Tuesday, October 7, 2008

AuRevoir

The problem with working with and loving missionaries is that
they have the audacity to think they should go home to their
real parents and/or family after two years! This was a great group
and they are returning to their homes with honor. We are
grateful to have had the opportunity to have served with
Front row: Elders Kazadi, Lubangakene, Ibombo, Kufuana
Back row:me, Elders Tshimbombo, Mampouya, Yengo, President L.
They took a little bit of our hearts with them when they left today!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

MNI-MTC

front row: Elders Mulunda, Kalabela and Sabue
Back row: Elder Kisase, Ilunga, Lukasa, Don, Sr. Ngindu, Elder Mulaji, Elder Kisala, Me, Elder Tshibandu (Andre), Elder Nkishama, Tshibandu (Tito)
Since last February, the Democratic Republic of Congo quit issuing new passports.
They said that there were no passport booklets available. There were many missionaries
who had their papers ready to submit, but who had to postpone sending them in
because they didn't have passports. We were receiving other missionaries who
had their passports previously, but these 10 missionaries kept hoping to be able to come. We finally decided to give them a short MTC experience here in Kinshasa and then let them begin to serve. When passports become available, we will send them to Ghana where they will
have a "real" MTC experience and, more importantly, be able to go to the temple there.
I had the fun experience of being the cook for the MTC and we had some of our
wondeful seasoned missionaries be the teachers and trainers. It was a wonderful and exhausting experience for all! !

NEW CAMEROON MISSIONARIES

Welcome to Elder Ritchie--from Florida.
When he arrived, his french was already great. He is laboring in a new area in
Douala that is just opened and with his trainer, Elder Neilson, they are doing a great job of
introducing the gospel in that area.

Elder Hunter comes to us from north of Salt Lake.

He is excited to be in Africa with

his trainer, Elder Archibald, who will help him

adapt to Africa and all of it's exciting

new things.

Welcome to Elder and Sister Baker from Bountiful. They had been home for a year from a mission to Romania (where they didn't know the language) and have just come to Cameroon where they are not fluent in the French language--she has had some french in school when she was a young woman. They are enjoying working in the two branches in Yaounde and with the young missionaries there. She is a gifted music teacher and is helping many in the branches to play the piano/keyboard.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING! !

PPPlease meet Elder and Sister Motshikana. I don't know about other countries in Africa,
but this wonderful couple is the first African couple missionaries to serve here in
the Democratic of Congo. He has been a bishop and they are just so wonderful
and anxious to be about our Father's business--and go to Likasi to preach
the gospel to the people there. We are excited to begin a new
era here in Congo with seasoned couple missionaries serving and blessing
the members, preaching the gospel, aiding the leadership and serving
diligently. History in the making! !

SISTER'S CONFERENCE--OCTOBER 4TH, 2008

Girls and women are the same all over the world. When they haven't seen each other
for awhile, and they meet again, they squeel and smile and hug each other with big hugs.
These wonderful 14 sisters are our young sister missionaries, plus 4 adult sister missionaries, plus two Congolese women who were my helpers and planners for this conference
had a wonderful day together.
We started with a yummy breakfast of Christmas quiche and fruit and muffins.
After introducing the theme, "...who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom
for such a time as this..." the story of courageous Queen Esther,
we made cute Congolese greeting cards.

Sister Barlow introduced the family health guide that the church has produced to
help African women to understand better ways to keep themselves and their
families healthy and free from disease. We are hoping that these lovely
young women will implement the principles from the book and then teach
them to their families, to their wards and neighborhoods when they
return after their missions.
After lunch, Sister Moon, President Livingstone and I spoke
about the theme of this conference.
We challenged them to be courageous like Esther in obeying the
Lord's commandments and be the pioneers that they are
in raising up a righteous generation here in Congo. I'm sure that they will.
They are amazing young women.
front row--Sisters Besolo, Nlombi, Ngandu, Mukaz, Buekazebi, Mujinga, Lukonga
Back row--Sisters Evelyn Muadi, Lengelo, Barlow, Moon, Mbessie, Mycadeau,
Kayembe, me, Gweth, Motshikana, Kakudji, Tshipamba, Ngoie.

This is Mycadeau, me and Evelyn--we planned this day together.

Mycadeau is a wonderful seamstress and she made us matching dresses! !

They are wonderful and fun and we are the three muskateers! !

We love each other and giggled a lot as we were planning this day! !