On December 13th Mom and I flew down to Cape Town. It is one of my favorite cities in the world. This picture from our hotel room shows Table Mountain from across Table Bay. The mountain on left is called Devil's Peak and on the right is Lion's head.

While on my first mission to South Africa I served for nearly a year in Cape Town. This is a picture of the Mowbray LDS chapel. 

The cultural hall inside the Mowbray chapel.

The chapel at Mowbray.

The Mowbray chapel sits on the site of the first property owned by the LDS Church in Africa.

Read up on the early history. A little plaque located in the lobby of the Mowbray Chapel.

This may be the last time I'm in Cape Town. The table clothe on Table Mountain.

I will really miss Cape Town.

December 5th was the Area Office Christmas party. I can't believe this is the second time we've attended this party. It was held at the Sunnyside Hotel not far from the Area Office.

On left Shawn Donnelly, Pubic Affairs Director, Never from Real Estate and Jean-Marie the French translator.

There are some great young professionals who work in the Area Office. Sandile, Sidwell and Given are all returned missionaries.

In middle Califonia and on right Kapu.

Mom with the Soweto Stake President Thabo. He is also the Director of Self Reliance for the Church in the Africa Southeast Area. He has a dimple which is even deeper than our granddaughter Chelsea's.

Monday evening, December 8th was FHE with the Area Presidency. Elders Cook, Ellis and Hamilton live right next door to the Area Office. This is picture taken in the Hamilton's flat. 

Here is a great story. This is my friend Jesse Arumugam. He is the Facility Manager for the Area Office and Temple.  He came up to me this past week and said, "I think I'll call you my missionary." When asked with he meant, he explained. "Well, you baptized Denise Milne in Bulawayo back in 1968, she married and became Denise Butterfield. Her son Jarrod Butterfield went on a mission to Durban, South Africa and he baptized me there." Jesse went on a mission to Johannesburg, South Africa. When I asked him how was his mission, he admitted after some prodding by me that on one Saturday, he and his companion baptized 31 new converts. If my eyes look a little teary, it was a moment of great joy to me as he had just finished his story.

This picture of our Institute Class at the Institute/Seminary Graduation. We had 6 get Graduation Certificates. From right, Robert, Obey a recently returned missionary from Ghana, Andrew, Jessica and Johanna.

Mom helping to hand out certificates at the Graduation.

Picture of Dorcus and Zanele at the OGC office Christmas luncheon at Moyo's a great African restaurant.

We get some of the cutest little visitors to the Office of General Counsel.

One of our Institute Class students, Tsepiso got sealed to Khanya in the Johannesburg Temple on December 12th. A mission highlight for Mom and I.

A very joyous moment for all the friends and families.

Last Thursday afternoon the senior missionaries working in the Area Office held the annual Thanksgiving dinner. 

Just before we ate, Elder Carl Cook, Area President (with plastic bag in hand) welcomed everyone.

Mom gave the spiritual thought about being thankful.

The wise men were thankful for a "star".

Mom couldn't be cuter!

Saturday we found a swing for Mom in the Zoo Lake Park.

Saturday in the park. Everyone was having fun.

I thought I was going to have to leave the park without Mom. She was having so much fun.

Zoo Lake Park is very near our flat.  In the background is Johannesburg.

Some Egyptian Geese came to investigate.

Mom in the nursery at Church Sunday.

Thinking about consequences during Primary Sharing Time.

The Acacia tree is found all over Africa. It is very drought resistant and its leaves are a favorite of giraffes but it also has some very big and sharp thorns. A giraffe as a very long tongue to get around these thorns.

Our granddaughter, Margaux, loves the giraffe so I thought I'd post a couple of pictures I've taken of this wonderful animal. At 16 to 20 feet in height, the giraffe is the tallest living mammal on the planet.  It loves to eat the leaves of the Acacia tree. 

Even in the dry season, the trees keep some leaves at the very top of their branches. Having a long neck, the giraffe can easily reach the leaves. Originally the giraffe was believed to be part camel and part leopard. In Afrikaans the giraffe is called "kameelperd" because of this old belief. Many native languages translate the name of a giraffe as "fast walker". It can gallop up to 37 miles per hour.

Its long neck has only 7 vertebrae, just like us humans but they are much longer and have a ball and socket configuration.

Besides getting around the thorns on the Acacia tree to get to the leaves, the giraffe's twenty inch tongue can also help to pick its nose. Margaux, I bet you can't do that.

I got home late Friday October 24th from Nairobi  and then early Sunday morning Mom and I flew out of Johannesburg to Reunion Island. After working most of Monday meeting attorneys, Mom and I started looking around St. Denis, Reunion Island. Amazingly, she was able to immediately find Le Casa de Chocolat. I have to admit this place had some great chocolates.

Reunion has a population of just less that one million people. Originally, when discovered by the Portuguese in 1507 there were no indigenous people living on the island. A century later the French took the island over and started colonizing it in 1665 for the French East India Company. This picture is of the northeastern shoreline looking south.

At one time Reunion was named Ile Bonaparte after Napoleon. This picture is of the northern tip of the island. The capital St. Denis is immediately to the left.

During World War II the Vichy French controlled the island but eventually the Free French took it over. The island is 39 miles long and 28 miles wide. You can drive around the entire island in about 4 hours.

La Reunion is considered one of the 27 regions of France. It is part of the European Union and everyone wants you to know that the island is not part of Africa. The architecture is very French.

The yellow administrative building in downtown St. Denis.

While walking the streets of St. Denis we ran into the Madagascar Mission President and his wife: President and Sister Adams. The Adams, you may remember, are the in-laws of Ally Passmore. We all went to dinner that evening. The Adams on right. Senior missionary couple the Madsens in center and a new Area Seventy from Johannesburg behind Mom.

Mom and I drove to the village Salazie which is located in the center of the island. The vegetation is amazingly tropical. It reminded me of Hawaii.

Coming into the village of Salazie. This little village was first established in 1829 when a cyclone had devastated nearby coastline communities.

Some of the agricultural growing is done on plats which have been cut out of the mountain sides.

Just southwest of Salazie is Piton de Neiges the highest point on the island where in 1966, 73.62 inches of rain fell in a 24 hour period. The highest level of rain ever recorded to fallen on the earth in 24 hours.

The Catholic Church in Salazie.

The Salazie Hotel.

One of the most interesting Catholic churches on the island. The LDS Church has 4 branches on the island with a total Church membership of about 800.

Part of the eastern coastline. Between 2011 and 2013, there were 12 reported shark attacks around Reunion. As a result, the government ordered that no one is to go into the water. 

Mom, thinking about Oceanside, California.

The western side of the island is a little dryer, but the coast is protected by a number of reefs.

The well-known surf break of St. Leu, Reunion Island. Apparently, surfers don't worry about the sharks.

Relaxing in Reunion.

A very pretty wave.

One happy guy on his wooden body-board.