Hi,
I'm doing well here. Africa is still
crazy as always. It is starting to get a little bit warmer again, but not too
bad. I still don't really need to turn my fan on at night. I did one night but
it got way too cold so I had to turn it off. Things should get warmer in a
month or so is my guess.
Okay, I'll find a camera here.
Shouldn't be too difficult. If that money is still in my account, that should
be more than enough to buy a camera. Unless you want me to buy a really nice
one that I'll keep using when I go home. I'm thinking something on the
medium-low scale myself.
I should know within 2 weeks when I
will come home. Interviews with President Weed got bumped up a little, I'm
going to use that if it doesn't come up sooner. At that point, we'll know what
to do about housing. Also, I've forgotten some of the names of people back
home, so I'd have to work on that.
Sounds like everyone is holding up
alright there.
This week was a crazy week. First of
all we had new missionaries come in. That's always an interesting experience.
I've now welcomed a good 35-ish missionaries here. Which is good, because next
month we'll be welcoming 21 all at the same time!
Having a missionary companion who is
about to go home is pretty interesting. He's pretty excited. Not as excited as
other missionaries I've known, but it's noticable. The weird thing is that he
will go home about the same time that I should get my flight plans. That might
throw me for a loop.
On Thursday I had the most
interesting dinner appointment of my mission. Why? Because it was with an
American. I think I've mentioned that there is an American member who works at
the embassy here. Well, he invited us over for dinner. It was delicious, and
the conversations were very interesting. It definitely keeps working with the
foreign service on my list of potential careers. The best part was the dessert.
Legitimate brownies! Fun fact, the Malagasy word for brownies is Mofo
Kadradraka, which when literally translated means "full of
cockroaches." Luckily, Elder Razanamparany shared that after we had eaten.
The whole experience was very interesting. Of course, any time 2 Americans, a
malagash, a frenchman, a ghanaian, and an ivoirien all sit down at a table,
it's going to be interesting.
This week I had a mission first. In
a really good way. I had my first convert who went to the temple. He should be
getting back right about now, I'm super excited to ask him about it tomorrow.
Temple attendance, especially here where the temple is 2 countries away, is
something that really helps anchor a member in place. Of course, the downside
is that the member who we work with a lot to do lessons also went to the
temple, which made it hard for us to do member-present lessons.
We are still working to get Elder
Mary his driving license. He is getting better at driving, but I still hate
driving school here. It has kind of messed with our teaching schedule a bit,
but we are working with it. The irony is that I probably won't be able to
appreciate it very much at the end. I'll probably be transferred out of the
office two weeks after he gets his license. Oh well. I guess I get the
experience without the stress.
This week we got a rare treat. No,
not the brownies. We got to hear something that so few missionaries get to hear
here. Someone told us, "I've read about 20 chapters in the Book of Mormon,
I have questions to ask you." Even if the questions are a bit incredulous,
at least you read the book! Especially since we hadn't left a specific reading
assignment. That person is actually progressing pretty well, she accepted a
baptism date for the beginning of October. Now we just have to figure out how
to see her often enough to teach her everything. Things are actually looking
pretty good in our area right now. If everything works out, I could see four or
even five baptisms before I leave the office. Now faith just has to mix with
free agency of others. That has always been one of the hardest parts of
missionary work. I always have a tendency to think that if the person chooses
not to do it, that it is my fault. It's not a good thought process, but it
still happens sometimes. On the other hand, being a pessimist about it doesn't
get you anywhere. At the end of the day though, I should have a baptism next
week. That's always a happy thought. Especially for someone like Kevin. He's
really doing well.
Mom, you got to go see James Taylor?
Lucky. That would have been a cool concert to see. And maybe the most sober
venue James Taylor has ever performed in.
Well, I think that's about it for
this week. Love to all,
Elder Christensen
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