Moving on

Since our mission is over, it seemed we needed a new blog.  If you want to see what we are doing now that we are home and only doing common things, here is our new address.


www.foxflash2@blogspot.com


Since I want to be able to put names and perhaps be a little more detailed, I've decided to see what it's like to have a private blog.  I think when you click on this site, you can ask to view the blog.  Then I can add you to the list.  If this doesn't work, email me at sakafox@yahoo.com

Settling In

I thought coming home would be like putting on a pair of comfortable shoes-- I'd just slip right in. It didn't work that way. I think we were more like the younger missionaries. We came off our mission and what were we to do next?

Maybe a combination of young missionary/old missionary problems-- we couldn't remember where things were in our home. Where's the silverware? Where did we keep the iron? Was that piece of furniture always there?

We spent a few days with our oldest son, Andy, and his family (and one of the five grandchildren born on our mission). It was fun to visit with them and the grandchildren. When we got in the car to drive home... my left food didn't know what to do. No clutch! But driving IS like riding a bike. You don't forget. And it wasn't hard to transition to driving on the right side of the road.

Miranda, Dan, and new (to us) baby Camden-- he's one year old-- came to visit and that helped with the transition.

I don't know if it helped or hindered. Certainly it hindered in getting the house organized-- but we'd moved stuff out of the downstairs for the housesitter. And it seemed like a good plan, while the furniture was not there, to take down the old paneling and popcorn ceiling in the last room in the house with paneling (and also the largest) and put in drywall. Of course the food storage closet is there, as well... and why not... and so we have tons of food storage cluttering other parts of the house now. Well, that includes the 96 boxes of food storage our daughter brought over as she stages her house to sell.

We will start on a circuit to visit the remaining children and grandchildren and end with celebrating my Mom's 90th birthday the end of May. Then, I suppose we really must settle in and decide what to do with our lives.

The Trip Home

Friday morning we planned to get up at 4:30 to be prepared for the 6am departure to the airport. We set the alarm. We failed, however, to turn on the alarm. We awoke at 5:15.

What excitement! I didn't know I could shower, finish packing, clean the room, and be ready so fast. I even got a little breakfast. I preferred to go out with a rush. We stuffed much into the last days of our mission. It was a good way for the last day to begin.

We had much time to decompress and transition while in the plane and at airports. Our flight didn't leave until 7:15 pm. We thought we could escort our Kenyan people to their gate, but it didn't work as we didn't have our boarding passes. So we said good-byes, and then waited. We read. We walked around. I crocheted part of a necklace. We hung around like vultures for the ticket office to open so we could rid ourselves of 4 of our bags. We weighted them-- EXACTLY 23 KG each! And we checked them through to our final destination! Hurray! We feared we might have to pay for the extra baggage for the USA leg. Then we enjoyed a Subway Sandwich and shopped at the Out of Africa place for a last tie for Tom.

We slept on the Johannesburg to London flight and arrived at 5:15 am London time. Again, the airport became our friend as we waited the 6 hours for a connecting flight. This one was harder to sleep on-- 11 hours-- but it was all daytime. We arrived in Dallas at 3pm or so. We had to claim our luggage and take it through customs, but then they rechecked it immediately after.

Our 7 hour layover there increased by 2 hours as Dallas had a lightening storm and the flights were stopped during that time. By then, we were moving pretty slowly ourselves. I don't know about "brain dead"... but certainly in critical condition. We arrived in Jackson, MS at 1am, collected all our luggage, and got to our son, Andy's, house by 2:20. Ahh. The bed felt Sooo good.

Sunday was Easter. We enjoyed being in church. But how odd to have no responsibilities. None. It isn't all that good of a feeling. So I held somebody's baby most of the time. We enjoyed the grand children. They are bright and talented and smart and...

Monday Andy had off and we worked outside landscaping their house. They've done a beautiful job of it! It's just lovely. I mostly mulched and admired.

Tuesday we hauled our stuff home. Tom drove the truck and I, the new (to us) Toyota. Wait! Where's the clutch? What's the left foot supposed to do? And, er, which side of the road should I be on? It IS like riding a bike. You don't forget. Our intent was to stop in Little Rock at the commissary and stock up. Alas. A tornado had come through the night before and damaged it... and it was closed. So we stopped in Mountain View at Walmart and picked up a few things.

It felt almost strange to be home. I expected to walk in and just feel this overwhelming sense of: I'M HOME. But it didn't happen. It was hard to remember. Where does this go? Where do I find that? Has that always been there? It was like slowly immersing oneself into a warm tub of water. Ah... but crawling into our own bed felt GREAT!

As we unpacked, old met new. Which memorabilia or memories will take the forefront now? We have TOO MUCH STUFF. Some things will have to go. When you've lived with little-- it's a good time to evaluate the much.

Wednesday afternoon we drove to Springfield to meet with the Stake President and the High Council and be released. It was good to report. We feel we have served a mission with our heart, might, mind and strength. Not a perfect mission. We certainly made our share of mistakes. But a mission that was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord.

I felt a touch of sadness at taking off the name tag for the last time. We have been so blessed and protected as we have served. I KNOW the Lord has watched over us. I KNOW angels have been round about us protecting and guiding us as we've been about the Lord's work. Will we still have that guidance and protection?

I trust we will. I trust as we continue to give ourselves to the Lord, what will be done will be according to His will. It has been a great mission. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. It is God's church. Jesus Christ, the savior and redeemer, is at its head. We will draw nearer to God and the the peace, joy, and love that is His nature, as we follow its teachings. I know this is so.

