It is Monday evening and we just finished hosting FHE. We had Neil Maxwell talk to us (it was a recording from a BYU Devotional) on the doctrine of foreordination which is something I have frequently pondered as I see the disparity between my life and that of the good people here. When I consider my own inadequacies it is a bit of a struggle to know why I have been so blessed. It is enough to know that at some time our creator found me worthy of whatever it is we are suppose to accomplish while here. It is encouraging to know that this calling was probably not a last minute add on.
We have had a little more rain this week with a whole bunch falling last night and through the day. We wont know until we get to Kilili tomorrow how the moisture is up there. They aren't expecting the season to be long enough but I keep asking them where is their faith.
Still uncertain as to the status of our Temple Trip on the 18th but tomorrow is the drop dead date so will check with Victor to see if he has a handle on the outstanding passports. If it is a problem we are hoping to trade into some slots for the 1st of June. When I see the anticipation in the eyes of the potential attendees it would just crush me not to be able to help these last two families before we go.
Onesmus Maele got his mission call this week and is going to the Uganda/Kampala Mission on 16 July which means he will be traveling with Judith Makiti as that is identical to her call. No more waiting on calls now but Stellamaris Munee did get her passport this week so is scheduled to visit with President Taylor to finalize her paperwork this coming Sunday. His schedule is a little tight so he has agreed to travel to Ilima to facilitate the interview. He will have Elder Watson from the Area Presidency with him so it will be an opportunity for them to see what we have experienced for the last 21 months. The truth is that with all the rain that has fallen lately the roads are about as bad as they have ever been as the run-off from the hills really puts some major gulleys in the steep mountain roads that we traverse for the last few kms getting to that branch.
Kyambeke and Mitini are still re-staffing after their split but it is great to see people stepping up and accepting new callings. There is a good bunch of the new leadership that are people we have had the opportunity to participate in their conversion. We have baptisms scheduled for Saturday and Sunday but not sure what the count will be just yet. Will have a better feel for that as the weekend approaches but it will be another 20+ group and we will have a few more to work with once the dust of this event settles. The President has given us the green light for working with the overage children of record who weren't baptized at age 8 to teach and interview in their mother tongue which will help complete a few more families. So we will probably have at least one more day of baptisms before we depart. Eight weeks is sure not very long when we compare it with our "to do list". It is kind of a fun reality check though to realize that some of the events we accomplish can be counted on one finger. We will only host 1 more FHE and there will be no more Priesthood training with the President and the branches. We will have our last couples training with President & Sister Taylor tomorrow. The rest of the couples are leaving Wednesday for a Safari Retreat in the Mara but with our young people out of school and us still funding one more temple trip we requested to be excused from this event. We will miss the opportunity for that special association for a few days but really feel obligated to follow through on some commitments we have made with the Branch Members and regardless of how inspired we would get our plate is about as full as we can deal with right now. With that thought I am going to head to bed so as to be somewhat alert for tomorrows activities.
God Bless,
Elder & Sister Bishop
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Weekly Update 4-19-09
It's Monday morning again and time for a little update before the day gets started. We had a couple of short days this week as some rain arrived so many stayed home to work their shambas. Unfortunately it is late enough in the season that some are of the opinion that this will be another unproductive one. We try to encourage them that the weather man is not the one that makes it rain so to have faith and pay their tithing but not sure they have the vision of what we are trying to help them understand. The odometer on the Isuzu rolled over 80,000 this week so we do continue to rack up the kilometers. One of the new couples opted to attend church with us in Ilima yesterday which does provide a little variety to our schedule. They are the Flinders and serving as the new PEF couple. They both grew up in Layton, Utah and spent the majority of their working life with the city of North Las Vegas and Wendover but have settled in Ohio to be near some children there. Each couple we get to know sure brings different talents with them but it is evident the Lord has a hand in placing them where they are at as each assignment seems to prosper as they serve. With 7 couples living in the compound here it is often reminiscent of living in married housing back in the days of our university years but sure provides us with the diversion we so often need to recover from the stress of travel we experience each trip up country.
This week promises to be a little different as we have our last training session for the Branch Presidents with the Mission President on Tuesday which means no travel to Kilili that day. Trying real hard to get the branches connected with those who will help them succeed in their efforts without a senior couple to shepherd them. President Taylor is fairly certain that the next proselyting/leadership couple will be placed in Kisumu to facilitate establishing the church there. It is the 3rd largest City in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa so is well deserving of the interest but I often think of Alma and Amuleck's work among the Zoramites when I ponder how the people in the Kilunga Hills will fare on their own. They are capable of doing it on their own if they can just get the right support when needed.
