This week has seemed a bit longer than last, but none the less has been a good week with a few interesting things.
Last monday, after Cybering, we went outside and it was totally raining. I totally called it that morning as we left the flat, but I wasn’t sure as to when it would rain, so I removed my umbrella from my back pack. why? cause its kinda just like added weight with all the other stuff I carry (Scriptures, Book of Mormon, a note book, headlight, 20 pamphlets, a small swahili dictionary, etc.) It just adds up, but usually I like to be prepared for anything just in case. We were to meet at Zion mall, a big Wazungu (caucasion) mall in town to meet with the ZLs (Zone Leaders) for exchanges, but the balcony stopped at one point, and my companion did not desire to get wet walking over there, so we stopped at the point in the side walk where there was still balcony to keep us dry. We were close to Zion mall at that point, and the streets were filled with cars going crazy to get everywhere. (This place turns into a mad house when it rains.) I don’t know that Kenyans like rain. I however love the rain, maybe not getting totally soaked, but you know, "rain drops keep falling on my head..." song comes into my head every time it rains. My companion had thought we could just wait out the rain, but it was getting harder, so that really wasn’t much of an option, so I thought hmm.. my companion won’t budge if he is going to get wet.. like giving a cat a bath.. So my little bit of ingenuity striked and I thought "Newspaper Umbrellas!" So luckily there was a mama (lady) selling newspapers next to us, so I bought one for 40Ksh ($.46), evenly divided the pages, and boom, umbrellas out of newspapers. I wish I had a picture of us running through the streets with our stretched newspapers over our heads in the pouring rain. It reminded me of what I imagine New York being like in the rain. So that was fun and it actually worked really well, we remained almost entirely dry except for our arms which were holding up the newspapers. So that’s my cool story for Monday.
On Tuesday, I was on exchanges with Elder Nyirenda so it was a great day, although we got out a bit late having to wait for the plumber all morning and he didn’t even show up. We were told at 9:30 that the plumber would be there very soon, but as the clock turned towards 1:00 we said no way can we wait any longer. (The plumber was coming to fix the water in our flat, we haven’t had water for a few days, and had to take bucket showers each day and were running very low on drinking water.) (The water only comes on a couple of times a week at which time they have about twenty 2-liter bottles that they fill. There is a 1000 liter tank in the ceiling that fills for showers. Rush says that the water is filtered by the city, but is very dirty. He says it is okay to drink but there is a bunch of dirt left in the bottom of the glass -- doesn't sound too healthy to me!) Once we finally got out, we went to the church and saw Simon the Church guard. We had planned that morning to teach him about temples using the special edition of the Liahona (church magazine) regarding Temples. Really a wonderful magazine and it helped a lot in the lesson. It was a powerful lesson and went very well. You can always tell when the spirit is present, because the lesson goes very smoothly, there is participation, and you can just feel the spirit bearing testimony to you of eternal truths. The Temple is one of my favorite lessons to teach, just because it is such a wonderful place and in order to understand the temple, you must have the spirit. Spiritual things must be learned by the Spirit. After teaching Simon we had a lesson with Wilson, a new investigator who is seriously awesome. It was a great lesson and he was very excited to learn. We had a member present which was good. We got a quick lunch of Chips (french fries) waiting for a member to show up so we could teach. As we were sitting there eating, the plumber showed up and asked us where we had gone, I guess he had showed up 5 minutes after we left. That’s called sticking it to the man Kenya time. That day I had been prompted to carry a Book of Mormon with me, so I did, and as we were buying chapatti after the chips hadn’t filled us up, a man making chapatti randomly asked us for a Book of Mormon and if we had one on us. The spirit always prompting for a reason. That night after having a lesson with Steve, and committing him to baptism, ( it was really cool, because he mentioned to us before we ever mentioned baptism, that he still had a lot to learn before being baptized. Then we acted on that and set a date/ goal for him to prepare by.) I was talking to our night guard, the new one and it was really cold outside, I asked him if he would like some cocoa and he gladly accepted, so I cooked him cocoa, and we stood outside on our balcony talking for a long time. He has many questions, but he gladly accepts that which we discuss. I really like teaching him, and the only real time to do so is at night while he is working. He just comes up and we chat.
