Lost in the Work

 Okay I actually have less time to write this week than last week.

 It's going to be hard to not repeat myself, but honestly it's amazing to be back here. Last week passed in the blink of an eye. Lost in the work is such a good feeling.

 

From 6:00-9:30 each day we do all of our daily preparation. Pray, exercise, personal and companionship study, and daily planning. Then, from 9:30-19:00, we have lessons. The entire day. Some days we don't have time for lunch, we just keep going on teaching and finding. Then after 19h00, after we've done all of our planning and cleaning and dinner, it's usually bedtime au même temps. It's so crazy, we have no time to se reposer. I love it though.

Sorry if I use French words. Sometimes it just makes more sense that way.

We had zone conference this week (it feels like ages ago). It was really good. It had been a long time since I'd had zone conference in person, and even longer since it'd been here with President and Sœur Lewis. The Spirit was really strong there. 

Some of our amis that are progressing the best is la famille Soya. It's a family that has 9 kids I'm pretty sure. I love them so much. The parents and a few of their kids have been pretty consistently attending church each week, and tonight we taught a wonderful lesson with them. We taught l'évangile de Jésus Christ, or the Doctrine of Jesus Christ (I think) and read Mosiah 5. When we asked them to be baptized, they were happy and excited to. The Spirit was so strong as we talked with them. One thing though, Fr and Sr Soya aren't legally married yet. They'll be married in June, so they'll have to wait. I hope I'll still be here to see that happen, but we'll see. Either way, as long as they are firm in their knowledge and testimony of the gospel, that's what matters most.

La famille Soya

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Now I want to talk about someone that I love very very much.

 Elder Assale told me that this ward was amazing and that they work really well with missionnaires. I quickly found out why. Our ward mission leader, Fr Oulaï, is one of the most Christlike people I've ever met. I've been working with him for just a month, and I've already learned a lot and grown just from his example. I don't know all of his story as well as I'd like, partially because of français, but here's what I know.

That is Frère Oulaï in the forefront

 

 I don't know how many years it's been, but he converted to the church a while ago. From what I understand, there was a point in his life where he started to search for truth. He went to many different churches, and even tried Islam and Buddhism. He spent a couple years in search of truth. Eventually, he found the missionaries, and discovered the truth he was looking for.

 A couple years after that, he was living with a woman (now his wife) and they were working towards marriage. They saved up enough money for la dote(similar to a required dowry), but then he was paralyzed. I'm not sure what situation he was in medically, but from what I understand, for a year he couldn't move or talk. After a year, he slowly rehabilitated, and was able to function properly again.

 They had to get ready for marriage again by saving up money. It was then that Fr Oulaï found out that living together before marriage wasn't in compliance with God's commandments. So, for the next year, he slept outside. Basically, he chose to be homeless to keep that commandment. The amount of devotion and love he had is really amazing to see.

 Now, they're married and sealed together. They live in the poorest section of our area, with a house similar to the ones I described next to the lagoon in Vridi. Dirt floor, black trash bags for walls, and sheet metal roofing. Their home is 1/2 the size of my bathroom back home. They basically have nothing. Fr Oulaï doesn't have a job anymore, and I don't think Sr Oulaï does either, at least they don't have consistent incomes at all. They actually live from day to day. 

 And yet, despite their complete lack of money and possessions, they're always happy, always smiling. Fr Oulaï works with us 2 or 3 days a week, for 10 hours a day. And even then, when he isn't working with us, he's street contacting people all the time. He's someone who truly loves the Lord.

 After we talked with them and they recounted their history, Sr Oulaï fed us dinner. They're scraping by as it is, and they chose to feed us. 

 On Saturday, Elder Kouadio and I were going back to the apartment after a meeting for lunch, Fr Oulaï tagged along with us. Our apartment didn't have water for a while, so the dishes had really piled up in the kitchen. I was planning on washing the dishes, but Fr Oulaï just started doing them himself. He did a couple days worth of dirty dishes just because.

 He never ceases to amaze me. I love him so so much. And his wife too, she's amazing as well. But especially Fr Oulaï. People like that deserve so much more than they deal with. It breaks my heart. But it also makes them be such an incredible example for me. I love them so much.

I almost forgot to mention it, but next week we'll be having a baptism. Sr Martine Lida was someone that Elder Assale taught for a long time and she's finally ready. I'm excited for her to be baptized.

Soeur Martine Lida

 

 Yeah I don't know what else to say. I'm happy to serve, learn, and help. When you lose yourself in the service of others is when you truly find yourself. Love you guys. Have a great week!

Elder Lyman