No big new items on our events list for this last week but the little nuances with our regular schedule sure seemed to consume the week. The school teachers went on strike last week so there were little dudes everywhere we went. We didn't alter our schedule though as it is so hard to get the word of a change out once we publish our monthly calendar and post it on the branch bulletin board and even then we are not sure that it is read and they just do what they did the previous week. We hosted the FHE last Monday. We got a new couple, the Randles, from a place out by Manti (I think it was called Fairview) to introduce themselves and then feasted on Mango Crunch with Ice Cream. Tuesday was our day and I kicked off another Temple Prep class while Sister Bishop worked with the English Students. I then presented a first discussion to our English students while my companion worked with the RS to prep for some mango preservation training that Boyd & Loa Anderson were going to present at 12:00. They needed to round up some mangos and firewood so I just gave her the keys to the vehicle and went about my business and she hers. Now if anyone asks her if she drove while in Africa she can truthfully answer "some". We left the village about 1:30 and they were heavily engrossed in bottling mangos and learning how to dry them. Wednesday was devoted to getting the final information to the Temple for the 23 Feb. trip. We will confirm with travel at the Area Office today to make sure everything is good to go for that event. Thursday we were back at Kyambeke with most of the usual activities although we did start another Temple Prep class there also. There were 2 new brethren who showed for the investigator class. The Andersons arrived at noon for similar training with the saints there and we again took that opportunity to head for home but they were all heavily involved with the mango preservation training. The Andersons are scheduled to repeat that activity at both those locations again this week. Friday at Ilima I was able to teach Jackson (in his mid 30s) and Joseph (13 year old son of members) the second discussion and it went very well. After finishing our other regular events there we headed home and then the fun began. Our vehicle had developed some injection problems or something with the fuel. It would run fine then begin to choke out and really lose power. We would stop every so often for a few minutes and it would improve a little as we started up again but then would begin to stutter and buck again with the occasional belch of heavy white smoke. Took us almost twice as long but we did limp home and I took the vehicle to the mission office and picked up the only spare available which is a long bed Nissan 2 wheel drive with highway tread tires. Saturday I traveled back to Kyambeke for my gospel discussion with the school age investigators which had swelled to 12 instead of the 8 I was expecting. Sister Bishop stayed home and did the preparation stuff that missionaries everywhere do on their P-Day. An important aside here is that the preparation is something that is more important to couples than what I regarded it as a young missionary. I mean the male of the species is just willing to wear a jacket or sort through the dirty clothes for the cleanest shirt if events overcome the required laundry or other cleaning chores. I must admit though that my companions efforts does seem to keep us much healthier and less odoriferous than the younger dudes so maybe the mission mom's efforts are not just for aesthetic reasons. We were still in the loaner truck for our travels to Kyambeke yesterday and were able to make it work for us although I do have to get a little faster run at some of the sandy grades and we get a lot of the folks walking along the road that seem to take offense at our unwillingness to allow them to ride in the open bed of this vehicle. It was to discourage this very attitude that we pushed so hard to have the mission purchase us a shell for our regular ride. We will probably be in this vehicle for a couple more days as ours hasn't gone to the shop yet as we made it home after hours on Friday and haven't done the required coordination with the vehicle coordinator yet. We had the same problem with the truck last November 9th and I forget what the diagnosis was but the coordinator doesn't like us to buy our fuel from some of the unbranded stations along the Mombasa Highway and I am not very diligent in following his guidance so it could be something as simple as contaminated fuel but I am not so sure of that diagnosis because of the way it would perk up whenever I would shut it down for a while. Whatever the reason our trip home last Friday was just about twice as long as normal and definitely a lot more stressful. Last time we just finally gave up and called the tow truck but stuck with it this time. Not sure if that was ego driven or if I really was saving the church a few dollars. I am not sure I want to ask my companion her opinion as she does know me too well. Well the day dawn is breaking and the sounds of nights darkness or fleeing away which means I need to un-seat this chair so will check out for another week. Sure love and miss everyone back on the other side of the world.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Pictures 1-19-09
This is the old latrine at the Ndolo School.
This is the dignitaries standing in front of the new latrine. President Mbondo is in the white polo shirt on the left, Elder Pocock with the tan safari hat, his contractor Charles Matuku is next, the MP (member of parliment) is next in the red shirt, the man with the microphone is Frederick Kaseve who is the Sunday School Superintendant and PTA President, Bishop Lanagwa is next and he is head of the Church Public Affairs in Nairobi, and the guy on the far right is the school's Headmaster.
