Eric's email of July 25th, 2011

         Charles (young man from Bastos 2) and Elder Palmer walking 
in Emana village.  Picture by Elder Tingey.

             I’ll be glad to not have on official p-day after my mission.  They are always rushed and give me a headache.  I didn’t have time to go to the marché to go souvenir shopping.  We’re gonna do it next week.  And, if anyone has any ideas of stuff they would want or what I could get, you can tell me.

This is a marché

 

            So, on Saturday we had a baptism!  Frère Maurice got baptized.  One of his daughters attended his baptism, and then his wife came to Church on Sunday.  But I almost had a heart attack at Church, because Maurice didn’t get there until the opening hymn was being sung.  Afterwards he explained to me, and it turns out that they got in the taxi to come to Church, and while they were in the taxi, they realized they forgot their money.  He said thankfully they had a nice chauffeur, but it still took them a long time to fix that and get to Church.  I was just glad he came to get confirmed.  And, again this Sunday his wife and that daughter came to Church all together!  And we are (finally!) going to their house on Tuesday to meet the whole family.

 Elder Palmer, Maurice's daughter Grace,  
Frère Maurice, Elder Wagman

           
             Also, lots of members of Bastos 2 went to the temple in Nigeria this week.  The Thompsons went with them, so I bet there will be more pictures and stories on their blog soon.  But the members got home, according to several reports, between 1AM and 4 AM.  And their church starts at 9, but they all came.  From behind the piano, I saw some people laughing during the last talk.  I think its because the branch presidency was falling asleep.  But I just had an awesome feeling during Bastos 2.  I’m very excited for their testimony meeting next week.

            With the new transfer, we also fixed our sectors, so that Elder Wagman and I are only Bastos 2, Elder Tingey and Elder Hansen are only Bastos 1.  Even though they have a lot more people to see, and have a nearly impossible job, it makes our life easier now, and will make theirs easier at some point in the future.  But I will miss those quartiers and some of those people.  I’ll have to visit them before I leave.

Elder Wagman & Elder Palmer

    
        Having p-day on Monday is different, but kind of nice.  The week still went by really fast, but I couldn’t really tell the difference between Tuesday or Saturday.

            With the new sectors, we have had some time now to find new people.  I’ve realized that here it is really easy to find people and even start teaching them.  But it is really difficult to help them progress.  So, we have already lots of new people, but now the hard part is next.

            We have made progress with Frère Jean-Paul and his huge family.  We have a baptism date with his wife and 2 more of his kids.  And nearly the entire family was at church on Sunday, a total of 12 came.  So yeah, there’s even more than that.

            Um, I’m trying to think of other things… I have another chord to connect my camera, so I’m going to try to send pictures again.  Also, for the marathon training, Elder Hansen and I decided that on my last p-day, since there is a 6 mile run on the program, we are going to wake up and run to the other missionary apartement.  And when we get there they will have breakfast waiting for us.  I’m pretty sure it will be 6 miles.

Je vous aime,

- Elder Eric Palmer