July 2017 New Arrivals

It's always great to meet the new missionaries.  Since I am the one who sends them information prior to their missions and I also answer their questions, I always wonder what they are really like.  I see their pictures and their information and then I get to meet them in person.  Sometimes they are shorter than I expected and sometimes they are taller.  It's always an interesting experience to meet them, fresh off the plane from the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The new missionaries arrive and so do those who are assigned to be their trainers for the first twelve weeks of their missions.  The Mission Home is always humming with excitement and people and bags and food!

The missionaries love to sing and Elder Torrie loves to play while they sing.  I wish you could hear them.  It gives me a thrill to listen to them.  L-R: Trainers Elder Butters and Elder Mortezazadeh (love that name), Elder Ellis, Elder Zingoni, Elder Hales, Elder Call.

Elder Torrie is gradually losing his hair but he can't see it so he claims it's not happening.

President and Sister Msane join in the singing when they are able.  They're here with a young sister who has finished her mission in Zimbabwe and is returning home to Uganda.  I think her name is Sister Anyango.  She was freezing cold.  She had no idea Nairobi could be so cold.

New sister missionaries, Sister Ziqubu (you pronounce the "q" with a little click of your tongue on the roof of your mouth -- I haven't mastered it yet) is from South Africa; Sister Sibanda is from Zimbabwe, as is Sister Dhaima.  They like to sing too.

Many of the new missionaries are converts of only a few years and so they don't know the Primary songs quite like the western missionaries do but they love to sing too.  Sitting are Sister Ngwaru (from Zimbabwe) and Sister Mbatha (from South Africa).  Standing are Elder Butters, Elder Mortezazadeh, Elder Ellis, Elder Zingoni, Elder Hales, Elder Call.

Still singing away.  Notice the braided hair.  I find it fascinating how they braid colored fibers into their hair.  I think I would look very funny but they look lovely.

Trainers Sister Acii (pronounced auchee) and Sister Gondwe with new missionary Sister Ziqubu.

Trainer Sister Ngwaru -- I think black faces are very beautiful.

Sister Gondwe and new Sister Sibanda.

Trainer Sister Auma (pronounce awe-oo-mah) with new arrival, Sister Mbatha.

The missionaries always like to get together.  Here's Elder Butters, Elder Ellis, Elder Mortezazadeh (I love to say that name fast -- with accent on the second last syllable).

New missionaries Elder Bandi and Elder Sibanda (both from Zimbabwe -- I think)

I wanted a picture with me in it.  I'm always taking pictures and am never in them.  So here I am with the new missionaries, the trainers, President and Sister Msane, and with the returning missionary going home to Uganda (on my right).

President and Sister Msane with new missionaries, Sister Sibanda, Sister Dhaima, Sister Ziqubu, Sister Mbatha, Elder Sibanda, Elder Bandi

I love this picture: President and Sister Msane are having a moment.  Aren't they cute?

Now let's see if I can get the names of everyone:  L-R: Sister Gondwe, Sister Sibanda, Sister Acii, Sister Mbatha, Sister Auma, Sister Dhaima, Sister Ziqubu, Sister Ngwaru, Elder Sibanda, Elder Mortezazadeh, Elder Bandi, Elder Butters with Elder Zingoni in front, Elder Call.  Whew!  I think I did it.

Sister Msane likes to do a funny photo.  Enjoy!

July new arrivals:  Sister Sibanda, Sister Mbatha, Sister Dhaima, Sister Ziqubu, Elder Sibanda, Elder Bandi

Ready to go.  Got their pillows and sheets anyway.

Transfers and Releases

Transfer time is a crazy time.  A week of missionaries coming into Nairobi and going out with different companions to different places.  Missionaries going home.  Missionaries coming.  It's exhausting but so much fun.  Because the mission home has room for 14 missionaries to stay, Sister Msane, our mission president's wife, has a big job taking care of so many of her adopted children!  So much cooking and cleaning.  She's a great hostess and a wonderful cook.  And Elder Torrie and I get to be involved for the whole process.  We help with food and with whatever needs to be done.  So fun.

Here's our amazing Elder Wafula, ready to go home after two years of hard work.  He's holding the newsletter that Sister Colemere put together and I printed.  There's a picture of him with his bike in the rain.  Missionaries are kind of like what they used to say about mailmen:  neither rain nor sleet nor snow . . . can stop the missionaries from doing missionary work.

Elder Shongwe, Elder Kyomya, and Elder Jameson are here for transfers.

And Sister Ndong'a (left) is going home after a year and a half of service.  Young sister missionaries serve for 18 months whereas young men missionaries (called Elders even though they are young) serve for 24 months.  Sister Gondwe (on right) has been Sister Ndong'a's companion and now she will train a missionary who will come in tomorrow.

Elder Torrie loves to talk with all the missionaries.  He's here with Elder Agesa who has been transferred to Nairobi from Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania.

Elder Jameson with Elder Apuoyo and Elder Kyomya (pronounced Choem-ya).

Elder Wilson (from Canada -- yeah!!!) and Elder Jameson

Elder Ellis and Elder Wilson

Elder Zingoni, Elder Jameson, Elder Wafula

Elder Zingoni and Elder Wafula having a little chat.

Elder Zingoni and Elder Tucker have been companions but are both being transferred.

Elder Zingoni and Elder Muzwenje.  Elder Muzwenje is going home after serving for 2 years.

Elder Wafula, Elder Otika, Elder Wilson, Elder Tucker

Elder Wafula and Elder Otika

Many of the transferring missionaries are staying with the Assistants (Elder Hales and Elder Ellis) so Sister Msane made food for them too and Elder Tucker and Elder Wilson are happy to take it.

Elder Tucker and Elder Wilson.  Elder Tucker said to please say that his mother is a terrible cook.  I think that's really rude to say but he said that his mom would laugh.  So . . . Elder Tucker's Mom:  I hope you are laughing!

I don't get many pictures of Elder Hales because he's always helping in the kitchen or running errands for President Msane, which is what an Assistant to the President does.

Sister Ndong'a (left) loves to make faces while she's eating (at least for the camera).  Aren't she and Sister Gondwe cute?  Sister Ndong'a is from Kenya and Sister Gondwe is from Zimbabwe.  Or is it Zambia?

President and Sister Msane give returning missionaries a plaque with their name on it.  Here's Elder Muzwenje with his plaque.  A former missionary in the KNM, Elder (now Brother) Musasia, carves the plaques out of ebony wood, which is really hard to carve but he does a good job.

Here's Sister Ndong'a with her plaque

And Elder Wafula with his plaque.  I love his smile.  He's got a great sense of humor.

Elder Ngabonziza with his plaque.  He is from Rwanda and has been a great missionary too.

And we all love Elder Kyuvi (pronounced chew-vee).

"I have fought a good fight . . . "  These missionaries can definitely say that as they return to their homes.

Along with plaques, they also get KNM T-shirts.

You will be missed.

Elder Hales and Elder Hales with the departing missionaries.

Canada is 150 years old Today!!!

Happy Birthday to Canada!!!  150 years ago, on July 1st, 1867, Canada became a country.  If we were home, we would participate in big celebrations.  But we will celebrate quietly here in Nairobi.

LeRon and I remember celebrating Canada's 100th in 1967.  I was finished Grade 10 and LeRon was finished Grade 8 (yes, I'm a year older but two years older in school).  We learned a new song called Canada.  You can hear it at  <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18-oRTLIe3I>.  It was a cool song that we loved.  I encourage you to listen to it and watch the pictures of life in Canada then.

Just a bit of history . . . Before Canada became a country in 1867, it was ruled at times by both the British and the French.  The British won out and so we became a British colony and in fact still see England’s Queen Elizabeth as our official Head of State and we are still part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Back in 1867, when Canada became its own country, there were only a few Europeans, a few Americans, lots of Indians (whom we now call First Nations), many fur traders, and thousands of buffalo (very different from the African Buffalo).

The province of Alberta, where we come from, became part of Canada in 1905.  But before that, in 1887, our Church President, John Taylor, sent settlers into what became known as Alberta.  Charles Ora Card was sent up from Utah and started the town of Cardston.  One of his great-great-grandsons, Elder Card from Cardston, is now serving in our Kenya Nairobi Mission.  (We also have Canadians Elder Coombs, Elder Le Cheminant, and Elder Wilson).  Lots of Mormon settlers went from Utah into Alberta, including the grandparents of both Elder Torrie and me.   

In 1913, the Cardston, Alberta Temple was announced, but due to World War I, it wasn’t completed until 1923.  It is the oldest temple outside of the US.  We love our temple.  Elder Torrie and I were baptistry workers for three years before we came on this mission.  It will be so great when the Nairobi temple is built in the coming years.  There are now 155 temples worldwide and there will be more.

Another bit of Canadian trivia . . . did you know that in 1812, Canadian troops burned down the White House during the War of 1812?  Well, actually, they were British troops since there were no Canadians yet!  Hope the Americans won't hold that against us!

For Canada's 150th anniversary, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Music and the Spoken Word, has produced a special in commemoration.  It's very nice with beautiful music as well as the spoken word.  You can access it at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8ncF0k71V8.

Happy Birthday, Canada!  I'm so glad to be a Canadian and grateful to live in a free country and to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I'm grateful to be serving on this mission and to be with my wonderful companion, LeRon, 24/7!!!

Home to Nairobi

Great to be in Chicago at Heather's wedding and to see all our kids and grandkids and great to see Cairo.  But also good to be home to Nairobi.  And we really did feel like we were coming home.  We love our new flat that gives us more privacy and more light coming in the windows.  It took us a week after we got back to get things arranged (pictures hanging on the walls, etc).

And we were glad to be back in the mission office.  We love working in the office and being in touch with all the great missionaries serving in this mission.  We love them all.

Sad that our neighbors from South Africa, Mariska and Jaco and their sons, have moved away.  We are missing them.  We went to their son's high school play just before they left.  It was a rock musical.  Wasn't as loud as I thought it would be and the students did a great job with their singing, dancing, and acting.

Funny that with the problem with mosquitoes here that people don't have screens on their windows.  So LeRon brought back window screen from Chicago and he made screens for our windows.

Our Kenyan neighbors were surprised that we could make screens ourselves!!  It was hard to find tools but LeRon finally managed it.

The compound where we live is very beautiful.  Lots of green.

Interesting to have palm trees and evergreens both growing on the equator!

 

I tried to take pictures at Gerco's play (pronounced hair-coo).  I have a good camera but it just doesn't do well in low light.  People around me were taking amazing pictures with their cell phones.  The play was very well done with good singing and acting.  The set was great too.

Here's Gerco after the play.  Happy and exhausted after four performances.  He doesn't really have tattoos on his arm.  He's not that kind of guy, just playing the part!  He did a great job and I was proud of him.