Momma!!
Ah! Do you know what? The Lord is blessing us. Life is getting easier for you guys and for me, I can tell :)
But business first - in the next package, on which there is no rush:
- new cheap watch. This one may die soon, there are places to buy here, so hold out on the watch and lemme check. it's a maybe.
- your love!! :)
I don't need much momma. I have really learned to count my blessings. I want to connect with these people, and as such I am going to live a little more humble. But could you send me via email some stovetop recipes? Very simple ones? Preferably some with oats or flour, and maybe even some dessert ones so I can cook for my companion :)
Cesar recieved his endowments?!?!? That is so incredibly wonderful!!!!! Give him a HUGE hug straight from me and tell him I love him so much!!! Please tell his family hello, especially Memo, and tell Caesar I look forward to a temple trip with him when I return home. Never take that temple for granted. Besides my family, the temple is the one thing I truly miss. Where the Spirit of God is unhindered and peace abounds! Agh... I miss it :( but I am ok :)
Wow Makel!! Tell her that's super awesome!! Oh, and as for when she returns... well.... you know we may get back around the same time... and uh.... maybe... I'll take her to dinner. Tell her that hahahaha!!!! Tell her I'll be super tan and maybe have a cool accent too ;) hahahaha!!! But really I am so happy for her. It is tough to say that somebody will be a great missionary. I have learned that you can almost never tell until you get in the field. But I have faith in her, and I will keep her in my prayers. Only advice - know Preach My Gospel. The sooner you master that inspired scripture, the better!
Two things: 1. The rainy season is coming in about 2 weeks or so. I am buying galoshes here for it (at about 2 dollars or so haha). The raincoat and such are awesome. Things here are sooooo cheap!!!
2. The allotment is 13,500 kenya shillings. Guess how much that is? $158!!! Ya!! One of the cheapest missions cuz there's nothing here!!! I may get a bicycle soon but that's up to President.
I have learned something – sincerity is difficult. To be real about something and desire it is something that every person upon the face of the earth needs the Lord's help with. I am really striving to shift my desires towards that of a selfless saint, and slowly it is working. I am not worrying about food or myself, but devoting my time to the investigators. I am really starting to love them so much!! The Lord answers prayers, of that I bear testimony.
STORYTIME!!! We have a recent convert, named Pius Kituyi. He was recently falsely charged and arrested and taken to a town called Bungoma. Ya we didn't know til a week after because nobody knew. But upon his safe return home he told us everything. And guess what? Because of his faith and the Lord's tender and sweet protection, a big huge guy in prison took him in and protected him from the other prisoners for no apparent reason, AND while Brother Pius was in prison, he preached the gospel to the prisoners!! Is that not real conversion?!?! I am not worried about baptism, I want conversion!!! And I saw it in the woman I baptized on Sunday, Karin. She has changed so much and I am so happy for her :)
As for our relationship mom, we will maintain it. I don't care what happens, I don't care if the whole world tries to tear us apart or threatens me with my life, I will never take you for granted. I will never treat you less than I should. Granted, I am imperfect, but when I am truly converted, I feel that I can honestly say that I will try never to wrong you in the slightest. I love you Momma!!!! I appreciate everything you do, and the Lord is blessing you soooo much!!!! I am a happy, healthy missionary!! I am safe, and I am growing!! The Bukusu people are hospitable, trustworthy, and the kindest on Earth. I love my mission, and I love these people :) Watch out for Benny for me please, but I don't fear. He will be just fine, no matter what happens! Tell Ben I said "Wakka wakka doo doo, yeah!" And he will laugh :)
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, and I love you!!!! Oh, and next week, I will be emailing on Friday instead of Wednesday. So look for my emails then ok? Little change of plans, and the week after it'll be back to normal. Ok gotta run Momma, love you more than ever and more every day!!!!! :)
Your Sonny Boy,
Conraddy!

