Elder Casey Larsen: 03.07.11

Mom,
This last week has been fun. Thursday we were able to prepare the body of Brother David Rabari for burial. It was an interesting experience, but I'm grateful for it. I can definitely rule out being a mortician as a back up career. We all decided that we would rather work with people before their spirit leaves their body rather than after it does. Then Thursday evening we cooked some hobo dinners in tin foil on charcoal. holy cow, they tasted amazing. We need to do that more often. it was so good! it was like a taste of home, who knew tin foil could produce such amazing flavors in kenya? While our dinner was on the coals, we ( me, Elder Bakker and Elder Mangenella ) lit our pants on fire! First we doused them in kerosene and then stuck a match. it felt so good to see them things go up in flames. :) you know, if i was a sister then i'd be going home next week? that's awful weird to think about.
Friday the Zone Leaders had a conference with President and Sister B. and the Assisants. After they finished that, they invited us to lunch to celebrate Elder Msibi's birthday. President bought us all double cheese burgers and sister B made a cake and loaded it with Chocolate frosting. hehehe, it was delicious! Oh yeah, Elder Baldwin was with us last week as well, he came in with Elder Munatsi last tuesday night. Elder Munatsi went to Nairobi for health reasons and Elder Baldwin worked with us in a threesome till saturday morning when Sister B came and inspected our flat. she was impressed and told us that we're doing good. So there you go mom, i'm not living in a pig sty. haha i thought it was dirty and so did Elder Msibi, but i guess she's seen a lot worse in the mission. anyway, we cleaned up good this morning and now it's really clean!
Saturday we went to the funeral of Brother Rabari. that had to be the most interesting thing i've ever seen. it was outside, they had a few tents set up in a U-shape with the coffin at the top and the speakers on the right side of the U. We sat right behind the speakers under the tent. there was probably about 500 people there. they had a catering service (member's business) there that had been providing meals for like the last 3 days. it started at about 9 am, we showed up about 1 pm. when we got there we had to sit through a few more pastors before the Church's (LDS) program started. the first guy stood up and began to yell at everyone in Kijaluo while his translator yelled in kiswahili. I can't understand Kijaluo so i listened to the interpreter. that went on for about 15 minutes and then they sat down, then two other guys stood up, one began his yelling spree in English and then his interpreter yelled in kijaluo. that was another 15- 20 minutes. it was the most interesting thing i'd ever witnessed. i've heard about the funerals here, but this was the first one that i've been able to attend. finally after the pastors finished, they did a little fund raising and then the Church's ( LDS ) service began. this whole time a rain storm was brewing from the lake and heading right towards us. but as the Church started it's service the winds changed and it went right around us. The service was completely different than everybody else's. It was a simple program with only three short talks and a spiritual thought. but the spirit was there, and i'm sure that those who were listening were touched. after the talks they moved the body to the grave ( 30 yds ) and dedicated it, then returned to the tents and had a closing prayer. President Kogo from the mission presidency was presiding at the service. it was a really good experience and it was good to see the members from the branch give support and represent the church well.
Well that was my week, sorry to hear that you got flooded again, that's no fun at all. i feel like i wrote a novel, so sorry about that. but i hope that you all have a great week and that you continue to enjoy your wonderful weather over there. try not to freeze and I'll continue to put on the sun block :) haha jk. i love you all.
love
Elder Larsen