Comment on the Royal Wedding - and the blog by A Well Behaved Mormon Woman

I read this post Every temple marriage is a royal wedding and tried to paste a comment, but it seems that maybe the comment got lost in cyberspace. So here it is.


I grew up in a family that had been sealed in the London England Temple when I was fifteen years old, and I was regularly reminded that I am a prince in Israel, and I am very fortunate to be married to a wonderful princess in Israel.  So, I guess that, being prince and princess, we had a royal wedding! We were married in 1981 just weeks after some other royals, Charles and Diana, were married. We married in a chapel in Pretoria, South Africa, and then went to the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed a few days later. 

I have often thought about the 'until death do you part' or 'as long as you both shall live' and have concluded that civil marriage ceremonies are performed by officers who receive their licences from the state, and no earthly government can make any binding contract that extends beyond the grave. Yes, many people who know nothing of the LDS doctrines believe that they will see their loved ones beyond the grave. But they cannot count on being married unless their marriage is sealed by the power of the God of Heaven who married Adam and Eve and intended that all marriages should be eternal. That is why it is so wonderful to go to the Temple and perform proxy marriages for those who love their spouses and families, as Emily in Wonderland says, so that they can enjoy the benefits of marriage beyond this life.

I am grateful for my eternal royal wedding. It is sad that the marriage of Charles and Diana did not last as ours did. We wish that William and Kate, and every couple, could be at least as happy as my wife and I are. And through the power of the priesthood of God, and the Temples, there is that promise for those who are married (or sealed) for eternity while in this life, or sealed in the next. Everyone is a child of God, the King of Heaven, so every wedding should be a royal wedding. At least, as one comment said, we ought to rejoice that the royal couple William and Kate chose to be married as so many in England these days do not. And so we rejoice in every choice to marry as husband and wife, and we wish each couple a truly happy marriage. It is regrettable that many people forget their royal heritage and that their Heavenly Father wishes that they would have a royal wedding. 

Fed with manna in the wilderness

Les Powrie, August 1993

Dunes near Gobabeb

The Kuiseb River - a long, linear oasis

I enjoyed this sunrise on one of my many early morning walks.

There is a desert out there.  You have heard that it is hot, boring, big, unpleasant - well, miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.  You need to pass through this vast expanse of nothingness because you have to get to the other side.  You resolve to dash through in the dead of night so that you can get to the other side and not have it affect you too much. 

But then you have a breakdown which keeps you in this area for a day, maybe more.  You do what you can to get the attention for the car that is needed, then with nothing else to do you begrudgingly accept your fate and go for a walk in the desert.  You set out at 10:00 and you walk.  You walk, and you walk, stewing over the dilemma - you are stuck in the Namib desert!  You are stranded!  You cannot imagine what could be a worse fate.  You trudge through sand dunes, over hot, dusty plains.  You see gemsbok, black backed jackal, dry grass, scorpions, lizards which dive into the sand and disappear, tok-tokkies, trees in the middle of nowhere, ants, wasps, lizards, grasshoppers, green plants, stones that move suddenly and you realise that they are beetles, melons, water holes dug by animals who know where to find water that fell 320 days ago and has been underground for 315 days, even a village near a river bed. 

Suddenly you realise that you are no longer stewing over your car, but you are fascinated by this desert.  The snakes, hyaena, springbok, jackal, scorpions, beetles, lizards, gemsbok and all are here, they are healthy, they are able to sustain themselves on this nothingness, and then you realise that you have seen more than nothingness.  You have seen some of the most fascinating plants and animals that you have ever seen, and you are amazed at how many different kinds there are.

They are not as striking as the flowers and plants to which you are accustomed, to the lush green rolling hills near East London and in the Transkei, the beautiful forests and bushveld in the eastern Transvaal Lowveld, the subtropical Natal coast, or the magnificent Fynbos of the Cape.  They are not as delicate as the familiar garden subjects.  But you realise that you are developing a fondness for this unusual beauty.  All of this has come to you without anyone showing you what is to be observed and learned, and you realise that with a guide there would be even more to be seen.  You start to see what has lead to my great fascination for deserts for as long as I can remember.  I have spent time getting to know the Namib and the Karoo and that is why I have such an enduring love and respect for the arid parts of our country.

