Wednesday, September 30, 2015

October 4, 2015 - Letters of Release

Mom was worried that this was bragging.  I told her it was simply a confirmation of our release.  I also thought you might want a copy of this letter to share with your children.
Love Mom and Dad




Sunday, September 27, 2015

September 27, 2015 - Shelley


September 27,2015
I am feeling more and more like Winnie Richman as she writes her weekly news column from Promontory, Utah, for the Box Elder News Journal.   
This was much more fun when I could add pictures.  We have continued to take more, so hopefully we will be able to document most things when we get home even though my computer is still gone.
We’re still wrapping things up as far as work with our projects go.  Almost all of the paper work is done, thanks to my very able companion!
It’s been a tough week for electricity, though.  The city power to our area has been out for 8 days straight.  Fortunately, the mission complex has a good generator and we haven’t suffered at all, as I’m sure some of our neighbors have.  But the fuel to run the generator is quite pricey.
The weather is getting hotter as we enter into the “summer” season.  We’ve had no moisture since April 17th – so you can imagine how dusty it has gotten.  The area where we live, the Katanga Province, is very rich in natural resources – copper, cobalt, and diamonds – and the mining industry is big.  Here in Lubumbashi there is a large refinery which spews smoke into the air 24/7, and it makes for lots of air pollution, especially in the dry season when there is no rain to clear it out.
We’re trying to give some good publicity for the church and have once again hired a local TV station to highlight some of our projects.  We spent one day this week taking a journalist and camera guy through the villages to see the well repairs that have been done in the Kafubu Health Zone.  The journalist interviewed each village chief and some of the ladies at each well.  All in all, a pretty fun and rewarding day.  This journalist’s name is “Valentine” and I got to show her a picture of our own little Goldie Valentine Davis!
Clark and I haven’t had too many mission office assignments, but one of them has been to buy supplies for the new incoming missionaries.  Each missionary gets a large bag, blanket, sheets, towel, whistle, colored pencils, pillow, umbrella, LED light, and mosquito net.  So one day this week, we took the other senior missionaries on a shopping trip to show them where we usually purchase these things.  Of course, we had to stop along the way to google over the beautiful fabric shops!  Elders Davis and Draper weren’t as excited about this part of the trip as most of us were!  Haha
Our “P” day was spent helping Steve (our 2nd translator) get his home ready to move into.  It’s new – but not exactly like you would imagine.  Actually, it will take a modern miracle to make it presentable for his bride-to-be.  I think she’s used to living a bit higher up on the rental chain.  Steve built the outhouse himself, if that gives you a clue!  Several of his friends were there painting the walls first with lime (as a primer) and then with paint.  Sisters Vance and Cook went with Clark and me to sweep out each room before the painting team came through.  Let me just say that it was HOT, SWEATY WORK!!!!
Anyway, the good news is that Steve and Matilda are getting married this Saturday.  They will have a civil wedding at the commune annex (like a courthouse) in the morning and then a reception that evening.  They are hoping that their visas come through so that they can leave the following Monday for Johannesburg to get married in the Johannesburg Temple.  According to the rules here, married couples from the Congo have one week after their civil ceremony to get married in the temple.  If it’s longer than that, they must wait one year for a temple ceremony.  We wanted to go with them to the temple, but we had to make our plane reservations farther in advance and just couldn’t wait any longer for the news about their visas.  A bit disappointing.
HOWEVER, as Steve would so wisely say, “Time wants me to go home.”  I’ve written my “homecoming remarks” a hundred times in my head, but I don’t think anyone wants to hear a 24-hour talk!  I’ll try to pare it down between now and then.  Haha  Barring the possibility that the airline goes out of business (don’t laugh – that really just happened a few weeks ago to Korongo Airlines) or some other quirky fate, we plan on leaving Lubumbashi a week from today and arriving home on Monday, Oct. 5th.  
I know that I have quoted these lines before – but they really speak to my heart.  They are from the movie “Out of Africa” and are spoken by a woman who lived in Kenya for several years.  “If I know a song of Africa . . .does Africa know a song of me?”  Well, I could philosophize about this for a long time, but suffice it say that we have had a marvelous experience here.  Our greatest hope is that we have been the Lord’s hands to “hasten the work” for these wonderful people.  They have certainly made a difference in us!
Love,  Winnie




