A Memorable Day Part 2

The high point of the week definitely was the dedication of Burundi by Elder Holland. But all the events associated with it made this week a memorable one.

We prepared all day Monday for our visitors, making sure that everything was as perfectly planned as possible. Here nothing ever goes just as planned and this was true of this visit. Elder and Sister Koelliker were supposed to come and on Monday we got a call saying that he was ill and they wouldn't be coming. We also found out that Sisters Holland and Snow would be staying in Johannesburg. We were sad to miss seeing them, but quickly amended the plans for hotels and restaurants. (Flexibility is the name of the game in Africa.)

We also picked up Sister Andrea and Elder Gene Puckett on Monday. They flew in from Kenya. They are public affairs missionaries who came to take care of PA things for the dedication and to do some training while they were here. We were excited to have them come, since they had stayed with us in Lubumbashi and we had stayed with them in Kenya. Nothing is more fun than good friends with whom you can share important things.

They are great missionaries. One of the blessings of being senior missionaries is other couples who become friends. Since we've spent most of our time alone, we have had to make friends with people quickly when we got the chance and friendship with them was easy. They went with us to make a few last minute arrangements and we spent the rest of the day together. We were happy to have them here in Burundi.

Tuesday morning we were making last minute arrangements when we realized that we had forgotten to clean and set up the meeting hall for the general member meeting to be held after the dedication. So we, and the Frogleys, jumped in the car and hurried to the meeting hall to give it a quick once over. When we arrived we were delighted to see all eight elders almost finished cleaning the building from top to bottom. It sparkled and so did they. We were so proud of them for taking the initiative to take care of those arrangements. It was one of those proud parent moments!

We had made arrangements for our taxi driver, Jean, to get a bus for us to simplify transportation in the crazy Bujumbura traffic. We had pictured a nice Greyline bus with air and soft seats. What we got was a giant Kermit the Frog bus. No problem! In Africa, we can adjust!

Fortunately everybody was good humored about it and we had quite a good time all being together.

At the end of the trip Elders Holland and Snow piled in the back of the bus with the missionaries. It was great!

We had a nice luncheon with the couples before the dedication. It was wonderful to talk with the General Authorities about our mission hopes and concerns. They were so knowledgeable and interested in Burundi. The brethren really do know what goes on in every little corner of the world. It was very relaxing and pleasant to share a minute of causal conversation during this otherwise very busy day.

We all went together in the Kermit bus just up the hill from the restaurant to the Monument to Unity for the dedication . It was the perfect site with a beautiful view of the valley below and Lake Tanganyika in the distance.

I especially loved seeing our young elders as they, literally, sat at the feet of an apostle and learned from him. It was a great experience to see Brent standing by the side of Elder Holland and Elder Snow as he translated for them. We will never forget it.

Immediately following the dedication we held a meeting for the members and friends of the church. We arrived 45 minutes early and found about 25 people in the group from Uvira, DRC already there waiting for us. This group of investigators, some of whom had traveled 120 km to be there, was planning to be right up front to hear these special witnesses of the Savoir.

By the time the meeting started we had 77 people, about 30 0f whom were members. Brent conducted the meeting and also did the translation into French, while a young member, Aimable Otis Burundi, translated from French to Kirundi. Other missionaries in the audience translated to members who only speak Swahili. It was quite amazing to have four languages going at one time. But all were reverent and accepting of this necessity and the spirit was not hindered by the many languages needed to communicate.

Elder Snow read from Ephesians 2 where it says that as members of God's church we are no more strangers, but "fellow citizens in the household of God" and then from Alma 7 about the atonement of the Savior. After his talk our great young missionary choir sang "Joseph Smith's First Vision." It was awesome!

Elder Holland told those in attendance that he had never been to meeting where there were so many members and even more non-members when an official unit of the Church didn't even exist yet. He expressed his love and welcome to all, both members and friends of the church. He promised wonderful blessing and a great future for the Church in Burundi. He encouraged all in attendance to be patient as the Church begins to grow and develop after the order of the priesthood. He told them to look to Joseph Smith as their example. Joseph Smith waited and prepared for many years to begin the work of the restoration. He reminded them that the restoration itself didn’t happen for 1800 years after the gospel was lost from the earth in the time of Christ. He told them that God is very patient and they must be patient too. He asked us to be faithful and obedient to the commandments and commitments as we wait upon the Lord. He promised that this work will go forward, but we must do it right, as we begin the great task of gathering the Lord’s children into His flock and spreading the gospel throughout the newly dedicated country of Burundi. It was a great meeting and just what needed to be said. These people have been patient already for a long time, but we have the very strong feeling that it will not be a much longer wait until they can have the full blessings of the Church to fortify their faith and bless their lives.

After Brent and President Packer took the General Authorities to the airport at midnight, it was hard to even settle down enough to sleep, although it had been an exhausting 18 hours. Having these great church leaders here with this new little group of saints and having Elder Holland pronounce a blessing on this tiny country was a wonderful miracle that will strengthen this land for generations to come. It just doesn't get any better than this!