tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66783056213295703732024-02-18T23:21:51.518-08:00Riley in Africa Riley's adventures serving in the Benin, Cotonou mission. Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-72989863954843770232018-08-13T12:31:00.000-07:002018-08-13T12:31:07.938-07:00I'm back!Well, what can I even say to sum up my mission. I thought about writing a "what I wish I would have known" but I realized that's not the best idea because my mission was specifically built for me by God. He knew what knowledge I had and exactly what trials to give me to shape me into a morally better person. I don't have much to say about the last week of the mission. I worked hard. I had my last baptism, fixed up one last couple and the person the sisters' baptized with us was someone Gardner and I first contacted. I visited the Mikamona's for a last supper. I got to see the "Benin Boyz" all together since the first day in Benin. Well, we did start with 16 and we were 11 by the end. We had a cool testimony meeting together and the advice President Goury gave us with his encouragement and testimony was amazing. He was really called of God to be our mission president.<div>
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This whole week I was feeling many, many mixed emotions. The only world I can remember is Benin. I know coming home will be a much bigger culture shock. For example, we had a short stop in Niger on the way to France. A guy got on with apple headphones, but it was stupid because for some reason he had snipped the cords off. So he only had the buds in his ears. I thought it was super weird, but wow, I was too quick to judge. I get to France and this trend of buds only is a thing. I soon figure out this is the new iPhone thing and I bet in a few days I'll have those weird things in my ears too...dang it. I thought that was funny. In the France airport we all had the hardest time using the automatic soap and water dispensers. </div>
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I have learned SO many things on my mission. I am so glad it was so hard. I think the biggest lesson I learned is that God, our Heavenly Father, plays an incredibly active role in our lives. His hand is everywhere. He is a perfect being and His only job is to help us get immortality and eternal life. He is always doing many things to help people become ready for the gospel. He often uses angels, angels are beings that help accomplish the work of God. There are unseen angels. However, humble servants can be God's angels if they listen to Him and do what He says. If God has the choice between spirit angel or person on the earth angel, He will send the person every time. I was helped by angels on my mission. I am so glad God helped me be an angel for others. He loves us, He sees us, He knows us, He is always there. I have seen it, I can't deny it.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Last Baptism</div>
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Good bye to the Elders Quorum President in Fidjrosse<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRGQbUPYLm8ZQvqw6h422bKT4d3DbkoEZ5_XnrLprnS4OhhKmJooLQR1ud8OvLL1Khh4OxL2_9XWmUTUADNePzaC-u-kYq2dEHHrYMo31WKCTxGnp44kme3jO-TMC49vFNypZtgr1s-g/s1600/2018_08+goodbye+Fidjrosse+members+1.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRGQbUPYLm8ZQvqw6h422bKT4d3DbkoEZ5_XnrLprnS4OhhKmJooLQR1ud8OvLL1Khh4OxL2_9XWmUTUADNePzaC-u-kYq2dEHHrYMo31WKCTxGnp44kme3jO-TMC49vFNypZtgr1s-g/s320/2018_08+goodbye+Fidjrosse+members+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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Saying goodbye to people in Fidjrosse - including recent converts</div>
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Goodbye Mikamonas</div>
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Goodbye Gardner</div>
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The Goury's saying goodbye at the airport</div>
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On the plane home with Dorsey</div>
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The top part of the picture is the "Benin Boyz" first day in Africa in 2016 (with Nubert the office elder at the time). The bottom part is our last day in the same spot 2018. (with AP's McKrola and Martial)</div>
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Back in Iowa (hugging my mom)</div>
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With my family in the airport. My brothers grew taller!</div>
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CARPET!</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-63237022108922581812018-07-30T07:24:00.000-07:002018-07-30T07:24:23.234-07:00An old Man's prayer & Mission Evo!I’m not gunna like my brain is super scattered now. I have only one full week here on the mission. I have this week filled with rendezvous’ so I can stay focused, but it’s gunna be a big mental battle.<br /><br />I don’t remember much of what happened this week except for one thing that made my mission. Remember that old guy last week who got easily confused that Peter was Fabrice. Well, he with his super sweet heart, made my life with a prayer he offered. When we first met with him we asked him to pray and he said he didn’t know how so we gave him the assignment to read in the brochure. There is a little box that explains the steps of prayer under the title how do I pray? This week we ask him to give the opening prayer. This is his prayer word for word translated into English:<br /><br />"Heavenly Father, Express the feelings of your heart. Gratitude, question, request to confirm the truth of the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the missionaries in the name of Jesus Christ, amen"<br /><br />We were shocked he took the time to memorize that little box and that had been all of his prayers from when he read it until we saw him. But he was so sincere. We were so happy and we helped him see that the part in the middle were just suggestions and he can pray for what he wants. <br /><br />So, this is the last week I’m going to get to write a weekly email. I will probably add any pictures taken when I get home, just so you know. Next week I’ll have two last baptisms. We’re baptizing the wife and child of a recent convert trying to complete his family, so that is super exciting. A really great way to end the mission. <br /><br />Well, I can’t believe this time has come. I remember one moment in my mission where the realization hit me that I had not yet seen Jesus Christ. However, this is not a super big deal it kind of surprised me. Because over these last two years of my life I have come to know my savior in a way I never could have otherwise. I have relied on His strength and promises so many times to get me through so many situations. He has always helped me with my best interests in mind. <br /><br />The Benin Cotonou mission was exactly the mission I needed even though there were many, many times where I thought this place was outer darkness on earth. I’m so grateful for the adversity. The comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing grows there. <br /><br />My knowledge of the Gospel has so greatly increased, I can’t believe it. The little testimony I shared in primary are the exact same words I share today. But now I share them with so much more confidence and personal experience that support what I have always said. There are eternal truths. The Gospel is real, it works. The church is true. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. And Russell M. Nelson is his prophet!<br /><br />See you all real soon!<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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One last thing made in pine</div>
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Some lady looking through our trash</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-74993361944328654132018-07-23T06:01:00.000-07:002018-07-23T06:03:34.380-07:00Thou art Fabrice, and upon this rock I will build my churchFirst, a funny story. Last Sunday Gardner was teaching a lesson about the organization of the church in our gospel principals class. And he asked who was the prophet after Jesus Christ died? The room was kind of silent... so he looked at me as if he wanted me to respond to help the class out. But then I saw that one of the investigators in the class named Fabrice whispered the answer. So, I looked at Gardner and pointed and said "Fabrice." But Gardner didn’t hear and so he looked over to where Fabrice was but his hand wasn’t raised. Fabrice said the answer again, "Peter," but he said it so quiet Gardner didn’t hear. Gardner looked at me again and asked who had the answer. I said, "Fabrice" but the room was kind of noisy so he didn’t hear so I raised my voice and said, "Fabrice, Fabrice!" Gardner calls on Fabrice and finally the response to the question is given, "Peter" and it’s all good. However, in the class that day was an old man, and this whole exchange confused the heck out of him. When we went to his house to go over the lesson we found out he thought the name of Peter was Fabrice. So, when we explained the organization of the church he would get super confused. We would say Peter, and he would try to correct us, "do you mean Fabrice?" Through the whole lesson I didn’t connect the dots why this old man would think Peter’s name is Fabrice. I thought back to Sunday and realized what had happened. When I was telling Gardner to call on Fabrice, he thought I was giving the answer. But for the moment in the life of the old guy, Joseph Smith received the priesthood from Fabrice, James and John. <br />
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On Tuesday in our district we had planned an activity to say good bye to Elder Djossou, who was in my apartment but left on Thursday because his visa came for his real mission in Sierra Leone. Everyone was told to make something from their country. Gardner and I woke up early and made a bunch of french toast. However, when we were about to go to district meeting all the sisters in our district called in sick. We ended up going any way and eating a bunch of french toast with the zone leaders who also had planned to come. <br />
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On Wednesday we had a service activity. The stake center here has some patches of grass around it. Whoever mowed and cleaned these grass patches when the stake first was built had stopped a long time ago and they had become super gross. So, we all got together and cleaned them, cut them, trimmed them up and also cleaned up other parts of the stake center. It was a good activity. Way better than the disservice we did in painting that house. <br />
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This place does a great job at weirding me out. We went over to one of our investigators house and the guy said, "hey you guys are Americans, right? Well I got two cousins that are visiting form the US, you can talk to them in English." So, this 9 year old girl and this 5 year old boy come out, and it was too weird. They spoke real American English. They lived in New York and Atlanta, Georgia. But the bad part is that the little boy was a typical snotty little American kid and he disturbed us the whole lesson. I tried to distract him on the side while my companion taught, so I tried to show him pictures in the brochures and ask what he thought the people were doing. He said American things I had long forgotten about "they’re poopy-heads, they’re ugly." Typical things a snotty kid would say. I have gotten so used to African culture where all kids don’t understand me and they are all kinda scared because I’m white. Not gunna lie those American kids intimidated me because they were more American than me. <br />
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We also walked a ton this week!! I made it a personal goal to go to every bishop’s house in every sector and I’ve done it so far. I just needed to go to the bishop’s house here in Fidjrossé, but dang he lives far away. It’s a two hour walk if you walk fast but that’s just going there it’s another 2 hours back. Gardner lost his mind on the walk back he started saying “hi” and using all the Fon greetings he knew on people to make them laugh because if you want to make someone laugh super hard here all you have to do is be white and speak their language. It was some funny stuff. <br />
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Making french toast</div>
