Johannesburg Temple or Bust!

Wasatch Front Mormons trip to the temple;

1. Fill your tank with gas.
2. Put on some church clothes.
3. Drive an hour (or much less) and there you are.
4. Get a babysitter if needed.

South Africa Mormons:

1. Reserve the temple one year in advance.
2. Reserve the housing one year in advance.
3. Six months prior to temple date, give notice to those who are interested in going. 
4. Explain recommend process.
5. Explain costs involved.
6. Meet with each member who has a desire to go and determine what they feel like they can pay.
7. Line up transportation as no one has a car.
8. Arrange for housing and who will stay with who.  Are there even enough rooms?
9. Teach temple classes. (sometimes multiple times because not everyone comes).  Pick everyone up since no one has a car.
10. Pretend you know Family Search.  Help members to enter names.  Cry tears of joy as you watch these precious members experience the thrill of being forever families. (Just a note to anyone going on a couple mission.  Take a Family Search course)
11. Start meeting for temple recommends.
12. Arrange for the mission president to come who lives three states of Texas away to sign recommends.
13. Answer a gazillion questions.
14. Cry a lot over generous donations from America that make it possible for 26 people to go out of a branch that has less than 80 members and whose average income is about $350.00 a month.  Some families are taking four members.  Impossible without help.  
15. Type up flyer's detailing information for patrons who have never been.  Deliver them and answer more questions.
16. Pull together activities for the 14 hours bus drive up…and the 14 hours bus drive back.
17. Call the temple a bazillion times.
18. Receive calls from the temple changing plans a bazillion times and then re-arranging schedules.
19. And this is only the big stuff.

BOTTOM LINE IS IT IS ALL WORTH IT.  EVERY MINUTE.  WE ARE SO EXCITED.  THE MEMBERS ARE GIDDY!  IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT FOUR DAYS.  WE LOVE OUR MISSION.  COME JOIN US!!