Padovichs in Africa: May 2012

We hope this email finds you all well. We have been out and about for the past month. We were over to Malawi twice. We went up to the Copperbelt for Conference and down to Johannesburg for a seminar. Oh the joys of traveling in Africa. We are getting better with the drive. It is so far between each city. If the roads didn't have so many potholes.....make that craters we would have a chance. Many of the big trucks try and travel at night. They all have really large spot lights on the front of their trucks. They will never turn them off when they approach because they can't see the holes. Many of them hit these holes and flip over. Then when you are on the same road the next day it looks like a war zone. It brings new meaning to "4 Wheelin". Our seminar in Johannesburg was really great. We were able to visit with the other missions from the area and see what they were or were not doing. Everytime we come back with new ideas and jump right in again.

The month of May has been really busy for us. Last weekend we were up in the Copperbelt. We are just on the border with DR Congo. It is really remote. We held conference with the members from Kitwe, Ndola and Luanshya. Elder & Sister Dale G. Renlund of the Seventy came and our conference was wonderful. During one of the days, we were able to take them around and had them look at some of the area. It is always good to have these brethren get the lay of the land. This weekend we will hold conference here in Lusaka. Elder & Sister Carl B. Cook of the Seventy will preside. We are looking forward to our meetings. Then we will send two of our missionaries home. They have completed their missions and will return home to school. On the 30th of the month Elder & Sister Harvey from Canada will join us here in the mission. We are so excited that they will arrive. Last week before conference Elder & Sister Taggart returned home to Utah. This is our first couple to finish and return home. We miss them so. They were prayed here by us. These are two of the finest people I have ever met. We owe much of our success to them. They were here before we arrived and were the only couple in Zambia. They were the foundation. They were the first ones here. They have set the bar really high. We were excited to here from our children that many of them were able to travel to their home Ward to hear them speak last Sunday. Thank you children. That meant a great deal to your Mother and I.

Like in many families we have been blessed with grandchildren. Lots of birthdays in May. Spencer and Jack Jr. were found worthy and were advanced in the priesthood to the office of Teacher. We are proud of you boys. Truman and Wyatt were both baptized. It is wonderful to see the blessings from our service. We are very blessed to have children that always listened to their Mother. She is such a fine example of what we should all be. I am thankful to have had a small part in the success of this family. I am so thankful for my companion. She is a wonderful lady. It is really easy to follow her. All you need to do is listen. And of course remember to say ..... "Yes Dear."

We hope you like the pictures. If we start to do reruns please let us know.

We will leave you with these words from President Thomas S. Monson. "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It is so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they're gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of "what if" and "if only". Said Harriett Beecher Stowe, "The bitterest tears shed over graves are the words left unsaid and deeds left undone."

We love you all. We miss you all.

For all of you that read our blog. If you are thinking of serving a mission as a couple. Now is the time to go. Come serve with us. Remember, we know you, we have seen you at your best and your not so best. The same can be said for us..... and we still love you! We will find you a place to serve.

xoxox

M&A

We found this new flat up in Kitwe. This will be the new flat for Elder & Sister Harvey. We are also sending up our first set of Sister missionaries.

Right next door to one another.

Man ... this place is nice!

No more dirt floors!!! YEA .....

Nice kitchen, this will all be tiled. Floor and walls.

Lets see ... pool and tennis court .....right, President!

And you wonder why you sneeze .... everything is in bloom.

Were almost done ....

We can park inside, and we have room for a big garden.

Plants and a new front lawn.

Hi ...

Elder Lookhart is always getting the updates.

Welcome home ...10 foot fence and 240 volts. Welcome home.

And you would think that the dump truck would back in .....it is all by hand.

When we were up in Chingola. we followed this "wide load" for several miles.Everyone coming the other way needed to get completely off the road in order for it to pass.

Remember the elephant? Don't try and pass......

GPS ....we would be lost with out it ... thank you IPhone people ...

Our first meeting held in the new building. The man to my left is a member of the Kitwe District Presidency. President Cerrus Kapato.

When we were down in Johannesburg, we met President & Sister Reber. They are assigned to serve in the Missionary Training Center for the Area.

This wonderful couple was Mission President for my mother and father. My parents served in Yugoslavia with them. While we were together, I called my mother in Utah and they were able to talk over the good and bad times they had while serving together. This was truly a great blessing for us to hear how valiant our parents were in that assignment.