March 9, 2013

Hi Everyone,

Okay, well first off, sorry for how short the last letter was. We had
a couple of Elders call in having problems with their bank cards (we
recently switched banks) and I had to work on that in the middle of
writing time. I'm going to try and put a lot of detail in this one.

So as far as whether or not I like the mission office.... I still am
not sure. I definitely did not like it last week when I wrote. I'm
doing a bit better now though. As far as our duties in the office, we
come in in the mornings when we would normally be proselyting.
Normally, we are supposed to be out in the field after lunch. However,
sometimes things pop up that keep us in. Those things are almost never
planned, so it runs a hassle with investigators sometimes. It also
sometimes gives office Elders the idea that they should just expect
those things to show up so they shouldn't bother scheduling
appointments during that time...... That's why I had so much down time
at first. We are doing better at getting out now, but it's not perfect
yet.

As far as official office responsibilities go, I do a lot of phone
calls and translating. Our office couple has no French capacities, so
every time they have to meet with a landlord or go see a potential
building or go to the bank or anything like that, an office Elder has
to go with them. It sometimes feels like Elder Semken is my new
companion thanks to that. I also get to put the information from the
baptismal recommendations into the official system. What else.... I
train Sister Semken on how to work in an office, we help Sister Weed
with her projects. We get the mail from the post office and run other
little errands. I've decided we are the Office Minions. We can be
really useful at times, but we aren't important like the assistants so
when they don't want us they can just push us out of the way. I think
that means that President Weed is Gru.

No I haven't received the new driver's license yet. I did have my
first experience driving a stick shift this afternoon though. It went
alright, but who wants to bet that I forget it all before I get behind
the wheel again? I'd better get it down fast, there's a chance that
I'll be needed to help run the next transfers in two weeks. Especially
now that we have some apartments a bit farther out.

So you ready for this? Apparently I lived through an African coup
attempt. A couple of people were arrested for apparently trying to
overthrow the president. All I knew was that there were a lot of
policemen out on the streets for about 4 days, and even that was only
because I'm in a car a lot more lately. I'll check that box off my
bucket list I guess.

I found out that one of the sons from that family I was working so
much with back in Doumassesse has a baptismal date for next week. I
hope that holds, I put so much effort into that family. They mean so
much to me.

So on Friday we'll be taking Elder Tshizanga (one of my companions) to
the doctor so he can have a cyst cut out. I wonder if they'll let me
take pictures....

Speaking of pictures, I'm going to the zoo on Monday! The Finagnon
zone is going up to Porto Novo to see the zoo, and I managed to snag a
seat. That'll be fun, guess I will see a lion in Africa.

Haha, I actually ate a falafel this last week too Mom, there's a place
nearby that makes them. Everyone else thought I was super weird for
ordering it though, most Elders just order hamburgers or Chicken
Shawarma.

Speaking of Shawarma and Falafel, I found something out this last
week. Apparently they have just dedicated the first stake center in
the Middle East. Apparently there is a stake in Abu Dhabi, which I did
not know. They say that it's full of Americans and Phillipinos. So
there you go.

Oh, and the curse of knowing someone that knows the other missionary
continues. Elder Semken knows the Darowskis, who were effectively my
bosses when I worked with the Joseph Smith Papers. Always a small
world.
 
Okay, I think I got in a bit more detail this time. Hope that makes up
for the last time.
Love,
Elder Christensen