Week 28 Email: Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année

From: Christian.garcia@missionary.org
Date: Monday, December 27, 2021
Subject: Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee

Bonjour Bonjour tout le monde!

I hope that your Christmas festivities were fun and full of snowy days haha. Down here there's no such thing as snow so it's a little weird to think that back home there's a lot of snow. It also doesn't feel like the end of the year because it's definitely not cold. And a Happy New Year at the end(ish) of this week! Super crazy that 2021 is over already but I guess that's that's happens when you're doing something you love... time flies by.

Since I didn't write an email last week I am going to try and summarise everything. To start off the week we had an exchange up here in Kpalime with the Zone Leaders and it was great. Because of how the companionships are set up though the entire Agoe district came up so there were 6 of us partying up here Monday night and Tuesday. I went out with Elder Ntumba and Elder Anwuacha and we walked because there's only 2 bikes. I missed walking around and just being able to talk to people and the other missionary, so it was nice to just have that day to not use the bikes. We went and taught an ami from the very first week that I was in Kpalime last time (so at the beginning of my mission) and she asked us about baptism! We have to go through the lessons but it made me so happy that she has that desire. And she's been continuing to go to church now so she's doing everything that she needs to, to be baptised if she decides that's something she wants.

Then for the rest of the week it was a lot of contacting again and trying to wake up Kpalime in the mornings. A lot of Africans are at work in the mornings here so it's a little hard to get rendez-vous but it's a good challenge and I kinda like that. So far we have only got 2 people who are available in the mornings and that's on the weekends when there isn't school and they're in school still so it makes sense. This past week we set up a baptismal date for basically the end of the transfer on January 8! Frère Stanley asked me about baptism the first Sunday that we were back and so when we went over to his house we set it up. Kinda weird for me to be setting up baptismal dates with a new companion in Kplaime but that's they way God works. He has His reasons for everything.

Alright, for this past week it was actually kinda crazy. So to start off on Monday we went and travelled to Lomé. Hence why I wasn't able to wrote a group email. But we went and stayed with our district and I got to pkah a freaking drum... that's definitely a highlight of my life. Haha

Tuesday we got together as all missionaries in Togo and had a talent show for Christmas kinda thing and my District sang a Hymn while my companion and our District Leader played the drums. It was pretty freaking cool to say the least. We then got to have lunch that was so much food that I didn't end up eating dinner haha.

On Wednesday we had another District Council and we talked about charity and love and how the 2 are closely related and there isn't one without the other kind of thing. It was a really inspiring District Council because it helped me to realise that being on a mission you need to love the people before you can help them. For the afternoon we got stood up... 3 times. That was pretty horrid to say the least but I guess you have to have the ups and downs even on a mission. We were able to go and talk to frère Stanley though and he's still preparing for January 8th for his baptismal date so that's something!

Thursday was kinda a crazy day. Mainly because I hit 6 months out on the mission... not sure how that time has gone by this fast. Its weird to think that I'm already ¼ of the way done. It's really sad too, I love these people and their culture. Even the freaky Voodoo, though it still is really scary and I don't want to go anywhere near it or those who practice it hahah. Basically every single one of our lessons was a no show which is weird because we went to their houses... not 100% sure how that happened every time but it did. We (my comp and I) were feeling just done with the day but we had Family Home Evening with a member family so we went there and they gave us some foufou, it's basically mashed yams but not at the same time (idk how to describe it, you need to see it yourself) and we were pretty happy about that haha. And the Family Home Evening was great! Shared a message of family and how this is a great time of year to be with them and to be thankful for them and for the opportunity we have to learn and grow with them here on this earth.

Friday went a little something like this... My companion and I woke up and did our normal, study and workout, breakfast and then we had our weekly planning session and our daily comp study. Well after that you could days that we were both just dead. I got up and got some water and came back and my comp was asleep haha. I sat down and started to read my scriptures and then before you know it I fell asleep too. Thankfully we were only out for about 30 minutes, but man... those 30 minutes felt like I slept for hours. We went to the branch Chdistmas party and it was pretty cool. Since they don't have snow here they used yellow and white and it kinda looked like a wedding but it's Christmas so yeah. They also had the kids dance and do a whole bunch of stuff so I finally got to see some African dancing. Didn't participate because I was told no but hey... I tried.

Saturday was a weird day. First of all CHRISTMAS. But no snow so not really?? Anyways, my comp and I found a goat. It's was pretty sick. We're gonna take little Tommy to Lomé with us so we can kill him and eat him for the New Year celebration. Its gonna be awesome

we didn't have very many lessons that stayed with us because everyone was celebrating with their families so we tried street contacting to no avail because nobody was put and about. So we went and talked to our families. I love this time of year. Being able to be together with family (even when we're on different continents and 7 hours of time difference apart) and remember the big WHY of what Christmas really is.

My Sunday this week was just another day of out in sector. We are teaching this really amazing family and they are coming to church and progressing sooo good. But everytime we teach we have to have a translator because they only speak the native language here (ewe). So it's been a little difficult to find a time to teach them and have a member with us. But when we do they are interested and seem to live what we are sharing!! I think that they will be baptised this upcoming year by my companion and his new companion (unless we stay together another transfer). We also went and talked to Papa Felix for a hot second to tell him that we found some of the stuff for our party of parties at the end of this week for a LOT cheaper than he was selling it. He was okay with that because he had used the herbs and stuff for breakfast haha. That's Togo for ya.

For my spiritual thought I just want to touch on the Savior and what His birth really signifies for us here upon this earth. In our lessons, as missionaries, we teach our amis about the Plan of Salvation and how all of that is available for us to have in our lives because of the incredible power of the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father gave His only begotten to the world knowing that he would suffer and be crucified... and for that I am going to be forever grateful. I'm grateful that the Savior loved each and every one of us so much that He gave His life to save us. This time of year is a good reminder that even though He was born in a manger He saved each and every one of us.

Fun fact of Togo: if the people here do want to say your name because their language is hard even for them they just call you Charlie. It's pretty funny because it's a name that I would have never thought of to call someone if I wanted to address them. Unless that was their name hah.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far. And again sorry for the long email and if my paragraphs are all over the place. These past 2 weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind haha.

I love you all and wish you a Happy New Year!

Elder Garcia

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