Gulu is Awesome!!

Question answering time!

   Being a zone leader is kind of nice, it is a really good opportunity for me to learn to be a better missionary and person. Yes as a zone leader I do drive a truck and since my zone leader companion doesn't have a drivers license I'm the only one authorized to drive the truck. Driving isn't so bad, it took me a few hours to get used to driving on the left side of the road, and driving while sitting on the right side of the vehicle (I still sometimes accidentally turn on the window wipers when I am meaning to turn on the turn signal). Driving in Gulu isn't so dangerous except that there are tons of motorbikes that drive around the road like drunk insects and I have to be super careful not to hit them. I haven't driven in Kampala yet, but at the end of this month I will be driving down there for Mission Leaders Council, so that should be one heck of a driving experience.

   My new companion is from Malawi, he's a pretty cool guy. We get along pretty well so far. In my apartment we have 4 Elders (myself) my companion, (Elder Lombola) My zone leader companion (Elder Vihanga from Namibia), and his companion (Elder Dlamini from South Africa). We have a really nice house that we live in and there are 4 other missionaries from Gulu Zone that live just next door to where we live. It's pretty fun to have the 8 of us missionaries living just next to one another. The missionaries living next door have a washing machine in their home which is pretty convenient, I feel blessed to have one around to use. Water usually never go's out here so that's not a big worry in our homes, but power go's out like twice a week and usually stays out for the whole day.

   The work in Gulu is awesome. It is known as one of the most fruitful areas in the whole mission. The church has only been here for like 6 years but there are two branches here (one has a sacrament attendance of around 110, the other is around 70). The branch that I am in is the original branch for Gulu, and it might split in the next year if it continues to grow (it is not part of a stake so it can't gain ward status, only just split into more branches). The people in Gulu are pretty humble, and the Acholi people make education a priority (even if they can't always afford it) so there are many people that speak great English. Many people are farmers but also there are lots of teachers here, and boda-boda drivers. There are also a lot of stores, and places to work at within Gulu town.

   Dad asked me a question about if I ever go to visit other provinces around the northern part of Uganda. No I don't go to Lira (it's its own zone), but there is a group that has formed in Kitgum (a town about 2 hours north of Gulu) which we are expected to visit from time to time until the group is large enough that the mission president decides to send missionaries up there and to turn it into a branch.

   And yes mom, I am taking my malaria pills.

   Love all you guys, and I pray for you.

-Elder Grilliot