Nigeria AAA group 2, meeting in Uyo, and happenings outside the meetings

Uyo, Nigeria training, July 9 & 10, 2021

We were so disappointed to miss the first Nigeria training of the group under Stanley Omorogbe.  Our visas were not ready last May when those meetings took place.  I attended both days on zoom, however, which is just not the same as being there in person.  I seriously missed out.  Not this time.

We always take a group picture at the end of the training.  The AAAs love it and so do we.  They look forward to getting a copy.  These assistant area auditors (AAAs) are educated, experienced, very smart and good latter-day saints.  Most have been bishops, branch presidents, and district presidents.  I was impressed with their depth of church auditing knowledge and opinions.  They all had opinions and were not afraid to express themselves.  During our meetings, if you didn't know they were Nigerians having a conversation, you would think, "someone is going to get hurt, real soon".  It was great.  An educational experience for me to be there in the middle of it all.  I have a better ability to supervise the auditing and to make suggestions and changes to what we do, and what the local units do to manage Church funds after experiencing these good people in action.  Personalities and attitudes are so important to our behavior.   

The African people are generally very poor and in need of opportunities and steady work.  Many young people know the need to get educated, so they do even though jobs are not available.  They are ready for when they do come along.  Needless to say, many saints need temporal assistance and administering it can be a challenge for some unit leaders.  

These guys here are head and shoulders above the average citizen and I am proud to be associated with them.  I also think the "pine tree" behind the group is a gorgeous tree. 

We met in a stake center.  The saints use these buildings and they become a huge part of their social and educational lives as well as worship.

During our Saturday meeting, the Relief Society ladies were busy out back of the Church getting ready for a ward party that evening to celebrate ward member birthdays from January to June.  A great idea and reason to have a party, right?  They had cooked the rice and now it looked like a sauce or soup of some kind.  And yes, that is a fire on the lawn next to the building and it was raining.  These people are great.

This is a shot of the street just outside the Church property.  A super nice road, with plenty of those tricycle vehicles running everywhere.  

Church on Sunday.  Little girls are little girls everywhere in the world if mom is able to put her together properly for Church.  No pews in the chapel, only stackable chairs.  It makes it easy to comply with "social distancing" doesn't it.

Elaine was famous.  So many people wanted to have their picture with her.  First the little kids and then the adults.  This is only one of many pictures that were taken of us together and individually.  We didn't know any of these people, but we are missionaries, with tags, and that makes us special.  The skin color helps as well in this part of the world.  We are doing our best to be good and warrant the goodness people express to us.