On Wednesday, we had a great DDM about Enthroning Diligence, taught by my companion. We established D&C 4:6 as the 10 commandments for missionaries, it’s the attributes we must have or seek to develop as we are enlisted in the Lord’s work.
Thursday we did Service for a member in the Jerusalem branch. We were to dig a big shamba for the family. We were supposed to be at the church at 10:30, but when we got to town, there was a PI (potential investigator) who wanted to meet, so we waited at a petrol station where we had agreed to meet, he wasn’t showing up and wasn’t answering his phone, so we had to leave to go meet at the church. We arrived there at 11:00 and they were just about to leave. 4 elders got into the couples truck, but the rest of us needed to go to town, then get a matatu (van taxi), but we just decided to walk, because Elder Vitason said it was just a ten minute walk. It was definitely not a 10 minute walk, we walked for maybe 15 - 20 minutes and a matatu came going the way we were going, so we jumped in. It drove so fast on the bumpy dirt road we were on, and if we had walked, it would have easily taken us an hour or more to reach our destination. At service, we got right to work and unloaded wood from the couples truck, then grabbed jembes (Hoes) and started working. It was an old maize field, so it was covered with old maize stalks. Because it had rained the day prior, they were unable to burn them, so we had to rake them out of the way then dig. While digging, we somehow got into a very simple doctrine discussion, Elder Barasa knows the Bible super well, its crazy, so as we discussed, he would pull out Bible scriptures, and I would pull out Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants scriptures, which I know quite a few of. It was a funny discussion. It’s always interesting discussing doctrine with Barasa. After Service, we were each fed huge bowls of rice and beans. It was pretty good, considering those are probably some of the best foods here. We were stuffed, then at the appointment after service, we were again fed rice and a supu type thing. Lots and lots of rice.
On Wednesday, we had a great DDM about Enthroning Diligence, taught by my companion. We established D&C 4:6 as the 10 commandments for missionaries, it’s the attributes we must have or seek to develop as we are enlisted in the Lord’s work.
Thursday we did Service for a member in the Jerusalem branch. We were to dig a big shamba for the family. We were supposed to be at the church at 10:30, but when we got to town, there was a PI (potential investigator) who wanted to meet, so we waited at a petrol station where we had agreed to meet, he wasn’t showing up and wasn’t answering his phone, so we had to leave to go meet at the church. We arrived there at 11:00 and they were just about to leave. 4 elders got into the couples truck, but the rest of us needed to go to town, then get a matatu (van taxi), but we just decided to walk, because Elder Vitason said it was just a ten minute walk. It was definitely not a 10 minute walk, we walked for maybe 15 - 20 minutes and a matatu came going the way we were going, so we jumped in. It drove so fast on the bumpy dirt road we were on, and if we had walked, it would have easily taken us an hour or more to reach our destination. At service, we got right to work and unloaded wood from the couples truck, then grabbed jembes (Hoes) and started working. It was an old maize field, so it was covered with old maize stalks. Because it had rained the day prior, they were unable to burn them, so we had to rake them out of the way then dig. While digging, we somehow got into a very simple doctrine discussion, Elder Barasa knows the Bible super well, its crazy, so as we discussed, he would pull out Bible scriptures, and I would pull out Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants scriptures, which I know quite a few of. It was a funny discussion. It’s always interesting discussing doctrine with Barasa. After Service, we were each fed huge bowls of rice and beans. It was pretty good, considering those are probably some of the best foods here. We were stuffed, then at the appointment after service, we were again fed rice and a supu type thing. Lots and lots of rice.
