September 11, 2011

Anyways I’ll tell you about my week real quick. We didn't have much lessons, we tracted and contacted. And we found 1 person through our efforts but that was before Sunday. On Sunday ah it was awesome we got referral and referral from members. And to make it better we had the branch president, and his counselor and the elders quorum pres and his counselor and the branch mission leader with us. And they took us to see less actives and show us our area. And wow our area is huge! I cant believe that gave all of our area to 2 missionaries its too big. Ah i don't know about that. But its okay we have ALOT to work with. But ya today we decided to have an activity and go to a cool waterfall here. And it you know it was cool we went behind the waterfall and the rocks were super slippery and i ended up falling and eating it. Ha it was kinda funny i fell on my back. And you know now my back is muddy or dirty. Ya even now im still in my muddy shirt. But anyways it was cool, i got some cool pics. But imagine I forgot my cord and so i cant put any pics up. But no worries next week ill put some new pics for you up even of our lovely eldoret.

So imagine that we still are living with the ZL's here. But i don't know maybe they will move us out of that place next week with the new couples coming. I don't know ill have to wait and see. But ya here in eldoret sadly we don't have a ward where i serve. And its in a small house ha pretty cool. The sacrament room is about the size of our living room. Ya just imagine sacrament meeting in our living room then you got the branch im serving in. But its cool though the members are awesome here. And im still not used to the cold here. I still freeze at night I’m to the point to where i wear jeans to bed cause shorts are cold and don’t cover the legs. But esh i don't know if ill get used to it and when i come home ha ha im in trouble. And for the mud ha you don't know mud till you come here. Mud is everywhere like everywhere. Its almost impossible to walk around. Anyways Im happy to hear Utah state came and won the second half. I cant wait till i get to go to them again. Ah i miss them like crazy. I’m sick of soccer! ah soccer is the only sport here and its freaking lame. We emailed late today and so i don't have a lot of time. But ill write you more next week. Keep smiling.

love, matt

September 5, 2011

So ya i got to Eldoret somehow with all my stuff. Ha i did not get the bus to here this time. They put me on a matatu with all my stuff and ya that was kinda scary. They tied my big bag on the roof and i was worried it was going to fly off since the driver was feeling crazy and wanted to drive super fast around every corner. But ya somehow made it. Ha they crammed it with people to. I had my guitar in between my legs and a guy next to me getting to close for comfort. Ya was not that comfortable of a ride. But i made it. Me and my comp have been put into a threesome till wed. When my zone leader comp comes. So ya we have been enjoying that threesome. So ya Saturday we had to help him with all the small things he needed to do. So that meant carrying a 60 pound gas tank to the sisters which had to have been like a mile and half or 2 miles, I don't know why he wanted to walk but he did. Anyways that was fun. And then it rained making everywhere muddy. Esh scary i i thought i was going to fall. It looks we will be living at the zone leaders flat for a couple of weeks since our flat is not ready. And so that means i stay here and sleep on the ground till we can move into our place. You know I miss having my own bed and not just a tiny mattress. Anyways though that's mission and these things are just there.

So ya imagine this place is cold. Like freezing cold. Like wow I'm gonna die cold. Ya i don't know how people live here. Its always so cold. And it rains alot leaving the place very muddy. Like very muddy. And that's not fun to walk around in. I know before i leave this place that i will fall. Esh i've already had a couple of close falls and i've only been here two days. Esh i don't like mud. And here there are not too many paved roads. So ya i better get used to it. Anyways as for the area, ya we are still learning it. The sisters helped us out for a few hours but i just hope i can remember all the places they showed me. Ha but for now its just walking around trying to figure out where we are. But i hope this week will be better. I know all we do is walk around and try to find people investigators or members. Ha ya me im just worried if i can even find my area. And esh people call this phone like crazy. And its driving me crazy. Anyways though ya should be fun this week.

So ya my comp is cool though. He is new on mission, 4 months out. Ha ya but he is cool though he is a good worker. Anyways though ya not too much to say for this week. Ill give you the update next week. But for now just now that eldoret is cold and muddy. Esh i die in the mornings. Its freaking cold. I dont know what ill do when i get to Utah. Anyways though my comp is cool though. ESh he is cool i like him, he is a hard worker but still likes to joke around and have fun. So it works for me. I dont like having those work hard, serous, no fun, no emotion people. Ah not for me. I like to joke around and have fun sometimes. But i know those people, esh they are not humans they don't even smile. But ya luckily my comp is cool. It should be a fun transfer for us trying to figure out the area. Anyways though ya that's it for this week.

