June 2021 – Page 3 – Our Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan East and Bamako, Mali Mission

Bamako Branch Conference Sunday 13 June 2021

We had a glorious Branch Conference today in Bamako. It was wonderful to have members and friends attending from all of our outlying areas. It was great to have Pres and Sis Bendixsen with us. It was a happy good day.

Here are our members and friends from Diatoula. They have come the farthest. And they arrived more than an hour early!

The children and youth from Diatoula:

Pres Sekou conducted the meeting. We heard from Dina, our Primary President, Pres Sekou, Sis Bendixsen and Pres Bendixsen.

After a wonderful sacrament meeting, I helped in the Primary.

The Elders and Dramane helped with the youth class (Dra translated the lesson to Bambara for the kids from Diatoula).

Ibrahima (Elders Quorum President) and Valerie (Relief Society President) met with all of the adults. They talked about what it means to minister and how we can go about doing ministering to each other.

Here are a few photos of our friends taken after the meetings.

Abram Cosby is flying home to the USA tonight. We will miss him here.

Nourou Sidibe was sustained in 2 new callings today. He will be serving as the National Communication Director and as the 1st Counselor in our Branch Elders Quorum.

This afternoon we took the Bendixsens to the airport for their return flight to Abidjan. What a great weekend it’s been! It’s been wonderful to have them here.

Saturday at the Church with our Branch Leaders

We spent this Saturday at the church with the Bendixsens as our branch leaders came for interviews and training, which carried on all day.

Here’s a look at the fun lunch we had delivered–fried chicken, pizzas and quesadillas.

Here are some of our Branch Leaders:

Back Row left to right: Elder Koffi, Valerie, Francois, Ibrahima, Elder Kamenan. Front Row: Mbaya, Seck, Pres Sekou

Pres Bendixsen meeting with Pres Sekou:

Later this afternoon, the Bendixsens went to a couple of appointments with the Elders, teaching investigators.

And this evening we all went out to dinner at Guido’s. It was a nice way to end the day.

A Visit to Pres Sekou and Dina’s Home

On our way back into Bamako this evening, we stopped at Sekou’s new home to say hello to Dina and baby Amani. This is our first time to see them since we returned to Bamako last week. Amani is a beautiful boy who does not like to sleep! He has a strong body and strong lungs! And he has strong parents!

Mooving Cows!

Here are a few loads we drove along with on our way back to Bamako this afternoon. I can stare out of the window here for hours and never tire of watching this Malian world go by.

Recycling Scrap Metal

I was admiring this old bike, wondering if it still worked. It, like so many things here, seemed to be held together with a bit of wire and a prayer. When I saw the tool bag hanging from the side, I knew we were in business!

I watched today, as the men gathered scrap metal from the chicken coops and carefully stuffed the odds and ends and pieces into large bags. Recycling at its best was happening here today.

After 4 bags were loaded, they were taken to a scale hanging from a low branch of the mango tree to be weighed. The first bag weighed 36 kilos.

After checking the weight and repacking a few pieces, the bags were loaded onto the back of the bicycle and tied down with strips of innertubes.

Then the men pumped up the bike tires that had zero tread on them.

Then they wired the tire pump back onto the bike for when the tires needed more air en route.

And then he was off–to ride 30 minutes down an unpaved bumpy dirt road to the recycling shop. I love how nothing is ever wasted here. Everything has some value and everything is appreciated. As it should be.

A Visit to the Chicken Farm in Mountougoula

This afternoon we took Pres and Sis Bendixsen to the chicken farm to meet with our members there. We spent the afternoon visiting. Pres Bendixsen conducted several interviews and then we all met together to talk about the future of the church at the farm and in Diatoula, beyond the farm.

Pres Bendixsen repeated Elder Kacher’s counsel to the men here to pray morning and evening with their wives and families, to read the scriptures individually and with their families, to keep the commandments, including attending church every week and paying their tithing, and to minister to each others’ needs. We hope to see some improvement in these areas in the future.

This is Felix with Julien Keita. Felix is receiving the missionary lessons now.

This is the spot where the first baptismal font in Mali once stood.

The Elders teaching Felix:

Pres Bendixsen holding an interview:

Julien Keita, leader in Diatoula:

Dramane Bagayoko, group leader in Mountougoula with his son, Mike:

Pres Bendixsen with Adama Koulibaly:

Here everyone gathered for our leadership meeting:

This is Alassane, who will be baptized on June 19th:

Pres Bendixsen, Felix, Alassane, Dra, Sis Bendixsen and Julien:

I took home a flat of beautiful chicken farm eggs. They’re the best ever!

A Mini Zone Conference in Bamako

We had a great morning, meeting in our own mini Zone Conference with Pres and Sis Bendixsen. We talked about things like using Area Book Planner and reporting, the new EnglishConnect pilot program to help every interested missionary learn English, and Pres Bendixsen talked about finding joy in the work.

The Elders learned about the new referral program and the new Facebook ads the church will be putting out in each area with a number to call. The goal is to have interested people coming to us instead of us having to find them. Elder Bah, who served here in Bamako and is now back in Abidjan, is the new referral specialist for our mission.

Pres Sekou was able to join us for this zone conference. He has such a busy schedule with his medical school and work at the hospital, it’s always a treat to have him with us.

We had pizzas delivered for lunch and afterwards we all traveled to Mountougoula for visits there.

Visiting with Ibrahima Togola

Our last visit this evening was with Ibrahima Togola, our fantastic Elders Quorum President. He is always ready and willing to help, whenever asked. We are so grateful for all he does.

A Visit with Valerie and Biggo’s Family

Fr Biggo is the first counselor in our Branch Presidency and his wife, Valerie, is our Relief Society President. We love them, our Malian family.

Baby James and his big brother, Michael

Sometimes I think about leaving my friends here and my heart breaks. I don’t know how I’ll do it.

A Visit to our Dear Friend, Adele Koffi

I Love Adele Koffi. She is a faithful and true sister. I love her children, Leila and Prunel. We have watched this little family grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ from the time the missionaries began teaching them.

We felt the peace of the Spirit as we sat in her little home. Adele has just been called to serve as a counselor to our Primary President. She is beautiful inside and out.