Week 67: Whose Dream are You Fulfilling?

Weeks are flying left and right. One of the hardest weeks but then turned out to be one of the greatest weeks.

With the things that have happened here in Dar es Salaam, the last 2 transfers have been tiring, but I have grown so much from them and learned a lot from being in leadership. I love this area and the people whom we are preparing for baptism. One of them, Samuel, came with us to the Sunday Session of district conference and loved every minute of it. Then this morning he was wondering when he could meet with us so we can teach him more about the temple because he heard a lot about it but we haven't gotten that far teaching him. Samuel has really been prepared by the Lord.

Also with trying to translate everything into English then translate everything I respond back in Swahili it has made me a bit tired (not sure how to explain it better) but I am trying to do the best I can with helping out in lessons and learning Swahili.

Friday I enjoyed MLC a lot and learned quite a bit with President and Sister Hicken. Good to be with great Elders and Sisters to discuss different things. Counseling with another really is the way to solve things and make the best decisions.

Then Saturday and Sunday sessions of District Conference were amazing. I learned so much from the things President Hicken spoke about. It was exactly what I needed to hear at the right time. He is so powerful.

Walking from the Chapel to catch a daladala on Sunday, I was talking with Elder Muthoni and he said how those sessions were specifically for him and I said how they were specifically for me and it was pretty funny. All in all it is amazing how the spirit works and tells you what you need to know and what you need to work on.

Saw a fat white guy cruising around on a nice looking and sounding Harley Davidson this week which was soooo out of place. So out of place.

From one of my previous areas in Kyambeke, Kenya (the Hills) I found out today that all 3 people Elder Beacom and I taught mission prep class to have now recieved their mission calls! Linda is coming to the KNM here, she is coming in during these transfers next week. Bosco is going to the West Indies (Caribbean) and going to the Provo MTC March 24. Kennedy is going to Zambia at the beginning of February. Cool stuff!

Something I learned this week from our Elders Quorum president when talking about jobs and business- If you don't have a dream, you will be hired to help fulfill someone else's dream.

How is being back in a city? So so weird but I love it so much. I can adjust easily to either a village or a city, but in the city there are so many more worldly things to lose focus on.

Do you eat out much? Haha y'all should see this place by our flat. Open from like 7:30pm-2am (no I've never been there that late) they have the best food I've had here. And fresh sugar cane juice to die for.

What is your source of protein? Meat and protein and food.

Transfer news? Next Monday night! So we'll seee but I really hope I stay.

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Samuel and Me -- he loves learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Sister Phiri and I outside our flat -- she is from Malawi

Goodbye Activity for Sister Phiri -- she heads home this week

Sister Phiri, Branch President & Me

Elder Pehrson carrying a big pink bag at the Airport

Week 66: So Grateful for the Power of Priesthood Blessings + Fun Pix

Short week since I last emailed. Not too much new.

Saturday we had a good full day of lessons and at 4pm stopped by the Church because my comp had to use the bathroom. It was right when the Young Single Adults were getting out of Institute and it turns out Brother Prince- the head director of CES for Africa Southeast was down from Nairobi teaching it.

He left and we taught a lesson to one of our investigators who attended institute, then realized Prince left his scriptures and was already at his hotel. It was 5:15 and he said to bring them to him since he was flying out early in the morning and needed them.

Hopped in a daladala and met him at the hotel and he paid for our dinner. Super nice, super good, and super expensive. On they way back my stomach was feeling weird.

Like 10pm--yeah i'll just say it was a night to remember, and my companion gave me a faith building, testimony strengthening, Priesthood blessing at 4am and I was blessed to sleep the rest of the night and blessed to be able to make it to Church-- and it all happened.

Yes, the Priesthood is real, and yes it is an amazing gift we have been blessed with from God.

We had a great day at church, despite me feeling bad and a lack of sleep. We had many people come and some good member missionary work happening in the branch. When Prince was down here with the YSA Saturday, he hit on that point, then Sunday at Church we had 2 ysa from our branch that brought friends for us to teach. We had 10 investigators at sacrament though which was sweet.

This week is about to be busy and fast. Elder Ita and Elder Anderson are coming for MLC on Friday with the APs and President and Sister Hicken, then we have Dar es Salaam district conference Saturday and Sunday which President Hicken will preside at.

Sending some pictures of how we got to Church last week, and a couple others - check em out.

Until next week--

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the future Tanzania Dar Mission. 14 Years away.

Heading to Church

Scriptures & Church Shoes in the Bag --
Enjoying the Journey!

My Companion Wading to Church

Highest the water got was too my knees

Forging the Kinondoni River

This is supposed to be a street . . .
not the Columbia River

We made it!

100,000 TZ Shillings ($55 USD)

Aaaand, guess what I found (and had to buy) in a shop 15 minutes
from our flat . . . here in Tanzania . . . YES!  A Lamarcus Aldridge
Rip City jersey.  About $25 USD, brand new with the NBA
store tags on it.  GO BLAZERS!!!

Yeah, OREGON Boy Born and Raised! Proud of it!
And found both these gems here in Dar. :)

Week 65: Ask and Ye Shall Receive; Seek and Ye Shall Find.

