Adventures Around Every Curve
March 3-15, 2026
March 3
We had the pleasure of spending time with Amos and Glady's again. We planned a lesson for the children connected with Come Follow Me, we wanted to teach them to be helpful like Rebekah was helpful to Abraham's servant. She gave the servant water then watered his camels. Our printer was not working so Sister Kaiser hand drew a camel and water pitcher for each child. When we arrived at Amos' home there were 2 extra cousins. We told story of Rebekah and discussed being a helper. At first we were worried that the 5 children would argue about having to share 3 hand drawn coloring sheets. They surprised us, the children naturally shared with out us suggesting anything, no crying or fussing they simply found a buddy and shared. They were just happy to color together.
After the lesson and visit with Amos and Gladys, Amos wanted us to meet his mother who lives in the same compound. We were glad to meet her. She was preparing yams for cooking. There were 2 young women helping her make ground nut paste (peanut butter). We received permission to share their photos and videos. These chores are a normal part of their daily activities. The girls are expected to help with fetching water, sweeping the compound, washing clothes by hand then hanging or laying them out to dry, preparing food and minding younger children. They are taught responsibility and expected to help from a very young age. Most of them have been taught polite manners as well. Even if we have nothing to do with them they will come out of their intended path and greet us with a handshake and curtsy.
March 6
Another favorite person of ours will be leaving on a mission in June to Ghana. We took Charles to lunch at the Lookout Restaurant. We took the liberty of preordering pizza to save time. After picking Charles up we told him that we hoped it was okay that we pre-ordered pizza. He didn't understand what we were telling him. Then we discovered that he had never had pizza. We were delighted to be the ones to introduce him to pizza for the first time and he liked it! Before the pizza came we ordered an appetizer of nachos. These tortilla chips were covered in melted cheese and chopped vegetables with a side of salsa and guacamole. Charles was a fan of all of it! The food was almost like home. Almost.
While eating we had a great conversation about being a consecrated missionary. He is the only member in his family and there are a lot of kids, some live on their own. His mother is supportive of him serving a mission. Charles asked if he would have time to work at a job while serving his mission, he is very goal oriented and driven. We gently told him that missionaries are not allowed to be employed but that he will gain so many useable skills as a missionary and he won't feel behind after completing his mission, as a matter of a fact he will be an employers dream employee and will most likely advance quickly.
When we got back to the Lacor church building Charles went back to work at the neighboring school and we taught seminary. We received a call requesting us to pick up and tables from the Laroo building and deliver them to the Bardege building in preparation for the Child Nutrition Clinic to be held the next day Saturday, March 7. We said yes.
As we dropped the tables off we were grateful to see our friend Bishop Pius Ochanda of the Gulu Ward. We have been praying for him and his family. He was accused of stealing or helping to steal a work vehicle. He was put in jail and had a overly long stay even after the real thief was caught and brought to the same prison. We listened to his story. His chin quivered a few times. The Spirit touched his heart. There is so much to tell but we will just say that miracles happened. He said he never cried but only felt peace. He taught people the gospel in jail and became friends with the thief who stole his work vehicle.
His wife Cissy was well cared for by the Gulu Relief Society President, Freda and the Gulu Young Women's President, Innocent. Both are single young adult women who were impressive in their ministering assistance staying with Cissy day and night. We went to visit Cissy at her home and peek at her month old son, say hello to the other 2 children and share a comforting message. Elder Kaiser was able to give a priesthood blessing of comfort to Cissy and Freda.
March 7
We spent all day at Child Nutrition Clinic where 205 children were served 6 mo - 5 yrs. It was a church sponsored event for members only but some members brought friends and they were accommodated when possible. There were a lot of parents and children. Our assignment was the last stop before they left the event. We gave each child a bag of porridge, banana, cup of yogurt, sandwich and a juice. Each parent was given a bun and a bottle of juice. Our supplies became very slim. We felt bad that not everyone was given the same supplies at the end but we encouraged those parents to come earlier next time. We had 3 different companionships of missionaries helping though out the day. We appreciated their willingness to serve. Many times there were extra kids peeking in the back door of the kitchen hoping for food. At one point some preteen girls kept peeking inside. Sister Kaiser went to greet them. Somehow she knew that they just wanted her picture and to touch her hair. So she took photos with them and let them touch her hair. They were gentle and liked how her hair felt soft to them.