Every Good Thing

When Elder L. Whitney Clayton came to the mission he said that the Lord is pleased with every good thing we do. It doesn't have to be a big thing. It can be a little one-- a smile, a helping hand. Listening. Doing a small service. How much easier it is to do good, when we remember that it pleases the Lord.

He also said, you don't have to be perfect today. Keep working on it. Life is a process and it takes time. In Moses 7:21 it says "in the process if time" the city of Enoch was taken to heaven. It took time. And in D&C 50:24 we learn if we receive what comes from God-- if we listen to what God asks us to do, and do it... we will receive more. More instructions, more wisdom, more light and truth. We will become more perfect.

Isn't it wonderful that it can all start with doing One. Good. Thing.

Johannesburg Temple

Monday morning we went to the mission service center and met all the people going to the temple. We had a family of 5-- the Ochieng Odunga family, and sister Consulate from Nairobi, and we had Josephat Barasa Lumuli and his wife from Naitiri near Kitale in addition to our 17 from Kisumu. We discussed the details of airports and flying and then had a testimony meeting. In the afternoon we flew to Johannesburg and arrived at Patron Housing at the temple about 9pm. We crashed and regained strength for Tuesday. It was much chillier in Johannesburg. We found it delightful, the Kenyan's found it cold.

Tuesday we went to the distribution center. Then the adults went to the temple about 11 to make sure all their paperwork was in order. After a quick lunch, they went to the temple at 1pm. The children went to the temple with us about 2:30 when we went up for the 3pm session. It was wonderful to see all these couples and single sisters there. Pym, a 13 year old in the Odhiambo family, was supposed to come to the temple with the other children to be sealed. But after the endowment session, they came to tell the parents he was seriously ill and needed to go to the hospital. Pym had been sick and treated for malaria, but was not better. They had prayed he would be strong enough to come to the temple... and he was strong enough to come. It turned out he had a fluid filled cyst on the brain-- maybe TB of the brain-- and certainly would have died had he stayed in Kisumu. So it was a blessing he came. The rest of the families were sealed as the Odhiambos went to the hospital.

Some days the children walked around the temple grounds.

Wednesday morning was spent in the family history center as the families put their family history on the computers and prepared names for the temple. Just as Jesus acted as proxy for all of us as he took our sins upon him, in the temple, people act for in behalf of the deceased to do baptisms and other work the spirits who have passed on cannot do for themselves. The spirits of the deceased, of course, have the choice to accept or reject these ordinances. But Jesus said everyone had to be baptized. I love it that there is a way made for those who have not heard of Jesus or the gospel in this life are not cut off from the presence of God but can have this baptism and other saving ordinances done vicariously by other.

At 1pm we met for photos in front of the temple and at 2 they did baptisms and then the adults went on to other work. I stayed back with the young children until the older teens returned.

The Odhiambo Family

The Okila Family

Marcelus Owino and Family


Brother and Sister Barasa


Joseph Oching Odunga and family

Ericah, Sister Fox, and Consulate. And below is the whole group.

There is a trick to trying to get food prepared in time for the ordinances to be done. But this group was very time conscious and did manage to feed us all and still get to the temple. The men were very capable and several times they made the meals and other times they cleaned up. Wednesday night we ate about 9pm. I asked the Kenyans and they often eat about 8pm or so. Elder Fox made a sandwich and bailed out. I stayed and ate.

We enjoyed visiting with the missionary couples and the wonderful people at the temple and and Patron housing. They were so helpful with Pym. The area doctor also assisted with some other of the youth who had been struggling with illnesses.

Thursday was a repeat of Wednesday with the exception that we did sealings at the end of the day. It made for a long day. But it was wonderful. It was a choice experience to take these families to the temple. They glowed! They were so excited to go and so spiritually fed.

Then came the sad good-byes. Even the families we had only known a few days had become close friends. Thursday evening we shared how the temple had increased their testimonies. Then on Friday we had to be up and ready to leave by 6am. We set the alarm for 4:30 so we'd have plenty of time. Alas, we failed to turn it on! We awoke at 5:15.... and that was the fastest getting ready and packed I've ever done. It was a fitting ending. No lingering. No contemplation. Just work as hard and fast as we could!

Our goal had been to take the Kenyans to the airport and help them get to their gate. Then we were told that we departed from a different terminal. Then it turned out that we did leave from the same terminal, but we had been unable to print our boarding passes, so we could not have gone past the security check-point anyway. So we hugged good-bye and sent them on their way.

In the Moment

We have been blessed to be “in the moment”—not worrying about things past or anticipating things in the future (very much.)

Monday and Tuesday we cleaned, packed, finished all the zillions of odds and ends we needed to do before leaving. We spent way too much time at Telkom, calling customer service, and explaining the problem as we worked on a refund for days the internet was off line. I wrote up George’s chicken project. Tom interviewed two sick teens who had not been able to be interviewed for the temple—under the direction of the mission president. A young man came from Busia for passport and Yellow Fever shot in anticipation of going on a mission. And we tried to finish the area book for the missionaries who will follow us.

Wednesday we left. Lots of lasts… last good byes… last visits to people… last hugs and last minute gifts. Last time to drive through the countryside… last diversion… last chance to see the markets and the brilliantly colorful dresses the women wear. Last time to see the acacia trees, the zebras, the Thompsons gazelles. On the way we talked. Had we done enough? Are there things we wished we would have done? Can they carry on? We felt a sweet peace that our work was acceptable to the Lord. The people will step up to the plate. They will grow. They will learn many things as they await a new couple and they will be stronger for it.