Got a few of our investigators ready for their baptismal interviews which we are currently planning for the end of the month. Because of the number involved it again will be a flock shot at the group and we will try to pump up those who need a little more help once we get the number thinned out a little. I was working with a group of 11 while in Ilima yesterday and it sure is tough to give individual help in that kind of setting. Because the conversion process is a personal thing that we only assist with it is pretty tough to assess preparedness in a group that size. It was some what gratifying to witness their Sacrament Meeting and see that we might have been of some help during our assignment here. Two of the talks were from recent converts and one of Sister Bishop's keyboard students accompanied all four hymns that were sung.
With just 9 weeks left before our departure the anticipation of being reunited with friends and loved ones and the dread of leaving these dear folks is starting to roil the emotions. The thought of be still and know that I am God has come to mind several times as of late so we are determined to just do what we can with the time left. It certainly is comforting to know that God is there and he loves all of us. I am glad he is in charge but know that we have to do all that we can to keep up our end of this commitment we call earth life.
We pray for his choicest blessings on all we know.
Elder & Sister Bishop
This week promises to be a little different as we have our last training session for the Branch Presidents with the Mission President on Tuesday which means no travel to Kilili that day. Trying real hard to get the branches connected with those who will help them succeed in their efforts without a senior couple to shepherd them. President Taylor is fairly certain that the next proselyting/leadership couple will be placed in Kisumu to facilitate establishing the church there. It is the 3rd largest City in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa so is well deserving of the interest but I often think of Alma and Amuleck's work among the Zoramites when I ponder how the people in the Kilunga Hills will fare on their own. They are capable of doing it on their own if they can just get the right support when needed.
Got a few of our investigators ready for their baptismal interviews which we are currently planning for the end of the month. Because of the number involved it again will be a flock shot at the group and we will try to pump up those who need a little more help once we get the number thinned out a little. I was working with a group of 11 while in Ilima yesterday and it sure is tough to give individual help in that kind of setting. Because the conversion process is a personal thing that we only assist with it is pretty tough to assess preparedness in a group that size. It was some what gratifying to witness their Sacrament Meeting and see that we might have been of some help during our assignment here. Two of the talks were from recent converts and one of Sister Bishop's keyboard students accompanied all four hymns that were sung.
With just 9 weeks left before our departure the anticipation of being reunited with friends and loved ones and the dread of leaving these dear folks is starting to roil the emotions. The thought of be still and know that I am God has come to mind several times as of late so we are determined to just do what we can with the time left. It certainly is comforting to know that God is there and he loves all of us. I am glad he is in charge but know that we have to do all that we can to keep up our end of this commitment we call earth life.
We pray for his choicest blessings on all we know.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Picture 4-19-09
Sister Mary Agatha at the Kikoko Hospital showing us the new oxygenator and suction machine that LDS Charities had delivered.
The new baby scales.
The new baby scales.
Demonstrating one of the new blood pressure cuffs. They assured me that Sister Bishop was normal and who am I to disagree with medical science.
The balance of the pictures are some of the flora that grow in our compound here.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Weekly Update 4-13-09
It is getting on to Monday evening here. Today is a state holiday (Easter) as was Friday (Good Friday) so the road traffic is light but the internet is terribly slow. We spent a little time at the Mission Office this morning then a quick run to try and find some kitchen devices (measuring cups, graters, etc.) as Sister Bishop's cooking class was a big hit so a couple of the RS organizations want to get some items they can loan out to members when they try their baking. The stores we wanted to visit were observing the holiday so the balance of the day was just here in the flat getting a few items ready for our up-country travel.
