Barefoot

We've been doing some training with the branch presidency and Sunday School Presidency and feel like we are making progress. These are good men and they are learning. While we were visiting with one of them, I asked about his conversion story. One of the things that attracted him to the church was that the church came because of a revelation, he said, and that all people are invited to receive their own revelation and ask their creator what he wants for them. He said in this church the leaders care for their flock. In other churches the flock must care for the leader. I guess here in Africa some churches totally expect members to pay a certain amount to support the pastor.

Our Relief Society President has moved, I think, to Rwanda and has left the counselors in charge. They are doing an excellent job of running things in her absence. It's so rewarding to see things run well. And on Sunday we had a great Branch Council meeting with all the auxiliary leaders discussing their concerns about how to help people, and others giving good solutions to the concerns.

The goal of the Gospel is to bring souls to Christ. The scriptures say that first the Lord will speak in a still, small voice, and if we don't listen, then he will speak with thunderings, lightnings, and tempests. With repentance, it's kind of the same way. First counsel is given and encouragement to change offered. If a serious transgression is not in the repentance process, then the church offers greater encouragement in the way of a church court (the thunder and lightning.) Always the goal is to help with the repentance process-- to save the soul-- so the person can return to joy and peace. Wickedness never brings peace and happiness.

We have a nice member with the inconvenience of possibly multiple spouses. So Friday we went to deliver a letter inviting the member to a church court. It takes two priesthood brethren to deliver the letter so we picked up Bro. J and visited/trained him as well. After the delivery, we continued to drive out to Ericah's house as Bro J is suppose to home teach her.

It began raining while we were there. Not so good as her road is exceptionally muddy. But when there was a break, she wanted to show Bro. J her projects. So we started walking toward the tea field, the fish pond, the bees, etc. After a short distance I realized I could sacrifice my feet or my sandals. I only have one pair of each. But I figured my feet were more durable. So I took off the sandals and walked through the mud and grass barefooted. We walked across fields and down Slipppppery slopes. I skidded. I slid. But I stayed upright! Mud squished between the toes. About half way through, I recalled... oh, oh. I bet this is against mission rules. But it was a bit late for that thought!

I was glad to get back to her house and get my feet washed off.

We planned on leaving then, but no, Ericah begged us to stay for a little something- cooked bananas. They are very tasty and taste much like potatoes. It was now about 2:00 and I was hungry. Elder Fox gave her 30 minutes more of waiting. She said, "This is Africa. In Africa time is not important. Ten minutes can mean two hours." I had seen it in evidence, but this was the first time I heard it confessed.

I'm so gullible, I keep believing people! "I'm just coming."-- That one, I've learned means anything from I'm a block from your house to I'm just getting out of bed but I really mean to come sometime. But the variations of that: "I'm on my way." "I'm just leaving." "I'll be there soon."-- Somehow, I expect people to actually show up in the next 15 minutes or so. And I get frustrated when I make plans around that... and it doesn't happen.

We were told when we came to Africa that many people would have amazing stories... and some of them might actually be true. I think I have gotten better at saying No to requests for handouts, but on Wednesday David Oching Oching came to the gate. A young man, an orphan, the oldest in the family. His sister had just died and he needed to get transport home to the burial. He said he'd been to church, but when I asked which missionaries he knew, he looked blank, so I questioned that. But I gave him some shillings and asked him to come back and let me know how the funeral was. Two days later, Elder Fox was outside when he came to the gate. No report on the funeral, but his sister was a diabetic and needed medication. It’s a tribute to his skills in storytelling that Elder Fox ALSO succumbed and gave him some money! Then we compared notes, recalling people usually stay away several days at least for a burial.

The idea is that if you’re white, you have money to give. But E. Fox came up with a good analogy. When you go to the market, you have tomato sellers and used clothing sellers, and shoe sellers. If you ask the used clothing seller for tomatoes, he’ll say, go see the tomato seller. And if the used clothing seller happened to give you a tomato, you know it came from what he planned for his dinner. There are many different kinds on NGO’s (charitable groups) that come to Africa. Some give stuff. Some do spiritual things. So when David came back the 4^th time in five days (we were away the 3^rd time), I explained this analogy.

“We give people spiritual food. We teach how to be in harmony with God so he can bless you as he promises. And his blessings are both temporal and spiritual. We invite you to come to church and learn more. We are not here to give stuff.”

“But I need help paying for this high blood pressure medicine I need for the sister who has diabetes who is the twin to the one who died....”

“Sorry David, we will never give you more stuff.”

“But the medicine?”

“Never.”

I’m sure he was sorry this sugar daddy dried up so quickly.