Monday, December 26, 2016

Long Time No See

Hey guys!

I really loved talking to all of you guys too! That was definitely the best part of my day! It was also weird to see how much the kids have grown even if its only been 4 months. Which is another thing that's kinda weird because really it doesn't even feel like its been that long! So the weather was a little bit to adjust to. but that was mainly because you just sweat a lot more so that s been the biggest change but for the most part everything is going good whether wise. Apparently its supposed to cool down a little bit in January but well have to see about that!

Haha yeah you did mention that a couple of times! I honestly feel like 2 hours wasn't nearly enough to give you the whole story in Benin because really there's just so much going on! But I'm glad for the time that I got. Honestly I can't thank you guys enough for how much you guys give me even when I'm miles and miles away. I really appreciate all the effort that you guys put in for me! Also before the mission too even when I wasn't always very grateful for it. I'm thankful for you guys being my parents because really you guys are the greatest!

So for now my companion is the only one that's moving but sometimes they will switch out multiple people at a time. Also with Togo its not too common to move back and forth but this transfer there were a lot of people that were switched so I'll be seeing some missionaries I've never seen before so that will be kinda cool!

I'm also glad Vaughn is still getting spoiled! Anyway Thanks for all the things you've sent me! I don't have anything to specific but if you could keep some peanut butter coming that would be cool! I love you guys a ton and thanks for everything you do! See ya and have a great week!

Monday, December 19, 2016

Christmas Countdown

Hey Guys!

I'm glad to hear that you guys have had a good week! I always thought Mason was going to stay home until he's thirty so that kinda surprised me ;) but I'm happy for him! I hope they'll be super happy! I'm glad that you're a little bit more ahead of things this year! But even with that I know that you're still pretty busy. But that's why you're gifts are some of the best because of how much time that you put into them!

So at the snake temple there's really just the one type of snake that's not aggressive so that's really all that it is. Its also like a little tourist site where they explain a little bit the background of voodoo and what they believe in so it was actually pretty interesting!

So I believe the plans are still on! We have to still find a cam for the computer but other than that we should be all set. As a back up plan we'll probably just end up calling. It cost a little bit more but I would rather Skype but really we'll be in touch Sunday so I'll make sure we get to talk! Um I'm going to be trying to shoot for 5 o'clock our time so hopefully that will work for you guys over there!

 So this week nothing to special happened. Like I've said, I've started to teach a lot more and that's been a lot more fun and the branch is making some progress from it's apostate so that's really good! Were finding investigators and I just hope that they're willing to stay in the church! Anyway I'm going to wrap up. Since its Christmas I just want to say that I'm really grateful for what you guys have done for me. I would like to say that I was always perfect and perfectly grateful for what you guys have done for me but I know if I did, I would be lying. Even when I wasn't the most obedient thanks for always being there when I had a problem. Even if I never told you a problem specifically, just being with you guys really helped me out so thanks. I hope one day I'll be able to repay you for what you've done for me but, that's going to be pretty difficult. Thank you for all and I'll see you guys on Christmas!

Monday, December 12, 2016

Teaching

Hey Guys!

I'm glad you guys have a good week! It sounds pretty jammed packed with just about anything I could think of. I'm glad that mom is keeping busy like her usual self. It's good to be busy and really it makes time pass by so fast when you're working. Oh and there is no way I would let Prentice do even pretend surgery on me! I miss those kids sometimes! I'm not really looking forward to seeing Vaughn and Baby Miles. That'll be the weirdest thing for me I think.

So yeah what Craig said is true but really I'm thankful for it because it really helped my French. I can speak pretty well already and I'm just thankful for the position I was put in cause that really helped!

There's been a lot of times where I've thought to myself of 1st world problems and how in Africa that's kinda the least of my worries! But honestly things are really different but I'm just happy to be here. There is a lot of work to do but that means time will go by faster than I could've imagined and that's a good thing but at the same time a bad thing.

So this week we had a baptism of a kid named Fr Kenneth. Hes seriously one of my favorite investigators so far and I was so happy that we could baptize him. He is way nice and he seems really prepared so that's been a gift. We received his number as a contact just about 2 weeks ago so really it was just kind of a random event. So I'm rather happy cause really he is one of the coolest kids I've met. This week has actually been really good. I've been able so start teaching more cause my French is actually to a point where I'm not spacing words for more than 10 seconds so this week to me is when I actually feel like a missionary. Before, I would always bare a testimony and give a little bit of the lesson that I already practiced a ton but, last week I was able to give a whole lesson on the Book of Mormon and that was really rewarding.

Donc, je vais finir en francais parc que, comme, j'avais dit avant, c'est bon pratique pour mon francais. Je veux vous dire que je suis très reconnaissant pour tout ce que vous avez fait pour moi. Je suis tres impatient pour l'occasion de parler avec vous pendant Noel. Je souhaite que vous tous soyez en bon sante. Je vous aime beaucoup et Je vais vous voir ce Noel. Passez bonne semaine et je vais vous parler le Lundi prochain.

PS so for the time I'm not too sure. I'll have to talk to my companion a little bit more but it will be after 1 o'clock. At least here anyway Ill try to narrow that down more.
I've received one letter so far so I don't know if that's all.
We have a font at our church so that's where we do our baptisms.



Monday, December 5, 2016

Snake Temple

Whats up guys? :)

So I'm glad that you guys have enjoyed your extended fall break and I'm sorry that the snow had to come but I honestly I completely forgot that by now in Utah we usually have snow! That's one of the weirdest things to think about because usually I would just be hanging out with friends and getting ready for Christmas but I'm instead in Africa and honestly, I'm not sure I would want it another way! :) at least for this Christmas! We'll see how I feel next time around but really I'm doing good!

It sounds like you've guys have had a really good week and I hope your good days continue! I'm really glad that everyone is doing good and that everyone is happy! Um and one second, what happened to Courage in the first place? Cause the last time I heard he was on his mission? Also some disappointing news that I found out this week was that one of the Elders that came into the field with us ended up going home this week. I don't know for what reason but it was really sad to hear. It's really a sad thing to hear when missionaries go home especially when you've personally known them and seen who they are.

With that thought really I'm starting to figure that out more and more. Especially here because sometimes the missionaries here are literally asked to open up a new sector and basically establish a church in a specific town so if there's questions in the branch it truly is the missionaries who are there to make sure everything goes right. Really I've been able see how much is possible to help. I really wish that I could do everything I possibly could to help everyone but sadly I can't help every single person. No matter how much I might want to. There's so many little things that I've took for granted at home that some of these people haven't even experienced before and it really has given me a new perspective. Oh and now I'm not exactly picky in what I eat now ;) But anyway I've learned a lot and I hope that I'll continue to learn.

So just a quick story we went to a snake temple and there we could pick up and touch a whole bunch of snakes so I got some pretty decent pictures of that so I hope that you'll like them!

I hope you're all doing good and that you also will continue be like that! Thanks for everything that you've done and I did get the Christmas package and I haven't opened up the other half yet so Ill keep forcing myself not to! Anyway until next time!

Nice snake tie

Ring around the snake

Watch your step!

Point of No Return Monument