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