We had a wonderful exit interview with President Broadbent. He is a godly man! We and then had a really sweet (and tasty) farewell dinner at the Broadbent’s that evening with all the missionary couples. We got to meet the brand new couple—the Scotts—who are going to Mombasa. One of the wonderful perks of this mission are the fantastic senior missionary couples who also serve here. We have visited, dined together, shared ideas and support and encouragement and picked brains about how to do things better. I think the best missionaries in the world are sent to the Kenya Nairobi Mission.

Thursday we tied up loose ends at the Mission office, contacted those going to the temple to check that their transport was in line, and visited the Nairobi Telkom office in an effort to get the refund we expected. We shopped for food for the last few days and finished most of the area book. We put the things we thought the new couple would need on a jump drive as well. And we had a lovely dinner with Elder and Sister Tuttle.

Friday we went to the Nairobi Park. It has most of the animals except elephants. We drove all over the highways and byways of the park and E. Fox had a great time! We saw a lion, lots of elands and cokes hartebeests, a crocodile and a terrapin, Thompson’s gazelles and impalas and ostriches and a variety of other birds. Alas, we grabbed the old video camera instead of the new one. So we finished the mission as we began—with a snapshot camera and a finicky-zoom camera.

This time was a great time to decompress. I felt the weight of responsibility lift from my shoulders as we left Kisumu. Yes, there were still problems and concerns there… but there was nothing I could do about it now. And yes, I really didn’t know what we would do when we got home, but the Lord has reassured us he has something in mind and when the time comes, we will know it. So we have been happily living in the moment. Well, sometimes the driving in Nairobi traffic is a little stressful. And certainly packing adds it’s spice of excitement. Will it all fit? Will it be within the weight limits? Are the carry-ons the right size? I know at times the Lord has shrunk the truck to fit through a narrow spot. I trust if it’s right and necessary, he will shrink our baggage as well. If not… we pay through the nose.

Saturday we went out to dinner with the senior couples. We met Elder and Sister Judd who had spent two years in China teaching English to university students. This job is handled through BYU from where they are trained and sent. They loved it, and it sounded like fun. Saturday night our temple group left from Kisumu.

Sunday morning we met our temple families at church. They had wanted to travel through the night so they could attend church in Nairobi. For most, it was the first time to see a “real” chapel (as opposed to a rented house.) But the greatest tender mercy of the Lord was that the stake was showing the DVD of general conference and they got to hear President Monson talk about the value and importance of temples and temple attendance. You could almost see them glow with excitement. They were GOING!

Sunday evening I wrote up our seminary activity of last Saturday. E/S Harms from South Africa public affairs were visiting to do training and we got to see some of the new videos they are producing to introduce the church and the Family Enrichment Program (A value oriented but not religious oriented Family Home Evening program.) It’s interesting that now I can see that the people shown in the video are… or are not… from Kenya. African is not African—there are many subtle and not-so-subtle differences between nations and they are working to address this and make the videos country specific.

Today we fly to South Africa and the temple portion of our journey begins!

Things I will miss

As we prepare to leave Kenya, here is a random list of thing I will miss.

1. I will miss all the wonderful people. Saying good-by to those we have come to love is difficult. For many, we are the church are intertwined. We are the face of the church and they wonder if they will be able to go on without us. Of course they will. They are strong. They have faith. They will do fine. But our hearts will always be with our friends here.

2. Seeing people’s lives change. It is so awesome to see a person looking into the church and see them begin to understand God’s love for them and his plan of happiness. As they take hold of it, they are INVARIABLY blessed both spiritually and temporally.

3. Doing something that really matters. It’s hard to think of anything else that we could do that would make such an impact on others. Lives change! People say: “I used to be angry and my family was afraid of me. Now we sit down and talk and my children love to come and tell me things.” Or “I was very bad off back then. Now I can hold my head up. I can pay my rent and my children’s school fees.” Or. “I was so sick. I couldn’t do anything. Then the missionaries gave me a blessing and I have not been sick like that ever again.” Or. “I did not know I was a child of God. Now I know I matter to God.” The prophet said, “The Gospel makes bad men [and women] good and good men better.” I have seen it.

4. Talking to random strangers about Jesus Christ. People walk up to you on the street, read your name tag and say, “I love Jesus, too.” Or “I have been saved,” or “What is this church?” It’s so easy to tell people about the Savior and his love for them and how they can have a happier more peaceful life.

5. Eternal summer. I love the trees always being green, the flowers ever-blooming. The bougainvillea just blooms it heart out in a spectacle of red, fuscia, pink, yellow, white, orange and rust. The vine on the fence and gate periodically sports a bright yellow overcoat of blooms. It’s a beautiful country. I think it’s the garden of Eden. Want cassava? Push a stick of it into the ground and it will grow. Want sugarcane? Cut a cane into pieces and plant them. They’ll grow!

6. The skyscape. We have spectacular sunsets and sun rises. I love it when the afternoon storm blows in with tumbling clouds and rumbling thunder. There are times when the thunder grumbles continuously for 10 minutes or more as lightening flashes from cloud to cloud.

7. The animals. We have seen amazing animals here in all their varieties—giraffes, zebras, lions, elephants, monkeys—both on game preserves and often by the side of the road.

8. Cooked Cabbage. I’ve never been a cabbage lover, but this is so sweet and tasty!

9. Sunrise at 6-6:30 and sunset at 6:45-7:15. I didn’t need an alarm, the daylight woke me up. I loved the consistency.

10. Having a fixed purpose. Politics, finances, World events were not the focus. The purpose each day was to serve the Lord the way we were directed by Him to do. There was variety, excitement… sometimes apprehension, joy, duty, satisfaction, and the sweet influence of the spirit directing us.