We have quite a few investigators again. There are 11 in Kilili, 7 in Kyambeke, 13 in Ilima, and even 1 in the new branch at Mitini. There are several real strong candidates in the group and maybe a few who are somewhat more interested in the consistent welfare support but I am not sure how to separate the sheep from the goats if that is the case. The young man from Mitini is super and was referred to us by his father who we had taught several lessons to previously. They were raised rather strong Catholic but he feels that they are not able to answer some major questions he had so has been looking for a few years. He is around 20 and his father said he wants him to join but I warned him that the danger would be that his son would probably keep pestering him until the rest of the family was baptized. The father did give us a referral on a daughter who is here in Nairobi so we alerted the Sisters in that area to go see her. Not sure how active they have been in the Catholic Church as of late but I became concerned that maybe the locals were out to save them from the "Devil Worshipers" (that's us) when we approached Mitini Friday and they had the road blocked. We finally decided that it was just their Good Friday observances which includes a parade with a cross etc. and were able to pass by after waiting for a few minutes. We had to negotiate through 3 more such observances as we came down the hills that day.
The Kikoko Hospital finally got their first shipment of supplies that we have been working with LDS Charities to provide for some months now. Sister Mary Agatha who is in charge there was rather pleased when we stopped to confirm its' arrival. We still have about .8 million shillings to spend there and they are wanting a bigger generator and to replace 46 mattresses. However their version of a generator has taken on a little bigger proportions so the bedding might go away. She was visiting a sister hospital in Nairobi when the power went out and their generator automatically kicked on. Now she wants the same capability rather than having to run and hand start them as the power anywhere in Kenya is rather consistently unreliable and I imagine that those hamlets up-country that do have power are probably decidedly more unreliable. Her desires are probably very valid and do fall within the parameters that the folks in Salt Lake approved. It will just take a little more leg work on our part to find what she wants at the cost consistent with our resources.
As our time in Kenya is winding down these extra little wrinkles just chew away at our established schedule but then what are we here for anyway if not to try and get a few good things done. We have pretty well settled in our own minds that we will count ourselves lucky if we can get just 2 more families to the Temple. We have their applications sitting at immigration and praying they will all get accomplished in a timely manner. There are others still working on earlier stages of the program but we will just have to turn those to someone else to shepherd them through. We are not giving up on any of our current programs but time will be the judge of just what we do get accomplished.
We have had more rain here in Nairobi with little smatterings up-country and we just keep hoping there is more on the way. Well it is time for FHE so I will send this off with our love and fond hopes for a joyful reunion soon.
Elder & Sister Bishop
We have quite a few investigators again. There are 11 in Kilili, 7 in Kyambeke, 13 in Ilima, and even 1 in the new branch at Mitini. There are several real strong candidates in the group and maybe a few who are somewhat more interested in the consistent welfare support but I am not sure how to separate the sheep from the goats if that is the case. The young man from Mitini is super and was referred to us by his father who we had taught several lessons to previously. They were raised rather strong Catholic but he feels that they are not able to answer some major questions he had so has been looking for a few years. He is around 20 and his father said he wants him to join but I warned him that the danger would be that his son would probably keep pestering him until the rest of the family was baptized. The father did give us a referral on a daughter who is here in Nairobi so we alerted the Sisters in that area to go see her. Not sure how active they have been in the Catholic Church as of late but I became concerned that maybe the locals were out to save them from the "Devil Worshipers" (that's us) when we approached Mitini Friday and they had the road blocked. We finally decided that it was just their Good Friday observances which includes a parade with a cross etc. and were able to pass by after waiting for a few minutes. We had to negotiate through 3 more such observances as we came down the hills that day.
The Kikoko Hospital finally got their first shipment of supplies that we have been working with LDS Charities to provide for some months now. Sister Mary Agatha who is in charge there was rather pleased when we stopped to confirm its' arrival. We still have about .8 million shillings to spend there and they are wanting a bigger generator and to replace 46 mattresses. However their version of a generator has taken on a little bigger proportions so the bedding might go away. She was visiting a sister hospital in Nairobi when the power went out and their generator automatically kicked on. Now she wants the same capability rather than having to run and hand start them as the power anywhere in Kenya is rather consistently unreliable and I imagine that those hamlets up-country that do have power are probably decidedly more unreliable. Her desires are probably very valid and do fall within the parameters that the folks in Salt Lake approved. It will just take a little more leg work on our part to find what she wants at the cost consistent with our resources.
As our time in Kenya is winding down these extra little wrinkles just chew away at our established schedule but then what are we here for anyway if not to try and get a few good things done. We have pretty well settled in our own minds that we will count ourselves lucky if we can get just 2 more families to the Temple. We have their applications sitting at immigration and praying they will all get accomplished in a timely manner. There are others still working on earlier stages of the program but we will just have to turn those to someone else to shepherd them through. We are not giving up on any of our current programs but time will be the judge of just what we do get accomplished.
