12-13-2010

Hey guess what? im being transferred tomorrow. Me im going to Nairobi. Upperhill area if your interested at all. Me i will be right by the mission office, in fact im told i will pass by there everyday. So ya ill be on another 8 hour bus ride, i really dont like those. And my district is just 4 missionaries, me my comp and two sister missionaries. And the two sister missionaries are the ones from my mtc group so im excited it should be fun. And my comp is suppose to be way sweet, so its sounding like a pretty sweet deal. So ya 6 months here and now im leaving for the big city of Nairobi. Not my first pick but ill go where the lord wants me to go. And ya me i hope i go to mombasa before my mission ends. Maybe even die there. So ya me im pretty excited. but kinda sucks to leave though the people here are awesome, and the members are way sweet, i will for sure miss them. Oh by the ways im kinda pissed about this but last week i let a member take some pictures with my camera, and while he was playing with it he deleted all my pictures on there. So ya kinda pissed about that, i dont know what he was doing they are all gone. So ya now i've been trying to scrable around getting pictures of places and people. But still gosh i cant believe that. Even my baptism photo's are gone. So ya anyways other than that things are good. By the ways we had a baptism set up for next week, really sucks that im leaving, the girl we are teaching, is what you call the golden investigator. Gosh sucks that im leaving. But as long as she is baptized me im happy. By the ways many people (who i dont know) have invited me to there christmas party here, so it could have been fun to stay here. Gone to alot of christmas parties. Oh ya also i was texting kirk or elder smedley (the one i went to high school with) the other night and he tells me that he is coming to kitale. So it sucks i just missed him, it could have been way fun to be in the same district. And ya about the missionaires here. All i know is we had upper 80's when i got her and now were in the lower 70's and its still dropping and will continue to drop from the sound of it. Tons of area's are closing like crazy. It sucks they are planning even to close more area's the next two tranfers if we continue only to get 1 or 2 missionaries to replace 5-7 missionaries. Anyways ya mission is good Me im kinda scared to go to nairobi i hear more missionaries get robbed there. So ya just dont want to think about that. But its cool, me now i can say that white people scare me. I dont know what to do when im around them. So anyways the bike thing im just leaving it here, and moving away a few huge miles. So ya ill tell you how nairobi is next week. so kwaheri, tell grandma woffered her i love her. And also please please tell grandma jackson to be careful and that i love and miss her. Sawa kwaheri tena.

-love matt

12-6-2010

I had cocoa yesterday. I dont know the need of the people to bring out the cocoa in the summer time but whatever. And yes the bike thing, me and elder obinna have been laughing about all week. We keep joking about it. And i assure you there is nothing to worry about. Me i just have been having fun with it you know. Im going to see whats the dillo (mest) tommorow. I might have to go to the police station again but not sure. But hey not a big deal. I just think its funny cause he chose me cause im white. But just so you know people here dont have lights, decorations, christmas tree's or anything for that matter. All they do is have a big party on christmas, and eat chicken. Which i will be happy to go and party with them and eat chicken. So something else, i want to thank you for your prayers in fact everyones prayers. Cause something as a missionary you come to learn is the power of prayer. I know the lord blesses me cause of them. So me myself now want to tell you about last week. So ya we live by some mountains and i've never been up there. And me i wanted to know whats up there so i was asking a member. And she told me to not go up there its dangerous. That people who go up there dont come back. And upon hearing this you know what i did...... i went up there. And wow its way nice up there, it looks over webuye, and you can see far, you can even see uganda. So ya its pretty awesome. And to make things better, we found people to teach! like tons! like wow we could spend the whole day up there teaching people. So ya im pretty exctied and im glad i went up there. We are going back again this week. Should be some good stuff.
So ya like i told the ap's were here last week and i think i figured out why, i think they want to close our area. They told us they need to close 2 area this transfer, and i think they targeted our area as one of them. That would make 7 area's closed in the last 3 transfers. All cause we are not getting missionaries and we losing them like crazy. And the ap's told us we are only getting 2 next transfer and we are losing 5. So ya our mission is getting smaller and smaller.

Now im sending home a punga which is a small sword, and whenever boys come over to the house i want mike or someone of large stature to wear it and to stare at them like they might do something crazy sawa? So ya im just kidding about that but really im gonna do it.......... and please dont worry about the police nini, i've got the lord on my side. So ill talk to you next week..

love matt.

