Over the past month I've made two trips to Gaborone, Botswana. This is a picture of 3 Dikgosi Monument. These three tribal chiefs, Khama III, Sebele I and Bathoen, in 1885 made the long trip to London, England. They went there to convince the leaders of Great Britain to separate Bechuanaland from Rhodesia.  Thereafter, Bechuanaland became a British Protectorate until it gained its independence on September 30, 1966 and was renamed Botswana.

Botswana has a population of just over 2,000,000 people. This is a picture of Gaborone from the air.  Botswana is very flat. 70% of the country is the Kalahari Desert. As you can see, it is a very dry place. Gaborone became the capital of Botswana at the time of its independence. Prior to that, it was Mafikeng. (You Boy Scouts out there should remember the importance of Mafikeng.)  Gaborone in the local native language means: "It does not fit badly."

As I said, it's rather flat and dry.

Gaborone has a very impressive courthouse. Notice the statue of Justice on top.

This is the first LDS chapel in Botswana.

While in a very long meeting with the Gaborone, Botswana LDS Stake President, Clement Matswagothata, he had to take a break and set apart a new missionary. He invited me to come along. This was the highlight of my first visit to Botswana. This wonderful family already has a son on a mission in Uganda and their 2nd son, in the suit, will be serving in Ghana. The mom is on the left. She had a tear in her eye as the family drove away to the airport. She will be missing two sons. I'm sure her sacrifice will be noted in heaven.