Feb 28 I'm officially 21 now, crazy stuff...

Well hello everyone,

This week has been another super quick week. It was a lot like the week before with Zone Conferences and such, so I won't go into much detail about that. It's hard for me to think of what to write all you, because the weeks consist of office work and proselyting, and a lot of stuff I can't write because of confidentiality, compared to being out in the field where all sorts of crazy things happen everyday. So that's the situation. But I'll give it my best shot.

So Monday was a busy office day. We had a big list of things to accomplish before the end of the day, and the end of the day for us when we are in the office is 4:00 because staying any later means traffic, hours and hours of traffic. Nairobi turns into an incredibly congested place right when office hours are over for most businesses. So we try to avoid that. What's funny about traffic is there are hawkers or people selling small goods and souvenirs walking up and down the lines of traffic, they seriously carry anything and everything... Sister Hicken said "you could fill your pantry and buy all desired souvenirs just sitting in traffic". True fact, you really could.  I personally just like to buy plums, nuts and bananas from them. Usually on our office days we also meet with President and discuss whatever needs discussed and plan for upcoming events. It's really a learning experience every time we meet because he is always teaching us important eternal lessons, for example one that has been taught frequently is "Follow the Brethren" meaning to follow the council of our priesthood leaders, and the General Authorities.  The Prophets and Apostles will not lead us astray. After returning home, and planning for tomorrow, I went out driving with Elder Maduna (my companion) and Elder Christensen who were training me to drive a manual truck, it's definitely something different, but having grown up around motorcycles, I feel knowing the workings of a clutch mechanism it helps a lot. It's just a change doing it with the feet. 

Tuesday was our Proselyting day. We first visited Faith, she is still not progresssing, but I feel we just need to work on our friendship with her. She will never have the desire to return to church if she doesn't feel that she has friends there, especially if she doesn't feel that we missionaries are friendly. So that's the goal for now, become her friend. Our other appointments didnt show up until 4 so we did a lot of contacting out on the road in front of the church.  I turned a shade darker out there. We contacted a ton of people, so that was really great. Then Peter showed up and we taught him about the Restoration. The Chyulu and Kilungu elders had come in the afternoon for their Zone Conference the next day, and Elder and Sister Shakespeare one of the couples that serve in the office fed all of us pizza, spaghetti, and icecream. They love to feed missionaries, so it was great!

Wednesday was the Zone Conference for Chyulu and Kilungu. It went really well.  It's amazing to see how each conference turns out differently, not in a bad way, but different things are said and the training changes according to the promptings of the spirit and the needs of the missionaries present. Like for Chyulu and Kilungu they had many questions that they wanted answered from things they have seen or been asked in their areas, so we spent more time on that. It's definitely a bit nerve racking to train at first, but I feel that I am slowly adapting to it. I really want to improve my teaching abilities. Immediately after the conference we had to start preparing for the next days zone conference which would be held in Eldoret. Once one thing is accomplished there is always a need to prepare for another. 

 

Thursday we woke up nice and early, 4:00 to be at the airport before 6:00. The flight from Nairobi to Eldoret is short, about 30min, so it was quick.  We were in Eldoret by 7:10, the conference began around 8:45. It was very good, the spirit was really strong and there was a lot of participation. I really could feel the spirit.  I love seeing the unity of President and Sister Hicken.  They have a lot of fun together, and can teach very well together.  Also they are solidly rooted in the gospel together, so their strength strengthens everyone around. I loved the topic of the Temple, for the Temple truly is the only place in which we may be sealed together as families for time and all eternity, Such an important place, it must become the center of our lives. Due to power problems, watching "Meet the Mormons" was a bit hard with the power flickering and restarting the DVD player and the projector every few minutes. so we finished it up once we got the generator started. We arrived at the airport at 5:00, for a 7:30 flight, turns out the flight was delayed and we didn't get on the plane till 9:50, so it was a long day.

Friday, My Birthday, we got to the office at 10:00 and the Judds another couple serving in the office had made me a cake! So the whole office ended up singing for me and we all shared cake.  It was a great day! We ended up being in the office for the day, then that evening we went to the Baddoos, for a Dinner Appointment (DA) with the office Elders.  They are a Ghanian family, super awesome family, well rooted in the gospel.  Their kids know English and not just as average kids in Kenya, but rather they know fluent English.  I was shocked, it was so strange at first.  We ate lasagnia... my first time on mission! It was so delicious, and they even gave us salad with real lettuce! Powerful DA!

 

 

So there you have it for my week so far, it's been a great week, busy busy busy, but I am loving every minute of it.  I'm happy and can feel my testimony growing everyday.  I am so thankful to be serving here in Kenya!   It's been a wonderful 21 months so far, it will surely be hard to leave in 3 months...

Love Always,

Elder Hiltbrand

So my companion is named Elder Maduna, he comes from South Africa.  He has been out for 22.5 months so he will go home one transfer before me.  He is a convert to the church and had converted when he was 15.  He is powerful, a really firm testimony of the Gospel, he is a powerful missionary and I am learning so much from him.