August 2016 in Cameroon

Dear Family and Friends,

Amazingly enough, another month in Africa has come to a close.  The month of August was filled with a great deal of sorrow, followed by joy.  I will explain.

One of the greatest prophets to live on this earth was the prophet Abraham.  He lived such an exemplary life that the Lord promised him great blessings.  That is important to us because through our righteousness we can inherit those same blessings and be called the children of Abraham.  Probably the most remarkable example he gave to us was his total submission to God's will, even when it was very very difficult.  That submission was most exemplified in his willingness to sacrifice his favored and beloved son, Isaac.  However, we read that at the last moment, an angel came and saved Abraham from sacrificing his son and the Lord provided a ram in Isaac's place.  Because God is no respecter of persons and wants us to be tried and tested as Abraham, he provides us with similar experiences, only the degree of intensity is not as great. We call these experiences "Abrahamic Tests".  In other words, not wanting to do something, but willing to submit to God's will and then "rescued" at the last moment. :)

Well....August provided us with one of those Abrahamic tests.  As the months have flown by, we have been training and loving the people in Cameroon, particularly Douala.  things are going well and the mission president asked for our recommendation in making Douala a district.  We gave a positive response and thus the process is going forth.  We have felt one of our purposes in coming to Cameroon was to help and train this soon to be created district.

In the mean time, the time for the area office couple (the Bill's) to leave their mission has been rapidly coming to an end.  Pres. Monga did all he could to try and replace them and keep us in Cameroon.  However, as the days approached for their departure, it became evident that the only solution was to pull us from Cameroon to the mission office in the Republic of Congo in the city of Brazzaville.  I particularly, have been imploring the Lord to find someone as a replacement so we could stay in Cameroon.  But no replacement came.  As a result, the end of August and the first of September, we went to Brazzaville to receive training as the area office couple.

Before we left, we said some tearful "Goodbye's" to some pretty sad people.  One branch president even called Pres. Monga and begged him not to take us.  But there was no other option.  The night before we left, Elder Call and I had a long and serious conversation about submitting willingly and not begrudgingly to the Lord's will.  I decided I not only needed to go to Brazzaville, but my attitude must be positive.

We arrived in Brazzaville and had a lovely time with Elder and Sister Bills and the others we met.  We both came to the resolve, if we were to spend the rest of our mission in Brazzaville, so be it!

After spending a few days of training, we returned to Cameroon for Zone Conferences with the Monga's and Jubber's.  (Elder Jubber is the Area doctor and lives in Johannesburg.)  While sitting at the dinning room table with Pres. Monga, he began looking at his computer and said, "This is interesting, we have some missionaries coming to our mission".  Elder Call looked over and said, "It is a senior missionary couple!"  By this time, I had also come over to have a look...and sure enough.  A couple is coming whose speciality is as an office couple.  I literally jumped up and shouted for joy!  So now, we will be going to Brazzaville only for 3 months until the Sorenson's from Pleasant Grove, Utah arrive to "rescue" us. :)  We will return to Cameroon in December to do what we felt we came to do.  When we informed our disappointed Cameroonian friends of the news, their previously sad faces turned to smiles.

Now for the quick synopsis of the other events in August.  First, our French teacher, Purita, received her mission call.  Since many here have no way of receiving mail, the call was delivered to us and then we had the opportunity of taking it to Purita and her family.  She was called to one of the missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and she is excited to go.

Opening the Call

                                                          Reading the Call

Mixed emotions of excitement and sadness to temporarily "lose" a daughter and sister.

Purita is certainly prepared in every way to serve a mission.  She has done the spiritual preparation on her own, but since she needed a little help with the physical preparation, Sis. Mbengue and I took her shopping.  Sister Mbengue provided the "shopping know-how" and I provided the financial assistance.

On our way to the market to get Purita ready for her mission

It was my first time driving in down town Douala, and I was hoping it would be my last; but that wish has not been granted.  I have had to drive down town again.

