Merry Christmas!!

Hi Everybody, We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. We had a really nice Christmas but we missed everybody. I want to tell you about our

experience last sunday. We were so excited because new area opened up in Motherwell. We have been working with this lady that has 3 kids. She wanted to go to school.

She is a social worker. But she only has certificates and not a degree so they won't pay her very much money so she needs to go to school. We took her to Nelson Mandela

University here in Port Elizabeth to register her. Delsie can't afford to not work unless she gets a bursury which paids her tuition, room and travel and food. The closes L.D,S. Church was 20 miles

away and she doesn't have a car. So she has to take a taxi everywhere she goes. So we picked Delsie up to take her to church on Sunday. It's a good thing We had her with

us or we would have never found it. She knows where all the streets are in Motherwell. When we got there there was only 11 members. They all were Moms and Kids except for President Feli Feli. So Elder Van Sickle

blessed the sacrament and President Feli Feli passed it. Elder Van Sickle was asked to speak. It was very humbling to be in that sacrament meeting. Delsie was so

happy that she would be able to attend a branch so close. After we took Delsie home. we went to Blue water bay and looked on the board where the rentals are. Elder

Oldham is over all the boardings for the Elders and Couples. He needed a flat close by Motherwell to put some young Elders in.Elder Oldham had asked Elder Van Sickle

to find the new boarding seeing how the missionaries would be in our area. We had been looking all week and hadn't found anything Except for one boarding on the river that we didn't think would be very good. We had an appointment to meet a man to check out this boarding but we never could find the boarding or the man. We decided to call

one more time on this boarding that we had called on last week and that had said it had already rented. Elder Van Sickle felt impressed to call them again to see if it was available. We recieved no answer, so we decided to find the flat down by the river and we could not find the right address. When were in the middle of trying to find the correct address this other lady calls back and said she still had the flat and it was still available. So we decided we would go look at it right then. It was perfect in every way. We went over to the lady's house and signed the contract that afternoon. While we filled out the contract she kept asking about the church and the missionarys that would stay there. It was quite exciting to answer all of her questions. She had been divorced and she was quite concerned that her two sons were going to follow ther nonbelieving dad. He did not think there was a God. She did not know how to handle the situation with her son going to church, so she asked what we thought she should do. The doors just kept opening all after noon about the gospel. She is reallly a great lady because her and her new husband are so giving and caring for other people. When we were leaving  we went out to the car and we were able to give her a Book Of Mormon. It was quite spiritual moment.She was looking  for the truth.She said that she would read the Book of Mormon. She left on Holiday with her

family she is going to be gone til the 14 of January. We can't wait until she gets back. She wanted us to come back. She and her new husband have alot of christ like attibutes. Kindness, Mercy, Love, They took in a lady

and let her stay in one of there flat's for awhile until she can get on her feet. She was abused by her husband. Another lady was unemployed and needed a job so they have

her clean the flats.She is a financial accountant and does the books for her church. Her sons ask her why mom are you helping all these people. Why because she is

trying to be like the Savior. She shows love for her fellowmen. I just know God is aware of her and her family we were meant to meet her that day. We love the Book of

Mormon. We know that it is true. We love reading it everyday it helps us in this life to prepare to meet the Savior when he comes again. We love being missionaries and doing the lord's work everyday. We love all of you. Love Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Elder and Sister Van Sickle

More from Dec. 2012

Hi everybody again!  Here are some more pictures of experiences in South Africa:

It is very common to see people carrying things on their head. We saw this member of our church carrying brooms on her head and asked if we could take a picture of her to send home to our family

070 is a picture of a mud hut. The opening is very short so it makes me look very tall. It's very interesting what the walls are made of, straw.sticks. and mud.

                                                           Another picture of the botanical gardens

We love you all. Take care. Love Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Elder and Sister Van Sickle

December 2012

If you look at picture 080. There's a African lady in the picture.She's a member of the church. I talked to her thinking she probably had only worked there a few years but she

surprised me by telling me she has worked there in the mission home for 31 years and has been through 9 Mission Presidents. The kitchen is very big considering all the missionaries that

are always coming and going that they need to cook for. She said the average they cook for is around 24 to 30 missionaries. The other lady is the mission president's

wife and the mission president is standing always behind her. Elder Oldham is helping himself to the food he is over all the flats and cars in the mission. His wife is the

secretary at the mission office.