Let me now share some things that I have learned, and maybe your next experience in the deserts or semi-deserts around us will be more meaningful, more pleasant, more exciting, more fulfilling than you ever imagined.

Let us look at some of the things that are not readily seen because they are camouflaged; or which take time to observe; or are so small that you have to get right down to earth to see them as I did here one day when I had to allow my clothes to dry out after being soaked in a Karoo rain storm.

Take time to observe, seek a guide to help you to observe, and then become a guide so that you can help others to find joy in their encounters with the wilderness.  But far more important to me than the simple fascinations that I have for the Karoo are the lessons about life that I have learned there, things about the desert in which we live even if we live in one of the lush parts of the world.

I would like to draw two parallels with the rush through the Karoo.
 

One is expressed in the sentiments of Robert Louis Stevenson that 'we are all travellers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we can hope to find is an honest friend.'  We see violence, war, poverty, sickness, tragedy, discord. horror, disaster, and in short, all that is as far from what we dream to be ideal as it can be.  The ideal is peace, luxury, wealth, harmony, perfection, beauty - in short - paradise.  Instead, life is kind of like the desert - hot, boring, big, unpleasant - well, miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.  Many people are loath to bring children into this terrible world, as they see it.  Some kill themselves to free themselves from it all.  others simply deem it their right to add to the problems in the attitude that if you can't beat them you may as well join them.

But when we stop to look around us we see that beneath the sensational headlines of the media there is actually a lot of good, a lot that is honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, lovely and of good report and praiseworthy.  But it requires taking stock, stopping, getting out of the car, and observing.  We tend to be so involved in the hurly-burly of life that we fail to see beneath the surface of humanity, that most people are actually not warmongers, but they interact peaceably with each other.  In fact, I like people.

I have also seen a parallel with people viewing the scriptures as a desert - hot, boring, big - well, miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.  They avoid travelling through the pages of these special books, and if they are persuaded to open the book they rush through them hoping to get to the other end of the journey hoping with their lives as little affected as possible by the boredom that they are convinced exists in these outdated texts, and especially in older English translations.  But those who have stopped and wandered about the words on the pages, have seen many gems, many beautiful and comforting words.

Behold the fowls of the air:  for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are ye not much better than they?... Consider the lilies of the fields, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe ye, O ye of little faith?  (Matt. 6: 26-30).

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:  Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest.  How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?  when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?  Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man (Prov. 6: 6-11).

But besides the valuable lessons I've learned while exploring in the pages of the scriptures, I have also gained wonderful insights about the scriptures while wandering in the desert.  I have seen that plants which grow in the most harsh parts of the desert are more able to endure hardship than the same species in softer conditions.  Scientist debate at length and point out that plants in these extremes are not stressed, because they are accustomed to the hardships.  It is those that are in 'ideal' conditions that suffer when exposed to even moderate hardship because they are not hardened to these conditions.

Plants either endure drought, or they avoid drought.  Succulents lay up reserves in their leaves and thus endure periods of hardship, and we have been counseled to lay up temporal reserves as Pres Ezra Taft Benson has said 'I ask you earnestly, have you provided for your family a year's supply of food, clothing, and, where possible, fuel?  The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.'  We are also challenged to be self reliant in education, health, employment, resource management and social, emotional and spiritual strength.  Deciduous plants drop their leaves so that they do not lose moisture through evapo-transpiration, and we have been counselled that 'if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee:  for it is better for thee that one of thy members perish, and not that thy whole body be cast into hell' (Matt 5:30).  There is much to learn of endurance from these plants which live for hundreds, and even thousands of years.

From the Karoo I have learned about the restoration of the Gospel, that it is not like the efforts at veld restoration which farmers attempt as the substrate has become so altered through years of abuse that species and soil are lost, and the veld can never be the same as it was.  But the Lord has restored some virgin veld that has never been abused, and is the only true example of what the veld should be, not just what experts believe it would have been five hundred or a thousand years ago, with a few species missing and veld composition altered such that they know that they cannot hope to see the veld return to exactly what it had been.

