An African Heart

An African Heart

Friday, November 30, 2012

November 27, 2012


COME ON!!!!!!!!

It's not fair that Ben has a weights class!!!! He gets like, an hour and a half to work out, but we only get half an hour!!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!!!! I don't care though, I will push harder and beat him. No matter how big he gets, i am still his older brother, and i am going to WHOOP him!!!!! YEAH!!!!!

And oh my goodness!! Daniel looks way too grown up! He does look like me too, but different in a way. More grown up than me for sure. Wow. Danny boy is going to be huge too. How tall and big and strong is he now?

So don't worry at all about the taco seasoning, no problems! I still have a ton of seasoning, so i won't be needing another one. You are a genius for putting that in there by the way. We use it for just about every other meal, sometimes more often. And i love the stuff in the box. I shared it with the other guys too. I sent Habibu and Douglas their stuff recently. It's at the office, and it will get to them soon. They will love it. Especially Habibu, he LOVES pistachios haha. I am excited for the Christmas box though! I trust you to put in good stuff. But if i can ask, no more necco wafers or smarties. hahaha they were fantastic, but... too much of a good thing is a bad thing right? ;) My umbrella is still doing wonderfully. I have only used it a few times. It is a bit of a pain to carry around, and you have to have both hands free when you walk the hills in the rain or you will fall. So i use it around home when it is raining, like when we go to the market or something in the rain. Other than that, all is well in Elder Schneider's supplies. I am planning on giving 4 or 5 shirts away when i leave Kilungu because there will be 5 men baptized who need white shirts. I have used 4 of the same shirts since the start of my mission, and since i will be going to the city, i better take out some clean ones. Which brings me to transfers!

The news comes this Saturday afternoon. Since last transfer time there were no transfers, there will most likely be this time. Elder Sarlo and i will probably be leaving Kilungu. He thinks i will go somewhere in Nairobi. I have no clue where i am going to go! But chances are very good that i will be gone from Kilungu. I will miss this place badly, but i am ready for a change too. Six months dealing with the issues and trials of a place is a long time. However, i know these people will miss me (not boasting), they told me haha! A member said my Kamba name would be "mwendwa". It is Kamba for "the loved one". haha!

As for the video, i will honestly try. I think it can definitely be possible if Sister Hall is up for it. In fact i am almost positive that i can do that. Because Sister Hall will be at the baptisms, and we could do it there in the chapel. I don't know if the other guys will be in it but we'll see. So i will try Momma :)

No you never told me Jessie is the Relief Society pianist! But that's wonderful. What a fun calling, just playing piano over and over!!!!! Maybe they'll call me to that when i get back. Then i can play piano AND get all the funny little Relief Society handouts all the women get! As for Kendra, you can write this:

"Dear Sister Hudman, Thanks again for all the wonderful counsel you gave me! You taught me SO WELL how to use the pedal, and guess what? I have been in the bush for a year and they only have keyboards - with no pedals. But hopefully i can remember how when i go to the city. But i love you and miss you, and i wouldn't mind a letter from you if you have time in your schedule.  Again - love you so much!!!! Love from Kenya, Elder Schneider"

Thanksgiving sounded awesome!!!!! For Thanksgiving i had.... some eggs..... and then at night i was fasting. So uh.... yeah not the traditional Thanksgiving. But the next night Elder Sarlo and I made burritos!!!!!! It was awesome, and that taco seasoning made it all possible :)

I will check on that book with President. I REALLY want it, but let me pass it by him first. And thanks for telling me about Reece! I miss that guy, teaching with him was a ton of fun and i miss it! Give him my love and ask him how long he will be in Idaho Falls, because i would love to write him a letter. Is he planning on serving a mission soon?

I DIDN'T KNOW COLTON GOT HIS CALL!!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I am so flippin happy!!!!!!!! He is such a great guy, and i know he can make a fantastic Elder!! A mission will be the best thing he ever does. Can you tell him to email me? I would really like to talk to him before he gets out. WOO!! I am happy for him!!!!!

Well Mommy, expect exciting news and pictures next week. I am doing something like 8 interviews for baptism this week, going to 2 different areas to do so, and getting news about transfers. Yikes... big week :) I love you so much, and i know you love me Mom. Don't you know that i can never doubt my Momma's love? You could spit in my face and i would still think you love me! :) You are phenomenal always Mom, and i thank my Heavenly Father for you.

With eternal love from Kenya,
Conrad

November 27, 2012

Hey, PA!!!!!!!

Your Thanksgiving was probably better than mine. I had eggs for breakfast, then did missionary work, then went home sweaty and then fasted that night and the next day. So uh.... woot..... BUT! The next evening, Elder Sarlo and i made BURRITOS and it was the best thing i have eaten in Kenya. Because it wasn't Kenyan. It was Mexican!

That chicken killing soudns pretty intense. But not really. You know why? Because in Naitiri, they used to grab the chicken by the neck, swing it around, and snap the neck and at the same time decapitate it. Gulp... yup. That's what the locals told me. And they don't really know how to joke that well, so i am pretty positive they were serious. 

You want some stories? Ok well.... i actually have alot in my journal that i am going to send in some time. But i can give you one or two now. As for pictures, none this week but next week will be many. Or the week after if the internet is bad here.

So my companion and i were sitting in a restaurant after a weekly planning. this guy comes up and sits down and immediately i recognized him. It was a crazy dude we call the "secret of God" guy. It's cuz the first time we met him, he told us that he knows the secret of God, and it isn't in a rock or stick, it's alot bigger. We thanked him, and he kept talking about how he knows the secret of the Godfather! Elder Sarlo said, "You mean Al Pacino?" and he exclaimed "yes!!"  So anyway, he comes and sits next to us in the food place and proceeds to tell us how he is never going to die. He told us that death needs to be arrested so people wil stop dying. We heartily agreed with him hahahahaha. This is the same guy that said that Arabs were created by Satan and that Jesus was married to a woman named Spacegirl. Yeeeeahhhh...... 

Ok a Spiritual story is.... we taught the recent convert named Rhoda recently. We taught her about temples and what happens in there. It took long to get the point across with the language barrier. There are lots of hard words associated with temples. But when we finished she thought for a minute and said, "I want to get to that temple with my whole family." Now, we are teaching her children. Her husband is a member, but pretty passive. She is wanting us to teach and baptize her family so she can get to the temple though. We are immensely blessed to already have that blessing. And to have a temple. Yikes. Never forget that blessings we have.

I am also excited for Christmas!!! I don't know where i will be when we talk, because transfers are this coming Saturday. The news is at least, then the actual transfers are next week. I will let you know next Tuesday where i am going. 

I had a question too, is there such a movie as Bourne Legacy? Some guys here said there is, but i didn't think there was. Let me know ok? 

Other than that, stay beautiful. Yeah.... (Spongebob) Love you so much Dad. Expect a letter to the family from me soon. Very soon. Love you all so much! And you are my hero Dad. Get your hiking boots on. One year is a short time!

With love forever, Conrad

November 20, 2012


Awwwwww dangit Dad, sorry i forgot to tell you what i wanted in the box!!!!!!!! I was only going to add 3 things:
1. almond roca
2. chocolate
3. oreos
But maybe you guys could include that in the next one?

No i didn't see Steve Kyalo, but i did talk to him. We will meet when i get a chance to go to Nairobi. When Kenyans say "We'll meet", they mean presumably before the Second Coming. Haha, they are pretty wretched with time. And distance. If they tell you, "Oh, it's only one kilometer away!" You'll walk 3 or 4. If they tell you it is a few km, it is over 5. If they tell you it's far, then don't bother, cuz it's too far. One time a guy in Naitiri told us, "Yeah, the next town is only 500 metres away". Yeah well, it was over 3 km.

NEITEHR BEN OR MOM EMAILED ME TO TELL ME ABOUT THE PATRIARCHAL BLESSING!!!!!!!!!! I really wanna know but they forgot to email me. I guess i can hear next week tho. That is awesome about the Boise temple. I really wish i could have seen that! I bet it was a great experience. I love the prophet.

Sister Hall, a couple missionary here in Kilungu, recorded and sent my Christmas video this week! You gotta tell me if you get it. I told her to send it to you and Mom. Yes, i gave her your emails. So that should work out. Pretty exciting, huh? She kinda caught me off guard tho, so i didn't really know what to say. It's ok tho, none of it was staged, we just had fun and spoke!

Other than that, i love you Dad. Life is good, and Elder Munyoro and i are great. We are working well together, and i am happy! Oh yeah, the taco seasoning opened on the ride over, so everything is taco flavored. The smarties, necco wafers, craisins, shower loofa, deodorant, sheet music, everything. But i am cooking some pretty awesome stuff with it too!!! It smells like a mexican's home in our apartment building!!

Viva la Schneider familia!!!!! OLE!!!!!

Love you forever,
Conrad

Tuesday, November 13, 2012


Oh how i miss my dear sweet mother!!!!!

Hahaha you are a goofy and wonderful Momma. I love you so much!!!

So i am sitting in the cyber and the internet was down at most of the computers, which means that now, i have extremely little time. Like, ten minutes left hahaha!!! But anyways, i heard Eric Clapton's "You look wonderful tonight" and got a lil homesick of 3 things, in this order:
1. You and Dad dancing in the living room.
2. My sweet, sweet piano.
3. Jamming with my brothers!!!!

Anyways! Am i the worst son in the world? I FORGOT TO TELL YOU HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIDN'T I?!?!?!?!?!?! AHHHHHH!!!! I am so sorry Momma, i was totally thinking about you all week and i even told all the other Elders, and anyways, the point is i didn't forgot, i just kinda forgot to tell you! But i lvoe you, and you are the best Momma ever. :)

Ok good news - THE PACKAGE GOT HERE!!!!!! I was told it is in Nairobi, and i wil get it tomorrow. I guess there was a back-up in the postage. Cuz 2 other Elders in the district are getting theirs tomorrow as well, and theirs were delayed too. But the Christmas one shouldn't take as long, don't worry. Oh man mom... the time will start flying here soon. Do you realize i turn 11 months in 2 days?

Christmas package - I would love some more multi-vitamins so i can take one every day. Also, some garden gloves so i can work hard with less blisters. I can handle a jembe without getting too many blisters now though. I will demonstrate when i get home. You are a genius Mom, good sugestions. Also, are there such things as lemon altoids? If there are, can you include some for Elder Sarlo? That'd be good.

Other than that, i have done a lot of introspection lately, figuring out what kind of man i need and wat to be. Also thinking about what kind of man i must be in order to have a wife and family. Yeah, sounds nuts, but i need to start figuring these things out. I am trying to rely on the Lord and be faithful, seriously applying the Gospel. I need a firmer foundation, more than just testimony, but serious conversion. So keep me in your prayers that i may accomplish this thing :)

Love you infinity and beyond Mom. The Christmas video situation - pending. Hold on and i will let you know what's up next week. May or may not work.

With eternal love from Kenya,
Conrad your boy