After the shopping, I brought the clothes home, washed and ironed them, hung them on hangers, and put them in a closet.  (We did our shopping at the open market and things are not clean.)  Anyway, when I showed Purita the closest of clothes, all she could say was, "Wow, I am so blessed!"  I explained that the apartments on her mission will have a closest (something she does not have) and washers and dryers.  She again said, "WOW!"  I said, "Yes, you will be treated like a queen."  Her reply was, "I am already a queen".  The significance of that statement is amazing when one understands what she has been through.  Before joining the church, Purita was abused physically and sexually and suffered much depredation.  However, she now knows, and more importantly understands her identity as a daughter of God.  Oh the blessings the Gospel brings!!!!  To also understand the goodness of this sweet girl, she said to us, "I can never repay you and Elder Call for what you have done to help me...but I can show my gratitude by being the very best missionary I can be."  I know she will keep her promise. :)

As with most months, August was spent with the junior missionaries.

We attended their district meeting and afterwards celebrated birthdays of two Elders turning 19 years old this month...

had them over for dinner/Family Home Evening and since the lesson was on the Book of Mormon, played scripture charades for the activity using only stories from the Book of Mormon...

visited in the home of a member (Elder Call and I provided the FHE lesson)...

and attended church meetings to meet and encourage their investigators. 

The name of the investigator pictured here is Dimitri.  He met Elder Call his first day in church.  After Elder Call told him he would attend his baptism, Dimitri announced that he wanted Elder Call to baptize him.  However, with the move to Brazzaville, Dimitri's  baptism will have to be performed by someone else.

Normally we would have also attended the baptisms, but we were traveling in August when they held them, so we were not in attendance. Working closely with the junior missionaries has been one of the sweet blessings of our mission in Cameroon.

The month of August was also spent with a trip to Yaounde to do training in the district there.  In addition, we handle the missionary's needs/concerns which also included transfers.   There were a lot of transfers in August in Yaounde, so we decided to invite the missionaries over for dinner and have a "Goodbye Celebration Party".  After dinner we gave them their transfer letters.  

Prepared to receive the missionaries.  I planned on 1/2 loaf of bread/missionary...all the bread was consumed.

A picture of 7 of the 14 missionaries holding their transfer letters.  Elder Call does a great job with transfers including the handling of the needed transportation for all the transferred missionaries.

As mentioned before, we also came to Yaounde to do training.  One of the training meetings was on how to organize a Young Single Adult program in their district.  The members of the district presidency were in attendance and also a good amount of Young Single Adults.  The training went well and we hope activities will begin occurring soon.  In the training we are clear to mention the purposes of the YSA program including the purpose to meet, marry, and raise a righteous family.  There are way too many unmarried YSA in Cameroon.  

A picture taken after the training meeting.  If you notice, there are more boys than girls. That is typical of Africa.  However, there were a few more girls at the training, they just left right after the meeting and before the picture was taken. The girls here in Africa need some lessons on flirting...

We also did a district training on budgeting.  It seemed to go well, but we never know if the people really implement what we train.  The next day, we trained a branch council (who had missed the training on Saturday), on how to budget.  After that, we saw another branch president and he invited us to his office.  We climbed the stairs to his office and as we entered we noticed on his chalkboard a budget and monies allotted to the various auxiliaries...just as we had trained the day before.  Elder Call and I were so excited to see it,  I had to take a picture. The branch president told us that before our training, they had never had a budget.

That may seem like enough things for one month, but just a quick mention of one...or two...more. 

When we returned from Yaounde, we began helping the New Bell Branch get a building to hold their church services.  Currently, they meet in a building outside their branch boundaries and it is difficult for their members to attend.  Cameroon has traditional been a bit neglected when it comes to physical facilities.  When Elder Ellis was visiting we took him to a building we were looking to rent.  The Physical Facilities Dept. acted so slowly, we "lost" the building.  After that happened, my "fight for my children" characteristic kicked in, and I decided to write an e-mail to Elder Ellis in the presidency of the Africa Southeast Area; thanking him for his visit, but also explaining our plight here in Cameroon.  Well.....that did it.  Things have now started to happen.  Another building was located and movement is going much faster and a contract has been given.  It is not as nice as the first building, but will be very adequate when it is fixed up a bit.  

The hopeful site for the New Bell Branch.

