My mother's 100th birthday!

We had our Eldoret Zone Conference today.  Eldoret is a city an hour and a half South of Kitale, where we live.  It's the district headquarters for the Eldoret District of the Church.  The photo is of our ten companionships plus the APs.  Not in the photo are the Mission President and his wife or either of the two Senior Couples.  The other couple are Member and Leadership Support and we, of course are CES.  There are nine branches in the district, four in the Eldoret area and five up in our area (Kitale).  We are responsible for all nine branches for Seminary and Institute, as well as, the Food Initiative, PEF and Temple Preparation.  We will be taking 16 people from our district to the Johannesburg Temple in June for their endowments and to be sealed as families.  Yesterday and today we were able to meet with the District President and each of the four branch presidents.

This is the Langus chapel in Eldoret where we held conference today.  The three trucks belong to us Senior Couples.  The clean white on is ours.  It's clean because we paid a branch president's son to wash it, for 500 shillings.  That's not as generous as it sounds.  It's about $5.60.

This is the Eldoret branch building.  With the completion of the one up in our area, which is currently under construction there will be three "church built" chapels in this district.  That's pretty impressive.  I won't be surprised if they create a second stake in Kenya here this year.  I really believe a temple announcement for East Africa is in the not-too-distant future.

Chillin at our hotel in Eldoret

Kenya has an abundant and beautiful variety of trees and other vegitation.

TRIBUTE TO MOM:  We have been very mindful of Mom (Carol Read Flake) today on the 100th anniversary of her birth.  Besides loving the temple she left a wonderful legacy of missionary service, having served a mission as a young woman and later as a senior missionary.  Additionally she inspired and supported her six sons on their missions.   Currently there are two Senior Couples serving and numerous young Sisters and Elders (grandchildren and even great grandchildren) on full-time missions.  Many others have previously served.  Someone needs to total the years of missionary service of her descendants.  It all began with her and Dad, and none of it would have occured if not for their faith and example.  Although many of us in the missionfield will not be able to attend the temple this week in her honor, it is my hope that our service will honor her sterling legacy and be a fitting tribute to her.