Hi everyone!

We are now in our assigned area – which is East London, South Africa.  It’s about 1080 K or 600 miles from Cape Town and the Mission home and office.  It took about 2 hours to fly here.  We spent 5 days in Cape Town and then were sent here to East London.  We spent 1 week with the couple, the Fowers from San Deigo, they trained us and now we are on our own!  They left on Thursday and we were able to start moving in to our flat.  So we have been cleaning, taking inventory and moving in for 3 days.  We have included photos of the outside of our flat and our amazing view.  We had to order some new blinds for the inside so as soon as we have them we will take photos of the inside of our flat. 

We are assist over 40 Elders, so part of that responsibility is making sure their flats, and cars are inspected for cleanliness  and operate properly.  We also supply them with items for the maintenance and cleaning of both.  So the inventory in the garage consists of items to take to the Elders each time we inspect their flat and car.  Items like dish rags, dish cloths, dish soap, (no dishwashers here – not even us – we hand wash every dish, no disposals either) shower cleaner, mold remover etc.  We keep a “store” in the garage of these items to take to the Elders when they need them.

Mondays are our P-days, it is also the Elders P-day so I will also be cutting hair for who ever needs it on Monday afternoon right before they go back to work on Monday evening.  P-day ends at 5:00 pm.

So we actually began our missionary service on Wednesday before we moved into our flat.  Our first duty was to take a missionary to the airport because he was being sent back to the mission home.

As we were driving from the airport we received a call from another Elder that was caught in a speed trap and was arrested on the spot!  Which rarely happens – he was going 104 km in a 60 km zone.  So we had to go to the  Cambridge police station and bail him out of jail.  We went to court with him and his companion the next day to pay his fine.  His companion was studying law before he came out on his mission so he found it all rather fasinating - the law system here in South Africa.  It all turned out OK. 

Then as we were returning  home we received a call from 2 Elders that had a kitchen grease fire and we had to drive to King William’s Town (60 miles) to assess the damage, buy them a new stove and arrange to have the kitchen cleaned and painted.  That was Wednesday, Thursday.

Saturday we received a call from President Wood, the mission President, saying that Elder Davuke’s father past away.  He’s from Suva, Fiji, (how about that President Cope – his mother is from Quaima) and is serving in Queenstown (2 hours from Gonubie – where we live).  Pres. Wood asked us us to go up to Queenstown the next day – Sunday.  We had to talk in church in the Mdantsane 3rd Ward, we have been asked by the Stake President to attend that ward.  I will assist the Primary and Ren will assist the High Priest Group.  So we spoke in church and then headed out to Queenstown.  (Elder McDonald, are you getting all this!)

The couple that we replaced called us yesterday and said that we have already seen much more than they saw their whole mission!

So we are ready for our p-day!  However, transfers are next week and we are meeting the new Elders at the airport on Wednesday and have to move Elder Zarbock (Yea, that’s right, Boyce family, Elder Zarbock!) and his companion into a different flat on Thursday . . . wait just a minute . . . we just recieved word that Elder Zarbock is being transfered.  So we will be moving 2 Elders but not Elder Zarbock, he's headed somewhere else.

Well, things couldn't be better!  We're doing great.  The church is true!