11. The wonderful variety of accented syllables and the unique use of words. “If they are late for the meeting, they miss the preamble to the meeting.” “You are supposed to discuss things in your presidency meetings and come to branch counsel to digest them.” And of course, the all time favorite: “This area is infested with Quakers.” April is Ah-preelle. Wednesday is Wed-ness-day… just like it’s spelled. It’s just that each letter is pronounced.

12. The wonderful singing of the African saints! Even a small number make a grand sound. I love the harmonies they create. Every time I sing Redeemer of Israel I will remember being in Marcelus' house around his small table with the cement walls echoing back the sound. It was his favorite song and we sang it each time we visited.

13. The diversity of people, landscape, clothing, housing, etc. Just such a variety of all kinds of things. I love the brown skin in all it's varieties, the different eye shapes and cheek bones. The shapes of the chins. Since we can't quickly identify people by hair color or style, we needed to really look at the face shapes.

14. COLOR!!! I love the bold colors of the clothes and the large scale prints. Tye-dies, batik, patterned lessas and getangas. the elegant lace work and cut work of many dresses. the ruffles and tucked sleeves of the dresses. Really these are a well dressed people and I have enjoyed the vivid colors they wear.

Things I won’t miss:

1. Opening and closing and locking the gate every time we go in or out.

2. Ants. Tiny black ones that wander singularly and sparsely on any surface including shirt front or arm or neck. However, they congregate enthusiastically when there’s a knife with a speck of peanut butter left on the counter.

3. Heat. Sticky, sweaty heat. And no place to go for relief. Well… actually the truck has A/C… but we’ve never been tempted to ride in it just to cool off. No. Really. We haven’t done that. And hello! What kind of heat do we have in Arkansas in the summer? Maybe it will feel more comfortable to me now.

4. The lapse of utilities. * Electric power fluctuations, blinks, and the all too frequent stoppage. It’s tough when you suddenly drop into pitch black as you were working on dinner. *Water tanks nearly empty where you wait anxiously for the music of the trickle of city water dropping into the tank and splattering on the puddle at the bottom. *Internet connection interruptions. Now that we have a wireless, we can go from an okay speed to a crawl (read: we cannot open this website or this email… try again.) However, when the electricity goes out, there’s not much time left to use the computer before it, too, conks.

5. Cold water. Okay. I’ve learned to wash my face in cold water if I have to. I have not yet mastered showering in the chill. But we managed with the electric shower head and an electric tea kettle… with the exceptions of utility failures noted in #4.

6. Being away from family. I know, I know, we don’t live near family anyway. And Skype was great (excepting lapses noted in #4). But it was hard to miss babies being born and seeing children grow up for this long. We were so blessed with good health for all our family and with employment and the tender mercies of the Lord on them while we were gone.

7. Bleching black clouds of exhaust. I won't miss that. Or the dust that swirls around when you walk.

8. Wearing a dress every day-- seven days a week. I will be glad to go casual. I think I'm sloppy at heart.

So you THINK you know what’s going on?

So many times in this mission we’ve been faced with an uncertain situation. “Come to my house.” Where? What is expected of us? What will happen there? Sometimes it’s a phone conversation where you don’t exactly hear what’s going on and you agree. Again… a bit of uncertainty. Sometimes, even when you feel pretty confident you know what’s going on and what’s expected… it turns out you don’t.

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It used to stress me out. But the Lord promises help. And he has.

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“For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 100:6) “Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.” (Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:85)

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I can’t think of a time on our mission, when, after a moment or two, we didn’t figure out what to say or what to do. The Spirit guided us. We’ve been so blessed! These words of the Savior are true!

It’s Not Just Black and White

I love the skin color of the African people. It’s a beautiful, glowing brown from the color of dusk to mahogany to a shady beach. It makes the smiles brighter and the eyes more alive. It has this wrinkle free texture that makes people look the same age from 16 to 45.

I have pondered the scriptures, knowing that the Lord made us all and loves us all. I am reminded that to the Lord all things are spiritual. So when he talks of sinners who become “a dark and lothesome people”, he is not talking of the physical appearance, but of the spiritual appearance. In the same way, when people become “white and delightsome”, I believe it is a spiritual change, not necessarily a physical one.

I went out one morning and saw these leaves on the Mango tree. The leaves are actually the same dark green color. What makes the difference? The light shining through them. I think the dark leaves are the natural man. And the illuminated leaves are what happen when we let the light of Christ shine in our lives.

In people of all colors I have seen the gospel shine in their lives making them “delightsome.” And I have seen the Spirit of the Lord depart from them making them indeed look unhappy and angry-- “dark and lothesome”—regardless of the color of their skin.

Crazy Busy!

We have been crazy busy this week. A quick recap. Monday—Who knows. I went fast with laundry, prep for the Seminary activity, and visiting with Pres O, visiting some sisters and trying to set up a sister in a business.

For the seminary activity we invited students from Busia and from Sondu-Nyabondo. On Saturday we learned that the branches were supposed to pay for the transport. AGG. So we had to call the branch presidents and cajole them into spending their precious budget on that. Our theme was “The Armor of God” Earlier we’d made Shields of faith, Helmets of Salvation, Swords of the Sprit, loins girt about with truth, breastplate of Righteousness, and footies of paper for feet shod with the gospel of peace. Monday E. Fox lay on some cardboard and we traced a warrior and made all these parts for him. And we made signs explaining some of these things.