March 8
On Sunday we visited the Lacor Ward, after sacrament meeting Sister Kaiser went with Gertrude, the Stake Young Women's President, to the Young Women's class. The Young Women's Presidency all bore sweet testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then Gertrude helped the young women understand better about the For Strength of Youth Booklet and a message from the first presidency inside the book. Sister Kaiser taught about the Young Women's Theme, we stood and read it together. She gave a short lesson on marrying the right person in the right place and that it's okay to the skip cultural wedding, the church wedding and go straight to the temple to be sealed to their eternal companion. She also encouraged each young woman to talk to the Bishop about getting a limited use temple recommend even though they can't go to the temple right now.
Elder Kaiser taught priesthood. He taught about the responsibilities and authority they have as holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood. He taught about how to give different blessings and felt that his time was used well until he had to take the missionaries back to their apartment to get baptism clothes. He turned his lesson over to Bishop Olobo.
"Whoso Repenteth of his sins...and desireth to be baptized in my name...Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water and in my name shall ye baptize them...[saying] Having Authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen"
3 Nephi 11 23-25
We stayed for the baptism of 5 adults after church. We love supporting the missionaries and new members we feel blessed for just being there even if we don't have an assignment. This day Elder Kaiser was asked to be a witness.
Murchison Falls National Park
March 9
4:05 am we woke up to the alarm after going off for 5 minutes. We were out the door by 4:40 and on our way to Murchison Falls. We wanted to arrive at the gate around sunrise and with very little traffic and only a few pedestrians along the road we made good time and entered the park after paying fees and registering etc. We saw our first elephants in Africa and were so happy! They were near the road and there was a baby, they are so cute. We also found a tower of giraffes backlit by the rising sun. We stopped and took pictures that turned out very nice.
Earlier, while at the gate we had the option to pay for a guard to ride with us in our vehicle and guide us on a game drive through the "tracks" (dirt roads). We picked up our guide, Lawrence. He was very knowledgeable and a self taught naturalist. He said learning all that he needed to know to be a guide was his passion. Our hope was to see lions and leopards. We saw plenty of Rothschilds Giraffes and were taught how to identify males and females by their color, size and horns. They became our new favorite animal, they are so graceful when they move. We saw a few more African Elephants, Jackson's Hartebeests, and Water Buck. We also saw plenty of mud covered African Buffalo, Kobs (deer that are the on the Ugandan National Emblem), and Oribi (tiny deer but not the smallest kind). We saw a variety of monkeys. Our guide pointed out many different kinds of birds including 2 sets of African Sea Eagles that were with their lifelong mate and saw a Monitor Lizard looking for eggs in one of the Eagles' nests on the ground who was about 5 feet long. There are wart hogs everywhere.
"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart."
Doctrine and Covenants 59:18
We took a break at a very wide spot along the Nile that is called Lake Albert, named after Queen Victoria's husband. It was an active place with many different animals coming to the water. It's still the dry season and animals need water. Lawrence taught about animal habits and patterns and so much more but we never saw a lion or leopard.
THEN THIS HAPPENED:
Murchison Falls Boat Ride
The boat ride on the River Nile to Murchison Falls was about a 3 hour round trip. Our boat was a double decker style. We noticed a much smaller boat that sat lower to the water and had more maneuvering ability and knew that if we could arrange it we would like that option another time but we weren't disappointed with our ride. We saw more elephants right by the water, lots of hippopotamus in the water and a few out of the water but not for long, they keep their skin from getting burned from the hot sun by staying in the water. We saw plenty of birds along the shore when our boat captain knew we would be able to see them.
The River Nile is V E R Y W I D E. There was more of a "beach" on the left so more animals were visible there. We intentionally sat on the left side of the boat for that reason.
Murchison Falls
Eventually we were able to see Murchison Falls up ahead. The water gushes down two falls, one is extremely narrow so the water pressure is quite strong. For that reason our boat could only go so far, the engine was straining and could only maintain the location for a short time before we had to turn around. We all had a good view. We learned later that the area ahead was a natural fish nursery and no fisherman are allowed past a certain point.
Crocodiles and more
As we turned back our boat captain steered to the north side of the river and we discovered many crocodiles waiting in the shallow water. They all had their mouths open and when someone asked why our guide said it was to cool their bodies. The crocodiles wait there because many dead fish make their way to that area after going over the high pressure falls. Free lunch if your willing to wait for it. Our guide said that if we fell into the water we would be devoured in 2 seconds. There are so many crocodiles in the Nile that bodies are never recovered. Chilling!!!!
