When you receive a call to preside over a mission, your hearts immediately expand. For months you wait and prepare and imagine what it will be like to put your arms around the missionaries you will serve with.
That day has finally come for the Bendixsens, but we are living in interesting COVID times and we have to try our best not to touch–not even to shake hands. We wear masks that hide our smiles. We have to tell all with our eyes.
Today we began touring the mission with the Bendixsens so they could meet the missionaries in each zone. This afternoon we traveled to Grand Bassam where this fine group of missionaries waited to welcome our new mission leaders.
Sister Bendixsen told us about their family.
Elder Amani and Pres Bendixsen taught from Mark 2 about the 4 individuals who lowered the paraplegic through the roof into the room where Jesus was teaching. Who were they and why did they do that? How can we be more like they were?
We also talked about Babylon. We sand “Ye Elders (and Sisters) of Babylon” and talked about what it means to bid Babylon adieu. How do we, as missionaries, leave that place behind? Is it possible to carry a piece of Babylon in our hearts? Can we leave it and not return?
A few photos after the conference:
Group photo:
Here’s what was going on outside in the parking lot while we met:
Every day there is progress. It’s so exciting to watch these men at work, building a House of God. These men look happy as they work. They are all busy and they work as a team. I love holding my camera phone up over the tin walls surrounding the temple to snap a few pictures. Here’s what I captured today:
This is the auxiliary building to the south.
I love to see the temple. I’m going there someday.
We had great fun today watching the Bendixsens meet their first batch of missionaries! We all walked to the Cocody Stake Center this morning for our District Meeting. There was plenty of time to visit while we waited for someone to come with the key.
The Bendixsens have been longing to meet their missionaries for a long long time. It feels like their hearts have been overflowing from afar and now, finally, the meetings have begun.
We had a great meeting. Things are still slower than usual because of COVID, but we’re finding new ways to do things here. And we have a temple being built in our backyard. There are great things in store for this neighborhood, this city and this country!
Today was a big day for my dear little friend in Bamako! I was so thrilled to receive these pictures. We miss our Bamako friends every day and hope to be able to return soon. The borders to Mali are opening next week. Our 4 Elders will be returning to Abidjan after that happens. Three of the 4 are completing their missions. As soon as things in Mali are more stable, we and other missionaries will return.
We had a great day today, worshiping this morning with Pres & Sis Bendixsen and the Assistants here in our apartment. The Assistants shared experiences with the Bendixsens and told us how they came to be missionaries serving now.
We had a great discussion about agency and how that is a doctrinal foundation of God’s Plan for our happiness. We shared ideas about how we can use our agency for good and how we can be examples for others, helping them to make choices that will bring happiness to their lives.
After our church service, we made plans for this next week. We’ll be visiting all of the missionaries throughout the mission so the Bendixsens can meet everyone and get a feel for the areas in our mission.
This evening we invited both the Lewises and the Bendixsens over for dinner. The Lewises preside over the Abidjan West Mission right next door. We had some great home cooking and such a fun time together. We are grateful to be here now, doing what we’re doing. Life is good.
We’ve been excited all day, preparing for the Bendixsen’s arrival this evening. I stayed home today to prepare some food for them for their first week here. We’re filling their cupboards and their fridge with some comforts of home that will help them ease into their African lives here.
Tonight we left for the airport at 7:30 to be there to meet their 8:15 arrival. When we got to the airport, we learned that we were not allowed to go inside. Instead, we joined a parking lot full of people waiting and waiting and waiting. At about 10:30, we finally caught our first sight of Pres and Sis Bendixsen, as they made their way through one of the two large tents set up to screen the travelers for COVID.
It’s an amazing thing to fit your lives for 3 years into a few suitcases. But it can be done!
It was 11:00 p.m. by the time we got them settled into their new apartment in Cocody. We were a very tired, but very happy little group. This is going to be a wonderful adventure for all of us!