September 27, 2015 - Clark

Sunday, September 27, 2015
Let me just begin by saying this has been a much more relaxed schedule this past week compared to our three consecutive weeks of visitors.  Monday offered a different forum for humanitarian work with President Thomas.  He is a runner and met a construction manager from South Africa, Graham Mc Murtry, who is in charge of a development known as Luano City. Graham and President Thomas talked about the possibility of providing some construction jobs to church members.  The unemployment rate here is around 90% and almost everyone is looking for a stable full-time job.  Many have part-time work or look for work every day jus to provide for their families a day at a time.  
On Sunday they had announced in the wards that those who had construction skills and needed work should show up at the Lubumbashi Stake Center at 8:00.  I went with President Thomas and Elder Darper and we met with Mbidi Ilunga, self-reliance center director, and Justin Mukuna, Katuba Stake President.  There were 62 brethren and one sister who came to the meeting looking for work.  Our objective was to explain the assignment and assist them in organizing themselves under the umbrella of a privately owned company registered with the government.  They couldn’t be church employees and the church couldn’t sponsor the project or the company.  
The objective was to explain the scope of the first project that was to build two homes as a trial and determine the pricing that would be charged.  Graham said they would be building as many as 75 homes and later a shopping mall.  This is on the road to the airport and a perfect location.  The complex would be occupied by corporate employees, mostly ex-patriots living here for work but form out of country.  Any work opportunity is important and we hope this will provide some additional jobs.  
The other Monday activity was to have a joint meeting with Andre Kahenga of the MOH and Beya from the handicapped association to coordinate the reporting for the wheelchair project.  The church monitors the placement of chairs to determine the distribution of the inventory and the types of chairs most used.  They also conduct interviews with recipients 6 months after placement to determine how the chair may have changed the recipient’s life in allowing them to become more self-reliant.  The best part of the meeting was that we had Steve Mutombo, our 2nd translator and the new in-country coordinator conduct the meeting.  He had prepared by having the forms loaded on his computer and demonstrating with Andre at the keyboard in how to complete and use the forms.  He them copied the forms formats to Andre’s flash drive so he would take ownership.  We have always told Steve that he was one of our most important humanitarian projects.  We were proud of him on Monday.
We concluded the day by giving the lesson in FHE.  I’d have to say that FHE has really helped us as senior missionaries bond with the other seniors.  It is the only church meeting held during the week that we can understand and it give us a chance to feel the spirit and express testimony.  Our lesson was # 36 on justification and becoming joint-heirs with Christ.  
Six weeks previous, we had been required to pay $3,950 of our own money for the release of the wheelchairs and the vision equipment.  This was clearly the Ministry of Health’s responsibility but they said if we waited for the document clearance process, it would take 6-8 weeks and we would never receive the release of the chair and vision equipment in time for our projects and the trainers who were coming from the U.S.  We had been reimbursed by the Church but never believed we would see the day that the government honored their commitment.  That day arrived on Tuesday with another tender mercy.  We spent the morning with Patrick from the MOH office.  He is in charge of finances and he took us to the Ministry of Finance where we visited with several people while waiting for over 3 hours to receive our refund.  I happened to make friends with a woman who was in the waiting room.  I thought she was of no particular significance other than I showed her pictures of the vision and wheelchair projects and told her of the humanitarian work we were doing.  In the end after moving to another office, she was the cashier who disbursed the refund money to us.  She asked if her neighborhood could be involved in the Regideso project and thanked us for the work we were doing.  I could have spoken to any of two dozen people, but the very person we needed to help us was the only one I was impressed to speak with.  I hope the tender mercies don’t stop when we return home.
Tuesday is when we received confirmation of our return routing by church travel.  It seems perfect.  We leave on October 4th at 14:55 and arrive in SLC on October 5th at 13:30.  We travel from Lubumbashi to Ndola, to Nairobi, to Amsterdam, to SLC.  23 hours flying time and about 10 hours in combined layovers.
Valentinne of Malaika TV  has become another friend who has helped us.  She is very friendly to the Church and has produced two 30-minute TV documentaries and is now producing another two. Everyone here is unafraid to talk religion and faith regardless of the situation.  While providing TV coverage on our Kafubu Health Zone pump repair project and the Kisanga General Hospital water storage coverage, she spoke of her daughter, Sublime, as being the most beautiful girl in the world.  As a mother, she asked for and we provided her a copy of the Bible and the Book of Mormon for teaching her daughter.
At the end of the day on Wednesday, we met with Graham McMurtry, who took us to a deaf school in Bel Air.  It was started by Dr. Andrew Foster from Michigan.  He also provided funding for similar schools in Likasi, Kolwezi and Kamina before his death.  It looks like no funding has been provided since his death almost a decade ago.  This will have to be a project for the next couple.
Our final activity of the day on Wednesday was to have dinner together with all the seniors.  We discovered a Chinese restaurant called Xin Xin that is located on the road behind the Grand Karavia.  We discovered this restaurant when we asked Matilda, Steve’s fiancĂ© to choose her favorite restaurant to celebrate Steve’s new job with the Church.  She chose this one but when asked what she wanted to order, when told us she had never been inside, she just liked to building.
Thursday was spent closing projects and catching up on paperwork that we had procrastinated until the end.  The banking process is very frustrating here.  We have to spend our own money and then wait for 2-4 weeks to get it reimbursed.  Long story short, I had submitted 4 different requests for reimbursement over the previous month and none had been honored at the bank.  It amounted to nearly $5,000 and although it took a two hour wait in the manager’s office, we were able to clear all 4 of them in a single day.  Unheard of, impossible; Marcel would refer to this as the “Invisible Hand” (that has helped us frequently)
Friday morning we shopped for missionary supplies with Sister Cook , Sister Vance and E/S Draper.  We also visited several fabric shops in between, a favorite pastime of Shelley’s.  In the afternoon we had been invited to Katimel Orphanage to a party.  Fifi, the Catholic nun in charge of Katimel said the girls had requested the party and she told them as long as they organized the party and cooked all of the food she was agreed.  It was delightful; they served refreshments they made themselves, danced and sang for us and gave us some going away presents.  We have loved our association with the girls at Katimel.  We painted their rooms together, gave them new beds and mattresses, ate their first pizza together, provided back packs for school and supplied them sewing machines, fabric and sewing instructions. Fifi’s tribute to us was particularly touching.

