Lions and Tigers and Demonstrations, OH My!!!!

Dear Family and Friends,
 Every day is a new adventure here.  We have learned so much.  This week we started off with our preparation day.  We did some flat cleaning in the morning and then we went to the Letabo River Lodge.  We went on a trip around the lodge where we saw giraffes, wilderbeasts, emus, zebras, and many other deer-like animals.

So very pretty.  He was laying there by the door.

He lost one of his horns fighting to see who was the grandest in the jungle.  Now he is just an unicorn!

These are pictures of the baby tigers and baby white lions (they are very rare),  We were able to go into the cage with the lions with the trainer.  They  only tried to bite Sister Campbell's bottom once, then I kept my back to the fence.  We fed them their bottles and learned a lot about them.  You will see us feeding the baby tigers through the fence.  Their manners are not as refined as the lions so we did not go in.  I did take the chance while feeding the tiger to tell him "Little Black Sambo".  This is a cute story that I have told my children since they were young.  I reminded him (the tiger) that it will not do well to think you are the "Grandest Tiger in the Jungle".  If you do you could end up in a pool of melted butter on someone's pancake.  We had a little humility lesson so he could not grow up prideful!

This male peacock was quite excited.  He was so beautiful, or handsome!  they have many wedding here so pretended we were Cinderella and Prince Charming!

Now the part of demonstrations!  We went to Phaborwa to visit 2 sisters in our branch.  This is about 1hour and 30 minutes from us.  On our way home we stopped to visit a sister in a township.  We noticed that there were alot of police about.  Then all of a sudden we were engulfed with people.  They were coming from everywhere.  We stopped the car since we could not go any more.  I wished we had a blanket to put over our heads.  Finally we were able to turn around and head slowly out.  A policeman was in front of us.  When we finally reached the road we asked a policeman if it was possible to get to this address.  i showed him the paper and he said that he knew where that was and said he would take us there.  So we had a police escort.  It was wonderful to visit with this dear sister.  She has a 7 year old and wanted to prepare him for baptism.  We told her we would come up next week for his first lesson.  We were very grateful for safety on our way home.

I know that I have gone on and on.  There are more things we can tell you about next week.  If you want our email which Elder Campbell writes let us know your address.  We will send it to you.  We love being missionaries.  There is a special feeling being able to share the love of the Savior all day.  Love to you all!

Hurrah for Israel!!!

Elder and Sister Campbell

Beautiful Winter Flowers and Branch Conference and worms

Dear Friends and Family,

We have had another great week.  We continue to meet the people and travel around finding them and getting to know them.  There are so many challenges in their lives, but in many respects they are just as happy as we are or perhaps more so because they don't live the wild pace life that we live in the U.S.

Sunday, we took the sacrament to two families that are not able to come to church.  One Brother Stephen has TB, so his mother, Sister Esther (one of my favorite people) stays to take of him.  We hope he is feeling better soon.  Another family is the Minnie Family.  Sister Minnie just had her baby boy by C section so is staying in for awhile.  Here I am trying to give her a little rest.

The true highlight of our week was Tzaneen Branch Conference.  This is where the whole branch comes together and members of the District (In larger areas as in Prescott we have stakes) leadership come and visit.  Since Motupa is part of our branch they were transported in.  Here they are getting out of the taxis, actually large vans.

This is our Primary President and her husband.  They are wonderful people.  They live in a one room (small) flat with no running water. The room is big enough for a bed and a small walkway to the hot plate.  They always look so beautiful.  They save their money all week to take the taxi to church or they walk which is a long way.

Of course, I have to add some pictures of my children.  This is my friend that comes to English class.  She knows English pretty good and is trying to teach me Sepedi.  I am not doing as well as she is.

One of the biggest blessings this week is that President Campbell has COUNSELORS!!!!  He is so thrilled.  He did not feel complete.  Here is a picture of them.  Brother Kudawashe Honomombe is his 1st counselor (the tall one) and Brother David Cloete is 2nd counselor.  Brother Cloete is Afrakanz and is a very interesting person.  He has only been a member a year but is so excited about learning everything.  It is a blessing.

On Thursday we climbed our mountain in Motupa to meet with the bead ladies.  They make such beautiful things with their beads.  Here they are:

On Monday we went with Elder and Sister Meldrum to an orange grove.  There are many orange groves here.  Many years ago the owner's wife of the grove thought to have the wives of the workers start and do some of the needle work of Africa.  Now it is a famous company shipping all over the world.  The work if beautiful.  Women take pieces home and bring them back in one or two days.  It is good for women with little children to do.  Here are some of the pictures:

This is one of the artists.  His only tools are a ruler and his imagination.

On our trip to Motupa this week we also visited a recent convert that was doing the laundry in the river by her home with her mother.  Crossing the river for me was a challenge.  I was afraid of falling on the rocks right into the water but not for Sharon.  She picked up the wet laundry and put it on her head and headed up the trail.  I told them this was such a beautiful place to do your laundry.  My laundry room is definately not this lovely!!!

This s very common sight.  Mothers with their children on their backs.  Small babies are carried in the front.  They stand on the side of the roads hoping for someone to give them a ride.  At night it is so hard to see them.  I want to give all of them some reflective tape.

The rest of these pictures are some of the beautiful WINTER flowers we see on our walk in the mornings.

Last but not least, her is a lady just walking down the street carrying her water jug.  It is amazing they do not have squashed neck bones.

We love you all and miss you.  We are trying our best to help in this part of the world.  With the Lord's help we can.  They are wonderful people.

Hurrah for Israel-Elder and Sister Campbell

Laundry- High on the Mountain Top

Dear Family and Friends,
It has been another wonderful week in South Africa.  Monday we went to a candy factory here in Tzaneen.  It is located in a very beautiful, breath-taking resort.  The view was amazing.  Here are some of the pictures of the senior couples on our P-Day activity.

Elder Campbell was drooling at all of that chocolate.

On Wednesday we went to this beautiful little town for a birthday lunch.  We had chicken schnitzel for the first time.  It was really good.

Olivia, on our walks sometimes we pass this sign and I always think of you!

These are some of the beautiful "winter" plants.  It is so green and beautiful here, we can't believe it gets any greener  in the summer.

The senior couples at my birthday luncheon.

We hiked to the top of the mountain in Motupa to visit this wonderful sister that just received her mission call to the Atlanta Georgia Mission.  She will be a wonderful missionary but it will be quite a cultural shock to her.  We arrived on laundry day.  The clothes start in the first pan and then move on to the rinsing pan and eventually they are hung out on the line.  In the background you can see some of the bricks that they make.  They are adding on to their home.

This is the view of the mountain we climbed to do the laundry.

This is where they make beautiful bead necklaces and belts.  This little lady sits all day and does this.  The second picture is Winnie.  Isn't she beautiful!!!  She just lost a little baby just before we arrived.  So very hard.  We love them so!

These are the women carrying 5 gallon buckets full of water on their heads.  They go to the water source and carry them home or have the children take wheel barrows and put 3 buckets in them.  The children are pushing those wheelbarrows and they are only around 7 or 8 years old.  

I know I have gone on and on but it was quite a week.  We are loving these good people more and more.  We hope we can bring the gospel to many.  We have seen how it changes lives.  We have seen it in the members eyes.  We love all of you!

Hurrah for Israel!  Elder and Sister Campbell