8/29/11

Well the countdown for me officially starts today! Yep its a new transfer and im getting transferred to my place of death. Yep im heading out of Kisumu and headed to Eldoret two hours away. Im white washing the area with a kid who has not been on mission long, and they made me the DL there too. So i got my work cut out for me. So by the ways i only have 4 transfers left. or rather 6 months but actually less than 6 months left. Ya freaking sweet. Anyways yep my new comp is called elder Phiri from Zambia. Yep i get two Zambians in a row. anyways im going to be freezing for the next little while. Eldoret is cold and esh i always hated going there cause its cold and now i have to go live there. But its okay my area is suppose to be good. Its called Sosiani and i hear its in town. So we will see how it goes. Anyways the area was for sisters but they are closing it and giving it to the elders. So ya im pretty excited to go there and to do that. So ya im leaving like 2 maybe 3 baptisms here. kinda sucks but its okay. Anyways thought thats the news on this side of the world.. Anyways though sounds like some people miss me there. And you know what i have to say it that dont worry im coming. And in no time ill be there. You know that reminds me of a bogus saying they have here. It has to do with hurrying. But it goes like haraka haraka hakuna barraka (hurry hurry there is no blessing) Ha kinda bogus but i do hear from time to time. Anyways i was talking to andrew and he too tells me that mission is almost over and that all of us will be home soon. So we gotta make the last part of missions the best. We gotta work hard all the way too the end. Anyways though i dont have alot to say today. But im excited to tell you how the new area is next week.

love, matt

8-22-11

Well to start ha everywhere you go there is malaria so nothing to worry about. And for me im fine. Just trying to enjoy life. By the ways we were suppose to have 2 baptisms this week but it looks like we will have to push them to next week. But ya i hope everything works out with them. Anyways so with the missionary that is coming is his surename Mourice? or is that his first name? But ill look out for him. By the ways if he is replacing mange he is coming this next week. Mange leaves on friday and we have 14 kids coming this next week. So i might train again not sure. We will find out on saturday. But on other news morice the guy we live with he is getting kicked out of our house this week. Not going to be fun dealing with that. Anyways though im happy to hear that school is back in. I bet elissa is super excited. Ya anyways our mission pres came to kisumu this past week with mission mom, ap's and the nevins. And the nevins came and looked at our house and the ap's and Sister broadbent all came to our house. And they all told us that is was good and very clean and they were very happy. So ya you know how we do here represent. But ya i didnt get to see president though only like for 15 seconds he came in while we were teaching a lesson and he slapped my head and pulled my hair and that was me and president for the time he was here. I love him ha he is awesome. Anyways though i miss real hamburger and hot dogs. And also i miss american food. You know im getting sick of ugali and chapotty. ........But this mission and we endure these things. And we try our best not to complain. So ya thats all im gonna complain. I just want to say that i would kill for betos. And that is no joke i would kill for it. Anyways i dont have to much to say for this week. But ya next week ill tell you whats going on here. There will be some serious changes for kisumu and i dont know wither ill be here for them or not but we will see. But friday will be awesome we are going to Nyabondo again, i love that place. they are not enough members there to start a church but there is enough to hold meetings on sunday not like normal church just meet together. But ya we go up there every month and get to teach the people who are curious to know. And alot of them do know what we teach and are ready for baptism but the distance for them to come to church in kisumu is too far so they cant. But eventually they will be. Esh that place is awesome. Anyways though im gonna go for this week. Talk to you next week.

love, matt

8-15-11

Well another week has gone by and fetch these things really do go by fast. Seems like everything just moves so fast i dont know what to do with myself. So thats cool you guys went to the tour of utah. I hope that i will be able to go with you guys next year. Sounds cool i want to go. Anyways im still jelous you guys get to go see AVA whenever you want. Me i dont i get to be here. But you know alot of people here do ask me about her. Ya missionaries love our family i think you guys have figured out that by now.
Anyways ya you know we see here alot of old white people or just weird white people that cant find someone where they live so they come to kenya to find a wife. I dont like it, its very bogus. All the time ill see like a 60 year old white guy with a 20 year old black girl. Pretty lame if you ask me. So ya back to me passing 18 months, pretty awesome ya? Im kinda scared cause they say that the last six months go by the fastest. We will see but ya this week is going to be intense. Mission pres is coming to kisumu with the Nevins. They are coming to look at our flats and to meet with the zone leaders. And also we have Mormon helping hands this Saturday. Not still sure what we are doing, our branch president was not very specific at sacrament meeting. But i guess ill see Saturday. I remember last year i was in Webuye and we went to some orphange place or something and we built a shade spot for the people. And i had bad allergies that day. Nearly killed me. But it was fun. Im hoping that this one will be fun as well. So ya anyways this past week was ok full of tracting and contacting. And it seemed okay we meet alot of people. Always makes me happy to get invited to someone's home to teach them. Ha by the ways one of our friends that we buy fruit from asked me a question that made me laugh. She asked me why i wasnt like the other mzungu's, why i talk with everyone and even speak swahili with people. Ha she asked why im always nice to everyone and so wanting to be friends with everyone. I just told her that i love everyone and i dont want people to be afraid to talk to me. But ya she is cool, she invited us to come teach her in her home this week. And she told us that her and her friend will be coming to our church on Sunday. Ya also while i was playing with the kids outside after church my comp was teaching a investigator that come for the first time. I didnt know he was teaching him or i would have been there but its okay cause the branch pres was there with them. And they invited him to be baptized and he accepted. Kinda awesome since its his first time coming to church. Ha we contacted him on the road and he came to church. Pretty awesome ya?
And even still i have to say Nairobi is still my favorite area. Kisumu is awesome but Nairobi i had the best comps's with the best work and the best members and constantly having fun and laughing and just enjoying. Esh i miss Nairobi. You know usually they take you to Nairobi a week before you go home and im going to use that week to go and see all of my converts and members that i love. Esh i gonna miss those.
But anyways thats pretty much me for this week. But ya im gonna go for this week.
love, matt