After Our Boat Ride
With the water pressure pushing us down river and having seen the sights already we all relaxed and were back to the dock in one hour vs the two hour ride up river.
We hustled over to check on our favorite elephant herd and joined many of those on the boat tour. We moved away from the people and found that most of the herd that we saw earlier had shifted away from the water and were grazing. We watched as mama elephant nursed her two babies.
Accommodations
We stayed in camp-style accommodations but they were not glamping type accommodations. It was fine for one night. We were warned that we should not go outside at night without a light. It was possible that baboons, warthogs and hippo's could be on the property and we might bump into them.
We all had to plug our phones in to be charged at the bank of outlets by the open air "front desk" which also was the restaurant order counter. There were 3 entree options on the menu, and they also offered a cold take away breakfast for early risers (all of us) hoping to see animals. As we ate dinner and and waited for our phones to charge we played a game, watched the campfire and listened to all the languages being spoken around us, British English, Spanish, French and possibly others. There was lightening and wind as we prepared for bed but it never rained. We heard snoring through our screened window and guessed that it must have been a warthog sleeping there against the wall of our dwelling. We did not go outside to check.
March 10
We were up at 5:40 am and saw the most amazing sunrise as we crossed the bridge over River Nile. Despite being in a hurry to pick up Lawrence, our guide again for the 2nd day, we stopped in the middle of the bridge and took in the breathtaking sunrise of pinks, corals, oranges, blues and deep purple colors in the sky that reflected on the calm river below.
Lawrence's barracks are located on the side of the river where we saw the elephants the previous day. He said that there were 50 elephants all together and that they were spread throughout the area.
Giraffes and Other animals on Day Two
Once again we were intent on finding lions and if very "lucky" we might see a leopard. Our guide kept checking with colleagues via phone if they had any tips. We went thorough well known areas for spotting leopards and saw evidence that a leopard had been there, there was some type of animal remains in a tree, we saw the hoof dangling off of a branch.
At one point we got a tip and turned around on a track and went back to an area where we saw a lioness from a very far distance through binoculars. She was in the shade of a tree and we could see her enormous head moving, then she stood up, turned around and laid back down to rest. One person later said that she must have been pregnant and that is why she was alone in the shade. No leopard sightings.
We saw many of the same animals but were not bored with any of it, every stop was a wonder. We enjoyed watching the animals in their natural habitat with no fences between us. We never felt unsafe since we rarely stepped outside of our truck and Lawrence was there when we did.
"I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine."
Doctrine and Covenants 104:14
"Life Is Back"
We took a break at the rest stop on the beach by Lake Albert. That day there was less animal activity than the previous day, we commented on that and Lawrence reminded us of all the potholes filled with water from rain in that area on the tracks and other areas. That meant the animals could drink from the local water holes instead of needing to travel to the lake or river for water. Water is everything, water is life. "Life is back" is how he summed it up.
Once our time was up with Lawrence we dropped him off and he asked for one of the Books Of Mormon in the back seat pocket that we always keep in the truck, he took it and a few pamphlets.
Murchison Falls Close Up
Our guide (ranger) took us on a hike to view points around the falls. His name was also Lawrence. It was very hot. We were the only tourist people there at that time. The view points were great to see the falls from different angles all of them were on the South side of the River Nile.
We could see a different side of the wide "lazy" river down stream. Being next to the falls was loud with water raging. At a couple of the closer view points the water sprayed the air as though it were raining but with bright sunshine in the sky. It actually felt really refreshing because of the heat. Devils Cauldron is at the bottom of the falls which is a whirlpool created from the intensity of the pressure as the water is forced through a gap in the rocks, only 7 m (23 ft) wide, and falls 43 m (141 ft) below. The area after the falls is a narrow gorge only 10 m (33 ft) wide where fishing is not allowed since it is a fish nursery. The water is very rough.
Farewell Murchison Falls National Park
We love your amazing animals and natural beauty
We took a "short cut" which was not a short cut. Near the start of the track we saw some more beautiful animals and birds and interesting landscapes to admire.
As the road continued it became very rough. We arrived home after a long rocky, rainy, muddy pot hole filled drive. We were grateful for a 4 wheel drive truck!!! Do not use Wankwar Entrance.