Friday was a fast day, we had another teaching appointment with Wilson, in which we committed him to be baptized once he knows its true. During our comp weekly planning, my companion suggested I shouldn’t ask too many questions, which I had done the previous night in our appointment with Anabel. It happens when I am really tired. I applied that in our lesson with Wilson, and it went great, the spirit was so strong, and the lesson went so smooth. That morning the plumber had come and fixed our water, I guess there was an air lock or something preventing water from coming, so he fixed that so now we can once again take showers and drink water. After our lesson with Wilson, we went to Eldoret Chapel where we were supposed to have met with the Kitale Elders to play soccer, but they were late, so Elder Andreasen and I talked for a while. Soccer was really fun, it was zone v. zone, and you could totally tell how unified the Kitale zone was . Afterwards we, Wazungu (whites), all wanted to go to a nice restaurant called Pizza Bistro which has by far the best pizza in Kenya. My companion and a few others from the zone didn’t want to go, so I told my comp I would buy him something there. Instead, he and the others went to our normal DDM restaurant while Elder Turner and I went to Pizza Bistro with the Kitale Zone. The Pizza was incredible, and it was nice to be able to interact with the other missionaries. I wish we could go there as a zone, but I know half the zone does not want to go there because it's expensive.
Saturday, my companion and I had an appointment planned in the morning which got bounced, so we went and got needed haircuts. It’s funny how my companion only needs 15 minutes to get hair cut, while it takes over an hour to cut mine. Afterwards we went to the newly dedicated Langas chapel for District Conference (like Stake Conference) evening session. It was a wonderful session, it was powerful and I learned soo much! Elder Briknel of the quorum of the 70 was present. He is from South Africa, and the spirit just radiates from him. He taught regarding how everything leads to the temple in missionary work and about Eternal sealings. It was really powerful and at one point brought me to tears. He told of a simulation they had done at the church one time where they had set it up as though they were on a plane flight and the plane crashes and everyone dies. Then they went through the three kingdoms of heaven, Telestial, Terrestial, and Celestial. And the chapel had been decorated beautifully in white to represent the Celestial room. In simulation, they had it where his son would run up to him and his wife who were standing up front in all white and say "Daddy, Dont leave me behind" As he told this story, the spirit was so strong as he told this story, then he explained how his son, that same son is now less active. Immediately when he said that, it hit me and brought me to tears. He explained that although there may be some who have wayward children, or less active, The Sealing allows them to all be together again. Those who went wayward will pay the price, but they can be together again. He shared a quote saying, "although some sheep may wander, the shepherds eye is always upon them." How true that is, God is always watching us, and calling out to us, to come back to him, he will never lose sight of us, because he cares about all his sheep.
That night, we raced back to Huruma and then back to Langas so that we would not be late for Conference in the morning, at the Langas flat some of the Kitale Elders were also staying, so we played an intense game of darts trying to see who could throw all 4 in the least amount of time and most accurate. It was funny, we thought we were all like Chinese ninjas throwing stars or something.
On Sunday, it was such a spiritually powerful day. We got to the chapel at 8:00am for a Recent Convert meeting that was supposed to take place before the main session, but no one showed up from the branches until around 9:00, so we had a small yet powerful meeting with those who were there. The Recent converts were given the privilege to share of their conversion, who baptized them, and what their feelings of the church are. It was really awesome to hear all their testimonies. The Main Session of Conference was incredible. President Hicken spoke about strength in the home, and how Family Home Evening has always brought strength and blessings to their household. He also shared how they had initially been talked to about serving their mission in 2011, but President Hicken's mother was ill and widowed, so in an interview with President Packer he was told that he would wait then until the time was right, President Packer told him, "After all, this church is about bringing families together, not away from each other." After President Hicken spoke, Elder Briknel spoke, and once again the spirit had just filled the room. He explained that the church will grow in Kenya and stakes will be made, but only when the people are ready. Also, he spoke about how we live in a world where we can no longer just avoid evil, evil is at the door knocking. The only way to withstand evil is through obedience to the gospel. We must beware of dangers that lie beneath the surface. To illustrate that point, he told a story of watching an Impala and an alligator. The Impala jumped through the river expecting it was safe from what he could see from above, but below were waiting alligators that grabbed hold of the animal and tore it to pieces. Thus is the same in our own lives, we must have a surety that we are safe, rather than just the appearance that we are safe. He told many touching stories, and after the conference he gathered us all together and told us the story of a missionary in his mission while he was serving as mission President of the Pocatello Idaho mission. This missionary had been born with disabilities, that prevented his ability to serve a mission, but all he desired in life was to serve a mission to serve God. He was diagnosed with cancer around the time he should have been putting in his papers, but after the cancer had gone into remission, although there were many health problems still remaining, President Briknel at the time was able to get this young man approved to serve as a service missionary in that mission which he resided. This missionary did everything missionaries do, lived like a missionary, ate like one, studied like one, everything including had a companion. After a year on mission, this missionaries cancer returned and this time took his life. But the lesson learned, is that no matter our disabilities, our desire to serve the lord is the most important part. That missionary left an impact on that mission and every missionary in it, and just hearing his story inspires me to be better, to come closer to the Lord, and give him everything I have, the widow’s mite.
