Elder Agyman

These wonderful people are Elder Edington's parents, Colleen and Milton (Buck) Edington.  They were missionaries in Ghana Africa.  They arrived in Ghana on May 2, 1986, nearly 30 years ago.  This young  man that is standing between them is Agyeman.  He helped them in their home and made sure they could communicate and get the things they needed while they where there.  They have a special place in their hearts for him.  We have often heard them speak of Agyeman in a loving way.

Welkom Christmas

On Tuesday December 23, 2014 We had District Development Meeting with a bit of a twist.  We had made and hidden these stockings full of goodies in another room waiting for them to be discovered by the missionaries after DDM and lunch was over.

Triple Zone Christmas Party

On Saturday December 20th, 2014.  We had a big triple zone Christmas party for the missionaries.  We ate and had a gift exchange and later acted out the nativity.  We did not go to the nativity because our kid were calling us.  All of the kids went to Grandma Edington's for Christmas Eve dinner and the nativity.  They did the nativity before they ate so it would not be so late for use.  It was wonderful to be able to participate through FaceTime and see all the grandkid playing the parts of Mary, Joseph, angles, shapers, wisemen and donkeys.  It really made it special and much easier to handle the fact that we could not be there and that our christmas had not come from most of the kids.  But that is another blog entry for later.

 The Carliles left for Durban on December 29th and then left for home on January 5th.  These are only some of the young men they have been responsible for as MLS missionaries.  As you can see they are truly loved by the young men.  The Carliles have been a wonderful example to us of what services in The Lords kingdom looks like.  They served righteously and unceasingly right up until the very end. They were and are loved by the people of South Africa who they loved and served so completely, as well as the missionaries they served.   We, as Senior couples love and miss them more than they will ever know.  I hope to grow up and be as good of missionaries as they are.

Triple Zone Meeting

OnDecember 19th, 2014 we had a triple zone meeting consisting of the Bloemfontein, Lesotho and Bethlehem zones.  As usual it was a great day to learn and grow as zones.  President Zackrison taught as well as Assistants to the President Elder Farrin and Elder Manhanha.  Both of these missionaries Elder Edington and I have close ties to.  Elder Manhana Served in Welkom where he did a marvelous job helping us with the institute program there among many other things.  We love and appreciate all he did to help there.  Elder Farrin is close to our heart because he is from the Farrin Family from Pima AZ.  He left with his family as a young man but returned to Pima each summer to visit grandma and grandpa.  He loves the area and is planning to go back to EAC to study.

We have grown to love and appreciate these missionaries so much for their hard work in serving The Lord.  The Welkom Elder, the last 8 elders on the right of the picture above, are especially dear to us because we work with them closely as Welkom is the assignment we have from President.  We attend as many of their DDM's as we can.

Family Home Evening in Thabang

 The Thabang Elders started a group family home evening that has become a big success.  Elder and Sister Carlile gave the lesson.  Elder and Sister Huls and Elder Edington and I had the privilege to be in attendance.  Home Evening was held in the garage of one of our seminary teachers in the Welkom branch. I was surprised at how many members were in attendance.  I later found out that almost everyone that was there was part of an extended family unit.