The students entertained us with a native song and dance. Naomi, a member girl, is on the drum.
This is Davis and Mirriam Makiti with their children in front of the Johannesburg Temple. The children from oldest to youngest are Tom, Catherine, Monson, Kelvin, and Sharon. They are members of the Kilili Branch.
This is Onesimus and Angie with their year old son Hyrum just after being sealed together forever.
This is the young singles from Nairobi. Their names are Doreen and Elias.
This is the dignitaries standing in front of the new latrine. President Mbondo is in the white polo shirt on the left, Elder Pocock with the tan safari hat, his contractor Charles Matuku is next, the MP (member of parliment) is next in the red shirt, the man with the microphone is Frederick Kaseve who is the Sunday School Superintendant and PTA President, Bishop Lanagwa is next and he is head of the Church Public Affairs in Nairobi, and the guy on the far right is the school's Headmaster.
The students entertained us with a native song and dance. Naomi, a member girl, is on the drum.
This is Davis and Mirriam Makiti with their children in front of the Johannesburg Temple. The children from oldest to youngest are Tom, Catherine, Monson, Kelvin, and Sharon. They are members of the Kilili Branch.
This is Onesimus and Angie with their year old son Hyrum just after being sealed together forever.
This is the young singles from Nairobi. Their names are Doreen and Elias.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Weekly Update 1-18-09
We are back in Nairobi after a very hectic but enjoyable few days at the temple. There are now two more "forever families" in the Kulunga Hills. We did end up with the 10 people from our branches, a young family of 4 from Kitale, and then 2 young single people from the Nairobi Stake. Because the Temple Presidency is trying to make that experience more accessible to its' patrons they have shortened the stay by one day but added a session each day so that we were still able to attend 5 endowment sessions, 2 sealing sessions, and 1 baptismal session. Because of the dynamics of our composite group it was a bit more of a challenge to keep them all on target so consequently not everyone made it to every session that they could and we were not able to get all the names cleared that our folks wanted to try and do while there. The 2 single people were really a great help and definitely did more than their share of supporting the physical needs of the group. They are in love and want to get married but her mom, who is an inactive member, seems to think she can find a wealthier groom who is willing to pay more for his bride so has forbidden them to marry. The obvious solution is for them to just move out and do what they want but the consequences of thumbing your nose at tribal customs can sometimes be life threatening and the church is careful to encourage the acceptance of the community. I guess another solution would be to get the mom active and help her realize that her daughter is not chattel. Onesimus, who had the visa challenge, did arrive in Johannesburg at 10:00pm on Monday so was unable to get to the Family History Center and get names temple ready before we got involved but he did get his wife and son sealed to him and now their child due in March or April will be the first in the Hills to be born in the covenant.
Although we did get back in Nairobi Thursday evening we were so far behind on our personal preparation that we still did not go up country Friday but spent the day addressing requirements at the Mission Home, Service Center, and around town. Sister Bishop also stayed and worked on clothes and the apartment on Saturday while I got a young member to go with me to work with the young people in Kyambeke who can only come on the weekend because of school. Because we hadn't been able to make it to Kyambeke on Thursday all the adult investigators also showed up. So I got Michael, one of the recent converts, to read in Book of Mormon Stories with the young folks while I taught the 6 adults. We should be back on schedule with them now and hopefully we will have them cleared for baptism before we disrupt the schedule again when we take the next group to Johannesburg on 23 Feb. We did identify a couple of potential dates in late May and early June with Sister Futter, the Temple Recorder, when we might be able to get one last group there before we finish up here but we need to do a little checking before we lock in a date. The Feb. trip is starting to loom large on the horizon as the temple is closed for the first 2 weeks of February so we need to get the final request for patron support in this week so it can be approved by the Area Presidency and the temple can lock down travel requirements. We need to review the passport status of potential patrons today but it looks like we probably have 16 of our people that have the documents to make it this time. I need to explain why the review of the required documents is such a challenge. These good people are so concerned that they not disappoint us that they often tell us what we want to hear which is not always what one would call the truth. Hence it is better for us to see the actual documents before we lock in any obligations.
We were back on schedule yesterday with church attendance in Ilima but the ride was a little rougher than usual as it had finally rained. This seasons crops had already withered but the potential is there to grow a few quick garden items that will ease the lack of food a little maybe. The road was intact but just had a lot more ruts washed into it and the climb up the hill to Ilima is no walk in the park on good days. I was able to teach a first discussion to a man who has been coming to church the last 3 weeks. His wife and 5 children attend with the Salvation Army but he is excited to get baptized and then share this new church with his family.