We continued Tuesday refining the program. We started with scripture mastery, and then had a speaker. Then the video of the Armor of God. Then we planned for them to break into groups and do skits. They were like: You go to boarding school and are busy and don’t have time to read the scriptures. How can the armor of God help you? Or you find a wallet and need money for school fees, how can the armor of God help you? Then we had lunch of sandwiches, bananas, and soda. After came games: About 15 min each: volleyball, “How do you love your neighbor?” and learning the Hokey Pokey, the Chicken Dance, and the Bunny Hop. Lastly we scheduled photos and a testimony meeting. So we worked on who would do what. While we were supposed to have someone else do institute… they called and E. Fox ended up teaching it.

We needed to pack and leave early Wednesday AM. We had a circuitous route. We went to see Bro. H. who has not been to church in months, then Ericah. Then we went to the hospital at Mbale to drop off training material for the neonatal training. Finally we visited Jane in Kakamega—an investigator. We had the missionaries with us to visit with all these people as well. We continued on to Kitale to visit with the Beechers. We got there about 6pm. We ate quickly and then the missionaries came over for their weekly night with the Beechers. They’d planned a video. Er. Power went out. So they had some games.

Thursday the Beechers and we went to Mt. Elgon. It was a lovely drive! Very relaxing and peaceful. We saw Columbus Monkeys and other monkeys and baboons. We saw waterbucks and impala.

I loved the peaceful landscape. We saw a great cave and a poacher… who did in an impala as we watched… from a distance. E Fox and Beecher went to check and found some snares and actually photographed the poacher and turned him in.

In the afternoon we drove to Eldoret and visited with Pres. Kogo and then went to dinner with Pres and Sis. B and the E/S Scott from S. Africa. We spent the night at the Noble. It is a new conference center with lodging and quite nice.

Friday was zone conference. As usually it was fantastic. One quote: “Talking doesn’t cook the rice.” The missionary was speaking about how when you come in in the evening you may talk and talk about whose cooking dinner…. But it doesn’t get the job done. We had a great talk on symptoms of stress and how to reduce stress. We also learned about the importance of attitude (see 1 Nephi 17: 1-3, 21-22 to see same situation, different attitudes.) and about how to become converted missionaries.

After zone conference and lunch, we visited with Pres. Kogo while we waited for E. Beecher to give two patriarchal blessings. It’s awesome that we now have someone approved to give patriarchal blessings to those going on missions. Then they visited with Pres. K. I thought no problem. We have time to get home. Then we forgot E Fox’s suit coat and had to go back. Then there was this AWESOME rainstorm with hail and thunder and water so thick you could hardly see. And I began to think I misjudged the time to leave. We did get home after dark. Ugh. The Beechers were faithful and followed us all the way. We finalized plans for Saturday’s activity and crashed.

Saturday we were up really early to do the final set up and get things organized. We needed to buy the food for the lunch before people started arriving. We really had no idea how many people were coming, in spite of asking for numbers. We thought maybe 45 total. We actually had 45 youth plus about 11 legitimate leaders and maybe half a dozen others who showed up. The youth had a great time.

They really enjoyed all the activities! Power came on in time to see the video about the Armor of God. Then they did skits.

It was fun to see them have fun. They had some of the scriptures memorized and a number of the non-members who were enrolled in some of the outlying seminaries had a great grasp of the scriptures. We had some good strong testimonies from the youth. They played volleyball.

They played "How do you love your neighbor."

The Beechers taught the dances, led two of the skit groups, helped with music and were just invaluable! I think they kept us sane that day.

Here is our happy group.

After the activity we were really bushed… although there was a high from a job well done… and a job being over (well done or not.) However, there was a farewell for us later that evening so we went to that. It was heart-warming to hear the kind remarks of the members. They will really miss us. And we will miss them. They are remarkable people. Again we got home after dark. We had to stop and buy more bread as we’d used up all our bread for the extra people at the activity.

Today we had more fond farewells. The Beechers did such a lovely job of sharing the gospel here. They bore their testimonies and gave such perfect comments. In Branch counsel they were right on in their comments. It’s so great to have another witness of how things should go. Branch counsel ran the best I’ve seen it. The branch is moving forward in a good direction. After church we helped people with family group sheets to send to the temple and visited to make final arrangements with those going in April and to keep those going in August on track. Sundays are tiring because often we don’t eat or drink from 8:30 to about 3 or 4. And then tonight, there was a problem with a leaky sink that had to be fixed as water was running over the floor. And the pipe on our shower has moved from a spiffy 90 degrees from the wall to a sagging 45 degrees and continuing south. It will have to be fixed before we leave. We can’t have a new couple arrive to that.

So we are finished with the last major project before we leave. Still have things in the area book to do… and packing… and some updating of branch lists… and visiting… and….the internet is down again and we are back to the wireless modem... and...

Good night. It’s too late to think of these things today.

Grudges

There is a person in the branch who has not been honest in his dealings. The person has been hurtfully revengeful to some of my favorite people and may be casual about keeping sacred covenants. I really had a hard time with this person. When they would stand to pray or teach I would feel resentful—judging them as unworthy to perform those things. I would think: The handbook says....

I had been praying for greater love, greater trust in God and more joy. One day I realized all my feelings—as modest or intense as they were—had absolutely no bearing on that person’s salvation. The person’s salvation was between them and the Lord. My feelings had no influence at all on their judgment. BUT it had EVERYTHING to do with MY salvation.

And you know what? I was blessed to let it go. And I did have more joy as those resentful feeling were gone. And I could laugh at the Lord’s joke on me as the next few Sundays this person both gave prayers and taught lessons!