One of the other areas we have been doing training is in the YM/YW activities, so when we see results of that training, we get particularly excited.  In August, the New Bell Branch started planning activities for their Young Women.  Their first activity was having Sis. Call help them make cupcakes at our apartment.  It went well and the girls had a great time.   To give you a "flavor" of the African way, the manner I found out about the activity was typical of Africans.  The Young Women's counselor told me they were doing an activity.  I said, "Great, what are you doing".  She said, "We are making a cake".  I replied, "Good, can I come".  She then replied, "Yes, it is at your house".  The conversation all took place in French, so I was glad I knew enough French to learn I had just been put in charge of the YW activity. :)  

Making the cupcakes, all done from "scratch" and by hand,...no electric mixers.

                                                Frosting the cupcakes.

There is more...(including Suzy fixing a baptismal date for Dec. 24th when we return from Brazzaville) but I am getting tired of writing and I know you are getting tired of reading.  However, I am certain that our "adventures" in Brazzaville will not nearly be as exciting...and thus not as long...which is one reason we did not want to leave Cameroon. :) My thought is that we can focus our efforts in the Congo on learning French, which would be a great asset when we return.  

To end with, I again want to bear my witness of the joy we feel for the privilege of serving the Lord in Africa.  We were told by the doctor from South Africa, who visited in August, that only about 6-7% of senior couples have good enough health to serve a mission in Africa.  Elder Call and I are among the blessed few! 

Cameroon - July 2016

The summer months are passing in America, but in Cameroon it is the middle of the rainy season and not much change in temperature.  In June it rained mostly at night, but we were told that the rains would become more frequent...they were right.  It still rains most nights, but now it also rains most days.

July is also a month of many celebrations in America, with the birth of the nation and the celebration of the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley.  Though we didn't do much of those celebrations, we did have our celebrations.

However, I did have to do Something for the 4th of July.  Therefore, I made Rice Krispie Treats, printed off small American flags, glued the flags to toothpicks and delivered them to our missionaries.

Elder Call and I sang a tearful "Star Spangled Banner" at our apartment.  (There is no place like the  U.S. of A.)  Then, when we delivered the treat, one of the missionaries started singing it again.  There   are some great voices among the missionaries, so it was a more rousing version than ours.  

Our first celebration in July was a baptism in Bonaberi.  The baptism was a string of baptisms every Saturday for several weeks.  Baptisms are truly a reason for celebration.  

The next event in July was the hope for a future celebration.  One of the branches here are trying to find a new building to meet in.  Currently, they meet with another branch that is located outside of their branch boundaries.  The distance to church makes it difficult for the members to attend church, thus attendance has dropped.  The branch president, Pres. Mbengue, called us in July and said they had found a building and wanted us to go see it.  

                                  Pres. and Sister Mbengue at his optical shop

We met the Mbengue's at his office and drove to the building.  It was a beautiful building and would be a perfect  meeting house for their branch and for a possible District Center, which we are hoping for sometime in the future.  

Papers have been filled out and phone calls made in the hopes of being able to rent the building.  It is nicer than most buildings here, which is good and bad.  It would be a great place to meet, but is more expensive than other places.  The owner is also asking for a three year advance payment in rent.  Prayers are being said that somehow it will be approved and the New Bell Branch will have a lovely and closer place in which to worship.

The biggest celebration for the month of July was to welcome a General Authority to Cameroon.  Elder and Sister Ellis from Johannesburg, South Africa came to visit the mission. Elder Ellis is the first counselor in the Africa South-east Area Presidency and also a member of the First Quorum of Seventy.  It was the first time he had visited Cameroon.  Meetings with the missionaries and with the district members in Yaounde were scheduled.  Elder Call and I made arrangements for their stay, and prepared both apartments in Douala and Yaounde for Zone Conferences with the missionaries.  I particularly wanted both apartments looking good to welcome a General Authority; thus, cleaning and painting took place in both places.  

The apartment in Douala, waiting for Zone Conference with Elder/Sister Ellis and Pres./Sister Monga

After Zone Conference, Elder Call and I served everyone lunch.  I tried to prepare most of the food the day before so I wouldn't have to be in the kitchen the whole time and could also listen to the training.  While my duties required me to be a "Martha", I also wanted to be a "Mary".  The training was inspiring and insightful.  One thing Elder Ellis said was most interesting to Elder Call and I.  He quoted D&C 58:10 and told the missionaries while we were trying to establish the church here in Douala, they needed to seek out those who are mentioned in that scripture, i.e. those who are self reliant and can be leaders in the church.  

