GASP!!

Amakuddu (Ama-ku-rru)
Can I first just say that I have arrived in the Promised land!!!! Rwanda is so beautiful.  I love it here and I really don't want to leave here like ever. :)  

Leaving Uganda was rough for me though.  Saying goodbye to some members and just to my first area made me super sad.  I felt like I was leaving on mission again.  Transfers was really good.  I got to talk to Elder Schweitzer and say hi to him.  Then MLC with President was beyond amazing.  He is such a super powerful man.  I loved that conference.  Then we went and ate at a Chinese Restaurant that was super nice. :)  The sweet and sour pork was to die for :)  Then the following day while I waited for my plane I just hung out with the AP's.  We then all rode together to the airport with President.  Because they were flying to Ethiopia.  But a really short flight here.  It took like 30 minutes.  So super short.  Also that morning I did have surgery.  I got surgery on my toe because I had an in grown toe nail. So I wore sandals on the plane and for my first day here.  That was super weird.  Then I got here and got picked up by the elders.  We went to our super nice apartment (that has maids clean it every day but Sunday) ya I am living the life here.  Then we went to a new years party.  Great first day here though.  I just couldn't believe how clean it was.  All the dirt streets were clean as well.  

Then I know that God answers prayers because driving wasn't to bad.  They drive on the American side here so that made things easier.  Then I only killed it like 7 times.  Ya I thought I was going to have a panic attack.  I was cool on the outside while just worrying about everything else on the inside. :)  But going well and I am getting better day by day.  

The Zone here is super cool.  They have all served here in Rwanda only.  They are all 9 months and younger.  Lots of fun with the 6 of us here.  We have so much fun :)  I love all of their enthusiasm.  They all want to work hard but also have fun.

Also another reason Rwanda is gorgeous is because it is the land of a thousand hills.  Like there are so many hills and when I say hills I mean like small mountains.  All of you need to look up a picture of Kigali.  So pretty and I feel like I am in Northern Idaho sometimes because of the hills and some of the trees here.   So pretty here and I love it.  

Also we had a baptism on Sunday.  That was really great.  Then also met some powerful members.  They are all pretty new but know the church is true and really want to help people.  I am so thankful for that.   Also one of our investigators who is 17 has read to Alma 43 like all of it and has only had it for like 6 weeks.  It is super cool.

My companion Elder Beck is great.  He is from Idaho and ran XC at Pocatello.  He is really helpful and super down to earth :)

I just have to much on my mind but I am so glad to be here in Rwanda :)

Things about Rwanda 

1-Clean:  So once a month the whole country goes and cleans.  Nobody litters really and even the slums are super clean.  So nice :)

2- Thousand hills:  So the saying is true about a thousand hills.  Getting to peoples houses is a workout for sure.  I am always out of breath.  They just live everywhere.  Big hills to not small ones :)

3-2020 vision: So Rwanda has a goal by 2020 to be the most developed country in Africa. Which that is super possible because they really are working on making things better.  They do lots of community service and things to build the community.  

I'm loving life and this gospel.  I know it is true and I am so glad to be here sharing it :)

Love lots

Elder Brogan

Happy New Years

Well just as the title says Happy New Year and for me there is going to be a major change.  I told my family but I am getting transfered.  So I will tell the story to you all of how it happened.  So Monday before Christmas nobody was really getting transferred because that was when the transfer ended.  So we are going throughout are week and it came to Wednesday.  So during DDM I got a call from the AP's and then someone from the office.  So I had to step out real quick while my companion was giving a powerful training.  So Sarah from the office said that I needed to go to the Big Police station right away.  We couldn't even finish DDM.  So Elder Rogers said that going there only meant one thing I was leaving the country.  I about had a panic attack.  I just didn't want to leave Nsambya and I thought for sure I was going to Ethiopia.  Which wouldn't be  bad I just didn't want to leave.  So we go there and I look on the paperwork and it said I was reporting to KIGALI RWANDA!!! for missionary work.  I about freaked because Rwanda is the bomb.  I get to be a 2 country missionary and just go to RWANDA!!! It is way beyond cool.  I have heard so many amazing things about it and I can't wait to go. It just ended up being a suprise transfer.  But I found out on Sunday night who my companion is. So I am going to be the Zone Leader in Rwanda (only zone leader)  and my new companion is Elder Beck from none other than Pocatello Idaho.  I am beyond excited and also scared because I have drive. They drive on the same side we do in the USA but the truck I will be driving is stick.  If you want to pray Elder Brogan doesn't kill the truck to many times in traffic and doesn't have a panic attack. I have driven stick before in my friends car in a parking lot and I only killed it 4 times.  So lets hope I don't do it that many times.  :)  But super excited to go and be ZL and learn to love the Rwandan people.  Beyond excited and scared so I am just numb kind of :)  

