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".