From the magnificent blossoming of the veld in the spring I have learned that flowers bloom where they find room - and this is true of people too.  It is interesting to me that the Namaqualand fields which are most beautiful in Spring are those which are most overgrazed.  We, too, can turn rough times into times of bright blooming which will delight the eyes and gladden the hearts of those around us who also face difficulties - and who doesn't?

From a recent visit which Sally and I made to the Tanqua Karoo we saw that, just as it is the effort of every blade of grass that keeps the meadow green as my mother frequently said, so it is the effort of many little flowers which make the fields into carpets of yellow, mauve, pink, orange, white and mixtures of colours.  It it the effort of each of us which makes the desert of life into a delight to those who take the time to see beyond the doomsday reporting in newscasts in the media.

The Saviour taught and lived in an area which is much like the Karoo.  he took examples of that veld for His parables.  For example, in the Tanqua Karoo I realised how the shepherd could leave ninety and nine sheep to go and look for one that had strayed - I saw sheep follow a strait and narrow path the width of a car tyre, to the extent of keeping in the narrow track made by the car, even following the twists made as the car slewed in the soft sand.  The sheep did not deviate from this meandering path, although it took them in a crooked line when they could perfectly well have gone straight.  So the shepherd could trust the flock to follow their normal track to the sheepfold while he sought the one lamb that had left the strait and narrow way.

Consider the many special experiences which have been had in the wilderness - Jacob at Peniel where he saw the Lord face to face; Moses who saw the Lord face to face on Mount Sinai; Elijah who was brought food by birds which the Lord sent to him while in the wilderness hiding from Jezabel; Nephi who saw the spirit of the Lord and was taught about the birth of Christ, the tree of life and other lessons; Enos who prayed through the day and the night while in the forests, and who heard the promise from the Lord that his sins were forgiven him; Joseph Smith who saw the Father and the Son in a grove of trees.  Moses, Elijah and Christ all fasted for forty days in the wilderness, showing us that we must not expect to receive great spiritual blessing if we only spend a few moments saying prayers, but we need to stretch ourselves a bit more.

Next time you go through the desert - the Karoo, society, the scriptures, or whatever else seems to be dead, take time to see beyond the reputed lack of life, and you will be rewarded with a revelation of an abundance of life.  You may find your impressions changing as did the lady who said 'Good gracious, this here is nothing but miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles!" and a few days later said 'This is the most beautiful, the most interesting and rewarding desolation one could ever dream of.'  You will also learn that the richness of learning to be had extends beyond what you will experience on site, just as many of those who dash through the Karoo hoping to be as little affected by its nothingness as possible, often sit down at the other side to relish a delicious meal of Karoo lamb which gets its special and unique flavour from those very bushes which they are convinced have no worth in their lives.  We will be blessed with special experiences and insights in all aspects of our sojourn in this apparent wilderness of life, if we take the time to browse from the pages of scripture, and if we take time out from the hustle and bustle of life to observe the wealth of good in our society, just as the children of Israel were fed with manna in the wilderness.

Book review for Manna in the Desert by Alfred de Jager Jackson

Alfred de Jager Jackson
Manna in the Desert: A revelation of the Great Karroo
Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Brevitas cc, 2006
270 pp. ZAR 285
ISBN 1-874976-48-1
First published 1920, second edition in hardcover published 2006 by Craig Elstob. The second edition includes the original black and white photographs as well as some recent colour photographs and an Afterword by Craig Elstob.

I have spent a fair amount of time as an ecologist in the Namib Desert in Namibia and in the Succulent Karoo and Nama-Karoo in South Africa. My impression was one of hidden beauty and concealed vitality and about 20 years ago I presented a talk entitled 'Manna in Your Wilderness'. One can only imagine my surprise to see, in a recent visit to Sutherland the Karoo, reference to a book published in 1920, Manna in the Desert by Alfred de Jager Jackson. The librarian at Kirstenbosch obtained a copy for me and I was expecting a book like this.

  

And I was very surprised to see a glossy cover, and found that the book was republished as a second edition in 2006 by de Jager's great-grandson Craig Elstob.