    

                                        Eating lunch after Zone Conference meetings

                          Elder and Sister Ellis with the missionaries in Douala, Cameroon.

After lunch, the Ellis' and Monga's took a plane to Yaounde and Elder Call and I drove to Yaounde in our truck.  We got there about the same time though it is a 45 minute plane ride and a four hour car ride.  

Since we were unable to prepare a meal in Yaounde, after Zone Conference we arranged to go to a restaurant for lunch.  

The Ellis' and Monga's with the missionaries in Yaounde at "The La Salsa" restaurant

The next day, Sunday, was District Conference.  The church rented a government building, but it was not large enough and members had to stand out in the hall.  It was a wonderful meeting with many inspired talks and Elder Call and I are even beginning to understand the French ones.  Fortunate for us, Elder Ellis does not speak French, so his talks were in English.  

There was a Primary chorus in which the children sang one of my favorite Primary songs, "I'm trying to be like Jesus".  It is a song which always brings tears to my eyes, even when it is sung in French.

After District Conference, we spent a few more days in Yaounde paying bills and just generally seeing to the needs of the missionaries. One of the greatest blessings of this mission is to interact with the missionaries....they are incredible...each one of them!

We returned home to Douala to end the month with one more celebration; a wedding...and what a celebration it was.  This was a couple in which Elder Call had met the young man at the beginning of our mission.  In visiting with the young man, Leonard, Elder Call learned that he had a girl he wanted to marry but did not have money for the "bride price".  Elder Call explained the church's position on the "bride price" and we both told him stories of young people we knew in Ghana who had courageously Not paid the bride price.  Leonard discussed it with his girlfriend, Chancella, she agreed that there should be no bride price.  Thus, she talked with her parents (her mother was more accepting than her father) but they went ahead and set a date and got married Saturday, July 30, 2016.  They gave us the honor of being their chauffeur for the day, since we actually have a car.  Many "wedding" cars are decorated, so we decided our truck needed a bit of decorating.  

                Our decorated truck or as they would say in French, notre camionette.  

The dress was given to me by a sister in one of the branches.  She is a seamstress and never even took my measurements or told me she was making me a dress.  One day at church, she just gave me a sack and inside the sack was this dress.  The people here are amazing in their love and kindness.  The dress was perfect for the wedding since her colors were blue, white, and gold.  

The bride coming out of the home where she prepared herself for her marriage.  She was escorted by a young man from the branch and her flower girl.

Leonard and Chancella waiting at the court house to be married.

                                                         It's official!

After the civil ceremony, we took them to the home where Chancella got ready.  Some food had been prepared but both Elder Call and I had "troubles" with our phones, so we didn't stay to eat, but went to the nearby MTN store to get our phones working again.  However, we returned to the home in time to escort them in our "fancy" truck to the meeting house for a program and celebration with dancing and food.  It was a great day!

So, though we missed the July celebrations in the States, you can see we had many celebrations of our own here in Cameroon.  We thank the Lord daily for the "celebration" it is to be on a mission in Cameroon where the church is just beginning to grow.   I didn't report on the many training meetings Elder Call and I had this month.  (I don't take pictures of the training meetings) The people here are anxious and receptive to learn how the church is supposed to function and we both feel humbled and honored to help.  The church is true.  I will share a training meeting we did on Family Home Evening.  We did a "mock" Family Home Evening and at the end of the "pretend" lesson I bore my witness about prayer.  Though it was a "pretend" meeting, my testimony was not pretend and as I bore it in my not-so-refined French, my emotions could not be contained.  God lives, this is His Church, I know that! :)

Cameroon - June 2016

The months in Cameroon are flying by and another blog is due to be written.

The month started with transfers.  The word for transfer in French is "mutation", which is fitting.  A "mutation" can be a good thing and a bad thing.  When transfers come, the good thing is that we get new missionaries to love; but the bad thing is we have to say "good-bye" to others that we already love.

Missionaries are much like our own children...they are the joy of our life, but they also "provide" opportunities for extra work.  The month of June was a month of broken "things".  First, the missionaries broke their couch and Elder Call (with the help of the missionaries) had to fix that.  Then they broke one of their chairs.  The chair was metal, so we had to take it to a welder.

                                         A picture of the men welding the chair.

