Well, Africa is way better than the MTC, even though it is a lot more work and I sweat a whole lot more. Except this computer I'm on right now is really slow. There are two areas in Douala: Bonaberi (where I am) and Bonapriso (where the Willis' live). So my companion is named Elder Ternieden, and he is from Canada. He has been out for 15 months or something like that. And we get along and everything, not much to talk about there. We live with two other missionaries, Elder Lisowski (from Canada also) and Elder Price (from Utah). And the 4 of us live in an apartment that almost never gets water. I've only taken 2 real showers since I got here, and the other days we pump our water and pour water on ourselves with old bottles. But its not really bad at all, except for a couple times when the power goes out too, but whatever. But I'm going to have to do some laundry by hand soon because I'm running low on pretty much everything.
So the coolest thing is that there is already a baptismal service this week on Saturday. There a re 3 people from our area who are getting baptized: Leonelle, Jewls, and Florent. So yeah, a lot of people are wanting to hear our message. So far at least, my days have been just filled up with teaching appointments, and we never have much time set apart for finding people because we are too busy. But it is probably something like 40 percent English and 60 percent French people we teach. So yeah, my head isn't hurting yet from all the French, probably because I get a break in English every once in awhile. But, it's way hard to understand the French here compared to the MTC. And it took me a couple days to get used to the English, too.
So on p-days we go to this internet cafe and get about an hour and 15 minutes to email. And we start our emails between 9:30 and 10:00 in the morning. But before that we clean our apartment in the morning because it gets pretty dirty. Today I got to clean and mop the living room area. After email we go into town in a taxi to buy food because there aren't that many good places here in Bonaberi to buy food. Then we go to the Willis' for a bit and relax, eat dinner, and have district meeting. Then Elder Willis drives us back to Bonaberi.
My first Sunday was pretty good. We have church in this lady's house on the top floor. And it goes from 9 to 12. There is also English from 10 to 12. And this is actually just an extension of the same branch in Bonapriso, they have this "group" here because it was too far for people to travel.
Ok, so here is my schedule on a regular day:
-wake up at 6:30, and get ready and stuff until 8:00
-personal study until 9
-companion study until 10
-language study until 11
-then we go out and teach and stuff until 7 or 8 at night. We usually don't take time for lunch, but sometimes we stop in between appointments and get a drink or something.
-then we come back and close for the day and eat and talk and go to bed
So, there is my normal day. And Grant, the branch missionary was talking to me in French about something I couldn't understand while I was writing that. He only speaks French, except the missionaries have taught him a few English phrases like "cut the cheese" and important stuff like that.
Well, this computer is way slow, and I only have 20 minutes so I'm going to try to write to Spencer and Sang now. But I love you all and hope you're doing well.
Love,
Eric
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