Je suis CALEE OOOOOOOO

Odille lives right next to the ocean. And this morning we actually rebuilt her houses roof. Its been the rainy season and their house has been flooding almost every night.  It was a pretty rad time this morning, and I definitely felt the love that God has for His children. 

@Elder Vincent

pic is me with my homie Odille. The kindest person in Benin. (And shes Togolese....)

#2 is ya

#3 Found a guy with a Pleasant Grove Softball shirt from 2015. It had the PG city logo on the back. That was pretty lit

Picture Perfect

I read a lot of scriptures this week. Still praying for my companion that his ankle can get better. Ive been sitting here for like, 45 minutes trying to figure out what I wanna share.

I killed not 1 rabbit this week. I killed 3. Hehe. I wont share the PG13 pictures without request.

MY comp and I look freaking sexy in our shirts. 

I looked like a babe today in my new pants. I call them my fancy pants. Theyre pretty lit.

Do your dailies. There is power in prayer. There is strength in scriptures. Love God and trust Him and all will work out in the end.!!!

@Elder Vincent

Fancy Pants

You Say Goodbye

I said goodbye to Elder Clyde this week, and I said hello to Elder Bradshaw.

Other than that, nothing really rad happened this week. My companion is on crutches, so ANY AND ALL prayers are welcomed.

I was reading in the Book of Mormon this week, at the beginning of 3 Nephi. The Nephites and Lamanites had both become a repentant, God fearing people, and they teamed up. We have the Gadianton robbers, that straight up COVERED THEMSELVES IN BLOOD to go to war. I love how the Robbers get all happy, cuz the Nephite army fell to their knees. But it was not out of fear for the robbers. It was out of FAITH for their Lord.

3 Nephi 4:10

10 But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the strength of the Lord they did receive them.

I love that last part: "Yea, In the strength of the Lord they did recieve them."

We shouldnt run away from our problems. We need to pray for strength to take to recieve them. I know that if we keep our trust in the Lord, and take our difficulties head on, WITH HIM, we can will be able to join with the Nephites in our victories.

3 Nephi 4:31-33

31 And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.
32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord GodAlmighty, the Most High God.
33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction.

@Elder Vincent

Elder Clyde and me with our cute matching bead ties

My district. We lost 2 member

 3rd is Bradshaw and cute lil vincent.

February 19, 2018

One time when I was at home, I had tonsilitis, gingivitis, and staph infection which lead to bronchitis.

Then there was this one time in Africa that I got basically terminal malaria, and then got a stomach ulcer from the doxycycline thats supposed to prevent malaria, and then in turn got staph infection again.

Both situations suck, but they both have their blessings.  I didnt have to go to school for like 2 weeks when I was at home, and out here........ I'll let you know when I figure it too, but I know theres gotta be one!

This week, Clyde and I buckled down and prepared our baptismal candidates. A lot of kilometers were walked, a lot of lessons were taught and questions asked, and a stomach ulcer was definitely suffered. But the Spirit was felt so that makes up for it all.

We had a total of 4 baptisms on Saturday (And it was a MIRACLE that they were all ON TIME to church to be confirmed!) It was a really overwhelming experience! We baptized to young men, 1 of which I mentioned last week, Blandin. Blandin is the cousin of the bishop, and Blandin is the 1st member of bishops family to join the church. Bishop Dofenyo is my really great friend, and we asked him to baptize Blandin. It was a really touching moment to watch, and I have no idea how to share my feelings about it. It really made me think about my family, and how I am so grateful, SO GRATEFUL, to know that my family can be together forever. After bishop left the water, he prophecied to me, "One down, a lot more to go." We already have another baptismal date for another one of his cousins.

Saturday was really sweet until about 18hr, when we got a call from the assistants. Im gonna be staying in Baguida, but Elder Clyde is leaving me for a Tahitian. I thought he would be more loyal than that but oh well. Ill be better off with Elder Bradshaw anyway.

@Elder Vincent

The first 2 pics are with Clyde, myself and our baptismals cadidates. The 3rd is with me and my boi Bishop Dofenyo

Modest Mouse Redux

I just want to apologize for all of you who saw the video I sent home last week, and maybe lost some faith in what I am doing. It did not relate well as to how and what changes I have made in my life. Im sorry for the image I made for myself, and I hope that in this message I can redeem that in some way.

