Update 7.19.2010

Kilili Progress – We made delightful visits to Kilili Branch two times this week – Tuesday and Sunday. More new brothers and sisters are coming to conducting and keyboard classes, and joining the choir. (Notice that Mzungu tenor.) The building has had a new paint job. Sister Miriam said, “The building is 'smiling.'” That's the feeling we have when we visit there. They have suffered with the loss of President Morris Makiti and they are now pulling together and making some good progress. We took Sister Phyllis (President Makiti's wife) home Tuesday and visited there. She gave us a tour of the tangerine orchard and we had a good visit. She's lonely but doing well.

Kilili Choir Practice/Mzungu Tenor

Sister Mikiti w/Elder Blake - Tangerines

  

Sister Mikiti w/ Sister Blake and Helper - Beans

Kilili Primary Class

        

Temple Preparation - We are working hard getting 5 couples and their families ready to go to the Johannesburg South Africa temple in November. The lessons and worthiness seem to be the easiest part. There is so much red tape involved with ID cards, birth certificates, passports, etc. Then there's the application for the Temple Assistance Fund which all the families from this area need. (We are so grateful for the many members who donate to this fund to help people who live far from a temple and couldn't afford to go without help.)

YM/YW Activity Day – We are in the midst of helping put together a large four-branch YM/YW Activity Day in August, since school is out then. It's difficult because of the large distances to get a group together to plan so we are facilitating the communication and planning. It will be Saturday, Aug. 7^th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with each branch preparing one ½ hour workshop (four going on at the same time and rotate) and one group game. It will include get acquainted activities, service, food, and the movie The Other Side of Heaven (about Elder Groberg's mission) that the young people here love. We're excited but a little nervous as one branch said they have 50 young men and young women! It's hard for us to tell, as most of the young people go away to boarding school when they are high school age.

Shopping Day – Saturday we took a break and went the new couple, Elder and Sister Byrd, shopping at Jogo Market (factory where you watch the clothes, purses, hats, soccer balls, etc. being made). We also went to the Hilton Arcade where they sell African crafts. Elder Berg (missionary we work with in Kalongo area) is leaving in August and asked if we'd get 4 bone-handled knives for him there. We ate lunch in a little “Taco” shop in town. It certainly wasn't Taco Bell, and nothing was taco-flavored, but it was good. 

Elder and Sister Byrd w/Sister Blake at Jogo Market

Indian Ocean – This week after classes Tuesday and Wednesday we are heading for Mombasa to stay with the missionary couple there. We 'll go to their English class to share ideas and then to their branch Sunday. We're looking forward to seeing a little different view of Kenya, including the ocean.

Stay safe and well. We love you.