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.

 The lesson Sister Carlile gave was about the vision of the tree of life.  She had a silvers wire tree on which she had hung chocolate filled white marshmallows.  She talked about the straight and narrow path, the filthy river, the iron rod, the great and spacious building, the tree of life, etc.  The picture in the middle is one I had never see before.  If you look at it closely you will see that this little man is so burdened with "STUFF" that he is not even able to hold to the iron rod.  I wonder if sometimes this is me.

Thabang is a black township about 20 minutes from Welkom.    Elder Chathioka and his companion Elder Matambala have been working very hard to help these people to have a branch of their own.  This is a good beginning.  I hope they are able to get it going there soon.  They have to find a building, have enough Melchizedek Priesthood men, and not leave the Welkom branch too weak.  The growth of the church in this area is very exciting.

This Family Home Evening was held the Monday night before Elder Chathioka was transferred.  We were all sad to see him leave.  He was a remarkable, outgoing and enthusiastic missionary.  He will be finishing his mission in his home country because his visa ran out.  I am sure he will be a good missionary there as well.


Left to right:  Elder and Sister Carlile, Elder and Sister Edington, Elder Chathioka, Sister and Elder Huls and Brother Tsibela.

After the lesson cookies and soft drinks were served.  It was a great family home evening.  I am so proud of all the work the Welkom Elders are doing to further the work in this area.

I do worry about them though because Thabang is a really rough area with lots of gang violence and rough lives lived.  Elder Rasmussin was robbed just a few days after he arrived in the area.  The missionaries are told to be very careful about where they go and what they do in this area.