WEEK 3

Joseph says:

I wish I could have been at the fireside, (The Borders just got back from a mission in Russia) that was probably Awesome! Its also great that Bruni (our foreign exchange student, Leon's, mom )wants to follow my blog. unfortunately I don't really have much to say yet since I have been enclosed in the MTC with 30 other Americans haha. We watched "The best two years" which was fantastic and much easier to relate to as a missionary, if you can find time I would recommend watching the story In the land of tulips as well :)

If you're curious about the MTC is pretty small and can take about 40 missionaries at a time. My group is about 30. The MTC president is Pres. Ashton who served as mission president in Washington about 10 years ago so you may be familiar with him. My current teachers are Sister Van Syl and Brother Mugaji both from south Africa and returned from their missions about 1 year ago. I wish I could upload pictures to show you but we don't have enough time and the internet is to slow.

So next p-day we are traveling to our missions so I'm not sure if I will be able to email this next week but I will for sure in 2 week.

I have been personally reading in Alma in the Book of Mormon and just pondering the story of Amulek.  Its amazing how the most staunch opponents of the gospel can become great supporters of 

it.  Unfortunately there will not be any pictures until I get out of the MTC because the internet is too slow to upload any and we have a very limited time to email but look forward to them in 2 weeks. 

Interesting info on Kenya from Laura:

Kenya – Kenya has two official languages, English and Swahili, but like in many other African nations, these languages are often the second language for many citizens whose first language is that of their ethnic group. The main ethnic groups in Kenya are Bantu and Nilotes. Kenya’s population is very young (over 70% of the population is under age 30) thanks to a high population growth rate. Over 80% of Kenya’s population is Christian, with most of these belonging to various Protestant faiths such as the Presbyterian Church of East Africa and the Anglican Church of Kenya. A little over 10% of the population is Muslim. The many different tribes within the country each have their own traditions and practices. The guitar is very popular in much of Kenyan music, and Genge and Kapuka (types of hip-hop) are also popular. While folk music is usually sung in tribal languages, popular music is generally in English or Swahili. In athletics, Kenya is best known for its middle- and long-distance runners, who often perform very well in the Olympics. However, soccer, cricket, rugby, and motor rallies are also popular. While each region has its own different foods, ugali (corn flour made into a porridge or dough ball) is eaten in most of the country, generally with a meat or vegetable stew. Nyama choma (grilled goat or sheep) is also popular in many areas.