We have been looking forward to our first trip to the Johannesburg Temple in South Africa. Paul had been asked to seal Gil Huo (a Mozambiquan returned missionary that we knew in Beira) and Maria. They were so excited to be able to be sealed to each other and to Maria's daughter Angelina in Portuguese. After a rainy and foggy trip (about 8 hours usually) and a three hour delay at the border, where we thought we might have to turn around and go back because of passport problems, we arrived at the temple. It was a wonderful occasion for all. We took the 15-passenger mission van and also had Elder and Sister Russell from Beira and three of our missionaries who were returning home to the United States. Much to our delight, we found a McDonald's for breakfast, the first we've seen in Africa. Notice how the driver's window at the drive-through is on the right side (or the wrong side for us in the US).
Johannesburg is a beautiful city, but much too big and busy for us. The traffic was about as bad as in Maputo, though the streets were so much nicer. The trip from the border to Johannesburg is beautiful, with mountains and grassy meadows, waterfalls and rushing streams following the highway. It reminded us all of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia and North Carolina. Angelina, Maria's daughter, was able to do baptisms while she waited for Maria to do her endowments, which thrilled Angelina. We knew her in Young Women's in the Beira 2nd Branch, and she was always giving talks at church and bearing her testimony at every meeting.
The temple looks quite small on the outside, but has beautiful grounds, full of flowers and fountains. There is a white marble nativity scene in the front that you can see on the picture. We were really blessed to have an hour or two the next morning to go back and take pictures, as it poured rain from the time we left Maputo until the next morning when we went back to the temple, and then poured on us all the way home. As you can see, we are still learning how to work this blog, hence pictures and texts that seem to go wherever. But we want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We are doing very well, in spite of missing all of our family and friends at this special time of the year. We are so thankful to be able to serve this mission and, hopefully, make a difference in the lives of the members and missionaries here in Mozambique. We have been truly blessed this past year and are grateful to our Savior and rejoice in the remembrance of His birth at this special time. Our love and best wishes to all for a glorious holiday season. 
