Training & Travel

TRAINING:

As we arrived at the Provo Missionary Training Center, MTC, we were guided by kind, friendly volunteers to the area where we to park Kirk's 1995 Ford Ranger, which once belonged to his dad.  It is now in the care of our son Shane who likes the idea of having a vehicle that can haul things, at least for one year. 

I've been waiting a long time for this badge.  

I put Elder Kaiser's badge on him and I made him put mine on for me.

It was a tiny private ceremony followed up with a kiss.

We received a key card to enter buildings and were taken to a room where we met more volunteers who, through a series of brief questions, made sure we would have all of our needs met while at the MTC and were prepared to leave to our assigned mission area. We also received helpful information and materials, one of which was receiving our ministerial cards. Later, on a break, we took those cards to the "Post Office" on campus to get laminated.  The MTC is like it's own small city so we also visited a nurse about the shots that we still needed to receive and found out how to get the Doxycycline, "Malaria pills" that we started taking 2 days before getting to Uganda, and will take every day while in Uganda and continue to take for 28 days after we come home.   

The classic MTC Map of the world photo spot.

At our orientation the MTC Presidency and Sister Leadership all shared pieces of being a missionary, expectations or encouragement. 

We also watched a portion of the video "The Heart and Willing Mind" from 4:17. Here is a link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2010-07-0058-the-heart-and-a-willing-mind?lang=eng

One fact that was shared and stood out to us was that of all the seniors in the church senior missionaries serving a mission represent 1% of that population. There was a reinforced promised of angels watching over us and our families.  Kirk and I have faith and are counting on that promise. 

Other advice/council from the MTC Leadership:

1. Take your mission seriously, don't take yourself too seriously.
2. If you are not having fun you are not doing it right.
3. Missionaries will watch us and look at our expamples.
4. You will feel the Savior more deeply at your side.
5. Keep a careful record.
6. The Lord will watch over loved ones.
7. Called to serve the people but you will be served.
8. Be flexible.
9. Focus on what matters most - The Savior Jesus Christ and Temples.
10. Dont miss the magesty of the moment (Quote from President Nelson).

After orientation we were assigned our districts and teachers. This is one of the best parts!!! We definitely were assigned to be in an amazing district and had teachers that were just right for our group!  We went straight our classroom in the Senior Missionary Building and got to know one another in classroom 219.  It quickly became clear to Elder Kaiser and I that we were among some dedicated and faithful couples and teachers, not only in our district but in the group of incoming senior missionaries that we also got to know. The five days we spent in the MTC was precious to us. We had sweet experiences with the Spirit and attended 2 wonderful devotionals. 

MTC Devotional on Tuesday with a General Authority member of the Quorum of the Seventy Elder Cziesla and Sister Cziesla. There was a section for senior missionaries on the floor, perks for aging are pretty ok.

Most of our time was spent learning about supporting the young missionaries and becoming more refined on planning and teaching as a companionship.  

Our Morning Teacher Sister Gee, Sister and Elder Kaiser, Elder and Sister Petramalo, Sister and Elder Mendenhall, Sister and Elder Hendrickson and Morning Teacher Sister Allen. See photo below of Sister Allen and Sister Gee.

  

Besides being wonderful teachers our teachers have other talents. Sister Allen has a beautiful singing voice and is so subtly funny! We pleaded with Sister Gee to bring in her cello to play for us.  These teachers were bright lights, encouraging, fun and easy to spend our morning with while learning and practicing. Our classroom environment was a sacred space full of the Spirit. Our age differences were not a factor in our friendship with each of them.  They are loved!

Our teacher Sister Goats, Elder and Sister Petramalo (Mexico MTC Study Skills Support). Elder and Sister Kaiser, (Uganda Kampala Mission, Member Leader Support = MLS).  Elder and Sister Mendenhall (Argentina Rosario Mission, MLS), Sister and Elder Henrickson (Czech/Slovak Mission, MLS) and our teacher, Elder Lee

Our afternoon teachers could not be more sharp or prepared.  We kept a tight schedule but we laughed and enjoyed these two talented teachers immensely! 

"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." Doctrine and Covenants 88:118

Advice: If we could have a do over we would have stayed in the MTC housing instead of commuting to and from the homes of our children.  We thought we would have more time to spend with them but it was not so.  

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On our last Sunday 2yo Gavin decorated Gramps' missionary tag with stickers. We attended primary to hear the children sing songs for the upcoming forever favorite Sunday of the year, The Children's Primary Program, and we got to snuggle cute little Liam.  

TRAVEL TIME:

Before we left UT Chelsea presented us with this soft little sunshine shaped bag full of notes from family members to read when we needed a pick-me-up.  This little face was peeking out of Elder Kaiser's back pack, so cute, so thoughtful.  Thanks to those who sent notes.

Here we are getting all of our luggage to the Delta counter.  It felt good to say goodbye to those 4 large pieces. 

Cody Moulton had some straps that were unused in his garage that he offered to us to help make moving the large pieces easier.  We just didn't think about it until Sunday as we loaded their van for the hotel.  Little miracle. 

One thing we did not regret was booking a hotel at the airport that had a shuttle to the airport.  

• On Monday, September 1 we were up by 3:40am and downstairs with 4 large pieces of luggage, 2 carry on pieces and 2 personal items by 4:25am.  Our flight left at 7 am to Atlanta, Georgia.  
• There was a 5 hour layover before flying to Amsterdam for 8 hours where we had a 3 hour layover. 
• Then on to Kigali Rwanda where the plane stopped after 8 hours of flying for a refuel and allowed passengers to unload and new passengers to load.  
• We finally landed in Entebbe Uganda at 10:50pm, on September 2. We went through immigration, collected our checked luggage and met two faithful missionaries, Elders Christensen and Sorensen around midnight. 
• The total flying time was 23 hours and layover time was 8 hours. 

