Thanks for writing. It is so good to see an email each week. It is much needed support and i am so grateful for it. I am sorry to hear about porter! Uh i am so mad! I want to know what kinda parents teach a 5 year old to bully. Obviously they dont just pick that stuff up anywhere. Lets sick hobbs on him or something! Man get porter in Karate or something. I want him to kick that boys trash. Then pick him up and say "I love ya, but dont treat my like that again!" Oh could you imagine. It would sweep... nay it would swiffer the nation on you tube. If a video of the show down can be acquired i would humbly request for my viewing pleasure. Hes a tough lad though he can hold his own. He is just to nice!
Sooo... I am doing okay! It has been probably my craziest week on mission but i am handling all in stride. It hasnt been much for the missionary work end of things. It is rather exhausting though. I have been on the phone with the APs and President all week. I went on exchanges with my former companion who is unwilling to change. He is reading false doctrine material and destroying his testimony. Man it is hard to see. He hasnt changed and the same problems have been there since mombasa. So after hours of counsel with the DL and his companion(Mbazima) we came to the conclusion that he is unwilling to change. People think the mission pres is a racist but the Africans are the only ones who are causing these issues. There are just a few in the mission who are kicking against the pricks but are trying to campaign to make all men miserable like unto themselves. So the sister(major issue) that was out of control in our zone was sent on a emergency transfer due to behavior. So after this awful week it was smoothed over by saturday. We got to watch the saturday morning and afternoon sesh of conference. This really lifted my spirits. Elder Utchdorfs talk specifically, "We are so worried about the finish we forget to find joy in the journey!" This really helped me. So we gathered saturday night as a zone to receive the transfer news from the APs. What news came wasnt exactly what i wanted to hear. Because of current issues the whole mission is standing still. This made my heart sink at first. This has never happened. But it is clear that some missionaries have a decisions to make. President is demanding exact obedience. Either shape up and repent or ship out. It is good to see because President is so kind and loving and now he is cracking down!
As i sat in awe at the news I felt the spirit come over me so strong and heard a voice that said "You are still needed here." The missionaries in the zone said if you would have gone our zone would have crumbled. I dont say this to toot my horn but it is amazing how the Lord doesnt call the qualified but qualifies the called. This humbled me greatly. This is a test right now. The lord is sifting the wheat from the chaff and I can continue to rise and improve or be idle and i cannot allow such a awful thing to happen. We are going to be more obedient than exact obedience. I had to repent in my sadness at first hearing the news. I know the Lord needs me here. Seven and a half months is but a small moment. I love my savior so much and his trust in me. I cannot tell you how much i have learned and what the lord is shaping me to be. I am in love with the lord! We are going pretty steady i aint gonna lie! A courtship if you will. Conference helped so much and he will never forsake us in our time of need.
So on a different note. Miriam was not baptized. I think the Lord might also be keeping me around to finally see her make that specially covenant. She didnt tell us before but her parents are practicing Pligs and she need to go through some more procedures to make sure she is totally ready. Man she is gonna be so converted. I was really touched by bednars talk about the testimony and conversion. His analogy of the 10 then virgins was sheer genius. The oil of conversion and the Lamps of testimony. With our the oil the lamp is not enough. I think this is what the Lord is trying to teach Miriam and test her on. Hopefully this transfer the heavens will rejoice when she has done her part to partake of his salvation.
On another note, We had a very eventful sunday morning. So i have discovered i am a very light sleeper. I have struggled since i have been in this area to get a good nights rest. From the chickens with no biological clock(Kramer is still better than the African cock despite his blunders) and the dogs that provide no security but unnecessary noise. You know how bad i hate loud noises. I will use mixture of my and my companions journal entry in hopes to paint the full picture in your mind! and i quote,
"Funny thing about this morning, Haynes and I woke up before 6:30 a.m. because of the rooster in the compound crowing," as usual."Haynes was up before me. I said my personal morning prayers and as I opened my eyes and stood up Haynes said, "It's time. I need your help." He had a crazed look in his eyes and had the stance of being prepared for battle. I cautiously asked, "What for?" He answered, "The cock. We need to catch it. I know it's the Sabbath, but I can't take it anymore." I agreed to assist, seeing the distress it was causing my companion.
Elder Haynes then elaborated a cunning scheme whereby we could trap and package the mentioned cock. Each of us would have a wash basin to catch the rooster with. Haynes would drive him from the front of the building to the side towards the back. It was a narrow passage not more than 4ft. wide. While he did that, I was to wait it's coming to block his retreat. It couldn't have gone better.
It was 6:30 in the morning still so we had to be quiet in our capture. Moments after we each took our positions, the cock came fleeing down the predestined escape route. I blocked his way. As Haynes appeared at the other possible exit, the cock realized there was nowhere left to run and I imagine he thought something along the lines of, "oh poop."
Rather than charge either of us, he made one last attempt as we closed in on him. "I can fly, " he thought as he vaulted upward trying to rise above the 10ft. wall. But as we all know, chickens are the wannabe's of flying birds. He failed to achieve his goal and what followed can only be described as epic.
With the cock in mid-air, Haynes wielded his wash basin with precision and swiftness. He covered it over the chicken and, with haste, trapped him to the earth. The expression on Elder Haynes' face as he looked up, then down, then up from the basin was one of surprise, satisfaction and complete joy. He silently rejoiced smacking the basin in taunting the rooster. He then put one foot on top of it, raised both arms high and, without noise, acted as if he were echoing a victory yell to the heavens.
From there we manhandled the feathery foe into a box previously containing Restoration pamphlets and rejoiced. Haynes then wanted to write a message on it in Swahili and leave it on the owner's doorstep. Translated, he wrote, "Mama, you need to know that I will eat."
We then stealthily watched out our window for the time when they would find it. As we sat the melodious sounding comment danced acrossed Elder Haynes cerebellum. I Elder Woolard said, "Elder you were like Jason borne back there." In time, someone came out, but it wasn't the usual mama. It was her elephant of a husband! Who almost had a satanic "son of the morning" look in his eye. We both peed ourselves a little and hid when we thought he was approaching our flat. Elder Haynes looked at me in his sad state and said, " oh man dats a big nigga." Her husband is in the Kenya military mind you. But much to our relief, he didn't come. Rather, the mama released the chicken and immediately the cock began his hellacious song of agony. The mama wrote a reply on our box and her spawn of satan child left it at our door. The message we found out was a bad juju curse medicine woman witch doctor type deal. Translated it meant "you will regret eating because the cock will crow from your belly and haunt you!" Pretty crazy right!
But last night Elder Haynes slept the best he has in months.
So that was our eventful week. The church is still true and know i love you all. Thanks for all the love and support.
-Elder Haynes
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