Good Bye Busia

This last Sunday was our last chance to go and visit the saints in Busia. It was a bitter-sweet day. The branch is growing. (picture of a baptism earlier in the year.) There were about 60 people there. They are godly people trying to do what is right. We enjoyed the testimony meeting. Elder Fox taught the Elders Quorum and I taught Relief Society. The sisters participated and seemed to grasp the gospel principles. Those who have attended the temple have deepened their faith and are leading the branch. They are starting a new Temple Preparation Class so others can ready themselves to go to the temple. (One member brings all his family in this pickup.) After the regular block of meetings, they met to wish us farewell. Oh. They were so grateful for all we had done. They reminded us of how small they were when we first came and how they struggled. They told how we’d uplifted them and taught them and blessed their lives. They only imagined and dreamed of going to the temple… and now they’ve done it. Some spoke of the struggle to go on a mission, of almost giving up, but through our encouragement, they made it. . Two are going, and two more are working to go—knowing it IS possible. This is Glory whose going to the NY, NY South mission. And Robinson (in the vest) with other current and future missionaries. President Odero recommended families name babies after us—and introduced Tom Freeman Imende, named after Elder and Sister Freeman who served about 12 years ago in Nairobi and blessed their lives when they were new converts. They sang: God be With You ‘Til We Meet Again. (This is Pres Odero and his family and Pres and Sis. Broadbent.) It was rewarding. As we drove to Busia, we were looking at all the things we were leaving unfinished and still struggling. And we wondered…. Have we really done much since we’ve been here? So it was nice to hear we’d made a difference. ***(pretend the astrisks are paragraph breaks. For some reason blogger won't let me put in paragraphs today.) - It was also important for us to remember this was really gratitude to the Lord. One said, “you were heaven-sent to bless us.” That is really where the praise and gratitude should go. We were just His messengers sent to act as He would act… which we did MUCH less perfectly than He would have. But we’ve learned and grown. We, too, have gained love, faith, trust in God, understanding of gospel and administrative principles, and maybe even some patience. ***(pg) - Still, it was very nice to have so many people say “Thank You!”

T.I.A.

My friend Lorraine introduced me to this term. It means This Is Africa… which means don’t expect things to go as you think they will. Yesterday was a TIA day. Fabulous… but not as I had planned. _ We were to take our last visit to the Nyabondo saints who live about 50 km south of us. Dennis and Bethsada had invited us to their house… for what? A bit unclear. Kenneth and his family makes bricks. We’d often driven by brick making operations, so I asked if we could spend just a little time seeing how bricks are made. Sure he said, it will take 10 minutes. Then we planned on teaching a short teacher training lesson for the seminary and institute teacher and then a little longer lesson on Doctrine and Covenants 50 to both show the teachers teaching methods and enlighten all the others who would be there. Our time frame: Leave at 10. Arrive shortly after 11 at Dennis’ house. Leave at one. Do bricks and stuff until 2. Teach until 3, be home about 4:30. We left a little late. Orange was reconnecting the phone line outside our gate. HURRAY!!! INTERNET!!!! It had poured rain the night before. Normally I have some concerns about going on the dirt roads when it's rained a lot, but I trusted they would have dried out, and they had. And we arrived at Dennis and Bethsada’s house about 11:20. We visited with Dennis as Bethsada cooked. And we had quiet, contemplative time while we waited. Sitting and doing nothing is not easy for me. Fortunately we had scriptures and could read. We ate lunch of rice, meat stew, cabbage, avocados, pineapple and bananas. We spent some time visiting with several girls from a nearby school. They are starting to take seminary classes with Bro. Dennis during the week. Sweet girls. A little before 1:30 we drove to Kenneth’s house—where the gathering would be. Here's a photo of Dennis, his wife, and several of the students.

We picked up Kenneth and drove to the brick making place. But first we stopped in front of the primary school to admire their stand of trees. Then we walked past other new tree plantings the saints in Nyabondo are doing for a community project and went to the secondary school. This area tends to be boggy in wet weather. When they plant blue gum trees, they draw the moisture from the soil and keep it dryer. Ingenious. We visited the secondary school principal and talked with him about Kenya and America and how lovely his school was. Then we walked by where people were building with bricks and mud mortar. We saw where the brick mud was stomped and then pulled from the top soil. We saw the fired bricks and the “kiln” made of the mud bricks to be fired. 3500 bricks make the kiln with a space for two holes for fire to be built.

Then the whole thing is mudded over to keep the heat and smoke in. The smoke eventually exits through small holes in the sides and top that it finds, but a well built fire will last for 3 days—enough to bake the bricks. We returned to Kenneth’s and he had us plant a tree so he could remember us.

The Women gave a demonstration on how the walls of mud homes are sealed with a mixture of dirt and cow dung.

And we also saw a demonstration of the brick making.

Leonard was fast, efficient, and turned out perfect looking bricks. Here he is pressing out the finished brick.

Then we had the father of the clan, Stephen, take us on a tour of the shamba. It is large and well cared for. By now, it’s about 3pm.

-

We began our meeting after the opening song and prayer. I love the singing here! Rich, beautiful voices with their melodic harmonizing! I will miss that! First, the Seminary gave a lesson. (Last time we’d asked both seminary and Institute if we could come and watch their lessons. I guess it set a pattern.) One of the youth gave a fine lesson on Keeping the Sabbath Day holy—from the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C). Then the Institute teacher gave a great lesson on Missionary work. I loved how both of them took us repeatedly into the scriptures to find answers. They invited discussion and class participation. Then it was my turn for the lesson on how to discern the spirit of the Lord from other spirit from D&C 5. Then Elder Fox taught about keeping the doctrine pure by teaching from the scriptures and the church publications. By now it’s close to 5 pm. Closing song and prayer and we’re done… right? No.