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MY SON! Kouadio came to visit me in the cyber</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-56957215947114065532018-07-16T07:48:00.000-07:002018-07-16T07:48:13.304-07:00Appointments are freeeeeeee, free fallin' throughWell this week was interesting. One of the funniest things that happened is we were walking in the sector and this bigger lady was walking towards us. Instead of just passing us quickly she grabbed my companion and kind of takes him to the side of the street and looks him in the face and shouts "YOVO!" into is face (meaning white in Fon), then she just walks away smiling. I was thinking Gardner must know her and it must be a joke so I asked him who the lady was. My shocked and confused companion says, "I have no idea". Then I laughed so hard I cried because it was just so weird. <br /><br />I have an even stronger testimony about how God always answers prayers. I was out in the sector this week and all of the sudden my lunch decided to betray me. This reminded me of my horrible experiences in Togo running back to the apartment in complete stress. I realized that I could not make it to the apartment with my current situation but I did not ask God to take away this trial I just wanted a way to fix it. We turn a corner and before me was my answer, a big section of tall weeds and bushes. So, in I ran! (Mom, idk if you want to add that story, but there it is.) <br /><br />I’m not quite sure what it is but there is something here that happens a lot. Here is how it goes. We find someone we ask if they want see us. Everyone says yes, but you use the spirit to see who really wants to see us. Then you pick one and call, hey when can we come see you? They say I’m free Tuesday at 15h00. We say great. Right before we go out there we call again, and say hey can we still come. 60% of the time they will cancel here, but if were really unlucky they will say yeah come. We walk to their house; sometimes crazy distances get there. We knock on the door. No answer, ask the neighbors, they say they are not there. We call the phone and there is no answer or the number no longer works. We wait for 15 or 30 mins. They never show up and that’s what we call arretez-vous. They are the worst and that’s been my whole mission. However, this week was bad we had a ton of people fall through. We always were able to pull off something except for Sunday afternoon. We weren’t able to find anyone because I guess there was a World Cup and the whole country went to drink out of it or something. I don’t know, but all I know is that I don’t like soccer at all. <br /><br />We had my last zone conference this week it was really great. Linderman and a sister in my district gave really great lessons. I got to see Dorsey, that was great. And I saw my ex-companion Elder Martial, all good stuff.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Our district eating some good traditional food</div>
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The tall weeds and bushes</div>
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Everyone tried to find where they could watch the World Cup. So people were in the streets looking into little shops with TV's.</div>
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</style>Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-60437426321145839252018-07-09T07:31:00.000-07:002018-07-09T07:31:11.705-07:00So many Mangez-vousThis week was a week full of work, which is great. I remember back in the day when I was with my old companions and it was their last few weeks in the mission. I was always trying to push them to work harder, but they kept saying, “hey I’m old on the mission. When you get to where I am you will understand.” Well guess what? I’m here and they were lying because I’m at the end and I have even a greater desire to work and make the last few moments count. I’m being the most obedient and working the most efficiently I have my whole mission. So being lazy at the end of your mission was just a vain tradition of my fathers. <br /><br />There are lots of families here that our super nice and even though money is always tight they often save up to try to feed the missionaries. There are some people that have a little more money and want to feed the missionaries more often. Now there is another level, I have met two families like this on my mission. There are the families that if you pass by their house, whether you have time or not, they’re gunna feed you a meal. I had one in Hevie and I found a new one here. It is a couple in the ward where the husband is member but the wife is not. If we go over to their house we are gunna eat, and we’re gunna eat a lot. However, the first few times we didn’t realize it was gunna be like that. So, we got surprise fed a bunch of food right after we had eaten lunch, twice! But now we can plan on it. Here the food is never weird, I’m so thankful. There is no pig feet or cow brains. Whatever we’re gunna eat if it’s rice, spaghetti or pat, I know it’s gunna be a ton. In our mission, we have terms for these kind of rendez-vous we call them mangez-vous and since I’ve been here I’ve had so many. <br /><br />I talked about it raining a lot last week. Well, there was a huge hole in our wall, Big enough for a softball to go through and so much water came through that hole. So, we called the mission and they sent a plumber to patch the hole. Afterwards I came into my room and like I expected there was a bunch of cement chunks on the floor and all over my bed. So, I just started cleaning it up automatically. Then I realized wait, what kind of service was this? This man came into our house and just got the place super dirty and left and I thought this was just normal because that’s how things work here. Haha and I realized I’ve been here a long time because that plumber in the US would have had some complaints filed against him.<br /><br />This week I got to do a split with my zone leader Elder Linderman, my MTC companion. We have not been in the same country for most our missions but we have seen each other from time to time. We went through how our missions have changed us and how much our testimonies have grown. It was super fun. We went out and taught something we hadn’t done together for almost two years. It was so fun to see the difference of teaching after years of experience compared to when we didn’t even know French saying who knows what in the MTC. <br /><br />We found an investigator the first day I was here named Chris. He called us over to ask what we were doing. We started teaching him and asked him to do what we ask everyone to do and that is to pray to see if our message is true, and that if he prayed sincerely he would receive a response. He, unlike most others, actually did it and read the parts in the book of Mormon we asked and he prayed. He explained how he felt the presence of someone enter the room and it gave him the chills and he told us without a doubt he knows we were sent from God. It’s so cool to see how fast God accomplishes his promises if we do what He asks. I mean I have a huge testimony of this gospel but it’s so great to see others gaining one for themselves. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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The patched hole in the apartment</div>
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Me with a rice cooker</div>
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Fidjorsse apartment</div>
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There aren't weights in Fidjrosse, so I use a stick and two bottles of bleach as my weights.</div>
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These guys wanted to fix the roof, but had no ladder. So they put two rickety tables and a chair to get up there. It was super sketchy, so we took a secret picture.</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-83384516256138594342018-07-02T08:25:00.000-07:002018-07-02T08:47:32.384-07:00Fidjrossé, a great place to dieLet's do the numbers. This week I walked into my 7th area on the mission I met my 12th companion and I feel like this is the perfect situation in which to die on the mission. There was a super cool young man waiting for his baptism his name is Marsel and he became my 25th baptism this week. <br />
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Fidjrossé is a cool sector. It’s right by the beach, it’s also right by the airport. So, the constant sound of airplanes talking off is great to help me concentrate on the mission. However, I do feel super focused on the work. There is a lot of work to be doing in Fidjrossé. Like I said we got to baptize a young man. He had participated in that big celebration of the 100th stake last week. I didn’t get to know him for much before his baptism, but he asks a lot of good questions and we clicked pretty fast. He chose me to do his baptism, so that was cool. <br />
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Sadly, as I have said, something has to go wrong for the baptism curse. When we got to the building where we were supposed to do the baptism (because our ward building has no baptismal font) the font was not filled yet again. But this has happened so many times on my mission it was barely a shock. We just started filling up the font and pushed the baptism back two hours. <br />
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I have talked about how when it rains it floods everything, right? Well this Sunday either Satan had control of the weather or God really wanted to test the faith of the members and investigators of the church because it rained hard all Saturday night and all Sunday morning. The streets were soaked. We had to do some crazy routes like climbing in trees, over cars, hop on stones and bricks to avoid falling into huge lakes that had formed on the streets. A walk that normally takes 15mins to the church took 45mins. When we got there, just on time at 9h00 there were only three members at the church building. It kept raining all of church. People slowly came in, but going home was a nightmare with even more water. As I have said before, if it rains in Benin it’s as if the church is no longer true. Let’s just say that no missionaries in our whole mission had investigators that came to church last Sunday. <br />
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I’m with my new companion, Elder Gardner from Idaho. He is cool. I’m also in the apartment with a missionary from Togo who is waiting for a visa to go on his real mission to Sierra Leone. He is cool; he is working with what we call a mini-missionary. A member here in Benin who comes early in the morning, works with him the whole day, and leaves at night to sleep at his house. It is cool because between the two of them they speak all the tribal languages people know. We are doing our best to pick up phrases and work with them. It’s pretty fun. I’ve never lived with either of those nationalities before. I’m also a district leader for four sisters so I’m trying to help them out as well. <br />
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Things are going good. <br />
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Final picture with Gbego kids</div>
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New Companion, Elder Gardner</div>
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Baptism in Fidjrosse</div>
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<br />Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-57868819480767555912018-06-25T14:26:00.001-07:002018-06-25T14:26:31.447-07:00KEMBO-KEMBOWell, right after leaving the cyber last Monday we went to a family home evening, it was fun. I taught a lesson on spiritual gifts that went over well and then came the dinner. The dinner was classic pat with a tomato sauce and fish. It was really good actually, but the amount they gave us was insane. But as is the culture here you have to finish. But you have to be carful. If you eat too fast, they will add more of that hot dough on your plate. After eating that they gave us each a bottle of bisap, a drink made from hibiscus. I don’t know what did it but that large amount of pat and bisap killed all of us that were there. McKrola was the least affected, but Kerr, Naneon and myself were all suffering all night long and then the next day on the toilet. Oh, how it hurt. <br /><br />Then we had another family meal the next day with a member. That meal we had a special pat where they use basically rotten corn to make the corn flower. It’s pretty intense and it’s pretty bitter. Anyway, we ate that and the 3 year old daughter of the family took some pictures. Some look really weird. I’ll put some down below. <br /><br />One day in the past when I was with Martial we went to eat somewhere and we saw a guy with his daughter. Martial’s heart was softened and he secretly paid for his meal (the guy with his daughter) and ours on the way out. Martial just wanted to do a random act of kindness. Anyway, I totally forgot about that until this Wednesday when walking out of the church after a district meting a guy stopped Naneon, thinking it was Martial, and thanked him for paying for his meal a few months earlier. Naneon explained it wasn’t him but that it was Martial and I. I saw the guy and I remembered the time we did that. So we got his contact. Turns out he lives right by the church and Kerr will start teaching him. <br /><br />On Saturday there was a huge talent show to celebrate the creation of the 100th stake in West Africa (Nigeria). So, here in Benin we all went to the Stake Center. I saw lots of members and converts and my converts, the Mikamonas, did two songs in the show, they were the invited guests. It was so cool to see them sing because that is what Papa Mikamona does for a living. I bought his CD after. It was so cool. His singer name is KEMBO-KEMBO.<br /><br />We had yet another baptism with a bunch of problems. We put the baptism at 15h00 because the celebration at the stake center was supposed to be at 10h00, But, it ended up starting two hours late, which really screwed us over. So, all of the branch members were at the stake along with one of our candidates while the other candidates were headed to the branch for the baptism. None of the members wanted to leave the stake talent show till it was over. So, we did a bunch of scrambling and yet again the font did not get filled all the way. Kerr had to baptize with just a tiny bit of water. But in the end Romans 8:28 pulled through for us again and everything worked out. <br /><br />It was sad saying goodbye to Cocotomey. I bore my last testimony there. It was great to see the ward totally full. I baptized 9 people while here and over the time I’ve been here I’ve seen 17 baptisms total. It’s been great. The branch has progressed so much. I also gave two blessings for the sick because it is rainy season everyone is gunna need blessings because everyone gets malaria this time of year and that is super hard. <br /><br />I finally know my last sector and last companion. I’m the king of Benin. I have the most time of any missionary in Benin in the whole mission right now, including the mission president. I’m going to my sixth branch in Benin, Fidrosse and Elder Gardner from Idaho will kill me. I’m very excited. I know this transfer was inspired. I will move over to my last sector on Wednesday. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Dinner and FHE (pictures taken by 3 year old)</div>
