January 11, 2010

He's sounding a little sad about leaving on Wednesday. I'm sure it's hard. I'm looking forward to hearing about Benin though.

Hey again everyone!

So I'm just getting ready to head out, getting everything clean and ready to go. We went out to our favorite cheeseburger place (called Akifs, owned by some old frenchmen) today for lunch to celebrate my going away and Elder Haltermans bday (tomorrow). I've been getting as many pictures as I can before I leave, with members and investigators. Its been pretty sad to say goodbye, a lot of my recent converts dont understand how missionaries work and keep asking me why I have to go. I've promised a lot of people that I would write them and even told some that I would be coming back with my family in 2011 (time will tell whether or not I lied haha).

So I'm actually leaving now the 13th, early in the morning at like 6 o clock. I still dont know what area I'm going to or who will be my companion (I'm told the zone leaders will tell me when I get there) but i cant wait to go. All I know about Benin is that it is hotter there and the church is much smaller there, only like three yrs old or something. I'm going there with Elder Starita (we're unseperable haha) and Elder Geisler (from Bountiful, hes been in the field for like 2 months).

Anyways, so this past week we still worked pretty hard. We started the week with the goal to baptize ten people but little problems came up for everyone except one who got baptized. The next baptism after I leave should be a pretty big one, everyone who didnt get baptized saturday will be the 23rd. I had the chance to give a talk my last sunday here which was very nice. At the end I was able to bear my testimony in the tribal language which was very special. I worked hard while I was here and now I probably speak the native language better than any other american...just in time to go to Benin and forget it all haha. After that I was in charge of teaching Young Womens and then my final day at church in Togo was over.

I havent heard much about the Togo soccer inicident other than some Congolaise (from what I hear they are crazy) rebels shot up the team bus. Is that what happened? Apparently the goalie is dead too? There arent really newspapers or anything here so its hard to get news.

Anyway I'm glad to hear everything is going great back home! I cant wait to update you all on life in Benin next week! I love you all!

PS Happy Birthday Grandma and Brent!
PPS I donated the money to the branch yesterday and asked specifically that it goes to couples or families trying to go to the temple to get sealed (we have a lot in our branch) so it will be going to really good use.