Christmas Day

Elder Hansen picking Mangos Christmas Morning from the 3rd floor 

 There are not many left after the big birds got them

Sister Ochieng and Sister Lusiba

 Justice loaned us his Mango Picker to use.

He is one of our guards for the apartments.  Justice  joined the church about 2 months ago.  He reads scriptures while he is guarding.  The gospel makes him happy.
He was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood last Sunday. 

 We found a Christmas Tree in the Closet.  It was fun to have a little bit of Christmas Cheer in the apartment. 

Christmas Dinner at the Sheraton Hotel with the couples.

Lots of Great Food and I did not have to cook or clean up. 

We had entertainment.  

and Great Company 
We were all missing our families but got to talk or Skype them during the day.   

River Boat Tour on the African Queen

 We took a Tour Boat, The African Queen, up the Nile River to Murchison Falls early in the morning.  There were many animals along the shore line to see and the scenery was breathtaking

The Hippopotamus or River Horse are plentiful. 
The stay in the water of the Nile during the day and come out at night to graze on the grass. 
The females hang out in herds of 10 or more and are watched over by a dominant male.  There were about 35 hippos in one herd we saw.  They are fiercely territorial and are responsible for killing more people than any other African animal.

The skin of the hippo is very sensitive to the sun so they stay in the water all day.  The natives say that they are naked (they have no hair)
and that is why they hide during the day and come out at night.  
Mothers of males have to remove them from the herd as soon as they are born or they will be killed by the herd.  They raise the males by themselves till they can go on their own.



  
                       Many hungry Cocodiles along the way

 Wow

 We hiked up to the falls

Uganda Kampala Mission Couples

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip to Paraa Lodge with the other couples.  It was the first time that we met the couples from Rwanda.  It is great to work with good people with the same desires and interests.  They are all doing great work in their areas of responsibility.  There is a wide range of talents and abilities and they are all needed in this area of the world at this time.  We are grateful to have them here with us. 

 Back in Kampala

The Mission Presidency 

Elder Preator, President Chatfield, Elder Casperson 

Ethiopia Missionaries

Preators, Tanners, Wolds, Moses 

 Rwanda Missionaries 

Palmers and Baileys

Sudan Missionaries

Elder and Sister Himle  

Uganda Missionaries 

Jonsons, Holyoak, Stories, Hansens, Caspersons, Wallaces 

Couples Conference

The week before Christmas couples from across the mission, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda (less South Sudan) joined together for a couples conference at Paraa Lodge in Northern Uganda.  The only couple that wasn't there were in South Sudan in lock down then escaped safely by the time we arrived back in Kampala.  We were so happy to see them safe and sound. 

Highlights of the excursion included game drives in our own vehicles, 3 buffet meals per day (you gotta love it) swimming and a meeting where couples reported on their missions. 

Jackson Heartabeast

Cape Buffalo - one of the Big Five of Africa

All Kinds of animals to watch

Love the Giraffe - two horns are females - three horns are males. 

They walk with two legs moving forward at the same time which is different 

than most four legged animals.  They are so graceful and beautiful to watch in the wild.

Sarah, our guide, knows where all the animals are

and is so knowledgeable about the park and the animals.

Beautiful Africa

Preparation for Christmas

Food Storage - Lock downs, no water, no electricity are common here so food storage is important.  No worry about goods freezing but rats, bugs and spoilage are a challenge.  After a number of projects with limited success we developed the Ugandan method of dry pack canning.  4 liter paint cans sealed with wax. 

Every missionary companionship has their own supply of staples that do not require rotating.  Along with recipes for use.  Survival should be do-able. 

Sarah, working on the canning project. 

She is cute and we love her. 

Sister Chatfield with her sticky notes 

We collected shoes and toys and clothes for Children in the village in Jinja

These Children have no shoes









We made up 150 bags of gifts for the children in the Village and delivered them the week of Christmas.

The day before Christmas the Kampala Missionaries joined together for a fun day 

of celebration.  We had games, pizza, and all you can eat chicken from the newly opened 

KFC.  The only bonafide franchise facility of any kind we know of in the country. 

Sister Hansen organized Minute to Win it Games

Get the cookie from the forehead and in the mouth and chewed and swallowed. 
Believe it or not - it can be done. 

Each missionary received a package with ties (or scarves) socks, treats, and a head lamp to see the big holes in the streets at night and to see when the power goes out, which is often.  We all had a good time and they were looking forward to calling home on Christmas Day. 

We have the greatest Missionaries.  

Merry Christmas