Christian in Africa

From: Christian.garcia@missionary.org Date: Monday, December 13, 2021 **Reply to Mom's Email** This week was actually alright. It is pretty slow because the amis don't know we're back and don't answer their phones so that's kinda lame. We also had a freaking awesome Zone Conference and I think I am still on a spiritual high from it. Kpalime is okay, there are some reservations and the bikes hurt my butt but I'll get over it with time. Did I mention that I hate the bikes haha. A little bit of the Utah chill would be great. Except for the fact that I would probably freeze. This week I have turned off my fans at night because I got so cold and had to actually use my sheets. Kpalime wasn't like this the last time but after being in Lome for a hot second Kplaime is cooooollllld.  Remind me never to take suggestions of where to eat from other people. I think everytime you have gone out to eat with other people you get sick or the food is awful hahaha....

From: Mom! To: Christian.garcia@missionary.org Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021 Hey! How are you? How was your first week back in Kpalime? I have been thinking about you extra this week and wondering how it is going. From the photos you have uploaded it looks like you are happy and that maybe (hopeful?) that his stay is going better? Things here are cold. Cold. I am sitting at the moment in my office chair, minky blanket on my lap, socks on my toes, and a heater blaring at high behind me. And it is still cold. The temperature on my computer is registering at 29'. I wake up cold and stay cold most of my days. I miss Summertime and being in the pool or by the pool. We had a semi quiet week again and I won't lie, it was nice. Especially with the weather that came in. We did go to dinner last night with the Thornell's. That was different. They are just weird. :) We went to some sort of hole in the wall place and it wasn't good. Sushi/steak, but not really stea...

Elder Kouadio and me a Zone Conference  

We got a tree! Hanging Ornament  

Annnnd we're back in Kpalime  

I wasn't entirely sure I was going to end up with an actual phone call from Elder Garcia today. He has been transferred and is back in Kpalime and I would be lying if I said he was even one bit excited about this change. He is really struggling and I tried to send a message on the Facebook as best I could (but voice telling vs message telling is way different) and I was worried I upset him and so he wouldn't call. Then as my day continued to move on and there was no call I figured I would have to wait until next week. I was THRILLED when my phone rang and it was Elder Garcia on the other end. :)  Elder Garcia said this week that when he got word that he was headed back up to Kpalime he really really struggled. He kept saying "my mission is not there" and so I asked him why he felt that way. I mean, Kpalime is after all in his mission and there are clearly those who need to hear from the missionaries that are called there. I just needed him to explain so we could talk ...

***Reply to Elder Garcia's response** Well...Kpalime again huh? I have lots of feelings on this and I will share them here with you. :) There is a lot of good from this I can already tell. Let's start with the weather. You will be able to go back to the rainforesty type weather and out of the blazing hotter than Satan's balls weather. That is a win (although I am still jealous you are in warm especially since there is snow due this week for at least 2 days! :/). Clearly your Mission President trusts you to go back and take the next 6 weeks to really get to work and see if there is something there that you were missing with a rough companion. Your companion you will head there with you already know and have a relationship with so that too is already better than what you know Kpalime to be. I know you don't feel like your mission is in Kpalime but maybe this is the Lords way, through your Mission President, of showing you that there is work to be done and it ...