These past two weeks have been really busy, I apologize
again for the lack of writing last week, the time was incredibly short to
write, so I figured I would try to recap this week.
So to begin, the week of the 18th to the 24th, when we
were planning for the transfer, it was really the only week that we didn't have
conferences and such going on, so we utilized it to do exchanges with the Zone
Leaders in the Area. Due to the driving situation, I remain in our proselyting
area, while my companion goes to the other. I'm fine with that though, I really
enjoy Riruta, and I love our investigators, so the more I get to work with
them, the better, because I don't have a whole lot of time left to get to know
them and build friendships.
So as for that Tuesday we were on exchanges with Langata, we
had switched companions the night before, we usually do it late at night so
that we can dodge the traffic, then have a full day the next day. I was on
exchanges with Elder Warwood. We had a really awesome exchange. I wrote in my
journal that it was the ideal exchange. That is really the goal right now and
what I feel to be my purpose in the office is to build up the leadership and
help to prepare a way for future leaders to be trained and rise up to the
stature of the assignment. One of the most important opportunities for that
training is exchanges because it enables you to teach by example one on one and
also to pinpoint areas of weakness to work on and help them see their areas of
strength and how to utilize those.
We began the day with a really good morning
study together, then afterwards went out to Riruta where we did a lot. As we
waited for an appointment, we went up into the church shamba (garden) and sought service
opportunities. The Sister in charge of the shamba assigned us to a small patch
of potatoes and sukuma Wiki, to dig and weed. I was so happy to get my hands
back into the dirt, and use a jembe again, it's been a really long time, it's one
of those things you grow a real appreciation for. We had to determine which
were weeds and which were potatoes, Elder Warwood was having a hard time with
that. It is pretty hard to tell sometimes, weeds and potatoes can look
incredibly similar, it's only the size of flowers and slight change of leaves
that makes a difference. (Sounds like a Gospel Principle to me..) We made that
patch look beautiful, then our appointment showed up, so we washed up to go
teach.
Suleiman is a young man who had called us Monday and said he was given a
card from his friend and wanted to meet with us. So Tuesday was the day. So I'll
tell you a little bit about him, He is 20 years old, raised as a muslim, but
attended Christian schools as he grew up and converted to Christianity a few
years ago. He had a friend while in school that he always looked up to and felt
"he must really have a good church" because he saw the way his friend
lived, treated others, and exercised faith in God. This made Suleiman really
want to know more about his friend's church. His friend is a member of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and truly lives that which he
believes. Just recently his friend gave him a card to learn more about the
church and it had our number on it and he took it as his long awaited chance to
learn more. So that's what brought us up to that point. We sat down with him and
opened with a prayer, then got to know each other more, after which we felt
that rather than share a lesson right away, we needed to show him around the
church building so that he could gain a better understanding of what it was
like. He really appreciated the tour and expressed to us after that he then
felt very comfortable and could understand what we were all about. We sat down
and briefly explained the Restoration, then prayed and set up another
appointment for Thursday. We could feel peace, and we could feel that he too
felt peace and satisfaction in the path he had chosen to begin. Later that day
we had set out to go and get lunch, but also to contact along the way, well..
turns out we got caught up contacting and totally forgot about lunch. We had a
lot of fun with it. My focus was to help Elder Warwood to see that Contacting
can be fun, it doesn't have to be monotonous, but rather we can find enjoyment
in it. We had some awesome experiences. He thought it was hilarious when
walking by a traffic jam, we stopped at a truck with its window down and
contacting all three guys who were waiting inside. They may as well read
something while they wait! Another time he was contacting this mechanic at a
fruit stand and I see a bunch of people pushing a stalled matatu behind us, so
I jump over and help push the matatu into the lot, he just kept on contacting
and didn't even notice as we pushed the matatu into the lot next to the fruit
stand. After pushing it everyone came up and were like "oh thank you! even
old mama's came up to me.. they don't expect us mzungu's to assist like that, so
we always get a funny reaction. We had a really good day and some really
powerful lessons. Elder Warwood is a great elder and has the potential to
really make a difference with training the upcoming leaders.
Wednesday we had our ZTM (Zone Training Meeting) and reviewed that which was talked
about and counselled on in the previous weeks Mission Leadership Council.