We have had more rain here in Nairobi with little smatterings up-country and we just keep hoping there is more on the way. Well it is time for FHE so I will send this off with our love and fond hopes for a joyful reunion soon.
Elder & Sister Bishop
Monday, April 6, 2009
Weekly Update 4-6-09
This will be a short one this week. The Stutz are in our spare bedroom again as they came down Saturday in preparation for their departure for the USA this evening. That is another couple that we have seen come and go. They went out with the Public Affairs folks this morning so that allows me to get at the computer long enough to get this update out. We continued to muddle along this week with not much different until the weekend. I went with President Taylor on Saturday to Kyambeke to interview Priesthood brothers and extend calls to 2 new Branch Presidencies in preparation to splitting the branch their yesterday. It made for two rather long trips up country but the Mitini Branch is now something more than just a number on paper now. We still don't have a facility there and it could be May before the facilities folks get a contract etc. but Pres. decided that he wanted to maximize the time we could spend in helping the 2 impacted branches get organized. They will continue to meet together until the meeting place is secured but just take turns officiating which hopefully will reduce the hectic confusion that comes with a major reorganization.
We did get the opportunity to listen to the 2 live morning sessions of conference which start at 7pm here. One of the new couples did stay up and catch the Saturday afternoon session so we are aware of the calls of Elder Anderson to the 12, Elder Saitoti to the 70s, and Elder Ussi to the Area 70s (those last 2 are both Kenyans). We will just have to read the other talks when we receive the April Liahona which will probably be late in the month.
The weather was dry again all last week but it did rain through the night and early morning today. That does not always equate to rain up-country but we are sure praying for them as the Savannah and hills are currently very dry as we negotiate them. My concern is for the welfare of the people and their shambas more than the choking/blinding dust we travel in on the unpaved stretches.
The April school break began last week so our schedule could be a little different as we work with the young people and the older investigators are busy with families and shambas. Sister Bishop is scheduled to teach the Kyambeke folks how to make brownies and zucchini bread this week which she hopes turns out okay as we are not very well versed on temperature control of that kind of cooking device. Even the folks up-country do very little baking as most of their culinary preparations are done over an open flame or a Jiko which is a cross between a wok and a griddle. Most can probably count on one hand the number of times they have eaten a baked good other than bread and the bread is generally trucked in and sold at the local shops or kiosks. Not sure I have mentioned before that it is not at all unusual to partake of broken biscuits (unflavored cookies) rather than bread for sacrament on a Sunday. Well need to get going on this week so will sign off for now. Wish we could be there for all the fun Easter activities this week and to help welcome little Dax. We enjoyed the many blog updates this week. We love you all.
Elder & Sister Bishop
We did get the opportunity to listen to the 2 live morning sessions of conference which start at 7pm here. One of the new couples did stay up and catch the Saturday afternoon session so we are aware of the calls of Elder Anderson to the 12, Elder Saitoti to the 70s, and Elder Ussi to the Area 70s (those last 2 are both Kenyans). We will just have to read the other talks when we receive the April Liahona which will probably be late in the month.
The weather was dry again all last week but it did rain through the night and early morning today. That does not always equate to rain up-country but we are sure praying for them as the Savannah and hills are currently very dry as we negotiate them. My concern is for the welfare of the people and their shambas more than the choking/blinding dust we travel in on the unpaved stretches.
The April school break began last week so our schedule could be a little different as we work with the young people and the older investigators are busy with families and shambas. Sister Bishop is scheduled to teach the Kyambeke folks how to make brownies and zucchini bread this week which she hopes turns out okay as we are not very well versed on temperature control of that kind of cooking device. Even the folks up-country do very little baking as most of their culinary preparations are done over an open flame or a Jiko which is a cross between a wok and a griddle. Most can probably count on one hand the number of times they have eaten a baked good other than bread and the bread is generally trucked in and sold at the local shops or kiosks. Not sure I have mentioned before that it is not at all unusual to partake of broken biscuits (unflavored cookies) rather than bread for sacrament on a Sunday. Well need to get going on this week so will sign off for now. Wish we could be there for all the fun Easter activities this week and to help welcome little Dax. We enjoyed the many blog updates this week. We love you all.
Elder & Sister Bishop
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