Tuesday, April 2, 2024
6 weeks is a very long time and we couldn’t be more excited to be back in the temple! Kirk and Sue stayed an extra week after the closure so that they could spend some time with us in the exquisite Durban temple. We were able to fully complete Sue’s father’s and brother’s temple work this trip. Very wonderful!
We invited them to stay for a 3 month mission like Brother Jim from Switzerland and they texted each of their kids to let them know they were going to do it — they all said they thought that was wonderful and that they would take care of the pool and make sure the boysenberries got picked and made in to freezer jam! Only it was April 1st, and April Fool’s Day! They did work with us for two wonderful days. Sad to see them leave!
The faithful Mozambique patrons are always so amazing to travel so far to come to the temple. This group of 7 sisters and 6 brothers all came to receive their endowments and then were sealed to their adorable children across the altar. One mother was so thrilled to be in the temple with her daughter as she received her endowment in preparation to leave on her mission. It always is so beautiful and this was an especially dear group that we hope to see again soon!
Sister Nilsa Gomes De Lina Genovesse (center in photo above) came as an interpreter with one group and stayed over the weekend to help us with a second group the next week. She lives in Maputo, Mozambique and is now an ordained ordinance worker for the Durban temple. She is a clinical psychologist and works with prisoners back in Maputo. A beacon of light and goodness in her work, both at the temple and with her work. Very intelligent and engaging woman. We all worked closely with Sister Genovesse while she was here to get her trained and comfortable with how we do things in the Durban Temple. She has become such a dear sweet friend. We worked side by side throughout the week. We went grocery shopping on Saturday afternoon (when we had access to the van), then we picked her up for church Sunday morning, and of course, she came for dinner after church. I made my famous rigatoni noodles and spaghetti sauce from a jar and you would have thought I was the best cook ever the way she (and everyone) raved! I do add minced meat, mushrooms, onions and garlic, make a great salad and add a slice of fresh ciabatta with butter —it is pretty delicious. She was right there helping me in the kitchen the whole way— teaching me the Portuguese words for each ingredient and learning the English in return, haha Barbara and Billy were right there the whole way too! So fun!
We really get to know each person that comes as they are with us for 3 or 4 days straight, all day long. It’s hard to say goodbye every time. This young man, Elder Chapo from Mozambique, is very excited to be leaving for his mission to Nigeria soon.
Precious forever family 💗
Pictured above are our wonderful temple President, Ted Baldwin, and his wife Vanessa. President had challenged our husbands to learn to read the ordinances in Portuguese. We had worked so hard with Sister Tina to get the pronunciations just right — o’s are ooo’s, s’s ant the end of a word are sh’s, c’s with a squiggly line down are s’s. And do it all really fast! Such a challenge as we strengthened our capacity for the gift of tongues, praying fervently to be able to read so our dear patrons can feel the Spirit through these amazing words in their own language.
Sister Katrina (center)is leaving for her mission in London in 2 months. She has promised us we will know her well by the time she leaves. She came with her mama Fina and little sister Sophie tonight to do baptisms.