Week 4 in Yaoundé: The hardest move I've ever helped with

Bonjour amis et familles!


I've made it through a month here in Yaoundé. Honestly, this has been the hardest stretch of my mission for multiple reasons. But I'm looking forward to another month! And this week had some pretty cool moments. 

WHEN IN CAMEROON 

There's a real catch-22 with the money system. Cash is king, and people don't like when you don't pay with exact change. But the only way to pay with exact change is if you have it. I ran out of coins that I'd saved from my time in Gabon about a week and a half ago. So the only way I can get more coins is if I don't pay with exact change. I've ended up getting jipped 350 franks at the supermarket because of this phenomenon. Luckily, that's only 70 cents. 

MISSIONARY MOMENTS OF THE WEEK 

One big thing this week is we helped someone move. And it's kind of needless to say that this wasn't no 'pull up the U-HAUL' event. The path (not road) to this famliy's new home was all downhill, and it took a good 20 minutes there-and-back. That was physically challenging to begin with. The suitcases and cardboard boxes that started breaking halfway down made it exhausting. We had to make 4 trips. But we got it done and the mom couldn't stop thanking us. It feels good to serve others.

The other big thing is there was a baptism this week! It was for an 11-year-old girl in the English branch, so all the proceedings were in English. I saw a physical English hymn book for the first time in 4 months. The service was really sweet and touching. It was the 4th baptism that I've attended and every one has been awesome and spiritually uplifting. I can't wait for the next one. 

FUNNY QUOTE OF THE WEEK 

"Even 1 AM, that can work!"

Some people have very little concept of planning here. The Sisters told us to be at the church by 1 PM, so we were. We then waited 3 hours for them and the baptismal candidate to show up. We were texting them in the middle of all of this, and I said that 'we hope to have a baptism today,' encouraging them to hurry up and get there. Above is the translated response.

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK 

"The Lord is omnipotent, with all power to control our lives, save us pain, prevent all accidents, drive all planes and cars, feed us, protect us, save us from labor, effort, sickness, even from death, if he will. But he will not.”
- President Spencer W. Kimball

I love this quote. Here's how I'm applying it to my life right now: I'm in the midst of an ongoing discussion/argument with my companion. He doesn't like me right now for reasons I can't comprehend. Would I love for him to just forget our differences and treat me better? Yes. Is that going to magically happen? No. I have to put in the work. God will not always divinely intervene, even if he can. There is a reason why I have the companion I have right now. There's something I need to learn about myself through this relationship. Let's go see what it is. 

Je vous aime tous, 

Elder May





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