22 August 2011 - Pineapple Flavored Soda

Elders Tekulve and Barker

22 August 2011

Hello family and friends!

Remember when I said a couple of e-mails ago that I hadn't eaten at any natives house? I spoke a bit too soon because that night I had a short appointment at which was served delicious margarine sandwiches and pineapple flavored soda. I had never heard of pineapple soda before... Several weeks later, this last weekend, I was at their house again for a proper meal. For dinner was pap and this concoction of cabbage, peanut butter, onions, and tomatoes all boiled together in a pot. I'll be honest, it was not great. But that's okay! In contrast to that just yesterday I ate at another members house. It was the biggest house I've been inside since I've got to Africa and it is amazing with glass walls, huge second story porch, and it's right next to Kowie River with an amazing view of the hill country north of here. We had chicken, rice with gravy, baked (?) potato halves, fried Mediterranean vegetables and for dessert a self-admitted "mix of everything left over in the pantry". It consisted of, from bottom to top, pie crumbs, peach slices, lots of caramel, chocolate sauce, and chocolate mousse. And we ate it with ice cream. SO GOOD.

But then the rest of the day was kind of a snapshot of the past couple of weeks. Every single appointment scheduled in the evening was not available. They were either gone out somewhere or there was only women in the house so we couldn't teach them. At least we got something done; we received several referrals and taught one recent convert in the evening.

Saturday was All Africa Helping Hands day. Every ward or branch in Africa goes out and does a service project in the same day. Our branch painted the wall of a nearby child welfare center. It was right underneath a large tree in which were chirping and tweeting several dozen little yellow birds. Included is one picture. Speaking of birds, there's one here called the Hadeda Ibis. So called because of it's very loud AAH AAH AAH AAH AAH that it feels the need to belt out wherever it goes.

It's fun to tell the natives about Halloween. Describing it to someone who has never heard of it, it sounds so weird. The same thing with root beer. Root beer doesn't exist here. Another weird cultural thing is the colors (Chrome says I'm spelling colors wrong) of the houses. Common colors include: sky blue, bright pink, and mint green. On another random note, so far I've been told my name sounds either Russian (several times) or Serbian.

A week ago, after e mailing, I did 2 things I've never done before. First I tried making homemade yoghurt. The result was something yoghurt-like but thinner than average. It also tasted kind of funny. Since the ingredients for yoghurt end up being actually a bit more than just buying it I'll stick to buying it. Today I'll start on the Lemon Rocket Fuel.
After that I cut Elder Barkers hair. And he cut mine. Both of us are too scared to get out the scissors so we just trimmed the sides with a buzzer. Surprisingly, neither or our heads ended up looking too terribly bad.

This Monday marks the start of the 6th or last week of this transfer. At the end of this week it is possible but not likely that I'll move somewhere else or have a different companion. What will probably happen is I will stick with Elder Barker for 6 more weeks then he will leave and I'll get another senior companion. Then 6 weeks after that I'll move somewhere else. That's the pattern anyway.
I haven't got Mom's package yet but it should arrive maybe next week. Also included is a picture of my dinner and of me being a giant.

Have a nice day,

Elder Tekulve

Luke 9:62:

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.