We did see another pedestrian fatality on our trip yesterday and because it has been much on my mind I am going to talk a little of it here. If memory serves me right we have now observed 7 corpses from accidents and these are so memorable because life seems to have a lot less value here. Tribal superstitions cause these folks to do anything they can to avoid any kind of interaction with these situations or their resulting trauma so that a corpse is generally lying unattended and any whose curiosity is such that it blunts the bad juju of death are generally huddled a short distance from the victim. Our first exposure to this was a car that had rolled along the road as we were driving the Mombasa Highway headed up-country. The damaged vehicle was receiving considerable attention but the corpse was lying uncovered some distance away. We next saw a bike rider who had been tagged by a matatu driver and he was still in the throws of exiting this mortal existence but he was unattended as the onlookers were huddled some distance away. We next saw a pedestrian who had got in front of a speeding bus and his remains were still in the road while they waited for the ambulance to come and pick them up. Just shortly before Christmas this year we were returning home on the Mombasa Road and I observed a motorcycle laying in the middle of the road. Upon swerving around it we then saw two mortal remains askew in the road along with the items they were carrying with them. About 40 yards away there was a huddle of people staring at the scene and just beyond that what was apparently the vehicle that had hit them with its' driver standing next to it but not even a marker of any kind to keep unobservant speeding vehicles from running over the scene. The victim yesterday was laying spread eagle at the side of the road in a pool of blood but there was no one around him. I was recently reminded just how deep the superstition and fear of anything associated with death is. We had agreed to haul the casket for James Mativo up to the hospital in Kikoko for his funeral 2 weeks ago. It was delivered to the flat here and as we had the 3 missionary applicants here preparing them for their interview with the president I asked them to come and help me transfer it to our truck. They were rather reluctant but I managed to cajole them in to assisting me but immediately after completing the task my companion noted that they very carefully and thoroughly washed their hands. I guess the thing that is so unsettling to me is that the powers that be seem to give so little regard to preserving life here and once something fatal does happen, which is quite frequently, the victims are on their own. Not sure I feel any better after venting here and I know that is not what you were expecting to read but I needed to put my thoughts down for my own benefit. It is certainly not one of the things we will miss when we leave but will certainly always be with us. As we read the news paper each day there seems to be gun battles between the police and gangsters and lynchings by the local populace on a regular basis. Life is just so cheap here that it is very unsettling.
Well I need to bounce myself out of this morose mood and get about today's tasks. I must first add this disclaimer that we are careful to avoid adding our own names to the list of victims and do not feel threatened especially to the everyday fatal incidents that come to people via all the modern conveniences such as speeding transport systems. In other words don't worry about us we are careful to avoid danger of any kind.
I will try and get some pictures added later today but we are hosting FHE this evening so my companion could have me on task most of the day. I do love her and want her to know that by trying to support her, but I know I don't always meet her expectations because I am after all a man and probably do come from Mars.
May you each have a safe day and week.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Although we did get back in Nairobi Thursday evening we were so far behind on our personal preparation that we still did not go up country Friday but spent the day addressing requirements at the Mission Home, Service Center, and around town. Sister Bishop also stayed and worked on clothes and the apartment on Saturday while I got a young member to go with me to work with the young people in Kyambeke who can only come on the weekend because of school. Because we hadn't been able to make it to Kyambeke on Thursday all the adult investigators also showed up. So I got Michael, one of the recent converts, to read in Book of Mormon Stories with the young folks while I taught the 6 adults. We should be back on schedule with them now and hopefully we will have them cleared for baptism before we disrupt the schedule again when we take the next group to Johannesburg on 23 Feb. We did identify a couple of potential dates in late May and early June with Sister Futter, the Temple Recorder, when we might be able to get one last group there before we finish up here but we need to do a little checking before we lock in a date. The Feb. trip is starting to loom large on the horizon as the temple is closed for the first 2 weeks of February so we need to get the final request for patron support in this week so it can be approved by the Area Presidency and the temple can lock down travel requirements. We need to review the passport status of potential patrons today but it looks like we probably have 16 of our people that have the documents to make it this time. I need to explain why the review of the required documents is such a challenge. These good people are so concerned that they not disappoint us that they often tell us what we want to hear which is not always what one would call the truth. Hence it is better for us to see the actual documents before we lock in any obligations.
