Tororo Branch Creation

The story of Tororo goes back to the beginning of our mission. There are many areas in our mission where there are faithful members of the church who have relocated and there is not an official branch there. At the beginning of our mission, we had several people contact us, requesting that a branch be created in their community. The problem with this is that the church tries to build within the centers of strength. There are stakes in Kampala and Jinja and as those areas grow they create more wards and branches because they have a firm foundation to help the new units. When we just create a branch that is all by itself, there is not the strong foundation to grow on and it becomes difficult to give the support to them that is needed. We knew there were members in Tororo as well as other communities in Uganda, but we were not able to receive approval to start official branches of the church in those areas. 

With the creation of the Busia District, we were aware that there are members worshiping in their homes in Tororo, which is only about 20 minutes away from the new District, so President Collings started looking into getting a branch approved for the members there. As research was done, we found between 15 and 20 members of the church. People move in and out frequently for work and school, so it was hard to get an exact number. We were very excited to receive approval to start the Tororo Branch, which would fall under the Busia District, and therefore have that strong foundation that is so important. 

About two months ago President Collings sent missionaries to Tororo to find the members, and start teaching and inviting people to come to church. They were warmly welcomed by the members in that area, and said the members were very helpful in going with the missionaries, introducing people to them, teaching with them, and just being very supportive of the missionary efforts. The week before the actual branch creation, the missionaries reported 38 people who had come to a church service. 

On 3 March, the Mission Presidency along with members of the Busia District Presidency and Assistants to the President, came to Tororo to be a part of the creation of the Tororo Branch. 

There are 4 missionaries serving in Tororo, at this time, and they were happy to welcome everyone who came to the meeting. There was a tent set up for the meeting right outside of one of the member's homes. They had the front porch of the home set up as a rostrum with a sacrament table and chairs for the presiding authority and others who were participating in the meeting. It was a very quiet, peaceful place with a shade tree right in the front of the home, and a mother hen and her chicks walking around throughout the area, scratching at the grass and catching whatever they could find. The tent was set parallel to the house with the wide, open side facing the porch. There was actually quite a gap between the rostrum and where the congregation was seated. As the meeting progressed, the speakers stepped down off the front porch and stood right near the congregation, which made the meeting feel more intimate.

We started the meeting with the sacrament, which is the most important reason we have church on Sunday. It was very significant, because it's been so long since a sacrament meeting was approved, except within the homes of the members. After the sacrament, President Collings spoke about the importance of Priesthood Keys. As a new branch president would be sustained and set apart that day, he wanted the people to understand that this call was from God, and that although this man was not perfect, he would be given all the tools he needs to lead the Tororo Branch in the Savior's way. He taught about how priesthood keys are passed from one with priesthood authority, and read in Matthew about the experience Peter, James, and John had on the mount of Transfiguration with the Savior. 

He asked one of our missionaries, Elder Trippe, to share the story of the First Vision and Joseph Smith, and then President Collings talked about how Joseph Smith received those keys from John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John in the Latter Days. He talked about how this new Branch President was given a portion of those keys, and had the authority to lead the church in this part of the Lord's Vineyard.

President Okello stood and announced the calling of the Branch President John Othieno Jadwong. He was unanimously sustained.  He has been a member of the church for close to 30 years. He spent many years in Kampala, and served in leadership positions there. They moved away from Kampala 20 years ago. As he stood and bore his testimony, he talked about patiently waiting on the Lord. He and his family had faithfully studied together, and had sacrament meeting together in their home. They had been in Tororo for at least 10 years, and instead of being frustrated that the church was not there, they stayed faithful. They attended church in Mbale sometimes, and in Busia at other times. They attended the creation of the Busia District, and were so happy to enjoy that day with the other members of the church.

President Okello and President Collings spoke with the members about what it means to sustain our leaders. This is not a vote like an election, but a showing that you will do whatever you can to support and help this branch president.

By the end of the sacrament meeting, 71 people had come to church. The missionaries said there were over 30 people who were investigating the church. There was such a feeling of love and brotherhood. We look forward to great things happening in Tororo.

This picture shows President Jadwong on the left of President Collings, and the Branch Clerk, Jesse Jackson, on the right. President Jadwong's wife is on the far left, with prospective missionaries including their son Emmanuel, along with our full time missionaries. 

Magdalene and John Jadwong, President and Sister Collings

I am sharing this last picture as a reminder of something that happened almost two years ago. This is a story of some of our missionaries and the experience they had on the road between Busia and Tororo. Two of our missionaries were driving after dark, and as they came around a curve in the road, there was a woman standing there. They swerved to miss her, but the car ended up knocking her down, and they ran over her leg. The missionaries stopped and tried to help this woman. They were able to get help taking her to the hospital. They went in to the hospital a few times to check on her, and could see that she wasn't getting very good care. The missionaries brought her in food, bedding, and even clean clothes that she could wear. They could see that her leg was broken, but the hospital had just wrapped her leg in a bandage and hadn't changed it at all. With the help of the Mbale Branch President, we made sure that she had the support she needed. She was moved to an area of the hospital where she was actually being cared for and fed. They said she needed surgery to repair the leg. This would mean having an external fixation device, with pins and rods outside of her leg. The missionaries were told this woman had some mental issues, and nobody knew where her family was. At one point we were told she was homeless. Well, we purchased all the hardware for her leg, and the surgery was done. After the surgery, she didn't understand what was going on with her leg and would grab it and shake it, and try to get up off the bed which caused even more damage. The decision was finally made to amputate her leg. I'm not sure of the whole timeline, but while she was in the hospital, her family was found. As soon as her family came into the room, she was a completely different person. She had been so afraid, and had been through a very traumatic event, and was very alone. With them there, she calmed down, and smiled, and even started talking in her local language. Her leg was eventually amputated. She was given a prosthetic leg, and eventually went home with her family. During this time, there were legal issues that needed to be taken care of. There was a police officer who was trying to see that the missionaries were arrested for the accident, and that they would be put in jail until everything was paid for for this woman. The family came forward and just showed love and gratitude for what the missionaries had done for their daughter. The missionaries could have just driven away when they hit her. They could have just left her in the hospital. But they did everything they could to make sure she was taken care of, even when they couldn't find the family. The family was so gracious and kind. They wouldn't press any charges. 

The woman in the picture above with the crutches is Amuleny. The woman who was hit by the car. She is pictured with her prosthetic leg. She and her family came to the creation of the Tororo Branch. It was so wonderful to see them all. She was just smiling the whole time, and greeted all of us. President Collings said he had an impression when all of this happened that some day she and her family would be taught the Gospel. It was an amazing chapter to add to this story.