Service ALWAYS brings JOY 馃 (Week #99)
Monday I already talked about in my last email, I guess what I didn't talk about was the fact that I did a baptismal interview that evening for a young man named Xavier. This guy is so awesome. He's done, BYU pathways, English Connect, he's doing BYU Idaho and he got a Heber B Grant (idk if that's the exact name) scholarship and he's about to finish his course. L'HOMME.
He passed his interview without any problems but it went for super long because 1) he loved to talk and 2) I loved to listen. Everyone after was like dang is everything okay that took so long and I was just like yeah we just sat together and talked as friends for like an hour.
I love baptismal interviews, they just give the best opportunities to connect with people on a much deeper level then you can when you're constantly in groups with members or companions.
Tuesday we had district council which was cool.. we have problems getting into the building we do district council in so we had to go to a missionary apartment. Then had a really mid afternoon, and ended the night starting an exchange. I was working in Niangon Adjam茅 with the strongest guy in our mission 馃挭馃 he's so huge it's crazy. We bossed up had a super fun morning. Went to some awesome members named the Honlas. I played some candy crush (popped off btw) and then ate some tapioca.
Quote of the day by sister honla:
"No no No! Elder Moli! Sometimes there's people that are actually really attractive and super humble! Like me!"
That had me dying ngl we were all laughing pretty hard
After we had a cool afternoon with some awesome visits. We visited this girl named Emma.. I think. No! It was Sarah!! Yeah! Sorry. She was cool. Super timid at first but we opened her up and we invited her to the Collective Baptism we had that upcoming Saturday! (Spoiler.. she came!). Then we finished the night off with ice cream and pain chien. Translate that if you want. I won't, you probably don't wanna know. D茅sol茅 mes amis qui parlent fran莽ais d茅j脿 lol, au moins savoir que le pain chien 茅tait mal doux, mes amis dans les missions de C么te d'Ivoire ont d茅j脿 compris馃構
And also elder Hendrickson was there the night before(but he wasn't my comp). That was obviously fun and we took advantage of that and had some good gospel talks. I learned a lot.. I always do when I'm with him. He is so wise with the gospel it gets me lit. I asked lots of questions and he did too. It's always fun bouncing ideas off someone you trust that won't judge you (too much) haha.
My jungle fever is crazy馃搱.. its a good thing home isn't too far馃槀
Anyway, I stayed there again because I had an exchange with the other companionship in the same apartment.
We had a really awesome day as well. It was the first time in a really long time that I contacted. I kinda just stopped doing that but I should probably start again. I just found we had so many friends thatvwere progressing that finding more wasn't helping us too much but it was fun and kept me motivated so who knows maybe I'll start again. Anyway, we had the help of the DMP of Cit茅 Verte who is a dawggg. And then we got ice cream after. I got double it was so good.
Friday we had weekly planning which is actually my last weekly planning for the rest of my mission (hallelujah) because the rest of the Fridays we have something (exchange with the assistants, MLC, going home activities/shots) that prevents us from doing it. Turn me up that's gotta be the best news of 2024. I love being a missionary but weekly planning gives me a headache I just wanna be out serving the people not planning how to serve them 馃槶馃槶 but its OK I understand its important. I'm just glad it's time with me is finished.
SATURDAY!!
Now let me tell you a story about one of our friends!! Her name is Valerie and I've already talked about her! I hope you haven't forgotten hahaha but it's ok. I'll reshare her complete story, just don't forget this time..
one day, the elders of lokoa were passing by the ward building. As they passed by, they saw a woman selling food. she had lots of plates to wash, and Elder Young (an elder in the ward of lokoa) took the opportunity to serve and began to wash her dishes, little did we know how far the efforts of this Elder to do something so simple as to clean her dishes would go... she (like all mamas here in the Ivory Coast) started to say: "No, no, no! stop! it's okay! and he said "OK, have a good evening!" she went to help a customer and then turned around and saw that he was gone, she ran down the street, trying to find the person that tried to clean her dishes but she couldn't find him, lucky for her she worked right next door to the church. she knew that the missionaries often came by on Sunday, that's where she found us, the elders of Niangon 5. she then began to tell us her story of her guardian angel who did her dishes and then came and left without a trace. We then showed her a photo of the elders of lokoa and she said "yes! it's him! pointing to Elder Young.
Since that day, she discovered that the gospel of Jesus Christ filled a hole in her heart that she didn't know was empty. She struggles with severe depression and anxiety. One day she asked us why she felt like her depression and anxiety lessened every time she talked to us or went to church. we took this opportunity to talk about the Holy Spirit and its fruits. we taught her that the fruits of the spirit were love, joy, peace, patience, etc. we helped her understand that the Holy Spirit was literally fighting her depression and was with her when she chose the right. we also let her know that one day, if she wanted, she could be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. which meant that if she was worthy of it, she would ALWAYS have someone by her side to help her feel the fruits of the spirit.
she was very hesitant to be baptized, but after much time and with the help of many members, she gained her own testimony that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on earth that contains the fullness of the gospel.
Saturday the 25th of May Val茅rie was baptized and in a few weeks, her son Christ will follow in her footsteps. she is already putting money aside for the trip to the temple in November (because she has to leave the country to go to the temple) and counting down the days. The Church is true, without a doubt. She knows it just like us! Welcome to the restored Church of Jesus Christ Val茅rie! 馃馃
To make it even more of a perfect story, I offered that the first person that gave her the desire to speak with the missionaries (he who cleaned her dishes) be the one to baptize her! She happily offered and it felt like it just came full circle. Service really brings so much joy. Sometimes immediate, sometimes not.
The rest of Saturday was good. Nothing too special. We had seminary which was fun. There was no power at the church building so we used our flashlights but we helped them in a seminary. It was super fun.
One of our members went through my phone and found a pic of me when I was at a dance and put it as his profil pic and put it on his story and the ward has been blowing up my line because of it 馃拃馃拃 so embarrassing lol
That's all. Today we played soccer a lil and now we're gonna go visit some members.. Next week is 100... nahhhh not chill
If you love me email me back bisous bisous
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