Bethlehen Bed and Breakfast

We have had the privilege of staying at the Cambridge House in Bethlehem.  It is a Bed and Breakfast which is the most common accommodations found in South Africa. You never really know how good or bad a Bed and Breakfast is going to be until you get there.  They are usually older homes that have been remodeled and rooms added to create accommodations for others.  Some B&B have only a few rooms and some have several rooms.  The amount you pay does not always guarantee that is will be better than another.  This B&B is both very reasonable and quite nice.  We have enjoyed both times we have stayed there and the cost is R550 which is equivalent to about $55.00.

Off to Durban We Go

We left Bloemfontein on Saturday June 28, headed for Durban by way of Bethlehem.  Durban is a drive of just over 7 hours if you drive straight through without any stops, which is not reasonable for old folks like us.  We were headed to seminary and institute training with the Area Authority, Tasara Makasi and Brother Gary Human.

A Whole New Meaning For The Work Carnivore

While we were in Johannesburg with the Davies they took us out for and eating extravaganza.   Just walking into the Carnivore Restaurant was an exciting experience.

Squid Heads! You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!

President and Sister Zackrison are responsible for introducing us to calamari.  We went out to dinner with the other missionary couples in our area and President and Sister Zackrison.  We went to a restaurant that is just down the road from us.  It is actually The Emoya  Game Lodge and the restaurant is called the Spookhuijs in Afrikaans which means Spook House in English.  It is full of antiques, statues, wall hangings, all kinds of things from the past.  The placemats on the table were actually old stereo records.  No joke!  Real records like when we were kids.  It is a fun place to go and the food is quite good.  Well President Zackrison order some appetizers that included fried mushrooms and calamari.  I am not sure what all else.  We tried the calamari and thought is was pretty good.

An Adventure in Eating Pap

We knew when we were called on a mission to South Africa we might have the opportunity to eat some foods that were different from what we are used to in Pomerene Arizona and sure enough we have been exposed to things we probably would never have been exposed to back home.

The first food that was a different experience was pap, pronounced like pop, like in soda pop.  We first had it in this form at a church function in Welkom.  I actually liked it a lot.  The homemake salsa they served us was really good.

According to
Wikipedia pap is:

Pap, also known as mieliepap in South Africa, is a traditional porridge / polenta made from mielie-meal and a staple food of the Bantu inhabitants of Southern Africa

According to Rainbow cooking:

Pap – a porridge made from maize (corn) meal – is the staple food of southern Africa.

Monkey Business

On the first Sunday of June, 2014 we had the opportunity to go to Johannesburg to visit with our friend, Elder and Sister Davies. On Monday they took us to enjoy the monkey adventure.   This picture was taken at the entrance to the park before we went through the double doors that help keep the monkeys on the compound.

Phahameng Primary

Elder Edington and I had the opportunity to go to Phahameng Branch today. (June 8)  We got to speak in church about the importance of seminary and institute.  After sacrament meeting, Elder Edington suggested that I go to primary and he would go to the youth classes.  Off I went to the classroom where primary was to be held.  There was no adult there so before I knew it, I was in charge of primary.  We had the opportunity to teach 12 beautiful children.  They are shown in the video above.  We sang several primary songs and Elder Edington came in and helped me teach the children about Joseph Smith.  We used the pictures on our i-pads that we had taken when we visited Janie and Mike on their mission.  We showed them the birthplace of Joseph Smith, the Sacred Grove, the Hill Comorah and the building where the Book of Mormon was published.  We had a great time with some very sweet children.  They must have a fantastic teacher because they are remarkable singers.  They even know the second and third verses to the songs they sang.  They led themselves and had no piano.  It was unbelievable.