I feel like Santa Claus

On Friday we found out that members mother had died. She died on Thursday night at 7pm and they were going to bury her on Friday at 4pm. Because of not being able to keep the body they have to bury the body fast. So we had Martin(a member) help us find the place because of past experience of getting lost. We were grateful that we had had him show us were it was because we would have never found it. We then headed to get the children from school and then stopped the one of few shopping stores and the chidlren commented on the biggness of the store and the things that were available there. We have not done alot of shopping here. So they were in awe. We had locked the car with a strong bike lock that we put around the steering well to discourage people from stealing the car. When we got back to the car we could not get the lock off and so Tim ran into the store and got a small saw and sawed it off. It was a miracle that we just happened to be in the one place that we could get a saw and get the lock off. We felt very blessed. We then headed to the funeral but we as we headed up to the place we saw hundreds of people leaving and we knew that we were late. It amazes me that within 24 hours all these people knew about it and were there. We visited with the member and gave our condolences and walked to the gave. We then headed home and on the way we were in village and Tim had bought 1,000 pictures of Jesus Christ and so we would stop and the children would pass out the pictures. It was amazing to watch the response of the children that received the pictures they were jumping up and down and smiling with such joy. Many white people give candy to the young children but we were giving something of much more lasting value. One of the children stated WOW I feel like Santa Claus. It was a fun experience for us all.

I can't go to sleep, there is no noise

Last night as I was putting Hannah to bed she stated mom I can't go to bed there is no noise. I had to laugh here in uganda there is noise pretty much all the time except from 3 am to 6am. We have become used to going to sleep with the noise of singing and praising. There is always commotion and people going places. If you go down to the streets it looks like it is News Year Eve every night. I wonder how they ever feel peace. They live very very close to one another and so I guess they are use to the noise and I guess we are getting use to it too. We are not so sure if we want to leave but pray for the blessings of the Lord here in the wonderful country.

High on a Mountain Top

On Saturday we had a young woman activity here with about 15 young woman. We first showed the video of the general young women presidency hiking up Ensign Peak and then we hiked a small mountain here and raise our yellow banners and sang High on a mountain top and said a prayer. We then came back and talked about personal progress and the had a quizz about the colors and the values. We had treats that were the colors of the values: white- rice, blue- cool aid, orange-mangoes, yellow-pineapple, green-avacodos, purple-beans, gold-cookies,red-tomatoes. Then Cariel and Liza taught them to play uno and that was fun. These sweet young woman's lives are so different than we know but they go forward with faith

Missionary Work

It was an amazing Sunday as Tim baptized a family, as I looked into the mirror and saw him take the father's hand in his and baptize him my heart was full. I loved it when Tim said Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I felt Him there that day. This sweet man had been coming to church for a year but because he was not married (he did not have the 80 dollars)he could not get baptized. He had desired to be baptized for a long time and his wife was baptized too. It was such a blessing in our lives to watch that. When we first arrived here it was ward conference and as the first counselor in the stake presidency stated the numbers over the pulpit they announced for the information of the members the number of missionaries serving from the Mukono ward is (there was a pause) zero. Our family chuckled and then he went on since coming we have 4 missionaries that are about ready to leave. Tim has helped them get odd jobs to pay for shots ect. And each Tuesday night we have about 10 prospective missionaries over to do Preach My Gospel. We have loved it.

The blessings of the gospel

I realize now more than ever the great blessings of the gospel. I can see so many things that the gospel teaches us and helps us with. And one of the greatest blessings is helping us raise the next generation. Our children here have been such a light to those around them. If any difference we have made theirs is really the one that is evident. I have watched them dance with the Ugandians and try to learn their national anthem interact with adults ,children and peers. People continue to fall in love with them and marvel at their goodness. In a world where teens tend to be self centered they reach out and try to make everyone feel loved. They have truly been a light to those around them. I love watching Cariel tenderly watch over a girl who lives up from us and reach out to our neighbors children. Liza is an amazing Young Woman advisor and it is fun to watch her stand up in Young Woman and teach them about personal progress, Mckay watched a boy is age cry in church because he did not want to go back to boarding school because he is beaten everyday. Mckay said that he would pray for him that his burdens might be lightened. Hannah loves to be in nursery with me and is so great with the young children. I am so grateful for the teaching of the gospel and the programs that the church has to help parents raise a generation that will be a light unto the world.