12-1-2010

Christmas there sounds alot better than christmas here. Snow and everything. Ha i can say there is no snow here. So ya its summer now, and it feels nothing like christmas at all. Its getting hotter and people around here give us cocoa. I dont know whats up. But esh they expect us to drink two cups each. So ya christmas here, doesnt feel like christmas at all. You know girls around here shave there head or cut it way way short. And me i really dont like it, it just doesnt look right. I like girls with long hair, and now i know that i will take care of my wifes hair, cause if she deciedes to shave it esh no ways it will cause shida's. Anyways kinda intersting week. We had another elder come home with us last wed. to work with us a couple of days since his comp. Had to leave the country cause his visa was expiring and they had to renew it. Anyways while those elders were out of there flat, there bikes were stolen. And on friday we got a call and were told that the bikes were stolen and the night guard that watches the compound at night is saying the missionaries stole it. So the next day we go to kitale to the elders flat. And by that time the other elders comp who left the country just returned. And so we were all together. And We had the chief of security there and a whole bunch of other people. and they asked the night guard who stole the bikes. And first pointed at the missionary who had been out of the country. And then he pointed at me. And he said that these ones are the ones that stole the bikes. So ya im being accused of stealing other missionaries bikes. So ya since saturday i've been in kitale dealing with this. We have been the police station and waited there for hours. Finally they took statements from me, two elders, and the nightguard and another guard. So ya thats whats i've been doing this week. But since one of the kitale elders was with us and the other in tanzania i dont think so. They guy is a drunk who keeps changing his story. I dont know whats going to happen, me i was sick of kitale so i came back to webuye today. Kinda bogus, we will see what will happen later this week. I might have to go back to kitale and see whats gonna go down. but you know me and the other missionary have just been laughing about this. Cause that night guard is just making up a story, and it keeps changing. The police want to lock him up for a couple of days until he remembers perfectly what happend. So ya thats been the highlight of my week.. Being accused of stealing bikes, and sitting in a police station. So with dealing with all that i was sick of it, and decided i was going to buy a burger in town, where all the tourists are. And esh its way way way expensive there. But me i didnt care i got a burger and esh i was one the best things i've ever eaten. So ya anyways the mission pres and the ap's came to kitale yesterday. And we got to have a famliy home evening with them last night it was nice. By the way you know david's pizza in kaysville, well that my mission presidents brother. And he told me last night that there will be a free pizza waiting for me when i go home. So ya it was fun last night, but crowded. There isnt enough room for all the elders in the kitale flat. so esh we all were cramped together last night when we were sleeping. So ya its been fun, the ap's wanted to see our area, so we took them and showed them around, they came looked at the area and the flat, not sure what there going to do. They might close it down. They have closed down 5 area's in the last 2 transfers. We are loosing missionaries like crazy and we are not getting any. So esh our mission is getting small. Like way small, we really need alot more missionaires here. Oh i talk to the ap's and odds are that me im being moved after this transfer. Im hoping for mombasa. I really want to go there, but we will wait and see. But anyways our ap's both are way sweet. So ya thats been my week and its getting late so i gotta go. But i love you and miss you. And i hope i dont have to go back to kitale and deal with the bike. But ill let you know how it goes. so ill talk to you next week
-Elder Jackson

11-22-2010

So ya i have seen elder smeldly when he first got here. He is in mombasa, and ya there are monkey there kabisa. I know of one elder who, trapped one in his flat and killed it, then ate it. He told his comp that its what he eats in his tribe. But ya that the place i hope to go to next or someother time in my mission. Its hot there like dar es salaam. And for some reason i just seem to like the heat. Its just nice.
So ya mozambique is having problems not recieving missionaries too? Our mission this last transfer was 5 missionaries going home and 1 to replace them. So we ourselves are having problems like that. and its been this way for the past couple of tranfers. I only know of one guy who has extended his mission. but i dont know if others will. We have alot going home this and next transfer, so i hope we get alot. But prob not, the mission is getting smaller and smaller. They have closed a few areas because of the lack of missionaires. So ya we do need some. So ya mission is going good, and its a bummer about the christmas thing but these things they are just there. So ya you know something bummed me out this week. So since i've got here, i've been working with a branch missionary, and helping him get ready for his mission. And he 23 and was planning to go next year. And then Saturday he was telling me that he has a wife, and a kid. And me i was like WHAT! And he is like ya i do have. So ya me i just kinda looked at him, didnt know exatly what to say. Evetually i asked if his wife was a member he said no. So now this week, we are going to his house to meet his wife and begin teaching her. And what began as preparing him for mission, has turned into, preparing to go to the temple with his wife. Esh really supised me. cause i've been to his house and no wife. But ya again these things they are just there. So ya now me myself must go and do the laundry again. Woho washing clothes by hand is not that fun. And i cant wait till i have the luxury of a washing machine and a dryer. Esh you truley dont know how lucky you guys are. These people have to do it there whole lives, while im just going to be struggling for 2 years. I hope you have a good week.

