The Cockroaches are Evolving (Week #26)

Whats up everyone, i can only think of two things that happened this week so im gonna start writing and hope everything comes to my mind. Happy New Years everyone!

So, first, it was new years this week so that was a little hectic. Everyone goes to church until 12pm and gets lit then after they go party until dawn, we as missionaries sadly cant stay up till midnight and party but we got up at midnight to watch the fireworks and it was pretty wild. There were so many fireworks, just in every direction, never ending. BUT anyways. We were watching them go off and there were these two churches in front of us sending out a ton of em and we saw a couple of them go off but then we were a little confused because they didnt get out of the building, all the sudden we saw big explosions of light in the tiny church that they were in ahhah. I hope everyone is okay ahah it was so funny though. 

We were contacting this week and we met this guy in a corner of our area named Moise Kouame which is Moses Kouame in english. He was so cool he invited us in it was great. Then we came back a few days later, this guy read all the brochere we gave him and had legit questions. Whaaa, well i decided if he was gonna read the brocheres maybe he'd wanna read the book of mormon so we made sure to give him one of those. I think he's got tons of potential. 

We Met with maman ake a ton this week and she fed us a ton this week. Shes a missionaries dream.

On new years eve we were a bit free because everyone was super busy. So we were going to our third or fourth member hoping she was there. well she wasnt, but lucky for us, a bunch of kids playing soccer outside were. so we balled up for an hour. i scored a few times. The kids were suprised the "white guy could play". It was so fun. I love being a missionary everyone here is the best. 

We were walking home one night after maman ake and we passed this little "food" stand. I didnt see it was night but my comp did so we turned around and wow. It was straight rats just layered up on this table dried up and clapped. I got a picture, she was also selling serpents, i did not get a picture of that. but it was crazy. She then said she wants her daughters to live a good life so she gave them to us to marry, she called one of her daughters over pointed at me and said "this one is for you" elder earls wife was out shopping. Congratulations to us. 

Along that topic theres this one girl at this store we go shopping at that always always says " when are we going to canada" cause she said she wants to run away with me ( after my mission of course ) to canada and get married. shes probably in her 30s and she said i know your family will probably think its weird but i can call them and we will figure it out. That's been pretty funny, everytime we pass she says something about it and we get a good laugh. Occasionally we say something back in a very joking matter. I hope she knows its 100% a joke haha. She'll figure out eventually. 

A month ish ago i explained that here in the apartment we mostly just have carfards chinois or chinese cockroaches. Well, as of this past couple weeks we've found a couple dead carfards africain or african cockroaches. I'll send a picture. It's not fun, they're starting to get on my nerves. Whatever i shouldnt be in this apartment for much longer, the other apartments are mostly better. 

Inspired by Mac Rowland (shoutout) i'm gonna start  doing a winner of the week. I never really planned to but im trying to be more humble and grateful for others and i think expressing my gratitude for someone new each week would be a great way to do that. we'll see how long this lasts.

Ok this week the winner isss.... Joni Duckeraka GRANNY!! she's the best, i could leave it there, but i wont. she has a crazy conversion story and she really has put a ton of effort into her testimony and it changed my life and my entire families. She is the most humble person you'll ever meet and she always thinks of others first. She's hip too, pretty sure she knows some good slang. like lit, and gas. This emails pretty gas isnt it granny! Anyways just know i love her and every message she's sent me always makes me feel better. I'm so grateful for her example and everything she does to help me. She's pretty much got all the christlike attributes maxed out. She's at 99 on all of them and then Jesus is at 100. She's the next best thing. Love you granny. 

Ok that's all. I might start the music thing again too. but not this week sorry for the bad news i dont know how many of you listened to them anyways

actually lets end it off on a quick gratitude note for my mission

I love my mission so much i swear just the fact that i have the title as elder ducker everyone is so much extra nice to me. I've really built a relationship with all of our friends and members in this area. The day i leave will be a very sad day because sadly i have built and created seriously great relationships with the people here. I love Missionary work and it's seriously the best decision i've honestly ever made already. I've grown closer to god and  jesus christ and also been able to work on myself. I'm literally in africa in the coolest country every with the best people ever. Sometimes it's hard to get myself out of the door cause i might be tired or whatever but the second i get out and start talking to people im instantly reminded why i chose to serve. Gods given us everything, i'll give him 2 years and then try my best to always be an obedient son of god. 

Love you all but i love god more.