You notice the lack of safety precautions used.  I was the one to remind the young man to put on his glasses.  Well, while we were waiting for the chair to be repaired, Elder Call noticed a man close by who was weeding.  Many may know that Elder Call has followed in the footsteps of his father and has become quite the gardener, which requires removing weeds.  He stood and watched the man cutting out the weeds, and the urge to weed overcame him.  He asked to borrow the man's tool.  The tool used here for farming and weeding is one of ancient date and requires the farmer to bend over considerably.  A back-breaking task indeed! After only a short time, Elder Call's desire for weeding was satisfied.

Baptisms occur here regularly and it is almost impossible to include all of them.  However, I do want to tell about Anita.  Anita is 17 years old, but will be 18 in November.  She had been investigating the church for about 1 year.  Her mother was very opposed to Anita joining the church, but finally Anita decided she could make her own decision about which church to join, and she decided to be baptized.  I met Anita at a baptism.  She came to see a baptism because she is terrified of water, and wanted to see a baptism beforehand.  I spoke with her and told her I would attend her baptism and then afterwards we would celebrate her courage.

Anita with the others who were baptized on the same day.

Anita just before her baptism.  The other girls are the branch presidents's daughters.

Outside the ice cream store where we took Anita to celebrate her baptism.

In June we invited our friend, Suzy and her son and grand daughter to church with us.  Afterwards, we came to our apartment for dinner.  Suzy and the children enjoyed church.  However, she has only attended church once since then.  When she learned we were not always going to be attending the same branch as she was attending, I think she was disappointed.  We love doing missionary work in Africa, but it is very hard for us to be "the fellow shippers" because we attend different branches. Suzy is still taking the missionary discussions and we will keep being her friend.  We hope some day she will decide to join the church.  

After church with Suzy and her granddaughter who is 10 years old, and her son who is 8 years old.  Her granddaughter is currently living with her because her daughter is taking care of her mother.  Got all those connections? :)

The pictures I am sending this time, may look like all we do is eat!  We were invited to eat at the home of Irene and Romeo Dim who are members of the Douala Branch; in fact, Sister Dim is the Relief Society president.   

Eating at the Dim's home

The food was delicious The conversation was delightful, but took an unexpected turn, the result of which we are now teaching a Temple Preparation Class in the Douala Branch.  Sunday was our first time teaching the class.  With the little French we know, it was OK.  Fortunately, Elder Call and I use the now new "Teaching In The Savior's Way" method of teaching which emphasizes  a lot of discussion and the class members teaching.  If we had to lecture in French, the class would have been the shortest class in the history of the church.  Also, as explained before, we attend different branches each week, making our teaching very sporadic.  The Branch president "fills in" for us when we can not be there.  

During the month of June we spent one week in Yaounde, which is the capital city of Cameroon.  Since the other senior couple have now gone home, we are now assigned to take care of both cities and both sets of missionaries.  There are 14 missionaries in Yaounde.

Yaounde is a little different than Douala.  It is inland from Douala and in the mountains.  This makes the streets quite hilly and the temperature cooler.  Cameroon is interesting in the fact that there are many nurseries by the side of the road.  Douala has several road side nurseries, but the nurseries in Yaounde are breath-taking.  Here is a sample. 

We paid bills (which have to be paid in person and with cash), took care of some missionary concerns, attended a baptism, gave two budget training meetings, and cleaned the apartment for the arrival of Elder Ellis who is a member of the Area Presidency whose office is located in Johannesburg. The apartment is quite a lovely one.  We thought we would include a picture as a possible enticement to any who might like to come on a mission to Cameroon...and specifically to Yaounde. 

I believe one of the greatest joys we experienced in Yaounde was going to church and seeing the young man who used to "walk" to church on his hands, who is now in a wheel chair.  The first time we went to Yaounde, we were introduced to this young man.  When we came back to Douala, I couldn't help think of the many we knew in Ghana who had received wheel chairs and wondered if this young man could qualify.  We pursued finding out what the process would be to get a wheel chair in Cameroon. To our great pleasure, a wheel chair was purchased.  I would have loved to have gotten his picture,  but I felt a bit awkward asking for it.

