March 13 - 19, 2017 - Kolwezi Zone Conference

March 13 - President and Sister Shumard flew to Kolwezi for Zone Conference, Interviews and trying to locate an apartment for Elder and Sister Davis.

I took time to wash 5 loads of laundry, and clean and organize my closet and drawers.

March 14 - Today is Griffin's 6th Birthday.

Inside the compound looking to the west

Just outside our gate looking to the east

Shop at the end of our street

Usually someone is sitting on this log

Walking the golf course this morning.

Between two fairways we came upon a patch of squash. Yellow flowering plants but no veggies.

Squash planted among purple flowers between two fairways on golf course

Poles with a plastic bottle to show where squash is planted.

Pond - notice the reflection in the water

Bird of paradise on a street coming home

At the clubhouse

Bird of paradise on a street coming home

Went to the airport three times today, trying to get Elder Ngalamulume on a flight home. Finally accomplished the goal!

Large truck carrying heavy load; the one in front of us is empty.

Tonight's dinner: Salmon, wild rice, jello with cream, and a zucchini muffin with chocolate chips

March 15 - Today is Mom Peterson's 94th birthday. At 9:30 p.m. we got to FaceTime with Sarah, Aleece, and Erin. We just missed Liz. For some reason our ipads were not ringing when they called an hour earlier. We did not know Daylight Savings Time had taken effect. They took Cafe Rio and ate lunch with Grandma Peterson. It was nice to see  her via FaceTime. I think she likes to see us too. And, of course, Lynden was there as well showing off her crawling ability.

March 16 - Morning walk sights.

Notice the gun on the left with the barrel stuck in the ground.

Dragon fly on the ground

Elder Eastmond holding the dragonfly so we can see the delicate wings.

Nice enclosed area by the gate to this home.

Elder Eastmond, a woman who was running along behind Sister Nancy Peterson, Elder Ron Peterson, and Elder Lorin Peterson.

Ilunga using a hand pump to add more diesel fuel to the generator.

Feather found under the tree in front of Dr. & Sister Peterson's house. I wonder what bird it came from.

Beautiful roses in front of the office.

Rose bushes remind me of Grandma Peterson's house.

March 17 - Morning walk

Two Congolese oriole birds (orange)

Love these bird of paradise flowers

egret on pillar

Fountain with egret on the middle pillar in the background

We had a new sister arrive today. She has been in the Ivory Coast waiting for a visa to come to the DRC. She went to Ghana for training then was temporarily assigned in her home country until the visa came.

March 18 - Was in a baking mood today. Put on the movie "Lion King" and listened to it while I baked.

Cracked wheat bread

Delicious, toasted with honey

We had a frozen puff pastry in the freezer. I looked online for recipes using it. The one chosen was Petite pain au chocolate. It just used chocolate chips inside, roll it up, and bake. Tasted pretty good.

Petite Pain au Chocolate

March 19 - On the way to church we saw these boy scouts walking.

A church member with her children

 On the way home from church, this picture was taken as we drove across the river. The water is high.

March 6 - 12, 2017 - Davis MLS Couple arrive; Katuba Stake Conference

March 6, 2017 - Our planned walk was cancelled because of a downpour. We ate a wonderful omelette prepared by Elder Peterson before it was time to take Sean to the airport. It was great to visit with him.

It rained very hard during the night and much of the day. We went out to inspect 2 missionary apartments. The rain was flowing very fast in the ditches alongside the road.

Hard to see the swift current in the ditch

March 7 - Morning walk cancelled due to rain. Busy situation in the office. Blatant disobedience is so hard to watch. Some people have such shallow testimonies. Elder Peterson went with President for a while and they came back with Magnum Ice Cream bars for all of us. Amazing how much stress can be reduced while eating a magnum bar. This was a new variety - Crème Brulée KISS. Delicious!!

March 8 - Nice morning walk to the small hyper psaro area to walk the stairs.

Beautiful bird of paradise flower

 Took a muddy road home.

Small sparrow in the middle of the photograph

Such beauty among the mud

Elder Robert and Sister Teri Davis arrived today.

Sister Shumard, Sister and Elder Davis, President Shumard

They are from Idaho Falls. They are Mission Leader Support (MLS) Missionaries. They are here for 23 months. On Friday they will travel to Likasi to learn from Elder and Sister Bennett. This will be the last 3 weeks of Bennett's mission. Davis's will be able to observe first-hand what Elder and Sister Bennett have done in Likasi to support the leaders there. When they arrived in Likasi in December 2015, there was a district. In June 2016 the district grew to a stake. Growth has continued since that time. They have taught English classes, piano lessons, and supported all the wards and branches in the area. They will be very busy in the next three weeks saying goodbye to all the people they have become so close to. Elder and Sister Bennett will come to the mission compound on March 31, and leave for Canada on April 5.

Elder and Sister Davis will leave Likasi and go directly to Kolwezi, which is about a 5 hour drive from Lubumbashi. Kolwezi right now is a district. The goal is to help grow the area to become a stake.

I have been exercising my shoulder, elbow, and hand. Movement doesn't seem to come very fast. There is still some bruising around the incision area. I thought I should take a photo of it so I can measure the progress as it gets better.

March 9 - We had Elder and Sister Davis come to our home for a spaghetti dinner. They leave tomorrow morning for Likasi.

March 10 - President and Sister Shumard drove to Likasi with the Davis' following in another truck. Eastmond's, the other Peterson's went to dinner at Latte Lounge with us tonight.

March 11 walk -

Interesting tree

rock looks like quartz

 Water pollution - Fluid from a car??

Purple fluid dumped into ditch outside a walled compound

We went with the Eastmond's to the Peterson's medical tonight to see pictures of their daughter's wedding in New Zealand and to watch the movie "Lincoln".

March 12 - Katuba Stake Conference. Elder Stanley G. Ellis counselor in the Southeast Area Presidency, was the visiting authority. Justin in our office is the Stake President. We attended the conference. It was great to hear one talk in English. Elder Ellis had an interpreter.

A transport pulled up and all these people piled out--about 25 or so.

This family all arrived in the blue car in the photo below.

The next two photos were taken just at the end of the meeting. We later found out there were 1,021 people in attendance. Justin said that is 49% of his stake in attendance. The cost of transportation prohibits some families from coming.

With Simon, a member of the Nyashi 2 Ward

Justin's youngest daughter

Justin's wife, Christine with 5 of their 6 children after conference.

The missionaries had a table set up in the foyer with pamphlets and Books of Mormon

Some of our full-time missionaries serving in the Katuba Stake.

President Shumard with some missionaries and an investigator

Bishop Kazadi Jean Louis Mukadi of the Nyashi 2 Ward and his wife and children