Primary Childern

The first Saturday after we arrived we were able to attend a Primary activity which was attended by about 24 children, their parents and quite a few branch members.  The children looked so cute I thought I would share some of the pictures I took.

The spiritual talk was on the Atonement and was quit long.  The attendance span got less and less.

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The two girls on the left are both named Raissa.  One is Raissa Ntibiyumwe and the one sitting forward is Raissa Malabi (Branch Presidents daughter).  The one on the right is also the Branch Presidents daughter Alice Malabi.

All of the children came dressed so cute.

Brother Simon's two daughters and son had their heads shaved and looked so cute.  Shaving their heads is very common both for girls and boys and adults.

This is Brother Simons           son.  He looked so sharp in his sports jacket.

They all played games at the end.

Two mothers in very typical dress.

Chez-nous à Bujumbura (At home in Bujumbura)

Kevin and Richard our Security and Gardener

As you drive up to our apartment you have to honk the horn and Richard opens the door and lets you enter. 

It is a gated complex and there is a high wall surrounding it.  It is very secure.

Our trucks and apartment

Apartment

Our apartment
Our apartment is the top floor where Phyllis is standing.  The far left window is our bedroom and the two on the right behind Phyllis are patio doors going into our living room.

Living room-Dining room-Office

This is what you see as you enter the door into our apartment.

Looking back from the living area across to the office area.

Our new desks

Looking into the Kitchen
Notice bananas and pineapples on the floor before being bleached.

More kitchen

Stove is half electric and half propane.  Notice that we have a microwave and our small shelves are full.

 Air conditioned Master bedroom with kingsize bed complete with mosquito net
We haven't seen a mosquito yet!

Large master bath with jacuzzi tub but we prefer to shower.

Guest bedroom

Guest bathroom (with shower)

View from Patio looking north
This is a beautiful spot in the morning and very hot in the afternoon.

View from patio looking south

Back yard and workers residence.

View from kitchen and if you look closely you can see the Burundian mountains
We are at the end of the rainy season and we get a little thunder and rain shower every night.

As you can see we are in a very beautiful spot and have a very nice apartment.  We are not suffering.

We have been here for four days and are just getting to know the city a little.  Elder and Sister Frogley have been a great help to us.  We will hopefully have so pictures of the city for our next blog.

Oops! I forgot to add Phyllis on lawn in front of White House

                          Note her ZEBRA print skirt.  She bought it to match the blog.

Public Affaires Training in Johannesburg April 12-15,2011

We left SLC Monday morning April 11 and arrived in Johannesburg Tuesday night at 5:00 PM after about 20 hours in the air.  It was sure good to be back on the ground.  This elephant was the welcoming committee at the Joburg Airport.

Elder and Sister Erekson (Area Public Affaires Director) and Elder and Sister Harms in the back ground together.

They were so excited to meet us and gave us some great training. We were able to finally understand our calling a little better.  We were still overwhelmed.

This is in front of the Area Presidencies home and offices and they call it the White House.
The Area Presidency are Elder Koelliger. Elder Renlund, and Elder Watson.  We met with them for a few minutes and they expressed their appreciation for our willingness to serve in Africa.  They also bore witness that our callings had been inspired and that they had been praying for a French speaking couple.

The Johannesburg temple is a very beautiful temple on the same location as the Area Offices, distribution centre, employment, temple patron housing, public affaires, Humanities, etc.  You get the idea.  Its a very beautiful concentrated area.

It was pouring rain the day we went to the temple.  That's why we don't have very many pictures of the temple.

MTC April 4 - 11, 2011

Traditional Photo

Dad is pointing to Lubumbashi, D.R. Congo and Mom is pointing to Bujumbura, Burundi.

Elder Evanson is pointing to California.

It was great to be in the MTC together.

Our Assignment

Public Affairs Missionaries March 2011

We have been called to serve as Public Affairs Missionaries.  We attended a Public Affairs Training Seminar in Salt Lake City, March 1- 3, 2011.  We received some helpful instruction.  We are to "warm" the people before the missionaries "warn" them.  We are one couple out of 35 couples world-wide and will be preparing areas and countries for missionary work and the programs of the Church.  

Elder and Sister Moore are also assigned to serve in Lubumbashi

D.R. Congo Lubumbashi Mission

Click on map to enlarge
 D.R. Congo is the big Yellow County.
We will be serving in Bujumbura, Burundi
(tiny country to the east of D.R. Congo).

December 2010 we received our mission call to serve in the Democratic Republic of Congo Lubumbashi Mission.   This did not come as any surprise to us, since we had suspected that we would be called to serve in Africa again.  A few days before our call arrived, Dale even "googled" Lubumbashi.  The D.R Congo Lubumbashi Mission was formed on July 1, 2010 with Gary Packer called as President.  We are to report to the MTC on April 4, 2011.