YESTERDAY
Tomorrow is going to be crazy...we have lots to accomplish before we leave on Tuesday to attend an HIV/AIDS educational conference. The conference is held at Chyulu, about a 4 hour drive plus or minus, depending on traffic. The conference goes from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. If we wanted to do it from here, we would have to leave at 4-5a.m. and return in the dark on Wed. So we are going to spend 2 nights with a senior missionary couple who lives near the ward where it is being held. Not sure if they have electricity or running water. Of course our electricity has gone out 3 times this week. This morning it went off about 6 a.m., and we had to shower and get ready for Church by candlelight. We are fortunate that we have a gas stove (with a propane tank), so that we can cook during blackouts.

Tomorrow we need to take forms in to the bank (again) to get ourselves signed on to the bank account. We did this 3 weeks ago, but took the forms to the wrong branch of the bank (no one told us until we checked on Friday). Unfortunately this will take lots of time, with the crazy traffic here. We have so many other things to do, it is hard to know where to begin. But we will have to be patient. Some trainers come from SLC on Saturday to spend 2 weeks with us. I think we will be very busy during that time.

Dad and I are having to be patient with each other. We have been together more in the last 6 months than we have in the last 42 years. At the mission tour, we met as senior missionaries and were asked how our marriages were going. One of the couples said that being on a mission together has been an adjustment because it is like putting two bosses together (both husband and wife have been bosses of their own fiefdoms for many years). On our missions, we are required to work together, not as bosses, but as companions. Dad's and my styles differ, and we are learning to listen to the Spirit. It is not always smooth, but it is getting better.

We went to our 3rd Church today. Once again, the Spirit is strong, the people are faithful, the knowledge is amazing. However, visiting teaching stats are not great. They asked for a raise of hands of those who had done their visiting teaching in RS (about 3 of 20). We were asked by a couple of members for wheelchairs...something we will have to get used to as the LDSC representatives. We are looked at as a personal resource. Not sure how I feel about being looked at this way.

TODAY
We just had a FHE at our home...did a short lesson then went into a RS-get-to-know-you-type game, where we all talked with a non-spouse to get answers to personal questions. It was interesting. Most missionaries were challenged by the driving here. One said his favorite experience in Kenya was his intense love of the people. One man is a marathon runner...not the physical type, sort of like Jerry Sullivan. Dad said his best kept secret was that his fingernails grow 4 times faster than his toenails...not peculiar to him, but a secret from all of us anyway. We had some interesting courtship stories (ours included), and some nice spiritual experiences. It is a great bunch of people. We ate out at a nice hotel for lunch because today is the 31st wedding anniversary of the office couple. They are younger than most of us. Tomorrow we leave at 7AM for a meeting about wheelchairs, then at noon we go to Chyulu for a HIV/AIDS conference. We will be gone 2 nights. Lots going on.

Consulata, our cleaning lady, comes tomorrow. She does a nice job and does the laundry and ironing too. It is nice to come home to a clean apartment and folded garments...and all for 1500 ksh (about $10.00) a week. I could get used to this.

We are learning lots and meeting wonderful people.

We love you...you are in our prayers and thoughts constantly.