Lisele everyone! (Bafang)
This marks the official commencement of the rainy season in Douala. We’ve had 4 or 5 days of just solid, African rain, which is pretty much exactly what you would imagine it is—unpaved dirt roads flooding with rivers of mud and trash, complete with a downpour unlike anything you’ve experienced (unless you’ve lived in the Midwest a.k.a. Chicago). So that’s been an interesting change of pace. It makes running in the morning a lot more enjoyable because it’s not squelching heat. Otherwise, I just throw my Ninja Turtle shell on my backpack and then my companion and I trek out into the storm with a smile on!
Other than that, nothing’s really changed here. I still have amazing experiences every day, and I will forever be grateful for them. For example, we went to teach this inactive member and right before we leave Elder Zurcher pulls out this random scripture from D&C and the woman says “well you always hear about people reading you scriptures that are meant for you, but this is the first time it’s ever happened to me, thank you!” which was a result of my companion praying to know what to study in the morning and having that thought come to mind. It was a huge testimony of me of inspired studying, how I shouldn’t just going through random books and whatnot to find something cool to share, but should be studying for my investigators, which makes the experience so much more fulfilling. I just love Elder Zurcher basically. He me teaches something new every day.
On Tuesday we were standing on the side of the road, calling people after a rendez-vous fell through, and this guy comes over to us and says “hey! I met the missionaries in Manchester and got baptized and I’ve been back home for a year and have never seen you before. Where’s the nearest church?!” So that was just another amazing thing that happened.
I got to go on splits again with Elder Morin, this time in Bonapriso, so I had no idea where I was pretty much the whole day, but it was still great. It rained all day, but we just walked around and waved to people hiding on the side of the street waiting for the rain to pass. We spent two hours getting talked to by a man and his two minions about this new religion he’s preaching about the law of Moses and how Jesus only got baptized so everyone would know He was the Christ (because the dove came down afterwards) and that all we need to do to be saved is hear “the word,” and that everyone who existed before Moses went straight to hell. Oh but Adam was an exception. And Noah. And Abraham. But that’s it. So that was really interesting!
On Thursday we had a district meeting that we thought would be our last one all together, so I gave a quick spiritual thought/lesson on what we would want our blessing for Douala or the branch to be when we left, and everyone agreed that we wanted the branch to just keep growing in love not only for the new members, but for one another. Also, we would want to bring that same blessing/example with us to our next sector.
We went out to teach that drunk guy who wanted to change his life last week, but he wasn’t there and didn’t ever come the whole rest of the day, so we were pretty disappointed. On our way out, however, this guard stopped us and asked us to sit down with him for a while, and it turned out to be a great lesson. We got to see him again on Friday, and since it was at 7 we stopped by this little food stand on the way back to the apartment to grab some beans and beignets, which, unfortunately, turned out to be hot banana dough balls. At least the beans were good!
Later in the day, we got a call from this lady who wanted to meet us at the church to talk. We had met her in a taxi a week ago when she got in with her 2 year old daughter, and I chatted it up with the little girl the whole ride home; she was so funny. Before I got out I gave her a “Proclamation to the World : Family” brochure and told her to give it to her mom (who was sitting right there) because I knew it would bless them. As it happens, the mom had had a dream just 3 days earlier about a white guy giving her an envelope, and when she got back to her house she explained what happened to her neighbor, to whom she had already explained the dream previously, and the neighbor said they had to come to church next Sunday. We had a great lesson with her, but because of rain and her daughter falling sick they weren’t able to come. But we’re praying for next week!
One of our recent converts, Marcelle, celebrated her birthday with her daughter on Friday, but we felt like she treated us better than her. We showed up, got fed really spicy spaghetti and beans and Coke and crepes, and then we left. Mangez-vous are the best because you get to experience new foods and it’s always really good. And I don’t think I need to explain that any more. Ok.
Despite the continuous rain throughout the week, we went out to Bonabéri to play soccer on a half mud, half pond field with the missionaries and members over there, branch against branch. We were up 3-0 at half, and then they came back and won 4-3. I had a shot on goal—about 4 inches to the right of the right post, and a sweet header flick thing that the guy who was supposed to be there didn’t run to the ball. It was a great game, and I was the only white guy who they didn’t pull out, so I felt pretty good about not scoring. Again. Anyway, we were really dirty and soaking wet because it started to rain again while we were playing, and traffic was horrible so we didn’t get to see our last rendez-vous, but it was a great day overall.
Also! Before we started playing we all opened our transfer letters together. Elder Zurcher is going to Yaoundé :( and I’m staying to work with Elder Lundberg, who I met that time I went up to Bastos a couple months ago. He’s an awesome missionary, and I know we’ll get along famously, so I’m actually really excited. Elder Gélinas is leaving to be in the same apartment as Elder Zurcher, so Elder Morin will work with Elder Stephens, who I haven’t met yet. I’ll be sad because our apartment was so great, but I’m sure we’ll all get along well. We’re were even more bummed though because the huge wedding/baptism we planned for this Saturday would be the day after transfers, so Elder Zurcher would miss it after working with this family for the last 9 months.
The next day would prove to be a miracle though. All of the family members had their interviews, and when we got home from church Elder Gailey called us right after we started companionship study and told us that he had talked to President Jameson and they agreed that Elder Zurcher could leave Sunday after confirmations, so he’s staying for the wedding! We were euphoric. We got up and had a big hug and I may have cried a little; we were just so happy. God is so funny about answering prayers.
At church, we welcomed this really, really old man who was in a tux and fedora who we had met next to our apartment the other day and said he was going to come but we didn’t really believe him because EVERYone says they’ll come and never do. We were surprised to see him there, but not surprised that he was still wielding this big black wand, which serves as…well we have no idea. He’s just the nicest old man that ever existed, and walks about as fast as I eat couscous de manioc in gumbo sauce (reeaalllll sllooowwww).
Then the Anglophone teacher gave us an example of a motorcycle taxi driver who flips you off (about 18 times) and how you just need to forgive him anyway. The lesson at the beginning was on the Word of Wisdom, by the way. Then I remembered that I had stood at the corner of a street one day and counted over a hundred motorcycles pass by in about 40 seconds. It was incredible.
That night we were given a plate of toasted termites, which taste pretty good actually.
Finally, this morning, we went out to Bonabéri again to play soccer but this time missionaries vs. Cameroonians. We played 8 v 5, then 7 v 6, and we still lost 4-2. I hit the post again, and missed to the right or left by about an inch about 5 times. It was a great day. It rained the whole time, and the field was just mud and water, but we loved it. It’s a lot more fun with just us because it’s a lot more relaxed and we can just have fun and laugh about stupid plays and whatnot. I’m so glad I brought my cleats, but everyone always asks me to give them away. I do feel bad because most of the people who come to play are just wearing socks or Vans, but come on…
We finally got home 4 hours later, only to find that our water didn’t work. Elder Gailey, who was a plumber back home, came over and worked under the rain (the problem was that the pump wasn’t pumping water to us) for probably an hour banging stuff around with a wrench (which was so stereotypical I just had to laugh) until finally it started working and we could shower off, THUS the delay in writing home today.
Anyway, I love you all so much! I just can’t even explain how much. I would use a billion analogies with Cameroonian food but you’d just have to come here to understand. Basically, just know that I love you and we will share great memories in the future. You always have someone counting on you, so don’t let me down! :)
A la semaine prochaine !
Elder Garland
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