Transfers - Our Last One!

Transfer week starts with handing out letters.  The rest of the week is spent taking departing Elders to the bus station and picking up incoming Elders.  We made 3 trips to the bus station this week.  Sounds easy, until I tell you that one trip takes us about 3 hours, by the time we pick up Elders, then deposit them with their luggage into their new apartments.  It's always a relief to get it all done.  The Gailey's in Douala, and the Bailey's in Pointe Noirre add the airport into their transfer weeks.  It takes a ton of effort from many hands.  We won't even go into the work of getting visas for them all.  But, transfers are exciting and a new start for all.  Here are a few pictures:

Farewell Elder Gelinas.  We will miss you!

Welcome Elder Johnson into Bastos!  I still need to get a picture of Elder Tripp and Kampoy in Ekounou!

Finally - Elders in Gabon!

This is a long-awaited day.  We took Elder Christensen and Elder Zurcher to the airport yesterday.  They arrived safely in Gabon and were greeted by their new companions, Elder Mpungu and Elder Mukadi, who arrived earlier in the week from Kinshasa.  It's a wonderful thing for them to be the first Elder's into Gabon.  Elder and Sister Moody are the Senior couple there and they have been preparing for these Elders to come.

Good luck Elders. We know you will do great things!

P-Day Soccer and Haircuts

We went and played soccer with our Elders yesterday.  Here are a few pictures.

There were a few minor injuries.

Elder Colindres' first haircut with me.

Ready to go out and "Preach the Word".  Don't they look great! Elder Gelinas and Elder Hunt had already left, so I didn't get their pictures.  Sorry Moms.

Elders on the Streets

We love it when we are driving along and see our Elders.  They certainly stand out and we are always so proud of them.  Don't they look great!

Carrying Water

Our water is intermittent, to say the least, and the Bastos Elder's water is even worse.  We are all pretty used to bucket showers.  As we drove around Saturday morning to deliver Soutien to our Elders, this is the sight you see.  Most Africans carry water every morning from a nearby well.  I can't complain.  We, at least, have a couple of garbage cans full of reserve water.  We don't have to go out and carry it in each day.  I will never take running water out of a faucet for granted again.

We see all the children in the family carry the water.  I didn't get very good pictures.

I added this picture, because we see many chickens for sale around the holidays.  They tell us that everyone buys a chicken for Christmas.  It is a special treat.

December Wedding 2013

Natasha was baptized when we first got here.  She is currently serving as the Young Women's President.  She was married to Zang on Friday night.  As we arrived at the Church, everyone was waiting for the Bride and Groom to come from the Mayor's office where they were married.  The Church was decorated and many people were there.  As we walked in,  they asked me to come and play the keyboard, but they also asked Elder Whitesides to speak.  He did a great job.  He told them they were each like a track of a railroad.  They needed to set goals together for family, Church service and making it to the Temple one day.  He said, if they each went a different way, the train would crash.

Natasha called all the missionaries over and told them she was so grateful for their service and their examples.  She said she knew they would have to leave early, so she arranged to have them fed first.  It was so thoughtful of her.  She had many other things to think about on her wedding day, but took time out for them.

The cars are always decorated for the Bride and Groom.

They took Elder Whitesides and I into President Bala's office and brought in a special plate just for us.  Yes, those are fish heads. They just eat the bones and all.  We picked at the tails and then gave the rest to President Bala and his District Clerk.  They were so happy that we weren't very hungry.

There was dancing afterwards.  They tell me that they danced all night.  They love to dance.  When you hear the music they start to move.

Merry Christmas 2013

We were invited to our friend, Mona's home for Christmas Eve.  She is a member who works for the Embassy.  Her mother was visiting and they served us all a delicious turkey and ham dinner.  She told the Elders they could take one item from her pantry for their Christmas present.  After dinner, we sang Christmas carols.  It was a nice Christmas Eve in Africa.

On Christmas Day, the Elders came to our apartment and Skyped home to their families.  We watched Ben Hur and I made 6 BBQ Chicken Pizzas, Cole Slaw, and Chocolate Cinnamon Cake and Ice Cream.

Our daughter, Stacie, helped us get a package of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups for each Elder.  They were surprised and excited.  Thanks for your help, Stacie.