most Africans do not eat turkey and think we are a bit crazy for eating it) All but Elder Chathyoka were willing to try the turkey.  He is the Elder in the middle picture with Elder Edington.     

Elder Matambala was so impressed with turkey meat that he went back three times for more.  You have to realize he is about 5' 6" and may weighs 100 lbs dripping wet.  He ate like there was no tomorrow.  It was great!  

Elder Kaizer, serving in Kroonstad is an Afrikaans young man from Johannesburg.  (Which is only 2 hours away from where he is serving)  He absolutely loved the pumpkin pie, which he had never eaten before.  He had eaten pumpkin many times, even sweet pumpkin, but never as a custard or pie. 

After we ate we had the opportunity to each tell what we are thankful for.  Thanksgiving dinner and the meaning of Thanksgiving was a new idea for some of the black Elders but I think they appreciated the idea.  Who knows, they may start a day of thanksgiving of their own someday.