Alright so we had planned on coming back Monday evening to email, however we were in an appointment that went longer than we expected so we were just heading home around 7:50. Well the problem arose when we were heading home, we got stopped by the police. We all had our photo copies of our passports and work permits, but they stopped us for what they said was a foreigners curfew of 600 pm. (total bs, they just wanted a bribe) well when we gave them our papers they said they couldn't accept them because they were only copies. We called president, (the cops didn't want to talk with him, figures) well we had some people from the church come. they took us to the station and accused us about being spies come from america, using the gospel as a cover identity ( seriously man these guys were stupid) (we tried to teach them the restoration, they didn't want to listen haha) so they said they needed our original passports and work permits ( they are in Nairobi, they also still wanted to not talk to president) well then our phone died haha( lots of trouble Monday) while we waited for the District president and the Mission Presidents 2nd Counselor we bible bashed with one of the cops about the Book of Mormon, it was hilarious, the dude kept trying to be sarcastic and so we were to him back and we made him speechless like four times, was hilarious. One time he told us that he couldn't read, and we asked him how he could know that there was even a law about passports without being able to read a passport to see if it is valid. He just left. Well the Presidents came and they talked with the police for a while when we were just chilling in this office of theirs. I would also like to mention I hadn't peed all day and these guys would NOT let me fricking go to the bathroom across the hall. Then one of the cops came in and told us that we were going to be put in the cells. So after some waiting around and giving all of our stuff to President K. and President K., they searched us and president K. gave me his jacket then we were put in the cell block to wait till our real passports were brought from Nairobi. so before going in we have to take off our nametags, ties, belts and ONE shoe, you remain with the other one, don't ask, I did and I did not get an answer to as of why. Well the cell block is six rooms of concrete, one of which is big and has no roof,( that was where we stayed most of the time, due to it smelled like poop everywhere else.) four other just concrete rooms and a washroom that smelled like the armpit of a linemen on the devils football team that has been playing all game. Also all of the wall s are full of scratches of names and other stuff the three we liked was "god is good" "Kingdom of hell" and the most inspiring one "They will F**king KILL YOU!" that one was so nice to see. well as three missionaries we did what anyone would do in our situations, start doing brt and teaching about Jesus. We made good friends with a man named Nxxx., he was insane. 100% crazy. He kept repeating to us (again in the voice of a man who has schizophrenia) "no purpose...no problem.... no purpose... they stole my phone... and my... four hundred shillings.... that is 200 two times.... no purpose... I go to court tomorrow... will you stand with me my brothers?" he said that to us quite a number of times. Well we just kinda read some scriptures from the bible ( that was the only book they allowed us to keep) that applied to our situation, Matthew 10 was a good one, as well Matthew chapter 5, and a couple more in Peter. We then just thought we would wait till morning...thought. Now keep in mind there is absolutely nothing in the rooms. The floor is always wet, cause they wash it like three or four times a day and it takes forever to dry. So we are sitting on the cold wet ground, at around 11:00 and this Nxxx. dude was just saying that his leg was sick and they took his shoe,and he didn't have any socks, I had two. So I was like I am still fine, I am used to being a little cold, I will be fine, so i just gave this guy my one sock. He was very grateful. I also gave my shoe to my comp cause he is not used to cold weather, so at this point I am remaining with only one sock, on the continually wet and stinky cell floors haha ( whoo!) well we just talked for a while until 12:00am at which point they do a shift change, where they call roll on everyone who is in there. They went through almost everyone's names and my was the last one they called. Then they took the rest outside, including my companions. So now elder Fraga and Mukengela (who also doesn't have the best english yet) why are we going this way and that guy going that way. I am just sitting around these guys who keep asking me that I should preach to them haha. Well then I just hear from outside yelling "WERE YOU ARRESTED?!?! WHY ARE YOU HERE!?!?! ALRIGHT FINE GET BACK IN!!" then Elder Fraga and Elder Mukengela enter followed by what looks like a rather peeved officer. I ask Fraga what happened. "Our names were on a different page, they thought it was only one page" followed by uncomfortable laughing. Then we just went to sit down in our normal open air concrete room with a mesh fence for a roof, and prayed that there would be no rain ( its the rainy season here) After that elder Fraga suggested we try to see how much of the New Testament that we can read while we are there. We started reading, after every chapter we would switch the reader. Well then at around one this dude who had dreads and wore a big white coat came in and started disturbing this man named Axxx who was asleep on the floor. Well they started saying some stuff in Swahili which translates to "hit me man, I will show you who I am" "Come on do it" "Me I am a Rasta you can't stop me" then the man with dreads disappears for a little bit. About two minutes later he shows up with like five other guys, grabs Axxx. THROWS HIM ACROSS THE ROOM, then him and his crew proceed to beat him up, then they took him to a different cell. again Swahili but I heard something about the restroom as well. ( He came back a while later with a limp and just went back to sleep.) Now all of us are shaking with fear as to what just happened, and to make the situation better Nxxx. (the crazy guy) in a voice no louder then a small whisper, looks at us and says "when they return for us..... we need to stand strong...amen" For the record that DID NOT calm us down. Well then my companion kept trying to read in his broken English