"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.