As the title implies,this email should make you happy, sad, comforted, anxious, and a plethora of other emotions!
Let's start with "HAPPY": Bryson and Jack were baptized! On Friday, they were both interviewed and passed with flying testimonies! Saturday was their sister's wedding, which we were invited to and we went. Our main objective there was to find and talk to the husband of sister Jepkemei (Bryson's mom). The husband, as i think i told you, is a Catholic man, and fairly hostile towards the church and the members. In the past (according to Sister Jepkemei) he has barely even talked to members. VERY hostile, curt, and rude. Well, Elder Gideon and i found him and went up to speak to him, and he spit in my face! Ok just kidding. We had a GREAT conversation with him. Talked with him for like over ten minutes and built the relationship. The next day at church, sister Jepkemei and Bryson were amazed at how long he talked to us. Good things are in store, and the Spirit of the Lord is working in the stubborn man's heart :) So Sunday Bryson was baptized by his uncle Steve, and Jack asked me to baptize him :) powerful baptisms!!!!!! I almost cried. I don't cry much over here. I realized that when i feel the Spirit, unless it is super strong i generally don't cry. Crying in the past has been because it has been coupled with emotion. I may cry more at home, don't know! But yes, you will see pictures soon enough. I uploaded tons of pictures of zone conference as well already.
Other good news is that Elder Gideon and I are having an AWESOME time together. We are eating very very healthy and working out and looking good. I daresay we are the best looking and most humble companionship on the face of the Earth. We are SO GOOD LOOKING, and humble. Humble is our name, and ridiculously good looking is our game. Boy... so hot/humble... hahaha ok but really, we are having a great time together. He really understands how to teach and move by the Spirit, which my past companions have struggled with. I am loving teaching with him, and we are both learning alot together. He is even teaching me Afrikaans, the popular language of Capetown. It is like Dutch. I am catching it pretty easily because it is close to German. "Uns het daar geloop" - we walked there. OH YEAH!
As for now, that is the close of the "happy portion"
The following contains news that may shock you... Viewer discretion is advised.
"SAD": Elder Arineitwe has gone home early. I do not know the details, but from what i heard it is not good. He left without informing anybody, and is back home in Uganda. He is very impulsive, and is now regretting his decision. However, he is not allowed to return out again. That decision will be one he regrets for all his life. It goes to show that anybody can be torn down if they don't keep their guard up. There were little things that he was being disobedient to, and it kinda escalated i guess, and now he's home. So... my mission-posterity has been cut off.
Blech... ok well now is the comforting/anxiety section of this issue of "Mess Up Your Emotions" weekly.
"COMFORT/ANXIOUS": Elections are this coming Monday. One week from today, actually. In preparation for said elections, we have built up food storage in each apartment, plenty for a few weeks. We also have clean water storage and bathing water storage. We also have plenty in our first aid kit. As for missionaries staying in our apartment, we will have probably one more companionship, but i am not sure yet. We find out arrangements tomorrow. As for getting along, don't even worry. Not only are we grown men, we are the Lord's servants. Elder Gideon and I are unified and we understand how to lead. I have been placed in charge of overseeing the preparation of the zone, and everybody is ready.
Sunday after church (March 3rd), we are ordered to return straight home and stay in. from there, we will be inside from Sunday up to atleast Wednesday. No emails next week, and if there is violence continuing, we will be in longer. While we are in, we have been counseled to follow missionary schedule still. We sill study, clean the flat, work out, and occasionally play some games. Other than that... well this weekend Elder Gideon and I are going to this awesome mall near our home and we are going to stock up on some delicious goodies, so naturally, being males, one major pastime will be consumption of delicious goodies from America :) :)
We have emergency evacuation plans if need be. We have been given special code thingies to know exactly what we need to do. The preparation is at it's maximum, and I will be fine.
I REPEAT - I WILL BE OK. Please know that things will be just fine. I am confident in this thing because my patriarchal blessing speaks of things i need to accomplish after my mission. I am being faithful, therefore the prophecies in my patriarchal blessing must be fulfilled. I will be safe and smart. Mom, you also mentioned how if you had it your way, you would have an army of angels to guard me. Read D&C 84:88 and know that I literally am guarded by angels of God. I testify of this solemn reality. Read D&C 38:7 and all of D&C 31. You all need to know that I am well-guarded. I understand how you can be anxious. I would be lying if i said that i am not anxious. I am, but i am not afraid. Fear is in opposition to faith, and i have faith in what i have been told. I don't know with a sure knowledge, but i know the scriptures are true - ancient, modern, and personal patriarchal scripture. I will be safe and things will be back to normal soon :)
So i hope that answers all yous questions about that. If you have any more, keep them because the next time i talk to you will be after elections anyway haha!
Uh.... so..... the next section i am just going to label "miscellaneous" because i don't know how you will feel when you read it.
"MISCELLANEOUS": Sorry about all your sicknesses! If it makes you feel better, i don't know if i've ever been healthier! Other than all the dormant malaria running thick through my veins and coursing through my entire system, waiting to erupt, i am super healthy! I have a testimony of the healing power of the Priesthood though. I have seen more than one person be healed in a day of malaria due to a Priesthood blessing. As members, sometimes we don't realize how powerful faith is. Kenyans have alot of faith. It is misguided to false prophets quite often, but they have faith so much. All of us, myself included, should evaluate how deep and quality our faith is. Do we really have faith that we can be healed? Or are we doubting deep in our hearts?
Another question - have you all been going to the temple? Please keep going. That is such an immense blessing and i miss it and the peace and Spirit and revelation that is so rich in there. It wouldn't hurt to put my name and Elder Gideon's name in at the temple. President Broadbent is sending all our names in to the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. They are fully aware of our challenges and dangers and they will be petitioning the Lord for our safety. Amazing, huh?
That's basically all the news. The Spirit is strong with us, not to credit of our own except that we are trying to fulfill His will and be obedient. I testify of the undeniable truth of this Kingdom we are a part of. The world is immersed in sin, but we don't have to partake. We are in the world, not of the world. I testify that God lives, and His Beloved Son live, and They love us and bless us every hour. Keep His commandments, serve each other, and never assume that somebody knows that you love or appreciate them. Speak up, and never be afraid to help the missionaries there in IF. They NEED and WANT referrals of people they can teach. Help them out please. If it was me, you would want me to be helped, right? I love you all eternally. Things will be ok, and my 15 month mark is around the corner.
Love you forever,
Conrad
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