A New Stake is Created in Koumassi!

Today was historic!  A new stake was created in the greater Abidjan area.  From the 15 wards and branches in the Grand Bassam Stake and the 12 wards and branches in the Port Bouet Stake, the Koumassi Stake was created.  Now each of these 3 stakes has 9 units to care for.

Everyone knew where the divisions would be ahead of time–this change has been in the works since COVID restrictions began and meetings were put on hold.  We were finally able to see the changes happen today.  Each ward was allowed 12 seats in the conference and children were encouraged to stay home so there would be room for the leaders.  The conference was then broadcast to several buildings throughout the stakes.

We met in the Grand Bassam Stake Center.  Elder Klebengat presided at the meeting and was accompanied by Elder Koranteng.  Pres Doho Bi of the Grand Bassam Stake conducted the meeting and Pres Koffi of the Port Bouet Stake was in attendance.

Before the meeting, we were greeted by our dear friend and historian, Norbert Onleu, one of the Pioneer leaders here in Cote d’Ivoire.

Several of our missionaries were able to attend today.

What a beautiful sight!

 

 

 

 

Here is Elder Klebengat conducting the meeting.  The new Stake Presidency of the Koumassi Stake is Medard Omon Bole, President, with Lucien Zebil Bi Ouga  as First Counselor and Thierno Bah as Second Counselor.

We enjoyed hearing from each of them and their wives during the meeting.  Then John and I got to bear our testimonies.  After that, Elder Koranteng and Elder Klebengat taught us.  Elder Klebengat described what it was like to receive the inspiration about who these next leaders would be.  We believe that men are called of God, through His inspiration.  That certainly happened here this weekend.

Here are some pictures taken after the meeting ended of these beautiful member saints.

Our new priesthood leaders!

Elder Jorg Klebingat, Stake Pres Menard Omon Bole; Pres. Lucien Zebli Bi Ouga, 1st Counselor; Pres Thierno Bah, 2nd Counselor; Elder John Koranteng

 

 

 

 

 

Transport vans took many of the members home.

 

Norbert Onleu and his family.

This young man served his mission in Toronto, Canada and served as a Zone Leader in the very area where my 3rd Great-grandpa joined the church in 1837.

What an excellent day–a day of new growth and excitement for these members!

Stake Conference Leadership Session in the Port Bouet Stake

This afternoon we attended the leadership session of the Port Bouet Stake Conference.  This is a big weekend.  We have stakes in  Port Bouet (with 12 wards and branches) and in Grand Bassam (with 15 units).

Tomorrow a 3rd Stake called Koumassi will be created out of the two.  Each stake will have 9 units.  The Port Bouet Stake has been in the Abidjan West Mission and the Grand Bassam Stake has been in the Abidjan East Mission.  The new Koumassi Stake will be added to the Abidjan East Mission.

Today we met with the leadership of the just the Port Bouet Stake in the Petit Grand Bassam building.

Elder John Koranteng, an Area Seventy from Accra taught from Matthew 25 about the wise and foolish virgins.  He traveled here with Elder Klebingat, who is a new counselor in our Area Presidency.  This is Elder Klebingat’s very first African stake conference!

During the meeting, we heard thunder rolling overhead, and then the heavens opened.  Those who were sitting between the rooms moved their chairs to keep dry.

Elder Klebingat took the last hour and talked about several topics– strengthening families, staying on the covenant path, strengthening the youth, and  about being honest with sacred funds.  He also shared his interesting conversion story.  He was at an AC/DC rock concert in Germany when he was 17 years old.  He noticed another boy there who wasn’t drinking or smoking or using drugs.  They discovered they only lived 10 minutes from each other (the concert was  a 7 hour drive away from their town).  This boy and his family introduced Elder Klebingat to the church.

After the meeting, we enjoyed visiting with these good members and with our visiting authorities.

Tomorrow we will meet at the Grand Bassam Stake Center for the general session of Stake Conference where these stakes will be divided into three.   Because of COVID precautions, only a small representation from each stake will be allowed to attend in person.  The meeting will be broadcast to different buildings throughout the area.  We are looking forward to representing Pres and Sis Lewis there.

A Typical Port Bouet, Abidjan Neighborhood

There is simplicity and grit in this Abidjan world.  One of my favorite things is to drive through neighborhoods, like we did today, and watch what’s going on around us.  I learn from these neighbors and wish I could sit and visit with them and hear their stories.  They carry burdens I will never know.  They feel hunger I will never have.  They give freely and they share.

Every day I am aware of the life of ease and comfort I have enjoyed.  I wish I could help lighten more burdens here.  But even more, I wish I could learn to be strong and brave and good like these neighbors.  If only I could be more like them, my life would improve in so many ways.  I am trying to learn.

Come watch with me and learn from other ways of doing things.

A woman plaiting another woman’s hair.
Laundry drying.
A missionary apartment.
Bags of garbage.
A landscaped yard.
Laundry under the window.
A street vendor under an umbrella.
Selling attieke, plantain and fruit.
Taking the cooler off her head to rest next to the wigs.
Passing by a vendor.
Propane tanks by a fast food shop.
A cute restaurant.
A bike shop.
The restaurant is open. Dried fish for sale out front.
Purple shelves.
A hardware store.
A shoe salesman.
Sponges and colorful plastic netting used to clean cooking pots.
Bottles of gas and oil, tires and car parts for sale.
Men stopping for some lunch.
Gates closed and laundry hanging.
Drinks for sale and mannequins.
A cute travel agency.
Road workers taking a break.
A girl and her sister passing by.
Men going to the Friday mosque.
More men going to Friday mosque.
Men in the shade.
Jars on a shelf under a tin roof.
Produce for sale.
Waiting for customers.
A blue gate.
A motorcyclist passing a mannequin. Satellite dishes overhead.
A small business.
Collecting empty bottles.
Shoes drying in the sun.
Everything you need to paint your car.
Woman with pan of charcoal for cooking fires.
Children playing under the table by the ladder.
Woman and daughter under a parasol.
Pick your hairdo from this chart.
Waiting to cross the street.
Friday after prayers at the mosque.
A clothing store.
Passing by another clothing store.
Trying to keep the sun off the produce.
Beautiful women visiting.
A variety store with a worn umbrella next to a produce vendor.
Sun on the tomatoes and onions.
Dried fish and handbags for sale.
Drinks, money transfer, and propane shops.
Women visiting by dried fish for sale.
Look both ways before crossing the street.
A furniture maker. All made with non-power hand tools.
Men with their sewing machines, waiting for customers.
If it all doesn’t fit in your shop, put it on top.
Busy people passing by. Clothing for sale hanging from the umbrella.
Attieke for sale. For every meal, every day.
A place to transfer money.
A bottle of something good to drink.
Brooms and clothing for sale.
No idea what’s for sale, but look at all the stuff on the roof!
Delicious cakes for every occasion.
Bags of bottles to recycle.
Import and export business.
Easy TV mounting racks.
Hard boiled eggs and beef on a skewer for sale.

Managing the Missions

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.

District Meeting at the Office with our Cocody Missionaries

It was really fun to see our district today and attend their district meeting, held at the office (the church was locked).  ElderN’zi is our fearless leader.

After the meeting we went to the Temporal Affairs Office and Distribution Center.  We got a gift for Seraphin and his family.  He is so excited about the things he is learning!

Here are our West Mission Office Elders.

A Special Broadcast with Sis Sharon Eubank

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.

Church with the Riviera 1 Ward, Cocody Stake

This morning we attended church with the Riviera 1 Ward, not far from our neighborhood.  This is the ward Elder N’zi and Elder Kouame attend each week.  We loved seeing them in action here.

The roads in our neighborhoods are bad again, after the heavy rains that come and go.  All of the loose dirt is washed away, leaving the road rubble.

This is the building we met in today.  Many of our church buildings, like this one, were previously homes or villas.

Elder N’zi and Koame are a great support in this ward.

We continue to follow COVID meeting protocol here.  Chairs were spaced apart and we listened to the music Elder Kouame played without singing along.  After having the sacrament and thinking about our sacred covenants, we enjoyed a testimony meeting.  We had about 40 wonderful members and friends attending here today.

Here are a few photos I took after the meeting:

Elder N’zi with their investigator.  She’ll be baptized next week!

Preparing for tithing settlements

These women were having what I’m guessing was a presidency meeting:

As we left, my heart was warmed by seeing these two sisters visiting and ministering to each other.

Elder Kwizera is FINALLY going home!

Elder Kwizera is the very last of our “hold over” missionaries to return home.  He is the only missionary in the world serving from the country of Burundi.  Borders to his country have finally opened and he can go home!  This week Elder Kwizera turned 27 years old and this week he entered his 32nd month of missionary service here!  He has been patient and steadfast, enduring many hardships since COVID began, including having tuberculosis.  We are grateful he is finally able to return to his home in Burundi.  Tonight we celebrated his missionary service with a Burger King feast!  It’s safer to eat at home than to be out during these election times.

We expect great things from Elder Kwizera in Burundi.  We send him off with our greatest respect and love.