November 5, 2012 - 1 more year in Congo!

This photo was taken at a Zone Conference in September,  before our most recent transfers.  We will have a new photo to post after President and Sister Jameson visit again in a week and 1/2, and that will show our new elders.  We lost 3 wonderful elders in October to Cameroon and received 3 wonderful elders from Cameroon (Douala and Younde).  President and Sister Jameson met with the President of Central African Republic a few weeks ago to talk about the mission of the Church.  Their picture is in the Africa Southeast Area insert of the Le Liahona, with that President.
It is very exciting to see the growth of the church in Africa and to be a part of it.  Elder Holland has said that what we do here, is teach the gospel, and when people accept the gospel and the happiness and hope it brings for a brighter future, they raise themselves up to a better standard of living.  We see it every day.  And even as many people struggle with poverty, they are usually joyful and have loving families.  A couple of days ago we went with some Elders to visit several families and it is always so good to do that and be able to visit with them.  One of the men, who is a brick layer, and who has 4 children and a lovely wife, is so concerned about teaching his children the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They are probably the family with the least in physical assets that we have visited - a small, very humble, wooden 1 room home.  Elder Wheatley has visited them several times, but this is the first time I have been to their home.  The 3 little children somehow knew we had arrived and came barreling through the banana and mango trees to greet us, as we walked around several houses and down a dirt path to their parcel.  The father was so glad to see us, he just grinned and kind of jumped and shouted for joy - it made me feel happier than I could imagine!  To be so welcomed, it was amazing, because he was so happy we had come to see his family.