elder jackson

11-15-2010

Speaking of waiswa, that guy i have respect for more than most missionaries that i've meet. He is the only member in his family, and is on a mission. And also his dad died, a couple of months ago, and he decided to stay and finish his mission. I dont know the guy is just powerful and awesome. But ya also my comp, he is the only member in his fam. and he has never recieved an email from him mom or his dad. And he is about the finish his mission next transfer. Esh both are powerful guys.
so i gotta tell you about my new favorite sport. Not soccer sorry. But the sport i like is wrestling. Just like the one we used to watch years ago. People love it here, and usually at members houses who has tv's its on. And im proud to say that im a fan. And will continue to be. And if you do send me a package, send me a john cena shirt for me. The people here will love it. I didnt like it at first but wow it really grows on ya. And also my socks are holy, not holy holy but like full of holes. Ha and my shoes are beat i hope they make it to the one year mark. But those i will just buy new ones. So ya wrestleing is awesome. So grandma and grandpa are coming for christmas, does that mean i get to talk to them?! i hope so! also its not fair to grandma wofferd and potty, so can you send me there number, so i can call them and talk to them for a few minutes? Speaking of grandma wofferd, she popped in my head going home yesterday, and it made me really miss her. I can remember when i was 8 and we were at her house and she held me in her lap for hours. And it just makes me sad that i have not been able to be around her more often. I hope she know how much i love her and how much she means to me. And it means everything to me that she is supporting me. I cant wait till i get to see her again.
So things here are not so bad, but ya the baptisms are not working out like i had planned, but im still working on them. But this week was good, anyway we went to visit a less active with the senior couples and we meet her two sons who are not members of the church which we started teaching them this past week. And then we meet our second counslers, daughter who just came home from school, and we are going to start teaching her this friday, so its been a pretty awesome past week for us. We have been meeting alot of people, in fact i contacted a guy, and we just had an appointment with him, and wow he was excited to hear what we were teaching him. He was writting down every scriputure we were giving him. And wants us to come back again this week. So im glad that i did stick around for another transfer. And christmas is next transfer, the very first week, to be exact. Its on the saturday of week one. And i think i will be moved by then. So i dont know how that will work with me calling ya. We will have to wait and see.
So ya even me myself and very excite to talk to everyone, its been a while, and ya christmas is not that far away. It will come before you know it. Esh like i always say time just flys by . Oh by the if you havent guessed, im still in webuye, miskhu, area. Its ok, ill be here for 6 months but thats ok. So now one task for me and my comp this week, is to buy a pig, which i think we will do tommorrow. And i dont know if its us that will slaughter it or someone else we will see. So ya its going to be a pretty exciting week. Oh by the ways its maxie boys birthday tommorow, just thought i should share that with ya. So all the mizugu's out there send him a happy b-day email. Also something awesome tommorrow i get to watch the sound of music with the couple missionaries. The week before we gotta watch fiddler on the roof. So its been pretty awesome. of course the call the mission pres. to see if its ok. But ya thats going to be my week, i hope you yourselves all have a good week. So me myself im out peace.

love matt.

