Members, Missionaries, and Memories -- and Nairobi West Stake Conference

As our time is slowly drawing to a close here in Kenya, we realize how much we will miss these wonderful people.  We no longer see black and white; we simply see good people who are trying to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We truly feel that we are brothers and sisters, and really, we ARE brothers and sisters.  We are all children of the same God.

Elder Torrie has found out to entertain children -- make paper airplanes after Primary!  An easy way to become popular!!  L-R: Precious, Barak, Ezra, Jimo, Daisy, and of course Elder Torrie doing what he does best.

Barak, Solomon, Ezra, Jimo and Precious learning the fine art of stapling the wings of the plane so it stays together.  As you can see from Elder Torrie's face, he loves helping the kids.  We will miss these sweet children!  Thank goodness we still have a couple of months left.  The time has FLOWN by . . . Ha ha.  Pun intended.

Daisy having great fun with her paper airplane.  Yes, many of the girls have their hair shaved almost right off.  Must be easier to care for it.  Daisy is a very fine young lady and I love her a lot.  She knows her scriptures, loves to sing, has a great memory.  She'll go far, or rather, she'll fly far!!

Precious and Daisy with their paper airplanes.

Elder Torrie helping Ezra and Jimo.  Jimo speaks very little English and even though he doesn't understand much of what goes on in Primary, he comes every week and stays the whole time.

Barak enjoying his airplane.

Solomon has a beautiful smile.

Solo and Barak

Jimo with the top of Elcan's head in the picture.  He lost his airplane somewhere.  Hopefully he will find it.

Ah . . . the lost is found.  Doesn't Elcan look cute in his suit?  He and his family are from Ghana.  They have also lived in other places, such as the US.  His dad is our branch president.

Now we're off to Rongai so LeRon can give piano lessons in the Rongai Ward.  This is the building they meet in.  They have the whole 4th floor which, in the West, would be the 5th floor.  Lots of steps to climb to get there.  I count them every time but I can't remember right now how many there are.  They are the most uneven stairs we've encountered thus far.  And we've encountered a LOT of uneven stairs!

I'm standing on the 4th floor of the Rongai Ward.  Love the curves and the interesting designs.

Sister Masibo, one of our missionaries, is leading the Rongai choir.  She's a great choir director.  And the choir sang at the recent Stake Conference and they sounded like angels.  They sing a capella and they are great at singing in harmony.

Here's two more of our missionaries.  Sister Matata is on the left in the front row and Sister Bamutesiza is on the right.  These two, along with Sister Masibo are a missionary threesome.

Elder Ang'ila is another of our returned Kenya Nairobi missionaries.  He's now in the Rongai Ward, enjoying singing with the choir.  Kenyans love to sing!

More Rongai Ward singers.

Sister Bamutesiza, front and center, waiting for the song to start.  She is a lovely girl from Uganda.

Love that smile, Sister Matata (on left).  She is from Kenya.

Sister Masibo; Peter's wife, Pauline; Sister Evelyn; Sister Matata.  

Now we're at Nairobi West Stake Conference.  Elder Lotulelei, Elder Ellis, Elder Kiio, Elder Kyomya, smiling Elder Jameson.  Does he ever not smile?

Elder Torrie is here with two of our favorite people -- Andrew Kiserema from our Langata Branch, and Scriven, our adopted Albertan.  Scriven spent 7 years in Edmonton, Alberta, studying at the university there.  He has the Albertan lingo down pat and if you weren't looking at him, you'd never think he was Kenyan.  Andrew too spent time in Canada when his father worked at the Kenyan embassy in Ottawa.  Andrew lived there about 5 years but doesn't have the Canadian accent.  We love both these young men.

Sister Maina (pronounced My-ee-nah) is a returned missionary from our Kenya Nairobi Mission.  She gave a great talk about the temple at the Saturday session of stake conference.  Elder Torrie and I also spoke at stake conference but in the Sunday morning session.  Because there were so many speakers, we didn't really have a chance to give our talks but were able to bear testimony of the importance of the temple in our lives.  I quoted Elder Bednar who promised young people (and also adults) protection in their youth and throughout their lives if they would participate in family history work.

The missionaries love to get together whenever they can.  Elder Ellis, Elder Carlson, Elder Jameson.

Elder Mbaya is from the DR Congo and is doing well learning English.  French is his main language after his tribal language.  Africans are proficient in many languages -- often one or two tribal languages as well as their national language.

