Dec. 11 2023
These past five months have pushed us probably in every area. Having many different experiences, embracing a new culture, learning the Humanitarian work, learning to work 24/7 with each other 😊 has all brought growth. It has been difficult at times and yet wonderful!
With all of these things it is humbling as we continue to learn to stretch and grow. We continue to turn to Jesus Christ and to go forward each day one step at a time. There have been so many tender mercies which fills us with gratitude.
This beautiful picture by Kate Lee shows how we can and need to give the Savior our weaknesses and our burdens. Jesus is always there for us and will walk with us. A favorite song is, “I Will Walk With Jesus” who promises us, and “I Will Walk With You.” We know this is true.
This is a special time of year. We do miss our family, extended family and friends. We love all of you.
Merry Christmas❤️ 🎄
Pictures
These past five months have pushed us probably in every area. Having many different experiences, embracing a new culture, learning the Humanitarian work, learning to work 24/7 with each other😊has all brought growth. It has been difficult at times and yet wonderful!. With all of these things it is humbling as we continue to learn to stretch and grow. We continue to turn to Jesus Christ and to go forward each day one step at a time. There have been so many tender mercies which fills us with gratitude. This beautiful picture by Kate Lee shows how we can and need to give the Savior our weaknesses and our burdens. Jesus is always there for us and will walk with us. A favorite song is, “I Will Walk With Jesus” who promises us, and “I Will Walk With You.” We know this is true. This is a special time of year. We do miss our family, extended family and friends. We love all of you. Merry Christmas❤️
The office of this school.
Special needs Latrine
Training in Kenya with the Area Presidency. A very nice Christmas devotional. There was great training from the area manager and others.
Need of some classrooms to be demolished then rebuilt and some renovated.
The Chang’ombe district(there are no stakes here) choir. We enjoyed being with them and getting to know them better. We have spent most of our time here with the Dar es Salaam church members. Our mission President and his wife are very busy. He is the mission Pres. Of Tanzania and the main priesthood leader of the country. There is alot of traveling and training. They have three children. Our choir director is on the far left. We also found out that he is on the team that translates the General Conferences for the church into the Swahili language, along with his sister and brother. He shared with us how when he was young his father wanted his children to learn English. Every weekday morning at 5am he taught them for one hour. They went to school learning in Swahili, and at 4pm and 9pm he taught his chldren English again for another hour each. I can see how they were prepared to be translators now. He had the opportunity to do Pres. Nelson’s talk.
We invited a few friends over and we invited my piano student to make Ugali to eat with Farrell’s curry chicken that night. Ugali is served with most African meals. It is basically corn flour and water. It starts thin and eventually thickens up as it heats up
Sis. Hutchinson organized and cooked and baked most of this wonderful Thanksgiving meal for 90 of the mission. The missionares had a great time. It was good.
The crowsnest at the top of our villa. A beautiful and calming effect for us.
Our institute class we were invited to attend from our Branch Pres. He loves these young adults. He told us that he feels it is so important for them to learn truth. It will carry them and be a great help as they move forward in their lives. The classes are in Swahili. These young people have asked great questions. Sime have only been members for a year or so. They are a great group.
This is our chapel. I am enjoying teaching piano lessons from 5-6 students. I know of very few who play the piano here. They are very limited in their ability to play and are used to singing acapella. There was a couple who a number of years ago established a program where an individual who cannot get lessons can participate. If they get where they can play a couple of hymns from the simplified hymnbook and help teach someone else they get to keep a small keyboard. It is rewarding to see how excited they get.
We invited three sisters and our friend Daniel(he drives for the mission and has been wonderful in going to beneficiaries to translate for us.) to our home. They moved here two years ago, they joined the church one year ago. They have not seen the Mother for two years and are so excited that she is coming for a visit.
This was theur furst time to make cookies. 😊
They had a great time decorating the Christmas tree 🎄
Love these girls❤️
While in Kenya for training we got to go to a Game Preserve. It was like West Yellow where you drive through with your vehicle.
Saw on our hike
These guys made me smile…
I liked seeing this Mom and her baby
It was fun to go on a little hike, very lush and green.
It was a great day being able to relax and take some time and drive through the Park looking for animals.
We were excited to get a nativity from a woodcarvers shop. In one shopping area There are about 60 little shops each about the size of a small bedroom. They have a variety of items they sell. There are a lot of wood carvings. We have seen a couple of woocarvers do a little carving. They use a sharp knife. It is very interesting.
This is ebony
This is the other side. It is called the ancestory tree.
I think I saw a photo like this once in National Geographic.
Did the millennium just begin? This was so peaceful. All the animals safely grazing together.
This Rhino walked right in front of our truck. Luckily, it was more interested in eating.
Hiking in Nairobi Game Reserve.
Hartebeest, Nairobi
These Gazelles were beautiful.
Videos
Crocodile, this pair were swimming towards each other from a little ways apart, forcing what was in the water into a small area where they could attack.