She said:
  1. You couldn’t speak the language, but that didn’t stop you
  2. The color of our skin didn’t stop you
  3. Religious differences didn’t stop you
You saw the person as an individual and you have helped us all individually, Thank You.
Friday evening we went shopping for paint for Steve’s new home and picked up his newly constructed furniture to deliver to his home.  Saturday we solicited the Sisters and we spent the morning preparing his new home for painting.  We took some pictures and will share them later.  
Today, Sunday was our last full Sunday in Lubumbashi and we chose to attend Kisanga 2nd Ward.  This is where Mbidi is the Bishop, Steve is one of his counselors and Marcel is also a member of this ward.  President Tshibanda was there conducting.  We were both asked to bear our testimonies and they fussed over us all day.  Elder Wright commented that we need to be prepared for a real letdown in returning home, because here we are treated like rock stars or at least general authorities.  We’re looking forward to the events of General Conference and were saddened with the death of Elder Scott.  This may be our last letter and let me just say that I have enjoyed documenting the events of our mission and it has primarily been for my record.  I’ve been happy to share these emails with you and appreciate your support throughout our mission.
Love Dad, (Elder Davis)



Tuesday, September 22, 2015

September 22, 2015 - Travel Itinerary

OK - It's official!!!!   Wahoo!!!!
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mary Tanner <tanner@ldschurch.org>
Date: Tue, Sep 22, 2015 at 8:12 AM
Subject: RETURN TRAVEL - DAVIS/CLARK NEIL 04OCT2015 FBM NBO
To: DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission <1183796@ldschurch.org>, "DAVISCLARK98@GMAIL.COM" <DAVISCLARK98@gmail.com>


Your itinerary consists of more than one airline.
Please ask the ticket agent to check your bags to your final destination.
The airline desk agent may advise you that checking your bags to your final destination is not possible. In this case, you will need to pick up your bags in baggage claim at your connecting city, re-check them with the new airline, pay additional baggage fees and then require you to go through security again.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, FLIGHT CHANGES ENROUTE OR SIGNIFICANT DELAYS, IMMEDIATELY TELEPHONE
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or toll free 1-800-537-3537

*** Cancelation or change fees may apply. We have until 5pm MST the next business day to cancel or make any changes at no additional charge. Please review the itinerary.
                        
*** ELECTRONIC TICKETS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND ARE READY FOR TRAVEL, SEE E-TICKET INFORMATION BELOW. PLEASE CHECK IN WITH A GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO ID TO RECEIVE YOUR BOARDING PASS.