Loving The Experiences We have In Gulu
March 11
The next evening we went to teach Temple Preparation at Lacor. We met Moses, he came 22 km from his village where he stays to come to Temple Prep Class. He knows how to find the lesson manual on line and plans to teach his family, all are members back in the village. They don't come to church often because of the cost of transportation. He said that once he began being taught the rest of the family became curious and realized that it was the church that they had been looking for. It teaches the doctrine of Jesus Christ the same way he taught while on the earth. They all joined, the whole family in the village, and a neighbor too. We asked how many are Melchizedek Priesthood holders, he told us 5, and two are Aaronic Priesthood holders.
Later that night we went to "rescue" 2 of the Gulu missionaries from a downpour and got them home safely. One missionary asked how our day was. We told them about Moses. As all good missionaries know, this is very exciting news to hear as we prepare to adapt as the Uganda Kampala Mission will be divided into two missions, Uganda East and Uganda West Missions in July 2026.
March 12
Sister Kaiser taught the children at Calvin's school a story from the Bible about Jacob and Esau. The principle we taught about was forgiveness. Daniel, the Headmaster, had to interpret for us, these are country kids. They aren't exposed to English.
Calvin and Eunice have 190 children currently enrolled in school and they are overwhelmed. They are trying to build a new school building and prepare the ground at a different property. They are under pressure and expect a higher enrollment when they come back from a break/holiday. They need a mentor with boots on the ground here in Uganda.
March 14
We helped the Stake Young Women Presidency with a training meeting for all of the Ward Adult Young Women Leaders. It went well. A young adult woman, now serving as a leader, shared her experience on how young women's shaped her and offered her what she needed as a youth. A member of the High Council taught well on Safety with Youth and Children, The Stake Presidency member spoke on For Strength of Youth. One Bishop and one member of a bishopric attended, all bishops were personally invited. The wards were all represented by young women leaders but the members of the bishoprics were not fully represented which was unfortunate. This is a weak area in how bishoprics understand their role with the youth here in Gulu.
March 15
After our temple preparation class at Gulu we gave a ride home to a young woman who had stayed after church for a young women's activity. Before our class began she left her activity for a few minutes and introduced herself to us, her name is Sandra. She is chatty and friendly, which is very different from most of the young women we interact with here. She wants to serve a mission in 4 years.
Right now she is attending school and has a pig from the self reliance program. She introduced us to her pig and let us feed her some yam leaves.
I, again, am in awe reading of you experiences and opportunities. To see the animals in their natural elements and to learn of a member brother attending lessons to return home and teach what he has learned to family and friends because they can't attend due to the travel cost.
ReplyDeleteThen smiling as I read of the young girls wanting just touch your hair.
Then not to ignore the miracle of the bishop and his unnerving experience, for him to then take the opportunity to teach the others also in jail.
Loved loved the picture of the giraffe at the start of this blog!! Great photography of all you saw!!!
Prayers for you and all working beside you in the Lord's vineyard.
I finally caught up ( I got behind. Fun to see about Anthony. Can't wait to hear about his mission call. The animal shots were amazing! Things fall apart is such a good book. One of the few I've read 3 times!
ReplyDeleteDavid, Glad to hear from you! Happy Easter! Anthony received his mission call to serve in the DRC Kananga Mission, French Speaking. He will be amazing!!! Thanks for the encouragement on the book suggestion. We will wait until after our mission to read it. Best blessings to you and your family.
DeleteHome again to catch up on your blog! AMAZING photos of your animal viewing adventure! So much to experience and learn! Such a vast difference from animals we know about and sometimes see in our North America area. What a great opportunity for you both!
ReplyDeleteMy heart aches for all the little children looking for food, my only comforting thought is that someday in Heaven there will be no more suffering and struggling. It's heartwarming and humbling to see these beautiful people sacrifice to serve their families, in their "wards", communities and work so hard to provide and then for the the young adults to desire to serve a mission. Wonderful examples of good hearts! I'm grateful the Bishop was able to withstand his challenging situation and be able to lift others during his trial.
You are always on the move. I hope your latest trip was not helping someone move! Ha! Ha! Good to hear from you. As far as kids hoping for food, and peeking in the kitchen, that is a tricky one here. The kids peeking in the kitichen are just like the young men in the USA at activity night or any night are always looking for food in the church building. It's not any different here. There is actually a lot of food growing all of the time. It just takes a while to prepare. The kids that day wanted free, ready to eat food. Having said that there are also cases of under nourished children, but thankfully, we have not seen much of it here. It happens all over the world, even in the USA. Third world countries have so much catching up to do.
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