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

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

Baby Schneider Kivikivi

So just to be clear.  Mr. and Mrs. Kivikivi named their newborn son after Conrad.  Their baby's name is Schneider Kivikivi.  Conrad is not the father of Schneider Kivikivi!  Conrad helped ordain Leonard Kivikivi to the Melchizedek Priesthood, and he just loves and respects Conrad, so they did him this incredible, great honor.  Leah and I are so proud of the way Conrad has worked hard, and most of all, how he loves the people of Kenya.  We love them too and are grateful for the love they share with our son.
Dale

Photos

Baby Schneider KiviKivi and his Mother

October 9 letter to Mom

Momma dear, whom i love alot, who birthed me, who now misses me, in Idaho,

HEY!!!! Wow that sounds like quite the trial time for Daddy. The Lord is definitely testing him i think. Read Mosiah 23:21-22. It is a super great scripture to explain why sometimes we go thru trials. It is not always a punishment or because we did something wrong. Rather, it is because there's something we need to learn or He just simply wants to build us! Ha, i do feel for Dad and you though. Don't fear, all will be well :)

I have not recieved the box yet, but it must be coming soon. The AP's will tell me when it gets to Nairobi. But guess who i saw in Nairobi? Habibu and Douglas both!!!!! I spent alot of time with Habibu. I love him so much!!! He is an awesome guy. I am excited to give stuff to him and Douglas when the box comes. Who knows! Maybe i can be in the same district as Habibu or Douglas again someday!

So i was thinking about something the other day. I was walking in a dirt path, actually in a valley in between some banana trees. And suddenly i stopped and looked around and was like - "Oh my goodness, i have lived in the bush of Kenya for almost a year!!!!" Did you EVER imagine i would be living in the African bush for a year straight preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Cuz i sure didn't! 

hahahaha holy crap man, that is one of the suckiest days i have ever heard of!!!! hahahaha as horrible as it is, it is totally funny movie material. Man, sorry about all that! Atleast you got to have a nature walk with Dave, right? haha man... well, the Lord must have been teaching you something during all of that huh? I bet you prayed your heart out!!!

This past week i saw Habibu at zone conference, and he is doing awesome! I love that guy so much. I also saw Douglas, and he too is doing fantastic! Few people understand him, but we had fun talking together and catching up a little bit.

Ok ready for this?

STORYTIME!!!!!
We were travelling back from zone conference, and we were in a matatu in a tiny town called Nunguni. Well suddenly i hear a knock on the window next to my seat. It is Christine, the wife of Leonard Kivikivi, one of the men who asked me to help ordain him to the Melchizedek Priesthood. She called me over to where some women were sitting. Me and Elder Munyoro went, and she had just delivered a baby boy that day!! Well he was healthy and strong. then she goes, "We named him after you. We named him Schneider." HAHAHAHA WHAT?!?!?!?!? THEY NAMED THEIR BABY AFTER ME!!!! So now our name will forever be here in Kenya!!!!! :D Even more than that, when one Kenyan does something like give a peculiar name like that, others will follow suit. Man, if Ben and Danny come here on a mission, they may find our name more than just on their name tags! hahahaha is that not totally awesome?!?! The tender mercies of the Lord, things we don't ask for, but things that happen because we demonstrate real and sincere and constant love to these brothers and sisters. I love these people so much Dad!!!

So basically the work is going awesome too. We were introduced to a whole entire family who are totally into the church!!! They all came to church on Sunday, except the Dad, who told us he couldn't come, but promised this week to come. WOO!!!! Next week we have 2 baptisms. And tons are going to follow. There are also 2 weeks left in this transfer, and most likely i will stay for six more weeks (1 more transfer). I am going to die when i have to leave here. But you know what? I am seriously going to be excited to get in my next area and gain the love of members. And investigators. The power of faith makes life and especially mission exciting. I have no fears! It is all in the Lord's hands :)

Love you forever Dad. I will keep you in my prayers for sure, and just know that your son is doing totally great here. I am safe, healthy, happy, and hopeful!!!! Be the same Dad, cuz God loves you so much. You are His precious son, as i am yours.

Love, Conraddio

This is the email I sent that Conrad is responding to:

Hey Son!
Sooooooo.....this last week David came up and we went hunting moose.  So Tuesday morning we took the 4-wheelers I borrowed from Jerrad Thompson and headed out at 4am.  We got up there before dawn and didn't see anything as the sun came up.  So we decided to get the ATV's and head up a trail.  Well the small one, a 250, wouldn't start so we decided to jump start it.  It didn’t work, sao we both got on the big ATV which is a 500, and started on the trails.  We didn't see anything so we went back to the car.  Then I remembered there is a fuse that probably got blown so I checked it and sure enough, was able to get the little ATV running!  So we drove around and went a few other places but didn't see anything.  Then we got to the canyon where we used to bear bait.  We got the atv's off and started up an awesome trail.  We were almost all the way around the trail when we came to a very steep part of the trail.  I was riding the small ATV cause David didn't have much experience with them and the bigger one was easier to drive.  So we got to this steep part and I stopped and looked it over.  I thought I could make it up.  So I tried and got about two thirds up and it lost power.  I rolled back down safely and decided to get a run at it.  Well I gunned it and made it to the top, which I then could see was not the top.  So the machine lost power so I jumped off so I could walk it up.  But I started slipping and losing control of the machine.   I stepped back down the hill and tried to move the front end sideways.  That's when I felt something ripping in the back of my knee at the top of my calf.  It hurt mucho.   We got the machine down and drove back to the car.  I was in a lot of pain and couldn't walk on my right leg.  David loaded everything up and we were all ready to go.  David got in and turned the key.   The dashboard went black.  Battery dead.  We didn't have cell reception so we unloaded the big ATV and I drove out to the highway to get cell reception.   I called Matt and told him to come get me.  We loaded up the atv's and unhooked the trailer so we could hook it up to Matts car and tow it back to Thompson's.   While we were waiting in the dark, we heard a bear "chuffing " in the trees nearby.  Well Matt finally got there and we hooked up the trailer and headed out.  I got hurt around 4pm.  It was now around 8pm.  We got to Thompson's and unloaded the atv's.   We discovered that the seat of the 500 had blown off on the way home.  Lost.  We unhooked the trailer and talked to Jerrad for a little bit.  Then I thought I better get to the emergency room.  It was now 10pm.  We got in Matt's suburban and he turns the key and....dead battery! !  I kid you not.  Jerrad gave us a jump and we finally got home at 10:30.  We got to the ER and of course waited for a while.  They x-rayed me to see if ligaments had torn bone fragments off my bone.  They hadn't thankfully.  And it wasn't my pcl ligament.  I had just torn calf muscle.  So I came home about 1am.  It has been tough to walk but it is getting better slowly.  Wow huh?
In other news, Ben and I drove down to priesthood session yesterday.   It was good.  I think I would rather just watch it at church.  Too many people, crowds, traffic, hassle.  You know how it was.  But it was good to be with Ben just us two.
Well dog, I love you.  You know how much.
Give yourself a hug from me.
Dad