July 23, 2011
Hi....
I'm hoping you are enjoying my adventures... I like sharing them with you... I will send some more pictures.. I'm sure the stories will become less frequent due to being on the job site... But one never knows...
I wrote this during my travels... More like a travel log, I guess....
I'm traveling again, this time from Kabul to Mazar, in the north near the northern border, used to be Russia now one of the Stans.... By air... But the drive to the airport itself was a little crazy.. For the first time since I've been here the Afghan Army was posted at all the main corners, before it was the local police, the local police with the army were picking cars at random to do a spot check, and of course we were picked, they searched the car, removing all the bags.. checked ids wanted to know where we had been and where we were going... A little crazy.. Not sure I can get used to this...
When we got to the Airport many check points... Lots and lots of heavily armed men.. The bags were x-rayed 3 different times, I was frisked searched six different times... My carry on was searched, everything taken out... I hope this isn't where the United States is heading... Something to think about...
It was very nerve wracking... My stomach was in knots... I'm now waiting for my plane... Which is running late of course...
I'm looking out at the runway.. Such very old planes.. I mean like real old.... I'm glad this is a short flight... About 1 1/2 hours...
I'm staying at the guest house tonight and then tomorrow I will be going to the site for some meetings with the US ArmyCorp ... Handing the job over to me... Monday I will be on my own... I will be staying on site... Full time.. I am meeting with the new General on Monday to walk the site.. He is just taking it over like I am.. Hmmm... Is that good or bad, we will see...
I'm hoping to find out in the next two days about Church... I'm missing that part of my life...I've been praying, reading the Scriptures, listening to the, Choir, bit.. It's just not the same... Going to Church is important, guess you don't really know that really until you are unable to go...
My Spirituality is inside me, I can feel it.. Part of it is the love I feel already for these people who are suffering so much... It is so sad.. These are our Brothers and sisters and it sad to see so many of them digging in trash piles for food.... I wonder what we are expected by our Heavenly Father to do... Surly we are expected to do more than we are.... The other part is that I have so few distractions.. Work, eating, resting and then what ever I want to do... Read and study comes easy.. I listened to a talk by Elder Oaks on Faith.. He talked about choosing carefully the distractions we allow in our life's by asking do they build up or tear down the Kingdom of God... Do they add to your value... It's a question I didn't ask myself often enough...
There are so many things I will never look at in the same way, and I've only been here a short time...
Maybe that will be one of the things that will change me, appreciating the little things more...
My attitude and spirits are positive and up... I'm not sad or depressed... Oh, maybe a little overwhelmed... But overall I'm good... Missing my kids ... And other things....
I think I may go to Dubai in August for 4 days.. I get 4 days off in a row and do not want to waste that opportunity ... That could be fun... I just don't want to go alone but, .......
It's almost time for us to take off yet we are still in the waiting room... Been here now about an hour and a half... Now I'm learning patience and I thought I already had that one covered...
On the flight I had the opportunity to carefully discuss the difference between the Muslim religion and mine... I told them that we believe in Prophets.. That our church was led by a Prophet, they found that very interesting... We discussed how we, the Mormons were very similar to them.... Interesting discussion.. I think it gave them something ton think about...
They asked why I came here, I told them one of the reasons was to get to know and understand the Muslim people...
It may not have opened any doors but it raised some eyebrows... Its a start...
I'm in my suite... Reminds me of the hotel I stayed in near Ventura at a singles conference late last year... While that was one of the better times I had at a conference but the room left a lot to be desired......
Time to get something to eat and then retire for the night... Eggs, honey and Afghan flat bread...not complaining it tasted good....
Big day tomorrow.....
Hi....
I'm hoping you are enjoying my adventures... I like sharing them with you... I will send some more pictures.. I'm sure the stories will become less frequent due to being on the job site... But one never knows...
I wrote this during my travels... More like a travel log, I guess....
I'm traveling again, this time from Kabul to Mazar, in the north near the northern border, used to be Russia now one of the Stans.... By air... But the drive to the airport itself was a little crazy.. For the first time since I've been here the Afghan Army was posted at all the main corners, before it was the local police, the local police with the army were picking cars at random to do a spot check, and of course we were picked, they searched the car, removing all the bags.. checked ids wanted to know where we had been and where we were going... A little crazy.. Not sure I can get used to this...
When we got to the Airport many check points... Lots and lots of heavily armed men.. The bags were x-rayed 3 different times, I was frisked searched six different times... My carry on was searched, everything taken out... I hope this isn't where the United States is heading... Something to think about...
It was very nerve wracking... My stomach was in knots... I'm now waiting for my plane... Which is running late of course...
I'm looking out at the runway.. Such very old planes.. I mean like real old.... I'm glad this is a short flight... About 1 1/2 hours...
I'm staying at the guest house tonight and then tomorrow I will be going to the site for some meetings with the US ArmyCorp ... Handing the job over to me... Monday I will be on my own... I will be staying on site... Full time.. I am meeting with the new General on Monday to walk the site.. He is just taking it over like I am.. Hmmm... Is that good or bad, we will see...
I'm hoping to find out in the next two days about Church... I'm missing that part of my life...I've been praying, reading the Scriptures, listening to the, Choir, bit.. It's just not the same... Going to Church is important, guess you don't really know that really until you are unable to go...
My Spirituality is inside me, I can feel it.. Part of it is the love I feel already for these people who are suffering so much... It is so sad.. These are our Brothers and sisters and it sad to see so many of them digging in trash piles for food.... I wonder what we are expected by our Heavenly Father to do... Surly we are expected to do more than we are.... The other part is that I have so few distractions.. Work, eating, resting and then what ever I want to do... Read and study comes easy.. I listened to a talk by Elder Oaks on Faith.. He talked about choosing carefully the distractions we allow in our life's by asking do they build up or tear down the Kingdom of God... Do they add to your value... It's a question I didn't ask myself often enough...
There are so many things I will never look at in the same way, and I've only been here a short time...
Maybe that will be one of the things that will change me, appreciating the little things more...
My attitude and spirits are positive and up... I'm not sad or depressed... Oh, maybe a little overwhelmed... But overall I'm good... Missing my kids ... And other things....
I think I may go to Dubai in August for 4 days.. I get 4 days off in a row and do not want to waste that opportunity ... That could be fun... I just don't want to go alone but, .......
It's almost time for us to take off yet we are still in the waiting room... Been here now about an hour and a half... Now I'm learning patience and I thought I already had that one covered...
On the flight I had the opportunity to carefully discuss the difference between the Muslim religion and mine... I told them that we believe in Prophets.. That our church was led by a Prophet, they found that very interesting... We discussed how we, the Mormons were very similar to them.... Interesting discussion.. I think it gave them something ton think about...
They asked why I came here, I told them one of the reasons was to get to know and understand the Muslim people...
It may not have opened any doors but it raised some eyebrows... Its a start...
I'm in my suite... Reminds me of the hotel I stayed in near Ventura at a singles conference late last year... While that was one of the better times I had at a conference but the room left a lot to be desired......
Time to get something to eat and then retire for the night... Eggs, honey and Afghan flat bread...not complaining it tasted good....
Big day tomorrow.....
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