101 picture is at the Botanical gardens the mission president and his wife took all the senior missionaries to. The next four pictures are in the botanical Gardens:

119 This tree's roots are above the ground (Aren't they a good looking couple)

We can't get over the beauty of the Botanical Gardens

Thanksgiving in South Africa

Hi Everyone, I am sending you a picture of all the senior missionaries we spent Thanksgiving with. Last year we weren't able

to celebrate Thanksgiving because we were in Johannesburg for training. So we really enjoyed having turkey this year. Turkey is

hard to find here. They are really little so 5 turkeys had to be cooked to have enough for everyone. The mission President and his

wife are on the left second to the end. we love you all. Love Elder and Sister Van Sickle

Inspiring Mission Re-cap 11/12

When we first got here Elder Van Sickle said," I have never been to the grocery store so many times in my life. This is a food mission." We were always going to the grocery

store it seemed to get food for the young elders to fix them dinner or fix dinner for someone else or for the lunch or dinner for zone conferences. The senior missionaries have a joke that no matter what you

feed young Elders they will eat it and no matter how much we cook it will be all gone by the time it is over. They are so appreciated of the food we cook for them. It is very rewarding. Then as time went on we decided that this was a travelling mission

because we traveled so much. But then the first of June was the last time we traveled  Because we felt like we were sprinkling a little water on a big fire and getting no where

as far as employment is concerned. So we decided to centralize our efforts in the township of Kwanobuhle where there are two wards and so many unemployed people. So now we call it a school mission. We have signed up all the people in the ward that have either failed High School or got low marks on there senior year. This is a huge roadblock

that stops them from getting jobs. We have loaded up people in our little missionary car for days on end and taken them to the education department to sign them up to retake their matric. The

Matric is a test they take at the end of there senior year. If they fail the test. They don't pass High School. If they get low marks when they go for a job the

employer always asks for there senior certificate to see how well they did in High School and if they passed there Matric. So a lot of people go year after year with no job

because of the results of this test. So then we started the process of finding a High School that would let us use there teachers and the school rooms after school to teach

the members so they could retake there metric next June. The first High School we went to was in chaos. Oh the principal agreed to work with us in exchange for using

there rooms and teachers we would refinish and fix all there broken desks.There desks were in terrible shape. Each day we came there to work on the school every thing

would change and we knew it wasn't going to work. So we went to what was considered the best High School in Kwanobuhle. We met with the principal and we talked

about how we would fix there desks in exchange for teachers and a class room and they were to register the students. A few days later when we met with the principal everything

changed he wanted us to register the students and who was going to pay the teachers they weren't going to do this for free.So we decided that wasn't going to work either. The lord had something totally different in mind he  wanted it at his church

  and the lord led us to some great teachers that are so excited to give of there time to teach the members. We just got the class rolls made up. There are nine classes

and six teachers. Three of the teachers are members and three  others are of other religions.

We are headed to Cape Town on Tuesday to get the books and supplies for the classes. Once again the lord has showed us the way and what he needs done to help the

members in Kwanobuhle get jobs. The lord answers prayers. We love you Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Sister and Elder Van Sickle

Nov. - 6 new mission calls, the work is spreading!

