It had to happen sometime

You know, every week can't be a big adventure.  Sometimes on a mission you have to act like a missionary.  As a senior couple it is certainly different for us as we leave the door to door stuff to the elders and sisters but we do have plenty of opportunities to share what we know to be true.

President and Sister Chatfield had their youngest daughter and her husband come for a visit this week.  Their family pulled together enough funding to go and do 100 people with a jiggers project.  The result was a need for me to come in to Kampala for some previously scheduled meetings he could no longer attend.  They have a coordinating council with the area seventy, Elder Makasi, and the stake president and district president along with the mission president.  It was interesting to sit and participate with Elder Makasi and the others as we follow the council of the area presidency for Africa.  Anyway, at the closing of the meeting Elder Makasi shared a few thoughts.

In 3 Nephi 9:13-14 it states: "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?  Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."  His question was "how do we come unto Him?"  There are many places in the scriptures where we learn how to come unto Him.  Love, charity, service, prayer, scriptures, faith, chastity, modesty, clean language and on and on the list goes.  

Elder Makasi used Matthew 11:28-29.  "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."  We put our trust in Him and follow his commandments and soon our trials and troubles will seem to become light.  He can and will do what He says He will do and we only need to show the faith necessary for the blessings to come.

We had to take two trips into Kampala this week.  One with and elder who had a stick poked down his throat and they couldn't get it all out when it happened last year (prior to his mission).  It is now causing swelling and infection and so he needs to go to South Africa for treatment and removal.  We took him in because you have to get an emergency medical visa for S Africa but we got him there too late so they took him in the next morning.  Crazy, he doesn't need a visa because he is from Tanzania and they have an open border with S Africa.  The other was to take the meeting for President Chatfield.  I hate that drive, it was 3 1/2 hours for a 60 mile drive when we came home tonight.

Sister Squire is becoming a very good cook.  Tonight was Chicken Parmesan night.

We came in early to Kampala because the Elders and Sisters attending Missionary Leadership Council go to Protea for dinner.  It was funny as we were leaving because it is the hot time of year here in Uganda and they have this charcoal stove going.

Because it was kind of a slow party week I have to show some pictures of the past.  This is one on the side of a school showing they need to use mosquito nets to keep malaria away.

This is how they sell vegetables.  They set up their stands along the road and you pull over and get what you need.  They stack them nice and neat so they look presentable.

This little guy was learning to carry water in Lira.  Cute stuff.

The bore holes are social gathering places.  This little boy is getting a drink from the tap.

We stayed with the Eklunds in Lira and when you turned on the water heater everything became hot (you would get shocked if you touched anything metal.  I got nipped a couple of times.  They did get it fixed after we left; I think that wanted to wait to make sure we didn't overstay our welcome.

I love this picture of one of the lodges by Sipi Falls.  Looks like Africa.

 Little kids helping with the family.

Love this expression

Not sure if they are twins but just waiting for a Church meeting to begin.

I like her attitude!

This is pretty typical as you get around towns.  Everyone walks, bikes or bodaboda to get places.

You have to be very careful where you walk here in Africa.  There are traps everywhere that will claim an unsuspecting animal.

The new school year started this week and getting school fees is a family affair.  We had many offers to help pay for school fees but we follow the guidelines from our Area Presidency and do not pay out funds.  Africa will not come out of poverty with foreigners paying for individual needs.  It hasn't worked for the last 50 years and the model needs to change.  Teach them the gospel and self-reliance and there will be lasting changes.