Momma!!!
Man I am kinda scared for the package coming... I won't get sick will I? Cuz I am very unused to the taste of American things now. But it's ok!! As for sudoku, I love your thoughtfulness, BUT I have mountains to focus on and much to learn. Maybe on Christmas I will do it. When I came out I promised to "devote all your time and energy to serving the Lord", as the white handbook says. Mom, you're inspired counsel is just what I needed. And I don't know if you and Dad planned it, but you said coinciding counsel. I do need to be myself! Somebody out here needs regular old Conrad. And I want you to know I am going to apply your counsel, because it is from Father in Heaven. As for listening to whatever you say, I wanna explain. It is because I have realized the true outpouring of inspiration that comes from you and Dad. I am not trying to be hard on myself, I just know with a surety (not faith, knowledge) that if I follow exactly what you say I will be happier and more successful. I am not restricting myself; I am becoming free and full :) Trust me momma, I WANT to obey!! I want to be perfect in obedience to you, dad, and my Father. I know perfection won't be achieved necessarily, but I can try. And I will not be focusing on me. I am really going to try to have major faith and just quit focusing on me. It will be hard, and take time, but the Lord can help me. Momma, will you give me counsel? I want counsel on feeling the Spirit. Recognizing and following Him as well. 
I cleaned our flat on p-day and man, felt at home!! The value of hard house-work is not valued by all. I realized also that the Savior "descended below them all". And as it thought about how sometimes I get mad or angry because others don't try so hard, I have NO right to be angry. Because they are children of God, and am I perfect? Not even close. So am I "greater than He?" No. He humbly submitted below all persecution, then so should I. My standards will never break, but I can be better :) I forgot to tell Dad, but I figure you all share letters so I will tell you (please all share emails ok?) Dad talked about "arriving" in his pride counsel to me. And it made me think about something. If always tell myself "I can be better!" then I never have the "Arrival Effect". I named it :) To avoid the arrival effect, always tell yourself "I can be better!" is the conclusion I made for myself. Is that appropriate? So far it has worked well :)
I'm counting my blessing out here. I am learning to cook! I am being self-sufficient. And most of all, I am changing. I will follow your counsel with exactness though, and I will be Conrad out here. I fear I may have strayed from it for a time, and it's time to return back to the basics. Mom I hold you as the highest in my sight. I love you more than words justify. I am happy :) Oh, and I saw wild monkeys!! And today we worked on a shumba (farm) and... ouch. I'll take pictures of my hands. I'm gonna send the 8 GB SD card soon ok? It's not full, but you guys will enjoy it :) I am short on time tho momma, I love you so much. Is everything ok at home? And is there anything I can do for you? 
Lastly Mom, please know that I really do love you so incredibly much. My love for you each grows exponentially every night. I don't fear for you guys anymore because I know you love the Gospel. I love you Mom, and behind that statement is an eternity of love and charity for you. I am always your son, and always striving to be worthy for such a prestigious calling :)
your Son, Conraddie!!

Dear Daddy,
When I receive counsel from you I can hear your voice, and I feel the love so much that it almost always brings me to tears. I will forget myself. Mom gave very similar counsel actually haha. I am going to be Conrad, improve where needed, and be myself. I want to be the best missionary I can be Dad. Sometimes, often in fact, I wonder what I am doing wrong. Why am I not more successful? Why can I not change how I want? But man... I think I just need to wait. I am on the Lord's time right? And as for these people, when I pray for the energy it will come right? I am trying Dad. I'm trying so hard. But whoever said that a mission in burning, dusty Africa would be easy was selling something. This is the hardest and most strenuous, and often Spiritually and physically painful, thing I have ever done. I will never give up. Dad I love you with every fiber of my being. More than that. When I say I will be completely submissive to you and Mom, I mean that for real. I am making obedience a lifestyle now. The task ahead is mixing exact obedience and my personality. But Dad... I am going to be a new man. But I am really going to leap in faith and let the Lord shape me as I strive to serve these people. Will it really work Dad? Tell me it will please. I am treasuring that warm embrace right now. This is so hard. I love you Dad. I dream about you because I miss you so much. But the Lord is wonderful. Jesus Christ is becoming more and more of my best friend and personal Savior every day. I will never stray from this Gospel. I love my Father. I love Jesus Christ, and because He "descended below them all", I have no right to be angry with anybody, companion or Elders or anybody. For I am not "greater than He". I love Him dad. I love the Holy Ghost so much. 
Ok I have to tell you, Sunday we were walking and tracting because all our appointments fell thru. We had no luck so I suggested we pray. We did, and five minutes later met a man named Khetia Simiyu. He pleaded for our help, and we will be teaching him. And after I had said some parting words about the true importance of this gospel, he looked at me and said, "You will come to my home and I will slaughter a chicken for you. We will eat together." hahahaha!! I love these people. They are literally the nicest people on the Earth. 
But Dad, I love you. I am short on time today, but know that I love you more than ever. Every day, as I tear my thoughts away from family and towards the work, my love exponentially multiplies for you all. I crave your counsel, and in the next email, will you tell me about the influences of the Spirit?  "Come on Steven! You are quick and fast like a Gazelle!!"
With eternal love, 
Tonblad

