"THESE ARE THE DAYS NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN"

We once again journeyed to Kiplemur to teach at Mengichs home and to later teach at a home of Phillip’s friend.  Eight dear souls joined us but this time Eunnis’s husband, William met with us.  He had not been too friendly to us on two previous meetings, even at his home but he stayed awake and was taught ‘The Plan of Salvation’ by us.  We felt positive about the meeting and those who attended.  Phillip attended and asked questions that helped others understand.  We were most anxious to meet the new investidgators that Phillip had rounded up.

O’ yes, Julia has yet to have her baby, we are as anxious as if it were our own grandchild.  They had harvested some of their beans that had been planted next to the maize so the beans could climb up the stalks and add nitrogen to the soil at the root of the maize stalks.  The girls had the vines piled up and were beating them with four foot poles to separate the beans.  Shaylah, the oldest did not have her heart in it until she taught Sister Babcock how to properly beat the piles of bean vines.  The girls thought it was quite hilarious to teach Sister Babcock to get tough and rough with the rounded piles of bean stalks. Upon our return from the afternoon meeting, we were presented with a 7 pound bag of fresh beans for our use.  I refused half of them arguing they were needed by the family but Phillip prevailed and wanted to bless our lives with them.  We had some for dinner today and fresh beaten beans are divine.  I washed them three times with a bit of Jixx (bleach) to make sure they would be kind to the Mazungo (white person) digestion.

We traveled by truck a few kilometers to the home of Phillip’s friend by the name of Kosgei, he is a farmer and has a good stand of maize, he said five acres.  The home and surrounding yard was much bigger than at Mengichs.  We were invited in and met Kosgei’s seven children and wife Techla.  Phillip attended with us and we had brought Rashid a young return missionary who served in the  Uganda, Ethiopia and Sudan mission.  Rashid was raised Islam.  After waiting an hour we played a 7 minute CD program talking about the church in Africa, it brings the church out of obsecurity and darkness is my opinion and puts us on the map.  We were served the standard Kenyan lunch of rice, ugali made with brown millet, chicken (for us, the honored guests) and avacodos.  It was a wonderful lunch for the first Mazungos Kosgie and Techla’s children had ever seen.  In fact I don’t think Mazungo’s have ever before been seen in this Nandi Village.

As we finished eating others came and ate as well, we began lunch with seven adults and seven children, the children were sent outside to eat but ended with 16 adults and 30 children.  We had Phillip an evangelist, plus another man appeared and introduced himself as a Reverand.  He was a well mannered and well kept older man.  He was wonderful and supplied the group with information prompted by us such as: all churches are different because they create their own doctrines.  He was anxious to have The Book of Mormon and read it.  He paid particular attention when we discussed the New Testament scriptures.  I made an extra effort to greet him and visit with him but when the meeting was over, he disappeared.

In our discussion we made reference to The Savior seeking out and finding John the Baptist so he could be baptized of him since no one else had the authority to do so.  When we later taught that John appeared to Joseph Smith and restored the authority to baptize they are impressed.  John was the last Old Testament prophet but his record is in the New Testament.  Anyway, Phillip said, “I cannot get around this event.”    

As the 40+ bodies were stacked into the room, some outside in the doorway, the temperature promptly moved to 98.6 F and we taught for two and a half hours.  These lessons are long since we are translating from English to Swhailli.  When we asked if they wanted us back for another lesson Kosgei anwered, “yes” in a fraction of a second.  We will teach there on Sunday afternoon the 15 of July.

This picture is with just the kids and a few adults but there were another 12-14 adults in one room of  Kosgieall listening to the first discussion, 'The Restoration'. 

A man named Josiah came with his wife Rebecca, he was a large and tall Kenyan.  He runs a elementary school and is the headmaster for 200 students.  They are Seventh-Day Adventists.  He was most interested.  I do not know if he knows that Hellen White was a former early member of the church, we will discuss it with him sometime.  We stopped at their school to sign their visitors book and received each a complimentary sotet from the school.  Sister Babcock taught the children several primary songs while at the school and the children here have stunning voices, catch the beat, and learn the English words very quickly.  I don’t know who had the best time the kids or Sister Babcock.

On our way home we delivered Phillip to his home, his family all were there to greet us.  We asked if he was happy about the meetings.  He said “He was spiritually lifted and was so delighted with what had transpired during the day.”  Using the words of Oliver Cowdry, “...these were days never to be forgotton—“, yes, and for us we agree “...these are the days never to be forgotton.”  Phillip’s phone call of three to four months ago to ask us for a Book of Mormon gave us the privledge today to teach 54 children/adults, unbelievable.

