Love ~ February 19, 2015

Love for each other. . . .

February in the Mission Field was filled with many ways to express love. We were very surprised when we found out that Point Noire celebrated Valentine's Day.  Many of the stores were filled with red hearts and candy.  Even the Mpaka Branche had a Valentines get-together for the Youth.  They all wanted to know what we were doing to celebrate our love for each other.....

Lidye Mayinguila asked if I would teach her how to make a tie for her husband.  What a better time than for Valentine's Day.  She came to our home to have a one on one lesson.  She now will go back into her Branche and teach the Relief Society sisters how to make ties.  Because my French is not good and there aren't any sisters that speak English, it is easier if I teach one person and then let them go and explain it to the rest.  Lydie doesn't speak English, but we both speak "sewing" so we got along just fine.  She brought her own material and it is always such a treat for me to see what they love in colors.  One of the "mens" favorite colors here is "hot pink"......

So we spent 3 hours on February 12 making Valentine ties for our husbands.  They turned out beautiful!

  Most African women have amazing abilities to cook and sew.  She just needed the pattern and a little instruction and she was a pro. 

We just love Lidye.  She is the Primary President in her Branche and her husband is the Executive Secretary.  They are expecting there first baby in May and they are so excited to know it will be a son!

The Tie!

These were our Valentine Cards for each other. 

We went to dinner at Delesi Mae's.  They had a special menu just for the night. I had a steak with mushroom sauce, and Elder Bailey had "sole".  The meal was one of our best.  

I loved how they cut a "pepper" in the shape of a heart and then put in on top of the salad.  Who new that Africans could be so sentimental!!!  

Love of missionary work. . . . 

On Februay 14, Elder Etherington and Elder Nzoronka baptized Daryl.  His mother was so proud that he was baptized.  She is not a member, but is very supportive of her son and his decision to join the church.

Elder Muamba and Elder Beutler baptized two sisters, Reine and Amour.  

A group photo after the baptism.

This last Saturday, February 21, Elder Muamba and Elder Beutler baptized (?) into the Mpaka Brach.  Her mother was baptized last month.

The also baptized these two sisters.  

Love of basketball. . . . 

Every Monday morning the missionaries meet at the church at 7:30 A.M. to play basketball.  Elder Etherington is getting a drink from our "well-water" on the churches property. 

This was Elder Beutler's first time playing with the "boys" having just come from Yaounde to be our Zone Leader until he goes home in June. Many of the young men from the Branches come to play and also many investigators come.

Elder Muamba  (the one in the red shorts and grey shirt) is our 6' 6'' missionary from the DRC. He and Elder Beutler are companions.  Elder Bailey is teaching him to keep his hands up and he will be unstoppable.  Elder Beutler is very competitive!

Elder Andri, Elder Sperry, Maïch, Elder Bulendolo, Jhostavie and others rest while the others finish their game.

Love of the culture. . . . 

Elder Sperry and Elder Mbikayi get caught in a downpour while heading to a teaching assignment.  It  has rained at least a little everyday for the the last month.  I think they must have forgotten their umbrellas, so they are waiting it out.

This is how they make sauces and other dishes that I don't know their names.  They just pound and pound until it becomes a paste. Elder Mbikayi is a natural.

These are some of the homes where the missionaries would teach.

Notice how all of them have clothes lines.

A pathway to a little community.

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How grateful we are for the chance to be here in Pointe Noire.  We find such a joy each day to serve in such a variety of ways and to "love" the work we do.  We love each other, the missionary work, and the world we have been "Called to Serve" in. . . We love our Heavenly Father and our Savor Jesus Christ for the trust He has given us to "Hasten the work of Salvation" here in the Congo.  

The Gospel is True!

Until next week...........

Wall of Fame Photo. . . . 

We have to drink filtered water, so we save the bottles.  We wash and then refill them with filtered water from our water filter and then store them in our fridge.  The Mvou Mvou Elders have been without water for a week, so we are helping them fill many of their bottles so that they will have water to drink.  It is truly a "labor of love".

It's a Wonderful Life ~ February 11, 2014

Preaching the Gospel. . . . 

This past week we have had many wonderful experiences being a Senior Couple in Pointe Noire.  We wear many hats here and love each and every one of them. We were supposed to get our new Zone Leader from Yaounde, Cameroon on Wednesday.  Elder Beutler did not arrive until Friday, so that left Elder Muamba without a companion.  So Elder Bailey put on his "missionary hat" for two days and worked in the Mpaka Sector.   He had a wonderful time going out and doing missionary work for the Lord.

Elder Muamba & Elder Bailey

Getting ready to do some good!  They had 6 teaching assignments scheduled for the day...

The new Zone Leader in Pointe Noire, Elder Beutler from Mapleton, Utah.    He will finish his mission in June.

Here he is trying to get acquainted with all of the many youth in the Mpaka Branche,

The beautiful church grounds.

