Week 63: A Very Merry Christmas!

Wellll now I can start singing that song that goes something like "I'll be home for Christmassssss!" Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a Happy New Year in a few days!

Just a rundown of the week -- Tuesday we had transfers which were relatively easy, Elder Ita was taken to the airport to go to Arusha and Elder Muthoni, my new companion, came from Mbezi Beach here in Dar.

Wednesday we had DDM in Mbezi and saw some people and peeled potatoes for a while for a recent convert family.

Christmas was sweet. We went with the Branch President at 8:00 in a bajaji and delivered Christmas to 2 families that were really in need. Really short and really powerful. Then changed and went to the couples at 10:00 and had a fun Christmas party (and yes lotsss of food) 'til 4:00.

Went back to our flat for 5 minutes and changed then the Branch President picked us up again and took us to KFC (we were already stuffed), where we could barely finish 2 pieces then that was about 7:00 pm, and he wanted to make sure we weren't hungry Christmas night so he bought us a bucket of chicken, which is quite expensive here, for us to take home. We ate it for breakfast the next morning. Love that man.

Thursday morning we left at 6:45 am to the couples to Skype the family which was sweet to talk to all of you . . . those times are always the quickest minutes of my whole mission. Definitely the highlight of the week.

Saturday we had the District Christmas party at our chapel which was sweet, had recent converts, investigators and less active members all show up.

Sunday my companion and I both gave talks during Sacrament Meeting- I think it was my first talk since Durban, over a year ago. This time I had someone translate for me because I don’t know everything (actually many things) in Swahili.

And today we went to the famous gym, then had a huuuge rain lightning thunder storm then waited for the power to come back and now we have a little time to email.

A few things -- No I do not drive a F150 truck, that was a big joke.

A super nice thing is all week there has been no traffic because everyone left Dar to go back to their villages for Christmas. If only it was like this all the time.

And everyone please send picturessss. It's cool to see what's happening at home. I know y'all love the pictures I send so shoot me some as well!

Love you all - 'til next year!

Mzee Eveson

Much Love from the KNM

Today's storm that decided to do my wash for me
 -- flooded our compound and we almost had to
use these wash basins as canoes!

Tug-o-war

Elder Mickelsen . . . and me

Christmas Selfie

Everybody on a Sunny Christmas Day

Miceklsons, Smiths, and me

Good times at Christmas

Christmas Wonderment

Branch President Sambo taking us to KFC for Christmas Dinner

Interesting point of view

Christmas Cheer!

Me, Yohanna & Justin

Elder Orenge and me riding in the Bajiji

Breakfast . . . complements of President Sambo of the Malawi Branch

Soda!! Think there is enough for our Christmas Party?!

Two of my main men - both Returned Missionaries.
The one on the left was my AP when I was in Durban.

Week 62: Baptism, Gym & Transfer News before Christmas

Lots happening here in Dar, I hope I can capture a few of the things.

Crazy few days- got transfer news Elder Ita will be going to serve in Arusha. I will be with Elder Muthoni who is from Kenya and was currently serving as the district leader here in Dar. I am bummed to leave Elder Ita but I know Elder Muthoni and I will be able to do lots of great work in Kinondoni, even though I know he does not like Dar at all because of the heat, haha. And I have gained a testimony of the saying "Don't serve with your best friend". Hahahaha

My last area I found out this transfer they put 2 more Elders in it! So the nice flat I moved into in Mautuma now has 4 elders- Elder Tebbs who I left there and his new companion, then Elder Thomas and his new Elder he is training. And Elder Tebbs was also trained by Elder Thomas, so it is one mission family living in the same flat. Anyways- super excited for my old area.

We had the baptism of Emmanuel this week and it was amazing. The spirit was so strong and he was so happy for the day to be here. He was saying how happy he was for the day of his baptism to come so the Atonement and its effects can to come into his life. I will always remember his baptism and being able to share that experience with him was amazing. A true kingdom builder who is now starting to prepare for mission.

This week is busy with transfers and getting ready for Christmas-- looking forward to Christmas day with the branch president then couples and all the missionaries then the branch president again in the evening! And the district Christmas party on Saturday.

Pix below include the gym we love heading to. The owner is the maaaannnn! Yes, he works out a bit. He has 3 children, and they all live in a small room. Supppperrrr nice guy. And we pay what we can when we go. Everyone there is super chill. I gave him the Giants shirt.  Bought it off a guy along the road in Kenya after I found out they won the World Series.

Baptism photos of Emmanuel -- he is so happy.

