Elder Ethan May's Missionary Adventure

Bonjour amis et familles!  This week ended the best way a week could end on a mission - with a baptism. But before I get to that,  let's start the rundown: WHEN IN AFRICA Some things I haven't mentioned up to this point:   - The taxis: there's no set fare or pricing - you name the price and where you want to go, and the driver decides whether to pick you up or not.   - We decided to download the weather app this week. Bad idea. I liked living in ignorance - now I know it's 86 and feels like 92 most days. But I'm getting used to it.  - We tried a new supermarket today that was selling pig's feet, cow liver and tail, and a bunch of other meats I was scared to translate. We just stuck with the basic pork steaks and a couple of other cuts we were more familiar with. MISSIONARY MOMENTS OF THE WEEK Here's where this email gets good: the BAPTISM! It was honestly so amazing and a true testament to how the church is the same everywhere. The baptism was for thes...

  (Just a little classic theater reference for y'all.) Bonjour amis et familles! This week was, as correctly deduced by the subject line, quite the miraculous one. One of those weeks that makes me so happy to be on a mission, and all the more to be serving where I am.  WHEN IN AFRICA They have really good baguettes here (a positive outcome of imperialization) and they're 125 francs a-pop - about 25 cents. We went through about 20 of them this week and bought 12 more this morning. As I've said, a good bread should make your jaw hurt and these definitely do that. Delicious. It rains way more than some people might think here -  it's the rainforest, after all - and when it rains, it pours. We got caught in one on Saturday and once we made it back to the apartment it looked like we'd been swimming. I'll attach a pic that doesn't do the storm justice. My tie (not pictured) is still damp. MISSIONARY MOMENTS OF THE WEEK Now for the miracles: On Tuesday we met with ...

  Bonjour amis et familles! This has been quite the awesome week, and that's undeserving it. Let's get right into it: WHEN IN AFRICA   A couple of interesting things around the apartment: 1. We have caught 2 mice. 2. Our fridge died. 3. The power goes off for 20 seconds every night almost without fail. Then it comes back on and the cycle repeats 5 times. 4. The lights will take a minute to turn on - they will flicker, which creates a cool horror movie effect at night. Also, the subject line means "hello, whites!" Kids around here (which are many in number) need to say this whenever we pass. We hear it about 3 times a day and its adorable. MISSIONARY MOMENTS OF THE WEEK  A couple of highlights: We had a second lesson with an older lady from last week who I will call 'Yvette.' She invited her husband and 2 grandkids as well, and we had a great lesson on the Plan of Salvation (the song my MTC district made came in clutch with remembering certain points in French)...

 Bonjour amis et familles! Wow! What a first full week in Gabon! I've made it!  Due to a very-much-increased demand for answers to logistical questions, I'm deciding to add a section to my emails: it will be entitled:  WHEN IN AFRICA  - I'm still not used to the heat here (see subject line). I thought I was strong enough to wear my one long-sleeve white shirt yesterday for the Sabbath - I was wrong.  - It's a cash-based economy here. I've attached a picture of some of the bills. Even the fanciest restaurants don't take cards. (the picture represents a little under $25).  - My daily menu consists mostly of eggs, bread, and off-brand nutella (see pic). The occasional potatoes and chicken. Rice. But we have had some member meals where we've tried local classics such as 'fufu' (like a potato pastry that's dense as a neutron star) and this weird green puree you eat it with that they claimed is made from some part of a fish. It'll be an acquired ta...

Bonjour amis et familles! I've been transferred. I'm not in Louisiana anymore. I'm not in Mississippi either. Not even Southeastern Arkansas. My new area is Libreville 1A. I'm in Gabon, y'all.  This week was so different than any of the other weeks. So I'm not going to do a traditional 'Missionary Moments', because I'm sure you all have so many questions! So right off the bat: 1. My companion's name is Elder Meyer, and I'm in a quad that's over the Libreville 1st branch. 2. The main roads here are paved. 3. Our apartment has running water (with a filter), and working toilets and showers. 4. There are AC units in both bedrooms, but it's a sauna once you leave them. 5. I haven't stopped sweating and I don't think I will.  6. Hardly anyone speaks any English here. So many people just come up to us and start speaking French. Then they walk away with a smile because we don't understand them...yet. 7. The mission president and h...