We returned to Douala to find some uninvited and unwanted visitors had moved in during our absence.  In French the word is "souris" in English, the word is "mice".  We had a suspicion just before we left for Yaounde, but there was no doubt by the time we got home.  I believe those who make up stories about mice being cute and adorable creatures, have never had to live with them.  We are now in the process of finding new homes for them...some may be "eternal homes".

Our days continue to be full of adventure...both physical and spiritual.  God is in this work and we see His hand daily in our lives and in His Kingdom in Cameroon.  

  

Cameroon - May 2016

What a month we have had!  There is so much that happens every week, it will be hard to condense it for our monthly blog, but here goes. :)

The month of May started with the Elders coming over to our apartment to Skype home for Mother's Day.  More than anything for me, it brought sweet memories of waiting at home for the much anticipated call from our own missionary children.  The American Elder's were excited to visit with family.  The African Elder's, however, were not able to Skype because none of their parents had Skype capability, but they did call home.

May included a trip to the city of Yaounde, which is the other city in Cameroon where we have missionaries.  We went with the other senior missionary couple, Elder and Sister Dimond, who have now gone home.  Besides visiting the junior missionaries in Yaounde, learning how to pay all the bills, speaking in church, etc., we did a little "site seeing".  Yaounde is the city where Cameroon was dedicated for the work of the Lord.  Elder Holland came to Cameroon about 2009.  He went to the top of a hill over looking the city and gave a powerful prayer for the preaching of the Gospel.  In the prayer he pronounced some  prophecies about the church in Cameroon including the construction of temples.  Some day those prophecies WILL be fulfilled.

Overlooking the city of Yaounde.  Elder Call is reading the prayer given by Elder Holland

Standing on the rock where Elder Holland dedicated the land of Cameroon

We were obviously in our P-Day clothes, because prior to visiting the spot of dedication, we hiked through an exercise park in Yaounde. There were various exercise stations at the park.  However, we did not participate in any of the exercise stations....except one. 

There was a basketball court with a young man playing basketball.  Elder Call watched him for some moments and then could not stand it any longer...he walked over and showed the young man how to make a three-point shot. 

As previously mentioned, we were able to attend church in Yaounde and the Saints there are just as great as everywhere else in Africa.  We attended a French speaking branch and an English speaking branch.  After Sacrament in the English speaking branch, I went to Relief Society.  During the lesson, I encouraged the sisters to share their feelings about why they joined the church.  It was great to hear  their experiences. :)  Unbeknownst to me at the time, there was a non-member who also shared her positive feelings about the church.  I felt such a unity and love for the sisters, that after class I asked if I could take their picture. 

The Relief Society sisters in the English speaking branch in Yaounde.  I am standing next to the investigator who "bore her  testimony" about the peace she felt going to our church

During the month of May, we decided to get to know the Elders better.  We have begun visiting their district meetings to learn of their needs, and also invited each apartment over separately for Family Home Evening.  We fed them dinner, played some games, watched a church video and just generally had a good time.  We have the greatest Elders in the church here in Cameroon!

The Elders from the Douala apartment "haming it up" after playing scripture charades for Family Home Evening

Elder Call visiting with the junior Elders in their apartment

The junior missionaries here in Douala have not had a senior missionary couple for some months, which may have contributed to the lack of cleanliness of their apartments.  Since we have learned that "sugar" works better than "vinegar", we told the Elders if they would clean up their apartments and keep them clean, we would celebrate by taking them for pizza and ice cream.  I suppose it was enough motivation, for they really stepped up their cleaning efforts.  Each apartment "won" a trip to the pizza and ice cream store.

The Bonaberi Elders

The Douala Elders.  Elder Cicon is frowning because he just learned he was being transferred.

Since we felt our French was in need of help, in May we decided to hire a French teacher.  Our teacher is a 20 year girl who is a member of one of the branches in Douala.  She was a great help to translate for me the first time we visited the branch and I felt impressed to ask her to help us with our French.  After visiting with Elder Call, we both decided to ask her to be our French teacher. She comes over one day a week to not only help with French, but anything else we may need, like shopping.

Purita, our French instructor

Purita's life, as with many who live in Africa, is not an easy one, but she remains positive and happy.  She is also preparing to serve a mission, so she often goes out with the missionaries.  One of her "jobs" in the church is to wash the baptismal clothes after each baptism, which is not an easy task.  Baptisms occur often and her washing facilities are primitive. 

