Busy December

It was such a blessing for us that December was so busy because it kept us from having a blue Christmas except when we would hear "I'll Be Home for Christmas". We had transfers on the 15th which meant saying good-bye to 4 young missionaries returning home and to the Public Affairs Country Directors-the Pucketts. But the good news was that we got to meet the new Public Affairs Couple the Jensens from Utah and 2 new young missionaries. These times are bitter sweet and especially tender because in most cases we know that we will probably never see them again in mortality. We were invited to our first African wedding, that of Elder Hesbon Usi's daughter. Elder Usi is our Area Seventy Representative here in Nairobi. After about the 20th almost everything shuts down here in the city because most of the people living in Nairobi are transplants from somewhere else and for Christmas they all return home. They refer to it as "going up country" to be with family for Christmas and New Years. The senior couples took advantage of this time to also go on a 3 day 2 night safari to Lake Nukuru National Park. It is known for Flamingos on the lake and Rhinos-we saw a lot of both plus a lot more.

We got brave (or stupid) enough to step out of our vehicle long enough to have this picture taken. There was a family of 3 Rhinos (pictured here are Mom and infant) grazing right next to the lake.

The second day Karen and I got up before sunrise to get some morning pictures of the Flamingos and were treated to witness about four Hyenas trying to catch their breakfast. I opened my door to stand and take this picture when I turned to get back in there were two other hyenas the had snuck up, not too far behind me. I think they were hoping to have a much bigger breakfast than a bird.

Here are a few Flamingos. We understand that at other times of the year there are significantly more of them.

I like this shot, taken just off the road, because this baby Baboon was stretching and trying to wake up his mother, that he sitting on, to have breakfast. Neither seemed to be bothered by the small herd of Implala walking by.

This is the wedding party of Elder Usi's daughter. The couple on the left of the picture is the Mission President and Sister Broadbent. The Usis are the couple between Karen and I.