To add further to the surprise, inside the back cover one finds that Craig has the middle name Dryden, and his great grandfather x 5 married a Dryden in the UK, and all the family have the second name Dryden. This name has very particular significance for me as both my grandmothers (two sisters) were daughters of John Little Dryden who was Port Captain and Shipping Master in Port Alfred from 1882 to 1896, and then Harbour Master at Mossel Bay from 1896 where he lived until his death in 1914.

The author, Alfred de Jager Jackson, spent his youth on a farm near Beaufort West in the Great Karoo and shares many anecdotes about his experiences in the Desert. The book sets out to share the emotional and spiritual upliftment experienced by the author living in this semi-desert area. He talks about the plants and animals of the Karoo, and gives his insights into the web of life on the farm, and how the humans fitted into this web. The author gives his object in writing the book as drawing 'men towards a right and reverent regard of Nature, particularly as exemplified in the Great Karroo, in the abundance and variety of its animal life, in the wealth, diversity and complexity of its plant life, in its splendid skies, and in the intense contrasts of its natural features, both of air and earth.' De Jager clearly has a great love and reverence for his childhood farm and tells of more than 50 plants and several animals, giving quaint spellings (like rispers as opposed to ruspers, Dubbeltjiedoorn which is also know as Duwweltjiedoorn, or Devil's thorn) clearly influenced by Dutch, and 'translations' (Kougoed translated as 'cold' rather than 'chewing' goods) of common names, but very few scientific names. He gives some very interesting insights and accounts of farming in the Great Karroo, transport, accommodation, animal husbandry, tutors, farm workers, researchers, expeditions and so forth. He describes plants, animals, insects, birds, reptiles, seasons, climates, and more that paint an inviting picture of the 'vast solitudes', 'great valleys',  'rugged mountains' and 'splendid skies' of the karoo. He writes about several of his tutors, some farm-hands and their antics, several pets of either domesticated or wild origin, and dear memories and recollections that stayed close to his heart for as much as sixty years. His informal but pleasantly descriptive writing style would appeal to a very wide readership.

I very much enjoyed this insider account of the area that I have visited as an ecologist, learning of some of the practices and thoughts of the past and how they compare with present thoughts and practices, and how they may have affected the present practices and condition of the veld. I think that this book is worth reading for its ecological content, the writer's passion for the karoo, the delightful word pictures he creates, and well, I really enjoyed reading it!

My birthday memories - 57 years old

Yesterday was the start of my 58th year on this beautiful planet, and more specifically in the Fair Cape.

Well, I awoke and got about my day. My family wished me well, and I was reminded of the special birthday present that Cindy (with a little help from Richard) has given me - she cleaned out the vegetable garden and planted some seeds so that I and we can enjoy a harvest at home. That does indeed give me good joy - the working in the cleaned garden, and the anticipation of the harvest.

After several hours at work one of my colleagues came in and wished me well. I had been with another colleague most of the day and he said 'Oh, is it your birthday? Well, you know me, I forget my own birthday!" So one person remembered my special day as I approach retirement - now 8 years to go!

Then home to what was to have been a special family supper, except that Sally has been really ill with a tummy bug and so Shelly invited Andrew P, Cindy, Richard and me for some Chinese spring rolls, sweet and sour chicken and beef chop suey. I enjoyed that! Andrew H was also ill with the tummy bug and did not join us, so it was Shelly, Joshua and Hannah hosting us.

Then off to home teaching - a visit scheduled for two weeks ago, then postponed to last week, and then while on our way there postponed again until this week - so I home taught on my birthday.

Home to my family, and giving some caring attention to Sally, then off to bed about 22:20.

I had received a few birthday wishes, some from my two university alumni offices, Internet service provider, retailers, and so forth, but some from friends. Well, one SMS sent by a friend was sent 08:28 on 23 Feb. I have no reception in my office, so I did not receive the SMS.

This morning I was woken by my phone beeping.....

It beeps every five minutes after a reminder - or after receiving message. So I woke and think to myself that I must have missed my 04:50 reminder that wakes me to start my morning and do my exercises. So up I get, drink some water, wash my face, say my prayers, go to the toilet, and go and do my exercises. All the while I am feeling rather tired, and slightly nauseous as I was exercising, and I hoped it was not because I was brewing the tummy bug.