Swahili language. Then the man with dreads returns and greets us very nicely, "How are you" "uhhhhhh, well we are fine" (pointing to Elder Mukengela) "who's this?" "uhh, thats our companion." "That is a nice jacket you have on... got anything inside it?" now Mukengela "elder what he saying?" "he wants to know if you got anything" "ohhhh I understand, (turns to the man) No." "well can I search yah then." "elder what he say?" "he wants to search you" "OHHH okay yeah" then he went through every pocket elder Mukengela had, got nothing, then mumbled some stuff to Mukengela. in Swahili, then left. We asked what he said, and he said "oh he just said he won't disturb you". Well again still terrified we tried to keep reading. After a few minutes the man and his gang return, I swear my heart flipping stopped. "Hey you new here?" "Yes sir" "you got anything on you?" "no sir" can I make sure of that? "sure sir" (laughed on the inside cause I thought it sounded funny.) then they went through all of my pockets, and took my bead bracelet, its okay I can make a new one. Then they go to Fraga, same intros " they go through all of his pockets and find his necklace. (it is a canister of consecrated oil by the way) "Whats this?" "uuuh, its oil from our church" apparently that man didn't feel comfortable with that cause he DROPPED THAT THING and jumped back a couple feet. "uhh you can remain with that one" Then they went to our friend who was listening to us read the bible, he didn't even stand up, just spread out on the ground and they searched him it was hilarious. After all that was finishing some dude named S. started asking us to read a verse to him. We read it, then he started asking other guys what verses they wanted to be read to them. After reading about three or four of them, we just asked if he wanted us to preach a little bit. We got everyone to sit down, and Elder Fraga started by asking everyone their name. They all said, then we asked if we could start with a prayer. All of us were numbered about twenty (including the guys who had just roughed us us a little bit) everyone stood up and I offered an opening prayer. ( this is now around 2:00 am btw) Then the spirit just started to work, we started talking about the plan of salvation and talking about where we came from, who Christ was, and who we are. We went real slow cause we had a lot of time. Everyone was interacting listening and asking some really good questions. We would use the bible and take turns answering everyone's questions. The more that we spoke the more everyone seemed to be calmer and calmer. At one point the man named S, raised his hand, and in a fairly quiet voice said, "I am not a christian right now but I believe in god, but you guys you have something different. I really like what you are saying. In my life i haven't had much desires but i do have one, to have a family and to help them to be happy. I don't like my family, and I don't know why I have that desire but I want to do good and I want to have my own family and take care of them. why do i have that, where is that from?" We told him that everyone has the light of Christ in them and it is where the desires come from, and that we have that because of the choice we made to follow Jesus Christ, before coming to earth and that is why you are here. then his name got called, and he told the guard he doesn't want to go, he needs more info. But then the guard kept calling him to which he said "I will be back in fifteen and I need this answer" we kept preaching and most people were tired which we saw, so we bore our testimonies and said a prayer. Then he came back and we talked to him some more. He ended up being released shortly after that. Then we sat and talked with his friends until around five thirty in the morning. At which time they called us out for tea. I told them we don't drink tea. They said we have to take. So we again said "we don't use it". Then he said " fine just take it and give to someone else." so we did. Then they washed the place again so we were moved to one of the cells which had already been washed and waited for the sun to rise ( it had a few, and it smelled super bad). Then we got called for around seven thirty. After what seemed to be the longest night ever, we saw president K. He brought us some bread and cocoa ( it was heavenly) we ate a little, and he told us that they were coming with our passports from Nairobi and they should be here by eight thirty. we went back in and shared the bread and water that we had to the other prisoners, joked with the guards for a while, they really liked us. well after about another hour spent about teaching the word of wisdom and why we don't take tea, we were called again outside. The passports had arrived but the only problem is that me and Fraga were okay, but my companion didn't have the stamp they were looking for, so we went back inside again to wait for more info. After about another hour they called us out again. President K told us that we would all be released and as soon as the passports get back to the desk we can go. So we went back in, and taught some more about who we are and why we are in Kenya. then around twelve, we got called out again. This time we were taken to go record statements and fingerprints, we still couldn't take our shoes though haha. After the fingerprints we were released!! we made some calls, and then went and got food. Then went to a farewell for a missionary (still no sock) then went home showered and crashed around six. Today I have been talking to my Mission President, and the church attorney from SA. It has been very interesting. Also earlier in the day I tripped over a little kid who jumped out to scare us and cut my hands up really bad so the whole time we were locked up I could barely use my hands. The kid jumped up real close to me so I tried to jump over him. All ok. Anywho that is why I get to email you guys today, to let you know what happened. My Mission president and his wife were all packed and ready to come get us. We appreciate that, but then he thought more foreigners may not be a good idea so he sent Peter. It was a very interesting night one that I would rather not repeat again. Also interesting fact, this was the first time for all of us to be arrested. Anyway have a good week everyone! Love you guys, and miss you lots. Sorry it is so long, but it was a long night.
sincerely
Yevon (that is what they called me in prison, cause they wrote my name super stupid)
