The weekend...

Boy what a weekend it was. It was packed full of lots of fun stuff! On Friday we went and saw the movie Wall-E. It was pretty good. It was a nice way to unwind after kind of a crazy week. Saturday we slept in, which we all needed and then went to a rugby game. For many of us, it was our first rugby experience. I've decided I'm a fan! I love hockey, partly for the violence, and I must say, rugby will probably be the same way.

Sunday we went to the local branch in Windhoek. It was AMAZING! These people are rock solid and so full of love. It was an awesome experience to be with these people and feel right at home. The new mission president for the South Africa mission came to visit the branch. He and his wife said a few things in sacrament meeting. I know I've only been in Africa a little over a week, but it was a strange thing to see and hear another American. Coming home might be quite the adjustment. :)

On Sunday after church we drove about 25 minutes outside of Windhoek and went to a small game preserve called Okapuka. In 3 hours we saw some amazing animals. Below is a picture of the male crocodile just outside one of the watering holes. He was sunning himself and didn't seem to mind all of our pictures.

Giraffes have always been one of my favorite animals. We got to see quite a few on the trip. We learned that the older they get, the darker their spots get. We got to see one that was about 40 years old and also a little baby one as well.

The white rhinos were my favorite part of the whole trip. It reminded me of what I felt like when I did a shark cage dive in Hawaii. We stopped the jeep when we got close and the rhinos started to run up to the jeep. None of us knew exactly what to do, except to stay calm, quiet, and not to move. They got right up next to the jeep and sniffed us out. Their horns were so incredible big that it was intimidating to have them that close to us. Our driver got out of the jeep and fed them some sort of grain or pellets. He explained that it was like chocolate to rhinos. That's why they ran up to the jeep. Now he tells us....


We also got to see a couple of lions in a separate part of the reserve. They fed them and we got to watch. That was also a sight to see. Hearing the lions roar was something that I will not soon forget. It's something that will send chills through your body. Beautiful, majestic animals though!