Baptism

Our days and weeks continue to be very busy; in fact, each day seems to busier than the previous day, our days turn into weeks and we wonder where the time has gone.  We love the work and it is really work.  The two other senior couples that are here with us seem to have time to relax, but we do not.  I believe we have told you that there are only three white senior couples in all of Nigeria.  It can be a bit lonely at times.  Elwood seem to get arrested by the road agents and detained for lack of some sort of certification they claim should be in every vehicle.  Money is paid and a certificate plus fine is imposed and off we go.  It really is a problem.  I have been instructed to ride in the back seat so my white face is not so conspicuous.  Also, we are taking the missionary sign off the hood of the vehicle. Should this be the worst of our problems we will be fine.  Penny is the backbone of the mission.  She keeps everything organized and makes sure everyone keeps working on their action list.  With the increase of missionaries I keep on finding new apartments for them and also, our new mission president insists that we upgrade the existing apartments to a more habitable place to live.  In addition to all these typical duties I have had the wonderful experience of purchasing 14 mountain bikes for some of our more remote missionaries.  This has really been fun.  I teach the missionaries how to ride and ride safely, do basic maintenance and how to keep from getting their bikes stolen.  Penny has been busy with helping to train new missionaries and to do training at our mission leadership council.  She gives such good and needed advice for administrators.  I think the mission leaders listen to her more that anyone.  Our mission leadership council is made up of 8 sister missionaries and 22 elders.  Their task is to help run the mission and to help solve the basic problems that face young people who are doing a difficult work.

The pictures for this blog are of Matthew and his family.  Penny met Matthew at an art fair in Lagos.  She bought a big yellow truck that Matthew had made.  About two weeks later Matthew delivered the truck and our relationship with him took on new life.  He is such a good artist and he specializes in wood work and wood carvings, especially animals or people carved form /Ebony wood.  Matthew would visit every few weeks and the senior couples would purchase some of his work.  After the selling sessions I would sit with Matthew and tell him about the church.  After a while he accepted some literature.  I sent the missionaries to visit him, but they reported he was not interested.  After one of Matthews visits I sat alone with him and told him of the Joseph Smith story.  When I told him that God the Father and Jesus Christ actually did visit Joseph Smith and it was not a dream, his eyes got big and he said, "Really, he actually saw God?" I was able to bear a strong testimony to him.  I had the missionaries go back to teach him, but he still was not ready to receive all they had to teach him.  They stopped going.  One night I received a call from Matthew, he needed some advice.  I sent the missionaries back to explain further the advice I had given to Matthew.  A few nights later Matthew called me to say he knew what the missionaries had told him was true and he and his son would be baptized.  He further asked me if I would baptize him.  I was thrilled to say I would.  Matthew's wife does not speak English, so she was not taught.  However, we now have someone who speaks Yoruba and his wife and daughter are receiving the missionary lessons.  This has turned out to be a marvelous lesson in perseverance, testimony, the power of the spirit and genuine friendship. We really do love and appreciate Matthew and his family.  We wish he lived closer to us, but he is about two hours away.  Enough for this blog.  Our love to you all. We pray for your well-being and happiness. Thank you for your love and support.  We know without a doubt this is the work of the Lord.  We receive so many rich blessings.

Always, Penny and Elwood

Elwood before the baptism

Elwood with Samson and Matthew

The Elders who helped teach Matthew and Samson

The Elders with Matthew's family and Elwood

Waiting for the baptismal service to start

Missionaries, Matthew's family, Penny, Elder and Sister Winget

Elwood with Matthew and Samson's brother; he is a pastor of a small Christian church

