October 15, 2013

Jambo!  So this week has probably been the craziest week so far on my mission.  It started off really slow but certainly picked up toward the end.  We have been focusing on reactivating those that are inactive in our area, which is a lot of members...

This week was the hottest week so far, no doubt, and it only got hotter.  Friday was the hottest day I remember, but then Saturday came.  Then Sunday came.  Then Monday came.  And time and time again I kept thinking "wow, this couldn't get any hotter."  Then it did the next day.  So I am going to stop thinking of that.

But here is a cool Sunday night story.  Sunday was missionary Sunday so we talked and gave lessons in church.  The coolest part was the music (because that was my job).  The four of us Elders did a special musical number singing "I Feel My Saviors Love."  It brought such a strong spirit into the meeting.

Sunday night.  We went to the Sri Lankans to be with them.  There was a funny looking symbol made of chapati flour outside of the door and they asked us to take off our shoes and then they washed our feet and brought us into their back room where there is a shrine to all the Hindu gods.  They had us bow our heads and pray with them to some god and then sprinkled holy water on us and put red dots on our heads!!  No worries though, we ended the lesson with a prayer to the real Mungu (God), Bwana Wetu.  

Monday we went to KICC, this big building that is a tourist attraction in Nairobi.  We went as a zone activity.  What a fun event!  We then went to Java House which makes some really nice American food.  It was great until we got the check...  I got a double cheeseburger and a brownie sundae.  Usually my lunch will cost a little under 200/-, but this tab was 1,270/-... Ouch.

I love all y'all!  Keep the gospel!

Love,

Elder Dick

--

Kenya Nairobi Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

October 21, 2013

Hey y'all,

So this week was very busy.  We had many meetings and many places we

had to be.  Our numbers certainly reflected how much time we put

toward administrative things rather than teaching investigators.

On Thursday I came down with some malaria and it just got worse over

the weekend, but the Sri Lankans gave me some medicine that really

helped.  Normally I would be worried about some person in Kenya giving

me some pills, but thankfully the Lord looks out for his missionaries

so I took them with water and a spoonful of faith.  It worked!

General Conference of course was great.  My favorite talks were on

Sunday by President Monson, President Eyering, and Elder Holland.

President Eyering is my favorite speaker and he has been for a few

years, and he certainly pulled through on this one!

The Sri Lankans want to skype my family on Saturday to tell them "Dick

he fine."  I wonder how that will go...

It is so good hearing from all y'all.  You'll be happy to know that I

retain at least a few good Southern qualities.  We had Elders Kunz and

Sibanda over on Saturday afternoon to listen to the Priesthood session

of conference.  I surprised everyone by making a very huge dinner and

giving everyone some of my drinks.  Good old Southern hospitality!  It

works, even in Africa.

Well I am going out to the wild again today to see the animals.  The

Sri Lankans are taking us to a place they like to go.

Christmas is coming up soon.  Here is my request for everyone who

receives these emails.  ANSWER ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

(your choice which) please.

How do you have a successful marriage? (if you are married)

How do you raise your children to follow the Lord? (if you have children)

How do you recognize, listen to, and follow the promptings of the Spirit?

How do you face serious adversity?

If you can't think of an answer to one of those questions I am also a

huge fan of Jack Link's Teriyaki Beef Jerky!

Until next week,

Love,

Elder Dick

Kenya Nairobi Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

October 7, 2013

Jambo!

So this past week has been a week of amazing growth for myself, my companion, and the ward that we serve in.  We really tried to focus this week on the less active members of the ward and we visited many of them.  We also had developed a ward mission plan that is sure to help things out for the Athi River Ward.

We were unable to watch General Conference, but to make up for it we went to a Seventh Day Adventist church on Saturday.  We went as a deal with one of our investigators that if we went to their church on Saturday then they would come to ours on Sunday.  We, being missionaries, were completely honest.  In the words of Horton "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant, and an Elder is faithful, one hundred percent."  So we kept up our end of the deal.  The investigator, however, did not.  In fact no one we wanted to come to church actually came...  It was a bit frustrating, but the only direction to go is up!

I love you all.  Sorry for being short this week.  Check out my pictures on Google Plus!

Goat meat and rice....yummmmmm!



Jacob and Elder Russell waving to my (Mom's) class.

Love,

Elder Dick

PS - I found a scripture that describes the level of coolness in this companionship.. Ether 2:17 - They were exceedingly tight.

Elder Jacob K. Dick

Kenya Nairobi Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

September 30, 2013

So this week has been a week of amazing growth for both my companion and me.  We finally figured out exactly what we need to do to get this ward to grow.  We sat down last night when we usually chill and we wrote a ward mission plan to get things going.  We are on fire!

This Elder is a spiritual giant.  He just doesn't know it yet.  He isn't too great at finding scriptures that relate to the lesson or in saying exactly the right thing when it needs to be said or in not being rude to people, but when it comes to bearing a testimony this guy can bring the spirit in an instant.  And those other things will come from being on his mission.

We have been focusing more on the less active and recent convert's to the ward.  We still teach new investigators, but we are really trying to focus on retention and getting those inactive members reactivated.  It is a struggle sometimes getting the ward to work with us, but it is definitely what the Lord wants us to do.