Washing dishes outside with my $3 Ducks hat from the market. And a photo from playing ball with the Senior Couples . . . these Grandpas got game!!

Sorry for the short responses this week because of time but see some of y'all on Skype on Christmas!!

And please everyone watch the video below and remember what CHRISTmas truly is all about!!
http://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HPFR112814529

MERRY CHRISTMAS and Go Ducks!

Mzee Eveson

Elder Ita

Who needs a 24 Hr Fitness??

Pumping Iron -- Scrap Iron, that is.

Route to the Gym, complete with Animals

Alley way to the gym

Our Awesome Personal Trainer - he owns the gym - and his son

Yeah, he works out a bit.

Wow.

Emmanuel's Baptism

The Lord's Blessings are Abundant

Washing dishes outside - pressure is better than in our kitchen

Grandpas got game!!

Week 61: The Story of Christ's Birth Never Grows Old, No Matter How Often Told

It's beginning to look a lot like......summer!
Summer every day all dayyy.

We will get transfer news this Sunday night- pretty unfortunate the transfer ends some few days before Christmas instead of after. But I think my companion will be leaving unfortunately. I wouldn't mind being with him for Christmas and a few more transfers though- he is a great guy.

One night this week we didn't have power and it was a horrrible night. Imagine trying to sleep in a super hot sauna/house in the hottest city in East Africa. It just didn't work. Power hasn't been a problem until this last week but thankfully we have only been without it once at night.

We were not able to have our baptism this week because of a water problem at the church to fill the font but hopefully we will be having it this Saturday. Had a super nice lesson in Priesthood about the Birth of the Savior. One quote I took away from it was 'The story of Christ's birth never grows old, no matter how often told'.

It was nice to have 2 returned missionaries back to the Branch in the same week, one Elder from Zimbabwe and a Sister back from Uganda ... and for me-- a year left before I finish seems not that long at all. Time is flying.

This week amongst other things, I was studying the talk Teaching Helps Save Lives by Russell T. Osguthorpe and I found it really nice especially relating to missionary work and the importance of it.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/teaching-helps-save-lives?lang=eng

Not much else for this week except my companion and I found a gym we go to every morning now- and I have a testimony you don't need a 24 hour fitness to get ripped. That will make sense with the pictures I send next week.

Hope ya'll got some pictures today though.

Annnnnd pretty glad to see MARCUS MARIOTA snag the Heisman!

Go Ducks!

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Bowling -- and I rocked the High Score!

Riding a Bull - because Why Not?!

Place where we get our eggs -- yeah, they have a few!

Doin' the Lord's Work

Tent I tried to make to escape the heat and keep cool
when our AC went out -- No, it didn't work. 
Was even hotter. So tough to sleep!

Week 60: New Address & New Opportunities

Hey! Hope all is well with everyone gearing up for the Christmas season.

We got on yesterday to email then 10 minutes later there was no internet, so here we are today for a few minutes. Sorry to the emails I don’t have time to get back to-- would have had time yesterday. Just wrote President now y’all then getting off. But I did read them! And today is a holiday here so we barely found a cyber that is open- and even still the internet isn’t that great. Haha.

PSA: MY NEW ADDRESS WHILE IN DAR:

Elder Brandon Eveson
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Kenya Nairobi Mission
PO Box 31521
Dar es Salaam
-TANZANIA-

Sending things to that address will make them get to me about a week faster now that I am not in Kenya. And remember to write -VIA AIRMAIL- on letters so they don’t take 5+ months to get here by boat.

Few things- great week with my companion teaching. Some lessons are in English but lots in Swahili. This week we will have a baptism Sunday (hopefully) for the brother in law to the branch president- powerful guy. His name is Emmanuel, 23 years old and he is from Malawi (same as the Branch President).

Also, this legit guy named Rakish showed up to church on the 30th out of nowhere. He said he has passed by the church every day for the last 2 ½ years and always said to himself he would come see how we worship. He did and he felt something he has never felt at any other church. (He has been in and out of every church you can think of, even Muslim, and has read all the religious books he has come across.) He said if he would have known what he did after a week of knowing us, he would have come attended 2 ½ years ago when he moved here. He knows perfect English and is still learning Swahili since he moved here from India for work. He is 23, (I thought he was like 28-30) and he attended Institute on Saturday (full of returned missionaries and future missionaries) and everyone there made him feel really welcome. He wants to be baptized and go on a mission. Sunday he flew back to India and he will be back right around New Year’s Day for us to teach him. He had never heard of the church until he moved in right behind it here in Dar es Salaam.