After doing my ecercises I am confused as to why Richard is not up and getting ready for his day. I run the water for my shaving, and go to the kitchen to get my breakfast. I look at the kitchen clock - it says 01:55 and I think it must not be working properly, except that it is ticking away as it ought to! I check other clocks, and they confirm that it is indeed nearly 02:00 in the morning. No wonder I am tired, and Richard is not up! Sensible him!

So, thanks for the birthday wishes, all of you! Even Gerald who sent it timeously and cannot be blamed for the foibles of modern technology that deliverd his message 18 hours later and got me up at well before the crack of dawn three time zones before mine!

I decided to not shave then, and went back to bed with an alarm set to wake me at 05:20 - after all, I had already done my exercises! Understandably, I am tired now, and looking forward to getting to bed after a long day, mostly in a meeting of the National Vegetation Map Committee.

May the remaining days of the years before retirement go well too! Maybe even better than this unusual start to my day.

My greetings to each of you - and may you have wonderful birthdays, remembered by loved ones, and hopefully not frustrated by the happenings caused by gremlins crawling around in the entrails of computers or alsewhere!

Really, I am serious when I say I have a wonderful life. Beautiful roses have thorns, but they are still a joy to smell and to behold.

Les and Sal Powrie Family Gazette - Christmas 2010

The family gathered for the naming and blessing of Hannah Elizabeth Herbert, July 2010. Andrew P, Cindy, Sally, Leslie, Richard, Shelly & Hannah, Andrew H & Joshua, Rohan, Colleen.

Greetings to all our dear family and friends for Christmas 2010

Hmm! Here we are again – everyone wondering what to get for Christmas gifts, and wondering what on earth happened to yet another year! Every year we all say to each other: “How did the year go so fast?” And then we turn around – and find we’re saying it again at the end of yet another year.

So much for philosophising – What has 2010 been like for you? I hope you’ll share something of your life with us. In the meanwhile, in our family’s time-honoured fashion, we’d like to share a little of our year with you.

Of course, 2010 was THE year. It seemed that we could go nowhere without sign of the countdown – If soccer fever were a symptom of an illness, SA was sure to die as the World Cup hit. And yet – and yet – it was by no means a fatal event. In fact, despite my prior cynical attitude about the much-vaunted event, there was in fact some magic in the excitement in the country. While none of us attended any of the games, we did get into the centre of Cape Town and the Waterfront during some of the major events, and we were all thrilled at the exhilarating buzz. And you know what was best about it all – there was no sense of ugly behaviour. There is only one major niggle that I personally have – VUVUZELA’s. Someone please tie a knot in all of them.

Now, let’s get down to our family.

First of all, Shelly, Andrew and Joshua welcomed little Hannah into their family on 17 May. Shelly continues to be a source of joy as we watch her gentleness as a mother with these two little ones. Joshua accepted his new baby sister sweetly, despite having to give up his position of being the only child. But then his wise parents carefully give a good balance of time to both children, and involved our curly-topped little grandson in his little sister’s care. Shelly was obviously off on maternity leave, and then when she went back to UCT, she completed the application and interview process, and was offered a permanent position instead of her previous contract position. Andrew has continued to be a constant and steady influence in his home, and in October he was called as Bishop in our ward at Church. This puts a heavy responsibility on him – caring for the members of our ward, as well as his own family. He has also recently been promoted at work to Cape Town Branch Manager. In addition to this, he is still studying. We love and appreciate this fine man who married our sweet daughter.

Colleen and Rohan have had the excitement of buying their first home this year. There is nothing quite so exciting, or so nerve-racking. They didn’t really want to leave the Meadowridge area where they were extremely happy, especially at Church, having Rohan’s family, and good friends, and being happy in their callings. Unfortunately, the cost of houses is just so much higher there that they ended up looking over our side (as well as everywhere else), and then they found a really lovely 3-bedroomed house quite close to us, which was more affordable – and it’s on a nice size property – so there’s lots of potential. Colleen is really happy teaching at SACS, which means she still has a long way to go to work each day, but Rohan works just up on the side of Tygerberg Hill, so he’s really close to work. He’s happy in his job as well, and hopes that all goes well for it to continue in the long term. Of course, the most exciting news followed their move (September) – their first baby is on its way.  That is due to be early in June 2011. How exciting is that? We get Colleen and Rohan living close by and then find they are going to give us another grandbaby. We are so blessed! Thank you, you two wonderful young people. You are a joy to us. Rohan’s parents unfortunately have them living further away, but I know they are over the moon about the baby. This will be their first grandbaby.

