7/14/2014 Quiet but Productive Weeks

The past 10 days or so have been pretty quiet. We are getting settled in the new apartment, but lots of thing need to be fixed. The washing machine still empties up a drain in the bathroom and floods, we have 6 receptacles that don't work, the front door is warped and needs repair. But who's counting. We are just glad to be next door to the mission office so we don't have to drive for a 1/2 hour each way. Sister Barney is keeping busy with some sort of cold that is plaguing the missionaries right now. She is going to have some pretty interesting conversations to share when we get home. The other morning one of the Elders called and asked...
Elder... " Sister Barney, what should we do if a missionary gets bitten by a snake?"
Sister Barney..."WHAT?" ... What are you asking Elder... Did someone get bitten by a snake?
Elder...."No, but our investigator killed a Cobra by our apartment and we took some pictures of it. But if someone did get bitten, what would we do?"
Sister Barney..."calm them down, apply a restrictive band, ice if you can find it :), and call me so I can come and watch them die"
Elder..."could we have brownies at the funeral?"

And so the conversations keep us smiling and take the dull out of nursing.

 Hauling "Rubbers" (water jugs) full of water to their home.

Neighbors of the Kossohtown Chapel.

                                                     (Sister B) I have missed  so many great pictures.:(   Not this time!                                         As we travel, Elder B is so intent on driving and avoiding crashes that he has no time to see all the great sites. I am constantly yelling "Stop!  Pull over!" and oft times he is unable to oblige. 

This time I had to run back quite a ways and asked permission of the mama to take this "snap". 

                                   Then the mama went into the house and came out with stuff on her head
                                        and wanted me to take a snap of her. Too cute. I always take a moment                                                                  and show them their picture. They are totally amazed.

                                                   First and only  potty I have ever seen

 A passing shot of some people making small rocks out of 

big rocks.

 This is how it starts. Build a fire on the rock.

Cover with "Zinc" (tin) and wait for the cracking to begin.

 More of the same rock.

 Dogs on the side of the road snooooozzzzing.

They stay up all night fighting and howling then sleep all day.

 We were waiting on the side of the road for two Elders 

and these kids decided to get a closer look at the pale-face drivers.

We gave them some money to take their picture. 

 Sister Kanzler, Sister Ostler, and Sister Barney

were invited to one of the Sister Missionary Apartments

for Family-Home-Evening and dinner.

The missionaries are in the front row.

 The plumber worked on this sink for 3 hours. He even built a small

fire (on the tile) with paper to heat something up???

 We received Elder Sison from the Philippines. He was all alone

but really happy to be here. He was on hold for Visa problems.

He has a really cool story about coming to Africa.

 Have you ever heard of a "Champion Bug"...

Elder Maughan had never heard of one either.

Google it. They are the size of an ant, and look like one, BUT,

                                          they are not even related.  Another name is "blister beetle"                                                                 Makes sense because...they have an acid (pederin) that reacts violently to skin.causing redness, blisters and usually leaves a scar.

 We hosted a Zone Party at the apartment and watched the movie "Ephriam's Rescue".

We had just mopped the floor, so no shoes allowed. The boxes are full of Hamburgers.

 Intermission

 Yum Yum Eat Em Up

 You may recognize some of the little darlings.

 We had 40 in the group

 What a great bunch of missionaries.

 Check out the posing

 Pictures by Sister Ostlers statue

 Not to be outdone by my chamelion, Sister Barney has captured

an intruder in our apartment.

 Normally they are very fast, but on the tile they are a 

very slow blur

                                Primary in Waterloo.  I taught them a Action Rhyme about Heavenly Father's love for                                                   all of us.  It gave them a chance to stand up and wiggle.                                                                          They loved it and so we probably repeated it 10 times!

                                Primary counselor beginning the 2 hour Primary. They never leave their seats.  Never go to class. Almost never see a picture and only occasionally sing a song.    I am working on that!                                              

 Getting the back lawn mowed

The Kanzlers after their morning walk. Cool down, chat and watch the sites of Africa from our front yard.