We were back on schedule yesterday with church attendance in Ilima but the ride was a little rougher than usual as it had finally rained. This seasons crops had already withered but the potential is there to grow a few quick garden items that will ease the lack of food a little maybe. The road was intact but just had a lot more ruts washed into it and the climb up the hill to Ilima is no walk in the park on good days. I was able to teach a first discussion to a man who has been coming to church the last 3 weeks. His wife and 5 children attend with the Salvation Army but he is excited to get baptized and then share this new church with his family.
We did see another pedestrian fatality on our trip yesterday and because it has been much on my mind I am going to talk a little of it here. If memory serves me right we have now observed 7 corpses from accidents and these are so memorable because life seems to have a lot less value here. Tribal superstitions cause these folks to do anything they can to avoid any kind of interaction with these situations or their resulting trauma so that a corpse is generally lying unattended and any whose curiosity is such that it blunts the bad juju of death are generally huddled a short distance from the victim. Our first exposure to this was a car that had rolled along the road as we were driving the Mombasa Highway headed up-country. The damaged vehicle was receiving considerable attention but the corpse was lying uncovered some distance away. We next saw a bike rider who had been tagged by a matatu driver and he was still in the throws of exiting this mortal existence but he was unattended as the onlookers were huddled some distance away. We next saw a pedestrian who had got in front of a speeding bus and his remains were still in the road while they waited for the ambulance to come and pick them up. Just shortly before Christmas this year we were returning home on the Mombasa Road and I observed a motorcycle laying in the middle of the road. Upon swerving around it we then saw two mortal remains askew in the road along with the items they were carrying with them. About 40 yards away there was a huddle of people staring at the scene and just beyond that what was apparently the vehicle that had hit them with its' driver standing next to it but not even a marker of any kind to keep unobservant speeding vehicles from running over the scene. The victim yesterday was laying spread eagle at the side of the road in a pool of blood but there was no one around him. I was recently reminded just how deep the superstition and fear of anything associated with death is. We had agreed to haul the casket for James Mativo up to the hospital in Kikoko for his funeral 2 weeks ago. It was delivered to the flat here and as we had the 3 missionary applicants here preparing them for their interview with the president I asked them to come and help me transfer it to our truck. They were rather reluctant but I managed to cajole them in to assisting me but immediately after completing the task my companion noted that they very carefully and thoroughly washed their hands. I guess the thing that is so unsettling to me is that the powers that be seem to give so little regard to preserving life here and once something fatal does happen, which is quite frequently, the victims are on their own. Not sure I feel any better after venting here and I know that is not what you were expecting to read but I needed to put my thoughts down for my own benefit. It is certainly not one of the things we will miss when we leave but will certainly always be with us. As we read the news paper each day there seems to be gun battles between the police and gangsters and lynchings by the local populace on a regular basis. Life is just so cheap here that it is very unsettling.
Well I need to bounce myself out of this morose mood and get about today's tasks. I must first add this disclaimer that we are careful to avoid adding our own names to the list of victims and do not feel threatened especially to the everyday fatal incidents that come to people via all the modern conveniences such as speeding transport systems. In other words don't worry about us we are careful to avoid danger of any kind.
I will try and get some pictures added later today but we are hosting FHE this evening so my companion could have me on task most of the day. I do love her and want her to know that by trying to support her, but I know I don't always meet her expectations because I am after all a man and probably do come from Mars.