Our Andrew in his 22^nd year has continued working at Federal Clearing, which has provided him with a good job since he left school, and he has proved his worth. Something he and some of his friends have been doing this year is Mixed Martial Arts, with classes he goes to twice a week. He’s been getting pretty fit – and he sometimes comes home quite black and blue – a hazard of the sport, I guess. He recently had his first grading and got his yellow belt. He quickly realized that this is a time when he absolutely has to wear his contact lenses, which he doesn’t do all the time. But he is really very keen to have corrective surgery on his eyes, mainly because his greatest desire for quite a long time has been to become a pilot. He has been working out a way for the finances to hopefully make it possible for him to have the op early next year. This is the time of his life to have it done. His eyes have settled and he can get maximum benefit time, so we really hope it all works out. He has also been doing some extra promotion work of computer games for Bryan Banfield during the year. Now at the end of the year – in fact, 2 days after Christmas, he is moving out to a house that he will be sharing with 3 friends. As this is in Table View, he will need his own transportation for getting to work (no longer being able to go with Andrew H). So he has just bought himself a scooter. And so our next fledgling flies the nest. Oh dear, before we know it we will have a completely empty nest. I am proud of him for deciding that he needs to get out and be independent when many young people simply stay in their parents’ homes for comfort and convenience and cost-savings. But I’m going to miss having him at home.

Cindy began her year getting her matric results from the end of last year. She did so well – 6 A’s! We certainly couldn’t ask for more. And so then it was into the big world of university for which she had been feeling ready for so long. It was with the greatest of ease that she settled straight into ‘Varsity life, and before we knew it, as usual, Cindy had her plate overloaded. She is studying a BA, with the intention of teaching English. She loves studying English, and Linguistics (we get continual lectures over dinner), and German (totally loves the language – studying it from scratch this year. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fit into her schedule next year, so she can’t continue it), and Film and Media Studies. Next year she is planning to take Maths, possibly as her third major. She was very blessed to get an excellent bursary from the education department, for which she will of course have to work to pay back at the end. In addition to her course materials, she was invited to sing in the College of Music Choir. As you may imagine, for our songbird this was a bit of heaven. It added extra hours, and on Mondays and Thursdays, Les would patiently work late at Kirstenbosch, so as to be able to fetch her late, and the two of them would get home at about 7pm. In addition to this, JoMarie, who had been her singing teacher at the College of Music while Cindy was still at school, and was the leader of the choir, continued to give Cindy private singing lessons. Add working part-time in the Department of Accounting at UCT, serving as secretary in the Primary organisation, and weekly Institute classes, and you see why I say that her plate was quickly overloaded. Fortunately, a joyful load. But a bonus – she has been given a Faculty Scholarship for 2011, awarded for academic excellence. Now for a well-earned vacation. But that doesn’t mean she will stop for a moment.

Richard – oh my goodness, he has just turned 17. He can’t wait to get his Learner’s License. I can’t believe our 5^th child is old enough to start learning to drive. Stop the world, I want to get off! Simply because it’s going so fast. Not because I think he won’t be able to do it – I’m sure he’ll do great. His siblings have all done well, so there is no reason why he shouldn’t. He’s at the end of Grade 10. The last two years of school ahead of him. He has had a really busy year, most especially the 1^st half of the year. His matric subjects are: English, Afrikaans, Maths, Science, Accounting, Drama, Life Orientation, AdMaths and Information Technology. Drama as a matric subject is a very demanding subject. Richard is Stage Manager, as well as having to do the actual drama in class etc. He was not too surprisingly excellent at the whole Backstage thing, considering his handiness (absolutely his dad’s son in that. Backstage was something that Andrew really loved being part of when he was at school too). I think the aspect of leadership has been excellent for him. And then, Grandpa Simon’s acting talent seems to have found more of a home in Richard than I think he had anticipated. The school play, which was written by the students, guided by the teachers, to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of Edgemead High School, was incredibly demanding of time, effort and talent. And the result was amazing. I couldn’t get over what these youth put on. Richard was as proud as punch to be a part of it – and utterly exhausted. In the midst of all this, which went on for months, normal school work had to happen. Information Technology is in the evenings and AdMaths is after school. He had done Karate, but sadly, something had to give.

