Our Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan East and Bamako, Mali Mission

Interviews with the Port Bouet Zone, Abidjan West Mission

Today was the beginning of our interview cycle in the West Mission. We began with the Port Bouet Zone. We had them come to the Cocody Stake Center instead of the office because we were helping with the Cocody Zone Conference here. Here are the 8 fine companionships we met with. As we sat with each missionary, we learned so much about who they are–where they come from, about their families, their conversion stories and how they came to serve as missionaries.

I am taking notes and recording these incredible stories. I’d publish them to the world if I could so everyone could see and feel the faith of these amazing young servants of God. They truly are remarkable.

At the end of each interview, John is reviewing their budget and finances. These missionaries are learning some very important skills here.

We stopped by the office this evening to finish some work there just as these good office Elders were leaving. We love these missionaries!

Zone Conference with the Cocody Zone

Today was the Zone Conference for our Cocody Zone! We love these missionaries. This is the zone we belong to, so we are especially close to this group of missionaries as they come and go.

Look how beautiful these missionaries are!

We began with a welcome from our leaders and some thoughts from Sis Bendixsen about the promises found in the title page of the Book of Mormon.

Then John taught the missionaries about the changes we are making in their missionary support funds.

Elder Amani gave a great talk on being a wise steward and following the example of the wise virgins who kept their lamps full.

Then Fr Oro did his part, teaching the missionaries about keeping their apartments clean. He brought samples of the cleaning supplies that are given to each apartment. He showed slides with good and not so good examples of clean apartments and he demonstrated how to use the supplies and cleaning tools.

After that, John and I excused ourselves to go to our other assignment with the West Mission. We spent the rest of the day doing interviews with the missionaries there.

The Temple Tower

There is an older gentleman who lives across the road from the temple site. He likes to sit out in front of his building at night. He has been wondering who it is he sees waving at him from the temple tower. He says it happens often. There are no mortal men in that tower at night.

Mission Leadership Meeting, Abidjan East Mission

This morning the East Mission held their monthly Mission Leadership Meeting (MLC) with all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. These are always such fun meetings with our outstanding leaders. We broke away from the West Mission for a bit to join our friends here.

John taught the missionaries about the changes we are making in the way the soutien (missionary support funds– MSF) are administered here. These changes have been in the works for several weeks and they will implemented the first of November. The plans will be rolled out in our zone conferences in the next few days. Today the leaders were taught.

Other things discussed today were the emergency preparedness, keeping apartments clean and preparing for using the area book planners in our cell phones for our missionary work.

Yesterday, Elder Noonga arrived on a flight from Brazzaville where he was temporarily assigned. He has been called to serve here in the Abidjan East Mission. We were happy to have him join us today.

Bits and Pieces of Interest

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.

The Move to the West Mission

This afternoon we packed our things and moved next door to the Abidjan West Mission. We had a bag of our lunch foods (yogurt, muesli, peanuts, crackers, dates, dried mangos, etc.), our language study books and dictionaries, and my shower things (I use the office shower because we don’t have enough water at our apartment). That’s our office life in a bag or two.

John went right to work. He does not skip a beat. We’ll continue to help as much as we can in the East Mission, as they learn to fill in behind us. It’s good the offices are side by side. We are excited to meet and to learn to love a whole new mission of missionaries.

Today at the Office

Elder Kouame and Elder N’zi are our office Elders. We love them and are grateful for their help every day. Elder Kouame is our mission secretary and Elder N’zi is our financial secretary. They help keep things running smoothly here.

Our 2 Sisters from Adzope came to the office today for interviews. They were in town for a doctor visit. It was great to see them.

Pres and Sis Lewis Depart

Daniel and Betty Jo Lewis, Ann and John Lewis

This evening Pres and Sis Lewis said goodbye to Abidjan for awhile. They are on their way home to Orem to stay for a a few weeks while receiving some medical care. We wish them well. We will do our best to hold down the fort while they are away.

Now it is up to us to carry on and move the work here forward!

John & Ann Lewis with Bro Miliate, driver and Bro Yai, Mission Executive Secretary.

Emergency Food Supplies

Today in the East Mission, the emergency food boxes were prepared. They will be distributed to each apartment in our upcoming zone conferences. These supplies are intended to be a 72 hour kit for the missionaries in case we have any disturbances that cause the missionaries to stay inside during the upcoming elections. We hope we will be prepared if there is need to be.

We have 30 apartments of missionaries right now and about 95 missionaries. Each box contains 5 kg of rice, a bottle of oil, a tub of tomato paste, canned meat, canned peas, spaghetti noodles, sardines and some bullion cubes. We also through in some small treats.

We are grateful for church leaders who have made it possible for us to prepare in this way. We know that those who are prepared, need not fear.

Elder Soua Arrives in the West Mission

Today the Abidjan West Mission received a new Elder Soua from the Yamoussoukro area. The hour of his mission is come! I enjoyed sitting in on his welcome, orientation and trainer-trainee training with his companion.

Elder Soua is a great young man. He’s 25 years old now. A few years ago, he and his cousin were working in the streets, shoveling out the trenches and 2 missionaries approached them and started talking to them. He and his cousin agreed to listen to the lessons and were taught. Both were baptized. His cousin, Elder Bah, is now serving here in our East Mission. Elder Soua was a professional soccer player (goalie) and made some amazing life changes when he accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is an amazing young man.