Happy New Year,
The missionaries
were kept busy during the holiday season. The mission has a very nice
Christmas activity. It started at 10 am and is schedule to end at 2
pm. The activity in Togo was a week before Christmas and in Benin the
day before Christmas. They start out by playing 6 games. The
missionaries are divided into 3 groups and then depending on the game
are broken into small groups. I asked them if they enjoyed the games
and all of them said yes. Games such as pictionary and musical chairs.
There are some competitive characteristics that demonstrated. Even the
sisters are very competitive. Following the games a there is a nice
dinner and then the Christmas program. The program is put on by the
missionaries. Each apartment or two apartments in some cases sing a
song and include a scriptural reading. The mission president gives a
Christmas story presentation as well as sings. He is a very talented
musician. The accompanied himself with his guitar while singing.
The missionaries are
then presented with a gift. As they start to head back to their
apartments they linger to visit with one another.
The Christmas season is also filled with many member dinners for the missionaries.
New Year's frequently
includes dinner with members as well. Some missionaries get together
and cook a pig and eat it. This year we have a Tahitian who could
help.
The new year
has begun with Zone Conferences and Missionary interviews. The general
theme setting goals. Later this month we will have visits by two
different groups of general authorities. These include the area
presidency and other area seventies. I think there may be one from the
US. For one of the meetings Elder Vinson is having the missionaries
complete a questionnaire. It includes questions of evaluation as to
where the missionary thinks he was about 6 months ago and then where he
is today. Such as, are you reading the Book of Mormon everyday or
somedays, companion study, personal study, etc. He is also requested
that the missionaries read 3 or 4 assigned conference talks in
preparation for the training.
This past December we had very few medical issues. The few that we had were very minor.
Missionaries frequently lose weight as they adjust to their new
diet. The weight is generally muscle, since they don't get any real
exercise. They do a lot of walking but little lifting, nor running,
etc.
We are now experiencing
the dry season. This is the time when the high atmospheric trade winds
bring the sand (microscopic dust) from the Sahara desert. Many people
wear the surgical masks to minimize the amount of dust that gets into
their lungs. As far as I can tell there isn't anything to worry about. I
suppose if exposed for years it could have some negative effect. For
more than a year now we have been in what is considered a drought. The
other day when we were driving along a very sandy beach road there were
tow or 3 vehicles who were stuck in the sand. One small car was buried
past his wheel hub. Motos were having to get off and push through the
bad spots. If I were driving the mission van it may have gotten stuck.
Our trucks are very good, but I have used 4 wheel drive 2 or 3 times.
The missionary work is
steady. One great challenge that we have seen here is the inability for
the members to visit one another, like home teaching and visiting
teaching. The missionaries are asked to go and re-teach their converts
following their baptism. The missionaries build very positive long-term
relationships with their new friends. All of us could put into action
of fellowshipping in our own neighborhood, etc. Developing the depth
in leadership and teaching skills requires a lot of time and effort.
The members are doing well. We have missionaries playing the keyboard
for sacrament meeting. Thank goodness for mothers who had their sons
learn to play. The African missionaries do not play musical
instruments.
I mention that your sons
are very firm in their testimony. They have a great deal to learn and
are glad they have the opportunity to learn to pray, study and testify.
We are very proud of them.
There is always some new experience for them nearly every day.
Elder Semken
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