It actually rained a bit this week which was nice. The heat and humidity somehow take it out of me. I've gotten somewhat tan pretty fast here.

Friday I had an interview with President Hicken over Skype which was pretty sweet. We just did it at the couple's flat. I love interviews with President- he always knows the best things to say. We are interviewed every 3 months and it seems like it was just a few weeks ago I was interviewed. Time flies. And just a few weeks til I’ll be skyping some of you- assuming everything works out. Details to follow.

Had a super fun zone activity yesterday--I will send pictures next week!

Go Ducks,

Mzee Eveson

Kenya Nairobi Mission

Week 59: Baptisms & Ocean Time

Well I’ll keep it simple. Crazy week.

Tuesday we had to pick up Elder Anderson at the airport and on the way home we stopped at a mall that has a small 4 lane bowling alley in it! Of course we had to play a game. Then played some pool and some arcade games.

Wednesday we had MLC- Mission Leadership Counsel- with the Assistants and President and Sister Hicken. Great meeting- definitely spirit filled. Great food after.

Thursday we went and found a super sweet public beach before Elder Anderson flew back to Mwanza because to that point we had never touched the Indian Ocean. (Happy Thanksgiving!)

Friday my companion and I were sick.

Saturday we went to the Sisters’ baptisms in Ubungo which went reallllly well (and yes, I was asked to baptize) It was cool because that was my companion’s old area and the people he found to teach so they wanted him to come and baptize. It was reallllly weird baptizing in a chapel for my first time. All my other baptisms have been in outdoor fonts.

On Sunday, a white lady came to church - turns out she is a member. I ask where she is from - says the states. I say where, she says Oregon. I say where, she says Corvallis. Then I told her I am from Portland and she was super shocked. She is like 28 and is here for a few months doing doctor stuff with hospitals.

Today we went to Kunduchi - a nice hotel and resort and went to the beach there. Suuuper fun. Almost felt like vacation. Except we can’t swim but it was super fun with the whole zone.

Qs—

How long are you going to be in a three some? He left last week

How do you like being in the city? A looooot different than my last area. I love it.

Do you get to drive the F150 every day? Hahahahhaha I was totally joking about that

Do they drive on the left side of the road? Yup

How was Thanksgiving? Did you eat any turkey? Great, and no- just some chicken and chips from Eddy Babas

Well thassss it! Pretty crazy busy week. Looking forward to a normal working week! Go Ducks!

Til next weeeeek

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Bowling Fun

Making Memories

Pool Sharks

Matching Ties & Shirts

Missionaries with Sister Hicken

Ball in Suits

Checking out the Indian Ocean

Nice to see the water!

New Converts with Elder Ita and me

Fun at the Beach

Elder Ita - such a Great guy!

Handstand!

Opportunities Everywhere

Hard Work

Week 58: Time to Organize & Enjoy the Africa Southeast Conference

This will be brief- on our pday there a few more fun things to do here in Dar compared to my last area where all we had time to do is email. So emailing time is a bit shorter depending on what we do that day.

Elder Ita and I are doing great. Wednesday we had a nice district meeting training a bit. The only thing about this week was my companion was pretty weak and we werent able to go out and teach- just taught English class twice this week then taught one of our great investigators. Not sure what the cause of him not feeling well was but he was just a little weaker than normal. We were able to clean our flat and reorganize it a lotttt this week which it really needed. Cleanliness is next to Godliness!

Then we had district conference this weekend and watched the broadcast like everyone at home but it was for the Africa Southeast area. It was really nice. I really enjoyed every minute. Elder Gay spoke, then a Sister in the RS presidency, then Elder Bednar, and then President Uchtdorf closed it out. It was sweeeeet and it was direct revelation just for this area. There is a big difference between the tribal culture and the gospel culture.

This week my companion and I have a Mission Leadership Conference so the Zone Leader from Arusha is coming and also Elder Anderson from Mwanza so it is about to be a sweeeeeeettttt. The meeting will be Wednesday with President and Sister Hicken and the APs. Then the Sisters (super sweet to serve around Sisters for the first time in my mission) are having baptisms on Saturday so we might end up going to their area for those.

As for me though--- I am loooooving it here. Reminds me so much of Hawaii. It is usually around 95 degrees (every.single.day.) but with the humidity it adds about 15 degrees to what it feels. I have not felt cold since I left Kenya (even at 6am)- except when we crank up the air conditioning in our bedroom when we sleep. I am about to be taaan quick though. And my companion is suuuuuuuuuuuppper sweet. I just love it here. :)

Til next week from paradise

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Week 57: Back in Tanzania

Monday evening I almost signed my weekly email to everyone 'Til next time from Dar es Salaam' then walking out of the cyber about 3 hours before we got transfer news I mentioned to Elder Tebbs that I should have sent my pictures for the Christmas slideshow to the APs while I was on the computer. He replied don't worry next Monday is the deadline, and I came back with: "I'm not sure how the internet at the cyber will be in Dar es Salaam."