My family, quite a week. So many things have happened. It is super scattered.

Monday we got on email for a few minutes to email then got a call someone was coming to repair our flat which toook forrrever and it was too late to get back on, then yesterday we had to deal with a bunch bunch bunch bunch of zone leader stuff we were asked to do then today we had district meeting now here we are for a few minutes.

Regarding the Ducks- it was a bummer to hear they lost but I know they are waiting for me to be in attendance next year at the championship before they take the title. So everyone, don't worry- next year. For now it seems like one of the greatest coaches, Urban Meyer, is still doing his thing though.

My companion and I have spent a bit of time this week trying to find new people to teach and as we prayed for that the Lord led us right to them.

We had 5 really solid new investigators this last week and I see the person they each can become. All of them are in their 20s-30s and 4 of them speak perfect English, which makes life way easier when teaching and testifying to them. 2 of them are friends that came to church, invited by a family friend and we taught them after church and wow. It was so powerful. They have so many questions in their lives which the true Gospel of Jesus Christ answers so plainly and simply. They are 'golden investigators' as some people say. The branch is awesome and it helps having a lot of returned missionaries here that understand our work and that help compared to all my other areas.

Speaking of missionaries, Justin from the branch received his mission call this week to the Johannesburg South Africa Mission which I'm really excited for him.

Yesterday we had an appointment with a white girl from the Netherlands who is here for work (journalism) and she actually contacted us on the street about learning more about the church. Went well, hopefully she will come to church this week. She actually stays in the same place with some exchange students from Cal Berkley. Small world.

Sunday we had one adventure of a time getting to Church. Will send pics next week.

One thing I was thinking of is how cool it would be to do a week long exchange with missionaries from states missions. Hahaha or for a week just take all the cars away from all the missionaries serving in the states.

Questions:

How do you travel like from Kinondoni to White Sands, or out to Mbezi? Daladalas! Which are just busses but they can pack you in there like cattle...then add a few more haha.

Does public transit go everywhere like it did for Tyler in Italy? Everywhere we have to go, yes. Sometimes we have to take 2 different daladalas to get somewhere, but yeah.

Getting off in a few mins- will send pics next week. Go Blazers!

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM

Week 64: Happy New Year from Dar es Salaam!

Quite a week. No power yesterday afternoon so here we are for a little.

Guess what though! I'll be home this year!

As for the week, we had a 2 day exchange with the Mbezi Elders which was nice- I was with Elder Kabwe (from Zambia, who was in Mwanza when I was there) in Mbezi and I really enjoyed it. He is becoming a great missionary. Mbezi is nice though- it has many families in it and it is in a nice area. Almost everyone there drives cars. Quite different from some of my previous areas. One of the families we visited there sells pork that they raise and kill on site. They had 76 pigs in this house thing like at a state fair all divided up into pens.

Wednesday it took 2 hours 10 minutes to get to district meeting...the thing is that was with barely any traffic. Dar can be crazy.

New Years Eve I fell asleep at like 8:30 because I was so tired..happy new years!

New Years day we visited a family that stays super far-- out by the airport so getting to and back took forever. They are not in our branch boundaries but it is where they attend. Nice food though! Haha but it was a great lesson with a great family.

Christmas came late in Dar this year as I received my packages from Nairobi on Friday from the couples who just got back from Nairobi.

Yesterday for Pday all the missionaries went to White Sands resort so that was fun- I'll send a few pictures.

Not too much else but it was a crazy week with so much happening and time is flying left and right.

Questions:

Does Dar es Salaam have a lot of power blackouts like your other areas? Just small sections of the city have blackouts at random times but we live on the outskirts. Sometimes power is gone for a few hours at a time.

Is it a pretty developed place? Depends where you are. There are big nice homes next to very small very humble places.

Does Dar seem safe? Yeah, just have to use your common sense

What is your home like? Pretty nice big house in its own compound- 4 bedrooms since we need it when the other Elders come for zone conferences from Arusha and Mwanza or before Elders go to the airport being transferred.

How many Zones are in your mission? Not sure, maybe around 16?

Who is your companion? Elder Muthoni from Kenya. He finishes the end of April.

Do you use the gym or was it for the pics? Hahahaha we actually use it!

Do you travel much as a ZL? Yeah, just for exchanges or splits on top of district meeting but the thing is traveling here isn't too great

Do you still sleep in a net? No since here we have AC in our bedroom and it blows the mosquitoes away.

How are your allergies? Super good. Just a cold the last few days but all is well.

Welllllll, until next week.

Go Ducks!!!!!

Mzee Eveson

Much love from the KNM (the one day in the future-- Tanzania, Dar es Salaam Mission)

Elder Kabwe and I on exchanges with my 5 year old
best friend, Nicole, from Mbezi Branch.  Too cute.

Chips kuku with Dr. Pepper -- New Years Day Grub

Beach Volleyball!

Missing 4 Elder's names in this line-up.  Impressive group.

Yours Truly

Still got my Hops!

New Years Day Celebration with the
Dar Missionaries at the Beach