A Fun Evening with the Bendixsens

What do you do on a Friday evening during a lock down?? YOU MAKE TACOS!!! We had a great evening with the Bendixsens with some delicious food and then we watched the movie, Ben Hur, a first for them. It was so fun.

Our missionaries in both missions are still in their apartments here in the Abidjan area, staying inside. One of our apartments has 20 missionaries in it. These are challenging times. Every day we check the news and reports from members in the different areas to get a feel for the pulse out there. There are demonstrations happening here and there, some are dangerous. We are keeping our missionaries safe, but they are getting a little stir crazy. We’ve also spent way more time in our apartment this week, going to the office only when really necessary. Tonight was a nice distraction from the world around us.

Church to resume limited missionary assignments outside of home country

Missionaries leaving the Abidjan East Mission in March 2020

by Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Nov. 04, 2020

Daniel Woodruff, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released the following statement Wednesday about sending missionaries to assignments outside their home countries:

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many missionaries have accepted reassignments to serve in their home countries due to challenges posed by the coronavirus. We are grateful for their faith and optimism in these extraordinary circumstances.
At this time, the Church has begun sending a very limited number of these missionaries to assignments outside their home countries. This process is deliberate and cautious. Because of the ongoing pandemic, all missionary travel is dependent upon local conditions and air travel restrictions, and some missionaries may not depart for several months. We recognize conditions can change rapidly, and we will continue to closely monitor world events and make adjustments as needed. The safety of our missionaries and those they serve is our top priority.

Once scheduled for travel, mission offices will notify missionaries who will then share their itineraries with their families. We ask that missionaries and their families not contact the Church Travel Office, embassies, or consuls about their travel plans or documents. When traveling, missionaries will be instructed to follow established public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. After they arrive in their new assignments, missionaries will quarantine for the required period and then take part in activities appropriate to local circumstances.

Below are a few more photos I took of our missionaries leaving Cote d’Ivoire in March 2020. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if some of them returned?

Departing Group Dinner and Discussion

Our missionaries have all been staying in their apartments this week because of the election drama playing out in the streets. We brought this group in to the office this evening for a departure dinner. Six more missionaries have come to the end of their missions. Tomorrow 4 will drive to their homes here in Cote d’Ivoire and late tomorrow night 2 Sisters will fly to the DRC. This afternoon the Sisters came to weigh their bags before we had our departure feast.

Sis Debrime prepared the meal and we all enjoyed it very much!

Fish, chicken, attieke or rice, sauce and salad.

Here are our wonderful departing missionaries:

These two brothers got to serve here in the same mission in their home country after evacuating from different missions in Ghana.

Our 3 departing Sisters (on the left) with their companions.

We wish you all well. We will miss you here!

BBC Reports on Ivory Coast Elections

Here is an excellent overview of what is happening here this week, as reported by the BBC.

Ivory Coast election: Alassane Ouattara wins amid boycott

Published on 3 November 2020

Image caption: *Supporters of Alassane Ouattara say he was allowed to seek a third term*

Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has won a controversial third term in office in an election boycotted by the opposition.

He took 94% of the vote, even winning 99% in some of his strongholds.

Turnout was put at almost 54%. The result has to be confirmed by the Constitutional Council.

On Monday, the Ivorian opposition said it was creating a transitional government which would organise a new election.

Main opposition candidates Pascal Affi N’Guessan and Henri Konan Bédié had urged their supporters not to vote in Saturday’s poll.

They got 1% and 2% respectively, while a fourth candidate, Kouadio Konan Bertin, also got 2%, according to the official results.

Opposition figures say it was illegal for Mr Ouattara to stand for a third term as it broke rules on term limits.

“Maintaining Mr Ouattara as head of state is likely to lead to civil war,” M N’guessan said, adding that the opposition noted a vacancy of power.

But the president’s supporters dispute this, citing a constitutional change in 2016 which they say means his first term effectively did not count.

His party has warned the opposition against any “attempt to destabilize” the country, which is still recovering from a civil war sparked by a disputed election in 2010.

It has accused the opposition of sedition by calling for a transitional government.

The European Union has said it was deeply concerned about tensions in the country – its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said incitements to hatred were continuing.

The United Nations refugee agency has said thousands of people have fled to neighbouring countries, fearing more violence.

At least 35 people have been killed in political clashes, which continued on election day.

What happened on Saturday?

The election was marred by intimidation, violence and electoral malpractice, an advocacy group said of findings by independent election group Indigo Côte d’Ivoire.

“An election is the moment when a society comes together to experience and live out democracy, but the context that prevailed on election day… shows that a large segment of the Ivorian population did not experience this election in peace,” PTI Advocacy Group said in a statement.

Ivorian anti-riot police use tear gas to disperse opposition supporters in Blockhauss, Abidjan. — Image caption: *Anti-riot police used tear gas to disperse protesters in Abidjan*It added that a significant number of voters were disfranchised because polling stations did not open, adding that even those people who were able to vote did so “in a context of fear and anxiety”.

It said that 23% of polling stations had not opened at all due to threats or attacks, and that in 5% of polling stations, observers reported threats or intimidation of election officials.

Pascal Affi N'Guessan speaks at the press conference — Image caption: *Key opposition figures are urging mass protests to block what they describe as a “dictatorship”*

Several polling stations were ransacked in opposition strongholds on Saturday and election materials were burned.

In the eastern town of Daoukro, protesters erected roadblocks. Meanwhile tear gas was used to push away demonstrators who gathered close to where the president cast his ballot in the main city, Abidjan.

What do the authorities say?

The electoral commission head called the disturbances on Saturday “minimal”, saying they “only affected 50 polling stations out of 22,381”.

Some 35,000 security officers were deployed across the country to transport election materials and ensure safety, the security minister said.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara (R) casts his vote at a polling station during the first round of the presidential election, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 31 October 2020. — Image caption: *President Ouattara had promised to step down after his two terms in office*

After voting in Abidjan on Saturday, Mr Ouattara called for an end to the protests.

“I call on those who called for civil disobedience, which led to the loss of life, to stop,” he said.

“They should stop because Ivory Coast needs peace, these are criminal acts and we hope that all this can stop, so that after the election this country may continue on its course of progress, which it has enjoyed over the last few years.”

Why was the election controversial?

According to the constitution, Ivory Coast has a two-term presidential limit. Mr Ouattara – who has been elected twice – initially said he would stand down.

But, in July, the ruling party’s previous presidential nominee, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, died of a heart attack.

Mr Ouattara subsequently announced that he would run for president after all.

His supporters argued that a constitutional change in 2016 reset the clock and that his first term did not count.

His opponents do not share that view, arguing instead that it is illegal for Mr Ouattara to run for a third term.

What’s the background to the tension?

There has been a decades-long quarrel between some of the country’s leading political figures.

In 2010, Laurent Gbagbo, who was president at the time, refused to concede to Mr Ouattara following the election that year. This sparked a bitter civil war.

Mr Ouattara's campaign billboard appeals for unity in Ivory Coast — Image caption: *Mr Ouattara’s campaign billboard appeals for unity in Ivory Coast*

More than 3,000 people were killed in the five months of violence.

Mr Gbagbo also put himself forward to stand in this year’s election but the electoral commission blocked him because he had been convicted in the Ivorian courts.

He was one of nearly 40 potential candidates who were turned down by the commission.

Who were the presidential candidates?

Alassane Ouattara, 78, economist. Became president in 2011, serving his second term after years in opposition. Party: Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP)
Henri Konan Bédié, 86, career politician. Served as president between 1993 and 1999, deposed in coup. Party: Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PCDI)
Pascal Affi N’Guessan, 67, career politician. Served as prime minister between 2000 and 2003 under then-President Laurent Gbagbo. Party: Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) faction
Kouadio Konan Bertin, 51, career politician, known as KKB, was once youth leader in the former ruling Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, is now an MP. Independent candidate

The Roadtrip Home from Bondoukou

After our church meetings, we were back on the road again, this time it took us 8 hours to get home, returning through the same beautiful country we traveled yesterday.

Here are some vendors at a gas station where we stopped to refuel. They were delightful ladies, hoping for a sale. We already had a big bunch of bananas and peanuts as our car food, so we were a disappointing group for these ladies, but we enjoyed visiting with them anyway.

We were in good company as we traveled, with plenty of vehicles around also filled pretty full!