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Good Bye, Kerr</div>
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Saying good bye to Damian</div>
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Saying good bye to Viviane</div>
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Saying goodbye to Serge and his family</div>
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Mirisse (Serge's wife) was thinking about how hard it would be for a mom to let her kid leave for two years on a mission. She felt so touched, she got a present for my mom. </div>
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[Kaelyn here: I am SO touched she would think of me. I love her for taking care of my boy in Africa]</div>
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Kembo Kembo live </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglf3QqnQCDYJyasAoBzxjTRP4a31tQVYZpn-wNQKnvBwDo-ew6bSjuw4Rz7knnG3mQI0Yntoz-jQMlACvg-x3vIn_1fQU70r0mKASmtPvpLOYtRZNe9aeFy_GJyMKAchJ82MW_1tpmX0Q/s1600/2018_06+Kembo+Kembo+live+4.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglf3QqnQCDYJyasAoBzxjTRP4a31tQVYZpn-wNQKnvBwDo-ew6bSjuw4Rz7knnG3mQI0Yntoz-jQMlACvg-x3vIn_1fQU70r0mKASmtPvpLOYtRZNe9aeFy_GJyMKAchJ82MW_1tpmX0Q/s320/2018_06+Kembo+Kembo+live+4.JPG" /></a></div>
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I bought the Kembo-Kembo CD</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkLbZUfqX4eiWE9NRmNSjFLHGGZf1YVzgH9sKO-OzoLtVx93n-fLa2Gb36efM2k-G_R3jjawdD_i-FgdH-LN4F6b2VidKbyjds-yhLtnO9J2ZohPNRdWqC73uR4zfam_GCGJRJo8Jkxo/s1600/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+1.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkLbZUfqX4eiWE9NRmNSjFLHGGZf1YVzgH9sKO-OzoLtVx93n-fLa2Gb36efM2k-G_R3jjawdD_i-FgdH-LN4F6b2VidKbyjds-yhLtnO9J2ZohPNRdWqC73uR4zfam_GCGJRJo8Jkxo/s320/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlgEE461Me94-19mHJ0xcY5KyvgRHuhDd4FFWHjIiDFdOVb33tM8v-3VveU-kSdqFlhMRONGLndSjizFwCIge7YAsSG4ScCVU41wz5GzPsWxrm3ZNaBrh5qLb6AOYb7f3Ujc6RqjjiL0/s1600/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+2.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlgEE461Me94-19mHJ0xcY5KyvgRHuhDd4FFWHjIiDFdOVb33tM8v-3VveU-kSdqFlhMRONGLndSjizFwCIge7YAsSG4ScCVU41wz5GzPsWxrm3ZNaBrh5qLb6AOYb7f3Ujc6RqjjiL0/s320/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+2.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydvwi_2chSxZpi0kHpbZj_6dBHyMrwEofINb8BaTWGQeGQyb0s03gx5MvqacITesI9aKIIunFL8G89Jz-Fyvt34j3A7MKP412qboH-cAZwos6gG0PPLgWjQ2fWfhM6uD-JtpplXhSoY0/s1600/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+3.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydvwi_2chSxZpi0kHpbZj_6dBHyMrwEofINb8BaTWGQeGQyb0s03gx5MvqacITesI9aKIIunFL8G89Jz-Fyvt34j3A7MKP412qboH-cAZwos6gG0PPLgWjQ2fWfhM6uD-JtpplXhSoY0/s320/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWU2HgJu5WvcOXXEjhIVsuc_QJtEt02MOtN8X9UY5bZG49Ur_s8MdxnsjwO2Jb2-kE3SnrMF4bh_umBY2ZEeef29h0RVaeLaot_DnnEhs_ijywG_GyovLv0Y2QqiWwK-8hM9Vg-76dTk/s1600/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+4.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWU2HgJu5WvcOXXEjhIVsuc_QJtEt02MOtN8X9UY5bZG49Ur_s8MdxnsjwO2Jb2-kE3SnrMF4bh_umBY2ZEeef29h0RVaeLaot_DnnEhs_ijywG_GyovLv0Y2QqiWwK-8hM9Vg-76dTk/s320/2018_06+Last+baptism+in+Cocotomey+4.JPG" /></a></div>
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Last baptism in Cocotomey</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-14969327536165254522018-06-18T08:09:00.000-07:002018-06-18T08:09:06.814-07:00FREE PIZZA!Well I must be doing something right. There is a place close to the mission office that has real pizza, which is so hard to find here. You might have noticed in my emails seeing as I have had pizza only twice on my mission before this point. So, Kerr and I decided to eat there for lunch after our trip to the office. It was a great pizza, it had been so long. After we were done eating a family walked in. They are an American family from southern United States, Louisiana, I think. I have seen them out and about. They use the same hospital as the missionaries, so when I went to the hospital for my sick companions, I saw them and talked with them. Turns out they are on a mission for their church. When this family walked in they saw we were about to leave. We said hi and then the father of the family went up and bought our meal. We were shocked because we had to save up our money to eat at this place because it is pretty expensive, and they just covered it. It was too nice. So, I got a free pizza in Benin. That’s one of the biggest miracles I’ve seen. <br /><br />This week was all about the visit of Elder Vinson of the 70, he is now in the presidency of the 70 and was doing a tour of West Africa. We had a leadership council with him on Wednesday and a full conference on Thursday. We talked a lot about how our mission is not the best, which I knew, and how we need integrity. It was pretty cool. I learned a lot about what I need to do going into this last transfer. <br /><br />After one of these meetings with Vinson I walked outside and there was an activity at the stake center for the young adults. There I found Elizee! One of my converts I baptized in Hevie in July of last year with Hypote. I lost contact with him because he doesn’t have a phone, but he was there and I hear he is active and he is bringing his friends to the church, that was great to see. <br /><br />Elder Kerr got his first bead tie made in the flag of Benin and because I had one too we decided to be twins and wear them out into the sector together. Seems like a good idea, right? Wrong. I realized as two white guys in white shirts we stick out way too much already. Add some bright Benin ties to the picture and it attracts a bunch of weirdos, for some reason. People were calling us over, asking for the ties, wanting to talk with us about anything that was not the gospel. They would all stare at our ties and mock us. It was awful, so we both wore normal ties in the afternoon.<br /><br />That was my week. This week we are going to have two more baptisms, which will help me reach my mission goal of 24 baptisms. On my mission, I baptized by far the most in Cocotomey. Transfers will be this week so I will get to know who is gunnna kill me after all this time. I’m so excited to work with my last companion. It’s been such a journey up to this point and I’m excited to sprint the last bit. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwxNowedEEGlAh5Mhbyt9NIk5CtFm9sAo3D4klEL2YqVZcuBksvHc3Vk5kFTTxTqHVTP0XCtjAAGhrjOAAE6SjXoApKNX26-LUPK0etxoBHpxZCiEkFHSp_CuDnOZk_NMAHZdkR0KKy4/s1600/DSCF3405.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwxNowedEEGlAh5Mhbyt9NIk5CtFm9sAo3D4klEL2YqVZcuBksvHc3Vk5kFTTxTqHVTP0XCtjAAGhrjOAAE6SjXoApKNX26-LUPK0etxoBHpxZCiEkFHSp_CuDnOZk_NMAHZdkR0KKy4/s320/DSCF3405.JPG" /></a></div>
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The Free Pizza</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBn1o54M5Ft1wxFAnsANWIQWKPPI06OqkDVil6aMFqriNAGI1AqTEUSnNSrA1lpL1AggKbJj5XDIhvVf-RsnlCt3-3VEQKUENEOZc0r-u8HMYpV_NMba6OCKtRqGVhPsKhnrHAHG66huU/s1600/DSCF3391.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBn1o54M5Ft1wxFAnsANWIQWKPPI06OqkDVil6aMFqriNAGI1AqTEUSnNSrA1lpL1AggKbJj5XDIhvVf-RsnlCt3-3VEQKUENEOZc0r-u8HMYpV_NMba6OCKtRqGVhPsKhnrHAHG66huU/s320/DSCF3391.JPG" /></a></div>
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Matching bead ties</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDxTuFsUywjtTkVKm3DhdLtZ4W560AAevVBVPGAeisY8jTFYJG50zo1CIw0OFW4ZEJ3H9_8fNj8ONSeP2wcfM0A_3SqBD3oakS3fH2Cit_bXUKriJ_AQhfE5OfG2WRgF28gxKr89mJ1Y/s1600/DSCF3397.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDxTuFsUywjtTkVKm3DhdLtZ4W560AAevVBVPGAeisY8jTFYJG50zo1CIw0OFW4ZEJ3H9_8fNj8ONSeP2wcfM0A_3SqBD3oakS3fH2Cit_bXUKriJ_AQhfE5OfG2WRgF28gxKr89mJ1Y/s320/DSCF3397.JPG" /></a></div>
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A gift from Serge's daughter</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX2U62CwoRuzQcx51Hfwuu3Gv-5opLith60BG9Yp9vDXigV_DHuRHrNAoqiXkRQg4aT6Jgup8WGQiXxgaQj2PUhBo1JhWquh0uLVb1eEJB9TLmptHkhpCPkoc3TrTCkRuGyQsE4rKCVo/s1600/DSCF3389.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX2U62CwoRuzQcx51Hfwuu3Gv-5opLith60BG9Yp9vDXigV_DHuRHrNAoqiXkRQg4aT6Jgup8WGQiXxgaQj2PUhBo1JhWquh0uLVb1eEJB9TLmptHkhpCPkoc3TrTCkRuGyQsE4rKCVo/s320/DSCF3389.JPG" /></a></div>
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A weird spiky fruit we ate. We didn't know what it was, but after we ate half, we found out it was rotten.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRsq-iXfeswxSVzkykqsBG6oNw0y0UP80uaumDPRRU3b8j2fxSSZJ0mk-5HBiPxMvmsHFdjkrjeZRjs4ydoKoHej46nqWozvMW6zZjAJlebxqThMpGpc0ba8qYwqfMzzDN_TGHa9xVqU/s1600/DSCF3396.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPRsq-iXfeswxSVzkykqsBG6oNw0y0UP80uaumDPRRU3b8j2fxSSZJ0mk-5HBiPxMvmsHFdjkrjeZRjs4ydoKoHej46nqWozvMW6zZjAJlebxqThMpGpc0ba8qYwqfMzzDN_TGHa9xVqU/s320/DSCF3396.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJUvcxhXE2u9c7SOW429eJ9DSuudFNz-el_f1ng1jqsYJOYEw4mareBFOFLsnBFC5_hVXodRF66pK2GqpRcgoQLt_18JsRW5mBi-rP8233iL5xx0G-MKscmB2P6MS0B8bNrMbxwifwEo/s1600/DSCF3394.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJUvcxhXE2u9c7SOW429eJ9DSuudFNz-el_f1ng1jqsYJOYEw4mareBFOFLsnBFC5_hVXodRF66pK2GqpRcgoQLt_18JsRW5mBi-rP8233iL5xx0G-MKscmB2P6MS0B8bNrMbxwifwEo/s320/DSCF3394.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8_BF4u3mMJ7py4_f3UsNIIWm5dwnlt8-1rDjmZ2NIpPTLCcs-SIF9KnERbKkKUhj5IVola7_Bbb_aiMihdKf_qZafxGRtVq-uPukjapvk6SdpNcR3LFrJ5i3qRI8B0bcfHPN5S4eXAo/s1600/DSCF3393.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8_BF4u3mMJ7py4_f3UsNIIWm5dwnlt8-1rDjmZ2NIpPTLCcs-SIF9KnERbKkKUhj5IVola7_Bbb_aiMihdKf_qZafxGRtVq-uPukjapvk6SdpNcR3LFrJ5i3qRI8B0bcfHPN5S4eXAo/s320/DSCF3393.JPG" /></a></div>
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I found this really weird cement structure and took some pictures on it</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-78593073059884207222018-06-11T07:33:00.000-07:002018-06-11T07:33:32.154-07:00Surprise BaptismI would like to share the example of Mirisse, a recent convert. She has so much faith, I can’t believe it. She got her first call in the church a week after her baptism. Her calling is in the nursery. There was no one in nursery before her. She is starting the nursery in the branch of Cocotomey and she is the only one to take care of 13 kids every Sunday for two hours with limited toys and materials. It’s amazing to see her optimism and humility in the calling as she doesn’t fully understand all the gospel and is relying on faith to do a very hard thing. I’m amazed. <br /><br />We have been preparing a couple for baptism for a while now. We got their baptism interviews done on Saturday for their baptism next week. However, after the interviews they were super excited for their baptism so they asked if they could do it the next day. So, we changed the baptism to after church on Sunday. There was complete chaos when the baptism font was not filled in time. So, we asked the neighbors if we could use their well and the members filled up the font with well water transported on their heads. It was so nice of them and the baptism was a success. Another example for Romans 8:28 coming to pass.<br /><br />The rest of the week was normal. I pray often to have my day filled with stuff and it often is filled with stuff, so I’m grateful. We are getting new member contacts as all of our progressing investigators are being baptized. <br /><br />It’s kind of crazy how superstitous everyone is here. I have found people really don’t like to take the blame for their problems all over the world. It’s the governments fault or it’s the economy’s fault. Here people blame evil spirts or devils for their problems and it often causes problems because many churches have days of deliverance where they chase away the "demons" that are bothering them. We don’t do that because that’s actually not that wide spread of a problem that you need deliverance every Wednesday night. However, what we teach in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that you can’t blame your lack of obedience and consequences on evil spirits. So that drives some people away, but those who want the truth come running. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GaD3DfiuRv__YRMC8T5-useR1W2a74BxXQdYFxsxbO83rnOppvqN824AMyp9ELO7OZix2pfHV91muLP5oFEdajZuWKJb24nQaW7wax4_8bxtIuoycmZxvyECJmPdjXgu_nUQVcL4RNM/s1600/DSCF3364.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7GaD3DfiuRv__YRMC8T5-useR1W2a74BxXQdYFxsxbO83rnOppvqN824AMyp9ELO7OZix2pfHV91muLP5oFEdajZuWKJb24nQaW7wax4_8bxtIuoycmZxvyECJmPdjXgu_nUQVcL4RNM/s320/DSCF3364.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXnMyreDDgnR89nyO4CbS98EXSdNXSP9Md0IxK-TARx4SToYOMOs1EjaU_C_lwyma6pLoySmdwO8VPcHXalqkbq7eucUuPqm4N_9cy5kvMgs0rlID3xp8lssQg6y9caNcGXljQHcQzwc/s1600/DSCF3366.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXnMyreDDgnR89nyO4CbS98EXSdNXSP9Md0IxK-TARx4SToYOMOs1EjaU_C_lwyma6pLoySmdwO8VPcHXalqkbq7eucUuPqm4N_9cy5kvMgs0rlID3xp8lssQg6y9caNcGXljQHcQzwc/s320/DSCF3366.JPG" /></a></div>
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The Surprise Baptism</div>
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Funny picture Kerr - Larson</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mq5oAnAvVzSBQkOhuDLdfNoT73FeGaD9ERjNIWjYwnovgYxbLGHSg8BfkOn9AiR19G5_29s6f2u1IPzy8dFQGM2mwRkPoO5aehlm8vKPHmBqcQqVFsFbuKOhWKOKUPbEsg9vg1LteDU/s1600/DSCF3333.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mq5oAnAvVzSBQkOhuDLdfNoT73FeGaD9ERjNIWjYwnovgYxbLGHSg8BfkOn9AiR19G5_29s6f2u1IPzy8dFQGM2mwRkPoO5aehlm8vKPHmBqcQqVFsFbuKOhWKOKUPbEsg9vg1LteDU/s320/DSCF3333.JPG" /></a></div>
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With Serge's family</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-17223737813593641202018-06-04T07:47:00.000-07:002018-06-04T07:54:08.143-07:00Foofoo and poopooOn Tuesday, we went to a district meeting for a district in our zone. It sprinkled a little bit while we were there. When we got in our taxi to go back to our sector, the driver told us there was a huge storm in our sector. When we arrived... I couldn’t believe my eyes. The roads here flood when it rains just a little, but it was as if all roads were changed into muddy swimming pools. We had to go out into the sector that day. Let’s just say I went swimming. However, at our investigators house the lady dried my socks out on a line. <br />
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When it rains it gets cold and if I don’t exercise in the morning the ice cold shower is so uncomfortable. So, I found the two biggest pots we had and put them on the stove with water, heated them up and put them in a bucket to pour on myself in the shower. But without wisdom I used a glass cup and in the middle the cup dropped and shattered into a million pieces. I cut my hand and foot on it. We also had a rendezvous really early that day so all the cleaning up glass time took up my personal study. With these experiences and the flooded streets, I wondered why everything was working against me. And then I realized my great companion, in his righteous desires, had prayed for mountains to climb and because I’m his companion I had to climb them too. But looking back on it those experiences were for my good. <br />
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On Wednesday night, I went to do a split with elder Kalonji in Cococodji. I was super excited. Elder Kalonji is Congolese and I have not had foofoo Congolese since I was with Kadima and I really wanted to eat that. But, Kalonji was new in the sector so he didn’t know where to find the ingredients and he had no money. So, we had to go out and buy all of the ingredients. We started searching for ingredients with a member at 20h00 which is what 8h00 pm. We had to go all over the place to find the stuff. We walked and walked for miles to get these things. My white shirt was drenched in sweat. Finally, at 10h00pm we got all the ingredients and got back to the apartment. But it takes at least an hour and half to cook so we didn’t get to eat till 11h30pm. It was a great price to pay to eat some foofoo. But it was so good I’m gunna miss that dish a lot. <br />
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The rest of the week was good. We worked hard, stayed busy, had some people cancel on us, the usual until we got to Friday. On Friday, there is an investigator in the sisters’ sector in our zone. The sister missionaries wanted us to come help teach this guy. This guy was one of the best people I’ve ever met. This man is so, so incredibly smart he is a professor of sociology at the university here. And he is not yet baptized but knows everything there is to know about the church. After about one year of research he also knows about every other religion. He tried to ask us a lot of questions to test our knowledge of our own gospel to try to trip us up. It was a mentally tiring game to teach him, but the spirit was with us and at the end of the lesson he was smiling congratulating us on our methods of teaching and knowledge. He can’t get baptized yet because of some personal decisions he has to make first. But, I have no doubt that guy has been chosen to be a leader here in Benin.<br />
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On Sunday, we were wondering what we could eat. We didn’t have a lot of food so we looked at what we had and we realized we had all the ingredients for no bake cookies, except neither of us knew how to make them. We tried anyway. In the end it turned into crap. It looked so gross. We realized we should have put the oats in last or something. So, we had to eat some nasty stuff for dinner. Pictures below, warning, it looks nasty.<br />
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The no bake cookies gone so wrong</div>
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The moto packed streets of Benin</div>
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This is a normal toilet here. People are lucky to have this here.</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-4466497356464702982018-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:002018-05-28T05:00:54.529-07:00I'm glad I'm getting paid enough for thisOften times, even when everything is going as well as it could be and I’m working hard, life here is still difficult. And in these moments, I have the habit of saying “I’m glad I’m getting paid enough for this.” I know there are a lot of blessings, but it’s not always easy. Like for instance I woke up on Saturday with an incredible pain in my left leg in the joint on my hip. It was incredibly painful to move and to walk. I don’t know what was wrong but I knew it hurt. I don’t like being a wimp so I decided to suffer through the pain and go out to the sector anyway. I looked like I had been in a bad accident with my limp but I was able to work hard anyway; I feel fine now. And even at this instant, I’m writing this email, I have a swarm of mosquitos constantly biting my legs. The lord must be preparing me for something with all this opposition. <br />
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Benin is progressing. We were able to see yet another one of our investigator couples get married, Brother and Sister Houssou. They had the wedding planned for Saturday. However, someone in the family found out about the wedding and was not happy and threated to come and destroy the wedding with voodoo or something making everyone scared. So, we switched the wedding to Friday at a different location and the marriage was accomplished just fine. So, we will now finish the teachings and baptize yet another couple. I’m so happy. <br />
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We did not end up getting any pictures of us with the couple on my camera but we got one with one of their daughters. And we were in the background of some of the wedding pictures. We didn’t know we were in the background. I think they are funny so I’ll put them in. <br />
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Every three months in Benin we have to go to the immigration building and renew our visas. I have done that process a ton of times, but this week was my last visa renewal. The visa I got will last me till the end of my mission. I’m also the missionary on this mission with the most time logged in Benin out of all the other missionaries. I’m the most true Benin boy.<br />
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We have a super cool investigator named Victory. He is a student at a school established by a Canadian member of the church. So, the school has an institute of religion class and he signed up for it and became super interested in the message and lives in our sector. He has come to church quite a few times and is very smart. He speaks fluent French and English, kinda like me. We have to make a big sacrifice to see him in the mornings before he goes to school, but he is progressing towards his baptism too. He is one of the first investigators I’ve had that has actually read the brochures and the Book of Mormon.<br />
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So that was my week for the most part. I’m also in the missionary choir preparing for a visit of the area 70 who is coming, so that is fun to sing still. Okay that’s all. <br />
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At the wedding with the brides daughter and granddaughter</div>
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The bride is in green and I am unknowingly in the background of these pictures</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgZqFns9ckEmec9uAVSLOWodCG_90l25wPzJt2BL5XhDarxnKydNiv8tiocxO45Rz6mMX4eyRekpM2oe4d5iVtdnhKj-YrnCX2IL6T0tanq0bDHyC-hs8rrzUgdssc17PpWnIgLKTNQI/s1600/DSCF3277.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgZqFns9ckEmec9uAVSLOWodCG_90l25wPzJt2BL5XhDarxnKydNiv8tiocxO45Rz6mMX4eyRekpM2oe4d5iVtdnhKj-YrnCX2IL6T0tanq0bDHyC-hs8rrzUgdssc17PpWnIgLKTNQI/s320/DSCF3277.JPG" /></a></div>
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Eating dinner at the house of the newly married couple. Me, Naneon, Kerr and McKrola's arms</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH71qNuqYQ2b2oPjA-dBpWmEOGgNqZ-t2bfdRoi1etmN__WY2GU3DgYnQ_BNzVrk2JtS85RmK0lqy5_cUQ-cDzVn2Q0A2v97He4Stj48nbP-e68Yijzp09jb-bL5mdK4NdSzjnPAQcedc/s1600/2018_05+with+Kerr+on+stairs.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH71qNuqYQ2b2oPjA-dBpWmEOGgNqZ-t2bfdRoi1etmN__WY2GU3DgYnQ_BNzVrk2JtS85RmK0lqy5_cUQ-cDzVn2Q0A2v97He4Stj48nbP-e68Yijzp09jb-bL5mdK4NdSzjnPAQcedc/s320/2018_05+with+Kerr+on+stairs.jpeg" /></a></div>
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With Kerr</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVP5Xadc4Tb_KjVG7lPAnjB3bhOSaNk2XsIfx8z7nZ-SNKOlK4pKTR-S3GiPZoNWw1WUFuO4XL9CZhNDs_iaa5JCruWuE3NxRlCmSrUPELIMMMBZQfOKz8-RIZDyqi-eI0cwpMJWdv3OQ/s1600/DSCF3204.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVP5Xadc4Tb_KjVG7lPAnjB3bhOSaNk2XsIfx8z7nZ-SNKOlK4pKTR-S3GiPZoNWw1WUFuO4XL9CZhNDs_iaa5JCruWuE3NxRlCmSrUPELIMMMBZQfOKz8-RIZDyqi-eI0cwpMJWdv3OQ/s320/DSCF3204.JPG" /></a></div>
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An approaching storm</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-52699951401562704462018-05-21T06:19:00.000-07:002018-05-21T06:19:54.993-07:00It's not a toomah!!!!Well, I worked really hard this week. So much that I got a headache, the headache got worse and worse all day on Saturday that it made me throw up. I never had a migraine in my life so it was super weird and uncomfortable. I was in so much pain I wondered, could this be cancer? but I was comforted by the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger yelling "It’s not a toomah!"- Kindergarten Cop. <br /><br />Other than that, things were pretty normal this week. I finally washed my sheets without them getting dirty, which was one of the biggest accomplishments of my mission.<br /><br />Kerr and I had busy days this week. We had one day where we worked solid out in the sector from 8h00 to about 21h00 which, I guess in America time is 8am to 9pm. It was a big day but people are just really excited to get their teachings done so they can get baptized. They are calling us to see them and we can never say no to that. <br /><br />One of the people we have the chance to teach is Sister Honorine. She is the wife of a long time member of the church. But because the stupid dowry gets in the way of people get married this member started living with his wife before getting married, excluding him from callings in the church and eventually fell away. But now they finally got married, so we came and reactivated the husband and are preparing the wife for baptism. He came to church and was so happy. I can see how great his repentance was. Repentance is always positive. <br /><br />I see many little miracles every day. This week was busy and important things happened in the lives of many people but I had no pictures taken so I’ll just send one of me right now at the cyber. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBXcdLMvudylKBTAayPQdkPexsgTTWJAdG33KGFU0-tXhYb_pGrpN-ulP0zpvTM1Ni7oXgKvPMhsL3fG4WomXc9D5-hjgiOKna-P4hzuOzqVYAHx-ZOIF4rRXwMUinD89nbvseW2Rl7U/s1600/DSCF3203.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUBXcdLMvudylKBTAayPQdkPexsgTTWJAdG33KGFU0-tXhYb_pGrpN-ulP0zpvTM1Ni7oXgKvPMhsL3fG4WomXc9D5-hjgiOKna-P4hzuOzqVYAHx-ZOIF4rRXwMUinD89nbvseW2Rl7U/s320/DSCF3203.JPG" /></a></div>
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In the cyber</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-69699828702980392192018-05-14T07:39:00.000-07:002018-05-15T05:49:43.370-07:00Feeling like AlmaWell, this week was fantastic. After the dis-service project we did last week I was feeling kind of down. However, we spent all week working hard to get all of the baptism interviews done and all the preparations done for our huge baptism on Saturday. We had five candidates and the assistants had six, so we were all working together to make sure this baptism was something special for 11 people for the same branch. We had to borrow baptism clothes form nearby branches to get everyone clothes.<br />
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I have never had a baptism service go perfectly so I was wondering what was gunna happen when I woke up on Saturday. We had to go with the assistants to do one last baptism interview Saturday morning in that red sandy place called Womey, the place where Martial and I got lost. That place gets really muddy after it rains and it had been raining for a while. So, as we were driving though the jungle up there we got stuck in the mud. We tried to dislodge the car and put it into four-wheel drive, but the tires kept spinning and sinking further into the mud. All sorts of kids and mamas around there started coming out of their little houses crowding around and yelling things saying lots of stuff about the “yovos”. It was the talk of the whole village; they brought us some hoes to try to dig out the wheels but after trying for an hour we left the car walked the rest of the way to the interview and did it then walked back to the car to try to fix the problem. We had one man from the village that came to help. We dug more holes, put down rocks and weeds to try to get traction. Try after try we could not get out of the mud. We were all in white shirts and ties and we all got super dirty, especially Elder Naneon who was behind a tire at the wrong time and got a face full of mud flung from the tire. However, what I loved about this experience is we were all laughing the whole time. We never got angry or frustrated we were just so happy that the mission is always so exciting and unique. I love it. <br />
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Time ticked away closer and closer to the baptism finally we decided to pray for inspiration. We prayed, then got the car jack out, lifted each tire up out of the mud and put a wood plank under each one. Then we got all the men around to push the car and we got it out. The whole crowd of people cheered like crazy. It took four hours of work total. After that we then had a couple other mishaps along the way but we made it to the baptism only five mins late. There were some minor problems with baptism clothes and one candidate for the assistants had malaria and couldn’t be baptized. But other than that, it turned out pretty great and I got some awesome pictures.<br />
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Another cool thing that happened where I got to see the fruits of my labors is Hevie just became its own branch. It is now totally separated from Cococdji, which is so cool. The work is progressing before my eyes and I know my converts are playing a role in that. <br />
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There has been another miracle in the sector. We have an investigator named Damian who is the father of the young women’s president here. He has been taught for a while but became more and more incredulous. He started insulting the church and us and saying we did not know the gospel but every week he kept coming to church. Back when I was with Martial he said we would never go see him again because he did not want to understand. But when Kerr came, we went back to teach him. The first time it was the same thing, but after a time he started having a change of heart with our efforts and the branch members and even people from the stake. Now he understands the importance of the church, left all his bad habits, and is making a huge sacrifice to get married this month to be baptized. He went through a huge change and it was only the Lord that could have done that. So, he and his wife will be baptized soon. We will work on them.<br />
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Pictures with all the baptism candidates.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5bnP_JbqKJSNz6TBdlklGXWc_fZHXlycNOi0WU7brcXh4Xo0nimJOeRh5f1QZCLpHVzsie6xhUtc7X4QntUooUvrZYH_3p8RBk7rcrrCXbRDOHYps3xqwg8hclpALBz3g-ZqDA7am9c/s1600/DSCF3177.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5bnP_JbqKJSNz6TBdlklGXWc_fZHXlycNOi0WU7brcXh4Xo0nimJOeRh5f1QZCLpHVzsie6xhUtc7X4QntUooUvrZYH_3p8RBk7rcrrCXbRDOHYps3xqwg8hclpALBz3g-ZqDA7am9c/s320/DSCF3177.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"> Kerr and I had 5; McKrola and Naneon (the assistants) had 6</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70v1tSn7gzXPMF4A1G3imctjeQYp4M083vPjimc3R8cxpv1vGJKfqQE448vz7WhFmD62kHmeamMKNlrtAz4PJaOFl3-7gNWhF2J-w7qrbiodLUnslP2xiDvnIJZUYr_y14a_R6V-1cbM/s1600/DSCF3189.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70v1tSn7gzXPMF4A1G3imctjeQYp4M083vPjimc3R8cxpv1vGJKfqQE448vz7WhFmD62kHmeamMKNlrtAz4PJaOFl3-7gNWhF2J-w7qrbiodLUnslP2xiDvnIJZUYr_y14a_R6V-1cbM/s320/DSCF3189.JPG" /></a></div>
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Me, Sister Joana, Kerr</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHFrzDdXXuKMtHqY3UOANemQ9iPfclES9Rcvc90CzbmIUwvoVH5Gej2Ke6ZKdHBeMStoI4LHYOd40NMrZ0xSrx99Ty3g8Q3UsjPLUPPaCklxbgfbNvBcjsjRwA0lG9SeTVk56VLi5_dk/s1600/DSCF3179.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHFrzDdXXuKMtHqY3UOANemQ9iPfclES9Rcvc90CzbmIUwvoVH5Gej2Ke6ZKdHBeMStoI4LHYOd40NMrZ0xSrx99Ty3g8Q3UsjPLUPPaCklxbgfbNvBcjsjRwA0lG9SeTVk56VLi5_dk/s320/DSCF3179.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9Nu26Q6gOcUIZH99vhVMCwFjhNS1EYw7OPVEr4-Wibg95yEtdI4pJ8u8V4kimw28Ep8z1N8rXaG5uFG2E7sVjB86kBZzQEnlypgvVVUREL5l-ZQGdZlbBj7fq_MVOkvscX5dPrhZqHU/s1600/DSCF3182.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9Nu26Q6gOcUIZH99vhVMCwFjhNS1EYw7OPVEr4-Wibg95yEtdI4pJ8u8V4kimw28Ep8z1N8rXaG5uFG2E7sVjB86kBZzQEnlypgvVVUREL5l-ZQGdZlbBj7fq_MVOkvscX5dPrhZqHU/s320/DSCF3182.JPG" /></a></div>
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Serge's family</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDHbE7zgCdSYxsUa72ViNa1R6UTSMyB_vy-uUNCXe8yY06KlD-I5811cMz_ls_6xs6pC_bj_P7p9iIoYoseOOvm735-S0ga6ZmJWx1xS-fPoO5aSNCl426iaTUxYfmt_EApK1b0Tk9Uw/s1600/DSCF3184.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDHbE7zgCdSYxsUa72ViNa1R6UTSMyB_vy-uUNCXe8yY06KlD-I5811cMz_ls_6xs6pC_bj_P7p9iIoYoseOOvm735-S0ga6ZmJWx1xS-fPoO5aSNCl426iaTUxYfmt_EApK1b0Tk9Uw/s320/DSCF3184.JPG" /></a></div>
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With Sister Cecile - a great member of the branch<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIkxqN6Ht21G58blEPnNAUZmxfejHC6fgqe0CHmYiabYtPAwRXQ2Y7DYpAsoEb2YsrnL-h8C_ysPqcQROayRuiWN9DnKywKGfkGX4QN7XpDQoMI0v09bQBEnpeMfzZlPUx4nVVAD48zc/s1600/IMG_5757.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIkxqN6Ht21G58blEPnNAUZmxfejHC6fgqe0CHmYiabYtPAwRXQ2Y7DYpAsoEb2YsrnL-h8C_ysPqcQROayRuiWN9DnKywKGfkGX4QN7XpDQoMI0v09bQBEnpeMfzZlPUx4nVVAD48zc/s320/IMG_5757.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2b2aU_YxQZlzAQy0V8Dwff1KbJaj9jGY4dW2rHJadoyD0Uh1PqX86m6efOKZIGNtGJP6b0QfxX0XPaOPZNdJdRNPMpFGHFLeSkkO_hQvuUD97SBcuiBFs1Wnnt3WlBYfyQkOTl-OwJU/s1600/IMG_5756.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2b2aU_YxQZlzAQy0V8Dwff1KbJaj9jGY4dW2rHJadoyD0Uh1PqX86m6efOKZIGNtGJP6b0QfxX0XPaOPZNdJdRNPMpFGHFLeSkkO_hQvuUD97SBcuiBFs1Wnnt3WlBYfyQkOTl-OwJU/s320/IMG_5756.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Car in the mud pictures courtesy of Elder McKrola<br />
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Kerr and I pranked the Assistant's apartment with a cereal that looks like mouse poop. We scattered it all over.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxxRy6PvB-YOvqBayTvammdDJWpMzXICE44VDCvgaMNkcow-Ur_tVxKPmZOEoPt09MLf10tew9Yk26ync1AGYd4Whp8NHLbYH9SpLHInTUokRq_W-8uwo39xgfXOT1KNobnhFLYeFdCI/s1600/DSCF3192.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJxxRy6PvB-YOvqBayTvammdDJWpMzXICE44VDCvgaMNkcow-Ur_tVxKPmZOEoPt09MLf10tew9Yk26ync1AGYd4Whp8NHLbYH9SpLHInTUokRq_W-8uwo39xgfXOT1KNobnhFLYeFdCI/s320/DSCF3192.JPG" /></a></div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-21390400714158038062018-05-07T11:45:00.000-07:002018-05-07T11:51:50.604-07:00"They taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good" Moses 6:55What a roller coaster of a week. Some really great moments and some really low moments. <br />
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Kerr and I have been teaching non-stop the last few weeks. As we wind down the teachings for Serge's family, because of their baptism this week, we needed to fill up more spots. But all of our investigators kept falling through. We realized all our cool investigators are college students. We were able to teach them all because the campus has been having teacher protests for months now. However, the protests ended this week and all the college students went back and poof there goes our investigators and it made us scramble for interviews a lot. Dang it college. <br />
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As you know I love choir. One of the sisters in the Relief Society found out and recruited me to help make a branch choir for branch conference in a few weeks, so I’ve been trying to do that. Elder Kerr and I are the only two men in the choir, the rest are young women. The councilor in Relief Society directs us. It’s pretty rough, but hey we will do our best with what we’ve got. It’s fun to sing again.<br />
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It was funny to see everyone on Labor Day here got the day off work and it was like everyone celebrated as if it was Christmas or New Years. <br />
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We got to see some miracles this week. One was with Sister Jo___, she has been an investigator for over a year and she just never really took the lessons seriously. However, recently she has really started listening and putting into practice the repentance needed. We have a baptism date with her for next week. We were still feeling kind of shaky but on Sunday we had a great lesson with her and she showed us how she understands the baptism and wants it "with all her heart". We were touched by her testimony and if all goes well, will be baptized this Saturday with Serges family. This will be five baptisms for me I’m so excited. <br />
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I also had an amazing lesson with the Serge’s whole family. We had been teaching them apart because they were all on different levels. Now we got them together and we saw their family had issues. Everyone was kind of tense and sad when we started the lesson but we made some jokes, taught the gospel with the spirit, did major family therapy, and they were all smiling and laughing by the end. We all prayed together on our knees and by end and I felt the joy and the spirit I haven felt since I was back with my family doing things together. It had been so long, it was a great feeling, really the joy of life is in the family. <br />
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We had my second organized service project my whole mission. We found this lady’s house to paint. It was a zone activity, so we were in charge of planning but the paint we ended up getting wasn’t great and the un-trained missionaries paint job was not professional, but hey, for a free paint job it was alright. At least it’s not just cement bricks.<br />
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Serge's family</div>
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Kerr</div>
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Zone Activity - Service Project painting a house</div>
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Before</div>
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After</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-49514187488940371862018-04-30T07:46:00.000-07:002018-04-30T07:46:00.320-07:00Baby FoodI saw a sign on the road this week that had an ad for English classes. It read SPEAK LEARN ENGLISH! with a phone number. I wonder what kind of quality class that’s gunna be. <br /><br />I had a really cool testimony shared with me from one of our investigators named Mi__. She is an investigator with a lot of problems. Her husband is abusive and does not want her to leave his church. She has had several children die. Her husband does not support her financially, and her parents give her no help. When we first started teaching her she would spend the whole lesson crying. Martial and I had the idea to give her a priesthood blessing of comfort. After that she got pretty busy and we weren’t able to teach her for a while. Just this week Kerr and I got to see her again. And she bore a huge testimony about how the blessing we gave her changed her life. She said she sees the blessings of God in her life and she knows we are sent from God and if it weren’t for her husband she would be a member of our church and is praying for the Lord to soften the heart of her husband. I was touched to see how the priesthood I have was able to bless this sister. <br /><br />Mi__ also could not believe we were only 20 years old. She says we act like were at least 30 which is crazy to think people here believe I’m that old. I guess I act old, but look young because she also kept asking us questions about what we eat so she could feed that to her kids so they can stay young looking like us. I told her it’s not what we eat it’s just who we are but she kept persisting so I gave her a word of wisdom brochure, I hope that helps.<br /><br />This week we had another miracle. We had 11 investigators at sacrament meeting. I was so happy. Some were new, some were old. We found one new one that has been studying institute at the university here in Benin. I did not know we had institute of religion at that university but apparently, we do. He is super smart and is really interested in our message I’m very excited to teach him. <br /><br />I’m also super excited for the progression of Serge and his family. Serge and his wife were here on Saturday to clean the church building with some other members and every time we go over there we are just so happy. They have become family and close friends and the’re so excited to become members of the church. Some of my biggest blessings on the mission will come from that family.<br /><br />It’s been super hot this week so I have been talking in my sleep and sleep walking more as Elder Kerr has reported in the mornings. So that’s great, the heat messes with my sleep.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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With Elder McKrola (the assistant)</div>
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Our little coffee table on which we eat</div>
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Mop to clean the floors</div>
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The drain that smells like poop (Most don't use toilet paper to save money, so in the shower, the extra poop washes off people into the drain.) I use toilet paper.</div>
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Weird slotted windows that we forget to close and the rain come in</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-59915709338889784222018-04-23T07:49:00.000-07:002018-04-23T07:49:41.159-07:00And the floods came upThis week flew by because it was jam-packed with stuff. Every morning this week we had stuff to do as zone leaders. On Tuesday, we had district meeting with the elders in Calavi University. After the district meeting the craziest thing happened. We all walked to a restaurant after to eat ingame peele and I passed by a security guard for a house. I looked at him and recognized him, it was Hypolite! The very first person I baptized on my mission and in my life. He has now moved from Zogbo to Calavi and is right next to the church over there. I know he became inactive in Menotin because the church was too far away, But now he is super close by so I hope he can come back. Seeing him made me have hope that he can start respecting his baptism covenants. I worried about him a lot my whole mission. I have a picture with him below.<br /><br />On Wednesday, we had district meeting with the sisters in Agla and the couple missionaries of the mission. The couple missionaries in Benin are the Walkers. They are super cool, they are from Canada. <br /><br />On Thursday, we had zone conference which went well. We had some good lessons. Every zone conference as zone leaders feels like a test. President watches very closely how everything is run. It puts us under some pressure. <br /><br />On Friday, I got to go to a village called Tori Bossito, sounds like Mexico, but it’s here. So right before I left Cococodji, Hypote and I found a couple that lived out there. It’s super far away so I never got to go see them but Hypote baptized the couple and their 13 kids giving enough members to create a group out there. It’s taken some time but Kerr and I went up there to do baptism interviews to get a bigger base of members to create a group. It is so cool to see the little seeds back when I was in Cococodji help the gospel to spread outside of Cotonou and Porto-Novo. The gospel is progressing here. <br /><br />Right before we went to Tori one of the crazy, come out of nowhere African storms came. The sky got dark as night and it rained so hard. Sadly, we were in Cococodji and had left our windows open back home. Kerr’s bed got soaked and our room got flooded because of the high-speed rain. It felt like the second coming but God said he won’t destroy the earth by flood again, so I felt comforted. (Genesis 9:11) However, the streets of Benin got super flooded so we had to take lots of roundabout ways to get places but when we were coming home we got trapped before a great body of water. Our choices were to walk for twenty minutes around to find another way to the apartment or walk for two minutes straight ahead. It was dark and we were hungry. We did not have the faith of Jesus to walk on it, nor the faith of Moses to part it, or the time to build a boat like Noah, so we stepped it and trudged through, pics below. <br /><br />We worked super hard this week and saw many miracles in the sector. We had two new people come to church, one of which is super prepared for the gospel. And we found two families that are very interested in our message. <br /><br />A family in the ward lost their daughter to malaria this week and as a branch after church we all went over to their house to comfort them, sing hymns and pray together it was a cool experience to go support that family in this difficult time. I know the church is true and it teaches people to love others. I’m so grateful to be a missionary for this church.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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I made Chicken Tetrazini African Style. Or at home we said Chicken tet, sure is gret (it rhymes) </div>
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Reunion with Hypolite</div>
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Panorama of the incoming storm</div>
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The Floods</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-63906542851839653892018-04-16T07:51:00.000-07:002018-04-16T07:51:00.712-07:00Bloody AnklesRainy season is starting which means the evil blood sucking parasites have many places to have children. My poor ankles can’t get a break. So many mosquito bites all the time. I have found the purpose of mosquitos in Gods creation of the earth is pure opposition (2 Nephi 2:11).<br /><br />One of the joys of this mission are unexpected crazy people. I’ve shared some stories. We had another one last week. A huge mama sees us from afar, jumps up and runs toward us speaking in a broken English. “Oh, welcome to here. Oh, welcome. Do you come from New York or America? Wife me, wife me. I need to go with you.” She is saying this as she tries to grab us. I got the gist she wanted us to marry her. It was so random. I couldn’t stop laughing. I kept asking questions in English and she kept giving me weird responses. We finally gave her a word of wisdom brochure and left. Thank goodness for those experiences. Sometimes I feel too at ease here, I need those from time to time.<br /><br />We had stake conference this past Sunday and it was super cool to see the Benin stake together. I have worked in five different branches and wards in Benin. I knew so many people that were there. Members I worked with, converts, and people I taught that were later converted. It was such a cool thing to see.<br /><br />I got the chance to go on a split with Elder Bassett on his birthday. That was fun. We had a really good pizza at a place close to his apartment. The best pizza I’ve had since the US and we had a crappy pink birthday cake that was 100 percent Benin. Elder Bassett is a really good missionary.<br /><br />I had a super spiritual experience a few weeks ago but I didn’t realize the full power of the experience till this week. So, the week I got food poisoning I was also feeling kind of down about the mission. Kind of wanting it to end. I was up all night praying to the porcelain gods. That morning I got a call from president saying he was thinking about me all last night and how could he help me with my spiritual and physical health. This hit me when I heard that story in conference by President Oaks in the priesthood session sharing a similar story about an elders quorum president. I realized that my mission president is called of God. Something I knew before, but have a greater confirmation of and I know he is righteously exercising his keys over his missionaries. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Another picture with Kerr in the Zem shirts</div>
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Stake Conference</div>
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Crappy Cake</div>
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Eating Pizza at Salsa</div>
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Me and Kerr outside Salsa</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-23738796376260391562018-04-09T07:59:00.000-07:002018-04-09T08:05:59.941-07:00The zémidjan-man brotherhoodI have talked about motos before but I have become fascinated recently with the social impact and brother hood of what we call the zémidjan-man, zém for short. In Benin there are taxi motos. The drivers all wear these bright yellow shirts and pick people up with whatever they want to carry with them and bring it all to another spot. I have seen the craziest things on zéms. I’ve seen a family of five, another moto, huge mirrors, 12 chickens, 8 goats, refrigerators, huge mamas, and more. These men (moto drivers) are the heroes of Benin. Thy are more organized then the police force and catch many criminals in vigilantly justice. They are old and young, all men, and they all have had many great experiences. From morning till night, they ride. Who knows how long they have to live, because accidents are daily occurrences. I could go on and on about these fascinating people, but experiencing it yourself is so much better. Kerr and I saw a mama selling zémidjan-man shirts and we bought some to enter into the brotherhood. It was the best decision I have made. We wore those shirts into the office and the couple missionary and the president and his wife had some good laughs for sure because we all know these guys all so well. <br />
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This week we started teaching Serge's two oldest kids who can be baptized and teaching them has been an amazing experience because we get to see the faith and humility of these children. They are so smart. They eat up the gospel, they read the book of Mormon, they love meeting with the young men and young women at church. It makes me so happy to see them at church with their new-found family and friends. I know they will be some of my strongest converts for sure.<br />
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I have found it’s very easy to do contacting here if you and your companion are both white. Just the other day we stopped to talk to two men on the street while we were talking to them another guy stopped on his moto to listen. Then some kids came out and two other people started listening Little by little we were surrounded by 8 people and 6 kids and we gave out all the brochures we had. It was hilarious, we found the work here is just too easy. Normally people begin to talk to us for bad reason, like they want money or they want to go to the US and think we can help them. But the great thing is we have a true message and when they let us in and we show some members of the church to them they see that our church is actually true as well and we get some great investigators. So, my white skin is not all a curse. <br />
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One funny thing we find with people here is sometimes people will believe our message too fast. We went and taught this new investigator for the first timed named Am__ and he said he had read the brochure on the restoration already. We asked him how he felt he said he wanted a bigger book because the brochure was too small. Then we gave him a book of Mormon, he was so happy he immediately converted to the gospel and told us he is going to teach the truth of the book of Mormon to all his friends. We tell him to slow down and pray to get a testimony first, and he says he doesn’t need to pray, he has a testimony already. This is a very common occurrence. Sometimes it’s harder to get the people who already believe to actually believe then the nonbelievers. <br />
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Elder Kerr is all about eating good and eating healthy which is great because we have started eating amazing home cooked food. We had fried rice, hashbrowns, chicken spaghetti and many other flavorful dishes. He has opened me up to the amazing fruits we can find here too, so were eating that too. I’m very blessed.<br />
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Things are going great, I’m working hard and finishing my mission strong, making the most of every day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7i6koUn7r_iOTR3sXT-WP9MyeBkENp4V1oA30aBJCXDYcKkBpcDOpjjApN4qhX66eWfiTPXNyr2RmdHq6nTdVXq8DsSB34bVDVEy_it5FB0SHM40AhyphenhyphenKjjL22v9Q1RB-MjyjuQ13cG0/s1600/DSCF3056.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7i6koUn7r_iOTR3sXT-WP9MyeBkENp4V1oA30aBJCXDYcKkBpcDOpjjApN4qhX66eWfiTPXNyr2RmdHq6nTdVXq8DsSB34bVDVEy_it5FB0SHM40AhyphenhyphenKjjL22v9Q1RB-MjyjuQ13cG0/s320/DSCF3056.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj550-xb-KbctHMvSWZk9rtoTpm_5t9hAO9ZrXqy6azA9v-iSCA4XDfgqaPVSS4sR0QLdkF97sfYyB2uHcJ0kBb3c3wz_DdpTvanMgmgyBy2AfwfDIId3JRDy5OYc-u159UvmCkAwInk8E/s1600/DSCF3055.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj550-xb-KbctHMvSWZk9rtoTpm_5t9hAO9ZrXqy6azA9v-iSCA4XDfgqaPVSS4sR0QLdkF97sfYyB2uHcJ0kBb3c3wz_DdpTvanMgmgyBy2AfwfDIId3JRDy5OYc-u159UvmCkAwInk8E/s320/DSCF3055.JPG" /></a></div>
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With Elder Kerr</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFd85lZ_M_47KoVjodbTE98j4dAihF9OespbmmppDrkgH2xdM-5u9Rah5N8iyL5eZiyyVXSeai4tyPw7VaBJ28pWYAhQMpqpZ-LrzD16-E7QR42WVNT5UVXLhlhAOIu8poXMBHDikEEyA/s1600/DSCF3066.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFd85lZ_M_47KoVjodbTE98j4dAihF9OespbmmppDrkgH2xdM-5u9Rah5N8iyL5eZiyyVXSeai4tyPw7VaBJ28pWYAhQMpqpZ-LrzD16-E7QR42WVNT5UVXLhlhAOIu8poXMBHDikEEyA/s320/DSCF3066.JPG" /></a></div>
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We make good food! One breakfast we had eggs and hash browns</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblg9eIsg5dTaIwpWJQrrMe6pliueeG65JjF7VN1kurTHoQQJTIADbjcV130vouWt-natz7DfpmnY3suzmScaA4k1FMJjw75sKQzKU4yvnNZZSToAoJsk0lgniBvWVqAxQXt19wT23fPI/s1600/DSCF3051.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblg9eIsg5dTaIwpWJQrrMe6pliueeG65JjF7VN1kurTHoQQJTIADbjcV130vouWt-natz7DfpmnY3suzmScaA4k1FMJjw75sKQzKU4yvnNZZSToAoJsk0lgniBvWVqAxQXt19wT23fPI/s320/DSCF3051.JPG" /></a></div>
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In our zémidjan shirts</div>
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Someone burning stuff right next to our apartment</div>
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Pictures of zémidjan-man</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-59664146348255655362018-04-03T09:06:00.000-07:002018-04-03T12:23:52.661-07:00Marriage. Marriage is what brings us together todayThis week was pretty exciting. We got to witness the marriage of Frere Serge and his wife Miriss. I was so happy for them. The decision they made to get married goes against many African social customs, but they understood how God’s laws comes before the laws of Men. They were so happy to get this chance. <br />
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Don Carlos Smith was put to an end this week as Martial got transferred to Togo. I’m now working with Elder Kerr, someone from my generation I’ve always wanted to work with. Elder Kerr is the son of Mayani. I never thought I would actually work with him but God was on our side. We are working hard to become the best missionaries we can be at the end of our missions. We each have four months left, so we're all about finishing strong.<br />
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Martial and I spent this week working really hard. We walked to Wake for the second time and that was rough, but this time it only took four hours. Martial made sure to do one last prank and when I laid down last night to go to sleep gold bond powder shot out of my fan, so he did get the last laugh in our prank war. <br />
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We also got to cram into the Stake Center to watch a little bit of general conference. I didn’t see much but it was cool the little bit I did see. My favorite thing ever was when President Nelson chastised all the priesthood brothers like a true Congolese would about how to bless people with the priesthood. This motivated me even more to do better studies. <br />
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Easter in Africa does not exist, oh wait it does, but it is so unrecognizable that I forgot it was Easter. We were walking down the street in the sector then coming towards us is a huge crowd of people in white robes following a small kid about twelve years old. The kid was carrying a full-blown cross, like dragging it just like Jesus did. I really hope they weren’t about to crucify that kid. They all bowed for a little bit and started praising him and singing. When we get closer we see he has a crown of fake thorns on his head. What all that was, I don’t know, but weirdness is normal, I forgot. <br />
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The marriage was a huge part the week not much else happened. <br />
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Wise, Ellison, Me</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32MP_tlICG5NWi5mR6YGCE_aWFY5SLJ3vjxGHvgi_adZeGbiYCbI_6sC1VxwvarC2k3ojARiz1moM_9Y5ixuQ7nEVgNukVK3JDLOAhOtJ4xkQSZ0m5GIxFdpKOEFbmgAer0liABcF9r4/s1600/DSCF3048.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi32MP_tlICG5NWi5mR6YGCE_aWFY5SLJ3vjxGHvgi_adZeGbiYCbI_6sC1VxwvarC2k3ojARiz1moM_9Y5ixuQ7nEVgNukVK3JDLOAhOtJ4xkQSZ0m5GIxFdpKOEFbmgAer0liABcF9r4/s320/DSCF3048.JPG" /></a></div>
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With Martial waiting for a taxi</div>
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Someone I taught with his friends from Finagnon. (Sorry the lighting is bad)</div>
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The Wedding Pictures</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-29298474661244683872018-04-02T12:52:00.000-07:002018-04-02T13:02:50.639-07:00Week 83 and the second no Monday contactKaelyn here (Riley's mom) Back in week 50 there was a Monday where Riley was unable to write due to the internet connection. I didn't hear from him today. I don't know the reason why this time. I HATE not hearing from him. Hopefully he is able to write soon.<br />
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Update: I just heard from a mom of another missionary serving that it is a holiday there today. They will get to email tomorrow! Good news!<br />
<br />Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-54928956829304614482018-03-26T09:09:00.000-07:002018-03-26T09:22:13.755-07:00PortalsLet’s see. This week was not the best. I had to spend most the week in the apartment because someone tried to poison me and I got super sick. I threw up a bunch and lost all my energy. To try to make me feel better Martial put on a concert, but the concert got a bit crazy. Lots of gold bond powder and pillows got thrown around. <br />
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We also tried to find a costume for Don Carlos Smith Band and went with the old man look. <br />
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I would like to talk about my portals theory. Here in Benin there are things called portals. Most probably due to Voodoo. You walk down a street and when you come to the end of the street you pop out in a weird place. This can work to your advantage. I used portals in Hevie to walk a distance that should take 45 mins in only 15 because I knew where all the portals were and which ones to take. They are often hidden in back roads and weird turns. Here is a story that happened this week to illustrate my point. There is a part of our sector called Wome and it is exactly like Hevie my old, red, villagy sector. We got a contact form someone who lived there. Usually when we get a contact, because there are no addresses, we get the person’s number, call them and find out a time they are available and get the name of the place they live. There aren’t any maps or signs. Maps are all in the heads of the locals. So, we get to Wome and ask where the place is. The people we asked cry out, “oh gosh it’s far. You can’t go there.” In our mission, it is illegal to take moto taxis and in this villiagy area there are no cars, only moto taxis. We tell them we are forced to walk. They do the catholic sign of the cross because we’re already dead and tell us where to walk. So, we walk down this one street forever then they tell us to take a right. We take the right, walk a ways, then they tell us to take another right and walk strait for another long time. We start wondering why on earth would they have us do that? If you can visualize what that looks like we just are taking the biggest U turn ever. So, we walked and walked and finally made it. It took us two hours to get there. When we arrived, we taught the family then we decided instead of going all the way around in the huge U shape, we would just cut straight across and save lots of time....... Famous last words. I have never been so lost on my mission. We walk into this weird jungle. We see all sorts of weird places and paintings. I’m sure we were the first missionaries to step foot in those secluded corners of this planet. I walked by some kids where I was the first white person they had seen and they stared in awe. It was nuts. After walking for a while we realized our plan was not working so we asked someone where the bridge that we took to get in and she cried even louder than the first lady. “What? That’s too far. You will never make it.” We are like well, we walked from that point to here today. She was baffled. How could we have done that? It’s like that place is miles and miles away. However, we asked the directions and they showed us the portals back home. So, after two hours out there, forty minutes of teaching and three and a half hours to walk back we made it home. I collapsed because I was still feeling a little sick before I went out that morning. I believe the only explanation for why we got so lost was portals and I learned to never try to make your own path, trust the locals, they know what’s up. <br />
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We had 9 investigators at church which was cool. Serge and his wife are getting married on Saturday which is exciting. Sadly, I didn’t do much else this week.<br />
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The "Old Man" costume for Don Carlos Smith Band</div>
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Me during the concert</div>
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After the concert</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-71082743640664853312018-03-19T08:30:00.000-07:002018-03-19T08:30:09.117-07:00Kossi-KossiThis week has been mostly focused on Serge and his family. We did lots of work and we got all the necessary papers sent in for his marriage. He and his wife were so grateful. <br /><br />This week we wanted to start teaching Serge's wife, Miriss, because she has not yet been taught. The second counselor in the young women’s presidency, Cicile, said she wanted to come with us and I have a huge testimony of the importance of members in missionary work because everything Cicile said was perfect. She totally connected to Miriss and was able to share her own conversion story to help her with her worries. It is so crazy that we were just random strangers when Serge called us over and after a few weeks and teachings of Jesus Christ Serge has said we have become just as close as brothers to him and we will forever be a part of his family. I did not expect this to happen but I realize these are my brothers and sisters I knew them at one point. It was probably pre-destined that we would come to earth and meet each other. This experience with this family is too great to put into words but I’m so happy for them.<br /><br />Segre, Miriss and their three kids all came to church together and they met the branch president. I was so happy to see a brand new family all smiling together. It’s a huge miracle and I know God was behind it all.<br /><br />This week we went out into the sector a lot. We have some weird investigators for sure. One funny thing that I’ve noticed is that certain people watch Spanish or Indian soap operas religiously. If you come at a time they should be watching their soap opera they will chase you away or they will be angry and learn nothing. This happened to us this week with a young woman. She comes out and is like I’m mad at you, you came at the wrong time. I’m like you must have a soap opera and she says yes. Knowing the lesson would be pointless I told her to finish it then come back outside. So, we now have 45 minutes to kill in her back yard. We see a well with the inscription kossi kossi and a date. And we were super confused why they would have a grave stone on the side of a well and we assumed kossi kossi must have fallen in the well. We had some fun thinking up stories how this happened. Then we paid our respects to our good friend and brother kossi kossi. May he rest in peace and may someone do his genealogy. <br /><br />We woke up today and there is something wrong with Martial’s shower and our room flooded. I took a pic, it’s hard to see but lots of Martial’s stuff got wet. There is no way to close off the water so it’s just kinda still filling up, Yikes, I don’t wanna know what it will look like when I get back.<br /><br />We had an activity today. The first three zone activity since I got on the mission. It was super great. All the missionaries in Benin got together to play basketball, soccer, and football, eat atcheke and talk. It was great, everyone had a great time. <br /><br />Martial likes pranks and this week he put a bunch of Gold bond powder in my fan and pranked me really good. I then blasted him with my bottle of that stuff. But, that stuff burns the eyes and throat like crazy. It was intense, but pretty harmless, I think. <br /><br />I got a couple calls this week form people in Finagnon. I miss that place, it was fun. One of the investigators I taught there just got baptized. He is super cool and he called me up to say hi, he was another prepared person. <br /><br />Time is coming to an end. It feels like just yesterday I got my son. Since then I’ve done Porto-Novo, Finagnon and now I’m about four and a half months from being home. I’m trying to make the most of my studies and finish strong. I also know my comp has to go to Togo next transfer so I wonder what new change will bring in two weeks.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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My AKPAKPA zone tie that I ordered when I was with Segal came (a transfer later)</div>
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With Martial in the sector</div>
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Our room flooded</div>
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kossi kossi RIP</div>
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Tri-Zone Activity</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-7524658208663204732018-03-12T10:19:00.000-07:002018-03-12T10:31:17.376-07:00Bed sheet curseI don’t know if I’ve talked about this before. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it, but today it was just too much. So, as you know I do laundry by hand and logically one of the hardest things to wash is bed sheets and because you need to dry them outside on the lines it’s always very dangerous. Every single time I’ve washed my sheets something horrible has happened and I’ve had to wash them again. No matter how great the weather looks, it seems to rain on them. If I’m super lucky on the weather they somehow fall on the ground or like in Porto-Novo I cleaned off all the wires I wanted to hang them on because they were dusty. Then right after that I ran bed sheets, except onto a different dirty line getting them dirty again. Today the wind magically un-did the clips and the sheets fell on the ground and I had to wash them again. So, I am permanently cursed by the laundry Gods and I don’t know why.<br />
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I want to write out a funny conversation we had with a lady we had an appointment with. We go to her house, knock on the door, a kid answers saying she is not there. We find a little cement spot outside her house to sit to plan a replacement when she calls. Here is how the call went:<br />
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“M” is Martial “I” is investigator <br />
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M. hello<br />
I. hello did you pass by my house? <br />
M. yes <br />
I. Am I there?<br />
M. I don’t know, are you there?<br />
I. No, I’m not there<br />
M. okay<br />
I. But I’m coming back soon<br />
M. Well, we’re still at your house, we could wait for you<br />
I. No, it’s okay I’m not coming back soon<br />
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I talked a little bit about Frere Serge last week. The guy who came to church for the first time and bore his testimony. Well, we taught him more this week and I’ve never found someone more prepared for the gospel, he is fantastic. I feel the spirit so strong every time we teach him. He testifies how he has found his long-lost family and how he has found the gospel he has been searching to bring his family into. The coolest thing is we taught him about chastity because no one here is married legally and the church is holding a collective marriage at the Stake Center in two weeks to help make the civil marriage cheap because it is super expensive. We got him signed up for it and he was so thankful to have been given a chance to start living this commandment he knows God wants him to be living. He has wanted to get married but has never had the chance. But we’re giving it to him and he is so happy. He has finally found the true Christ and His church. He thanks us all the time. So, after the marriage we will baptize him, his wife and his two oldest kids. He has three kids but the youngest is not old enough. I’m so happy I got to be an instrument in God's hands because there was nothing I did. Really, this one was someone God had really prepared. <br />
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Quinn Dawson wrote in his weekly email, while serving in Sweden, that he doesn’t say it enough but he loves being a missionary. I thought about that because I don’t think I’ve ever really said that because my mission experience has been the hardest and there was also a bunch of really crappy things that happened this week but seeing Serge and the other little blessings of being here. So, there is a first time for everything. I do love being a missionary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEfplgu9y0Fmjg9iO-uoHNihiFQss52fTT7h4VITBFITKpGLzkL1arQc9nP-zWhxNC-zEWyNWJYaaA1ivSXfDojB5McWILF8ft30tneTMAFKRGIk-tpBtrlL8wHdrp8HagPfxNBFFv3s/s1600/DSCF1444.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEfplgu9y0Fmjg9iO-uoHNihiFQss52fTT7h4VITBFITKpGLzkL1arQc9nP-zWhxNC-zEWyNWJYaaA1ivSXfDojB5McWILF8ft30tneTMAFKRGIk-tpBtrlL8wHdrp8HagPfxNBFFv3s/s320/DSCF1444.JPG" /></a></div>
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The dirty sheets</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh9OnjZ5iZlC8Eqt1pe9ZcOfXkKrpPXzNgjQBCoJixU5r14Ky1nKMcm-q5PudEwDyxCAiivUQFYZ3dA4f1PHov50oWsNhKdc7BBrixjruqwZf5egWP-ZI88JZLJ_LtCrLNDeb7rEFdAM/s1600/DSCF1447.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh9OnjZ5iZlC8Eqt1pe9ZcOfXkKrpPXzNgjQBCoJixU5r14Ky1nKMcm-q5PudEwDyxCAiivUQFYZ3dA4f1PHov50oWsNhKdc7BBrixjruqwZf5egWP-ZI88JZLJ_LtCrLNDeb7rEFdAM/s320/DSCF1447.JPG" /></a></div>
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Taxi Ride: Ellison, Bein Aime, Martial, Me</div>
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Weird bruise on my nose</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-36700754772195049792018-03-05T08:14:00.001-08:002018-03-05T08:14:50.643-08:00You don't win friends with saladI have never liked salad, seems like animal food and, “you don’t win friends with salad”. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Kj17oVHAk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Kj17oVHAk</a><br /><br />However, salads here in Benin are some good stuff. It’s usually ten percent lettuce then a bunch of random things on top. Always a lot of spaghetti, dressing, fried bananas, potatoes, carrots, peas, all cut up. Sometimes fries, hard boiled eggs are always a part of it and often served with a side of turkey wing and bread. Just a funny thing you probably didn’t know. So here I can definitely have salads. <br /><br />We had a cool experience this week. We were walking down the street and a little girl ran up to us asking us to follow her. She was sent by this man. He thought we were Jehovah Witness, as everyone does. We give him a brochure and fixed a time to go see him. He seemed somewhat interested in our first lesson and talked a lot. We didn’t know what to think but on Saturday we went back to teach him we taught about the Book of Mormon, gave him one, and invited him to come to church the next day. Sunday rolls around and he was there ten minutes early to church and it was a shock because rarely does anyone come to church on their first try. It was fast and testimony meeting and in the middle, he stands up and says he is new, this is his first time, but he knows that he has finally found the true church of Christ. So that was awesome. We will fix a baptism date with him, he seems awesome. <br /><br />Not much else happened this week. We had zone conference which went over pretty well, president liked it. I got to see a baptism at Cococodji which was cool because everyone over there loves me. I’m feeling at home now the apartment is clean. <br /><br />I am in my last 6 months of the mission so if the mission was high school I’m in my senior year and because I had no pics for the week I decided to do my senior mission pictures, I hope you enjoy.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZEwlzz_7Nei329zXlPfm-7aIMa7g_c26uUvKH4z0sMBOeme3UCYdJuenjWp2_vS4T6Fjjwaeq5R3AbeUuccI8-qNDfZyB74F1xxzNl4kpmu13UAu0ATSsWFAfF5jWnT3mBrVCufy4HE/s1600/DSCF1414.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZEwlzz_7Nei329zXlPfm-7aIMa7g_c26uUvKH4z0sMBOeme3UCYdJuenjWp2_vS4T6Fjjwaeq5R3AbeUuccI8-qNDfZyB74F1xxzNl4kpmu13UAu0ATSsWFAfF5jWnT3mBrVCufy4HE/s320/DSCF1414.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuysdtTT92oXt_eB827w2HjkO9jhs8WSkJZ5AHZROCbdwvloAfHxPC23QsWu83wbmk1xvGL3Nsr5OG9tCp1v9X5kl5abvVc041Jc-lCmCZ168MSrDtijJOQyCfR4l_3GUpkhSuKOBYziY/s1600/DSCF1415.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuysdtTT92oXt_eB827w2HjkO9jhs8WSkJZ5AHZROCbdwvloAfHxPC23QsWu83wbmk1xvGL3Nsr5OG9tCp1v9X5kl5abvVc041Jc-lCmCZ168MSrDtijJOQyCfR4l_3GUpkhSuKOBYziY/s320/DSCF1415.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4iNGAcRxhMce_DUD-jwOd8xpeFVLq_tXP40_CnWzwjZTvC-VUAmPi0Gdd-NNmI8gb08Dak_oOKyLAcrTQLfIuW_r_MgFfVmp7UsqC972wJNakUskXznIE-IBWoOzHC9PCrhFNR_Q-4Y/s1600/DSCF1411.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4iNGAcRxhMce_DUD-jwOd8xpeFVLq_tXP40_CnWzwjZTvC-VUAmPi0Gdd-NNmI8gb08Dak_oOKyLAcrTQLfIuW_r_MgFfVmp7UsqC972wJNakUskXznIE-IBWoOzHC9PCrhFNR_Q-4Y/s320/DSCF1411.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-F0XpqPEuqZ5jRUTx6jYQTLeizTmnhpFc5boCxYwglsiebsMHwNIikNTpfTGK33zypwY6Vo-HyP4CTsU81K4FXjdJp_u1FQBIDc3YtipHqnYEzz0RH_O-Gte65vl1-gQSN-Z24e2TM4/s1600/DSCF1412.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-F0XpqPEuqZ5jRUTx6jYQTLeizTmnhpFc5boCxYwglsiebsMHwNIikNTpfTGK33zypwY6Vo-HyP4CTsU81K4FXjdJp_u1FQBIDc3YtipHqnYEzz0RH_O-Gte65vl1-gQSN-Z24e2TM4/s320/DSCF1412.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVr4tqX-YPSsLjQHDUtSJzj5f_DRM9Y92U_M_9cFSE69os-soNLCtu7wqeC4nFX39U6Tya6gpvt1DM13w9pibc8_fX-nTz40T-pZm6_-3zlgIlLUh_11nTBKI8acdLJEx58KyIhMvCvmk/s1600/2018_03+photo+shoot+with+martial.jpeg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVr4tqX-YPSsLjQHDUtSJzj5f_DRM9Y92U_M_9cFSE69os-soNLCtu7wqeC4nFX39U6Tya6gpvt1DM13w9pibc8_fX-nTz40T-pZm6_-3zlgIlLUh_11nTBKI8acdLJEx58KyIhMvCvmk/s320/2018_03+photo+shoot+with+martial.jpeg" /></a></div>
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Senior Mission Photo Shoot</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0YYO3tv0zUfbAR9rIQQ_DpK6Va5y8hdWEOHnaPpXyORBQpUlKhMn3SK9Dxolb-wfgiBjF5jJQgU4UfEb2z2YelA4XAHz6WQ-BLDOERLW3ALnjc3jmIcijVyg-Z4_ndGk9EdJoFxS464/s1600/DSCF1433.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0YYO3tv0zUfbAR9rIQQ_DpK6Va5y8hdWEOHnaPpXyORBQpUlKhMn3SK9Dxolb-wfgiBjF5jJQgU4UfEb2z2YelA4XAHz6WQ-BLDOERLW3ALnjc3jmIcijVyg-Z4_ndGk9EdJoFxS464/s320/DSCF1433.JPG" /></a></div>
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I am learning guitar for "Don Carlos Smith" band</div>
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Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678305621329570373.post-67771275725600106522018-02-26T08:57:00.001-08:002018-02-26T08:57:47.739-08:00Skeleton in the closetNot gunna lie I think my golden birthday was the worst one ever. It’s true I can’t remember some, but this Tuesday was not ideal. I woke up to get packed to go to my new sector and sadly all my clothes I had washed on Monday night had not quite dried overnight and were all still wet. So, I had to pack them wet and wear wet clothes to the transfer. There was also no power and little water, so ironing stuff and showering were no goes. Then I got transferred. When Martial and I walked into the apartment that we were supposed to live in we were appalled. We then spent the whole week cleaning it. It looked as if no one had lived in it for years. So much dust and trash and weird smells. We could not go out in the sector because we were forced to clean everything. <br /><br />However, a good thing about my birthday; I got a bunch of movie quotes to read and guess the movies they were from. Basically everyone I know wrote one so thank you all for that gift.<br /><br />We threw away so much stuff in our apartment purge. We found many weird pots, we found Santa pants, old clothes. We put our trash down stairs because that’s where the trash guys come in and take it away. Then on Saturday we went out to buy some rice from a mama across the street who also owns a little shop on the side. Then weirdly enough I looked close at the paper lining her table and it was ripped up sheets of preach my gospel. The pots, the Santa pants and many other things we had thrown away were now on sale in her store, coincidence? I think not.<br /><br />Martial likes musical things and we set up my piano and he brought his guitar and we have jam sessions. He has named the band “Don Carlos Smith” after the coolest sounding name of Joseph Smiths brothers. <br /><br />Martial is a great guy. It’s a little hard white washing the sector, but on our first day we fixed two baptism dates and the branch seems cool enough. Things are finally clean.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Weird things we found while cleaning:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNWM_PVCeqe-38omXBFtP9rRVNu0fqvCeAIG9QuZ2mnJFeWXkq0WrVBlE7gq6JNemm-79X_zhDamnVl76I0raNFMOK0mIJaZ-Aohn-lDvifckZsRxBgjGi2m_TFiLXK7tXuIphk9gc10/s1600/DSCF1397.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNWM_PVCeqe-38omXBFtP9rRVNu0fqvCeAIG9QuZ2mnJFeWXkq0WrVBlE7gq6JNemm-79X_zhDamnVl76I0raNFMOK0mIJaZ-Aohn-lDvifckZsRxBgjGi2m_TFiLXK7tXuIphk9gc10/s320/DSCF1397.JPG" /></a></div>
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Lizard Skeleton</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA70ssL5vzfQOOhnfLSLELDsftsyLQRO-xtFzWun251xCi1NzBK1qDwx7CSMmxa3gbbu5FBbJomHvlQjsghiIITgodCzeYJsVhcXWxYfR_A5ZRHNFJ6x0iIYI2_qnOJVsrIxFl8k9eki0/s1600/DSCF1399.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA70ssL5vzfQOOhnfLSLELDsftsyLQRO-xtFzWun251xCi1NzBK1qDwx7CSMmxa3gbbu5FBbJomHvlQjsghiIITgodCzeYJsVhcXWxYfR_A5ZRHNFJ6x0iIYI2_qnOJVsrIxFl8k9eki0/s320/DSCF1399.JPG" /></a></div>
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This random drawing</div>
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It's hard to tell, but things were really dirty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A1DFJAFL18rgBs3tdFpcgJ-igRCEiCBqrW4DKyIz4ISa1dXu81JehpCPSW5T0i9Zp8DpbTyrH9BpF73MT_ci3i9Qqky3HaBpwu9eOe9dRxtnpT5HQy1ksTH4POStUARN0DUtxG3t9Ec/s1600/DSCF1402.JPG"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A1DFJAFL18rgBs3tdFpcgJ-igRCEiCBqrW4DKyIz4ISa1dXu81JehpCPSW5T0i9Zp8DpbTyrH9BpF73MT_ci3i9Qqky3HaBpwu9eOe9dRxtnpT5HQy1ksTH4POStUARN0DUtxG3t9Ec/s320/DSCF1402.JPG" /></a></div>
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The finished product</div>
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Me with Elder Martial "Don Carlos Smith" band</div>
Riley Larsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12879224858067876978noreply@blogger.com