Christmas In South Africa

Editor’s Note:

       This entry is a combination of the Christmas morning phone call via Skype and an email from the prior day.  The first attempts to reach Landon, in the wee hours Christmas morning, took around an hour and a half (complications due to the international codes and having two different numbers).  But, when we finally got through he wasn’t yet at the senior couple's apartment to make the call from their computer.  That first contact was very brief ending with, “I’m in a lesson right now, could you call back in about an hour and a half or so?”  I love the fact that on Christmas evening he is still hard at work doing those things he was sent there to do.  So, around 8:00 am our time (Landon’s evening time), we got to see him for the first time in almost a year.  Here he is, on the other side of the world, yet it was as if he was sitting in the same room right in front of us.  Today I am grateful for technology along with the other obvious gifts in our lives.

      His email yesterday informed us where he now is serving.  We’ll let him tell you.

      I sadly left Thaba Nchu.  In fact, I left the Free State all together.  Where did I go?  None other than Kwazulu Natal Province…homeland of the Zulu.  Zulu land is just north of here, maybe an hour away.  I MADE IT TO DURBAN!!!  I’m serving in Pinetown, a city suburb just north west of Durban. It is starkly different here.  First, it is so unbelievably hot!  The humidity is like 99% (I don’t know if that is an exaggeration, but it is humid).  Now, surprisingly, I like it.  I never thought I would like such an environment!  But I do :) 

You are adjusting well to the heat?

      Kind of!  It’s soooo, so hot…..Hot and Humid!  Yesterday we went to the chapel to play soccer.  I only played for about 15 minutes and I had to go in and drink 2 liters of water to just function.  For the next hour and a half I was sweating uncontrollably, just profusely.

So, it doesn’t feel like Christmas?

      No, not at all.  I can’t even imagine that this area’s wintertime is going to get cool enough to feel like winter, even a California winter.

Have you seen the ocean yet?

      Where we are we cannot see the ocean, so that is good.  I know the direction it is in, just behind one of these buildings and just beyond the hill.  I can’t smell it.  It’s all-good!

      As much as Landon loves the ocean he didn’t even skip a beat when asked about coming back to Africa after his mission.  He simply stated his desire to be there again for the dedication of the temple in Durban that would most likely take place in a couple of years.  That statement came after talk of the ocean, and his brother showing him the surfboards he has acquired since Landon has been gone. 

Even though it wasn’t a laptop Landon was Skyping from they managed to pick up the computer and show us the view from the front windows.  It was very lush, green and quite different from where he had previously served.  He pointed out the jungle, river, soccer fields (no basketball courts – this is Africa) and that “just straight ahead at the top of where you see the freeway is our chapel.”  We got to see sunset (just as our sun is rising). 

Does it rain a lot there?

      Yes.  Also, this area is nothing close to a township anymore.  BIG houses, BIG gates, and BIG dogs!  Makes the work a lot tougher.  It’s more of a white area, and very wealthy.  There are blacks mingled in as well, but still very wealthy.  Our area we cover is a big area compared to other places (it was just divided in half yet it is still a big area to cover).  I can’t imagine serving this area without a car.

I noticed from some of the photos they drive on the opposite side of the street.  I’m sure Landon is used to it by now because this was not his first driving area.

      This is the awesome part of our mission:  We have our proselyting area but we are free to go anywhere.  We basically can do whatever we want (obviously within mission rules) and wherever we want on our P-Days, which are Mondays.  It seems to be just an African thing.   I think we’ll go to Madagascar soon!….. “Just Joking!”  ;-)

      My new companion is Elder Komakech from Uganda.  He is an outstanding companion.  He came to the mission the same time as Elder Zingoni, so he is three months out.

He served in this same area prior to your arrival?

   Yah, this was his first area; the area he was trained in so he knows the ropes.

We got to talk with Landon’s companion for a brief bit and learned that he was the first of his family to join the church a few years ago.  He appeared to be fun and energetic.  It sounds as if Landon is thrilled to be serving with him.

   Also, I was given the calling to be District Leader here.  I gladly accepted.  But here is the funny part:  In our district there is my companion, the Zone Leaders of our zone, and the Assistants to the President and myself.  I call it the High Priest district.

Landon stated, “It’s weird” being a leader of the leaders leading him.  When he made the statement his accent was very strong and he followed up with a “Yes, I do!” referring to the ‘weird’ accent.  He even remarked that the people he talks to don’t believe he’s from California because he sounds so much like them.  Typical to his style of fitting in wherever he goes.

How is your back holding out? 

      It’s been Good!  I’ve had three flair-ups since I’ve been out.  One time in the MTC (Mission Training Center) and two other times while out in the field.   The time in the MTC was pretty bad however, the flare-up that happened before the 10K running race was the worst.   I play soccer every Monday and I run pretty hard.  I really seem to be doing as well as everyone else.  I’m fine.

Landon showed us the new currency and was very proud to show Nelson Mandela’s picture on the back.   The colorful bills reminded us of the beautiful tender printed in Canada, something the boys have been familiar with for years.

Earlier that day Landon and a few other missionaries were taken out for lunch by one of the members.  So the conversation steered towards food, of course.  We asked about how the food is different and his response was:

“Tripe, I like it a lot!”  Jordan didn’t know that tripe actually is cow’s stomach.  That pretty much grossed him out.  Definitely not the typical Christmas meal Landon is used to .

      Christmas is seemingly more commercialized here than it is in the States. 

Some people don’t have anything to do, anyone to be with or anywhere to go on Christmas.  It’s so sad because it’s just another day for them.  Yesterday evening we had no appointments, and with it being Christmas Eve a bunch of us decided to go caroling at the flats (a large apartment complex).   Some of the Afrikaners saw us and just slammed the door in our face.  Others would listen to us sing and then slowly shut the door.  However, a few opened their doors and invited us in and visited with us for a time.  One guy even expressed a “thank you guys, I was having a rusty day and you just made my evening.”  It was very nice.  One of the best ways I’ve spent Christmas Eve, just lifting the spirits of people who otherwise would not have the spirit of Christmas at this time.

      It’s strange not being home for Christmas, but I do not feel any homesickness.  Sometimes a longing for the beach, but really I am content where I am and with what I am doing.

Our time with Landon came to an end right at the 45-minute tick of the clock.  He was our Angel this Christmas morning as we said our good-byes and he cheerfully declared, “You’d be proud of me….I didn’t cry this time!”  Right on my son!  Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.  Once again, thank you for reminding us what prosperity really should be about.