At the big marche with Purita where she helped us find mosquito nets for the Elders

Missionary work here in Cameroon also went well in May.  The missionaries had several baptisms after going for a few weeks without any.  We feel the unity and love that has grown among the Elders has truly helped with the "work".  

Some of the baptisms in the month of May

I told the Elders when one companionship has success, they all succeed.  So at each baptism, I take a picture of those getting baptized and ALL the junior missionaries.  I then print the picture and tack it on the missionary's wall.  Soon, their wall will be covered with the success they have had working as a team.

The junior missionaries are not the only ones to have success in missionary work.  Elder Call and I have also had a chance this month to share a Book of Mormon and will be bringing an investigator to church in June.  There is a wonderful African shop that we have visited a couple of times.  There was an immediate bonding with the owner, Suzy, even though she speaks little English and we speak little French.  She made me a purse and when I went back to get it, I also saw an African picture I liked.  When I asked the cost, she said it was not for sale, but she would make me another one.  We went back at the appointed time to get the picture and she informed us that she had not had time to make us a picture, but she would sale the one she had.  I hugged her and thanked her.  I then asked if she had read any in the Book of Mormon we had given her previously.  She told us she had and then she pointed to my missionary badge and said, "I want to go to your church".  

Suzy, the shop owner.  The purse I am carrying is the one she made for me.

Since we do not always go to the same branch each week, we decided on the week we could take her to church. When we went back to remind her about going to church with us, she asked if her girls could come too.  :)  She has been married, but is now divorced with 2 girls.  After assuring her that her girls were welcome, I invited them over for dinner after church, AND also asked if we could bring the missionaries by to meet her.  She happily said, "Yes" to both offers.  The other wonderful thing is the last time we visited her shop, her cousin was there.  He seems like a fine man and has a wife and children.  Elder Call invited him to also come to church and dinner.  We may have a houseful for dinner next Sunday, and will be excited if we do.  

The picture Suzy made that now hangs on our apartment wall

I have one last experience to share that happened in May.  When we came to Cameroon, we wondered if the Young Single Adults shared the same problem with "bride price" as they did in West Africa.  It did not take long to find out that they do.  After Elder Call did a training on Welfare Principles at one of the branches, we met a fine young man who is the branch mission leader and a returned missionary, but not married.  Elder Call pursued the reason for his unmarried status and he mentioned he had a girl friend, but they could not get married because of the bride price.  We then shared with him the wonderful examples of faith and courage among our Ghanaian "children" who followed the council of the brethren and got married without paying the bride price.  The young man, Leonard, said he would talk to his girl friend.  A few days later, he called us and said he indeed had spoken with her and she agreed there should be no bride price.  When we visited  that branch again, I spoke with Leonard and asked him about his marriage status.  He told me his girl friend had agreed that the most important thing was to get married and she was going to go against the wishes of her family and they were planning on getting married in July!  

A picture of Leonard (on the left) and a couple I met at church.

I don't remember the name of the sister, but I told her I liked her dress and wanted a picture  because I wanted one.  The dresses here are called a "kaba".  They are gathered at the bodice and are flowing and  comfortable.  I bought one when we were with Purita at the marche, but it is too big. :(  The man next to the woman with the beautiful dress is her husband.  I have no idea who the other fellow on the right is...when you go to take a picture here, everyone wants to be in it. 

I think I will end with May's adventures though I have not even mentioned Zone Conference and transfers.  OK, I have to say one thing about transfers.  We had two Elders from the States coming to Douala who had been at the MTC in Ghana.  There was a mix-up, so when we went to pick them up, they were no where to be found!  Needless to say, our mission president didn't get much sleep that night.  However, I am happy to report they were found...in another city.  We did finally get them, fed them, gave them their sheets and mosquito nets etc, took them to their new companions and they seem to be doing fine.

I will end with my testimony about missionary work.  Twice this month, we had a visit from our mission president, President Monga.  He is a wonderful and inspiring man and it was good to spend time talking with him.   While having a meal at our apartment he did tell us that missions were supposed to be a sacrifice.  Though I believe him, I do not feel we are sacrificing much.  I liked Elder Call's response to Pres. Monga about a missionary being willing to sacrifice.  He said, "It may be a sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice that brings much joy".