Amazing that its already a new month, its November... which means the hot season over here in Kenya! While all you in the states get the cooler temperatures, we get the heat knob turned up a few notches. This week has been a great week, we have had some really wonderful experiences. This having been a Zone Conference week, it made it pretty hectic the first part of the week while we were away.
On Tuesday we all headed up to Eldoret early in the morning, so that we
could have and enjoyable day while up there. So we got out around 9:00 and were
there just slightly prior to 12:00. My companion and i had planned out a whole
day for ourselves, there were places we wanted to go, things to eat, and people
to see, so once we arrived in Eldoret, we got the others in our zone taken care
of and then went to pizza bistro where we enjoyed an amazing meal of Chinese
food and gourmet pizza. It was so nice to have such good food, they say it is
one of best pizza places in Kenya, all the other missionaries affirm that. After
having an enjoyable time there, we headed over to Zion Mall to meet up with the
Langas Elders who were there eating at Bakers Point another Pizza place. We sat
and talked with them for a bit before heading back to Langas. We played a bunch
of American Football in Langas, so that was a lot of fun. We didnt end up going
and visiting some of the people there, but we had a good day otherwise. That
evening we had sloppy Joes with all the other elders who were present at the
Langas flat.
Wednesday was the day of Zone Conference and I had the privilege to conduct
the meeting. My first time conducting a big meeting, i was pretty nervous, but
once i got up and started to speak it was okay. The zone conference was really
great, the topics chosen were definitely interesting, but edifying none the
less. We discussed using time wisely/ planning, sustaining our priesthood
leaders, eliminating gossip, and Repentance. My two favorite topics were
sustaining our leaders, and Repentance, in sustaining our priesthood leaders it
all comes down to which way do we face. Do we represent our priesthood leader to
those we lead, or the people we lead to our priesthood leader? In sustaining our
leaders, we represent them to the people. their decisions and revelation they
receive, we convey to those that we lead over. In regards to Repentance, it was
really a touching subject, it helps you understand more clearly that the Lord
really wishes to forgive, he is there to bless us, to lift us, and to restore
us, but we must be the ones to come unto him. Disobedience is a choice, the Lord
never leaves us, but rather we leave him through our disobedience to his
commandments, we pull ourselves away and express that we dont have faith or love
for the Lord when we choose to break the commandments. Even as missionaries we
arent perfect, thats one thing that i have realized, missionaries arent perfect,
we make our mistakes, and we have our weaknesses, but we dedicate 18 months or 2
years to doing our best to be examples of the savior, and inviting others to
come unto Christ and receive the comfort and peace that his atonement brings.
Sometimes its one of the hardest things to overcome our weaknesses and admit our
faults, because the natural man wants to be strong, bullet proof and
unbreakable, but in real sense we all know thats not true for any of us, we live
in a fallen world, a world of sorrows and trials, a life of testing and
tribulations, but when we open ourselves up to the love the savior offers, then
we realize that yes we may have faults and weaknesses,yes life is tough and
filled with trials, but through the atonement and reliance upon the lord, we can
overcome them and become Perfected through him. We can find joy and gratitude,
because life is so much better when we have some one to lean on, and the Savior
is saying "lean on me."
Thursday we returned home from Eldoret, we left early in the morning so
that we could have a full proselyting day and when we got back we had a few
great lessons, then the Horners invited us over for dinner and to celebrate
Halloween! We had an awesome dinner made by sister Horner, Beef Strogonough with
bread sticks and rolls, with squash, wow it was a nice meal, they really treat
us great, and then we carved pumpkins, how can you have halloween without
carving pumpkins...? So I carved an elephant, but i guess it ended up looking
more like a lion or something... so I carved a big Y in the back. Great
night
Friday after our weekly planning we hurried to the church for our branch
mission leader correlation meeting which was okay, better than last week, we are
trying to help our BML learn how to be more engaged with us and in doing so the
work can grow. Afterward we were just about to go get lunch and contact, but
David the pastor whom we have been teaching arrived an hour early, so we sat
down with him. Wow that was an incredible lesson! the spirit was so strong and
overwhelming. We began by talking about why he left his previous church and the
congregation that he was pastor over, he told us with much confidence that when
the upper levels of the church he worked for changed the tithing from 10% to 30%
it was going against the Bible and he could not support that, so they released
him and now the lord has led him to us. The entire lesson we had with him was
about Baptism, last time we challenged him to baptism, but he did not understand
the need to be baptized again, so this time was entirely on that topic. He has
no doubt prayed about the things that we have taught him and received the
witness, so its only on baptism that he had a problem with. He wanted so badly
for us to confirm his baptism being okay and acceptable, and move past that
doctrine, but we firmly stood on the fact that unless he is baptized by one
holding the proper authority, then his progress is halted in relation to his
personal salvation. He is very worried that if he is baptized, that everyone
will know and that it will make major news reports. At this time the spirit
prompted me to ask him boldly, "Which way do you face David? Do you fear the
judgement of men, or the judgement of God? " He promised to ponder it out, for
he knows what must happen, He closed the session with a prayer and wow it was
one of the most powerful and sincere prayers i have heard, he really sought
after the answer to whether he should be baptized again, he has great faith in
what we are teaching him to be true, but its from his previous teachings that is
holding him back. The lesson ended up being 2.5 hours long, and afterwards we
were drained of energy!
Saturday we got out really early to go and help sister Lilian move homes.
we left the flat at 8:15 and then from 9:00 till 12:30 we helped her and her
husband move from their home to a new home about 200m away. My companion told me
and old adage saying "You never know how much stuff you really have until you go
to move it!" How true that is! It was great to be able to help them, then we
blessed and dedicated her home. We hurried to some more appointments then headed
back to the church to teach brother Steve Baraka a recent convert lesson, While
there at the church, the Horners gave my companion and I a burrito, with cheese
and meat and soft tortillas, wow it was nice! The Horners Rock. After teaching
we went and contacted our way to brother Cyprians because we werent able to see
him in the morning, he was really excited to see us and glad that we came and
were able to tell him that church was starting at 12:00 instead of 10:00 because
of Branch conference.
Sunday was Branch conference meaning that President and Sister Hicken came
to teach the branch. It was a great conference and there was a good attendance,
President Hicken taught a lot about the necessity for the proper authority and
how it was essential in order to share the gospel and how in a branch it is the
duty of the branch to do missionary work, the missionaries are only there to
help, but they are not to be the main basis of the work being done. We and the
couples were fasting for Pastor David to be able to come and meet the mission
President because there was a function that he had to attend, and at the end of
church, Brother David arrived!! His function had been disorganized and he felt
that he needed to be at church rather than there! The lord sure does listen to
our prayers and fasting. After church Elder Horner was talking to David and he
asked him about baptism and told him that next week he would be baptizing Mary,
the guard at the church, then David asked Elder Horner "Would you baptize me?"
When Elder Horner told us this, we were so excited! Its so wonderful to see
people receive of the truth and have that desire to come unto the waters of
baptism. wow im stoked for David. He will be of great blessing and growth to the
church here in Kenya and in Kisumu. The lord worked his ways to bring him unto
us so that we could teach him and that he could receive the true restored
gospel.
So all in all this week has really been awesome and had some great
experiences. Another busy week lies ahead, each week i learn more and
more.
Love you all, thanks for all your prayers and love,
Elder Rushton Jay Hiltbrand
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