Monday, August 31, 2015

"Meet the Mormons"

I must tell you about the meeting on Sunday, 16 August. We had a regular, but VERY inspiring Sacrament Meeting, but then set up to show the movie, “Meet the Mormons.” This was planned to take the place of Primary, Relief Society, Priesthood and Sunday School. Over 80 invitations were given out and resulted in 61 in attendance. The movie is extremely inspiring about 5 different individuals and families around the world who are members of the Church. One young man even served a mission here in Durban, by the name of Elder Armstrong. Hopefully, if you haven’t seen it, you will have an opportunity sometime to view it. IT IS AMAZING!

Then after the movie we had a meal provided by President and Sister Smith, my husband and I, and two other senior missionary couples. We had chicken, gravy, rolls, veggies, rice krispy squares, cup cakes, banana bread, oranges, suckers, drinks, and popcorn. They sat around visiting while eating – some even gathering outside to eat and enjoy the beautiful weather.

I think we only had maybe 2 or 3 non-members, but it was even GREAT for the members to see.
(BREA -- Could you put this on our blog. Wrote it to send to a young African sister who left a couple of months ago for a mission in Ghana.) 
Love you all,
Mom (a.k.a. -- Judi)

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Just a Scrap of Paper

Missionary finds an answer on a scrap of paper.

Excerpted by Marnae Wilson





When the Church was first established in South Africa, missionaries had to travel by ship to get to their mission headquarters. The trip was long, difficult, and expensive. Often missionaries traveled alone, with little support, and no way to communicate with their mission president.

The little boat had been tossed by storms for more than six weeks as it made its way slowly from England to South Africa. Aboard was Elder Franklin D. Price, a young Mormon missionary, trying to get to his South African mission.

Each day Elder Price became more worried, for food and money were scarce. According to the law of the Union of South Africa, no one was permitted to enter the country unless he had at least twenty dollars with him. Elder Price did not have the required sum.

When the boat finally docked, the young elder decided that he would board a train and go as far as he possibly could. As he walked off the ship, he noticed a small folded piece of paper lying at the foot of the gang plank. Without thinking, he stooped over, picked it up, and automatically slipped the paper into his pocket.

In no time he was on a train, speeding down the tracks toward the Union of South Africa. At the border, immigration officials came aboard to check all entry papers. Elder Price was worried about what would happen to him when the officials discovered that he had no money. When the men approached, Elder Price almost panicked. Then, without even knowing why, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the piece of paper that he had found earlier. Elder Price handed the paper to one of the officials. The man nodded his head and returned the paper to the astonished young elder. That paper was an endorsed check in the amount of twenty dollars with the stamp of the Union of South Africa affixed.

As Elder Price told his story at the mission home, tears of gratitude streamed down his cheeks. The Lord truly provides for those who serve Him.

Taken from “True Stories from South Africa,” Friend, April 1972; excerpted by Marnae Wilson