West Africa Area: Families in Sunday Church Worship Meetings

The Africa West Area Presidency announces that all family members can now come to Church on Sundays for worship services. Children and the elderly can join their families. Consideration to individual circumstances will determine the choice to attend or not by each individual and family as we continue under the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sunday congregational meeting schedule is currently limited to a one-hour Sacrament meeting.

Weekday meetings and activities in Church meetinghouses can be held, as long as they are fully compliant with government and Church guidelines. Your meetinghouses must have received approval to recommence Sunday services from the Area Presidency.
All government guidelines must be followed strictly for the COVID-19 pandemic. Please make sure that (not an all-inclusive list):

1. Any member who is ill must not come to Church on Sunday
2. Buildings are clean, orderly, and disinfected
3. Social distancing of two meters is maintained at all times, unless when sitting next to family members or individuals who live under your same roof
4. Hand washing with soap and water facilities are provided at the entrance of the buildings. Members should wash their hands for a minimum of twenty seconds
5. Hand sanitizer receptacles are to be provided in the sacrament hall
6. There will be no singing by the congregation. Pre-recorded music will be played with the sound system
7. Avoid touching other members physically
8. Others as applicable.

We are very grateful for your attention to the COVID-19 pandemic prevention. President Russell M. Nelson has invited us to be good neighbors and model such prevention in our homes and communities, as well.

Bits and Pieces

These two pictures are from a couple of weeks ago when they dumped some new road base in the holes in our road.

Here is the progress after 2 weeks of people driving over it–

The more it rains, the worse the roads get. The gullies and ravines on the hill down to our house have opened up again and we try not to fall in as we navigate our way home. In areas like this, where the road is relatively flat, it’s not so bad, it’s just bumpy.

John has been working with Elder N’Zi and the finances in his spare time. Elder N’zi is learning some great skills. Many of our missionaries have never used a computer before. It’s fun to teach them how things work.

Here is a cell phone cover store we passed by.

I sat in our meeting yesterday looking at this artwork hanging there on the wall. I kept thinking those sandals looked like giant cockroaches on the floor.

Coconut is just about my favorite food. Today I shelled 3 small ones to get me through the next week. I’m happy our island Elders taught me how to shell coconuts the easy way.

Here is the laundry view from our kitchen window.

Zone Conference with the Adzope Zone in Cocody

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.

Moving Day before the Elections

Because of the upcoming elections (31 October) and demonstrations surrounding them, the Area Presidency has asked us to bring all of our missionaries in from the areas outside of Abidjan. For the East Mission that’s just the Adzope zone with 16 missionaries. For the West Mission that’s 60 of our 80 missionaries who are serving in the Yopougon areas. We have been scrambling to figure out housing and food and transport.

The elections are Saturday. It’s going to be an interesting week. The missionaries will have to stay in their apartments from Thursday through Monday, then we’ll see what happens after that. 10 years ago when something like this happened, it turned into a year-long civil war and more than 3000 were killed. We are all hoping this election passes peacefully.

These good men are our mission helpers and drivers who will be helping the missionaries move today. We have a great team serving here.

Tomorrow morning our 3 Haitians will fly home. Because of the missionaries have to stay in, we won’t be able to see them off at the airport or take any pictures of their departure. We wish them well.

Elder Unasa’s Departure for Samoa (West Mission)

Today was Elder Unasa’s last day at the office with his companions. John spent the afternoon waiting at the COVID testing place for his results (which had not yet been received) and I completed an oral history interview with Elder Unasa at the office (our recorder’s card filled up during Sunday’s interview).

We both had sweet experiences. John’s was an out-right miracle. He got the results in the final possible minutes, and I completed a wonderful interview for the Church Historians of Elder Unasa’s experiences working as a missionary in Guinea and his evacuation from there.

Then we raced to the airport with the documents. Elder Unasa was there with his companions and everything was ready to go. Elder Unasa will fly from Abidjan to Paris to London to Hong Kong to New Zealand to Samoa. It will take him 4 days, then he’ll be quarantined for 14 days in a hotel before he can reunite with his waiting family. That everything has fallen into place is nothing short of a miracle. These amazing missionaries deserve every possible miracle, and they come!