July 14

Another wonderful week.

Elder Sperry and I went to go meet up with an investigator after
writing home last week to play some backyard volleyball, and ended up
stumbling upon a club of kids who are all really talented - the first
organized volleyball group I've played with in 18 and a half months!!!
 It was super fun.  I loved it, and they loved having us there.  It
was difficult in the hard sand, but it felt good to get a good smash
in once or twice and to hear the kids say "ba mundele zaba kusala !!"
which means "the white guys know how to do it!"

Otherwise, we had an interesting week.  I especially enjoyed my
studies this week.  I realized that eternel life and a life of sin are
separated by a cross - a.k.a. immorTality vs. immorality.  I thought I
was so clever haha.

I got to call the new missionaries who came in to replace Hatch,
Wright, and VanAusdal on Tuesday night to welcome them to Pointe
Noire.  I spoke with Elder Naughton, Elder Tripp, and my good friend
Elder Massé.  It was wonderful to hear from all of them, the first two
who I didn't know before seem so nice.  After meeting them a few days
later, my suspicions were confirmed - they're both wonderful
missionaries.  On Wednesday we reconfirmed Sophie's, our French
friend, baptism by going over the interview questions with her.  She's
only had great experiences throughout her studies of the Gospel,
especially in the Book of Mormon.

We had a rough day on Thursday when we were ratéd by two of our first
contact lessons, but since Gracia decided to walk around with us he
was able to lead us to a family of less-actives that lived in our
sector.  They were super nice, and we had an awesome lesson on the
sacrament and scripture studies before heading out to see a house full
of recent converts and still converts-to-be.  Missionary work from
over a year ago led a man to share the Gospel with his friend,
Parfait, who then brought us home and introduced us to members of his
family, and because of that we were able to welcome 6 people to
baptism, including the man who came in contact with the church
originally.  There's still 2 nephews who are now on board and ready to
join the church!  Incredible.

On Thursday night the elders of Foucks (Bybee, Naughton, and
Etherington) prepared the most delicious brinner ever while I got to
know Elder Naughton some more.  He's a gymnast from Snowflake and
previously Mesa, Arizona, so we had a lot to talk about.  Great guy.
I'm excited to keep chatting with him.

On Friday I left the sector in the hands of my wonderful companion to
lead Elder Johnston around so he could do Sophie's interview.  Well, I
got a call as I was studying a condensed version of the Bible in
Munikituba from my companion that Sophie had texted us and wanted to
postpone her baptism as she seeks to reach out and forgive people who
had offended her, notably her ex-boyfriend who came with her to
Africa.  We were really proud of her and of course told her that's
exactly what she would do.  She's experiencing real conversion, which
is the most important thing.

Meanwhile, I walked around with Elder Bybee in his sector and got to
do some baptismal interviews myself.  One of them was from a taxi
contact that Elder Hatch and I had given to Elder Johnston like 6
months earlier, so I was super happy to meet the person being
baptized.  I also met a member whose aunt lives in our sector and
whose friend is less-active and lives near us, so I got a couple
numbers even out of my own sector haha.

That night I got a call from an old investigator looking for Elder
Morin who I happened to know from Douala, so we had a great chat and I
went through a brief nostalgic period as I thought about Douala and
all the people I used to know and love there.  I have a feeling that
I'll be back in Cameroon before too long, that this might be my last 6
weeks in the Congo...

On Saturday we walked out passed the airport to say goodbye to one of
our favorite members who is leaving permanently to Brazzaville.  It's
the same lady who helped us teach her neighbor, Lovely.  I was super
sad to see her leaving...she cried when we showed up :(  She'll be ok.
She's even taking Lovely with her for a couple months.  Sad.

We walked back to the church, got a text from our long lost friend
James, who says he's still thinking about and praying for us.  Love
that guy, but I haven't sat down with him since Elder Gelinas left...

Louis-Andre, Mpaka's baptismal candidate who moved into our sector,
was baptized and that was a great service.  I got to be a witness and
give the talk on the Restoration.  I also got to see Elder Masse for
the first time in over 8 months and have a great talk with him, and
then meet in person Elder Tripp, who is a sweet kid from Heber City,
Utah.  I had a blast seeing Masse again.  He looks great, and it
sounds like he's been doing awesome since going back to Yaoundé.  I'm
excited to spend a couple weeks visiting with him and the other newer
elders.

After the baptism we held a little activity where we showed the short
movie on the Restoration, answered questions from investigators that
we invited and then watched the Testments.  The last scene when the
Savior comes gets me every time.  The Relief Society sisters spent
several hours (especially our recent convert Darcyne) getting
groceries, preparing, and cooking little sandwiches and other
appetizers and drinks for afterwards.  It was delicious, and we got a
couple numbers from investigators who showed up for the first time.

The repairmen finally came and fixed out air conditioner in the "big"
room in our apartment, so we finally got to work and moved all of our
kitchen stuff out and took apart and set back up the bunk beds where
the kitchen was.  It was so much better to have a bigger kitchen, and
for the first time in 6 weeks we didn't sleep on the floor.  What a
blessing it is to have a real bed again.  I'll never complain about
where I'm sleeping again!

We had a good amount of people at church on Sunday, though I'm pretty
sure half of our members are still confused about what time church
starts since we changed to the morning wave.  We started church with 4
people, but ended with close to a 100.  People were showing up in
sweater vests, sweatshirts, zippies, pull overs, hoodies, sweats,
scarves, beanies, among other winter clothes.  It was hilarious.  It's
in the low to mid 70s, and the people here are freezing cold.  They
light fires on the side of the street to gather around to keep warm.
I admit that with a breeze that's coming in off the ocean there have
been times where, after walking around for an hour, the cold sweat
gives me the chills, but more often than not I'm still sweating.  It's
been infinitely nicer than before, however.  It has been such a
blessing to sleep with my fleece blanket.  I sleep like a baby.  Not
that you care so much, but...if you had put that same blanket on me at
night 3 months ago I would've died of heat stroke, no joke.  I could
live here during the summer.

This week I read through and finished "Our Search For Happiness" by M.
Russell Ballard, and loved it.  A basic view of doctrine for those who
are unfamiliar with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
and a wonderful testimony of a living apostle.  It's a short read, and
I would recommend it to any of my friends or family who want to know
about what we believe (if they don't feel like asking me first!)
without the pressure of talking to missionaries.  After I was done I
was convinced to read through "Our Heritage" which I haven't finished
yet, but which has blown my mind as far as the sacrifices the early
pioneers made to prepare future generations of saints.  It's an
unbiased history of the founding of the church in America and other
countries in the 19th century.  Incredible.  Whether or not you are a
member of the church, if you want to read several touching stories of
sacrifice and unparalelled sefless love, read that book!!!

I wish I could show how much I love you all outside of this simple
letter.  I guess it will have to wait another 159 days...

Be safe, go out and meet your neighbors, pick up some trash on your
street, make the world a better place one wrapper at a time.

Elder Garland