Thursday we were on exchanges again, but this time with Eastlands Zone Leaders. We were planning to switch the previous night, but we went
out and traffic was horrendous, so we just turned around and went home. I was
with Elder Mekenye this time, and we really had a good day. We taught Suleiman
again, he read the Restoration pamphlet so we reviewed it then taught about the
Book of Mormon and committed him to read it. We also committed him to be
baptized on the 21st of June, I'll be gone, but it's not about me being there,
it's about my fellow brother coming closer to Christ and stepping into the waters
of baptism that open the Gate to the path of Exaltation. We also correlated
with our Ward Mission Leader then went and taught Emmanuel, who is from
Burundi. The Burundians are very loving and receptive to the Gospel from my
point of view, we have many that stay in our area, and after having lived as a
refugee from a war torn country since their adolescence, they find peace and
rest in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So we have many in our Ward, but they are a
great strength to us and the growth of the church in Burundi.
Friday was an office day, preparing for the next weeks
mission tour that was going to take place.
Saturday was P-day, but there was no internet, so we skipped
emailing and attended a conference called Nairobi Mormon Voices that was put
together by some members of the Stake and seeks to become a sort of missionary
effort to the community by singing for events around. They did a good job, they
have some of their songs in Kiswahili, and others are in English, but its a
nice blend. They also had a guest singer who is a jazz musician that studied in
Irvine California! That was pretty cool, he is from Kenya, but had the
opportunity to study in the US and has come back to assist other Kenyans have
the same opportunity and to find satisfaction and growth in music.
So yeah, that was the week before this one.
So I'll just summarize the week, because this letter is
already really long...
Monday doing our normal office duties with numbers and such.
We were the drivers for the week, so we had the privilege to
drive President and Sister Hicken around as well as Elder and Sister Ellis.
They were really nice and we had some good conversations with them in the car.
They began the tour in Eldoret on Tuesday, and we were getting the final
preparations and planning done, including printing and finalizing programs,
buying food for the lunch, and such.
Wednesday we had the Chyulu and Kilungu Hills mission tour
which we were invited to attend, because Elder Ellis is Presiding at the tour,
we don't have to travel with them from area to area for each tour. The mission
tour was incredible. President and Sister Hicken spoke on the Book of Mormon,
we just finished a Book of Mormon reading challenge for the whole mission, it
was really a great experience to help and prepare us spiritually for this
conference. So President really wanted us to know the importance of it and help
us to recognize the inspiration and revelation which we have received from it.
Then Sister Ellis trained us and taught about her family, they have 9 Kids, all
of whom served missions. She taught how we should have faith and how we should
leave no time for contention and discouragement, because "life is a trip,
a journey" which we should enjoy. Elder Ellis was really funny, he kept
telling all those that read/ spoke to speak like Texans (that's where they have
lived for many years.) I've learned that at General Conference we get the
impression that General Authorities are all up tight and serious, but they're
not, their really funny and really make everything so simplex. He focused on
Faith and how we need to trust God, for He cannot lie and He knows what to do
more than we do. The theme of the Tour was Faith. I took tons of notes, even
though I won't be around much longer, I still know that all they taught will
apply after mission too. It was really a privilege to attend both the Wednesday
and Friday conferences.
Thursday we went and proselyted a bit, we got to teach
Suleiman again, he wasn't able to attend church last week because his Grandma
called him to come up to the village, but he has been reading the book of
Mormon and told me "I have made my decision and I want to be
baptized" Powerful! that made me so happy! Suleiman has so much potential!
Friday was the Nairobi Mission Tour. Its really remarkable
how guided by the spirit these Conferences are, they are not a repeat of what
was said and such, there are similarities and they do teach many things in the
same way, but the revelation received is totally different, and the things
which he feels inspired to say are very different. Such as for Chyulu and
Kilungu it was a focus to help them see the importance of teaching
investigators who know both English and Kiswahili, because that is where real growth
of the church will come from. and in the Nairobi conference, he shared deeper
about faith and how we need to exercise faith so that God can teach us what we
need to do in our areas, so that additional stakes of zion may be established
in Kenya. " The church supports Districts, Stakes support the
church." He also mention that if the work of the church is to be
accomplished in the millennium we need stakes to push it forward. Someday Kenya
will be dotted with Stakes and have great strength, right now its still in the
laying of the foundation. Everything went really well and I truly learned a
lot, many many things that will help me when I return home.
Well I know this is super long, but yeah, hope all is well
with each of you, thank you again for your love and support and all you have
done for me throughout the course of my mission.
Love Always,
Elder Rushton Jay Hiltbrand
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