Here’s a look at Mali from the air, as we approached Bamako this afternoon. It’s a hot, dry, barren land, with good people trying to survive in a hard place.
When we disembarked and entered the airport (both last week and today), we were met by health officials who checked each person’s temperature with a digital thermometer and required us to use hand sanitizer before entering the airport.
Our global world is watching the spread of the Coronavirus and health officials do not want it to come to Africa.
Here is today’s update of this frightening virus. So far there is only once case in Africa–in Egypt. We’re told if it comes here, it would be disastrous.
This afternoon we had a special Missionary Leadership Council at the Mission Office with Elder Nash, the West Africa Area President, accompanied by Elder John A. Koranteng, an Area Seventy from Ghana who helped with translation. Here are some of the photos I took while we waited to begin the meeting.
The meeting began just before 4:00. Prior to the meeting, Elder Nash met with Pres Binene and then with Pres Lewis and me. He was interested to hear an update about our work in Mali. He played a huge role in our mission call to serve here. It was great to see him again.
This meeting was a follow up to meetings held here last month when he visited for Zone Conferences. Good things are happening in this mission. His instruction today was to these young missionary leaders, with encouragement to stand with both feet on the Lord’s side. In counsel, we discussed the culture of our mission and things we can do to make this mission even stronger and better.
President Binene also spoke to the missionaries. He loves them and he is cheering them on. Together, we can make this an even stronger mission.
This morning we attended this District Meeting at the Cocody Stake Center. We love being with the missionaries. We love their hearts and their efforts to do hard things. The Zone Leaders were also here today, adding their support.
We flew back to Abidjan this afternoon to be there for an important meeting tomorrow with Elder Nash and the missionaries. This evening I went up on the roof of our apartment building to take a look around. Here’s what you can see from up there.
Our apartment complex has 2 buildings. This is the one behind us where the Sisters live:
Did you notice all the satellite dishes lined up in a row? Usually there is laundry hanging to dry on the clothes lines.
These are our neighbors to the west of our building. Our room is right above this compound. We wake every morning to roosters, crying children and the sounds of life in a typical compound.
This is the street we live on, also looking west. The compound is to the left. You can see a small shack by the green water containers. People come here each day to collect water. Garbage is tossed there too. Our apartment has a garbage dumpster we can use.
Across the street to the north is this empty lot and another apartment building (on the left) where laundry is always drying in the sun. The crane you see in the center is at the temple site.
Here you can see the stake center to the left of the brown building and the temple on the right.
When you look to the east, you see this very progressive neighborhood. This is one of the nicest parts of Abidjan.
Looking southeast you can see a swimming pool and tennis court. Nice.
Our rooftop:
There’s a little room for a guard at night.
This is our lovely Abidjan neighborhood. It’s always nice to be here.
This evening we went out to dinner to celebrate our daughter’s 26th birthday. We had delicious crepes at the restaurant Paul. Happy Birthday to Claire!!
Matt Heiss is responsible for gathering the history of the church in Africa and many other parts of the world. What a treat it has been to have him and Norbert Ounleu with us this weekend in Bamako. He has been hearing about this place–now he has experienced this place.
Here’s an interesting article Matt wrote about documenting this world-wide church:
In the end of this article, he quotes former church historian Leonard Arrington, who many years ago envisioned the growth of the church and said: “As the Church becomes more international, it will become increasingly important to write the history of Latter-day Saints in their homelands. By reconstructing these people’s lives, we give their heirs a sense of their LDS heritage as well as provide real models for their own lives, models with whom they can identify.” He said further, “When history comes from the grassroots, from where the people live and worship, the individual can identify personally with the general Church experience.”
Of the hundreds and hundreds of interviews Matt has conducted all over the world, I asked if he’d ever conducted one under a mango tree. This was a first.
Today at the chicken farm, we interviewed Dramane Bagayoko, Adama Coulibaly, Sibiri Ouattara and Younoussa Coulibaly.
As the breezes blew around us, we were showered with bits and pieces from the old blossoms of the mango tree.
Dramane Bagayoko
Norbert Ounleu
Adama’s interview was conducted in Bambara and Djoula (a local language from the Ivory Coast similar to Bambara). You can get a feel for these languages here:
Adama Coulibaly
Sibiri Ouattara
I listened to Adama and Sibiri’s interviews, amazed that in this remote place, so far from the rest of the world we know, men like this exist–men who have received a spiritual witness of the truth of the Book of Mormon record and who consider it a gift from God to know about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Their testimonies are sacred to them.
Matt and Elder Lewis visited with Dramane and Younoussa. They came away with the same feelings of awe and respect for these pioneers.
Younoussa Coulibaly
Every day here is a gift. I am learning to see things more clearly. I am learning to distinguish more carefully between wants and needs. I am learning to appreciate my own testimony of Christ’s restored church more completely.
I love this photograph. It speaks to my heart. I hope I always remember this day under the mango trees.
This afternoon we headed to the Bamako Airport and we flew to Abidjan, where we bid farewell to these dear friends. We’ll continue the work of gathering here–gathering the seekers, and gathering their stories.
