June 29, 2014 - Shelley

June 29, 2014

Dear Ones

Well, I’m trying a new format just to see if I like it.  We’ve had a good week and hope that you have, too.

Today was exciting because we were able to watch “Music and the Spoken Word” with the live stream!  It wasn’t perfect – lots of pauses, etc. – but we got to see Em several times and it was so fun!!!!!  We understand that some of you were there in person – lucky!  

It’s wonderful to hear about your summer adventures – so nice that Avery and Gretty can be in Utah for a few days.

I want to show off a couple of things.  The first one is the maiden voyage of “Dimache” (Sunday) Sweet Rolls.  They turned

out okay, but just not quite the same.  But it was a fun Sunday afternoon activity.  Sundays are our hardest day.  We are used to being busy with church things and then having family around – so it seems pretty long and quiet.  This is not to say that we’re not going to church – we are! haha   But the afternoons are long!

Above are purses made out of plastic bags.  Sister Wright introduced them here.  Plastic bags are everywhere.  So she cut them up and crocheted handy bags out of them.  Actually, they’re very functional – and it’s my newest “project”.  The funny thing is that people say they are made out of “plarn” – plastic yarn. haha

We walked to downtown (about a 30 minute walk from our house) with our new neighbors, the Atkinsons, yesterday.  At the grocery store I found myself humming along to the background tunes – only to realize it was “. . . chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . .”   Funny, huh?  Then today we went to church in a remote area – about 45 minutes from here in Kipushi. President McMullin is going home tomorrow and wanted everyone to go with him to say farewell to the people in this branch.  Anyway, I didn’t realize this at the time, but all the lessons and talks were in Swahili, not French.  The people don’t speak French.  (I don’t understand anything anyway, so the language really doesn’t matter.)  But what was funny was that we kept singing the same hymns in every meeting – RS, Sunday School and Sacrament – same songs!  (and one of them was “Joy to the World”!).  Afterward, I was told that since the hymn book is in French and the people only speak Swahili that the people in the ward have just memorized a couple of the hymns (there is no Swahili hymn book).  And they just sing them over and over!  What faithful people!!!!

This is Clark in front of the ward building.  It’s an old Belgian home, but is perfect for the church.  There are many remnants of Belgium here – mainly structures.  There must have been some really beautiful communities here.  Tomorrow is a holiday like our 4th of July – celebrating their independence from Belgium.

This is the outdoor baptismal font at the church.

Next door to the church, men were making bricks out of clay.  They mold them and then dry them in the sun or in ovens.

Well, you wonderful, wonderful people!  I love you all.  We think of you everyday and hope that this will be a fabulous week for you!  Happy 4th of July!!!  Much love,  Mom