Monday, January 25, 2016

orphanage in Africa


Alex works in an orphanage


Hello 2016

hello. 2016!!!!!!! man oh man, its finally here

 

 
I dont know where to start! its been a pretty crazy week here in West Africa! I hope you all had a great new years and had a lot of fun! i know I did!!!
So, on monday we were supposed to come down to Benin to do some planning and other stuff. But right before we were about to leave we got a phone call saying that something came up and that we were no longer needed. so, Monday turned into the Bruno Mars song "today i swear im not doing anything!" because besides laundry, and cleaning, and going to do a little office work, we literally did nothing.
tuesday was really awesome. We taught Dele on obedience... which turned into another conversation about why Alcohol and Pot are not good. But he is making an effort to stop. but, its all in a days work. 
We taught Fabrice and Paul about chastity. (With new years coming up, we wanted to let all of our investigators know that "these are the things that they should do") I know they understood.
We met up with the Eastwards, a family from nigeria that was just recently baptized, and we watched the movie on how the church started in Nigeria. They loved it! It was awesome.
Wednesday we taught dele again... He didnt get the message about Pot because his Hat had a big pot plant on it.... maybe next time.
Something exciting! we Brought a sick sister missionary to the hospital! 
So, The 31st was a massive party. We tried teaching our investigator Fabrice again at the church, but the stake center was having a huge party. which we assisted because fabrice, paul, and dele attended! it was a lot of fun! the primary children dressed in traditional outfits and did traditional dancing to some african pop music.
the 1st we went to blaise's house in the village in Djagble. so that was fun.
SOm one of the sister missionaries (different sister than before) got sick and we had to take here to the hospital. well I got sick the same day. Like pretty bad. So, having to take care of the sister, while being sick. was not fun. But, Its all in a days work.
sunday, we went to church then back to the apartment because i was sick.... still.
Now i feel better, and im in benin!
So, that was my week in a nutshell!
I love you all,
Ill see you guys later this year!
Elder Magre

Party!!!!

party!! hooray!!!

Alexandre Magre

Attachments
 
 
Hello Family!
How are you! I feel soooo much better. so, i finally figured out what was wrong with me. I had a bacteria in my stomach!!! yeah, africa is seriously trying to kill me.
So, this week was actually pretty good. we had a really good time. and We were able to work out a lot of stuff.
so, a few weeks ago (when we made the two trips to benin because of an incident that happened) I went into presidents morin office and he told me that I was going to be transfered at the end of this transfer. He has asked me to start training Elder Jorgensen because he will be one that is replacing me!! so, Im finally going to be out of the Togo Office! hooray!! In all honesty though, and as weird as it may sound, im going to miss it. Ive honestly learned a lot, and ive grown as a missionary. Plus Its getting Hot. and i mean HOT!!!! Yup, its finally the Hot season, and its only getting to get hotter. So, im getting out of the air conditioned car, and into the scolding hot west african sun... so, Im excited. In all honesty, i think im going to die of heat exhaustion.  haha. I am going to miss paying off police officers though. Thats elder Jorgensens problem now! haha!! sucker. (The other day he asked me to show him how we have to do it)
So, this week went well. On tuesday Elder Dioulo took me out to festival de Glace, an ice cream shop/restaurant that is super expensive. (its usually filled with white people) So, truth is Elder Dioulo and I had a rough time together. we got along for the most part, but we had our difficulties. In all honesty he kind of let his calling as an assistant get to his head a little bit, so he was really mean, and hard on the missionaries. But, after a zone leader (and president) called him out on it, he made a huge change. and it got better ever since, and he actually became somewhat cool. 
Anyways, he took me to the restaurant and kind of apologized for being so difficult on me and having been at times a jerk. He was actually Sad that he isnt going to be able to finish his mission with me (He goes him in two months... and im transfered.😁) In all honesty, I really did like working with elder dioulo. That guy knows the bible like the back of his hand. And in all honesty, we get along great now! We got along before, but we werent the "best of friends" but this past little while, he has been making an effort to change.
so, on wendesday we did some office work. President is coming to togo so we needed to Call some of the bishops. President wants t meet with all of the bishops here in togo to explain the missions new mission strategy. ward missionaries. The ward missionaries are actually going to have secteurs now. they are going to go and find and teach people living there. since our mission has a lack of missionaries we are having to close a lot of secteurs. which is making the bishops mad since "we arent baptizing". so, the ward missionaries are going to star working in the areas where missionaries cant go since its a closed secteur. Its actually kind of interesting.
thats what they did in the ivory coast, and thats why the work progressed so well there. (also maybe because the mission presidents set quotas for the missionaries of baptizing four people a month... president morin and the inter region are trying to end this because THATS NOT WHAT WE DO!!!!)
so, one of the bishops here who works for the church invited us to come eat at his house. when we got there, he actually took us to a pizzaria! haha! it was awesome!!! there was air hockey and everything there! it was at one of the big hotels by the beach. so, anyways... that was fun.
Teaching wise things are going well for us. we taugh a few lessons. PHillips is still progressing really well. he came to church today! sadly, we dont know if he is married to his wife (legally) its still the same problem. the dowry.
Fabrice and paul have gotten weird. a lot of missed rendez vous, (I actually had a nightmare last night that they held Elder Dioulo and I hostage). We are going to have to abandon them.
Aristide came to church! he is the stake presidents contact! He is older, but is really intrested. we are planning on fixing his baptism date in the week to come! 
so, thats all we got for the most part.
this week was actually pretty crazy. im going to end my email here since its already kind of long.
I attached a picture of some awesome african children. moroni and isabelle. (dad is an excommunicated member!) so, exciting stuff.
I love you guys, stay safe, and remember that if a police officer pulls you over, a tip usually does the trick!
bye bye loo
Elder Magre