Foot Massages

When we loved in South Africa 16 years ago I would love to go and get my feet rubbed by a reflexology there for very cheap. So when we learned that we would be coming to Africa I was excited to find a cheap place to get my feet rubbed. I began looking after 3 weeks here and Martin from our church found me one. I went to a hole in the wall place but loved it and only payed 4 dollars for 45 minutes of feet rubbing. Then I got a text from him and said that the government had shut down all the reflexology and I was so sad. I found a place that will now rub my feet but is really just the same. It is tragic in a country that has 85 percent unemployment the government will take away jobs. But I still love my feet rubbed

Miracles never cease

We have seen many miracles in the time that we have been here and here is on that we will remember. Uganda is a country were things belong to everyone and stealing things is very prevalent. The first month we were here we had a gardener but decided that we would hire a young man in our ward that was preparing for a mission. So we let the other gardener go. The first day Andrew worked for us Tim sent him down to get some supplies( hose Rake ect) He put in the shed when he was done. In the morning they were gone we thought someone had stolen them, but the next day they were back the old gardener had just borrowed them without asking. Things disappear and it is not uncommon to never found. Alot of times they will find something and think that is gift from God. Even at church things are taken such as scriptures and cell phones. A sweet Couple missionary sister gave a talk about the Lost and Found which is a novel idea for them. She encouraged them to start a lost and found in their own wards. Well the day before Eric left we had all gone down to play tennis and basketball together. We had a big bag full of tennis rackets and balls and water. Hannah wanted to come home so some of us came home and left the others to finish. Tim just happen need to copy some things and so he took the bag to a copy center here on campus asked if they would keep it while he ran some papers somewhere. He forgot and we thought the bag had been stolen. We also thought our video camera had be stolen because we could not remember where we had it. Well Tim went back to the copy place to copy things and the people asked when he was going to pick up his bag. He had forgotten he had even left it there and as we looked through it the video camera was there with everything else. It is a miracle and as we told the adult fellowship about it they all laughed and said Tim we hope that you lose at least one thing to theft before you leave or else your African experience is not complete.

A faithful Hometeacher

Yesterday I was a little homesick for Eric as I looked at the bulletin board and saw his name still listed as a home teacher to 5 different families. It made me tear up for a moment. He is so much like his faithful father. Tim has tried so much to get home teaching to be ran like it should here in our ward and Eric followed in his footsteps and I believe that Tim learned from his father(Jeff). There is great power in a faithful home teacher. We had a sister that had been inactive for sometime return to church and had her daughter baptized yesterday. She was one whom Tim was assigned to visit. We had her and her daughter over for dinner yesterday and sang happy birthday to her too. The daughter whom is 9 kept going outside we did not know why finally her mom said that she needed to go to the bathroom. We showed her where pour inside toilet was. I am not sure if she had ever seen anything other that a squat toilet. We took her home and Hannah was with us. They invited us in and Hannah kept saying wow this is small. I tried to keep her from saying it. But it was small. It was very tidy but just a bed and a small cooking area. They gave Hannah a mango and taught her how to eat it like in the village. We then stopped at a lady who serves in the Primary with me. She has a young daughter about 3 years old. She always look like she has a lot of money on Sunday always dressed so nice and her daughter's hair is done perfect. We pulled up and boy was her house run down there were chickens running around. I would have never guessed that she was so poor by the way that she dressed on Sunday. It reminds me of when we lived in Philadelphia and the members in the inner city would dress great but that is all they could afford. So they appeared wealthy to the world but had nothing except a pair of nice clothes. She did not want us to come in her place but hannah went in with the little girl and said in the car "WOW their house is even smaller and there are no beds just a couch some chickens and a cat". It amazes me how people live with nothing and yet keep going.

Ugnada can eat

I had a homemaking here this week.I taught them how to make pizza with the hope that someday they can afford an oven so they can make pizza as a job. When I was on my mission in Korea 25 years ago there was 1 pizza place now there are tons and I told them that this would be a great opportunity for them to have a job. It was fun to have so many sisters together and just hear them laugh and see their sweet spirits. I had made a lot of food and was so surprised that they ate it all and started to pack dinners for their families. I learned that if you put it out they will take it. The petite woman ate three huge heaping platefuls and still could have eaten more. I can not eat much of their food because of the high starch content but they can eat a lot here. We had a great time I gave a short lesson on Christ like living. I LOVE THESE SISTERS IN THE GOSPEL. We have a lady come in and cook for us once on a while and she make mostly food that the children will eat. She is a great cook and we appreciate all she does.

Africa is beginning to feel like home

The time is flying and I am not ready for it to end. It seemed like it took us two years to get ready for this experience and now it is flying by too fast. the other day we were driving in Mukuno and Mckay said that this is just like home. How quickly we forget what home looks like when you are surrounded by people that you love. We have become very comfortable with this way of life here and it does feel like we are home. I am not wanting to go home but know that a portion of our hearts will be left here. We have been very busy with the members in the ward here yesterday we had 134 people at church. It was amazing and we want them to embrace all the blessings that the gospel offers. Tim is amazing and does so much I do not know how he does it. He left this morning to drive 7 hours up to our Stake Presidents Fathers funeral and will drive 7 hours back home and only stay there for 2 hours. Funerals are very important here and everything stops for them. They spend alot of money and time going to a funeral. WE tried last week to find a members sister funeral for 3 hours but finally had to go get the children. We then had to go and visit the family and give them money because we did not make it to the funeral. IT is the culture and so we just smile and try to be sensitive to them. We hope that we can take the wonderful things we have learned home with us. The are a nation more worried about being than doing.