May you each have a safe day and week.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Weekly Update 1-11-08
It's Sunday evening here and we just finished packing for another trip to Johannesburg and the temple. If I don't get an update off now it probably won't happen this week so I'll list a few things then get to bed. The whole week was a little hectic. The extra trip up-country on Saturday to work with the kids in school got extended as we stuck around for James Mativo's funeral. We had got involved transporting him to the hospital and home a few times and thought he was doing a lot better. We had even seen him out walking to get his strength back a couple of times but he passed quite suddenly last Monday. I guess a good brother was needed that could speak Kikamba on the other side and although he will be missed he lived a pretty full life before his passing. I think he was in his mid 60s. He would visit our english class occasionally and could do a fair job of reading but not sure where he was on the comprehension. We were going to try and leave the funeral by 2 but Sis. Bishop got roped into playing the keyboard so we weren't able to sneak out until 3:30 which put us back to Nairobi at 6:30. Seems like the whole week was filled with little ankle biters that would just extend our days. We found out Friday there was a Visa problem with Onesimus getting into South Africa which meant he had to cancel off the early flight for tomorrow but we have assurance that they will issue permission tomorrow. We are still going to take his pregnant wife and 2 year old son with us in the morning and he will follow on a later flight. So we will have 19 of us in this group. Only 10 of them are from our branches but we are glad to be a part of this experience no matter what our background with the new patrons is. We were at Kilili today and had several ask us when we will take them so we are going to try and schedule one more trip in late May or early June. We still have the one scheduled for 23 Feb and the jury is still out on who will have their passports in time. We are pretty sure that there will at least be 12 of our folks documented by then. Started another Mission Prep Class in Ilima Friday with a 21 year old girl named Stellamaris. If the documents work she could be leaving about when we do. Got 3 of the young men from Kyambeke into to see Pres. Taylor for their culminating interview so their papers should head to the Area Office in Johannesburg this week. Because of the need to obtain financial assistance for the majority of the African Applicants their paperwork has this extra stop before it gets to the missionary committee. We had a closing ceremony for a pit latrine at the Ndolo Secondary School in Kyambeke which provided a little more variety to our week. The Head Girl at that school (who is chosen by the faculty for their studies and citizenship) is a member as is the gal that accompanied the choir on the drum.
Had an interesting discussion with Pres. Taylor tonight as we were coordinating his temple recommend interviews with several of the temple attendees. They are going to ease off on some of the English requirements for some of the faithful ladies that have been attending for years but are probably illiterate in any language. That has been one of the frustrations for us to see these sweet ladies that are at everything the branch does but just can't make any progress with the English. It seems a little unfair that there is a functioning Swahili Ward in Salt Lake where one can be interviewed for baptism in Swahili but it has to be done in English here. I do understand though that the growth will come a lot faster here if we follow the English requirement but it is painful to see this group that doesn't quite fit into any of the programs provided. One of the English students told me that she wants to go to the temple and right now she can't even qualify for membership. It would really be a royal cap for our mission if we could get her over this first hurdle before we leave.
I guess the needed rains are not going to get here. The corn and beans are looking like they are a write off for this season. The government declared a national emergency this week claiming that the lack of water and last years post election violence is creating life threatening hunger for 10 million people. Makes someone like me that should loose a kg or so of weight feel a little guilty. Well the alarm is set for 4am so I had better join my companion in lullaby land so will sign off. Hope to be able to get a good report off by the 19th.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Had an interesting discussion with Pres. Taylor tonight as we were coordinating his temple recommend interviews with several of the temple attendees. They are going to ease off on some of the English requirements for some of the faithful ladies that have been attending for years but are probably illiterate in any language. That has been one of the frustrations for us to see these sweet ladies that are at everything the branch does but just can't make any progress with the English. It seems a little unfair that there is a functioning Swahili Ward in Salt Lake where one can be interviewed for baptism in Swahili but it has to be done in English here. I do understand though that the growth will come a lot faster here if we follow the English requirement but it is painful to see this group that doesn't quite fit into any of the programs provided. One of the English students told me that she wants to go to the temple and right now she can't even qualify for membership. It would really be a royal cap for our mission if we could get her over this first hurdle before we leave.
I guess the needed rains are not going to get here. The corn and beans are looking like they are a write off for this season. The government declared a national emergency this week claiming that the lack of water and last years post election violence is creating life threatening hunger for 10 million people. Makes someone like me that should loose a kg or so of weight feel a little guilty. Well the alarm is set for 4am so I had better join my companion in lullaby land so will sign off. Hope to be able to get a good report off by the 19th.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Pictures 1-5-09
A picture of the baptismal group at Kyambeke on Saturday. The 3 young men surrounding me are all in their 17th year as is Hassan who is the young man in the middle of the 3 up front. Kennedy who is the other young man on the back row is 15 and we baptized his brother Michael 2 months ago. Jackson, who is 14, is the young man on the left of the 3 up front. Agnes is the wife of Francis who we baptized 6 weeks ago. Brother Fredrick Kaseve is the tall guy on the back row and he baptized his 12 year old son who is the one with the shaved head up front.
See I told you the water was not a rusty brown this time. It is also only 3 tiles deep so it took a lot of cooperation from each candidate to ensure they were completely immersed.
See I told you the water was not a rusty brown this time. It is also only 3 tiles deep so it took a lot of cooperation from each candidate to ensure they were completely immersed.
This is the tree that Brett's kids sent us to make sure we would have one this year for our Christmas. Thanks!
