October 2017 MLC

The Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders come in to Nairobi from all parts of the mission once a month for Mission Leader Council.  LeRon and I love to be with the missionaries on these occasions.  We help Sister Msane with dinner and the clean-up and visit and sing with the missionaries.  We will certainly miss these events when we are released.

Elder Le Cheminant opening a package from home!  Elder Le Cheminant was the first Canadian we welcomed to the mission when we were newbies ourselves.  Now there are 5 Canadians (plus us) -- Elder Le Cheminant, Elder Coombs, Elder Card, Elder Latta, and Elder Wilson and in January there will be another.  Too bad we won't be here to greet him.

Elder Musonda from Zambia is a bright spirit!!

Elder Estheimer was with the first group of 14 that we welcomed to the mission in June 2016.  Elder Torrie and I hardly knew what we were doing back then.  Elder Estheimer has been in hot, hot Mombasa for many transfers now.

Elder Wambua will be going home next transfer.  He is one of the few remaining Kenyans.  Lots of Kenyans are going on missions but they are being called to other countries.  Even one Kenyan was called to the Leeds, England mission.  Our son Craig received his Master's Degree from the University of Leeds.

To Elder Le Cheminant's mother:  WHAT is this???

Elder Egbert made flowers for Sister Msane and me from the paper napkins.  Fun!!

My flower kept falling out.  Sister Msane says that's because my hair is too soft.  If it were wirey like hers, the flower would stay in.  So I tucked mine underneath the arm of my glasses and it worked!

Games to pass that time in the evening at MLC.  L-R: Elder Ellis, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Egbert, Elder McGrath.

What are you building, Elder McGrath?

Elder Mwanziu (on left) is from Kenya and Elder Ngele is from Zimbabwe if I remember correctly.

Elder Noel and Elder Odhiambo are working hard, wouldn't you say?

Now the singing starts . . . Elder Torrie always likes to tickle the ivories (which are no longer made of ivory since elephant tusks can no longer be turned into piano keys).  I'm pretty sure that my mom and dad's piano had real ivory keys.  Elder Le Cheminant and Elder Mwanziu are waiting to sing.

Elder Musonda and Elder Estheimer.  Notice the funny motions, Elder Musonda is making as they sing "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel."  One of the missionaries said that a man who led the singing would often do that motion on that song.  Turns out that "that man" was Elder Mwanziu's grandfather.  We all had a good laugh.

Elder Egbert, Elder Ngele, Elder Ellis

Elder Wambua, Sister Ngwaru, Sister Ziqubu and Sister Shanya

Elder Ngele, Elder Ellis

I think they're still having a good laugh about how the chorister made that motion with his hands and it turned out to be Elder Mwanziu's grandfather.  L-R:  Elder Mwashi, Elder Egbert, Elder Ngele.

Still laughing about "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel!"  Elder Mahanzu behind Elder Torrie.

Elder McGrath, Elder Noel, Elder Odhiambo hiding in the back of the room.

I caught President Msane beating on Sister Msane's shoulders.  Actually giving her a very much needed shoulder massage.  By the end of the day, Sister Msane's tired!  Every time I went to take a picture, President Msane would hide but this time I got him!

Elder Rasmussen has a beautiful voice!  I put videos of him singing on a previous post.

Elder Mahanzu

Elder Odhiambo and Elder Noel are getting ready to share a favorite Book of Mormon story.  Elder Musonda on right is listening.

We love Elder Noel.  He reminds us so much of Ira Eldredge our cousin's son.  But we love Elder Noel for himself too!

When Elder Ngele (on left) first came on mission, I thought he must be the twin of Elder Mahanzu (on right).  They look like they could be brothers.

Elder Torrie and Elder Mwanziu

Elder Rasmussen and Elder Odhiambo

Our wonderful leaders in the Kenya Nairobi Mission -- President and Sister Msane.  They both have strong testimonies, great love for the missionaries, cute senses of humor and they love to laugh.  Below are a few videos I took at the MLC.  Somehow two videos that are the same loaded and one that I tried to load didn't.  Maybe my daughter Michelle can fix my problem.