Video

Here is a link to watch some videos Conrad took while waiting in the airport in London and while in the MTC in South Africa.  It's very entertaining!  Enjoy!   Copy and paste the following into your browser.


http://s1104.photobucket.com/albums/h332/conradschneider/Videos/?action=view&current=ConradLondonMTC.mp4

PHOTOS!! FINALLY!!

Foggy day in Johannesburg.

President and Sister Christensen at South Africa Missionary Training Center.

The tie has been passed on from Elder to Elder and has been all over the world.

Goodbye to President Christensen.  Leaving Johannesburg for Kenya.

1/31/12 to Mom

Mommma!!!!!
Hey mommy. What's up? Oh cool. Well bye.


JUST KIDDING!!! Tanner is better?!?! YES!!! I have been praying so hard for him!! I am so happy that he is better :) Tell his family hello for me. As for my own health, I am the most cautious elder you will find. Strictly out of thinking of you and the family, and being exactly obedient, I am very cautious. I also rely on the Lord very much when I have done all I can. But as for my health, don't you ever worry. The Lord will keep me safe, even if I do get sick. But I will truly be alright. 
By the way, will you tell Granny Fanny I miss her so much! I long for an italian dinner made by her hands!!  I do really miss her. I love her so much, and I crave a letter from her. I hope I am making her proud (but not prideful) and I want her to know that she set the example first. I'm just following her lead ;)
SD card - sent. It is on it's way and should be there very soon!! It is taped to the inside of some letters for you all. Enjoy those videos of me in the London airport haha! As for other pictures, only send 4 gb cards. Do you want me to send the 8 gb as soon as I get the new sd card you are sending? That could be a good system, send an sd card when I recieve one. Yes?
So I don't stay near Eldoret. I stay in Naitiri, next to Kitale. I actually will be in Eldoret this weekend for district conference but usually I email from Kitale. 
I wanna describe Naitiri tho. Ok very rural. Not the most rural, third only to an area known as Chulu and then the Masai Mara, both of which I could go to! But Naitiri is very very dusty. I wash clothes every night. No scrubbing board, just soap bleach and elbow grease. and water... But the houses we visit are mud huts. And they are evolving finally into making their personal homes with bricks they bake in homemade brick ovens. They have furniture, made at the local carpenter, from whom we had another bed made (a nice one, varnished and all) for the equivalent of 35 American dollars. Ya, cheap momma!! Most do not have electricity. The shops do, and our flat does, but running water and electricity are a no amongst the people. They literally dig wells that are about 50 feet deep at least, with their hands. DEEP wells for water, with their hands. These people are hard workers. They are incredibly humble and friendly. I will be taking many more pictures with them to send you ok? Man, the Lord has blessed me so much I wanna cry. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. The branch (it's a branch, not a ward) is very small. They have a lot to work on, and I feel the Lord has sent me here at this time to construct this branch into a fully functioning worship body. That is my focus, and in an interview with President Broadbent he said he is 100% behind me on that. Your natural organization genes are kicking in and I am using techniques I learned from you! We have plans, and the Lord will sustain me in them if they are right. If not, I will try again until the Lord has granted this branch power to be strong. The branch president is actually named President Sitati, and his father is Elder Sitati of the First quorum of the 70 haha! Really nice man, hilarious. As for washing machines tho, my collar has never been cleaner. I will wash my collar by hand for the rest of my life! It is so much better!! Other than that, my area has a local market. The women are so great and friendly, and the shop people are just nice. all of them. I always feel at home there. Literally at home :)
Is there anything else you wanna know about Natiri? I  would love to tell more :) maybe a few questions at a time tho... alot of questions kinda confuses me sometimes and I forget to answer some haha. 
You know how you said be exactly obedient? Well I am surely trying. Momma I loooove you so much. As I told Dad, we are on the verge of "time flying" and then it will be over too quickly. In an interview with President Broadbent he told me that he loved my psalm. You got that right? And what did you think of it? He also told me the Lord prepared me for this mission. And that he knows that great things must come from me. Man!! That felt great to hear that. Humbly, I will seek to be of greatest health, no matter what position or area I am in. I may go to Tanzania later on though.... I hope so. Rainy season is coming up here. Fruits galore, mud galore as well. President authorized me to get galoshes, and I will haha! 
Momma I love you. I am so happy out here. I can feel that the pain of being away is being lifted even as we patiently pleaded with the Savior that it would be. He loves you so much Mom, even more than me and that is saying something phenomenal. You are always in my prayers. And I have a surprise I am going to send you very soon! Woo!! Love you to death, keep your Spirit happy because our family needs positivity to thrive off of :) read the scriptures, let's all live the higher law together. If the Apostles, normal men doing extraordinary things through righteousness, can live it, why can't we? Well we can, and it begins with a decision. I decided. Your turn mom :)
OK BIG SURPRISE!!!! Elder and Sister Nevin, a couple out here, know Christine Page!! Their daughter, Connie Biggs, is friends with her in Colorado!!! Go visit the Pages for vacation sometime and meet Connie Biggs. I was hanging out with her parents, who are going home tomorrow. Cool huh? Totally a small world within the church. OH!! AND!! My companion, elder motaung, is from south africa. Guess who set him apart? Elder Laron Shumway!!!! And they told Elder Motaung to say hi and they love me if he ran into me. And then he ends up being my companion. WOW. The Lord loves me so much :) I love you momma. Be happy!! I used to trust in me to progress and learn and teach. Then I read in PMG page 42 or something... in chapter 4, and realized, "trust in Jesus Christ. Then there's no second thoughts as to whether or not it can be accomplished :)" I love you momma!!
With looooooove, Conrad (mimi napenda wewe - "I love you")

