Kabul Military Branch

The Kabul Military Branch has around 64 members -- about 54 men and 10 women. We meet on Friday when most members are off work. Sacrament meeting is at 11:30 am and Sunday School/Priesthood/Relief Society meets at 12:30 pm. Everyone meets together for the 1st and 2nd hour blocks. The Elders, Relief Society, and Sunday School Teachers rotate the lesson.

The members here try to attend as often as possible. We have members here at Camp Eggers, at ISAF, US Embassy, North Kabul International Airport (NKIA), Camp Sullivan, and New Kabul Compound (NKC). We have around 27 members attend weekly, but attendance has dropped off to around 17 a week lately. If there is an explosion in the area the members are locked down and they meet in their respective compounds.

Monday we hold Familiy Home Evening -- we have a lesson, activity or a church movie. It gives us an oportunity to socialize with the members here.

You see members every day as you walk around the Camp. We are a pretty close-nit group.

Life is Good!!!!

The weather here has been beautiful. It's been in the 70s during the day and 40s/50s at night. Spring has certainly sprung! The trees are in bloom -- beautiful!!!!

I am keeping busy working 11 hour days -- have Friday off. Not much time for anything else. Nor really anything to do. Have stayed close to the camp since the threat has been high lately with New Years.

Need to renew my Visa so I can fly from Kabul in June 2010. It's hard to believe I have been here 10 months.

Happy New Year

Yesterday 21 March 2010 was Afghnaistan's New Year's Day. It's year 1389 -- literally!!!! So Happy New Year!

The weather here has been great -- it's in the 70s down from 80s a few days ago. No rain for a while.

Watching a lot of basketball -- BYU won their first round game against FL but lost their second game against Kansas State. Now we turn to football.

Mongolian Hordes and Spring

Watched the Mongolian Army put on a demonstration of marching, rifle precision, and Kung Fu/Martial Arts. It was interesting watching them. They have been here quite a while. You have to get to the DFAC early because the Mongolian Hordes march to the DFAC early for chow.

It is really Spring here -- the weather has been in the upper 70s and close to 80 degrees. Should be over 80 this week. The trees are starting to bloom. I see that Kuwait is in the high 90s -- glad I am not there now.

March Madness starts today. BYU plays Florida. I may have to stay up late -- past my bed time to watch. It is on at 10:20 am EDT, 7:50 pm here.

Day Light Savings Time

This morning I looked at my clock (I don't set the alarm anymore because it wakes up my roommate) and it said 4:30 am (the time I get up). I got ready for work and went to work. About 20 minutes after I got to work I noticed the time on my computer - 4:20 am. Yikes my alarm clock must have moved forawrd for daylight savings time. The only problem is Afghanistan doesn't follow DLST. So I was at work any hour earlier than normal.

Oh well, the weather has been so nice here -- it's been in the 60s during the day and 40s at night. Starting today it will be in the 70s for the rest of the week. Life is good!!!!

Pictures from the Front Lines

Attached are some pictures of CJ-8 the Comptroller Office at Camp Eggers, Kabul, Afghanistan. I am on the back row 5th from the left. In one of the pictures you will see BG Patton in the center of the picture (front) -- now I can say I served with General Patton!!!!