It’s interesting how much the performing arts – music, acting, singing and dancing – have come out in this generation. A great heritage from both Les’s and my parents and families.

Les seems to have been continually busy, and exhausted all year. He has been on a few field trips, most recently in the Southern Cape and up into the Little Karoo. He works too hard, and yet still gives more of himself if ever called on, and often without being called on. He is still ward clerk at Church. He really loves this calling, as I have probably mentioned before and is incredibly diligent in his calling. Les sadly said goodbye to his budgies this year. After having the aviary for a number of years, the point was reached where it was becoming more of a burden then a blessing. He had had a great deal of pleasure out of the birds over the years, breeding them, watching them grow, and caring for them. But this year he advertised on Gumtree, and got a response from a family in Richwood, to whom we gave the aviary and birds. We also had our old cat, Oscar (well, Shelly’s cat really) put down in March. He was just really old and battling terribly with his arthritis, and his quality of life was not good. We reckon he was about 14 years old. So now we’re down to only two cats left in the house. It seems quite strange after the menagerie we’ve had in the past.

I (Sal) have had endless cause to be grateful for the husband that I have. These last five years have been an unusual challenge, not only for me, but also for Les, and I think that we have grown together. I do feel like saying “It’s enough now, I think we’ve grown enough haven’t we?” But when I say things like that – guess what, a new dimension gets added to the challenge, one that we hadn’t imagined yet. So, I think I’ll quietly wait and see what happens at this stage. Perhaps there are aspects of the last five years which we will really only discover years down the line, but I have a feeling that those are going to be positive ones. What we have found up till now has been the positive growth of our family. The strength and support that my family – my husband, my children, my mother, my brothers and sisters and /in-laws – have given me has been more than I could ever have expected or deserved. Our Church family has also been incredible – I’m not going to name anyone for fear of leaving out special people accidentally.

Something wonderful happened for our family this year, and that was having Ron and Pamela get married and move down here. I felt an immediate kinship with Pamela, and having this sister here is great.

And so has passed another year. In terms of the birthday song sung by our Primary (our Church children’s organization): “One year older and wiser, too” – hmm? Well, the year older is inevitable. The wiser, too? Ja well no fine.

With that profound thought for the year ahead – it must surely be something to aim for next year – We send you our warmest greetings and love for a blessed Christmas this 2010, and a peace-filled 2011.

Les, Sally, Andrew, Cindy and Richard
Andrew and Shelly, Joshua and little Hannah Herbert
Colleen and Rohan Schwartz     

A very brief summary of meeting with bishop H. David Burton and elder Jeffrey R. Holland

The following is a very brief summary of what was presented in the talks yesterday in the extraordinary stake conference meeting. Present were bishop David Burton, presiding bishop, and elder Jeffrey R Holland, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The meeting was held at the Bellville chapel in the Cape Town South Africa stake.

Pres. Mervyn Giddey, stake president, spoke about his impressions following the meetings yesterday about rescuing the one. There should be no animosity toward any, and cited the example of Joseph who was sold into Egypt and how he was loving and charitable towards his brothers who had sold him into Egypt. The worth of souls is great – and we need to value each soul.

Four members were called upon to speak extemporaneously.

Angie Spires bore testimony of the rewards of faithful endurance despite challenges.

Alex Giddey told how he had received his testimony after repeated pleading.

Tracy Armstrong told of being challenged to study the Book of Mormon together with studying Preach My Gospel

Kaylianne Zokufa told that if we walk faithfully we will be able to walk in these difficult challenges of the world. Set an example and your light will shine where it is needed.

Elder Jackson Mkhabela – learn what we should learn, do what we should do, become what we should become, or what we have been given will be taken away from us.

