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We also went to see the missionary apartment that now stands empty (since COVID).  In the past there have been as many as 4 Elders serving here.  Here are some memories for those of you who once lived here:

We held our monthly leadership meeting today in the East Mission with the Bendixsens.  It’s always a delight to be with our Sister Training Leaders and our Zone Leaders.

Today we had discussions about our key indicators and goals, preparing for area book planner (phone technology), missionary support funds, and a few other things.  These are always interesting meetings.

At the end of the day, Pres Bendixsen told them we’d be returning to Mali the first week in December and we got to share a few thoughts with them.  I’m grateful for the French words that come out of my mouth now.

Today was our last office staff meeting with these excellent Elders.  We’ve lost 2 since last week–one was transferred and one returned home.  We are preparing for the Lewises return to Abidjan tonight!

What a blessing to have John here, helping in the East and in the West Missions!  It’s not hard to see why our path has been diverted these last several months as he helped the Binenes prepare to depart, as we welcomed the Bendixsens here, and as he stepped in to help Pres Lewis in the West Mission.  There is more going on than you might ever imagine behind the scenes in a mission.  What a gift John has been to these three Mission Presidents!

We often think about our 3 years serving in the Washington Yakima Mission, never imagining what a preparation that would be for us now here in Africa!  The Lord works in mysteriously fantastic ways.

Here’s a pic our our kids today in Utah delivering a few treats and things to Pres and Sis Lewis to bring back for us when they return.  Both received the medical attention they needed and they are healing from the procedures they received.  Today Pres Lewis had his follow up appointment after his surgery and everything is looking good.  We are so grateful they will soon return to us here in Abidjan.

This afternoon we had a very special treat here in Abidjan.  We, along with  members in all of Cote d’Ivoire and Benin gathered in a big zoom broadcast from Salt Lake City with Sister Sharon Eubank.

This COVID period has taught us how to connect easily with others around the world through means like ZOOM.  What a blessing to just tune in and hear inspired messages as they are given.  We can see each other’s faces and listen as we gather together.  This also is part of that great “Gathering” Pres. Nelson speaks of so often–the gathering of the Saints, no matter where they are in the world!

Sister Eubank talked about the Work of Salvation and Exaltation in simple clear ways:

1. Live the Gospel
2. Care for others
3. Invite to Jesus Christ
4. Unite families in the temple

1.  We live the gospel of Jesus Christ by communicating with God in prayer.  We can pray about our questions and feel impressions in our hearts.  He will bring ideas to our minds.

We can live the gospel of Jesus Christ by reading the scriptures daily.  The scriptures are full of other leaders who are solving problems.  Leaders need this tool to help them learn.

We can live the gospel of Jesus Christ by counseling in presidencies.  We can talk about every issue in our hearts.  Heavenly Father gives revelation to every single person who seeks it.  We have ward and branch counsels.  The Church cannot move forward without counsels.

2.  We can care for others by listening, expressing love, helping them make a plan and comforting or testifying of gospel truths.   An example of doing this might be by asking, “What have you tried?  What will you try next?  How can I help?”  Interviews with your sisters can be as simple as asking, “How is she doing?  What does she need?”

3.  Inviting others to come to Jesus Christ is gathering Israel on both sides of the veil, the greatest work we can do today.  It’s not just the work of missionaries.  It’s the work of the Relief Society too!  Invite your friends to Relief Society activities or to church.  Read scriptures with your friends.  Help provide service.  Share your feelings about Jesus Christ.  Invite them to meet with the missionaries.

4.  Unite families in the temple by helping others receive the ordinances they need.  Prepare them for baptism, endowments, sealings and for doing temple work for others.  We can help others record their stories and write their histories.

Sister Eubank showed us an easy way to remember to LIVE, CARE, INVITE and UNITE by using motions–lifting and arm to God, crossing arms in a hug, extending hands to invite and joining fingers and making a circle with your hands to show eternal untiy.

We enjoyed the meeting very much and I’m sure the sisters here did too.  This meeting was followed by a second broadcast for all of the sisters and ward priesthood leaders.  The good instruction continued.  Sis Eubank and Sister Harkness responded to questions that had been submitted beforehand.  They talked about things like receiving personal revelation and treating children with love and kindness.  They also addressed the sad issue of sexual abuse and the wonderful healing that comes through Jesus Christ.

Elder Kacher in Accra conducted these meetings and helped facilitate the translators and the zoom meeting.  We are grateful for what we learned today.

Because we’ve brought our missionaries from Adzope into Abidjan because of the elections, we were able to hold a Zone Conference with them today.  A bonus treat for all of us!  We gathered with these 16 missionaries in the Cocody Stake Center and spent the morning learning together.

John taught these missionaries about our new soutien plan for their missionary support funds.  We love the new system, having the missionaries receive their support every other Monday (P-day) now instead of on the 1st and the 15th of each month.  This will simplify so many things.

Another large part of this new policy is teaching the missionaries to plan and budget their money.  Each missionary will have a budget plan on paper every 2 weeks to keep track of their financial goals and all of their expenses.  This will greatly simplify things for the financial secretary because the plan includes saving a set amount of reserve money every 2 weeks, that can be used for emergency expenses like transportation or health care.  It will help the missionaries learn about saving for the future and being more self-reliant.

A short break

After the break, we played the Companionship Game to see how well the missionaries knew their companions.  That was fun!

Then Elder Amani and Pres Bendixsen taught about being prepared and about being good missionaries.

Before the end of the conference, we heard departing testimonies from Soeur Djadou and Elder Gandaho, who will be going home at the next transfer.   We will really miss them.

 

 

 

 

After the conference ended, we served pizza and enjoyed visiting with these excellent missionaries.  This really is an amazingly good zone.

The missionaries waited today in the high council room.  Hanging over a window there was this timeline of the first 100 Stakes of Zion in Africa.  I realize it’s hard to read–it was not hanging straight, but still I found it fascinating.

Here are a few random photos taken this week of interesting things.  These are a few of the COVID signs we see around here and a hand washing station outside of a store.

Wow, Halloween comes to Africa!  Here’s a display in the Orca department store!

And here are the road improvements made on our street this week.  We got new dumps of road base!!

Here is a billboard of the current President of Cote d’Ivoire.  He is running for a 3rd term.  There is a lot of excitement around town these days and some demonstrations surrounding the 31 October elections.