BEST DAY of my life!

Here are the wonderful 7. From left to right: Wetu, Sasha and Melody Tjihero. In front Duncan Silawa, back now, Biance, Daphne and Rosyna Tjihero.

The 1st BEST day of my life was my baptism, then my endowment in the Manti Temple, then my sealing in the Idaho Falls Temple, then the birth of each of my children, then the last Saturday of my mission with this baptism.

As we had our exit interview with Pres. Wood we all agreed that this mission is the Hardest thing I have ever done that I have loved.

We leave Namibia in the wonderful hands of Elder and Sister Smith. We leave a part of our hearts there. God bless you all.
Elder and Sister Ladle

Tommy's Tour-March 12, 2012

This is the famous TOMMY! He has been doing the Living Desert Tours forever, he says. He has a wife, and 2 boys, one is 21 and one is

 Here is our group: Tommy, Pres. and Sis. Ladle, Elder and Sister Smith and our 2 AP's. Elder Featherstone from SLC, Utah, and Elder Thole from Zambia.

The desert was so green because of recent rains.

 Tommy's usual position. He had eyes like a HAWK. He could drive and scan the landscape, stop quickly and go looking and find the most amazing living creatures.

This is a spider netting used to catch animals. It is like a spoke on a wheel going around the clock. The netting looks like panty hose with sand on it in spokes going out from the center and it is all underneath the sand.

 A great lizard, no the picture isn't me! He does have a great bite.

I know he is in here! It is a tiny fish out of water.

A snake trail seen by Tommy from the road.

 Too much free time.

 A sidewinder is in there somewhere. Only 1/2 of their body is touching the sand at one time. That is because it is much too hot for a cold blooded animal to be out on hot sand.

 The beautiful Namib desert with varying patterns and colors as a result of the rain.

 This cute thing has wonderful flippers in front and in back and would have been successful burying himself in the sand except for the recent moisture which made the sand very hard. Tommy had to help him. He sheds his skin and then eats it for protein and moisture.

 A very rare white beetle.

The home of animal above the white beetle.

Welcome! Our New Missionary Couple

Elder and Sister Smith are from Draper, Utah and are WONDERFUL!

Just when we thought we had lost all hope, their Visas were approved.

They arrived March 5, 2012 and will be here for 1 YEAR.

We have been driving them around and talking and sharing for the last week.

We love YOU!

Pres. and Sis. Ladle

Last Goodbye

The elders left in 2 groups. Everyone went to say good bye. Elders Khanyile, Critchfield, Houston, Andriamitantsoa, Zarbock and Leach. Elders Khanilye, Zarbock and Leach left first on Feb. 5th and and then today the other three: Elders Andriamitantsoa, Houston and Critchfield.

We will miss them. We stand alone as the only missionaries now in Namibia. We hope that visas will be approved and that the Elders will return. We also pray that two couples will be approved, one ASAP to help with the work and the other couple to replace us as we leave on March 20th, 2012.

The Lost was Found

We have been trying to find the Zoo in Windhoek. You wouldn't think it would be so difficult, would you? Well, we put our minds to it last week and were so excited. It was like a breath of fresh air. We saw lots of animals that we would see in America. It was like a petting zoo. You had to be careful because the fences were low and some of the animals were large. Take a peek. As you arrived at the zoo and paid the fees $3 American, you received a plastic container of lettuce to fee anyone or anything you wanted.

The zoo has been open for 4 years. And is run by volunteers. Because they have a small budget, people bring food from home and feed the animals .

The turtles hide under the small rock on the left and then it moves around the yard with them underneath.

The monkeys are TRICKY.

The goats loved to lay in the barrels. 

I see YOU.

I like lettuce.

We have those at the rodeo.

Parents buy parrotts for their children and when they tire of the animals, they are brought to the zoo.

Rabbits are a favorite.

The goats jumped the rabbit fence to get their food.

 Guinea pigs in a ZOO?