Interpreter Training

Several times a year we hold a training for new and established interpreters. On Saturday, Feb. 20 a 3-hour training session was held right after the Stake Conference Broadcast to Germany (7:00 am our time; 4:00 PM their time) - we had a long Saturday. We took the opportunity to snap a shot of some of the Malay, Korean and Hmong team members that were in attendance - what wonderful, dedicated young people these interpreters are. While many are natives of their particular countries, many are returned missionaries that excelled in the language of the country in which they served or returned to their missions and married a young lady from the country - thus maintaining their fluency. Turn over is one of the constants of each language team - young people get married and move away; young people graduate and move away; young people get jobs and move away. But while they can, they are on call day and night for whatever assignment may come their
way. Many have been serving in this capacity for 5 to 15 years and expect to do so for many more years.

Elder & Sister Sitati Visit

Once a month our missionary social group, "The Happy Harvesters", get together for either a pot-luck dinner and program or a fireside with a special speaker. In February, we had the honor of hearing Elder Joseph Wafula Sitati of the First Quorum of Seventies as he talked about his conversion, his service and the growth of the Church in Africa.

Born on May 16, 1952, in Bungoma, Kenya, to Nathan and Lenah Sitati, Elder Sitati was 34 when a business associate invited him, his wife, Gladys Nangoni, and their five children to attend church in his home. The family had become disillusioned with organized religion but felt something special with this small group of Latter-day Saints. So they returned week after week. Six months later, in 1986, the family joined the Church.

Elder Sitati earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nairobi in 1975; he also holds a diploma in accounting and finance. He worked in several positions with a global oil and gas company. At the time of his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy, Elder Sitati was serving as president of the Nigeria Calabar Mission. Before that, he served as a counselor in both a branch and mission presidency and as a branch president, district president, stake president, and Area Seventy. Most recently he served as the Church’s international director of Public Affairs in Africa.

Elder and Sister Sitati were married in July 1976 and sealed in the Johannesburg South Africa Temple in December 1991. They reside in Nairobi, Kenya.

Doug & Heather Visit

Hey, living here is nice. We've seen more family in the past four months than we typically see in a year. We got a call Sunday evening and it was Doug & Heather - they had come down from Rexburg over the 3-day weekend to visit with her grandmother. They wanted to know if we were available to take them on the tour we gave everyone else on their wedding day. So, we invited them to lunch in the C.O.B. cafeteria and then took them on the grand tour......they seemed to enjoy it. On our way back to the office we stopped and took their picture by one of the Conference Center fountains. We felt bad for Heather's grandmother, it was such a long walk over and back. Too bad we couldn't hitch a ride on one of the General Authority's electric carts!

Evening Out with Cousin Dixie

We finally found an evening when we could meet cousin Dixie and her husband, Bob, for dinner and the Temple. They drove down from their home north of Salt Lake and picked us up and we went to dinner and had a great visit, catching up on both families. I hadn't seen Dixie since Grandma's funeral so we had lots to talk about. After eatting all we could hold we drove over to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple - what an enjoyable evening and what a beautiful temple. It's small but very busy - they encourage patrons to make reservations ahead of time but they keep a few seats for 'drop-ins' like us.

Visit with Grandma

After brunch at Matt & Jeanette's we drove up to Fort Collins to visit with Grandma and see how she was doing and make sure she is using her walker when ever she ventures out of her apartment........no more falls. She was eatting when we all got there so we just made ourselves at home around her table and visited and laughed until the kitchen crew needed to clear her table and get it ready for dinner.

Blessing Sunday

We went to church Sunday morning for Cadence's blessing and were joined by family and friends; Miquel and her children, McKenzie, Mark & Madison came up from Littleton; Holly made arrangements with her work schedule and came with us; Aunt Sydney and Uncle Perry came down from Fort Collins as well and cousin Mike, his wife, Sage and their two boys, Porter & Beckett. Jeanette's grandmother cut her vacation in Hawaii short to be with us and Jeanette's best friend, Jessica was there too. What a wonderful gathering of loved ones.

Colorado Quick Trip

With the birth of our newest little granddaughter we got permission to make a quick trip to Colorado so we could participate in the blessing of Cadence Christine. As soon as the plane landed we had Miquel drive us right to Matt & Jeanette's home so we could hold our little granddaughter and play with Keegan. How sweet!