Today was a great day! Four new missionaries joined us today. They have received their mission assignments to other missions where borders are closed, so they get to be ours for the time being.
Soeur Gaze is from Abobo has been called to serve in Madagascar and Soeur Yao from Dokui has been called to serve in Ghana Accra West. Both have learned to speak English quite well. Sis Gaze was the president of the English club at her school. She lives with her mother and grandmother and 5 siblings. She is the first missionary in her family. She and Soeur Yao are beautiful. We are so happy they are here.
Elder Tonga and Elder Kipri have also arrived. Elder Tonga’s parents came and Elder Kipri’s father. All 3 of these parents served missions! Elder Tonga’s father was a Stake Pres. in Yopougon (in the West Mission) and now he’s a new Area Seventy. He served in London South. His lovely wife served here in Abidjan.
Bro. Kipri served in Kinshasa, Congo. I practiced my French and told them all about our assignment and what we are doing here. It was fun. Both Elders were called to serve in the Kinshasa East Mission. They are handsome, happy and good.
These are wonderful, supportive parents.
Time for goodbyes.
The APs went and bought some food for these new missionaries and then they had an orientation meeting with Pres Binene.
Doctrine & Covenants Section 31:
3 Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation.
4 You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned.
5 Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live.
6 Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.
7 Yea, I will open the hearts of the people, and they will receive you. And I will establish a church by your hand;
8 And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered.
We’ve had a wonderful Sabbath visiting with these good Elders and with some dear Sisters nearby who asked John to come give one of them a Priesthood blessing. We love these missionaries.
Today we shared Elder Uchtdorf’s talk from the Mission Leaders’ Seminar a few weeks ago. He talks about using technology, quoting Pres Kimball and David O. McKay looking forward to our day–using hand held devices, and how Heavenly Father knew all along that COVID would happen and how he has prepared US to be here now, as mission leaders, helping to move the work forward. He said maybe we needed a bit of a “re-set” on how we do missionary work. In 200 of the missions of the world, missionaries working primarily from their apartments now. We have to learn how to use technology to reach more people.
He went as far as to say that one of the leaders said that smartphone technology may be as important in our day as the printing press was in its day for missionary work. It’s the way we can take the gospel into every nation, kindred, tongue and people, to the “utmost corners of the world.” Sometimes I feel like we are in one of those corners, especially when we are out in the villages here, like we were for our zone conference on Friday.
The other thing he talked a lot about was doing service. He reminded us of Ammon and King Lamoni and how service opens doors and softens hearts. He encouraged mission leaders to focus on those two things as their mission priorities right now. What a great talk.
Then We read this short piece together, also from Elder Uchtdorf, posted now on the home page of lds.org:
Mask Your Face, Don’t Mask Your Heart
By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
During this time of uncertainties because of COVID-19, Harriet and I greatly miss meeting in person with people around the world. This summer, we had planned to be with Latter-day Saints in Eastern Europe, but our trip had to be canceled. Because many of us have to adapt to different circumstances, I want to share with you a couple of experiences that are helping us during these challenging times.
Social Distancing Versus Physical Distancing
Since the pandemic began, we often hear the term “social distancing”—implying the idea that we should keep a certain distance between ourselves and other people. Personally, I prefer the term “physical distancing” rather than “social distancing” to refer to this practice.
Harriet and I are confident that physical distancing helps us to protect ourselves and others from the dangers of the pandemic, and we try to comply as best as we can.
During this time, we have learned how important and vital it is to our well-being to stay socially close to family, friends, and our brothers and sisters in the Church of Jesus Christ.Fortunately, today there are many amazing tools and means available, some supported by technology, to reduce social, emotional and spiritual distancing. Harriet and I consider these tools to be timely gifts from heaven. With the help of these means, we can feel very close to our friends and family members. Because of technology tools, we can see our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren quite often and take part in their daily lives. This way we celebrate birthdays, admire new plays and games, read bedtime stories, or join on a walk while on a video call. It is always uplifting to hear their experiences of partaking of the sacrament and pondering the Come Follow Me teachings.