Elder McGrath (with a suit that is now way too big for him!), Elder Jameson, and Elder Somniso with a Kenyan member.

Elder Breidenbaugh

Elder Manu-Tuinei and Elder Breidenbaugh are companions.

Elder Jameson, Elder Lotulelei, Elder McGrath

Elder Mwashi on left and Elder Kyomya (pronounced chome-ya)

Elder McGrath and Elder Ellis

Sister Bamutesiza in middle and Elder Kyomya

Elder Mwashi and Elder Ellis are Assistants to the President.  We are not supposed to call them "AP's".  They are called "Assistants."

Sister Dhaima and Sister Auma are companions

Ha ha.  Sisters are always so particular about their pictures!  Sister Auma insisted on a closer pictures.  These are lovely sisters.

And here I am with Sister Masibo.  Nice to be in a picture once in a while!

Elder Vidonyi is a returned missionary from our Kenya Nairobi Mission.  He is planning on wedding bells in the near future.

I tried gathering some of our Langata Branch members.  So nice to see them at stake conference.

Because I work in the Primary at church, I don't know all the names of other people in the branch but I certainly know their faces and I love them dearly.  Back row L-R: I know this sister but not her name; Precious and Patricia's mother; Emma Baddoo (wow -- she's really grown since we've been here), Sister Young Women president; Sister Baddoo (the RS president); this young man I know by sight; tall young returned missionary who really understands the gospel.  Front L-R:  Precious, Jimo, Whitney, Patricia.  Aren't they a handsome and beautiful bunch?

2017 Mission Tour Nairobi Zone Conference

Elder Palmer of the Quorum of Seventy (and also a counselor in our Africa Southeast Area) is touring our mission with his wife, Sister Palmer.  We had a choice day with them as they spoke to missionaries in Nairobi.  They are now traveling to all places in the mission.  It will be a hectic week for them as they fly here and fly there and drive to other places.  They will have to have a good rest when they get back to Johannesburg, South Africa.  But as my mother always used to say, "There's no rest for the wicked and the righteous don't need any."  Ha ha.  Elder and Sister Palmer are two very good people and we were privileged to be with them.  Sister Palmer was born in the UK and Elder Palmer in New Zealand.  Was great to visit with them.

Elder Lotulelei with a prospective missionary a couple of days before the zone conference.

We met up with these KNM returned missionaries:  Sister Mayoli, Sister Atieno, Sister Njoroge J, and Sister Omo.  Hardly recognized them without their name tags.  We also saw Sister Maina but didn't get a picture of her.  Aren't they lovely young ladies?

We got to host Elder McIntyre and Elder Jameson the night before the Zone Conference.  Fun to get to know them a little better.  They were starving (as all missionaries are) and I happened to have some taco soup in the freezer and they wolfed it down.  They were also happy to have delicious milk and chocolate syrup and Nestles strawberry mix.  Yeah for Carrefour here in Nairobi.  We can get things they can't get out in the Kilungu Hills.

Happy Elder McIntyre and Elder Jameson -- their tummies are full!

Sister Msane is trying to get all the missionaries gathered for a picture with Elder and Sister Palmer.  Chaos reigns!

Now Sister Palmer (left) and Sister Msane (right) are both trying to arrange things.  Elder & Sister Lillywhite and Elder Torrie and me were not able to be in the picture.  Sister Lillywhite and I were taking pictures and the men were out hobnobbing somewhere.

Ah . . . silence reigns. . . . and everyone can be seen.  Back L-R:  Elder Harrott, Elder Mukengela, Elder Jameson, Elder Wilson, Elder Limu, Elder Brown, Elder Card, Elder McIntyre, Elder Cotts, Elder Otika, Elder McGrath, Elder Kyomya, Elder Tucker, Elder Mwashi, Elder Nyanhamo, Elder Somniso, Elder Ochieng, Elder Soita.  Second row L--R: Elder Latta, Elder Merz, Elder Carlson, Elder Mbaya, Sister Msane, President Msane, Elder Palmer, Sister Palmer, Elder Coombs, Elder Akpu, Elder Gimeyi, Elder Ellis, Elder Kiio, Elder Lotulelei, Elder Agesa, Elder Hales.  Seated L-R:  Sister Auma, Sister Acii, Sister Mbatha, Sister Okila, Sister Kiio, Sister Bamutesiza, Sister Masibo, Sister Matata, Sister Dhaima.  Oh my goodness WHERE are Elder Manu-tuinei and Elder Breidenbaugh???  They must have needed a pit stop.  Sad that they are not in the picture.

