Temple Grounds

This is our beautiful Johannesburg Temple.  It is not square and boxy like so many temples.  Also it is not made of white stone like granite.  The outside and the inside is this warm brown stone.  It sits on a small hillside and is landscaped throughout.  It is not a large temple, only 19,000 square feet.  Think of Fresno Temple--10, 700 square feet, but a little bit larger throughout.  It sits on a very small foot print, with an underground garage.  The working areas of the temple are all on one floor

We have grown to love it almost immediately.  There are 6 missionary couples (including the Caprons) and the three members of the Presidency and their wives who all report to work the full shift almost every day.  In addition we have some local volunteers and sealers.  The Area Office located next door has a staff who come help in the Temple once a week.

The Presidency are all South African.  The President, Pres. Bricknell, is a former mission president.  The two counselors are natives, one a white South African and the other a black African.

Most of our patrons are black Africans from throughout the southern half of the continent.  Those from the Congo speak French.  Most of the South Africans speak English.  Some are from Afrikaans (Dutch) background and speak English and a rough guttural language, I find hard to pronounce.  Then there are the Zulus, most who speak English, but some speak a native language (I think it is called IsiZulu) with many 'pops and 'clicks'.  Every new name is a challenge to learn.

Life is an Adventure!   (D)

Also on the property are the Area Office, the Family History Library, a Distribution Center...we really haven't seen much of these.  We go from underground parking at Duke's Court to underground parking at the temple.  David is on his way over right now.  Elder Black is determined that David drive this week.  I pleaded with Elder Hagedorn to take him out driving (just the 2 of them) before they made him drive a van with 8 people having fun at his expense (all fun and games until you drive down the wrong side of the street!). So he invited him to drive up to the area office to get a book.  (They have a library of many books that people have left behind.  You just go up and get whatever you want and return it when you're finished.)
This koi pond and stream are on the property.  Very tropical and serene.  Across the street is the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.  There are signs everywhere saying it will be open soon.  Be we were told "soon" is a relative word.  It's been "opening soon" for almost 2 years.


I was taking a picture of the view from the grounds...instead I got a good picture of the security fencing around the temple.  All the fences have those spikey things on top.  You can see them in the bottom left of the picture.  (N)