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Let us know how we are doing! Go here to complete a 2 minute survey on your experience with Church Travel: Church Travel Office Survey
.
Your trip
Booking ref:28T7GA
Issued date:22 September 2015
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TravelerClark Neil DavisAgencyCHURCH TRAVEL CWT
Shelley Nelson Davis50 East North Temple St
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84150
Telephone801 240-5111
Fax801-240-5115
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Sunday 04 October 2015
Kenya Airways KQ 586
Departure
04 October 02:55 PM
Lubumbashi Luano Intl (+)
Arrival
04 October 07:55 PM
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl (+)
Terminal: 1C
Stop 1
Lubumbashi Luano Intl (+)
Ndola (+)
Stop 2
Ndola (+)
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl (+)
Total duration04:00 (1 Stop)
Booking statusConfirmed
ClassEconomy (L)
Baggage allowance2PC
Seat17G confirmed for Clark Neil Davis
Seat17H confirmed for Shelley Nelson Davis
EquipmentBOEING 737-800
MealMeal (not specified)
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Sunday 04 October 2015
Delta Air Lines DL 9496
Departure
04 October 10:25 PM
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta Intl (+)
Terminal: 1C
Arrival
05 October 05:40 AM
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (+)
Duration08:15 (Non stop)
Booking statusConfirmed
ClassEconomy (L)
Baggage allowance2PC
Seat32E confirmed for Clark Neil Davis
Seat32F confirmed for Shelley Nelson Davis
EquipmentBOEING 747 ALL SERIES PASSENGER
MealBreakfast
Operated byKlm Royal Dutch Airlines, KL566
.
Monday 05 October 2015
Delta Air Lines DL 057
Departure
05 October 10:35 AM
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (+)
Arrival
05 October 01:30 PM
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City Intl (+)
Terminal: 2
Duration10:55 (Non stop)
Booking statusConfirmed
ClassEconomy (L)
Baggage allowance2PC
Seat40C confirmed for Clark Neil Davis
Seat40D confirmed for Shelley Nelson Davis
EquipmentBOEING 767-300
MealLunch
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Ticket details
E-ticket KQ 706-7713112996 for Clark Neil Davis
E-ticket KQ 706-7713112997 for Shelley Nelson Davis

Sunday, September 20, 2015

September 20, 2015 - Shelley

September 20, 2015
My first thought as I typed in the date on this letter was – 32 years ago today, I had a baby!!!  Happy Birthday, Matt!  You were then, and you continue to be a joy to me!
One of these days, our schedule is going to slow down a bit – but it didn’t happen this week!  I feel like we have had “company” for three solid weeks.  I guess it’s because we’ve had visitors (wheelchair and vision projects plus area office people) every day since August 28 - except for last Wednesday.  And it’s been wonderful!
Our week began with a visit to the city of Likasi.  Kenneth Mofokeng, the water specialist from the Southeast Africa Area Office was still with us.  Likasi is the nearest city to Lubumbashi – about 120 km away – and is accessible by car.  Likasi is the home to several mining operations – copper and diamond – and we’ve been told that the mining companies put in the road (not exactly I-15 by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s PAVED).
When we had only been in Lubumbashi a week or two, we took a road trip to Likasi and Kolwesi (the next city after Likasi) with another senior missionary couple, the Clawsons.  Elder Clawson helped maintain missionary apartments and we went with them to check on a couple of apartments.  Our “eyes” were not yet accustomed to Africa – we were still in the “shock and awe” stage – and we totally didn’t appreciate what a beautiful oasis Likasi is!  But it’s absolutely lovely!  It’s located on rolling hills and the sidewalks have CURBS!  Apparently, it was once a thriving Belgian city and still has many of the original buildings in tact.   We saw several homes with swimming pools – with cracked cement, chipped paint, and no water.  About 43% of the population has access to clean water.  Kenneth went to assess the possibility of adding several new water stations in a partnership with Regideso there.
Kenneth left on Tuesday.  And – wonder of wonders – while we were dropping him off at the airport, we actually picked up the 13 boxes of vision equipment, which arrived a week after Dr. Hunsaker and Dr. Kilangalanga were supposed to use it in their training at the eye clinics.  We ended up paying $250 in “incentives”, but, who can complain?  At least we got the equipment.  Dr. Kilangalanga will return in a few weeks to do the training.
Wednesday was a glorious free day that we spent in the office writing reports, etc.
Thursday we picked up Phillip Moatlhodi (Director of Southeast Area Humanitarian work) and Sharon Eubank (WORLDWIDE Director of all humanitarian work in the church).  We spent the next 24 hours with them – showing them what we’ve done in the last 17 months or so.  They are both so knowledgeable and easy to be with.  Phillip has been here before, and we correspond with him regularly – he lives in Johannesburg.  Sharon lives in North Salt Lake, is single, and has worked for the church for the last 17 years.  Her specialty is the Middle East, but she has never been to the DR Congo.  And yes, her dad and brother are the weather guys on KSL.  It was really an inspiration to be with both of them.
We were asked to bear our testimonies in the Katuba Stake Conference today.  It’s crazy to think that we are almost finished.  I cannot truthfully say that the time has flown by – it hasn’t’, and some things have been very hard.  But both of us recognize how much we’ve grown  - yet I don’t think I’m quite ready to say “good-bye”.  When we are this far from home, it feels very possible that this is “good-bye” until the next life.  Hopefully, the next life has plenty of WATER!!!! Haha
Well, it’s pretty boring to write a letter without pictures, so I’m going to quit for now.  But I can’t quit without wishing “Happy Birthday” to two of our darling grandchildren - Gray Davis and Annabelle Roche!  We’ll see you SOON!  Wahoo!!!!  Much love,  Mom/G-ma D./Soeur Davis