1/31/12 To Dad

Daddio,
Anyway, no new bishop? Dangit.... hahah just kidding. I love Bishop Dance so much. That guy is inspired big time. Tell him not to die until i get home ok? I miss him... Man! Being sick is becoming a blessing isn't it?! Maybe you have worms!! Hooray!! Please get better, but keep up the weight loss!! You and I are seriously climbing Long's Peak. I already day dream (when travelling) of getting to the peak, and saying a prayer to the Lord after seeing His marvelous Earth from a new point of view. Oh yeah, oh........ yeah. 
As for my needs, how is the family? Like, as a cohesive collective whole, are they well? I want them to be well, and I need to know. Individually, I feel progression from everybody. But I need to know! As for hand carved toothpicks, this is hilarious. Because around my area everybody does that as a past time ahahahahahahaha they carve toothpicks then sit in the shade and chew on them. hahaha so I'm good in that lil' department, but other needs... wouldn't mind some sunflower seeds ;) Or actually, something you personally carve out of wood. Doesn't have to be grand, but I wanna give it to a kid in the branch or something. Tafadhali? (please)
Dad, I can feel myself changing. It is almost a tangible change that I can feel! As I obey, I just feel natural. When I slip, I course correct asap and get back to the basics. I was inspired with your words the other day - "Your integrity is worth more than anything. Never sacrifice it." And I never, never will. I am becoming a man in the Lord!! Humbly, I will progress, be it God's will. Do you read the scriptures every day? And have you read Jesus the Christ? Wow, intense book. I'm so dang happy, and I can literally feel that we (the family, you, and I) are on the verge of the stage of "time flying". Prep for takeoff... Oh as I was riding a matatu, I felt inspired to speak to my neighbor. He was in the Kenyan Navy and he has stayed at Lackland Airforce base!! Haha!! Crazy huh? We talked in broken Swahili and Bukusu for a bit, and I shared much about the Gospel. He was intently listening. So were the other 3 or 4 guys around :) Man, I hope you are happy, cuz I grow happier by the second!!Especially with Matt. 19:29 in mind. WOOT!! 
Love you to death Dad, keep trekking, and might I suggest - write down goals. M. Russell Ballard stressed that goals equal forward movement. Prayerfully set them, and do it!! Love you forever Daddy.
With loooove, Conrad