-

Now we get to hear a word of thanks from Elder and Sister Fox and then from the patriarch of the family, Stephen. Stephen’s talk was so sweet. He spoke of the day we first came to his home and went out to the brick field to meet him. He told we introduced the Book of Mormon and he could not understand it. Then we came a second time and talked about the Plan of Salvation. He went through the plan in detail—from our pre-earth life, to the creation and the fall of man, to our life on earth, the atonement of the Savior, death, spirit world, resurrection, final judgment and degrees of glory one can inherit. This additional knowledge made such an impression on him that he converted and has spent the last year seeking more knowledge and guidance. He said, “We wanted to rush things, but that does not lead to good results. We need to be patient and wait and in the Lord’s time things will come about.” This was so sweet as that is what we’ve been telling them, and to hear it repeated back meant they understood it.

-

Then we went outside and took pictures . This is Stephen's wife, children, and grandees.

And all the attendees at the meeting.

Then the Seminary group and other groups gave us gifts. Avocados and baskets from the women. Bananas from Stephen (they are all wrapped up. Doesn't it look like a large cocoon?)

We got banana leaf purses and a soapstone dish. Elder Fox has a banana leaf belt hanging around his neck here. This is Kenneth giving the dish.

It was so moving. They were giving us from their heart and their limited resources. We also got a book with thank-you’s written in from many of the members and investigators. We took a picture of all our gifts when we returned home. We are so touched.

Then we went back to the compound so Kenneth could show us the kitchen where food was prepared. Then into the home to visit and eat. We talked about grain storage methods we’d learned and about drying foods like onions, tomatoes, mangoes, etc so that they could preserve them against the lean times. Often they grow them, sell them when there is a glut, and then go hungry with little between seasons. They were very interested in the idea of drying foods to preserve them.

-

As we were finished and ready to go, Zedok spoke. He talked about how he’d been in the hospital in February of last year and met Stephen, a member from Kisumu who was in the next bed over. He was so impressed with the people who came to visit him and their reverent manner, that he asked and Stephen gave him a church magazine. He studied it, learned of Kenneth’s group of people and came and learned more. He talked about how his life changed. He stopped smoking and drinking and saved 2,400 shillings a month. He now had money to send his boys to school. He said he was “the man” and never sat with his family, had no relationship with his children and they feared him. But he repented and now the family sits at meals together and discusses and reads scriptures. He is friends with his boys and they talk to him about things. He is so grateful for the changes. His health is better. Since that time he has not gone back to smoking or whiskey. When he has a desire, he prays. I was touched anew about how the gospel really does change lives in so many ways. Not just the person converted, but those around them feel the influence.

-

There was such a sweet spirit, it was hard to leave. At 6:30 we got into the truck. It got dark at 7pm and the phrase: “play now, pay later” came to mind. We drove slower than normal and ended up home after 8pm. There was much rumbling and lightening along the way, but no rain. Good thing. Our laundry was still on the line from the morning. After all, we expected to be home in plenty of time to bring it in.

-

It was an exhilarating, exhausting day and in every way typified the saying: TIA.

Four Projects, Four Days.

We have been focusing on several things as our days wind down. We have three things to do with our departure:

1. clean up, sort, organize.

2. pack

3. complete the turnover packet for our followers—the couple who follows us.

We have several activities yet with our missionary work:

1. visit people one last time.

2. regular training and teaching

3. prepare for the seminary activity.

We have been poking at each one all week.

Monday we worked hard to get the last of the “armor of God” prepared. E. Fox had cut out the Shield of faith, the breastplates of righteousness, and the swords of the spirit. I was having a hard time figuring out how to make the shoes of the Gospel of peace or the helmet of salvation. I finally took light cardboard and shaped a shoe top. Sister B. came up with a brilliant helmet of salvation—small dust bins covered with aluminum foil. They had strips of plastic for the sides, so part of the strips she just covered the strips making a grillwork for the face part. Monday we bought fabric for the “loins girt about with truth.” And we got fabric and cut it for arm bands for the different groups—yellow, blue, green. (no symbolism to the colors… just ones that looked nice.) They are now labeled and prepared to go. We got the Armor of God video clip and the speakers lined up. E. Fox is still working on the scripture mastery activity. We think we’ve decided on a lunch menu.

On Monday we took one of the young elders to the Woolen mill to check out suit material and to the tailors. E. fox finally dropped off his last fabric to have made into pants. The last one got a hole in it as the tailor was ironing it and one of the charcoal pieces dropped onto the finished pants. I got some crochet hooks for making necklaces.

In the afternoon we had a chance to visit with the branch president. He expressed gratitude for our service. He said, you’ve been my parents—encouraging and correcting as needed. And sometimes I’ve acted like the child. But I really appreciate you and I’ve grown a great deal. He is a good man. The branch is moving forward. The leadership is becoming aware of those not attending and focus is turning to them.

Tuesday my goal was to stay home and get stuff done on the turnover packet. I introduced each of the Kisumu members and identified relationships. I also started on the phone contact list. We have people in the phone like Elizabeth, Morrice, Electric Isaiah, Didikis, and so on. I thought it might be helpful to know who they were. Actually, if I would just put the last names into the phone so they could be cross referenced with the branch list that would help on some. In the evening we taught our last institute class. We have really enjoyed that. I think those in the class will see that it continues.

Wednesday we wandered through the house getting rid of stuff and organizing it. We have a file cabinet we’ve gone through about 3 times now. Each time we find things to take, things to toss, and things to leave. I think we’re done with it now. Part of the problem was Tom organized according to his thoughts, then I’d organize according to mine… then together. I made a list of things we’ve purchased since we came to Kenya for customs.

