Toti (03/03/97)

Family-

Another month begins!  February just flew by!  Transfers were phoned out this weekend and I am still staying in Toti.  This will be 6 months! :)

We will be moving into a new flat this week though.  It's the flat of a member who died (the sister that I helped dress for her cremation). She willed the flat to the church and so they are letting us missionaries stay there for a while (the lease on the flat is up).  It will be a nice place to stay.  It has an over and also has a small washer and dryer.  That will really beat the laundry mat! :)  The only downside to it is that we have to clean all of her things out of it before we move in.  We have a lot of work to do this week.

Sometimes it comes in handy to be one of the Pres' favorites.  There's a rule in the mission about the beach which is, where the sand starts, you stop.  But  we (the 4 Sisters here in Toti) thought it a shame to live right on the beach and not be able to run on it in the mornings.  So, I went and spoke to Pres. about it.  He gave us permission! :) So this morning we went running/walking on the beach.  It was really nice!  I tell you though, that really works you. Running about killed me.  Walking was a great work out.

The missionaries who are from South Africa that get called to South Africa don't get to go to the MTC because of distance and expense, and so they come into the mission without any training at all and it's tough on them.  So, Pres. Stevenson is having a mini-MTC for the incoming South African missionaries.  I was asked to be an instructor.  I think that it will be a lot of fun. It's running for 6 days starting on Thursday. It should be a cool experience.  I'm a little nervous though because we teach in 4 hour blocks.  I don't know what to teach for 4 hours!  They haven't given me my topics yet or anything.  I guess I'll find out today (at least I hope so!)

The weather has really been cooling down lately.  It's been really nice.  But I think that it is going to get quite hot again before it really becomes winter.

The work here is still going extremely well.  The branch is so excited about the things going on.  It is exciting to see.  I wish I were going to be here long enough to see the chapel here dedicated.  It will be at least another years time.  Maybe I'll come back to see it! :)

Sister Jensen (one of the Sisters I stay with) and I want to go into business together.  They have these things here that they just call pies.  But they aren't like the pies we have there in the states.  They have a light flaky crust but they have like meat fillings.  They are something like chicken pot pies, but they are different and like 100% better. It's impossible to describe them, but I'll make some when I get home.  We are busy getting recipes now.  They are so nice.  So anyhow, we figure we'll open a small cafe type place called Mama and Baba's Cafe and sell these pies.  I think that they would go off so well there.  Anyhow, that's our business idea.  We're excited about it because we know it will work.

Sister Merkley (my trainer) is going home this week.  She has been serving in the islands for the past 9 months.  She will be coming to Durban on Thursday.  I am really excited to see her.

Well, I hope that things are going well for you all.  Pres & Sis. Mckay fasted again for you on Sunday. I told them that they really didn't need to, but they insisted.  Pres. Stevenson also always asks about you and how things are going.

Well, I love you all tons!  Take care!

I love you!
Salagahle!
Michelle :)

(Teaching at the mini-MTC was wonderful.  I loved every minute of it.  When I got home, I was able to get a job teaching at the Provo MTC.  I LOVED that job!  What a better way to spend your time than teaching the Lord's missionaries!?!)