Egans in Johannesburg: Winter Has Come to South Africa!

The change from fall to winter seemed to happen almost overnight a day after Ali left here to go home. No, winter is not as cold here as it is in Utah and much of the world, at least not outdoors. Temperatures this week have been in the fifties for highs, with lows in the low thirties, Fahrenheit. That’s outdoors. But, with no central heating and all cement and brick buildings, with many windows that won’t close tight, temperatures run pretty close to the same indoors, and 30 to 55 degrees inside is way colder than we are used to in Utah or anywhere else. We both feel like it’s colder indoors – in our flat or in the church buildings – than it is outdoors!

It’s so cold indoors that it’s like living in a refrigerator. Bob left a glass of ice water in the kitchen when we left for the office on Friday morning at about 8:00. We went straight to the temple after work at 1:45 and out to dinner after the temple. When we got home from dinner at about 10:00 pm, 14 hours later, the water in his glass was still ice cold, although the ice had melted.

We have a new, small electric heater on the wall in our flat that worked for 5 minutes when we first turned it on, then it died and hasn’t worked since. So we went out a bought a new space heater this week, a king-size faux fur blanket and warm velour robes for each of us, or we wouldn’t have made it through the week. We are hoping to have our wall heater repaired and a propane heater installed soon, for when the power goes out, as it often does.

Our lounge (living room) with wall heater,
behind floor lamp, which quit working

Our new kitchen and oven, which didn't turn
on until we set the digital clock! Go figure!

One day this week the power was out at the office for 8 hours, and the heaters do not operate off the generator, so everyone was working in coats, knit caps, scarves and gloves, even though the lights were on and the computers were working. And another day the temple ran on the generator from 8 am to 8 pm, twelve hours (which is the maximum it can run). The “load shedding” rolling blackouts continue, for hours at a time. But we’re surviving! Today the high temperatures got back into the seventies, so we’re feeling warmer.

When we moved into our apartment, our brand new oven wouldn’t turn on. We tried again when we got back from our trip with Ali and still couldn’t get it to turn on. When we asked about it, we were asked if we had set the clock on the oven. It turns out that this African oven won’t turn on until the digital clock is set! Go figure! Martha loves being in the kitchen in the winter with the oven, stove, washer and dryer all going. It’s the warmest room in the house.

Today we drove the Lombardis to their assigned ward, the Kagiso 2^nd Ward in the Soweto Stake, which was a real treat! The Kagiso ward was just split about 6 weeks ago, so the bishop, Bishop Nkosi, and his counselors are very new and the ward is still being organized – lots of new sustainings today, and still no quorum leaders for the Melchizedek Priesthood. There were 64 in attendance, about half of what our branch had last week, but the members were very impressive. The bishopric was seated on the stand when we got there, 15 minutes before sacrament meeting.

Bob’s former AP in Cape Town, Xolani Lubisi was also on the stand and was the concluding speaker. The Lombardis were called upon to introduce themselves and bear testimony, two sisters gave great talks about attributes of the Savior, and Xolani gave a masterful address on self-reliance, sharing his and his wife’s personal success stories, and they are both very successful and very committed to the gospel.

Elder Egan and Xolani Lubisi at Kagiso 2nd Ward, Soweto Stake

Xolani started with, “I am happy today! Happy because my mission parents are here today! I learned so much from them. I love my mission parents because they changed my life. Everything I am today I owe to my mission parents.” Then he shared his personal experience with understanding and developing faith and self-confidence while serving as Bob’s AP in Cape Town, a marvelous testimony of personal revelation that was life-changing. What a blessing to be able to be at his ward the Sunday that he spoke about his mission parents and experiences. Another testimony for us that there are no coincidences in the gospel, the Lord is in charge and blesses us with tender mercies. Just like when the Lubisis attended church in New York last month and just happened to select our son Robby’s ward and Robby and Xolani had a fun reunion there. We are loving it here!!