Wednesday evening we went to Elizabeth and Isaac’s house for a cottage meeting. I forget how far back into Nyalenda it is. We took boda-bodas to Solwe stage. Got there a little late, didn’t bring the right video we’d promised, and waited for more to show up. But still, it was good. The video was the Book of Mormon Stories instead of the John Tanner Story. So we watched “How we got the Book of Mormon” and several other chapters while we waited. Then E. Fox did a masterful job building on the things taught on that video. By the time we were done it was pretty dark. They walked us back to the stage stop, and we decided to take a piki-piki home. It’s a motorcycle… and they have headlights. It was a first time for us. Kinda fun. And we arrived safe. And it wasn’t much more than a boda boda for two.

Thursday Glory came to get her immunizations and we then sat with her and went over her missionary packet and talked about the USA. She’s going to the New York, NY south mission which includes Bermuda Island interestingly enough. We picked her up and took her to the Public Health place a little after ten. I thought, by noon we’d be done… Sigh. TIA. We returned her to the stage to return to Busia closer to 3. I got my last haircut here. Then we went to pick up the missionaries to go and visit Joan and George. Again, we parked the truck and walked back in a ways. Joan had not been present at church for over 2 months. I think she was a lost sheep. She’d wandered from church, but still was reading the Book of Mormon. E. Fox had her read the parable in Luke 15 about the lost sheep and the joy that was felt upon its return. In the evening we packed a suitcase of things we won’t need until we get home. Then we couldn’t find the scale—BAH!—to know if it is under 50 lbs. or not.

Today we will go to Sondu or the Nyabondo saints for the last time. We will visit a home where we’d been invited numerous times… but not gone. We will teach a lesson and do a little Seminary and Institute teacher training. We will also visit their brick making operation.

So, I suppose there are more than 4 projects. And technically more than 4 days. But mid next week we go to north and return just in time for the Seminary Activity. Then we clean and pack and head to Nairobi for exit interview and farewell.

All these activities have been made more interesting by lack of high speed internet and occasionally by lack of power. We've been having AWESOME thunderstorms. They tumble in with booms and crashes. Sometimes the rumblings seem non-stop. Alas, frequently then the power does stop-- anywhere from an hour or so up to half a day. If it stops at night, it will eventually come back on, but often stops again the next day-- presumably when they do a more secure fix. On the good side, we've had plenty of water!

Obedience

When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power. -- Ezra Taft Benson

Sunday, Sunday

Last week raced past! I so appreciated the hand of the Lord in it. From Saturday when we drove back from Nairobi, until Thursday afternoon there were a million things to do. We loved having the Tuttles with us. They are a great couple. We delighted in showing them around and finding Homa Bay ourselves for the first time. We were pleased that the road toward Kitale has been repaved and is a good road. When we showed the Tuttles the way to Kitale, we enjoyed a tailgate picnic in the back yard of the Misihku branch with the Beechers. On the way back home we saw the shambas tilled and planted now that the rains have come. . I enjoyed teaching the Self Employment Workshop for two days with Susan Kanga and we celebrated our graduation. And of course, we needed to take time to prepare to teach Institute. It is always a treat. We didn’t get everything done that we wanted, but we got the important ones done. The miracle was that I didn’t feel stressed out. I felt that I was prepared for the classes and they went well. E. Fox made a great dent in the preparations for our seminary “Armor of God” activity. And I finished up classes on Thursday feeling well satisfied with all the things we’d done. We began to plot out the remainder of our time here and actually have about 10 days that are not scheduled. On Friday with a seemingly manageable list of things and a space of time to do them, I felt stress and tension creeping in. It made me realize how great the blessing was from the Lord that earlier in the week I was calm and stress free. We have been going through bookshelves and the filing cabinet to clear out our paperwork and leave what is needed. We are trying to write an “Area Book” that will help when a new couple moves in. Friday we had George here painting the Primary Room and Jackie cleaning our house and we left them at the church and went out to visit Morrice the guard and his family. They live about 10 km out of town and he rides his bike to work guarding the church every night. He's been a very good guard. We learn all the local events through him-- what's happening. What it means. What it may lead to. I guess the Fish Mamas were tired of their trade being interfered with due to roads being blocked and resolved the problem on their own. AH. Woman Strength!

We had a baptism on Saturday that was very nice. Here is Memory and her uncle Eliud who baptized her. And there were two investigators there as well.

I decided to go native for the baptism, and got a lot of complements on how "smart" and "African" I looked. I donno. The head scarf is always hot to wear. But the dress may replace my toucan one.

We both spoke in Sacrament today and we had a good attendance today. And in Branch Counsel concern was expressed by many about how to reach those who are not coming. I think that as the leaders and members have the desire and focus, they will find success in bringing back the lost sheep. My counsel was not to ask: “What’s keeping you away from church?” (which focuses on the negative,) but rather, “What will it take to come back to church?” (Which focuses in a positive direction.) After church we met with several new investigators and with those preparing to go to the temple. We discussed luggage. On Saturday we’d bought some duffel bags so they could carry things in something more than a polythin bag. They need to finalize their transport to Nairobi. With the family and a single sister from Nariobi, a couple from Kitale, and our 3 families and one single sister we will have 24 people to help get to the temple. It's still like herding cats... but at least I have some experience in that now.

For the past 10 days we have been struggling with our internet provider and have had to rely on a remote modem that doesn't do large files, to include allowing us to Skype. Really we would like to talk with you...