Week 40 in Douala: "Mawwaige izz what bwings us togetha, today!"

 Bonjour amis et familles!


If you didn't read the subject line in the priest from Princess Bride voice, please read it again. 

This was a pretty cool week. And no, I didn't get married. But we as an apartment (the 4 of us) were invited to a wedding. More details below:

WHEN IN AFRICA/MISSIONARY MOMENTS 

So I did a little split with Elder Harris for one lesson this week with a lady they were teaching. It was a really good lesson about the Book of Mormon and getting her to start reading it. After the lesson, she invited us to her daughter's wedding on Saturday. We said we'd be with our companions as well (just to make sure it was a sincere invitation and wasn't motivated by the fact we were Americans), and she said, "I'll reserve 4 places then!" So we all went. It was a really cool cultural experience. Everyone was dressed in coordinating fabric, it was super loud, and the mayor walked in with a giant orange suit and a Cameroon flag cummerbund. He was a great emcee. The bride and groom were dressed differently but their outfits also matched. The ceremony took 3 hours. There was a lot of advice given by the mayor about what makes a good marriage. Didn't agree with everything he said but I'll chalk it up to cultural differences. We bounced before the after-party which started at 7 pm and for all that I know, it might still be going on...
A cool missionary moment came when the mayor asked someone to give an opening prayer. Elder Kouadio's hand shot straight up so he was chosen. 

MISSIONARY MOMENTS CONTINUED

We had a fun new person lesson this week with a girl named Nathalie and her mom, Christelle. They opened up to us about their difficulties and how they've seen the hand of God through those difficulties. We gave them a Book of Mormon and they told us to come back whenever. So we'll do that. 

We did not have a baptism for Carine this past weekend, as we found that she needed more time for a few reasons. But we had some great lessons with her. She wants to understand the doctrine. She has some concerns on a few points. We've told her to trust in God and rely on the testimony she already has of the Book of Mormon. She came to church on Sunday and was smiling all the way through. 

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT OF THE WEEK 

"We're calling everyone to ride along, to another shore,
We can laugh our lives away, and be free once more.
...
Ride Captain, ride, upon your mystery ship,
On your way to a world that others might have missed."
- from "Ride, Captain, Ride" by Blues Image

There was one night this week in bed when I was thinking about my future and getting a little worried, as someone at almost 23 of 24 months might tend to be. These lyrics from one of my favorite songs comforted me. Here's what we can learn from them:
1. As a missionary, I teach just as Jesus did that the truths I share can make one free (see John 8:32). Free to choose for oneself, free from the bandage of sin. This is such a hopeful, joyful message. We can truly laugh our lives away as we ride along the covenant path.
2. I meet people who might not have ever thought of the joy that would come from accepting to live the Gospel. I can lead them to a new world that they might have missed if they never had heard the good news of the Restoration. And as I think of my post-mission journey, I can focus on that joy and those blessings that are so dear to me as I decide how to steer my own mystery ship through new waters. 

Je vous aime tous,

Elder May









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