Eric's email of February 3rd, 2011

Well, we just got back from Mount Fébé.  We went up there before Elder Hancock and Elder Kapelé left, and tomorrow Elder Lamb and Elder Hansen will leave Yaoundé too.  Replacing them respectively will be Elder Garner, Elder Kabwika, Elder Prince (brand new !) and Elder Larsen.

The Bastos District before the last transfer

Also, Elder Tingey and I are the only companionship staying together on our side of the mission, out of 13 companionships.

This past week we spent a lot of time with Marina, the 10 year old who will be baptized this weekend.  I like teaching kids, because the lessons are super simple, and they usually understand pretty easily.  Or at least that's what they say to us.

Saturday we played soccer again, and we went with Blaise.  I got put in goal, and I stink at goalie.  One person knocked it over my head from half field because I came out a little bit.  But at least since I am so horrible in goal, they don't put me in anymore.

Speaking of Blaise, he also gave us a coordonnée of one of his friends who lives in Madrid, Spain.  So if Elder Pericle (a member from our ward serving in Madrid, Spain) gets a Cameroonian coordonnée, that's probably him !

And sorry, I forgot my camera, so I won't be able to send photos, but next week I will have a lot to send.

Elder Tingey and I have also continued with Blaise’s family, and on Monday we set a baptismal date for 3 of his younger siblings.  His parents and one other sister are going to take a bit more time, but are getting ready probably for sometime in March.  So the good thing is that the whole family is committed to being baptized, which will give them the greatest chance to progress towards the temple and all the blessings of the Restored Gospel together.

I also got out of translating in Sacrament meeting, and the other missionaries split it between themselves, and I just played the piano.  But I did end up translating for Sunday School.  It was the 5th Sunday, so the branch presidency taught everyone, anglophones and francophones.  So I was translating from French to English, and vice versa.  It kind of messed with my head.

We also helped the Thompsons’ (senior couple) move into their new apartement.  I didn't even know they were moving until they said they wanted our help last weekend.  So now, since I’ve been in Cameroon, all the missionary apartements, including the senior couples’, have changed except for the missionary apartement on the other side of Yaoundé and the couple apartement in Douala.  I don't like to move a lot.

Elder Tingey and I also had a nice surprise on Tuesday.  We went back to see a lady we contacted about a month ago named Soeur Catherine.  We hadn't been able to see her regularly because she was out of town and was also sick.  But Tuesday was the first time we saw her for probably more than 2 weeks, and we asked her how her Book of Mormon reading was coming, and she said she loved it !  She talked about Nephi and Mosiah and Moroni, and pretty much read the whole thing!  She says she studies it with her Bible and everything.

I’ve also learned that I say one phrase in french a lot : « c’est bien ».  Its just like saying « alright » or « okay », I don't really know how to explain it, but I just say it without thinking.  But I noticed this, because Soeur Melanie pointed it out.  She said to me, « tout est bien chez toi ».  Even when she told me how she still isn't really interested in the Book of Mormon, I said « c’est bien » just as a reaction or whatever.  Its not bien that she isn't interested in the Book of Mormon, but I just said it.  That was the first time she pointed it out.  I’ve realized its hard for me not to say it.

Elder Tingey also played 15 holes of golf today with Elder Hancock, and Tim from the American embassy, this morning.  I was too lazy/tired, and I’m not good anyways at golf.  I can do that at home, so I'd rather rest on p-day.

Also, for the je-ne-sais-combien-th time, (I don't know how many-th time) the Book of Mormon is the best.  I’m at the beginning of Alma now, and I’m finding stuff that I never knew existed in it.  And I also just finished the Part A of « Devoirs et Bénédictions de la Pretrise », (Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood) learned a lot there too.

Je vous aime tous,

-          Elder Eric Palmer

To Mom:

(Do your ankles still crack when you walk?)

My ankles don't crack when I walk anymore, I think, but I can still crack them at will.
(Have you heard about the protests in Tunisia and Egypt?)
I heard about something crazy going on in Egypt, but didn't know anything about it.
(Did you get the package yet?)
Haven't got the package yet.  I assume you sent it to Douala, so I'll either get it this weekend when the missionaries and the Headlees come up, or will have to wait a bit.

Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer

Hey Dad,

Was their lots of participation or precipitation in that storm?
(Mark was on a late flight home from Houston, dodging the big storm and typed " I was watching New Orleans weather because a big storm was headed their way but temperatures were supposed to be in the mid-sixties to seventy but with lots of participation.")
Send me a picture of Andrea in that hat.  Where did she get it?

(Andrea in her "raccoon" hat-she wears it everywhere!)

Well I don't know why you thought I was getting transferred.  Still in the Bastos 1 branch in Yaoundé with Elder Tingey, starting transfer #5 here.  Sorry for no exciting news there.
(How does the church's welfare program work in Cameroon?  (Can you tell Mark was the bishop?))
I don't really have any idea how it works here for the welfare program.  I assume it has something to do with paying tithing.

Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer