Weekly Update 8-25-08

Well last week was just as hectic as we thought it might be and it sure went by fast. There were a couple of bumps in what we had planned but we still feel like we accomplished a fair amount. I should be able to complete the documents from the medical folks today for Kennedy's visa application which is none to soon as he and Julius leave for the MTC on the 4th. I have been to the Dr. several times for information and we had to have him come in last Friday for another blood test but they assured me it would be complete by noon today.

We watched Presidents and Prophets for FHE and then had pineapple upside down cake by special request for a treat. We helped the other couples get registered for absentee ballots via our APO box a couple of weeks ago so this little Kenya contingent is set to support the candidate of our choice for the November election.

President Makiti called late Monday to tell us that we should not come there Tuesday so we took another day in town here to get those million little things wrapped up that just keep falling off our schedule because of time constraints. Wednesday was fairly normal except we did run out to the embassy to pick up mail (that generally takes a little over an hour but is well worth it when we can pick up notes from home as we did then). Thursday at Kyambeke was another full day as we had another new investigator show up. He is another neighbor of Julius (an active prospective elder who has brought several of his neighbors to church lately). I asked what had sparked his interest and he indicated that he had heard my few thoughts at Jane's funeral several weeks ago and just felt a different spirit. He asked at church yesterday when he could be baptized. We should have two of the 5 ready for interviews within two weeks and just need to spend a little more time on the laws and commandments with the others. I know it sounds just too easy for some of you other returned missionaries but because of the commute wrapped around our visits there it is the only way that the Lord can accomplish what he and the members have prepared these people for.

We picked up Sister Faith Joseph at the airport Thursday evening at about 2200 hours as she returned from her mission to SLC Temple Square. She attended the Mission Conference with us Friday and received her release from President Taylor during the noon break. Kennedy showed up after conference was over and we spent a little time at the Lab at the Saret Center getting his blood test accomplished. The couples were all invited to dinner with the Taylors and the Watsons that evening. Kennedy spent the night on our floor atop the sofa cushions as Faith was in our spare bedroom. We loaded our two guests and took them back to Kilili on Saturday. It was a real delight to see Faith welcomed home and it turns out that we were expected to attend the small family gathering at her parents home so our day was much longer than we anticipated.

I was able to finish the mid-year audit with President Makiti before leaving and we finalized their plans for coming to Nairobi on Wednesday for their passports, yellow fever shots, interviews with the President on their recommends, and even to get one of the couples married (the church requires that those who have been married by tribal conditions have a Kenyan marriage certificate to ensure that they are not doing anything that the country doesn't endorse). Several of the brothers working at the Service Center are also Bishops and are certified to perform civil ceremonies so we can accomplish that while the people are here. It was after 1900 hours when we got home Saturday so it was a rather long day and we did not get any of our normal preparation day activities accomplished. Thankfully we are in Nairobi on Mondays so can pick up the slack on these occasions as my companion does not like it much when I start looking through the laundry bag to find a clean shirt for the day.

Yesterday we were at Kyambeke for church. One of Sister Bishop's keyboard students accompanied the music on her keyboard and did a reasonable job. She lost her confidence so just did it with one hand but it was a great start and is indicative of the impact for good my companion is having. President Mbondo wants to bring the young people from that branch into Nairobi for an outing before there school break is over next week so they will probably be here Thursday. We should probably be here when they come but really feel obligated to be there for our investigators and the multitude of classes we are conducting there so we are thinking that is what will happen. We will try to coordinate for the Bomas Village Show and any other acitivities they are planning today or Wednesday after our shift at St. Marys.

Well the daydawn is breaking and the world awaking so I need to get about a few of the activities on todays schedule. I had David come early to wash our car as it did rain a little yesterday the other side of Kyumbi while we were on one of the deviations so our vehicle looks like a rolling mud ball. Since Sister Bishop requires that I wear clean shirts I figured I had better make the truck some what presentable also. I will try and catch up with a few pictures of recent activities before the week is out. Thanks again for your notes and prayers.

Sister & Elder Bishop

Weekly Update 8-19-08

This one will be quick as we have a lot to accomplish today. Have to coordinate for the accommodations for the Kilili temple patrons visit to Nairobi for next week, get some prices on a pump and tanks for a joint shamba venture up-country, grocery shopping (we just veged in our flat on Saturday), pick up supplies at the Service Center for our branches, and get ready to host FHE this evening. No major changes in our visits to the branches this last week except we delivered a wheel chair to a little non-member crippled girl one of the members informed us of and there was another investigator showed up for a discussion at Kyambekke.
The scenery for our drives through the country is getting drier each week as we wait for the next rainy season to arrive but the animals are used to this and take advantage of the yellow grass or green trees. The people are prepping their shambas for the next season. This is all done with a big hoe and they try to get down about 12 inches as they turn the soil over for the new seeds. It sure looks like a lot of hard work. I am thinking that a roto-tiller would really be a big hit on these hill side plots but it is probably money that keeps that from happening. We do see a few farm sized tractors in the flat low lands but they are often used as much for transportation as field work. I often see a rig picking up liter sized bottles of milk left along the road. Refrigeration is not an issue as there is no electricity in those areas anyway. When the young men come to town with us they prefer Sister Bishops warm shelf life milk to my cold 3% and ice cream is a real novelty.

Love ya all,
Elder & Sister Bishop

Weekly Update 8-13-08

It's Wednesday afternoon and I am just finally getting around to an update so it will be quick. Kennedy and Julius came back from Kilili with us Sunday and we spent Monday working on shots and Visas as they leave for the MTC 4 Sep. We took them back to Kilili yesterday so was finally able to get at the computer after spending the morning at the St. Mary's pharmacy and restocking our cupboards. Our time up country with each branch is still the big part of our week but our Thursdays at Kyambeke have been our busiest as of late. Besides our English and Keyboard classes, we are working on a "Teacher Development Class", Missionary Prep. (there are 4 potential candidates in Kyambeke that want to serve now) and we have the 3 investigators there also. Because school is out right now there will probably be a few extras show for keyboard at each location. Doesn't look like the youth activity is going to happen this month but they have committed to try and have something planned for the break in December. This month will still be plenty busy though as we have an Mission Conference here in Nairobi with President Watson from the Area Presidency (he was the secretary to several of the prophets), assisting Sister Joseph getting back to Kilili (she completes her 18 months at the Salt Lake Visitors Center Mission on the 21st), and then having training/PPIs for the Branch Presidents here on the 28th. We are bringing the prospective Temple Patrons from Kilili to Nairobi to finalize their passport applications and complete their recommend interviews with President Taylor that last week of August and then their Branch Conference is the 30th.

I think it must be warming up again as I noticed my companion is back in her summer pjs of an evening now. We are looking forward to the rainy season which starts in September as the roads are so dusty now that the truck is covered with red powder as are we if we touch any part of the exterior. It's a little tough to unload the vehicle without touching it so I am just rather dirty most of the time up country. We did get our vehicle back after having it in for service and repairs. I had asked them to check out a couple rattles and loose panels and they took 3 weeks just to tighten and re-weld everything. General Motors of Nairobi is claiming they have never found so many loose and missing parts on a vehicle they have serviced before which I guess makes us a little infamous in their eyes or they figure the church is just an easy mark. I am sure glad that God is our co-pilot as we travel each day.

Well must sign off as I have several lessons that I need to finish up for tomorrow. Elder & Sister Bishop

Weekly Update 8-4-08

Seems like I just did last weeks update but looking at the calendar it has been a week. Because of Jane's funeral on Saturday we made an extra trip up-country so have to get a little shopping and other errands done today. The funeral was fairly similar to the other two we have been to with the exception that it was a Catholic version. Edward is the only one in the church so far. The whole family and even the community get pretty heavily involved in that final earthly event here. We were just planning on being there to let the family know that we cared but a couple of mazungus are hard to hide and they felt a need to have us say something. I was the last to talk, right after a couple of local officials had made a political speech, and the only one to naught use the native Kikamba tongue. I kept it very short and I guess the MC did a little translation of what I said but one of the members told me his translation didn't follow real well. Because they were a little late getting started we had to leave once they took the body to the grave and it is terribly hard to be at all inconspicuous with a 4 wheel drive when everyone else is on foot. We did get back to town before it got too dark though which was our concern. Not sure I will ever get totally comfortable at not being back in our secured compound when the sun goes down. Their are murders and car jacking just about everyday in the paper and I just don't what to make it too hard for the "Big Guy" to keep us safe while here. The latest wrinkle of unrest is the burning of schools by disgruntled students. It is country wide and damage is in the millions of shillings but only one death so far. The media is making much of the lack of parental control or involvement and the banning of caning of misbehaving academians. My theory though is that since there has really not been any major prosecution of those guilty of murder and other atrocities during the post-election violence that it is just another sector testing their limits no matter how frivolous the stated reason which in this case is supposedly the national testing system they endure as they finish up their current level of schooling.

We had another investigator show up at Kyambeke last Thursday so have 3 good brethren we are working with there. Justus and Joseph were both at church yesterday and promised to be there this coming Thursday. Bernard is still a solid investigator but because he drives a Citti Hoppa bus here in Nairobi we will only be able to work with him when he is home to see his wife. If that drags out too long we will try and get him linked up with some missionaries here in town. We are making good progress on the request for a new branch and should have that in soon with the major hang up now being a map that we think the committee in Salt Lake might be comfortable with.

The schools should start taking their August break by the end of this week and we hope to have a joint Youth Camp of sorts for the combined branches shortly there after. We are trying to get the branches to run with it so that if we are not replaced as a couple next year they will still feel they can carry on with these type of activities. We are also trying to get the potential Temple patrons from Kilili in for passport applications while President Makiti is out on break from his teaching duties this month. We still have not been given an alternate date at the temple for the other two branches but hope to have that by week's end.

Distributed a bunch more of the white shirts that were sent with the folks this last week and they promised they would be available for a group picture when we attend church with them in 3 weeks. Thanks so much for those who helped with this as it really makes a difference to them besides really adding to the sacredness of the sacrament.

Well must run as it has been over a month since I sat in a barber's chair and these non-military curls around the ears still make me very uncomfortable. Also need to get some visa applications in for our soon to be missionaries as two of them need to go to the South African Embassy for interviews. We love and miss you all and anxiously look forward to any bits of info we can glean from blog sites, letters or e-mails. God Bless, Elder & Sister Bishop