Hi Everybody, The Lord definetely wants missionaries. He has lead and guided us to all these young missionaries to help then earn money and skills. Now, last Sunday

was an exciting moment because the Stake President brought 6 mission calls to the church for six of the kids we have been working with. After church we

were able to have the opportunity to sit in on them reading their mission calls. The interesting thing is only one of these kids have parents that are members. The

bishop his wife, The stake president and his counselor, The parents of Penny and Elder Van Sickle and I were in the room. It was such wonderful time and so

great to be a part of it all. After it was over Elder Van Sickle wrote the mission President about the experience. The Mission President in turn wrote to Elder Cook

in the Area Presidency and He turned the story and picture over to the Liahona. So the story and picture is going to be in the Liahona. I don't know what issue it will be

in. The kids were so excited they were going to be in the Liahona. It is a great honor for them. I don't know if it will even be in the Ensign. The Liahona is used for the

overseas missions. We know that the savior lives and Heavenly Father lives. The gospel changes people's lives for the better. It's so great to watch that happen. We love

all of you. Elder and Sister Van Sickle

Orphanage Oct. 2012

4 Orphanage Children in Their Sunday Best

All the Orphanage Children Together With Two Mamas

Letter from October 2012

Hi everyone, 

We are floating away here in south africa. It has been raining for 11 days. It has caused alot of damage to the houses and roads. We were in Bishop Tiam's

house when the worst downpour came the 4th day of the rains. We ran out and jumped in our car. The streets were flooded. one street

we tried to go on the water was so deep it started going over the hood of our car so we turned on to the sidewalk and turned down another street. We called the Zone

Leaders to see if all the Elders were okay. We were worried about the walking Elders and also both sets of car Elders especially if they tried to cross where it was flooded

like a river.  We would drive a few blocks down the road then we would be blocked by a river of water. Finally we were able to find our way out of town. We were able to met

up with the Elders on the other side of town a few hours later at a member's house that had been flooded. The Elders were just finishing  mopping up the floors and then the

power went out.luckily we had some flashlights. The next day wasn't has bad it just misted on and off during the day. Elder Van Sickle wasn't feeling well. We were

suppose to go at to the orphanage at night  to celebrate 4 birthdays.We had almost gotten stuck the other day it was like a mud bog there by the orphanage. We kept

getting negative thoughts about going out there. We said a prayer that if it was right to go out to the orphanage the negative feelings would go away and we would feel

good about it. The bad feelings went away immediately. When we got to the orphanage gates were opened. The mama's had told the kids we were coming. They

were so excited. They swarmed the car. They were yelling and screaming. The parking lot was completely dry. The kids were so happy to see us. They gave us

all hugs even the older ones. We were so glad we came. We had a wonderful birthday party for 4 of the orphanage children one of the girls was 12 and 3 boys 14,14,15. They were delighted that

we bought them sunday clothes. After cake and ice cream and blowing out the candles and Sister Van Sickle forgot the candles so Elder Van Sickle had to stick matches in the cake and light them. Which is not a easy task but it did the job the kids still got to blow them out. Then they all tried on there clothes. Some of them we had really guessed wrong one boy was drowning in his sunday pants the girl's skirt was to big But they wouldn't let us take them back. The mama's said that they would fix them. We had family

prayer with the orphanage children. We had taught them the four parts to prayer and a few weeks ago and asked if they remembered . They did. 

1. Dear Heavenly Father

2. Thank him for your blessings

3 Ask him for your needs

4. In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

We love all of you. Have a good day. 

Love Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma. Elder and Sister Van Sickle

Pictures from October (Spring in South Africa)

Elder Van Sickle is showing Bishop Grootboom and 2 Elders where the dam up above is leaking water

This river used to be barely full, now it is overflowing

11 Days of Rain!

October, more than 1/2 way!!!

Hi Everyone,  It was great to see our latest addition to our family Gunner Dayton Van Sickle. He sure is cute. We were able to skype with the new parents Beau and Tina

over the internet at the hospital. Thanks Lyndsey for setting up the skype. Beau and Tina have kept us up to date with pictures of  baby Gunner and we got a live video of him.

    

 

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS To Beau and Tina on the birth of Gunner Dayton 6lbs 7ozs Sept 4

 

 

 Life in the Township

 

     If you drive into a township in South Africa. You will see Xhosa people. There are also many other tribes of people but, we mostly work with the Xhosa people. As

you continue driving through the township. You will see droves of people walking. Very few of the people there have cars and if they do have cars. The cars aren't in very

good shape. Sometimes you will see in a day 7 or 8 different cars that are being pushed by people because they either ran out of gas or  they just quit running. They

have a hard time having enough money to fix up there cars or buy enough gas to get where they need too.

     You see donkey's, goats, cows walking around town and in people's yards eating grass. When you ask the Xhosa people who they belong too. No one seems to know.

They are a very friendly people. They will always say hello and shake your hand. If its a mama she will give you a great big hug. They are wonderful kind people. The men wear long pointed shoes. long sleeved shirts and colorful ties. The women mostly wear long colorful skirts, blouses and sweaters. Sometimes they wear aprons. If they are

married  they will wear a 1/2 blanket around there waist to show they are married and a doek on there head. It shows respect to there inlaws. You will see many  ladies

walking down the street with a baby tied on there back. The baby can be a couple weeks old up to 2 to 3 years old.

      There's alot of honking that goes on in the township because taxis are always looking for riders. All the honking use to bother Elder Van Sickle when we first came here.

Then he found a way to cure that. Every time anyone honks he honks back and says, I sure do have a lot of friends don't I. At around 2:00 during the weekdays all the

children will be coming home from school. They will be wearing colorful uniforms. The schools here are struggling. There is a lot vandalism holes in the

walls, broken desks. The government doesn't keep the schools up.so they are in a shambles. They are really run down. There is not enough desks so sometimes 2 and 3

kids sit at one desk. In the summertime you will see many young boys coming back from the bush. There faces will be painted red. The family and relatives come to

celebrate them coming back from the bush. They have a braai and they slaughter a cow and they cook up a lot of food. He goes there to become a man. He stays  there

anywhere from two to three months depending on the tribe.There are  a lot of other traditions they do at the bush.

     The people of the township life span average is 46 years old. Because of them being poor and not having good clinics, hospitals, and a shortage of medicine. There are

a lot of aids and tuberculosis  There also seems to be a lot of people die of cancer because they never get any treatment. There diets aren't very good they just eat what

they can afford. Which is a lot of rice and potatoes or just bread. You will see alot of kids playing in the streets. Some times they kick a ball. It is either a real ball or

a bunch of plastic bags tied together in a ball. You will see the children rolling tires down the street. They keep them in control by using a board in each hand to hold the

tire upright.you will also see homemade little wire cars and home made wooden soap box cars that they push each other in. There are a lot of funerals in the township

So many people die of simple things that could be taken care of but because they are poor they can't afford a regular hospital. Some people only eat bread everyday.

When there is a funeral going on you will see a big tent in front of the house to accomadate all the relatives and friends that come. Because of the desperate situation

they are in there is a lot of stealing that goes on. They can't afford to have there garbage taken. So they throw it in the near by fields.Which makes it very unhealthy.

The unemployment is very high because of lack of education and no opportunities. We are so blessed as members of the church to have the programs  in the church

we have. The career workshop teaches people how to interview for jobs, how to apply for jobs, How to dress and etc. The self employment class teaches people

how to start there own business and write a business plan. Pef helps them be able to go to school and get a education. We know these are inspired progams we

have seen them help many people. We are so thankful for the gospel  of Jesus Christ and the happiness it brings to our life. Love Elder and Sister Van Sickle

    

September 2012 Letter

Hi Everyone, Do you remember last Christmas we sent you the u tube of the little girl Jackie Evancho-To Believe. Go back and listen to the words. It really fits the situation here

in South Africa. Some of the Words. Before I lay me down to rest I ask the lord one small request. I know I have all that I could need. But this prayer is not for me. To many

people on this day don't have a peaceful place to stay. Let all fighting cease that your children may see peace. Wipe there tears of sorrow away.

     To Believe in a day when hunger and war will pass away. To have a hope amist depair. In the name in all that's true that we will see in one another the loving image of you.

Let me try always to believe that we can heal the hearts that grieve please help us not ignore the anguish cries of the poor or the pain will never end.

A day does not pass by that we don't have some one ask us for food. We just got back from a 5 day training conference in Johanesburg. We received more training on

how to help people get employed and also more information on the perpetual eduaction fund. Alot of young people use this fund here especially returned missionaries.

