This last week has been...different, to say the least. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting out of my last full week in the mission. Alas, I worked as hard as I could with my companion, and I'm satisfied with the work that we did. President Nitch helped me in getting a new suit after writing home last week, and then in getting some cool trinkets to bring home. He was such a big help, I'm super thankful for him. He drove us around the city, so I got to see some of the quartiers that I normally wouldn't have gotten to see!
On Tuesday we got to see Sandrine and Giselle with her husband Narcisse. They're the cutest 60+ year old African couple I've met thus far.
We were planning on dropping off Elder Rako for the new trainers meeting and then going out to our district meeting (where I was going to give the lesson) and then to work, but as we were leaving Elder Rako told me that President called and told him to tell me to be ready for anything. I didn't know what to think...death in the family?! I was trying to stay calm while we were walking to the office, and while we were walking we passed a trash man with a Darth Vader mask on, so that made me feel better. Turns out that President asked my companion and me to accompany Elder Bills and Brother Santie to the airport to pick up the new missionaries, so we told the district leader we wouldn't make it, and then our whole day of teaching was cancelled. It took over an hour for them to finally come out of the baggage claim, and even then some of their bags didn't come in. It was awesome to see fresh, MTC missionaries again. So ready to work! One of them had shared a Book of Mormon with another guy on the plane and was talking to him while we were figuring out the baggage situation. That will make an excellent missionary. I hope I can keep that ferveur on the trip home. We brought all of them back to the mission office where they had their entrance interviews with President and got to meet their trainers, and then we went with everyone to the Monga's home for dinner. They put on 17 Miracles while we were waiting for everyone to show up, so that was good to watch again. Tears, every time. We started watching Ephraim's Rescue, which I hadn't seen yet, but now I want to finish it! What an amazing story. Dinner was awesome - fufu, rice, chicken, fish, and sakasaka. I love the Mongas. I went outside and tossed a basketball around (I know, not exactly what you do with a basketball, but they don't have a court so we just passed it around haha) with two of their kids while the new missionaries, who hadn't had really any sleep in the last day's worth of travelling, caught a quick nap in the Monga's living room. From there we brought all the teams home, which took another 3 hours. We were whipped ourselves by the time we got home, but at least we were full and didn't have to make anything to eat!
There was another new missionary orientation meeting on Thursday morning, which we were assigned to teach on the missionary schedule and using Preach My Gospel, just like last time. It was only supposed to last an hour and a half, but went for three hours. So the rendezvous we had were missed, and then I did my very last weekly planning with my companion. I did my best to pretend that I would be staying and try to help him figure out the different investigators for the week, but it was difficult, I admit. Sister Bills was kind enough to take and hem my suit pants that night, which I fitted to the shoes that President Nitch offered me, which the missionaries call, in Lingala, "makoto," which I have no idea means what haha. But they're fancy, so it probably has something to do with that.
On Friday we left really early to go split with the Guynemer Elders, and then Elder Rakotonindriana and I worked our sector. Well, for an hour...we went straight to this member's niece's house to teach her, and then we went back to eat lunch before heading into Elder Rako's sector to work with the sisters. There's a first time for everything, even at the very end of your mission! We helped them teach a first contact they had, and then Elder Rako and I went to see someone who lives pretty close to us that he'd contacted the day before with Elder Bulendolo, one of the new missionaries who was just in passing to Pointe Noire. We met my companion and Elder Mbuyi at the Makelekele building and then waited for Elder Mbuyi's companion to come get him. We waited for over an hour because they others had accidentally gone to the Bacongo building, and then it started pouring rain, so of course that slows everyone down. While we were waiting Elder Rako asked me to do a backflip, which was difficult in my boot/shoes, but I managed to still land on two feet! It had been a long time...I'm just glad I didn't break my face. That night we taught our neighbors - a beautiful family of 6 kids, and everyone but dad was there. They were happy to receive us, and we had a good chat with them before retiring for the night.
We had a couple responsabilities we needed to take care of Saturday morning, but we had to wait while 2 of the Bacongo elders came to our place to iron their shirts. They've been without power for 4 weeks now. Incredible. I thought 5 days was bad! They've been suffering, so we were happy to relieve a little of their stress. We had to deliver soutien to the Kinsoundi elders, where we were planning on attending a marriage at the same time, but when we showed up there was hardly anyone there, and only 2 of the 6 missionaries. We decided to just give them the money and go teach. I love what Elder Oaks said - there are good choices, but better and best choices as well. I think we made the best choice. We got to see Chancel, Dorcia, and Loic before heading back home to meet the plumber. We also got a small cone of 20 cents worth of the most delicious ice cream I've had in 2 years. It was so smooth and thick, I don't know how to explain it. Maybe I've just been deprived, but I was in heaven. Only 100 CFA! What a steal. We were walking around the quartier when 3 little boys came out to pee in the street (yes, that's normal), when one of them turns to the one in the middle and totally starts peeing all over him, laughing hysterically. The middle kid didn't think it was so funny - he turned, pants down, and smacked the other one right in the face. It was SO funny.