But other than that this week was great.  Christmas day was good.  Talking to the family is always good.  The others elders were like your family didn't say that much.  Which I didn't care because I feel like my family doesn't make calling home a huge deal. It is just like we are calling home from college.  But I was just glad to hear their voices and see their faces :)  But ya super great day.  Also got fed a lot :)  

Then to make the week better on Sunday we had to baptisms.  Chris who is an older guy from Rwanda. He doesn't speak the best of English but can understand.  Then Elenoar who just turned 18.  She is going to school for a couple months then she is going to US.  She is excited to go through the temple :)  But great week and I am excited to go to Rwanda.  Still don't know what day I am leaving though.  :)  Life is just grand.  

Next week I will tell you all 3 things about Rwanda.

Uganda

1-Pineapple:  So the pineapple is just delicous here.  So so sweet.  It is not acidic or bitter like the ones at home.  Any time I eat them it tastes like candy.  Super good and I wish they could import them back home :)

2-Churches:  They are on every corner.  So many churches here.  People just start them up because they want money or they just want to sing songs. Super crazy.  The main churches here are Catholics, Born Agains, and Seventh Day Adventist.  So we see many many churches.  People always say well I am saved or I'm Catholic.  I always say back "Well I am a Latter Day Saint."  and you can be one to :) 

3-Praise God: When we are walking people always say praise God.  Super funny and we just keep walking. They think we should say something back haha.  People really love Jesus here :)

Love you all and email you from Rwanda next week :)

Love lots

Elder Brogan

Merry Christmas!!! I just love saying that to people here.  They just light up when you say it :)  So something that I heard this week about Christmas and I love it.  It says "The birth of Jesus Christ is a dream come true."  It really is a dream come true.  So thankful that God sent his only begotten son to the earth to save me. :)   

So just this week was another busy week.  First off we have been having some powerful tracting.  With finding lots of prepared families and individuals.  One family I love has a young kid called Cyrus and he always runs and tells his neighbors that "the two Mzungu elders are coming to share with us today."  :)  Makes me smile all of the time. :) 

Also we finished the 24 week program.  So I finished training my son so I am now officially done staying in the house after companionship study.  I get to be a real missionary now :)  Also the Ward Christmas party was so so good.  We had lots of people there and many investigators.  I also was busy that day with 4 interviews for the Zone Leaders.  The night went by so fast with all of those interviews.  Super good people though.  Food was good at the Christmas party and I can't wait to make some of the food they make here for you all when I get back home :)  

One of the days this week we were having a tough time.  Just lots of bounces and not really any lessons.  So when we were walking back we heard the song from Annie.  Its a hard knock life for us. :)  Haha I just died laughing and that made the day all better.  It made me super thankful for what I have.

THen this week I realized that mission is short and that I need to get the most spiritual boost I can.  So I have been reading all the past conference talks and other things to help me grow.  One thing that I want to do when I get back home and I would encourage everyone to do it.  Is to always bear your testimony.  Share it with anyone that has questions.  It doesn't have to be long.  Nothing is by coincedence in this life.  Maybe God had you meet that someone you are sitting next to right now to share the gospel with.  To really help them know that their heavenly father loves them. So always help never hurt.  I love this gospel and know it is beyond true.  It can guide us back to our heavenly home and it brings us happiness :)  Love you all and a Merry Christmas

3 Things about Uganda

1-  They have huge woooden spoons.  THey make posho which is a cloud like thing made out of flour and water.  It is really hard to stir so they have huge wooden spoons for it.  I am so glad my mom never knew of these things because I remember the few times getting in trouble and she would use the wooden spoon she had.  I would have for sure not been the trouble child I was if she had the spoons that they have here :)

2-Lots of people are buff here.  They are buff because of manual labor.  Just random people so sometimes I feel like I would never want to be in a fight here :)

3- Uganda is georgous.  Look up photos of Uganda.  I have only been in the city.  But in the East and up North it is beyond geourgous.  I can't wait to go to those areas.  :)

Love Lots 

Elder Brogan