We met 4 other couples in the Durban mission, 2 in Johanesburg mission and 1 in the Kenya mission on employment and we all received the training to gather. We got

to visit with them to see what they were doing on employment in there missions. We are working on some ways to present materials to the bishops for there unemployed in

there wards.

     These young people never cease to amaze us in the problems they have and are able to overcome. Elder Van Sickle were asked by the bishop to take Siphosethu to

a special dentist.( She is going on a mission ) we have been helping her get work to go on mission. On the way to the dentist she told us when she was six years old

her father was killed.Her mother is not a member and Siphosethu hopes sometime she will be a member. Siphosethu has been a member for 7 years.She joined the

church when she was 13 along with her two sisters tht are no longer active. Siphosethu has a strong testimony of the gospel. It never ceases to amaze me how a young person

like her is so strong when she is the only one in the gospel. She has done the temple work for her dad,her mother's aunt and two sons, Her uncles. Her great grandmother

Her other grandparents. All the women she was baptized for. But the men she asked a young man that is going on mission and he was baptized for the men. Siphotheu went

and got her patriartical blessing 4 years ago and in her patriartical blessing it said she will see the day when her whole family wil be sealed in the temple. It said she needs to

search out her ancestors and have the work done for them because they are waiting for her to do it. There are so many young single adults in these wards.There are  360 of the young single adults in the Kwano 1 ward and we having been working with them to find jobs and teaching them skills. We hope you are all well. We love

getting all your emails and pictures. 

We love you Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Elder and Sister Van Sickle

A Trackhoe Miracle

Elder Van Sickle and I have been stationed in East London the last

few days. We drive into the township of Mdantsane and work there

everyday helping people get employed. The Bishop of Mdantsane

3rd ward asked Elder Van Sickle about moving a huge rock in the

middle of soccer field on the church grounds. Because of the rock

they weren't able to use the field for church activites. So the Bishop and Elder Van Sickle planned a service project with the young men to meet on Saturday and they planned to jackhammer

the rock to break it up and move the pieces.

     Saturday arrived and the bishop and Elder Van Sickle was really excited for this project to begin. The sad thing was none of

the young men showed up for the project. There was Bishop, Elder

Van sickle and six young missionaries. They all took turns using the Jack Hammer. The rock was huge and very stubborn. It would not break up. After about 3 hours of Jack Hammering and not getting anywhere the bishop and the missionaries were ready to

give up besides it had started raining. Elder Van Sickle told me

about then he wished he had a trackhoe with a breaker on it ( Like

the ones back home in our business) He happened to look out

toward the street and saw a big rig with a trailer hauling a trackhoe

with a breaker on it. It turned into the road to the church by the new

hospital that was being built. Elder Van Sickle ran over to talk to the

guy and asked him if he could get him to come by maybe next week. He said he was a week behind schedule and he would see

when he could fit them in. Elder Van Sickle came back to the field

thinking that they wouldn't be able to finish the project today. When

it wasn't 5 minutes later. He heard a trackhoe and looked up. The

guy was driving the trackhoe into the church parking lot. Then down to the field. He pulled the rock out and rolled it with the breaker off the field not only that he came back with a backhoe and filled up the hole. Elder Van Sickle and I thought this to be a

big miracle of the lord. One of his tender mercies. You do all you

can ( your part ) and the lord will see you through. We thank the

lord for all his help each day of our mission. We love you Mom and

dad and Grandpa and Grandma, Elder and Sister Van Sickle

August 2012

Today was a very eventful day. We got up this morning and it was just freezing in the flat. We

couldn't turn on our little heater  because we were out of propane. It was blowing today and the cold goes right through your body and chills your bones. We have discovered here that

when you are out in the cold and you go in a building or some ones house thinking you can warm up. There is no relief because the houses and all the buildings have no heat. So we

have learned if you want to get warm you hope in your car and turn up the heat full blast.

Thank goodness for car heaters.