For my last Sunday, I was hoping to see the bishop again, but he was still absent because of the death of his father. Who could blame him. Brother Batoumeni gave me a few minutes after sacrament to bear my testimony. Since I'd already done that just a few weeks earlier, I decided last second to read a Proverb over the pulpit and apply it to the ward. Proverbs 20:25, translated from the Louis Seconde version reads, "It's a snare for a man to take a sacred commitment lightly, and to reflect only after having made a vow." I had everyone do some introspection while I went over a few topics and asked if we as members take them too lightly. I talked about the sacrament, respecting the Sabbath and other commandments, repenting, family duties including FHE and daily prayer/scripture studies, the Priesthood and duties as a father/mother, following the counsel of modern day prophets and apostles, callings in the ward, including home and visiting teaching. I felt like I had everyone's attention by the end, at least, and I felt really good the whole time I was talking. Of course I bore my testimony in the end anyway, and didn't shed a single tear. I don't know if that means I just control myself better or if I did something wrong haha, but I'm pretty sure that's what God wanted the members to hear at that time. In any case, I got a lot of thank you's and congratulations afterwards, so at least some people appreciated it.
Bishop Gaetan had invited us over to his house for dinner that night, but he lives forever away, so he came to pick us up at the Diata building to take us outside the city and into his quartier. It was such a pretty drive. We were on a well-paved road the whole time that went across huge, rolling hills covered in the greenest foliage, barely speckled with a few small tin huts where people were living. When we got closer, however, to his house, there was a black and white difference in development. First - an ENORMOUS Olympic football stadium that is right next to his house. It is BEAUtiful. I can't believe it's even there...it looks so out of place, haha, but it's awesome. By the time I come back to visit, I plan on catching a Red Devils game! While the food was being prepared we went out to see the largest university in Africa (under construction). It was so vast, with thousands of little suburb-worthy homes on the other side of the street. It is going to be an impressive institution and will provide an immense boost in their economy. There was the new Presidential Palace that is being built not far from there, and that looks beautiful as well. Then we went to Elonda, this hole in the hill, which from the road looks like nothing, but once you drive in it opens up into this incredible resort - 3 large pools with a sort of huge teletron screen for watching soccer, several sculptures and artsy landscaping, bridges and rivers and oh my. It was so cool. There's a big hotel right next door, and that was pretty cool too. If I ever move to the Congo...I know where I'll be staying. Bishop Gaetan welcomed us into his home, where his wife had made a huge dinner for us - chicken, fish, rice, sakasaka, salade, bread, and last but not least, kwanga! It was great. I was stuffed. The Bishop brought us all the way back home, which was really nice of him, and we cashed out for the night.
That brings us to today...the next time I write will be from my own own. It's gone by unbelievably fast. I think surreal is the best way to put it! I don't think I'll realize what's going on until I'm actually on American soil. Maybe the sea of white people will wake me up in Paris. I'm excited to come home, but at the same time...there are so many things that I'm leaving behind. Missionary life has become so normal. It will be an interesting adjustment...1st world, white country where people speak English. I suppose that's life.
I could go on about how thankful I am for these experiences, but that would take a whole letter in its own. I could write about the different people, but that would take volumes. I could write about the cultures, but that would take an encyclopedia!
Something that is simple, however, is my testimony. I know that the work I was called to do was of divine providence. I've come to know of the cleansing effect of the Atonement, for which I have been the most thankful of all. I've learned of the truthfulness of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the divinity of the Book of Mormon. My love and affection for the prophet Thomas S. Monson has only grown, as well for the apostles and other General Authorities, especially those with whom I've been able to speak with (Elders Cook and Hamilton, notably). I know that God lives and loves each of us! What a blessing it is to be counted among His children, with divine potential if only we'd embrace it. My prayer is that I will be able to continue growing in my knowledge of these things through a righteous standard of living back home.
You can take the missionary out of the mission, but you can't take the mission out of the missionary!
May God bless each of you.
I love you, and I will continue to pray for you.
Elder (for the last time) Garland