After the conference, as we were greeting and talking to the members and investigators who had attended, I had the opportunity to talk casually with Elder Briknel for a good 10 minutes. That was really a cool experience. Talking casually one on one with a general authority. That doesn't happen every day. Really this last weekend has been powerful and inspiring. I am so greatful for all the experiences I was able to have this last week.
When the Spirit is there, life’s a lot easier.
That night, we raced back to Huruma and then back to Langas so that we would not be late for Conference in the morning, at the Langas flat some of the Kitale Elders were also staying, so we played an intense game of darts trying to see who could throw all 4 in the least amount of time and most accurate. It was funny, we thought we were all like Chinese ninjas throwing stars or something.
On Sunday, it was such a spiritually powerful day. We got to the chapel at 8:00am for a Recent Convert meeting that was supposed to take place before the main session, but no one showed up from the branches until around 9:00, so we had a small yet powerful meeting with those who were there. The Recent converts were given the privilege to share of their conversion, who baptized them, and what their feelings of the church are. It was really awesome to hear all their testimonies. The Main Session of Conference was incredible. President Hicken spoke about strength in the home, and how Family Home Evening has always brought strength and blessings to their household. He also shared how they had initially been talked to about serving their mission in 2011, but President Hicken's mother was ill and widowed, so in an interview with President Packer he was told that he would wait then until the time was right, President Packer told him, "After all, this church is about bringing families together, not away from each other." After President Hicken spoke, Elder Briknel spoke, and once again the spirit had just filled the room. He explained that the church will grow in Kenya and stakes will be made, but only when the people are ready. Also, he spoke about how we live in a world where we can no longer just avoid evil, evil is at the door knocking. The only way to withstand evil is through obedience to the gospel. We must beware of dangers that lie beneath the surface. To illustrate that point, he told a story of watching an Impala and an alligator. The Impala jumped through the river expecting it was safe from what he could see from above, but below were waiting alligators that grabbed hold of the animal and tore it to pieces. Thus is the same in our own lives, we must have a surety that we are safe, rather than just the appearance that we are safe. He told many touching stories, and after the conference he gathered us all together and told us the story of a missionary in his mission while he was serving as mission President of the Pocatello Idaho mission. This missionary had been born with disabilities, that prevented his ability to serve a mission, but all he desired in life was to serve a mission to serve God. He was diagnosed with cancer around the time he should have been putting in his papers, but after the cancer had gone into remission, although there were many health problems still remaining, President Briknel at the time was able to get this young man approved to serve as a service missionary in that mission which he resided. This missionary did everything missionaries do, lived like a missionary, ate like one, studied like one, everything including had a companion. After a year on mission, this missionaries cancer returned and this time took his life. But the lesson learned, is that no matter our disabilities, our desire to serve the lord is the most important part. That missionary left an impact on that mission and every missionary in it, and just hearing his story inspires me to be better, to come closer to the Lord, and give him everything I have, the widow’s mite.
After the conference, as we were greeting and talking to the members and investigators who had attended, I had the opportunity to talk casually with Elder Briknel for a good 10 minutes. That was really a cool experience. Talking casually one on one with a general authority. That doesn't happen every day. Really this last weekend has been powerful and inspiring. I am so greatful for all the experiences I was able to have this last week.
When the Spirit is there, life’s a lot easier.
I love you all, thanks for all the prayers, and support.
Elder Rushton Jay Hiltbrand
Elder Rushton Jay Hiltbrand
No comments:
Post a Comment