We enjoyed a beautiful Sabbath day in Port Durnford today. The weather was perfect; 43 members attended Sacrament meeting; we enjoyed great talks (one by Mpho Ziqubu, a returned missionary from Zimbawe); lessons were well prepared, delivered, and attended; and we had three baptisms: Nothando Mathenjwa (age 11) Nhlakhanipho Mathenjwa (age 12), and Sanele Zondi (age 18). It was a wonderful day in all respects. The momentum in the branch continues to build.

Sister Collins and I are going to have a hard time leaving South Africa. We have met so many wonderful and inspiring people and have grown so close to them that it almost feels as if South Africa is our home and not the United States. Adding to that, is the sheer wonder and mystery and majesty and scope of this beautiful and tortured land. We have only seen a very small part of it, but it is enough to have fully impressed us that the allure, overwhelming beauty, and mystery often described of Africa are real, and they exert a pull on one’s soul that is almost impossible to resist. Yes, one must be vigilant and mindful here, but that sacrifice is always rewarded in ways that easily exceed even the grandest of expectations. From heart rending and seemingly never ending stories of personal hardship and triumph, to an abundance of natural wonders that leave one constantly in awe, this land shouts for attention and rewards it admirably. We are thankful for the events in our lives that brought us here and would never trade our experience for anything.