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.




Saturday, August 27, 2011

LAST EMAIL!!!! Eric's email of August 22, 2011

Darn, we almost got out of doing internet.  The first time we came here the power was out.  So we went home so that I could start doing my bags.  But then the power came back on, then we walked back up the street, and now we have to do internet.
            So, Saturday was an awesome day.  We had Mormon Helping Hands, I think that happened in many countries in Africa on that day.  Here in Yaoundé, we went to Hopital Central to clean up the grounds.  Outside the fence there was loooooooootttttssssssss of tall grass and weeds, and we chopped it down Cameroonian style.  That means with machetes.  I’m not very good at that.  We chopped it all up, and they left it to dry and will burn it later.  At the end the mayor of something came to thank us I think.  We also got to where those yellow jerseys that say “Mormons aux Mains Serviables”.
            After the service project, Elder Wagman and I went home and studied a bit and got the baptism ready.  There were 3 people baptized from our zone.  The wife and daughter of frère Maurice were baptized.  Maurice got there literally right before the actual ordinance, then we took pictures again so he would be in them.  He had come to the service project, and had to rush back home and then come back for the baptism.  The other one baptized was a Frère Christian.  When he first got to Yaoundé, he had basically lost everything, his dad had died and a whole bunch of stuff and had nowhere to stay.  And he is only a 19 year old kid.  I’m not exactly sure what happened, but he somehow found his mom who he had never met since he could remember.  But for some reason he couldn’t stay with her and she couldn’t really help him.  So he found a job and has his own little place somewhere.  And also, when I interviewed him, I realized he also had a legit testimony of the Restored Gospel.  So, it was a good baptism.
            We also got transfer info that day after the baptism.  And, that was weird, and a huge bummer, that my name wasn’t on the list anymore.  And, as has always happened my entire mission, my companion is also transferred then same time that I leave.  We call that getting white washed.  When I left Bonabéri, Elder Lee got transferred.  When I got transferred to a different sector in Pointe-Noire, Elder Parsons left.  When I left Pointe-Noire, Elder Bally left.  And now when I go home, Elder Wagman gets transferred to Ekounou, to work with Elder Prince.  So, for the 16th time, it goes to show that transfers are unpredictable.  The older 3 elders here will be training, and Elder Tingey is becoming zone leader.
            Now, after the baptism it gets really interesting.  A member who is visiting Cameroon, went to take us to see a few family members.  We thought it was going to be quick getting there, and a short visit to let them know that new missionaries next week can come.  Well, there was a lot of traffic, followed by a 20 minute walk, followed by us having to eat some beignets and bananas.  So, the point is that took a lot longer than thought, and we wanted to go visit Maurice’s family that evening.  Then, trying to get out of the quartier, thinking that I knew the way, but didn’t, we ran into a Frère Joseph, a recent convert in Ekounou that I interviewed for his baptism.  I recognized him the second I saw him, and the first thing he said to me was “Elder Palmer, tu me vois dans les problèmes”. (Do you see my problem?)   Another member in Ekounou had had an accident that day, and was in a little hospital right there.  So, we talked for a sec, then went in, and we gave her a blessing.  She was very grateful, and then we continued on our way because it was getting dark.  I don’t know how long Joseph was standing in the road and such.  But Elder Wagman and I thought we were getting lost, but ran right into the person who needed some help.  Pretty cool.
            Then, it was already dark when we found the main road, and since their light isn’t too good at Maurice’s house, we thought it was too late and we’d go by a different day.  But when I called him, he said “Non, on vous attend!”.  (No. Come in) So, we went there, talked about the surprise of Elder Wagman’s transfer, talked about the confirmation that would happen le lendemain, and then gave us some delicious sauce tomate.  So, it was a very long, unorthodox day.  But a very good one.
            So yeah, that’s the highlights of the week.  I had my last district meeting last night.  I was on the lesson, we listened to a talk from the April 2009 General Conference that I had listened to earlier on the iPod about change.  Pretty much everyone in the zone is having a significant change, so it wasn’t completely selfish of me.  Sister Thompson gave me a worm bomb and malaria medicine for when I get home that I have to keep taking for 1 months.  (A worm bomb?????)
            Well, maybe it feels like I’m coming home a little bit more.  We went to do the almost last shopping today.  I started packing, hope to get that done tonight so that I don’t have to worry about it.  So, I guess this is my last mission email.  Unfortunatley I don’t have anything super profound to say.  If I do, its basically that l’Eglise est vraie.
 
Je vous aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer
 
To Mom:
(I saw more pictures of the temple trip on the Thompson's blog-)Frère Jacques... there Frère Jacques that I talked about, that got baptized by Elder Tingey and I, didnt go to the temple.  Probably another one.

(Do you have ice cream in Cameroon?)  Yes we have ice cream.  Elder Wagman bought some today to splurg since I'm dying.

(Please call us from Brussels)  I think its ok to call, but I'll check with the Thompsons.

This will be the first time I wear my suit since I landed in Douala.

(Do you know if there are any new missionaries coming?)  There are 3 newbs coming to Yaoundé, 2 coming to Douala.

I did my talk, but it was short.  I played for the choir, who sang numeéro 32 in french.  Oui, we had a baptism.

Well... on se voit.

Je t'aime,
- Elder Palmer
 
 

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