The only thing is...  Inactive members are way harder to get to church than nonmembers.  HELP YOUR LOCAL MISSIONARIES!

I am writing a talk for the mission newsletter.  Maybe I will send it out next week so all y'all can read it.  But that is why this one is so short this week!  

I love all y'all!  I miss the South and I miss grits and barbecue and the ocean breeze, but I love this gospel.  The church is true and the Book of Mormon is my favorite book because I have seen what it can do to someone.  Pick it up and read it!

Love,

Elder Dick

--

Elder Dick

Kenya Nairobi Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

September 25, 2013

Jambo!

So there was nothing really new this week...

Just kidding!  This week was insane.  My new companion came.  I am training him.  He is fresh from Syracuse, Utah.  He got here on Wednesday.  Then on Saturday there was a terrorist attack very near my proselyting area.  It is still going on, I believe.  So far I think around 30 have been killed and 120 have been injured.  I hope everyone is thoroughly terrified for my safety.

I also finished the Book of Mormon during the time we were locked down (can't leave our flat) on Sunday.  I gained a stronger testimony that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God!  It is an awesome book, you should read it!

For now, we have a curfew of "dark."  So that means we are in our flat by 7pm at the latest.  So it really means we need to be in around 6.  Which means that after we get out of our flat at 12 because of training the new missionary we have only 6 hours to do work...  Let's get to it I guess.

I am safe, though, so no one worry.  I might need an emergency care package of snickers and jolly rancher bursts.  Just kidding...  The snickers would totally melt.

In case anyone still cares, my address is

Elder Jacob K Dick

Kenya Nairobi Mission

PO Box 46162-00100

Upper Hill Road next to Citigroup

Nairobi

Kenya

If you request reimbursement for the expensive stamps or package costs...  Haha what a joke.

I love you all!!!!  Here is a good quote from Elder Spencer Stolworthy (Mexico Torreon Mission):

Work like a fool and obey like a dog.

Love,

Elder Jacob Dick

jacob.dick@myldsmail.net

September 16, 2013

Jambo!

So this week was awesome.  Well, I guess it is how you look at it, because if you weren't me you'd probably think it was terrible.  But I am me and I think it was fantastic.

On Monday we went into Nairobi for me to go to the doctors.  The doctor was total bogus.  He knows less than I do about problems of the body.  On our way home we got a call from this girl that we know saying that her boyfriend was trying to kill himself.  When we got off the matatu we went over to see what the problem was.  She called us because she was still at work.  So the guy was drunk and high and just plain crazy as it was and he was acting so strange.  The cops were called and they took him away.  We saw him later in the week and found out he was just faking it all.

From that incident we met Catherine who we think talked to us because she wants a white boyfriend.  My suspicions were heightened when we taught her for the first time and she kept talking to me and not my companion.  She has an 8-year-old daughter.  I emphasized I was 19 but I don't think that did a darn thing.  Every time she calls and I answer "Hello this is Elder Dick" she says "Hiiiiiiiiiii."  Which is awkward because then I always say "Is this Catherine?"  And, like most Kenyans, she responds with an affirmative grunt.  There is a grunt for "yes" and a different grunt for "no" and I have been endowed with the gift of interpretation of tongues and I can now finally tell the difference.  I think that the next time we see her I will tell her how I am going to marry some white girl from Utah or something.  I will progressively increase my opposition to our relationship until she finally realizes that I don't want to date her, all I want her to do is read a book.

On Friday we tracted FAR to the south of us.  We walked and walked and I have never met so many Muslims.  Holy moly.

Other than that, same old same.  Elder Ledwaba leaves on Wednesday to go somewhere else.  We will find out where this evening.  I love you all!

The Sri Lankans send their regards to everyone.

Love,

Elder Dick

Jacob.dick@myldsmail.net 

August 26, 2013

So not much this week.  It was a really hard week for me.  I was sick, but I didn't tell my companion because I didn't want to stay inside all week.  So we went out and worked every day.  It was possibly the wrong decision for me because everything was just hotter and I was hungrier.  But we got a lot of work done!

Our water was out Fri-Sun and then Sunday night our power went out so we did everything by candlelight when we got home...  What an experience!

We walked so much this week.  We saw so many people.  It was hotter than any week so far.  We did WORK.  But through all of the pain and struggle, it has been easier to recognize the little miracles that our Heavenly Father gives to us that really keep me taking those next few steps.  You know the story of the pioneer who was pushing the cart and when they felt they couldn't go any further they felt someone pushing the cart from behind.  When they looked back, no one was there.  That is how I feel almost daily.  It is quite often where I feel like I could just give up right then and go home and I would be so relieved, and then I decide I need to keep going, and when I start taking the next few steps I feel like someone is actually lifting me and pushing me onwards toward that next house that most likely will be a bounce.  It is so wonderful, and terrible, and hot, and mosquito-infested, and I love it.  It is seriously a blessing.  Sometimes I am upset I got called from my beautiful home in the South to come to Kenya of all places, but it is so much more of a blessing than I could ever begin to appreciate.

The church is true!

The Book of Mormon is the word of the Lord!  Read it!  Share it!

Love,

Elder Dick

Jacob.dick@myldsmail.net