 

Last minute purchase, plastic folders to keep all of our paperwork tidy and safe.  

This was taken in the airport in Amsterdam.  I washed my face and changed my clothes on the second day, no regrets.

All of our luggage on 2 carts in Entebbe after going through immigration. One was a wonky donkey cart.

Elders Christensen and Sorensen

On the drive from Entebbe to Kampala the Elders answered questions for the full 40 minutes and took us to our temporary apartment in Kampala where they had stocked the fridge with breakfast basics and helped Elder Kaiser carry our 4 - 50lb pieces of luggage up 4 flights of stairs, no elevator.  

Uganda has silverback gorillas that can be observed in a National Park, there was one waiting to greet us at the airport.  Drivers are on the right side of the vehicle and the Ugandans mostly drive on the left side of the road, unless there is a reason not to, with occurs often.

The next morning, Wednesday, September 3, the Elders picked us up and took us to the mission office where we received our mission phones and other instruction such as learning about the  currency and safety at ATM machines in Uganda. We went to lunch at CJ's, a restaurant with delicious American foods serving huge portions.  Then we went grocery shopping since we will be in Kampala for a week.  The elders even patiently helped us find a blow dryer and yoga mats.

CJ's restaurant.  All of the Elders ordered fajitas, I ordered tacos.  

  

Examples of Ugandan schillings = currency

Let's talk about driving in Uganda, Kampala in particular.  It is CRAZY!!!  Some roads are paved or partially paved many are dirt.  The speed bumps are mounds of dirt.  There is very little road maintence, there are not many stop lights and they are mostly ignored. People cross the street anywhere and anytime. There really aren't any rules, the "boda boda's" or motorcycles can drive anywhere, even sidewalks.  Cars are to drive on the left but they move anywhere that works for them at times. The boda boda's blast past vehicles often with passengers on the back.  They are couriers or taxi's.  The slang word boda boda comes from drug runners going fast from one border to the other border. Missionaries are not allowed on boda boda's. 

  

We will have to get behind the wheel soon!!!

Thursday, September 4 we had to go to the Police Station with Brother Timothy who works for a company that helps people with immigration. Since he's a member of the church and a professional, the mission office hires him to help missionaries when they arrive to get work permits so they can be in the country legally for the duration of their mission.  It felt like the DMV, sit and wait for your number to come up on the screen then go to the window indicated.  We were there for 2 hours.  There was a small hiccup with my paperwork and that added to the length of our time there.  As we sat on the wood benches Brother Timothy taught us more about Uganda and we told him some things about our home state, Colorado, and a little about the United States. He is soft spoken, bright and kind. 

We ate lunch with 2 of the office Elders at a restaurant across the parking lot from the mission office, it was local cuisine and we learned a bit more about typical Ugandan food and it's preparation.  It was good but very filling.  

Later in the afternoon, we ended up taking a walk past the church hoping to find some missionaries.  No luck!  So we kept walking and were delighted to find two smiling friendly Sister Missionaries waving at us from further on down the road!! Hurrah!!! They gave me a hug and shook Elder Kaiser's hand with such warmth and enthusiasm.  It was a tender mercy! 

Ntnda Sisters and the companionship that they share an apartment with.

We met 2 more Sister Missionaries and then 2 other Elders appeared while we visited with a member in the ward who is a business woman who sells bags she makes and socks and shoes.  Among other things she taught us about the 3 different types of bananas that are grown in Uganda and had some jackfruit bought for us then fed us sweet bananas.  We walked the 2 Sisters we were with home before dusk when the mosquitos come out to feed.

On Friday, the Elders had to take the truck in for regular maintenance so we were on our own for the whole day.  We had lots to do so that wasn't a problem. We planned some spiritual messages that we could share when we were with missionaries.  It was our desire to do something nice for the missionaries that we met, in particular the Ntinda sisters who invited us to join them for appointments.  So we took inventory of the apartment supplies, looked at my recipes and decided it would be appropriate to make banana bread for the office elders and sister missionaries.  OH What a chore!!!

We thought this sign advertising drivers training was kind of ironic.  Here we our with our groceries.

Beautiful flowers found on our walk to the grocery store.  Here are the ingredients for banana bread.  The sweet bananas are less than 1/2 the size of the bananas we eat in the USA.

We walked a little over a mile to the grocery store and back to get the rest of the supplies. The water in the kitchen sink was not running, which added another layer of work.  Thankfully There was water in the bathroom sink. We got creative.  All the dishes and utensils we planned to use needed to be washed since there was a bit of dust despite being stored in the cupboard.  That is the nature of where we are, dust settles everywhere since most of the roads are unpaved and this apartment is used sparingly.  We had oven issues and then the water under the sink was leaking, thank goodness I opened the cupboard for some unknown reason and discovered it! Little miracles happen every day if we just look for them.  We ended up washing a load of towels not only because some were wet but also because of the dust.  

No pictures of the bread cooling.  There was too much going on.  We went to bed and contacted the Ntinda sisters in the morning. Sister Sauileone, from Tonga, is not well and in the hospital. We are checking on her and her companion, Sister Sister Manyangaoze, who is from Zimbabwe.  This is why we are here, to support the missionaries, leaders and members.

"Verily thus saith the Lord, let my servants [Elder Kaiser and Sister Kaiser] take their journey into the eastern countries, and proclaim the things which I have commanded them; and inasmuch as they are faithful, lo, I will be with them even unto the end." Doctrine and Covenants 75:13