Today was a beautiful sunny day with NO rain or even clouds in the sky. So we decided after we took care of some things and visited Sister Mayela, that we would drive out to Malkerns and visit a few places that we have heard a lot about from people who have been to Swaziland.  It was a FUN day and we had a delicious lunch! Then we drove to Mbabane after Nathi called, to meet him again and pick up our passports and visas that finally came through.  We are supposed to have them with us at all times!! We had to go make photocopies and take them to the Lobamba Police Station to be certified.  So we're good to stay in Swaziland for a year now and then will get another extension.

This place is called House of Fire. It is SO interesting!

The artwork and carvings were VERY different!! 

They have weddings and special events here including 

concerts.

A gift shop in the same area

Gorgeous view through the garden path...

Just one of MANY fun benches to sit on...

It is in a really beautiful setting!

I liked this inscription.... "God is Love" Ü 

Cool windows! (I LOVE 💗 hearts!)

Another fun bench made of stone

More interesting art pieces...

This place had the most interesting chandeliers!! 

It was like an amphitheater.

I decided to stop at the restroom ("toilet" here) before we left

and am I ever GLAD I did!  This was the most colorful restroom

I have ever seen in my life!!! 

We drove on to the Swazi Candle Factory and the shops

around there and passed these pretty jacarandas lining the road!

This is a very agricultural area with lots of crops planted,

a jam and jelly factory and more pretty scenery!

This tree is seen all over.  It has BRIGHT fiery red

blossoms, but the color doesn't really show up here.

I LOVE Swaziland's many different pretty trees!!

There was an outdoor craft market there with really

neat things!

This cute guy really wanted us to buy one of his giraffes.

They were NICE!  He learned to make them from his father

and is now teaching his 16 year old brother the craft.  He

called himself "The Young Artist".  He's 23 and very talented!

This candle factory was an amazing place!!  We

just bought a small candle for our table.  There were

so many different shapes and kinds and 

they were ALL BEAUTIFULLY made!!  

These were all animal shapes and very colorful!

These were mostly round or square and had animal

prints and designs.

One of the candlemakers at work in the back room....

These were the coolest animals ones with patterns

the actual colors you see on the animals.

We really enjoyed the fun shops!!

This cute guy in Swazi dress said I could take his

picture and he wouldn't even charge us because

we're Christians. Ü 

We ate lunch at Sembane's Coffee Shop there by the craft 

market.  Bob ordered the chicken curry with rice and I got

the roasted chicken salad with avocado and cashew. They 

were both yummy!! We also got the lemon and the 

strawberry smoothie. Ü

Oh what a beautiful place!  The photo above is 

of pineapples growing.

More beauty on the way to Mbabane... 

These photos just do NOT do it justice!! 

We met Nathi at the Mbabane Chapel and as we were 

pulling out, this cute little family headed into the pretty

Mosque across the street.  Muslims are just 10% of the 

population of Swaziland.  It is 40% Zionists, 20% Roman 

Catholic, and 30% Methodist, Anglican, Mormons and Jews.

The pretty city of Mbabane through the trees and bushes. 

We drove to Manzini from Nhlangano yesterday afternoon to meet Elder Tasara Makasi, area authority and S&I (formerly CES) Area Director for the Africa Southeast Area in Johannesburg, who is from Zimbabwe and Brother Jaime Massango, S&I Coordinator over Swaziland, who is from Mozambique.  They did a Fireside in Manzini from 3-4 pm and we had about 69 YSAs and YM/YW, ages 14-30,  in attendance from the District. It was WONDERFUL!  Elder Makasi did a question and answer session and had Elder Wold and I participate in answering some of the questions!

Elder Makasi's wife and two darling daughters before the fireside

(Elder Massango's wife is on the left too!)

Brother Jaime Massango and his wife are on the left and Elder

Tasara Makasi and his family are in the middle. 

Swaziland District YSAs and Youth

Sunday, October 1st, 2017

Manzini, Swaziland

(Are Elder Wold and I blending in!?!?! Haha!)

Cute Thandie, Mbabane YSA Rep 

with her fun braids! 

This YSA served in the UKM the SAME time we did

but was in Uganda the whole 2 years.  He was in the

same group as Christian Bingham and Spencer Taylor.

He and Elder Bingham were companions in Uganda.

Elder Wold's buddy "Tip Top", who is the groundskeeper/

custodian for the Manzini Chapel.  He is the HAPPIEST guy!!

These were taken on our way home to Ezulwini 

from Manzini....

Had to add these photos of our granddaughter, Maybree, serving on Temple Square.

My little brother, Rick Egan saw her and took these photos conference weekend! 

We traveled to Nhlangano for Church yesterday morning, which is about one and a half hours south of us (however it took us much longer with lots of speed bumps and police officers all along the way)!  Yesterday the annual  cultural  Reed Dance was in Nhlangano but we didn't see anything (thank goodness)!  There wasn't a lot of traffic but the police officers were present, since the King was in attendance! (He watches thousands of females do the cultural dance for him to choose another wife! He has 14 wives!!)

Here are some photos from our drive down and back and the Chapel there and Primary children. We enjoyed their fast and testimony meeting and hearing the dear saints there bear sweet, heart-felt testimonies.  It was a wonderful morning!

We saw a lot of people on the way, walking to churches.

Many churches have unique "costumes" the members wear.

As we got closer to Nhlangano, there were SO many trees!  It was 

BEAUTIFUL!!  Timber is a major export of Swaziland.

These nice, brick bus stops are all over Swaziland, no matter

where we go! Even out in the middle of nowhere! 

Cows and goats were all along the road in some areas.  We were

surprised a few times by animals right in front of us!

There were so many mountains with huge boulders.

Here are just a few.... (These are REAL "Rocky Mountains"!)

It was  VERY dry the first half of the drive and then

turned greener with all of the pine trees!

The Chapel is four portable buildings.  The one in front is 

restrooms and the one in the middle is the actual chapel. 

Primary was in the first door in the building on the right.

The sweet Nhlangano (pronounced THLawngawno)

Primary children. The two Primary leaders 

said they were missing quite a few yesterday.

They can really sing!!