Eric's email of August 1, 2011 (Only 3 p-days left!!!)

Elder Palmer and a convert from Bonaberi-

Eric's first area.  Eric taught him at the 

beginning of his mission.

We just went to the souvenir marché place.  Not my favorite place to go shopping.  I’ll be happy to shop at Walmart and be left alone while I shop, and won’t have to discuss my price of everything.  I didn’t buy that much, but  got some ideas for stuff I’ll probably buy later.  In case I didn’t already ask, if someone has an idea of something cool to get let me know.  Because I don’t have any ideas.

            Oh, and Elder Wagman bought a sword there.

            So for missionary work, things are going really well with Maurice’s family.  We were about to extend the baptismal invitation last time, but some young man who came in at the end asked an unusual question, and we had already been there for a while, and the family decided to answer his question.  But that is our goal this week.  As usual, Maurice’s wife and one of his daughters seem to be the most interested.  Those 3 came to church again this week.  Since it was the 5^th Sunday, during the first block the Société de Secours and the Collège des Anciens were combined.  The branch president gave the lesson, which was titled “Fortifier le marriage grace à la foi et le prière”.  Both Maurice and his wife participated and such.  If you didn’t know them, you would think they were both longtime members.  Maurice and his daughter have also started attending institute, where they are studying the Presidents of the Church.

            We also started teaching the wife of Frère Paulin, a recent convert who was baptized in May or something.  I saw her once at his baptism, but hadn’t since her since and wondered why.  But we finally went and taught her one Wednesday.  So, the most awesome thing is, that they are actually like a real couple.  Elder Wagman said they were “cute”, but I don’t like to say that word.  And her husband had actually taught her a lot about the Church already, and she knew Joseph Smith’s story and all that.  The only reason she isn’t coming to Church yet is because of her current job, but she is searching so that by the end of the year she’ll have a job to be able to come to Church on Sunday.  But she said she already knows the Church is true, because her husband changed from being an awesome person to an even more awesome person, and talked about how lucky she is.  So, that’s legit.

            We also had a throwdown about the Word of Wisdom this week.  I don’t like arguing.  Or Bible bashing or whatever you want to call it.  We didn’t really Bible bash that much, but the guy didn’t want to understand, and his member friend who introduced him to us said “écoute, tu ne comprends meme pas ce qu’ils dissent” around 20 times.  It was kind of funny.  He also explained some things in their dialect.

            We also had an educational meeting with a member named Papa François.  He was baptized back in 2008, but some months after his baptism, he got really sick and can hardly walk now, which keeps him from coming to Church.  But, his story on how he found the Church is awesome.  One day when he was entering his house, he saw 2 Elders talking to someone, and he asked them “vous etes les quis?”, or who are you in cameroonian.  Papa François told us that they answered him by saying “nous sommes les mormons”.  Papa François said, “ah, bon… Entrez”.  And they taught him for the first time that day.  Hey said that a few months before, he had bought a CD of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing Handel’s Messiah.  He remembered the name Mormon, and the rest is history.  So, we will now have a new zone goal: whenever someone asks who we are, we will say “nous sommes les mormons”.

            Thursday we’ll be having zone conference.  President Jameson told me to do it on Ch. 13 of Preach My Gospel.  Elder and Sister Thompson will be teaching some stuff, as well as me, and also Frère Michel Olinga, who finished his mission last year and is now in Ekounou 2’s branch presidency.  And because of  Frère Olinga and another missionary who is francophone, the most part of this conference will be in French.  The only other zone conference I had like that was the one in Brazzaville.

            We had a really good lesson with Frère Patrice, but it wasn’t on anything in the Preach My Gospel lessons.  We talked about Provident Living basically.  I bet if Dad was there, he could have talked for hours.

            We also helped a lady crack nuts open this week.  (Not quite sure....)

            And now my return date seems farther away than it did last transfer.  Its weird.

            Um, I think that’s about it.  The Book of Mormon is true.

Je vous aime,

- Elder Eric Palmer

To Mom

(How many members/families went on the temple trip (for info on the temple trip, look up the Thompson's blog - I will never complain about traffic to the DC temple again!))  I'm not sure how many members, but in Bastos 2 I think 5 families/couples got sealed.

(You can save room in your suitcase home by not bringing missionary supplies home.)  Yeah, I'm not going to bring home that much.  But, remember the iPod mini and speaker Dad got for me?  How important is it that I bring that home?

(Andrea got contacts this week-how old were you when you got contacts?)  I think I was in 8th grade when I got contacts, because I had a jazz band concert just after getting them, and I think I was playing the bari sax.  I don't remember how look it took to get used to them, though.

(Which bedroom do you want to be in when you get home-with Jacob or on your own?)  For the rooms, Andrea is on the top floor, and Jacob is back in our old room, right?  I don't really have a preference, I can move back in with Jacob.

(I broke my Kindle this week-do you know what that is?)  No idea what a Kindle is.  Is my iPod still in tact, though?  (Yes, the iPod is fine, just huge in comparison to the new models.)

Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer

To Dad (self explanatory)

I'll take whatever calling someone gives me.

I'll help you install whatever flooring you want.

Yeah, I think I'll be good for cash.  Yes I have me credit cards.

Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer