Monday, July 31, 2017

Salty Water Drinking Mormons

Okay let me tell you some things about Togo. The water is salty, I’m not sure why or where it comes from but even if you filter it or do what ever it’s just salty. What can you do? There are a lot more people here that know the church than in Benin. Instead of getting "are you Jehovah Witnesses" like we did all the time in Benin, we get a lot of "are you the Mormons?" So I don’t like that. I liked the clean slate I got in Benin. There are a lot less motos and a lot more taxis.

The language here is similar to Fon but just different that I don’t understand anything. Just when I was starting to understand a little here and a little there they change countries on me.

It does feel like I’ve restarted my mission in Benin I was at least oriented, now I couldn’t tell you where I am, but that will come with the time.

I have feared for my life a few more times here than in Benin. It was a normal sight to see parents beat kids and people get in fights. But just the things I’ve seen people use to do those things here, a drunk dad using a super thick stick on his like infant child who did nothing. The dad was just drunk and a woman and a man using big rocks to fight instead of fists. So seeing those two things was very scary.

I really like the branch here it reminds me of my home ward there are lots of people joking and some fun personalities. There are a lot of return missionaries and people who really understand what the church is supposed to be which I never found in abundance in Benin.

The branch is going crazy for the visit of the apostle who is coming in a week, Elder Renlund, so that is cool. It’s the first time an apostle will come to Togo and Benin since the mission opened, so for seven years or so.

The transfer took all week so we didn’t get a lot done this week.

And I got the chance of living in the worst apartment in Togo. The outside is alright and the placement is cool just the rooms are too small for two people to have beds in and they are not ventilated so they are super hot, but it’s only for a time.

I don’t have many cool stories but it’s just me and Kadima in this big house kinda lonely, but now is the beginning of my Togo adventures...
Packed up leaving Benin for Togo with my Togo tie

Seeing my dad, Mukendi, in Togo right after I arrived

My new companion, Kadima

The mattress I slept on my first night in Togo

My new mini room

The teeny tiny bathroom in my new apartment

Adidogome kitchen

Adidogome apartment

The courtyard in Adidogome. Yes, that is a vodka bottle. They sell oil and snacks in old vodka bottles - recycling is big in Togo

Laundry in the courtyard in Adidogome

"Tree of Remembrance" where missionaries who have lived there carve their name

My dad, Mukendi lived here

Roof of apartment in Adidogome