     We got a call from Vuyo to day who is a cop and told us about his non member friend

who works in the crisis center. She is in a bad way. Her power is shut off. She has no food.

She needs help could we help her. So we agreed to meet Vuyo and his friend at the crisis center. Sandra works at the crisis center. She has worked there for 12 years. She only gets money if she gives them  information on a case. She is an informat. She hasn't been

getting any money lately. She needs another job. We got there and talked about all the options she had and of her skills and what she needed to do. Elder Van Sickle asked her what religion she was. She said she was apostaholic. We started talking about prayer and our

believe in god. Then Elder Van Sickle tells her about the geat apostascy and all about the

Book of Mormon. She said she would love to read it. Elder Van Sickle gave her a pass along card and told her if she would call this number. The missionaries would bring her a video of Christ. She looked so happy and told us the story of how her son last Saturday wanted to watch a video on Christ and she didn't have one. She told him God will provide. Then she

prayed for one. She said 3 days later and here is the opportunity to get the video. We

left feeling really happy we were able to give the Book of Mormon to someone and bare our

testimony. It always happens when we least expect it.

    We went to the orphanage and had family home evening. Here are three kids from the

orphanage

7/2012

We have been staying in a guest flat in Gonubie by East London. We rent it for 110R a night. Which is about 13.00

 in American money. Sunday morning we drove to a ward in Sada. Which is about 21/2 hours from East London.

The ward is held in a small red brick building. When we got there it was so cold. The front doors had 21/2 inch gap at

the bottom of the door to the floor where you could see the outside. The men's restroom was outside. The electricity had gone off the night before so the

church was so cold and dark.There was 25 faithful members there that had walked along ways in the cold. The ladies  carry there small children and babies on there back the whole way. Because it was so cold most of the members stayed home. The members spoke in xhosa the large part of sacrament meeting. So we couldn't understand it. . It was just above freezing. Our feet and hands were so cold. In sunday school it was all in xhosa too. So

Elder Van Sickle and I decided that when he went to priesthood and I went to Relief Society we were going to both tell them to please speak in english. It worked. Relief Society was all in english. Finally the electricity came back on and

we all stood by the heaters to warm our hands and feet. We went to ward council after church. Sada has alot of unemployment. It was my turn to teach the ward council how to get there members employed and self reliant. when we

discovered there were people in the ward council unemployed so we spent two hours teaching these two how to get

employment. They had been unemployed for six years. The amazing thing was they didn't know the basic skills of getting

a job. They had plenty of skills. They just plain didn't what or how to go about getting a job. One was an accountant and

the other was a code 14 truck driver. There is jobs here for both those skills. The Lord loves these people he wants

them to be employed and successful. Love Elder and Sister Van Sickle

Busy With The Work

We had two baptisms in the Kwanobuhle ward 1, Ufield baptized his sister and Elder Fozard baptized Skifile's girlfriend.  How neat!

The Relief Society President of the Lorraine ward is getting ready to pass out the crocketed teddy bears the sisters in her ward made for the orphanage.  What a sweet spirit service brings!

Here she is handing out the teddy bears. The orphanage children were so excited to receive them!

The Relief Society President with all the orpanage children.  We have grown close to these children and love to see their smiling faces when receiving the teddy bears!

Earning $ For Missions!

Elder ans Sister Van Sickle have been working with the kids in the pictures to earn money for there mission. He has been working with facilitation's managment in Cape Town and he was able to get them to pay the kids to paint and clean the brick on the church.

 Siphosethu painting the bars on the church door

Phillansi pressure washing the brick fence around the church

Penny painting the bars on the other side

Siya and Henry cleaned and painted the church parking lot

Dear friends and family,

We had the open house and free car wash at the church. The young missionaries had gone to so much work. All 6 of them had

spent 3 hours last night cleaning the church. We were having and open house where non members could come in and learn about

our church. We had different rooms set up to tell about our church. Elder Van Sickle was to do the employment section. I was

to do the section on temples. We had a lot of members come through that were non-menbers coming to see what our church was all

about. Elder Van Sickle and I enjoyed telling the non members about it.Each room was set up with something about our church. In the

chapel they had the video about the Restoration. In the Culteral hall the bishops of the two wards did there presentation. One did