 It was another marvelous day knowing we were teaching with and by The Spirit, having that assistance, and then seeing the message being received and understood by The Spirit.  We traveled home wondering at the privelege of being part of this heavenly process, there is nothing like it, no not anything.

Sotets, a Nandi Tribe tradition to honor a guest with this decorated gourd that is made to hold sour milk.   Orion is the name of the Primary School of Josiah and Rebecca.

ELDORET DRESS MARKET

Need a new dress?  Check out our Eldoret Dress Market located on a major highway.  It's colorful, fun, and always catches my eye but I just don't know how you 'try on' the dress of your choice!

NANGAIT VILLAGE, 1 JULY 2012

We were invited back to the Nangait villiage by our good friend William Keriche to speak at the Sunday morning church services of the African Inland Church. I was asked to speak for 45 minutes on the subject of giving. I think I exceeded the 45 minutes but no one seemed to object. We invited the Eldoret District Clerk to interpret for me and arranged pickup at his buiness. The roads were very muddy and I slipped into a culvert hole; we were deep in trouble and the rear wheel was off the ground. I jumped out into a puddle to spin the hubs for 4-wheel engagement but that was no relief. Finally several Africans picked up the front end of the truck and we were free at last. I turned around and Gregory Mutiso slid in and we were off to the Village. With that event I was nervous how the balance of things were to proceed for us. We arrived at the church and were welcomed by William, then Solomon, our dear friend arrived, their wives arrived. Others welcomed us, even Pastor Peter was extremely accepting of us. A young couple named Jeremiah and Esther who were doing security on the building and the new contruction opened the gate for us. I continue to wonder what William’s motive was to have come, I do not know if he wanted money from us for the new building or whether the Spirit of The Lord had been working on him.

 AIC Children's Sunday School - I taught several primary songs to these cuties.

After a few administrive items and some singing I was given the pulpit. Gregory and I gave it all we had. The building had been built on a collasping soil and as a result the building floor was on a slant, the walls were spalling and the floor was cracked in several places. I noticed that under the bench ahead of us ants were exiting the hole, eventually they were all around our feet, I in an unhumanly way started to step on them and terminate their lives. When I took the pulpit we moved to the other side of the chapel. The talk went well and all seemed to feel they had been taught the Word of God. I noticed that only a few had their eyes closed, I considered that a good indicator of a job done well.

When I was finished, Sister Babcock a chance to say a few words that were refreshing to the congregtion. I was invited to give the closing prayer and did so. Solomon said that he had been watching the ants throughout the meeting but when I prayed they all disappeared back into the hole. I am not sure that was a sign or what. We mingled around and did the traditional hand shaking outside after the meeting. The Pastor engaged me in conversation and invited me to come back and give a sermon on the restoration. Solomon volunteered to bring his electrical generator for our projector. The pastor was a young guy so I explained that if I presented the story of The Restoration some of his congregation would likely defect. I made a deal with him that if he read the pamphlets and approved of the message I would return. We will wait for our invitation to return. Before we left Esther took the floor and invited us to attend every Sunday, for her that would be something she wanted very much. We think we received the invitation to become the new pastors for the AIC but we politely explained we had been called by a prophet of God to be missionaries for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She felt something very special about our message and presence. Solomon & Elder Babcock after the Meeting.

 He is ready to give us land in the Village to live by him!

The Nangait AIC Congregation


The Cooking House
 

 We were invited in the adjacent home and were seated with the church elders and received a cooked lunch, we were served chicken, that was special for us. Lunch started a discussion about the church that went on until 4PM at which time we left. Gregory would answer questions and bear testimony, then Sister Babcock, then me and so on. It was a glorious experience for us. Gregory could not say enough good things about his experience, it was an event that only heaven could have been a part. The Holy Ghost again was felt by us and we were given utterance and addressed questions beyond our normal abilities. We returned home illuminated and elevated by the experience to share the events of The Restoration and all the blessings thereof that we testified to our brothers. I felt impressed to tell them we were all of Israel and of Joseph through Ephriam. They seem to marvel at this idea. It was another spiritual experience with the Holy Ghost supporting and sustaining our words and testimony. What the future is for them we do not know. We were welcomed and sent on our way with Kenyan style heart felt love and affection we have come to appreciate.