Train Ride

On Saturday, 4 July 2015 all the coastal senior missionary couples serving in the South Africa Durban Mission rode on a special exhibition running of the Umgeni Steam Railway. The "Wesley" locomotive was built in Berlin, Germany in 1938 and the coaches on the train were built between 1928 and 1952, although even older vehicles, dating back to 1908, are sometimes used.

 

The train runs through the picturesque Valley of a Thousand Hills between Kloof and Inchanga on the last Sunday of each month, with occasional additional trains during school holidays and for special events. The train largely follows the route of the original Natal government Railway Main Line from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, which was opened in December 1880. Even today the line is considered something of an engineering feat (and an operational challenge!) due to the tortuous topography it has to traverse, abounding in 1 to 30 gradients with many curves nearly 300 feet in radius. Major engineering challenges along the way include a pass with almost sheer cliffs, a short tunnel, and a spectacular cast iron viaduct. Historically, it was said that the notorious viaduct apparently swayed so badly in the wind that passengers were requested to alight and walk ahead of the train during inclement weather!

 

On this special run of the Umgeni Steam Railway, numerous vintage cars from an earlier era ran beside the train on the adjacent highway.  Spectators gathered along the journey to cheer on both the vintage cars and their treasured steam railway.

 

Elder and Sister Nielsen can be seen peeking out one of the left windows of the coach. It made for a fabulous way to celebrate the 4th of July on the other side of the world, while serving in South Africa.

Do you know where your iPad is?

Thought you would enjoy this picture that was given to me today by the new office couple, the Sorensen's.

 

Love,

Mom (AKA: Grandma & Judi)

Wise Men

Sisters In Zion

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

(email written for the Australia Perth Mission Reunion)

We are now serving in the South Africa Durban Mission and have been here 8 months. We are straight across the wide Indian Ocean from the grand city of Perth, Australia -- on the same latitude line. Once again we are working in the Mission Office here in the city of Durban. Elder Nielsen does the finances and Sister Nielsen does boardings, medical, and baptism recording. There are approximately 135 young elders (no sisters) and 14 senior couples serving here. Never thought serving in the Mission Office could be so busy!

South Africa is just as different and wonderful as we found Perth, Australia to be. Upon experiencing a Game Drive with the other Seniors, we discovered that the animals unique to South Africa ar just as amazing as what we found in Australia. But the BIG FIVE of Africa (cheetahs, lions, rhinos, cape buffaloes and elephants) are much more dangerous to man than kangaroos, koalas, ostriches, kookaburras, etc., etc....    HA, HA

Durban, South Africa is not at all what we expected when we got our call. In fact, our flat is surrounded by "jungle" which is home to many monkeys who continue to raid our garbage cans. The area is made up of thousands, upon thousands, of hills, so they tuck homes and buildings everywhere! There is hardly any flat land, and no straight roads; they all twist and turn! And Elder Nielsen STILL has a hard time driving on the left side of the road!. Sister Nielsen has yet to build up the courage to try driving here. But according to her, "All the major roads are expressways, with speeds of 80 to 110 k's, while sharing the roads with pedestrians walking, jogging, or crossing the roadway." But then there are the TAXI'S which can stop anywhere along the sides, to pick up or discharge passengers! (TAXIS are vans similar to the old volkswagen buses, and pack in up to 16 passengers (four across each row).

The population in South Africa consists of those of the Zulu race, many immigrants from India and Asia, and of course, the Africaans (descendants of the original Dutch and German settlers who arrived in the 1600's). We are assigned to attend a small church unit, which was a "group" until it was made a branch just over a month ago. Its members are all of the Zulu race, except for us and the Branch President and his wife. He was released as a Bishop of a ward in a neighboring town about 30 or more minutes drive away, to lead the Molweni Branch, since he has tremendous leadership experience. The members DO speak English, but it is still difficult to understand what they are saying, and they often slip into Zulu during talks and testimony bearing.

We, along with the other Senior Couples, have had numerous spiritual experiences working with the people of South Africa, whether Zulu, Indian, or Africaan. The Lord has prepared many of the people here for the Gospel, but Satan is trying his hardest to thwart the work. But it is still going forth!

We did encounter a few bumps in the road, however. Sister Nielsen fell on wet stairs outside the flat 4 days after arriving and broke her arm. We took her to the hospital and they directe us to check into "CASUALTY", which here means Emergency, which kind of unnerving to us! She spent 4 days in the hospital and 6 months with it in a sling. Her total recovery AMAZED her orthopedic surgeon!! He said it could only be through our prayers that her arm is now stronger than before it was broken...and no diminished use of her left arm.  Then Elder Nielsen developed severe stomach pains, which was contributed to his gall bladder. He had surgery 6 weeks ago to remove the gall bladder and is recovering well.

