November 25

Hello again everyone!

What a great week.  I love the Congo.  I love Africa, basically.
Central Africa, anyway.

Last Monday after writing home we got all our groceries, came home and
made food for a potluck that we threw over at the other apartment.  It
was super fun to sit around with the other elders and just chat about
life and whatnot.

On Tuesday we ran into some guy on the side of the road who came up to
us while we were walking and who first blessed us, then sent us on a
mission, then tried to give us 500 CFA (a dollar), then told us he's
seen the glory of God.  It was a very interesting experience.  He
proceeded to put his hand on my badge, then told me to hold out my
right hand, then said, "you see that?" and said nothing more about it.
 Then he asked if we wanted to be visionaries.  When we said we were
just missionaries he said, "that's right" and continued on his merry
way.  I wonder sometimes about what these kinds of people do in their
free time, or what they're like at Christmas parties...

Anyway, on Wednesday we were taking a taxi and you always cram as many
people as possible in the car, so Elder Brockbank and I were first in
the back, and then a girl sat next to us, and then this big fat guy
stands next to the door, looks at us and goes "well that's not right.
that's not going to work! you guys have to get out." and basically
tried to convince us that since there were two of us we had to leave,
because otherwise he wouldn't fit in the car.  It was hilarious.  Like
it was our problem that he was too fat to get in the car.  Eventually
he got mad and walked away, yelling at us in kikongo, which is
typical.

Speaking of kikongo, I'm still learning a ton! I even ordered a taxi
in kikongo today to get home.  It's awesome.  Elder VanAusdal made
biscuits and gravy.  He's awesome.

On Thursday we got a yogurt cup from a recent convert which was super
delicious and inspired me to change the recipe I've been using.  I'm
hoping I can still replicate it back home.  Some of the ingredients
don't match.  Powdered milk, for example.  I don't even remember what
liquide milk tastes like...

Another investigator gave us a dogbowl of little crunchy things
that...looked like dogfood, but were really good.  I promised I'd give
her some cookies that I'd made.  That night we made "shmorgishborg"
which is chili on rice on french fries and tastes like the angel
Gabriel himself made it.

Friday was pretty normal except I met some random Cameroonian from
Baminda in the market.  We stopped and talked to him for a while and
invited him to church and I invited him to make us njammanjamma, but
not really.  We did talk about it though.  So good.  I swear I'm going
to take random leaves off random trees from back home, wash them, boil
them, and mash them up and you will see how delicious these countries
are.

On Saturday we went to the church to teach English, but no one came to
our class and we had to wait for the other companionship to finish
teaching their class so Elder Brockbank and I played piano.  One more
talent of my companion's: he's a musical genius.  I could listen to
him play piano all day, and then he will completely turn it around and
talk about football and wrestling.  Crazy. People are so talented.  Oh
and that investigator I promised cookies to came to English class and
I forgot her cookies and then she wasn't at church sooo I ate them.
All of them.  But I plan on making more so it's ok.

Church is always great and runs like a normal American Sunday.  We
came home and made shepherd's pie and watched the Best Two Years which
was hilarious and wonderful and we went to bed and woke up and played
basketball and here I am!

Thank you for being incredible.  I know you're incredible because you
are the spiritual offspring of God, your Heavenly Father, and he wants
you to be "perfect, even as {He} is perfect!"  God wouldn't give us
commandments that are impossible to accomplish, which means you are
capable of becoming perfect! Jesus Christ Himself followed that
example, and asked us to do everything He did.  That means that
miracles exist.  That means that baptism is essential to enter into
the kingdom of God.  That means that the Atonement is real, and that,
brothers and sisters, is the most important fact of all.  It is the
most important event that has ever, or will ever take place on this
earth.  Without it, we would be a lost cause, drowning in the guilt of
our daily wrongdoings that weigh us down when we are not repentant.
But the Atonement DID happen and we CAN be saved, if we choose to be.
Christ took our sins on Him, but not our responsability.  You are
saved when you accept Him as your Saviour and Redeemer apply the
principles that He taught us through example and scripture.  The best
part is that it's free!  All He asks is a broken heart and a contrite
spirit.  I promise it is real.  I live it, and I love it, and you can
too.  It is never too late.

Elder Garland