So we got to Kitale yesterday and no power in all of the town- they are replacing lots of the powerlines around so we had district meeting yesterday evening, then this morning we had breakfast with the Flakes and now came to email. I hope you have a few minutes to read this..
Last week's district meeting was so spirit filled, everyone answered a few questions- what have you learned this transfer, one thing you want to work on this transfer, one thing you have struggled with this transfer, one Christlike attribute about your companion, and one Christlike attribute you want to develop. When being asked these it really made me to think and set goals to do better on a few things.
From there, during the week I reminded the district to learn at least one thing about their companions every single day in preparation for district meeting this week. We ended up having it Monday evening, and emailing today, since there was no power in the town.
During district meeting I had everyone write a question and then it was asked to a different person about their companion. It went really well I think. After I talked a bit about how we should be in unity first with our companions, then everything else will follow. And how teaching with and by the spirit won't come unless we are first together in unity. Using
Alma 12:1, D&C 42:6, and
D&C 52: 9-10 we read those and explained them. It went really well and the meeting was filled with the spirit. Our zone really feels like we are all friends and brothers, which is great.
On Thursday we had the Branch President to work with us and he had a member's motorcycle and we had our bikes so we were able to go visit a bunch of members really far away that he wanted to just show up to with us, so we did that, and it was really nice. We were able to meet quite a few people and share some good messages with them.
Francis (he was baptized a few weeks ago) has been helping us teach his cousin and family, along with some other people, which has been nice having him as a recent convert to help us. He really enjoys it.
We had a lesson for the first time with an investigator this week- his name is Brian. Anyone remember Brian from a few moths ago I mentioned in my weekly email? Yeah the same guy- 27 years old, along with his parents, and he is home on break from working on Celebrity Cruises out of Florida. He is just on break but he might switch to work as a chef in Dubai soon. It went very, very well and after, we were both headed up towards the market so we walked with him. We passed by his church- the Salvation Army- and his head pastor was outside, and Brian greeted him as we passed by, so I was prompted to ask if we could go meet him. He took us in and we ended up having a lesson with the head pastor and answered some of his questions, and he really wants us to come back this week. Both for Brian and the Pastor- Pastor Joseph- I printed out more copies of the Blueprint of Christ's Church for both of them. I hope everyone reading this has read that talk.
https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2014/01/what-is-the-blueprint-of-christs-church?lang=eng
Another quick story- when we moved everything into our new flat from the old one, we did that Wednesday 1st October, then went back to Kitale and waited for Elder Tebbs, then got back with him to the flat late that Friday night. In our master bedroom the water tank in the roof had leaked and the floor was flooded. On the floor in the pool of water was a duffel bag of mine with everything from my study desk at the old flat- now completely soaked. We tried to save most everything but some of the things were completely waterlogged and ruined. (Including my big journal from my whole mission so far- part of it now looks like I never wrote anything on half the pages, what a bummer). But some of the Liahonas I had in that bag we had doubles of, and some were soaked, so we threw some of them away.
The people who take care of our compound (the landlords brother and older parents) take and burn our trash whenever needed. Fast forward to this week, Elder Tebbs and I arrived home one evening and the older mama said there was a magazine she found in the burn pile 'called like a Liahona from a conference in May' and she read it and liked it and was wondering if we had more. That was the perfect way to give them Restoration pamphlets- and who would have thought out of all the ways to introduce the gospel to them, that that would be the way. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
I love this area. And if it wasn't for the distance between us and Kitale- it being so far and only doing exchanges once a transfer for baptismal interviews, we would have about a baptism a week. We are putting everyone on baptismal date for
November 9th- the Sunday of Week 6.
We are really trying to focus on investigators and recent converts- as they fill our week. 19 RCs and around 20 investigators, there is lots of work to be done. It is really nice how welcoming the branch is with all the people that are new coming in. Oh and also, one of our recent converts was just called as the Relief Society President which is super cool. All in all, this past week has been an amazing, fruitful, spirit filled, fun week with my companion.
This week I studied
Elder Bednar's BYU Idaho devotional from 2001 'In the Strength of the Lord' and I found it really powerful and I learned quite a bit about the enabling power of the Atonement- using the Atonement to help us go from good to better- and how the Atonement is not just there to change us from bad to good only-- but then to better.
On Sunday we watched Saturday Morning and Afternoon sessions of conference and it went very well both for the branch, our investigators who were there, and myself. I really liked it. Elder Jörg Klebingat's talk Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence really stood out to me, along with Elder Lynn G. Robbins about which way we face.
I have been getting mail every now and then, but I got a letter last week from someone that said 'I hope you have been getting my other letters' and I was like uhhhhh.. Sounds like getting to Kenya is also a problem, not just sending from. Anyways, I do get letters sometimes. And remember to keep sending me pictures every week on email!
This week with me and my companion, Elder Tebbs, was fantastic. Even hitting 1 year on mission- it feels good but time has just flown way too fast. It feels like a few weeks ago I was at home! I am loving mission so much and have really enjoyed letting the Lord have this time in my life and doing His work. It kinda feels as if I am starting to blend in with the people at this point but I am easily reminded that is not the case as the young kids yell "Muzungu" every day as we ride bikes. I have really come to understand the phrase 'no hurry in Africa'.
I could be through a year of college, have a few more pairs of shoes, watched a few more college football games, but submitting my will to His is a lot more fun than all that stuff. Being obedient and diligent really brings the spirit is the best way we truly can be His hands here on Earth. I know my Savior Jesus Christ lives and I say things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
That's all I have time for, but next week I will have some time and hope to send some pictures and other stuff I didn't have time to write today.
Mzee Eveson
