Love'in Life

Love is all around. 

Well, we had a wonderful Valentine’s Day celebration and I am grateful for Nancy and the love I have for her.  It is such a blessing to have someone to love and have them love you back.  There are so many in this world that will not have this opportunity because of where they live, things they have done in the past,  or perhaps they have been born with some disability or mental illness.  We are told by some to love our friends but it is OK to hate our enemies.  However, the Savior taught, even when we are experiencing opposition and persecution: “love your enemies, bless then that curse you, do good to them that despitefully use you and persecute you.”  

Of course, the Savior set the perfect example.  He had all power to remove either himself or his enemies but chose to love them instead.  In His perfect doctrine on how to become perfect; the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to bless those who would hurl curses at us and pray for them that despitefully use you.  Why would he have us do this?  He tells us in Matt 5:45 it is: “That you may be the children of your Father which in is heaven.”  I understand we are all children of Heavenly Father but I think this may be more about being with Him through the eternities.  

Everyone in the world finds it easy to love those that love us and treat us kindly.  That is not the higher law he required of all of us who desire to become his children and be with him.  The genuine love we need to develop is to care for the abrasive and those who have traits that we either hate or despise.  We don’t have to accept the behaviors of these types of people but we do need to learn to love them and genuinely care about their success.  That is a very high law to learn.

We had a fun and interesting week.  Here are a few of the pictures.

The two zones around Jinja had a super activity where they got together and make assignments to make different foods for a meal.  Every missionary paid an amount for the food and then had an assignment to help cook or make something.  It was a great success.  Here are most of the 32 missionaries in the two zones. 

Look at all the different types of food and smoothies that were prepared.

Sister Lubonga noticed I have a habit of chewing on my tongue when I do anything and so she is helping me be to be humble by making fun of me.  Cute kid!

The sisters get to go through first.

We had a white guy come in off the street and he looked like he was a bit confused.  We fed him and sent him on his way.

We always have to do some shopping whenever we go downtown Jinja.  There are lots of shops that sell many of the same type of items. This is Florence (notice sleeping baby on bottom shelf on left). Sister Squire is on first name basis with many of the shop owners.......

Did I mention that one year ago this week we went to the MTC.  I had to celebrate with a nice steak lunch.  It is about $8.00 for the steak, mash and salad.  Sister Squire put me on a one steak a week diet.

We had a dentist come for the fifth year in a row to work on African missionary teeth.  Dr Openshaw brought another dentist and his daughter who is a dental hygienist.  She also cleaned all the senior couples teeth.  Dr Christensen will think I have been a good boy when I get home with nice clean teeth.  Before 7 months ago the African missionaries only had to do a short mission application form which did not require a dental exam.  Many of these problems will now be solved before they go on their mission.  One elder had 11 cavities and another had 7 teeth pulled.  All those who had any dental pain were invited to come and get it fixed.  For the week they saw a total of 42 missionaries. 206 teeth were filled. 17 extractions. 3 wisdom teeth extracted. 2 cosmetic restorations. 100 Quads of deep cleaning. There were no major complications and 2  missionaries had 10 fillings each and one had 11.

Sis Chabra and Elder Chabra (medical) helped the entire week with the dental volunteers.  They had a very busy week.  Mulago Hospital has a dental college that let us use three chairs and the space in their facility for the week.

Here we have a choo-choo going across the Nile river.

We went down to the Nile to try a new place for lunch.  While we are out on the boat waiting for our food we see them cleaning up the leaves.  They just burn all the trash anywhere in the city, home or business.  You can see the fire by the side of the business.

Here we are on the boat enjoy a nice lunch.  It has been so hot that being on the water really cooled things down.  It was nice.

Did you think missionaries forget Valentines Day?  No, never.  The Hannans came out to Jinja and went with us to the Jinja Boat Club for a sunset cruise and dinner.  The seem happy and in love as well.

Another loving couple.

Some of the birds on the sunset cruise.

High step-in to the music.

Home by the river.  Quite a nice place to live I think.

Village by the river.

Fishing for Talapia.  They will fish all night.

Sunset

Random photo of a goat standing on the window seal of a home during construction.

I will never stress over appreciation notes again with this helpful way of identifying who to thank.

We missed another great day in the life of our grandchildren when Reese was baptized this past week.  We do miss them but love the opportunity being on a mission has provided us and our family.

Yes, I know I have a future in the card business.