Monday, October 12, 2009

This is the e-mail where we had to let Sam know that our dog Buster had to be put to sleep. He was 14 years old and very sick. Sam picked him out when he was 5 years old.

Hey everyone!

Thats sad about Buster. He was a really good dog. He was pretty old though, it was his time to go.

I'm glad Jacky jack is feeling better. Now you gotta work hard jack! Get caught up in school!

Haha ya I'm handling the heat pretty well, when I got here I was sweating all the time but now it takes a lot to make me sweat. Haha I wont be able to handle winter in CO when I get back.

Hmm, African animals I've seen...I've seen one monkey since I've been here, they dont like people because they eat them so they stay away from the cities. But there are wild chickens and goats everywhere. Like the country's full of them. I also see some dogs pretty often, and there are also pretty big lizards all over the place too. In my appartment alone we've found salamanders, a bird, a scorpion, pretty big spiders (like the size of my palm) and I think thats about it. But I've heard there are areas in Cote DIvoire where you see like real african wildlife so it'd be cool to go there.

Zone Conference went really well. It was really nice to see President. I was asked to give a talk on charity and I think that went alright. We haven't heard about any transfers yet, I guess President will probably call the Zone Leaders and let them know after he gets back to Abidjan and they will let us know. There are people here that have been in the same area for 6 months so changes probably have to be made eventually.

Also, I found I way to maybe get you pictures. I found a place last pday to put 10 pictures on a cd and I gave that to Elder Skousen to send home next time he goes to the mail. I dont know how likely it is that it will actualy make it home (Elder Skousen has had only one letter make it home from here out of three or four) but I had to try so look out for that in the next couple weeks.

Thats so cool about the plane, Dad! Really I dont think theres a greater joy than sharing the gospel and watching how it changes lives. The four and a half months I've been out here have just flown by because I've loved every second of it. But watching lives change thanks to the gospel of Jesus Christ is a miracle. I was thinkig a lot about that this week as I was watching our recent convert Gabriel. Only a month ago he didnt have the truth in his life, but now he goes to church every week, goes to seminary, recieved the aaronic preisthood and passes the sacrament, and is even giving a talk next sunday. It really is a miracle, nothing can change someone's life for the better like this church. Everyday my testimony grows of its truthfulness and everyday my desire to share the happiness it brings grows. I love being a missionary and I love the people here.

ANyway I think thats about it. The past week was mostly just zone conference although I did teach young mens yesterday (when i got here young mens didnt even exist, now there are five of them!). I think it will turn out to be a blessing that Arsene did not get baptized a few weeks ago, now his brother Christian wants to get baptized too so if all goes well they and their sister Grace will be baptized together the 17th! It just another witness that Heavenly Father always knows what hes doing; I was upset when Arsene didnt get baptized last mont but that was only because i couldnt see the bigger picture. I am truly humbled by Heavenly Father's plan for each of his children and now i know with surety that if I just put my trust in him everything will work out according to his will. Everyday I learn a new lesson and grow a little bit more. I love being a missionary.

Ok, well I think thats it. I love you all! I'll write you again next week!

Love,
Elder Bertoch

PS I did get Megans package last week so it took probably about 2 weeks to get here.