We have been without internet for about 3 -4 days this week but it seems to be back up and running now. It leaves a lot to be desired but I guess we will take what we can get.
Elder and Sister Watson were here last weekend for the Harare Stake conference. Elder Watson is a counsellor in the SE Area Presidency. We actually didn’t get to the Sunday meetings as we needed to be in Kadoma but we did get back in time to have dinner with them and the Stake Presidency & wives and also President and Sister Dube at the mission home. (We got invited because Elder Bullock is a counsellor in the mission presidency). We had a nice visit after dinner. Before Elder Watson was a Seventy he spent 30+ years as secretary to the First Presidency and the quorum of the Twelve. He had a few good stories that he shared with us and talked about things that happened in his younger life that helped prepare him those responsibilities. The Lord definitely was preparing him.
Monday we had Zone conference and it was good, as usual. We give our regular report on what LDS Charities has been doing and had lots to report this time as we have 6 projects approved now and are working on some of them.
We paid a down payment to Precision Grinders so that they will start building the mill and dehuller for Kadyamadare Primary School. The people out there have pretty much gotten the building secured and are now putting the electrical wiring, etc. into the building. As soon as they are finished (Monday) they will call us and we will then take the Zimbabwe Electrical Co. People out there so that they can connect the building to the main line (well actually they are increasing capacity for the mill). We have had to buy quite a bit of supplies to make this happen. Hopefully everything is about ready. It was a real experience shopping for the supplies as we had to go to several different places to get the things. The shops are in the “very busy” part of downtown where traffic is a nightmare, to say the least. It is amazing that anyone can get anywhere down there. Once the power is hooked up then the mill can be installed and we are hoping that it will be done before Christmas. The people out at the school really have come through and done a lot of work. We are pleased about that. The school head took us to his ‘plantation’, as he called it. He has a nice place (for Zimbabwe). He took us into his home and his granddaughter offered us Mazoi juice but we declined as we have to be really careful about the water and besides, I am not eating sugar. Their houses here are nothing like ours but they are really clean. Their painted floor shines. They have no electricity but they have a solar panel that charges a battery that they use to operate their radio and they had a small television. They have a nice looking field (probably a couple of acres) of maize that is starting to grow. They have chickens and he has 2 turkeys that he hopes will start reproducing.
The grinding mill motor that we bought and had installed at the Old People’s Home in Mutare is about done. We were hoping to have the ‘turn-over’ ceremony today but they weren’t quite ready. A belt was the wrong size and they had to get another one in from Harare. The ceremony has been rescheduled to this Wednesday afternoon. I guess we (LDSC) are buying some refreshments for the occasion (at least enough for the special invited guests). We will take biscuits (cookies) and Mazoi juice (a concentrate that they mix about 1:4 with water). They love that drink here. It reminds me of the punch that grandma Godfrey used to make.
We took the Sister Missonaries with us to teach Carol, Ellison and their neighbour. It went well and the Sisters are meeting them again this afternoon. We thought we would be in Mutare but since we aren’t we may try and be there as well.
Zvikomberero and Panashe are getting baptized tomorrow afternoon. We are excited about that. We will go to their branch Sunday morning for the confirmations but will have to leave right after and head to Highlands Ward because we need to meet Carol, Ellison and their mother Mavis there. They are coming to church for the first time. The neighbour is coming too as well as Mavis’ friend.
Merci has invited us to dinner on Sunday afternoon (for Elder Bullock’s belated birthday).
That is about it for our week – at least that I can remember at the moment. I will admit that I have felt a little homesick this week, shed a few tears, and wished I could go home, but..... we still have a few months to go and LOTS to do so I will just get over it and carry on.
Love to all, The Bullocks