August in Nigeria

Dear all,

Life in the Nigeria Lagos Mission has been very busy.  With the arrival of our new mission president Penny and I have been kept hopping.  We have more work assigned to us, particularly Penny.  It seems that everything the president wants done he has Penny do it.  He relies on her for everything.  In fact he thinks, and rightly so, that Penny can do anything and everything.  As for me, the president has delegated much more authorization to make decisions and to be responsible to see that many of the mission functions really happen as they should.  I am happy he expresses such confidence in me and does not micromanage me, but it is a bit uncomfortable making some of the decisions I do.  Our mission is growing faster than we comfortably can accommodate the new missionaries.  Soon we will have over 200 missionaries.  We love the work and feel we are making a big difference.  The African people are really tuned into religion.  There are churches everywhere.  Most are very small storefront type churches; but there are many very large church buildings as well.  The pictures that you will see are a reflection of the religious spirit that is here.  Many of the businesses have names of religious significance, as well as names or slogans on their trucks.  We remain safe, but we have to be vigilant and monitor the safety directives.  Two of our missionaries were attacked in their apartment and beat up quite badly; just because they were Mormon.  This being said, for the most part, all missionaries are safe and receive no harm.  We are now in the rainy season and it rains almost every day for a few hours.  We enjoy the rain, but it makes it very difficult to navigate the mud and very large pot holes in the streets.

We send our love to all of you.  We so appreciate the prayers and encouragement for our well-being.  May the Lord bless all of you.

Our love to you all.

Elder and Sister Brown

This month's post includes pictures of signs found in Nigeria.

His Grace Hotel and Suites, Ibadan, Nigeria

Godliness Feed Mills, Ibadan, Nigeria

Picture of Christ on the back of a truck

Grass to Grace - on the back of a bus

House not for sale, beware of 419.  This is painted on many houses.

Don't urinate sign - see this all over Nigeria

God is Good motor company

Sign on back of pick up truck

Large outdoor billboard

Toilet, bath, urinary - at the beach 

Everyone's favorite clothing shop 

Government sign 

Let us go to a church, but which one?  What a conglomeration of signs!

A wedding in Lagos

We were privileged to attend the wedding of a young lady whose parents are members of the church congregation we attend in Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria. The groom is the son of the most high King and Queen from the central west part of Nigeria.  The groom and parents are Muslim and the bride and her parents are Mormon.  The wedding was held in two main parts: first part was a traditional African wedding held in the back yard of the bride's parents home in Igebu-Ode.  The parents, Dr. and Sister Hassan, are very wealthy.  He is an eye surgeon and has a worldwide reputation of excellence.  The groom's parents are also very wealthy.  They are royalty of the highest order.  He bears the title of King of Kings.  The second part of the wedding was a church wedding held at a Mormon church in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigera.  After the church wedding, a reception was held at a very large hall.  There were an estimated 2000 people at the reception.  A full several course sit down dinner was served, and the hall was beautifully decorated.  We had a wonderful time, and we were treated graciously by all.  This was the most elaborate and expensive wedding reception we have ever attended - the estimated to cost was $500,000. Wow!  This was such contrast to the extreme poverty that is all around us.  We must say this that Dr. and Sister Hassan are very liberal with their money.  They are one of the leading humanitarian families in Africa. He donates thousands of hours of free eye care service from his eye clinics, and he donates money for many other charities.  He and his wife seem to be a great example of what you do with wealth.  

Simply wonderful, humble people.

Traditional wedding under the tent in the back yard of the bride's parents home

The bride, Feyi Hassan

Dowry gifts were being handed out: fruits, vegetables and money 

A few lesser kings gathered together

Bride and Groom

Bride and Groom 

Home of the bride's parents in Egebu-Ode, Nigeria 

Senior missionaries with the Bride's mother and our Mission President

High King in dark suit leading the procession to the reception hall

The High King, father of the groom

The High Queen, mother of the groom

Village drummers

Reception hall in Lagos, two days later (following LDS Church wedding)

African ladies at the reception 

Wedding dinner

Dinner: cow gut, shrimp, chicken, rice, slaw and unidentified 

Bride and groom after church wedding at the reception dinner

Mother and Father of the bride, Dr. and Sister Hassan

Three generations - baby, Mom and Grandmother