September 20, 2015 - Clark

Sunday, September 20, 2015
It was just last Sunday that we were watching the Tabernacle Choir broadcast with Kenneth and having him for dinner at our home.  Monday was spent in Likasi, a city of 400,000 located 120 kilometers from Lubumbashi.  Regideso engineer (Peter) was our tour guide.  Serge described this city as a Belgium city compared to Kasumbalesa which he called a Congolese city.  Likasi received the most beautiful city award for all of the Congo just a few years ago and Kasumbalesa is an armpit similar to Tijuana.  Likasi was very impressive with clean streets that were paved and sidewalks and curbs.  We had visited Likasi during the first month of our mission but we were still in the shock and awe stage where everything looked foreign and frightening.  Now is looked almost refined and so pleasant.  Regideso is proposing we help them with the addition of 12 new public water stations.  We visited almost every site as well as the source of water and two reservoirs.  The infrastructure is old but in the past, there was a lot of planning and thought that went into the development of this city as contrasted to Kasumbalesa where there seems to have been no thought given to any form of a development plan.  43% of the population in Likasi has access to clean drinking water compared to 4% for Kasumbalesa. (That number is 63% for Lubumbashi)
Tuesday we took Kenneth to the Regideso Director’s office for an exit interview.  The Director has never given us so much attention and time.  He had approved the travel plans for both Kasumbalesa and Likasi which committed his personnel and a vehicle for two full days; unheard of here.  After the interview, we took Kenneth to the airport for his flight and we had made arrangements to pick up the second vision equipment shipment that had arrived the day before.  We met Bosco from CETA and Andre from the Ministry of Health.  The warehousemen were prepared to make us pay before we ever realized our goal.  They look at cargo as a revenue source and everyone wants a piece of the action.  There are taxes, import fees, handling, storage, document preparation and those are only the one’s I could understand.  In the end we paid an additional $200 for handling and storage and Andre paid $50 for document preparation before we escaped with this precious cargo.  We took it directly to Sendwe Hospital where the director Andre Mwelwa met us with his staff who received and stored the 13 boxes safely on the surgical floor of the hospital with the microscope previously donated by the church.
Wednesday, we caught up on reporting and administrative matters in the office and prepared for Sharon Eubank and Phillip Moatlhodi’s visit.  They arrived at 12:00 on Thursday and left at 10:30 the next morning. We kept them as busy as time would allow.  Mom packed a lunch and we were off. Visits included:
  • Quartier Congo where we met Serge who explained the Regideso project in 5 neighborhoods and also the background of Kasumbalesa and Likasi
  • The market fire in Commune Kampemba where the construction crew from the church built two shelters for displaced vendors who had previously been located near the Lubumbashi Stake Center before their market was destroyed by fire
  • Kamweneja School where we have provided materials for replacing the entire school’s roof and ceilings.  The project was almost a total restoration of a school that could have been bulldozed
  • Katuba Regideso site where 3 public water fountains are being constructed.  The neighborhood had recently made major progress in digging their ditches for pipe installation.  
  • Notre Dame School for Girls where we met with Therese, our Congolese Oprah.  She directs a school of 350 girls and teaches them homemaking skills (sewing and culinary arts) in addition to the regular curriculum.
  • Kisanga General Hospital-we met with Delfin of Mukembe Building Services.  They have been our best contractor and they are just completing the water storage system where 20,000 liters of clean water storage will now be available 24 hours a day to support maternity and surgery.
  • Katuba Bridge-our first project located near the Gecamine building.  The neighborhood still recognizes us and are always welcoming.
  • GRAHPEE-a handicapped association-this is a failed project where we wanted to partner with them in improving their well.  They spent their match money on a 12 year anniversary party instead.