11-8-2010

So i went to bungoma today that was fun, except everyone bugging me cause im the white guy. Some guy tried to get me buy viagra, like he was really determined, dont think i've ever laughed so hard.. But ya the people here. Ha ya some do have a problem with the word of wisdom, but most people i have taught who are not bogus, have given up whatever they had a problem with, majority tea. Freak kenyan love tea kabisa. But ya its good, i have been working with a lady since the first day i got here, and she has a few problems one being tea. She loves tea and doesnt see why she should give it up. And she is afraid of the book of mormon and has refused to take it until this past week. Man we had an awesome lesson with her. We had to show here some connections between the book of mormon and the bible, and wow all i can say was awesome lesson. We gave her a copy of the book of mormon and she told us she is going to read it. But ya awesome. And tithing, no one pays tithing here. most of kenya and all of tanzania rely on the church. Most of the members dont pay tithing and ya not good. But ya anyways most of the people give us the chance to share our message. Very few will not let us come and teach them. But i gotta tell you about a guy named jackson. We meet him through a member, he was visiting her. And we visted her at the same time. And we talked and insted of doing the normal restoration, lesson. We gave him a book of mormon, and explained a little about it, and assinged him to read enos. And the next time we met him, he told us he read it, and he explained to us what happend. And he told us that the book is good, and he wanted us to give him more to read. He also told us he started reading it from the begining. And so we did, and when we meet him again this past week, he told us the book is true and he wants to be baptized. Awesome. Im excited to see him again this week. We are for real going to start to teach him the lessons this week. But ya about this week, its transfers and i havent heard anything which means im prob staying, with my comp another transfer. But its okay the guy is way cool, and actually a pretty good missionary. He really proved it to me these past two weeks. But ya i dont know for sure but most likely i will stay another one.
love matt.

11-3-2010

Esh too many people are dying there as well. Alot of people have been dying here. Although the funerals here a little different than there. I think the attendence is about 1 to 2 thousand here. Even if the people dont know them they show up to support the family and the community. And they have some cool drums playing and tribal stuff, pretty sweet. But now sweet that there dead. But esh those kids in primary ha make me laugh? Well to answer their questions 1. i have not seen a lion. 2. And ya i do see many monkeys although there are many more in a city called mombasa which i hope to go. 3. and 4. I hate snakes, but i have seen some, small ones and a big one. So you just tell them i dont like snakes but i have seen those ones. So how was halloween though? of course they would move it in utah. But not here, i dont even think they celebrate it here. But ya to answer your questions, a matatu, is the van that we use for transport, we called them dala dala's in tz. And a piki piki is a motorcycle. We ride those alot in our area. Like alot, our area is bush and there are not many other ways of transport through there. Oh ya the motorcycles here, are bogus. they are just in my comps words, chinese toys.
And ya i've given up on the pictures here. it takes a long time and never works. So i just kinda gave up on that. But ya of course im skinner than when i went out. But im not sick. i eat well, very well. And not to mention i work out every night. 100 sit ups, 50 push ups, and lift weights. im just fine. I get fed everywhere i go, and i know how to cook, im not starving. I am always full whenever i eat. But you know my week was good, we saw conference. my favorite talk was elder hollands talk. he always gives way powerful talks. and on saturday we watched the saturday session, and it was me my comp, branch pres. and the senior couples. That was it. No one came, kinda sucked. But at least conference was way good. But on Sunday everyone came, like everyone. Even this one girl who is less active and i've been trying to get her to come and she wouldnt. and then this past week she came. Man i was excited. i couldnt believe it. And those baptisms didnt happen cause of conference. but they are happening this week. on saturday. So there is something that im looking forward too. Since transfers are next week, im glad that i will get to see them. Cause im pretty sure i will be going . but if not thats okay, im okay to go another transfer here. so the work this week has been good, we found a less active and he wants us to teach his wife. And then we found another less active who is a pioneer of the church here. he was baptized in 1999 and he moved away from the church. but now since the church is closer he wants to come back. And the guy is way cool. he nows elder Sitati of the seventy. You just look in the ensign and you will see his picture there. but ya this week has been turning out to be awesome. and i know it will finish awesome. but mom im sorry not alot of time so now me myself must go. I thought kitale is closer, but me for sure i dont know. i do know that they both are pretty far away from webuye. And it takes about 2 hours to get to either one. And ya we go to kitale to email, cause we have ddm here. Every tuesday night we come to kitale spend the night and then the next morning we go have ddm. And we use matatu's to get to kitale and eldoret. Esh thats far for a piki piki they would charge us alot of money to do so. but we do ride piki piki when we are in a part of our area called ndvisi. It is all pretty bush out there, and not alot of matatu's. So we just use piki piki's cause they take us to the place we are going. Its a little nicer. But esh they are very dangerous. And the chicken, we didnt butcher it cause we really dont have a place to do it. But doesnt matter we are going to buy a pig, or a goat and butcher it somewhere, not sure where yet. but thats the plan for this week. My comp likes to have every kind of meat in the house. He wants chicken, beef, fish, goat, and pork. The guy just simply likes meat. But ya we are hoping somehow to have all of those things in the house.
but ya i go, so ill talk to you next week, i love you.

love matt.