Sister Burton – She told of how she has thought in a sacrament meeting how similar meetings are occurring all over the world, bringing home the reality of this being a truly worldwide Church. She encouraged children to obey their parents. She believes that parents would give their lives for their children and related a story of a bird that had apparently given its life trying to get to its children to feed them after construction work made the nest inaccessible.

Bishop Burton – Read from John chapter 4 and asked what we must accomplish to receive the living water. He told how he, as a 13 year old had reluctantly accompanied his father to administer to a sick ward member, and he had gone to sit on the front steps to think of the ball game that he was missing because of this visit. Then pres. David O Mackay came and sat next to him and chatted. He told of the time that he, as a 13 year old, was joined by pres. John Taylor, and how brother Taylor pulled up his sleeve and showed young David McKay the wounds that he has received when in Carthage jail at the time of Joseph Smith’s martyrdom. Here was young David being told by an older David of his experiences as a young David.

Sister Patricia Holland – she said that nothing, not even the beautiful Cape, is as beautiful as the testimony and spirit in this stake meeting.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland – he had loved every second of the meeting so far. He asked the choir to once again sing ‘Beautiful Saviour’. He told how he had borne witness of the savior since the time that he was in Primary, but that the witness that he bears now is that of a Witness. He said that his presence in Cape Town today was a witness of the restoration of the Gospel, that God lives, Jesus Christ lives, that they have visited the Earth in these last days. He was sent to us as a witness that this is true. He told of the apostles of old who, after less than 36 months of training, under the tutelage of Jesus Christ, were suddenly left alone. They had been prepared, but they failed to grasp the preparation telling them that Christ would be going away from them. There was probably depression, confusion, certainly chaos. They had decided to go fishing again – the one thing that they knew how to do. Things had not been easy for them at the first, or the last, nor any time in between. While fishing they were hailed by a man on the shore who had a fire burning with food for them which would be very welcome as they had caught nothing during the night. This stranger asked how the fishing had been, and then told them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. They questioned, but did anyway, and the result was then a catch that was too vast for them to bring in easily. They then recognized that it was the Saviour who had spoken to them and Peter, impetuous as ever, jumped into the water to swim ashore. The Saviour then asked Peter three times ‘lovest thou me more than these?’ Peter was grieved when asked the third time (he was becoming sensitive about threes after denying three times at the palace at the time of the trial). It was important for Peter to affirm his love three times, and to receive the instructions three times to feed the Saviour’s lambs and sheep. Elder Holland stressed to us – do we love Him? We need to have the same changing and renewed matured commitment that Peter and the other apostles needed, and we need to love Him, and feed His sheep. He said that we are apostles with a lower case A. He stressed that there is no vindictiveness in the father – He is not out to condemn us – but we need to answer the question ‘do you love me’? What are we going to do to show our love for Him? Elder Holland then gave an apostolic blessing, stressing that it was to each individual, as though we had his hands placed personally on each of our heads. He blessed the fathers, the mothers, the young and old, and sent us out to witness.

Following the meeting there was no rush for members to leave because the heavens opened with a heavy downpour. We had no rain at home just about 7km away. But the fellowshipping was enhanced by members staying and chatting rather than going out in the rain.

A splendid spring garden - Kirstenbosch in September

I was at a meeting in Newlands yesterday morning and took the opportunity to go for a walk in Kirstenbosch. The garden was full! The car parks were full. The weather was splendid. The flowers were amazing in their colourful splash. Well worth the time spent to recreate myself.

See the panorama - nearly 180° of daisies through to brilliant vygies.

Some of the many colours of the delightfully brilliant Bokbaaivygies

Matthew's Rockery with its mass of vygies of various colours

Children enjoying the stream as our children have done on so many occasions.

And masses of daisies of various colours

And then the variety of colours in the protea section given by leaves and flower heads - Protea, Leucospermum, Leucadendron, Diastella, Faurea, etc. - and birds - interspersed with flowers from other families. Not just in the developed garden, but right up on the slopes of Table Mountain you see the yellow bracts of Leucadendron giving Fynbos one of its distinctive characters.

And then lots and lots of people enjoying Heavenly Father's creation in 'this little bit of the Garden of Eden that has remained intact' (to quote Dad Ken Powrie).

A walk in the forest

And all this so close to civilisation, yet so removed - truly rejuvenating.