  • Leadership meeting with 3 stake presidents and 2 relief society presidents and 2 bishops from each stake where Sharon conducted training.
  • Finished at Lattelicious for dinner around 8:30
Friday we visited Sendwe Hospital to see the vision equipment and had another conference with the Regideso Director, came back to the mission home to introduce Sharon and then rushed off to the airport.  Sharon keeps this type of schedule on a regular basis, but we were wiped out.
Friday following the airport, we had arranged to meet Valentine, a journalist from the local TV station.  She and her cameraman have already completed two 30-minute TV segments on wheelchairs and vision and we wanted similar coverage for the Regideso project.  We visited all five neighborhoods and she developed human interest stories along the way by interviewing neighbors, health clinics, hospitals and taking film footage of children swimming in the local river.  Her father is a member of the church and she is definitely a friend of the church.  We capped the day off with a pizza party at the mission home with the other senior missionaries.
Saturday, Shelley spoke on leadership principles at the women’s leadership session of the Katuba Stake conference and in the evening we were invited to a “dinner for ten” a promotional dinner conducted by the Katuba Stake to develop better public relations.  They invited the principal of Kamweneja School and his wife as well as the female doctor in charge of Katuba General Hospital.  Today is their stake conference where we have been asked to bear our testimonies in a “farwell” capacity.  We were hoping to sneak out of town with no fanfare but Justin Mukuna wouldn’t allow it.
This week was the final week of our marathon finish.  We have been constantly on the go since mid-August with wheelchairs, vision, Kenneth, Sharon and Phillip.  We have enjoyed being totally consumed and “over-the-top” busy, but we have also looked forward to this time.   We found out this past week that the probability of Steve being able to attend the temple with our exact timing is remote due to all hoops he has to jump through.  We met with Justin, who works with church travel to schedule the travel.  We don’t have any confirmation yet but we said following Steve’s civil marriage on October 3rd, we would like to return home.  We’ll keep you posted with any news.  
Today mom and I were invited to speak in Katuba Stake Conference.  Mom talked about filling out our missionary papers and electing not to state a preference on location, language or assignment.  She said that she was happy that the Lord knows her better than she knows herself  because she could never have imagined such an assignment as Africa has provided.  Mom also taught a 30-minute leadership session to the presidencies of all women’s auxiliaries for the Katuba Stake yesterday.  Her talk became a 50-minute presentation and the audience grew from 30 at the beginning to over 90 at the conclusion.  She was famous today because all of the sisters congratulated her.  
I bore my simple testimony in French and then had President Thomas translate for me.  I told them some of the best advice I received from our first translator, Flavien Kot, was “when you’re in Africa, live in Africa”.  We have tried to do just that.  I shared two of the many things I have learned to love about the people:
  1. I had President Thomas read D&C 25:12 and told them they have taught me to treasure that scripture.  We seldom know anything that is said in meetings but because of the music and their singing we always feel the spirit.  These members not only know the words to all the hymns, they have memorized the page numbers and can always tell me which page I need to look up.
  2. I said I had learned service in a different light by examples from members of their stake.  When I look at Claudine, the choir director, I see her as a volunteer for the Operation Smile Obstetric Fistula Mission.  She didn’t volunteer for an hour, or a day or a week, but for six weeks.  I mentioned Marie who is the janitor at the seminary and institute building who spent her entire Saturday off volunteering at Kamweneja School cleaning all of the classrooms.  She worked so hard.  These people know the meaning of service and their efforts unparalleled in my limited experience.  I shared with them one of my favorite African sayings, “If you want to travel fast, go alone, if you want to travel far, go together”.  
We have enjoyed sharing our experiences with you throughout our mission.  Have a great week.
Love, Dad (Elder Davis)