08-08-11

WOW IM FREAKING OUT ABOUT AVA! FETCH ITS ABOUT TIME! ITS BEEN KILLING ME THESE PAST THREE WEEKS. She looks beautiful by the ways. Esh i just got homesick though when i was looking at pictures of her. I already want to hold her. Ah 6 more months but actually by the end of this week i will be under 6 months. Ya i know pretty awesome. Anyways though your week sounds busy though. And somehow fun and depressing. By the ways my favorite scripture for work of the dead is in 1 peter 3:18-19 and 1 peter 4:6.
The pic of obama G-ma is up. Ya sorry it took so long but the cyber we went to last week wouldnt let me upload any photo's. But no worries its not up and i put some other photo's us on there as well. Ya its pretty awesome. Here most time people run away from ordinances, so its up the missionaries to do them. Like for everything. Esh so it wouldnt be a bad idea if we had a little practice doing somestuff. Maybe they wont be so afraid of them.
Anyways i find that kinda funny that someone stole my bike. Ha never thought that it would happen at my actual house. Kinda funny that it even was returned. Ha sawa i guess he wasnt man enough to actually steal it. But thats okay i guess. I kinda want a bike when i come home. Anyways though ya nothing too new this week. Just know that we got bounced again....like alot. Kinda annoying. But this is the work. Hey by the ways just so you know this is week 4 of this tranfer. Just thought you should know. We are still finding people by the ways. I hope we will be able to find some more this week. With all this talk of food places and AVA, has now made me very homesick. And i feel kinda sad im not there. But again its okay this is mission. Anyways though i've got not much to say and i cant have anything better than AVA., Stay awesome. PEACE!

Love matt.

8-1-11

Ha ya i forgot to tell you by the ways i got our phone stolen two weeks ago. And the rule is if you lose your phone you have to pay half of the price of the new phone you buy. But ya losing the phone was my bad. Ha i was in the cyber and the computer i was using stopped working so i need to switch to a different computer and i left the phone at the comptuter i was at. And it was like 5 minutes when i relized i didnt have it and when i went back to check for it, it was gone...And i had elder keno call it and it was turned off and long gone. But its ok the next day we went and bought a better phone and we even got to keep our number which was good. The only problem is that all of the people in our phone are gone. So we have to start over and get everyone's number. But ya besides that nothing too much going on this week. We had alot of people bounce us which sucks. In fact i dont think i've been bounced so much my entire mission. But you know these things are just there. But we did sure contact alot of people. We even ran into some Korean missionaries. For some church not exactly sure which it is. But anyways this Korean chick invited me to go to Nairobi with her. And i was like im good thanks, maybe next time. But ya she was very touchy kinda freaked me out. She even stole my pen, and then like 20 mintues came and found me and gave it back. And i swear they were following us around. But ya just one of those weird missionary experiences.
And ya by the ways ill look for sebastion when he comes. Hopefully ill get to meet him before i go. So ya not too much more going on here. Im just praying for some more people to teach. But as for life im loving it. Ha the members here are awesome by the ways. Im going to miss them when leave this place. Esh you dont know what they go through. Like the guy we stay we with, his wife left him cause he joined the church. Or people lose friend cause they joined the church or they are hated cause they joined the church. Called a devil worshiper every day its tough. I have so much respect for them, cause its hard sometimes for them. But they are always strong. Esh im happy to have been here during the early days of the church you get to see the true adversities. And face freaking hardships that are just tough. So ya we were suppose to have a baptism this saturday, but our investigator has to go visit her grandma for two weeks. So we have to push two weeks which sucks but its ok as long as she willl be baptized im happy. Speaking of which she is a very funny girl. She is even a few month younger then elissa but she stays with her cousin who is her support. So she is good for baptism. But the only problem is her dad is a polygamist. So she has to be interviewed by someone in the mission presidency. Esh polygamy sucks! It really is a problem here. Esh And i hate it! drives me crazy you have to make sure the person you teach is not a polygamist or married to one or is a son or daughter to one. IT sucks! But anyways thats just mission here. Still think its awesome im the only one in our family who got to leave the states for mission. And of most places Kenya, makes it that much better. I know everyone says this but i truly do believe my mission is the best. I mean really how many mission's have two mission languages? But anyways though im gonna go for this week..

love, matt