These last 3 photos are the three youngest attendees at the Relief Society Christmas Party at Kilili. What cute innocent kids.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Weekly Update 1-5-09
Well it is Monday afternoon and the internet has not been doing too well today so I am going to record a few notes in Microsoft Word and will send it out if and when we come back on-line. Because of the New Year Holiday our week was a little different than usual. Our Tuesday at Kilili was about the same although we did spend a little time with Davis and Mirriam’s family to finish up a few items to expedite the South African Visas and encourage them to finish up some family group sheets in preparation for the Temple trip on the 12th. Wednesday we got to St. Mary’s in the morning and then spent the afternoon in downtown Nairobi securing some irrigation equipment we are helping a group in Kilili get. I had ordered the pump from an outfit here and they kept telling me it was backordered so I finally just got the money back then had Victor help me locate the equipment. Driving in downtown Nairobi is something I really try to avoid. The traffic and crowds there are beyond description so I really have to be desperate to venture there. We had purchased some tanks and pipe with LDS Charities funds to help set up an irrigation system using a shallow hand dug well. I had those delivered in early December and they had gotten them set up and started some plants in a nursery using hand carried water. It had reached a critical period where the plants needed to be transplanted to the Shamba and they were starting to do that but it was no longer feasible to hand carry the water and I had promised delivery of the gas driven pump based on what I had been promised. It worked out well as Victor located a pump at a cheaper rate and we were able to get some collapsible pipe to accommodate the delivery system. Since we had canceled our trips up-country for Thursday and Friday I got a native Elder to go with me and we delivered the equipment on Thursday morning. Since it was just up and back I thought my companion deserved a break from the tedious trek. We had stayed up until midnight doing a progressive dinner and playing Rook with the other couples on New Years Eve so I got David Odiombo to go with me and keep me awake. His ancestral home is up near Kisumu and he has been bugging me to see what the Kulungu Hills look like. He and I made the trip safely but got hung up with some unforeseeable problems getting the pump running so we didn’t get back in time for the brunch that the couples had on New Years Day. My companion did bring me some goodies home to eat upon my return and also made the Mango smoothies that I had committed to provide for the brunch. Saturday we traveled to Kyambeke for the baptism of the 8 people we had got cleared just before Christmas. When we arrived at 10 there was no water in the font and the tanks were almost empty. President Mbondo had been working the issue with a local the church hires to pump the water for Kyambeke and Ilima since 7 or so. They kept finding places in the supply line where local folks had cut the pipe so they could try and salvage their shambas with a little borrowed water. They continued to work on that while we went up to Ilima and picked up the video equipment and generator that we rotate through the branches. When we returned there was still not much water coming but they had it resolved so we finally started the baptism around 1. Because the rainy season has come and gone the water was not its usual rusty brown. I will include a picture to show what I mean. Sunday we were back to Kyambeke for church and the confirmations. I slipped into the Gospel Principles Class and saw 5 more investigators that we have not started to teach yet. We are going to start going there on Saturdays to work with the kids that had to start back to school today and we had not got prepared for their interviews yet. We also finalized things with Onesimus and Angie as they and their little son Hyrum are also included in the 12 Jan Temple Group. We spent this morning at the Mission Office preparing the Visa applications for next Monday and then hunted up some couplers needed for the Shamba Project. I had to do a little searching but was finally able to procure them without venturing back into that melee that exists downtown. With the holidays officially over it is back to our usual routine this week with the extra trip on Saturday plugged in for the balance of this month at least. We are kind of developing our instruction for this effort as we go on this but if we reach our goal I am thinking we can maybe use the same concept to help teach a couple of the little Mamas that we have committed to try and get baptized before our release. A couple are doing a fair job of reading now but their comprehension isn’t very high but we are hoping by focusing on a few key concepts we can help them achieve what they so dearly desire. There is the outside chance that if we get them there that they can then help the others who are in the same boat but have not been as diligent in pursuing the reading program with us. President Simon also identified a young man and woman in his branch that desire to go on a mission so we will be doing some more mission prep up in Ilima. Well I’ll save this now and hope that we get connected on line before bedtime this evening. I do want to thank everyone who sent Christmas remembrances or messages to us. We think we got the last of them on our visit to the Embassy last Friday. Although we are still hoping to get some online pictures of some of the holiday happenings that we heard of but haven’t seen yet. Thanks for thinking of us on the other side of the world.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Elder & Sister Bishop
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