We have to choose each day what we will focus on here in Pointe Noire.  We have come to love the beautiful flowers around the church which bring us a little bit of heaven and a whole lot of joy...  

 One of my favorites.

African Geraniums

Yellow Trumpet flowers.  It is a wonderful part of our mission to be blessed with the beauty of our Lord's creations.  We just need to choose each day to look for it!

Baptism February 7, 2015

Elder Sperry, Elvis, Franck and Elder Mbikayi

The part of our week that is always a hi-light is the baptism's..  This is Franck who was taught by Elder Sperry and Elder Mbikayi and baptized last Saturday.

Apartment Inspections. . . .

On Monday we put our "Hostessing Hats" on and picked up Elder and Sister Bills at the Aeroport.  They work in the Mission office in Brazzaville and Elder Bills is over apartments.  President Monga wanted him to come and look at our four apartments to see what improvements we need to make.  So while they were here we took them to the beach to have a very short "photo session".

We love the Beach..... even if it is only for 5 minutes to get a picture!

After they arrived we had lunch and then left to go and inspect the Mpaka Apartment.  When we arrived, so did the rains.  It started to pour.

This is the Passion Fruit vine that grows over their courtyard.

We left there and headed to the Mvou Mvou Apartment.  On our way the heavens opened and poured down so much rain that we could not make it there even in our Toyota Truck.  We had to turn around and head for home!

The taxi's had to pull over and wait it out.

The streets were rivers.

Just trying to cross the street was a challenge.  

We made it home and stayed in the house for the rest of the day.  Luckily, Elder Bills felt inspired to make his return flight home later on in the day on Tuesday.  He and Elder Bailey were able to go back  to the Mvou Mvou Apartment the next day and get the inspection done.  

This is our Family Home Evening group we had on Monday Night.  Jhostavie taught us about the Faith of the pioneers.   He told us about how he had to use faith when he had a problem that he did not know how to solve.  He was able to listen to the spirit and It told him what to do.  He has such a strong, valiant testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Wall of Fame for the week. . . . 

Truly a  "Basket Case"....

There is not much "grass" around Pointe Noire and we have never seen an actual lawnmower. . . but the resident goats are always willing and ready to help!

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As you can see from the pictures, we have had a very busy week.  It is a wonderful life here in Pointe Noire.  We are so grateful that Heavenly Father has given us the chance to be instruments in His hands. . . to be part of the "hastening" in this little corner of the world is a pretty wonderful thing.

The Church is True!

Until next week.

Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant.... Feb. 2, 2015

Saying Goodbye. . . . 

On Tuesday, we said goodbye to a very special missionary, Elder Johnston.  He has been serving as our Zone Leader for the past 4 months and we have loved and appreciated his leadership and great knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Elder Andri, Elder Mbikayi, Elder Sperry, Elder Johnston, Elder Etherington, Elder Muamba, 

Elder Bulendolo and Elder Nzoronka

We decided to have "Hawaiian Haystacks"..... African style.  Elder Sperry's was definitely the "highest" haystack of them all.  Even our African Elders enjoyed them.

Elder Johnston is always bringing  a smile to everyone face.  He is an Elder with many gifts and talents, which he shared with everyone.

With dinner ended, we prepared for the "testimony" part of our getting together.

  

We had each of the Elders say what they had most observed and loved about Elder Johnston.  

Elder Muamba will definitely miss his "colleague".... They worked very well together in Mpaka.

Elder Mbikayi and Elder Bulendolo studied some new brochures on the Temple.  We received these at the Couples Conference for our English investigators.  All of the Elders are trying to learn English.

Elder Johnston gave his wonderful testimony of his two years in the service of he Lord.

Elder Etherington finally received his Christmas packages....... He was thrilled.

Finally we concluded with "The Lord Is My Light",  to send Elder Johnston home with all the love and "voice" we could send him with.  

We tried to get everyone ready for a group picture, but Elder Mbikayi decided he needed to show us how strong he was.............

Natuarally, Elder Muamba had to show them that he was the strongest.  He about threw Elder Johnston to the ceiling......

Finally, the group photo.

The Lord's valiant servants for Pointe Noire. . . . . . plus Anicet our guardian who helped take our group picture!

Elder Muamba is now alone for the next few days until Elder Beutler arrives from Yaounde.  Until then Elder Bailey will go with him to all of the teaching assignments.  It will be a great experience for them both since Elder Muamba does not speak English..... But the Lord works miracles with willing hearts, and Elder Bailey definitely has  a willing heart...... 

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How grateful we are for our missionaries who we serve alongside.  They are so faithful in keeping the commandments and in working so hard to find those the Lord has prepared.  We wish Elder Johnston a safe journey home to his family who is waiting anxiously for his return.

Elder Johnston arriving home!!

The Church is True!

Until next week...............!