Above all, we are most grateful for the gift and power of prayer. Through prayer, we can be spiritually and socially close to Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and to our families and friends wherever we are and whatever the circumstances may be.
Focus On What You Can Do, Rather than On What You Cannot Do
During the last 20 years, Harriet and I have had a little head start on what it means to be physically distanced from our loved ones. When my calling transferred us from Germany to Salt Lake City, we expected to live here for just a few years. For the first 10 years, we even kept our home in Germany, hoping to return to family and friends one day. But as you know, we are still here, and we will stay here.
The gospel, the Church of Jesus Christ and the Lord helped us to learn that physical distance (even 5,000 miles) does not mean we have to be socially distanced from each other. We learned to focus on and enjoy the things we could do and experience, and not so much on the things we might miss.
Don’t Mask Your Heart
More frequent social contact with friends and family helps us to share more of our inner thoughts and hopes. Somehow, these challenging times helped us to be more open about the feelings of our soul. We realized even more clearly how special it is not to hide or mask the feelings of our hearts from those we love most.
During these special times, Harriet and I try to follow our own recommendation: Mask your face, don’t mask your heart.
When I read your comments on my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, I can sense the sorrow and burden so many of you have to live with. And I can also feel your joy and enthusiasm as you focus on the many good things you can do in life. It is amazing to see how you help and uplift each other by word and deed. You are a miracle and a blessing to this world as you love and serve God and His children—our brothers and sisters.
For joyful or unhappy times, Heavenly Father has given us a promise and a blessing: “Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Harriet and I love you. We are grateful for each of you. May God bless and keep you during these special times and always.
This morning we recorded this message from the APs to the Bendixsens:
And this afternoon we visited these Sisters and recorded a welcome message from them:
On our way home this evening, I was very excited when we pulled over at the produce vendors by Azaguei. Wherever we go, I’m fascinated by what’s for sale on the roadsides. Today we went through several miles with women sitting at wooden tables with huge snails for sale. I can’t tell you how much I wanted to stop to take a closer look.
When the Binenes wanted to stop to buy some produce, I was ready! The minute we cracked open the door, the girls were practically in our car with their headpans of fruit. It’s all freshly-picked and beautiful, hard to pass up.
I loved this stop. Come take a look and you will see why.
Here are the fresh snails. They are sold by size in bunches of 4 or 6. They are surprisingly heavy.
Here are the ones trying to get away! When I lived in Nigeria, the children would go out into the bush at night after a good rain. With their bush lanterns, they’d search for snails to bring home for dinner. They’d grill the meat, skewered, over a fire with plenty of hot pepper. It’s not bad. A bit chewy.
This lady welcomed me right over to take her picture. She’s selling yams and a few other things.
Eggplant varieties:
Peppers, tomatoes and pale eggplant:
Peanuts:
Palm fruit (pressed for oil):
Oranges and yams:
Oranges, potatoes and some peanuts:
Citrus, melons, and papayas:
Eggplant:
Okra, peppers and tomatoes:
Corn and palm fruit:
Plantain:
Cassava:
Dinner! Bread dipped in a warm drink:
I bought these green beans:
Peppers (pima):
The ladies were shy about letting me take their pictures at first, but then we became friends when I tried to speak to them in French and when I showed them the pictures I was taking. Then they all wanted to be in a picture!
I am a fruit farmer’s daughter and I loved these women and the beautiful colorful produce they were selling.
This afternoon on our way out of town, we stopped at the other Adzope building. This is where the District offices are. We have 5 branches in Adzope. Three of the branches meet in this building. What a grand place!
There was a group of members here this evening having a audit training meeting.
The District Offices and several classrooms are upstairs.
Here is District Pres. Yapi and the leaders attending the audit training.
And here’s a look at the compound from the upstairs balcony.
Our Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan East and Bamako, Mali Mission 