Elder Palmer (back row, 6th from left) is serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa mission for
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.


Eric returned home on August 27th, 2011!!!!!

He was transferred to Yaounde, Cameroon on August 13th, 2010.


Links listed on the left are from the senior couples and Mission President!

Comments in italics are clarifications from Mom.




Sunday, June 5, 2011

Eric's email of June 2nd, 2011

Oh, before I forget, I have a very important question to ask you.  Yesterday Elder Thompson told me that the Church Travel people emailed him, and said they need to know which airport I will fly into when I come home.  I don’t know if this whole possibility of going to Salt Lake is still there, so I told them I’ll ask you.  So, if you get this in time you can tell me if you know already.  Or you can tell the Thompsons if its later in the day or sometime soon.  I can't believe these things about going home are starting…
We got transfers !  And guess what, I’m staying !  Guess what else, so is Elder Tingey!  But guess what one more time… we are each getting a new companion.  So Elder Nsimba and Elder Prince both got transferred.  Elder Nsimba is going back to Kinshasa to be a zone leader with Elder Tumba, who lived with me in Pointe-Noire.  And Elder Prince is just going to the other side of Yaoundé, at Ekounou, to be with Elder Roldan.  And Elder Tingey is taking over Nsimba and Prince’s old sector, and he will be with Elder Hansen, who did 3 transfers in Douala, but started his mission in Ekounou.  And me, I’ll be with Elder Wagman.  He was in Pointe-Noire for 1 transfer when I was there, but recently has been in Bonabéri.  He didn’t live with me in Pointe-Noire, so I didn’t get to now him that much.  I know he’s from Georgia.  I hear he speaks French good. (well)  And they were supposed to get here today, but there was some kind of miscommunication, and the Douala Elders aren’t coming up until tomorrow.  So right now Elder Prince and Tingey and I are together until the rest of them get here.  Oh yeah, and Elder Tingey will be district leader for Bastos!
            We got the transfers on Saturday.  We all got together at the Thompson's that evening.  Since Elder Tingey and I are overbooked à la folie, (like crazy) we had our first rendezvous at 8 in the morning and had ones fixed until 5:00, then we had to be at the Thompson's at 6:30.  I’m really interested to talk to other missionaries and see what it was like for them.  Grandma Diane always tells me how lucky I am to be teaching so much.  I know it’s a blessing, but its tiring sometimes, and I wish I could have more study time.  Anyways… Elder Tingey keeps copying my email.
            I finished the Livre de Mormon this past week!  I don’t know if I have anything to say that I already haven’t said.  All I know, is that the quote by Joseph Smith in the book’s introduction is true 100%. (I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.)
            We learned something interesting about one of out investigators last week.  Soeur Fridoline, who is the coordonnée from Maman Natalie, has been progressing a bit, but kind of slowly.  But last week, she asked for a new Book of Mormon, because someone took hers.  She wouldn’t tell us who, she just said someone took it and won't give it back.  But she said she wants to start from page one and “connaitre vraiment ce qu’il y a dedans”. (really know what was inside)   So we gave her another, and from what she said I felt like she had a bigger desire than before to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  Later that weekend, we were at Maman Natalie’s house with her daughter, Mireille.  And Mireille told us really what happened with her first Book of Mormon.  Basically, the “apostle” from her old Church saw her Book of Mormon, and was upset that she had it, and wanted to tear it up, but just took it from her instead.  So, I guess that when the leader at her church did that, it created some interest for her to read it, since there was something in there he didn’t want her to read.  So, that whole ordeal could turn out to be very good for her.
            Today is also a national holiday here.  It’s the Ascension of Christ after his resurrection, so I guess in Cameroon that is a national holiday.
            Man.  Writing an email is difficult…  We have a new group of investigators.  They were a coordonnée from Soeur Ruth, a branch missionary in Bastos 2.  She referred us to her neighbor, Cedric, whose nickname is Chinois.  And the second time we went to see Cedrice, he went and presented us to his soccer team.  And so now we are teaching about 6 of them on a regular basis.  The 2 that are the most interested are Cedric, and Achoo.  I think they keep giving us their football name or nickname.  One day we asked for Cedric, and no one knew who that was, but they all knew who Chinois is.  Another one told us his name is Ballack, who is a German football player.  Anyways, Chinois and Achoo are the most interested, and they both said they want to attend church this weekend.
            And I almost forgot, but we are having a baptism this weekend, and Elder Tingey and I have one candidate.  Its Soeur Melanie, the one that got taught a lot by Elder Buck and Elder Garner.  She finally came back a couple weeks ago, so we are just tying up the loose ends.  She reads the Book of Mormon a lot, though.  We saw her 2 Tuesdays ago, and she was reading about Abinadi in the book of Mosiah.  Then on that Friday, she was already well into Alma.  She told us that one time she had a dream where Nephi appeared to her and told her to keep reading the Book of Mormon.
            Well that’s about it.  And I got news that the (birthday) package got to Douala last week, so I should get it tomorrow.  I can't believe its June.
 
Je vous aime,
-         Elder Eric Palmer
To Anne:
 
Well, I dont have much time and I didn't find any questions.  Just remember to figure out which airport I'm coming home to.

(It's been awhile since we have seen pictures!)  I forgot my camera, but next week I'll bring a lot.  If Elder Tingey sends pictures I'll get him to send them to you.

Je t'aime,
- Elder Palmer
 
To Mark:
 
I said transfer, right?

(Do Senior Missionaries get transferred?  How much longer do the Thompsons have on their mission?)  I've never heard of any couple missionaries getting transferred.  They have 10 or 11 months left.

(Do you have any plans for your birthday?)  I don't have any big plans.  I'm excited to read to conference Liahona.  Elder Wagman's birthday is allegedly on the 10th of June, so maybe we'll have to do something.

Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer

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