Eric's email of January 1, 2011

                                 Elder Palmer and Elder Tingey on their apartment

                                              patio in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Well, I realized today that I do not know how to play sports anymore.  I am completely useless in basketball, I’m still ok at soccer but each time I shoot its pathetic.  But we did play football at the American embassy, and I did have 5 touchdowns, but next time I’ll probably play like garbage.

                So I’m writing you today (January 1) instead of on Thursday, because we switched our pday to today, because today is not a very effective day to work, because everyone will be partying.  People here party more on New Years Day rather than on New Years Eve.  But yesterday in the afternoon we had an activity, it was basically a talent show.  The missionaries sang a medley of "Army of Helaman" and "Called to Serve."  And at the end we did a New Zealand Hakka that Elder Tukuafu taught us.  Then I played the piano for the choir again, and also another mom and daughter who sang “Teach Me to Walk in …”, its page 195 in French.  By the end I was running out of gas, I plan on taking a break from all that piano playing for a while.

                Then we went over to the Thompsons, played some games and watched some “Mormon Messages” and such.  And we got home late, I was originally planning on going to bed early for New Years, but that didn’t happen.  But still woke up at 6:30, went and played soccer at Omnisport, and tonight we will go visit Jacques and then Blaise’s family.

                One goal I have made recently is to call my companion and other missionaries “elder” rather than “dude”.  Its hard, but I think I’m starting to make progress now.  Its like dude is just something stuck in my head that I saw for no reason sometimes. 

                On Tuesday this week, we had a “perfect day”, which is the equivalent in missionary work to a perfect game in baseball.  Kind of.  Basically it means we saw and taught all of our rendezvous and did not get any rattezvous.  It is a rare event.  And then we almost had another perfect day on Wednesday, we had taught 5 of our 6 lessons, and then a few minutes before the last one, Elder Tingey said, “It might be another perfect day again!”.  Well, then our last rendezvous ratté-ed us.  Il l’a maudit.

                Elder Tingey and I have also found lots more Anglophones, due to a line of coordonnées given to us.  We first started teaching a lady named Sister Hariette, then started teaching her with her neighbor Brother Fidelice.  Then at our 3rd rendezvous, their friend Sister Glory was there.  The next day we went and visited her, and she invited her friend Sister Nicoline.  And that night, after teaching Sisters Glory and Nicoline, we got a call from a guy named Brother Josie, who got our number from Glory.  And we have now also taught Brother Josie and his brother, Brother Elvis.  Horray coordonnées, and horray Anglophones.

                So Jacques is still progressing well.  For Christmas Elder Tingey and I gave him a white shirt and tie.  But for some reason the next day at church he didn’t wear them, even though I tied the tie for him.  A bit disappointing, but all well.  On Tuesday Elder Nsimba, our district leader, did his interview, and said he is good to go.  During his interview I tried to read Genesis on the front porch, and then a bunch of quartier kids came up and wanted to play with me, and then fight me and jump on me.  So I spent about 20 minutes fending them off, and my shirt got filthy.  But it was worth it.  Now we just need Jacques to wear his white shirt and tie tomorrow to Church.

                Blaise's family is still progressing very well also.  And we even fixed a baptismal date for Blaise, then 22e of Janvier.  I think the lessons we have with him are some of the best of my mission.  Elder Thompson even sat in on one, and told us later how impressed he was with Blaise and his progression.  I have finally also learned everyones name in the family, there is Papa Daniel and Mama Victorine, and their 6 children: Blaise, Blandine, Ghislen, Rigobert, Melchior, and Queentine.  The whole family sits in on lessons, most have already attended church, and especially Rigobert and Queentine are interested and read the Book of Mormon, and told us they will be at church on Sunday.  Its awesome teaching a complete family.

                And I would like to ask one question, that I believe I might have asked a while ago.  Could you (probably Dad) get me my Priesthood line?  I ask again, because Elder Tingey has his and pulled it out in a lesson once.

                Well, have fun going back to school, unless you have snowdays again.  Oh, and I also got a letter this week, with notes from the Hickeys, the Bertonneaus, the Hielesens, and the CTR 5s, so make sure to thank them for me.  And Sister Bertonneau asked whot kind of candy to send in a young womens package.  Tell her any candy is good, but that Starbursts and Sour Patch Kids are good too.

Je vous aime,

-          Elder Eric Palmer

     
Mom,

The choir is ok, there are about 10 people from Bastos 2, and a few missionaries came in to help, mostly with the bass.

And I haven't really bought any Christmas present for myself yet, I dont know if I will.  The (Utah ) Jazz t-shirt fits very well, and some other missionaries are jelous of it.

So thanks for everything, and the prayers, especially for Jacques!

Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer

Hey Dad,

So I haven't make any specific new years resolutions.  But I did recently make that goal to say "elder" rather than "dude".  About a month ago I made a goal to do 100 push-ups each morning, but the last 2 weeks I've slacked off bad, so I'll re-make that goal.

Vai Sikehema reminder to send me those articles.

And Ill go tell Scott to man up now. (Mark is trying to convince Scott to train for the 10K with him.)
Je t'aime,
- Elder Eric Palmer