Left side:  Elder Kyomya, Sister Matata, Sister Dhaima.  Right side: Sister Bamutesiza, Sister Auma, Elder Cotts.

Sister Dhaima, Sister Masibo, Sister Mbatha, Elder Cotts, Sister Auma.

Elder Mwashi, Elder Ochieng, Elder Soita

Sister Kiio, Sister Okila, Elder Otika

Elder Nyanhamo, Elder Gimeyi, Elder Somniso

Elder Limu, Elder Latta

Elder Limu and Elder Latta with Elder and Sister Palmer

Elder Akpu, Elder Coombs, Elder Merz

Ah, here's the missing Elder Manu-tuinei with Elder Ellis

Elder Kiio and Elder McIntyre (with his Scottish tie).

Elder McIntyre, Elder Hales, Elder Lotulelei, Elder Agesa

Elder Agesa, Elder Lotulelei (in back), Elder Wilson, the missing Elder Breidenbaugh.

Elder Hales and Elder Agesa:  brothers!

Elder Wilson and Elder Breidenbaugh eating with VERY BAD MANNERS!!!

That's a bit better, Elder Wilson and Elder Breidenbaugh

Elder McGrath, Elder Jameson

Elder Brown, Elder Card, Elder Harrott

Elder Mukengela and Elder Tucker (oh my!)

Elder Carlson, Elder Mbaya

Elder Hales, Elder Lotulelei

Elder Kiio, Elder Akpu, Elder Coombs

Sister Lillywhite and Sister Palmer

Had to get my Canadians together for a picture.  WHAT is going on, Elder Wilson and Elder Card?  L-R: Elder Wilson from Toronto, Elder Latta from Calgary, Elder Card from Cardston, Elder Coombs from Edmonton.

Canadian missionaries are kind of special, don't you think?  Just missing Elder Le Cheminant from Airdrie.  And Elder & Sister Torrie of course.

Elder Harrott, Elder Carlson

Elder Harrott, Elder Merz, Elder Carlson

Elder Brown, Elder Mwashi, Elder Otika, Elder Ochieng, Elder Soita

Elder Otika, Elder Nyanhamo, Elder Ochieng, Elder Tucker, Elder Mukengela, Elder Agesa in front.

Elder Limu, Elder Kyomya

Elder Merz, Elder Gimeyi, Elder Otika

Elder McGrath and Sister Palmer

This history of the Church in Kenya was posted in the Upper Hill chapel.  Very interesting and very up-to-date with the announcement of the Nairobi Temple in April of this year.

The two senior couples here in Nairobi (us -- Elder Torrie and me -- and Elder & Sister Lillywhite) and President and Sister Msane spent the evening together at Tamambo's restaurant with Elder & Sister Palmer.  It was a very choice experience to get to know the Palmers.  They are a lovely couple and you could feel that Elder Palmer truly is called of God to help lead the Church as a member of the Quorum of the Seventy.  We learned that the Area Presidencies are the only presidencies in the church in which the president does not choose the counselors.  All Area Presidencies are by assignment of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve.  We loved getting to know the Palmers.

 

Sister Msane had a special treat for each person.  She had thought of a saying to write for each person and had the chefs prepare a special dessert plate for each.  So sweet of her.  Literally sweet!  The chocolate writing was delicious!!

Sister Msane knows that I don't eat many sweet things anymore but she still had something special for me.  She is a lovely person and I love her as my sister!  We always tell people that we are sisters but from different mothers.  I've said that to some children and they look at us like we're nuts!

Videos of Missionaries Singing

For pictures of missionaries at the September MLC see the previous post.  This one is just videos of missionaries singing.  This time I cut the videos into shorter segments.  I only did a video of Army of Helaman but next time I will video them singing Scripture Power and Book of Mormon Stories.  Primary choristers everywhere would be proud of their little Primary children now grown who still love the Primary songs and still remember the actions.  I'm going to put videos of Elder Rasmussen singing "Consider the Lilies" but LeRon needs to make it smaller for me first.  I should have cut it into more segments like I did the following videos.