The Book of Mormon and the other one talked about the restoration of the church. We had some people come through and ask

some very interesting questions. One asked if I woke up one morning and had fire in my heart and I felt like I should be a prophet

of your church. Why couldn't I be the prophet of your church? Elder Van Sickle said because God doesn't work tht way. He told them there was a process that the church goes through when there is a new prophet to be called. When I was showing the self employment and career workshop to a non-member. I read to him one of the things Gordon B. Hinkley said about employment. That God wants

you to be sucessful. He does. The man said if he wants you to be sucessful. Why is there so much poor and suffering in this world.

why does he let that happen. Elder Mooki said you have to have faith and be righteous. I told him some people inflict things on them-

selves. Some people infect things on other people. We have are free agency. We told him about the city of Enoch and what happens

when everyone is righteous. Then Mooki quoted one of my favorite scriptures to him Moses 7: 18 For the lord called his people Zion

because they were of one heart and one mind and they dwelt in righteousness and there were no poor among them.

Love, Brother and Sister Van Sickle

Letter 5/22/12

   Hi Everyone, My wife is forcing me to write, she said it is my turn. so here we go, ready or not.  We have had a tremendous month. When we went on mission, if any one were to tell me how hard it would be, i would not have believed them. It has been so hard to deal with all the different personality's in the church. It is such a diverse country and the church is experiencing so many growing pains. It has so many cultures colliding and the church is in the middle of it all. You have tribal rituals that still play a huge part of their lives. You have this world economy that is playing a huge factor in all of this. As the first presidency put it in conference, they want sustained growth, they want people remain active and going to the temple. With a people so humble and meek, it is in there culture to be incredibly selfless in there desires and wants. So many  of them are hungry and only want a great job. It is this hunger issue that really shakes there faith some how. On e of the bishops took his first councilor and there wives and children in there little car and drove 14 hours all night to attend the temple in the morning. It was the councilors first time to go to the temple and be sealed. They had everything planned out to the penny. They had a great time and made there way back. Upon arriving back all that they had money  to eat for two weeks was just bread and a little rice. what a great sacrifice. It really make me question if i would do that. what faith they have. We love these people so much. they are such a great people.

     Last fast Sunday we fasted for our area and our mission. The bishops here are so young and faithful. They have so many people to take care of. We were having transportation issues in the wards trying to get people in to Port Elizabeth to turn in resumes for jobs. We had our bosses boss come out with one of the employment specialist. When they arrived we had several people ready for them to see and talk to . That night we had a large gathering at the stake center with all the bishops and there ward councils. That night everything that we had hoped for took place in one meeting. the information that was given to every body at that meeting answered so many questions as it pertains to welfare and employment. It helped the Bishops and the Stake to better understand there rolls in each of there callings. It removed a whole lot of the hard out of our mission. The next day the miracle continued as we traveled to East London  where we have been trying to get open 3 employment centers for 4 wards that have the highest unemployment in the eastern cape. the Area office and the stake presidency have been  having some rough times together. We went to the stake center that evening at the appointed time to meet with the stake  leadership. Once again heavenly Father heard and answered our prayer and every thing got worked out. We are now in the process of opening them up. We really hated being in the middle of  it, all we wanted was to help the people. We knew that something had to happen so the people of the lord would win. It is all matter of who comes first, the lord and his people. It makes it so easy to fight for our savior and his people because we love them both so much. There is no doubt who is running,leading and guiding the Saviors church. he lives!!!!!

 

Elder and Sister Van Sickle

3 Versailles Ct, Verdun Rd, Lorraine, Port Elizabeth, 6070

Cell: 083-251-7791

Shipment

We will be sending packages to Brother and Sister Van Sickle by 5/7/2012.  It really makes their day to receive things.  If anyone has anything they would like to send please get it to me (Lyndsey Van Sickle) or Kelly Van Sickle by the 7th.

Shacks in Queens Town, South Africa