Our greetings to all....and apologize for the email, instead of the requested video. We still don't have super technology skills!  We know the Gospel is true. No matter where in the world we are serving...it is the same.

May God bless you,

Elder and Sister Nielsen
(DeVon and Judi Nielsen)

Successful Gall Bladder Surgery

Today started early, with us heading out the door at 5:30 a.m. to be to the hospital by 6:00. The main hospital waiting room was full when we arrived and we checked in, to take our turn with Pre-Admissions. As they called names of those ready to go back to the surgical wing after pre-admissions, usually two people would leave each time, until they called one name and probably ten or twelve people left. (They must have been having a family reunion while waiting for one family member to have his surgery!).

When Dad was called, we went to Pre-Admissions for a Pre-Paid Hospital Estimate of 15,000 Rand (approximately $1,500) for the surgical procedure (minus anesthesiology and doctor and possible other, as yet unknown, fees). We then went to the Surgical Unit to be taken to a 2 person room and Dad was given a BEAUTIFUL purple gown and disposable "undies." The nurse then showed him how the gown ties in the back and explained that is why they say ICU!! Dad sure looked mighty cute in the purple gown! He looked very striking in that color.

About that time I was called back to pre-admissions and asked to pay another 10,000 Rand (about $1,000) -- still not sure why -- which I did. But the computers were now down and they couldn't give me an official hospital receipt. In fact, they weren't going to give me anything until later in the day when the computers were back up. They weren't even going to give me the small cash register type receipt, until I asked them to photo copy it so they would believe me when I came back for the computer receipt.

When the anesthiologist came to speak with Dad about the details of the procedure with regards to being put under, he asked if Dad has any crowns or dentures. He also asked how tightly they fit and Dad showed him. The anesthiologist jokingly said, that looks OK, but if they fall out, "we have quite efficient techniques to fish them out!"

Dad got all dressed up for the surgery, and rested until he was taken over to the "operating theatres" about 9:15 for the final pre-op questions and prep that I was present for. He was taken into surgery, as the first on Dr. Wessels (pronouced Vessels) operating schedule, for what was to be a 1 hour procedure. I was taken to a "Comfort Room" to wait....and wait....and wait. Close to 2 hours later, I went exploring to see if he was out of surgery, and was told he was still in Recovery and had been given morphine because he was in considerable pain.

Then I waited, and waited, and waited some more. It was now after 1:00 and I went to stand just outside the Comfort Room to see if I could find anything out. Along came Dr Wessels who asked me if my husband wasn't out of Recovery yet. I explained that no one had come for me, so he went to check and discovered that Dad had been taken back to his room -- and no one had come to get me. Dr. Wessels gave me a quick report of the surgery and mentioned that he found the gall bladder to be extremely inflamed. He said that it definitely needed to come out. He also said that Dad would not have been able to put it off until we got back home to Utah.

Well, to briefly tell the rest of the story, Dad started coming around after I was back in the room with him for about 30 minutes. He then was so groggy that he would ask me the same questions over and over, forgetting that he had already asked. But when fully conscious, he couldn't wait to show me his bottle of GALL STONES. It was only a small sample of the stones that prior testing had revealed nearly entirely filled his gall bladder.

A Senior Couple came to pick me up about 3:30 and had a good visit with Dad. Another Senior Couple is fetching me at 8:30 tomorrow morning to go to the Shongweni Market, right across the street from the Hillcrest Private Hospital where Dad is being held hostage (for the 25,000 Rand or about $2,500 in US
dollars). After breakfast and brief shopping at the market, they will drop me off at the hospital. The plan is that Dad will drive us both home after being released tomorrow --- but if still rather groggy, we may have to plead with the Senior Couple to have one of them drive our car back while we are riding with the spouse in the other car. I am still frightened to drive here on the left side of the road, where nearly all of each trip anywhere is on freeways with an average speed of 100 kilometers per hour!.
Quite the South African adventure!! 

Package!!!

Got the package today. It was given to the AP's by Sister Zackrison and they have been carrying it around with them.

We could only open half of the package..........the other half said DO NOT OPEN over and over again in big letters, even until THANKSGIVING!!

Thanks for the Tootsie Rolls....and the Motts....and the candy corn....and everything else. But we also found some tiny gremlins in an egg carton. Strangest thing....they all had on white shirts and ties! What a fun, fun surprise after an EXTREMELY ROUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE!!! The power was turned off for lack of payment to a Senior Couple's flat (where JD and Kyle got the mattresses). Elder Snell had just gotten home of the hospital after surgery. It took all day to find out WHY and how it was going to be resolved. However, it seems that from past experience, it takes three days to get it turned back on. They are under the Area Office in Johannesburg who is supposed to pay rent and utilities, and the electricity never got paid.

We certainly needed the GOODIES to sweeten our dispositions again!

Thanks for all your help and prayers. We love all of you lots,
Mom and Dad