That was quite the call from President Hicken Monday night asking if I would be a Zone Leader in Dar es Salaam, and arriving here Friday up to now I am really excited and grateful to have the privilege to be here. I thought I would be really sad leaving that area and place but when I heard Tanzania, it was all excitement. I am excited to get to know the language really well and will pray for the gift of tongues and for the gift of interpretation. The Swahili they speak here is sooooooo much different and more pure than Kenyan Swahili.

Elder Moline is now a zone leader in Kitale- whitewashing it with his trainer.

Tuesday we went back to Mautuma- some members dropped by to say bye to me then I had an hour to pack which was crazy. Went to Kitale and spent the night then Wednesday morning took the 9 hour bus ride to Nairobi. Saw a lot of Elders because it was transfers which was fun. Elder Beacom (my companion in the hills) was the highlight. Also met Elder Williams from Raymond, Alberta.

Thursday just kinda sat around the mission office and flew out Friday afternoon. Got here (saw one of the Mt. Kilimanjaro peaks from the plane) and met the Micklesons (one of the senior couples here-- the other is the Smiths) and met both my companions. Yeah the Dar es Salaam zone is so bad and disobedient they need 3 ZLs over 8 other missionaries. Kidding- the real story is my companion is Elder Ita'aehau from Arizona (yes he is Tongan and yes, another from AZ) and Elder Kisesi is supposed to go to Kenya but his passport got stolen so he has to go through Uganda first then to Kenya. He will probably fly out sometime this week to Uganda.

Friday night got some niiiice chips mayai which is everywhere at night here in TZ

Saturday we had a funeral pretty much all day for the 1st Counselor of the Branch who passed away on Thursday, then Sunday after Church (yes which is all in Swahili), all of the branches went to the house and it was like a funeral service part 2. Looking forward to teaching some lessons this week- up to right now I have not taught a lesson since we were in Kipkarren on 8 November. Transfers in the Kenya Nairobi Mission!

Elder Ita'aehau, Elder Kisesi and I are doing great together her in Kinindoni, Dar es Salaam. It seems as if we have been together for a transfer as a 3-sum already. I just fit right in. It has been a few good days.
And my trainer, Elder Anderson, is coming over from Mwanza next week for Mission Leadership Council which will be suuuper sweet to be together again.

An Elder in a States Mission said this in his weekly email home—

"Our mission will be off of Facebook for a while because our whole Mission’s numbers are garbage. Last October we had 44 baptisms as a Mission, compared to 11 this October. Pretty lousy. Oh well, things will improve."

Elders- maybe you should send your iPads this side hahaha

Questions:

How many missionaries are serving in Dar es Salaam? 11 at the moment

Are you on bikes or walking? We have a Ford f150. But usually we walk and take Daladalas everywhere

Do they have a McDonalds? Nope but they do have a KFC in one of the malls and then a Subway a 6 minute walk from us! I went from the middle of nowhereeeeee to a huge city, a big change.

Can you go to soccer games? Depends

Do you live in the city? Kind of- more like a suburb. Still getting to know places.

Did you fly for the transfer? Yup! An hour flight

How close is Kilimanjaro? About a 30 minute plane ride or 12 hour bus ride

Do you have an actual address to mail to? Same one that everyone has used the past year! Send it to the mission office in Nairobi and they will get it to me.

What's your favorite thing about your Mission? Seeing people come unto Christ and being able to be a part of, and see their lives change for the better. Seeing the joy and happiness that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings into people’s lives in such a blessed area of the world.

I'll see if I can get some pictures up, but til next week from TZ!!

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Painting the Flats with Elder Tebbs

Leaving My Prints at the Palace

Arm hair stuck together from the paint

All skills learned at home come in handy on a mission!

Cake we made for the Flakes - ding dong ditched them with it

Heading to the Flakes for dinner -- all dressed up -- just because

Biking Selfie #1

That's how we roll!

Rush Hour Traffic

Enjoying the journey!

Bike Selfie #2

Tracting with Elder Tebbs

Zone Leaders in Dar es Salaam

Typical Egges & Veggie Breakfast

Typical Ugali Meal

Missionaries in Dar es Salaam, TZ

New companions in Dar