Monday, December 9, 2013

December 9, 2013

Another really fast week! a lot happened and it was a great week.
So this week we mostly met with and visited less active members, we got to see about 16 different less active families. we have recently seen a pretty good increase of attendance with less active members in our branches, so we are happy that the spirit is working within the members here! We also did a lot of service, mostly working in the shambas doing some weeding and plowing.  It was kind of funny because some people passed by and were in disbelief... seeing 2 white men out in the fields working! ha so many people were staring. But it was good doing the service, the people we served were very grateful and happy for us helping them.  Really got me thinking of Mosiah 2:17.
Two pretty cool experiences we had this week in two of our lessons, both about going to the temple.  So on Sunday we went to go visit one of the really old, strong members of the branch, Brother Jeremiah.  He was baptized in 2004 with his wife,he and his wife are both in their 90's, and they only speak kikamba and a little swahili ha. Also  They both walk to church every week and have super strong testimonies about the Church and gospel.  So we were visiting with them for a while and then it got about time for us to leave. Before we left, i asked him if he needed us to help him with anything, like working in the shamba or just with anything else (we had a member there with us to translate.). I thought he was going to want us to help in his shamba, but instead he said " I want you missionaries to continue to visit me and my wife, so that you can help us to one day go to the temple and be sealed." At first i didn't even know what to say, i was just  super taken back. I had never thought that he had even ever thought about going to the temple. But to be honest i teared up a little ha it was just way to awesome that he had that desire to go to be sealed to his wife! I really don't know if he will really be able to go to the temple with his wife because of his old age, but i know that he really does have that true desire to go. But its ok because God judges us based on the intents and desires of our heart. So if he doesn't get the chance in this life, i know he will in the life to come! It was really spiritual experience, and i look forward to continue to visit him.
So right after that visit with Jeremiah, we went to go see James and teach him the after baptism lessons, funny enough we were able to teach him about Temples and eternal marriages.  So we taught and discussed about temples, and he was really interested  and in-tuned to what we were saying. After the lesson we asked him if he had any questions or any anything to say. He didn't have any questions, but he talked a lot about how he cant wait for the day for him and his family to go to South Africa to be sealed in the temple there.  He says that's one of his biggest goals right now. He also talked about how grateful he was that we were able to help him come unto the truth and to lead him to the path where by his family can be together forever. It was such a powerful and awesome lesson! Got me to think how truly blessed we are to be in the true church with the fullness of Christ gospel. What a blessing it is to be able to go to the temple to be sealed as families for all time and eternity.  I am super grateful for temples and the things that we can do and perform there.  I really hope one day soon, a temple will come here to Kenya so that the wonderful members here can enjoy this blessing more often. 
Also this week we had district conference, which was nice. Hopefully Chyulu will become the next stake in Kenya! (which would be the 2nd stake in Kenya). there are enough members, but still needs to be more active Melchizedek priesthood holders. So we will work on that. 
Also this week i got to kill my first chicken! ya it was pretty interesting, and it tasted pretty good.  We just got together as a zone and had like a bbq kind of thing. it was nice! But killing a chicken is pretty weird... and they do run around after you kill them.
But things are good! we have transfer news tonight so we will see what happens... i think i might stay tho. but we will see. I love you all and have a super week!
Elder Thomas

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