A few miles down the dirt road from the chicken farm is this place where we meet for church on Sundays. Remember last time how John had to climb over the gate to unlock it from the inside? Well, someone else figured that out too and this last week they broke in and stole 6 metal doors from this small compound.
Metal doors can be sold. None of our chairs or the table were taken.
The thieves also took all of our books and manuals. They took about 15-20 copies of the Book of Mormon, all of our new Come Follow Me manuals, about 15 hymn books, lots of other books and pamphlets. This is all they left:
I hope they enjoy them and help get them into the hands of people who will read and learn from them. Dra had a call from the police while we were at the farm today. They have a suspect.
Here are the views from the top of our meeting place:
Here is where we hold our sacrament meetings:
We also visited this new compound. A family is living here now, but they would be willing to rent the place and relocate. These pictures will give you a nice idea of everyday life in a Malian home.
This is the kitchen, in a separate building outside:
The bathroom is down this passage way and there is a well for water outside the compound.
It was a very nice place to consider. We’ll have to see what happens here.
This morning we drove the 1.5 hours to the chicken farm in Mountougoula. We wanted Matt and Norbert to see the place where many of our first members met and the place where Elder Bednar visited in May of 2017. It was in this building that 100s of people gathered to welcome him.
And here is what’s left of the baptismal font where sacred ordinances were performed. Termites are feasting on it now.
There are 3 buildings like this here. The middle one is full of young hens and older hens right now. The young hens were recently moved from this first building which is now being prepared for a new batch of young chicks.
You can tell by their cackling, that these are happy chickens!
Temperatures here rise high. Today is was over 100 degrees outside, but these buildings stay relatively cool. When it gets really hot, the fans are turned on to cool the hens.
The chicken poop is collected and sold to farmers in the area for their fields.
All of the corn meal and feed is ground and prepared here on site. The corn is locally grown.
Dramane Bagayoko manages the chicken farm. He lives here with with his wife, Mariam Ballo and their 3 children.
We had a little time before our first interviews began with the members here, so Dramane took us to visit a new place they are looking at to hold church meetings now. In the beginning, the meetings were held here at the farm, then they moved to a rented unfinished compound where we meet now. Come see these 2 places in the next post.
We had an excellent Sabbath day in Bamako. Many friends came to church. The Elders are busy. Both Matt Heiss and Norbert Ounleu spoke today, sharing experiences about the growing church in Africa and how to find happiness by doing the simple things.
After church, the oral history interviews continued. Today we visited with Christ Anselme, who has been serving as our Branch President in Bamako.
Norbert Ounleu with Christ Anselme
Christ and his finance, Merveille.
We also met with the Rose and Ibrahima Ouattara family.
The Rose and Ibrahim Ouattara Family
When Matt asked who wanted to serve a mission, this happened:
Our last interview today was with Francois Cissoko, who was sustained today as the 2nd counselor in our Bamako Branch Presidency.
Matt Heiss interviewing Francois Cissoko with John Lewis and Norbert OunleuFrancois Cissoko
Everyone has a unique and wonderful story to tell of how they came to find the church, how they learned the teachings of Jesus Christ, and how they were converted to the truths found here. I wish every member everywhere could learn from these pioneers. Their stories are sweet and dear and their conversions are amazing.
Sometimes good people find reason to doubt the doctrine or the history of our church. My testimony is strengthened every time I hear the testimony of another bearing witness of how the Spirit of God has been involved in the details of their lives and those details always lead them to Jesus Christ and to His restored gospel. This is His plan for us, no matter where we live or no matter what our own life plans may be.
We feel like we have a front row seat as the church is established here in Mali. There were big important things that happened to prepare this place for the gospel. But equally, perhaps even more important are the hearts of individuals who have been led and guided to the truths taught here. Many have been forsaken by their families for embracing Christianity. Some have lost their employment. Several of these friends aren’t sure where the next meal will come from. But they all share one thing: Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in his plan for us.
Being here is a gift. Listening to these conversion stories is a sweet experience. We enjoyed a meal with Matt and Norbert at our apartment this evening after a full day. We had good conversation and shared experiences and observations from our work here. We have a lot to learn from these good people. I hope we all return home changed by them.
It has been a treat to sit in on the interviews of our Pioneers here in Mali. Last night and this afternoon the oral history work continued with Matt Heiss and Norbert Ounleu.
Each person here has had an important part to play in the unfolding of the work of the church in Mali. These interviews are conducted and recorded in French, English or Bambara. The words will be transcribed to English and will be added to the history of the Church in Africa.
Matt Heiss and Anounou SissokoNourou SidibeJohn Lewis, Norbert Ounleu, Matt Heiss and Sekou Dembele
We also got to visit with Josue Togo today. He left before I was able to take a photo of him, but here he is the last time we visited with him a couple of weeks ago.
The more I learn about these dear friends, the more I love them. It’s an honor to be serving here.
At the end of our short Bamako tour we tried a new place for lunch–we’d heard about Mr K’s Burgers from American friends who have eaten here and enjoyed it. They were right–the food was great!
Matt Heiss is responsible for gathering the history of the church in Africa and many other parts of the world. What a treat it has been to have him and Norbert Ounleu with us this weekend in Bamako. He has been hearing about this place–now he has experienced this place.
Our Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan East and Bamako, Mali Mission 