June 16, 2014

HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!!!! Your are the best!!

Well this past week did not start off well at all.  Tuesday and Thursday were pretty bad to be honest.  Lots of bounced appointments, but i probably shouldn't complain about that because its the name of the game! Ha but just pretty disappointing, but both me and Elder Dick did our best to try to make the most of things.  Not a ton accomplished as far as numbers, but it was pretty productive.

 One thing that was cool that we did is that we were able to visit one of the members, Sister Rhoda who was in the Hospital for her son. PS sis Rhoda is super cool member who sometimes washes our clothes for us!  Anyways her son who is less than a year old got malaria and pneumonia at the same time, so he was super super sick.  So we just decided to stop by and see what we could do to help out at all.  She said that there was nothing really we could do, but we could tell she was really grateful for us coming to visit and cheer her up. Mourning with those that mourn, comforting those that stand in need of comfort!! Just showed me how much it means to those who are in distress when someone goes out of their way to help or comfort them. Serving and helping others is key to happiness. Also I learned how bad Kenyan Hospitals are. 1). 4 people to one hospital bed. 2). the doctors here do not know how to find a vein. They just poke randomly. 3). Smells like old people. 

Friday was super super great!!! We did our street contacting finding activity, and had 3 branch members show up, President Kwendo, Cosmas, and Silah.  And all of them were on fire talking to people.  They were really setting the example for us! All of them were chasing people down trying to talk to everyone! I was really amazed by their efforts.  Within one hour we talked to/contacted 200 people.  So hope something comes from that.  After that we went back to the church where we had some great lessons there with three of our investigators with a baptismal date, Bernard (25), Josephine (18), and Walter (40).  All of them are doing great and we hope to have some baptisms within the next 3 weeks if all goes well.  I especially like Walter! Super great and powerful guy. We gave him a word of wisdom pamphlet last time and told him to read it during the week.  As he read thru, he noticed it said not to take tea.  At first he said that he was really taken back and even kind of offended, but then he read and saw that this was a revelation from God to the prophet Joseph Smith.  Once he saw that he said he knew it was true! So he has been living the word of wisdom, even though it is difficult for him. YA! Conversion in the process!

Also on Saturday we went to Misikhu to do bapt interviews for 5 people! Took up most of our day though.  We left at 8:00 in the morning, didn't get back to kitale till 3:00!! Most of the time was taken up by riding in matatu's. Spent like 3 and a half hours just traveling! But it was ok, the interviews went great and that's all that counts.  Great to see people changing their lives to draw closer to the Saviour. 

But things are great!! Hope that Dad had a great day!! Love you all!!!

Elder Thomas

PS this week i was talking to some members, trying to use what little swahili i know, and i tried to say 'This boy wants to be a doctor' and they all started laughing. I was like what is going on?? Then they told me i said 'he wants to be a witchdoctor' ... they all thought it was funny but i didn't!! hahahaaha.