This week, I was on a split with my zone leader. We were teaching a lesson to a family who is preparing for their baptism this coming Saturday. Theres one girl in the family, named Clarice. She is a very kind and quiet girl, and we wanted her to participate in the lesson. We asked her if she could read a verse for us out of the book of Mormon. She tried for maybe 5 minutes, and then looked at us with teary eyes, "Elders, I cant read." We said it was okay, and we continued with the lesson. By the end, she had felt the Spirit just and much as we the missionaries did. I was bearing the routine testimony at the end, and I felt propted to tell her, that if their family would read the Book of Mormon daily, and she put forth a whole hearted effort, that I knew she would learn how to read with Gods help. It was silent for a minute, and then she said, "I will read." with conviction and a kind of, shady smile! She went from feeling incomplete, WITHOUT hope, to still feeling incomplete but WITH hope.  I cannot wait to see her progress.

Blandin is another one of our investigators, and he's difinitely a stud! Every next rendezvous we have with him, he has a new investigator for us! Its like as soon as he found a little truth, and a little light, all he wants to do is share that with the world. I testify that Blandin is definitely not hiding his candle under a bushel, but he is a light to the world!

Im not sure if this is innappropriate to say, but I definitely have a favorite investigator and his name is Benoit. I sent home a picture of him last week in between my companion and me. Benoit, or as weel call him, Benny, has really taught me a lot. He is definitely what I would consider a modern Captain Mormoni. His understanding is perfect. We asked him what faith was, and he gave us an example that I will NOW be using to teach faith! "I have never seen my name before, but that doesn't mean that it isn't there. I am Benny. You are Vincent. I know you are Vincent." We've only been with him for about 4 weeks, but I already know that this man has a desire to know the things of eternity.

I know that the Lord is in this work. I see his hand everyday. I feel so inadequate for it on the daily. But I know the field is white and ready to harvest. I know my efforts are being blessed, and I hope that the people I am teaching and finding will feel the value of the things my companion and I can share.

@Elder Vincent

Do or Die, You'll Never Take Me Down

 2 years ago, I was with my family for the holidays. We had a great Christmas together, and spent the break together. New years I was at a friends party and played hecka Super Smash Bros and drank a lot of grape Fanta.  I could say it was a pretty rad time.

1 year ago, I was in West Africa, Togo, in an obscure little city called Baguida. Although I wasnt with MY family, I was with a family, who loved me like their own, and I was this same family again for the New Year celebration.

This year was different.

I was praying and was scared out of my mind. I guess you could say thats NOT what people usually say about the holidays. I caught a bad form of malaria. THANKFULLY I was able to skype home the 24th, and I was blessed with a great connection. I was feeling symptoms, but because my companion and I had SPRINTED in the mid day sun to catch a taxi, I was thinking maybe just heat exhaustion.
Christmas day was something else.

Worst came to worse, and I ended up in the hospital. In the beginning there was a lot of skeptical talk, and thankfully it was in french, and I was able to lighten up the talk to my companion. This skeptical talk, was the skeptical talk nobody wants to talk about.

 But something I love is that the Lord has promised us to send His Comforter. My companion had left me for a moment to go and buy some water and supplies. I was alone. I was on my hosptial cot praying and hurting, when He came to me with the words of How Firm a Foundation, "Fear not, I am with you, oh be not dismayed. For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid.

I will strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand."

After that, I feared not.

And the Lord showed me I had nothing to fear! He healed me! I am so grateful the Lord inspired and helped those doctors in a 3rd world country in a sketchy part of West Africa. My Christmas miracle was a little different than normal, but I could never be more grateful for it.

I would also like to say a few words about our dear prophet Thomas S. Monson. It really kinda stung to hear that he had passed. But then that same Comforter spoke peace to all of us. I know that he is in the comfort of the Lord and he's probably holding his wifes hand. I am fully confident that his work has changed this world, and I know that his teaching have changed my life!

@Elder Vincent

Dear 9th Ward Primary, Or, better, the Army of Helaman,

Dear 9th Ward Primary, Or, better, the Army of Helaman,

Its Elder Vincent in Africa. I remember when I was one of YOU. A primary kid. I remember sitting in this EXACT same room, in the grove creek building in Pleasant Grove! I remember learning about Jesus Christ and how He died for us. I remember when President Cutler was bishop, and came and talked to us about the Word of Wisdom and "doing our dailies."

This Holiday I was really sick, and I think you all know that. But what I dont think you know, is that your prayers, and your faith, and your love really helped me. My mom told me that you all sang a hymn and had a group prayer for me. When I heard that, all the pain, and all the fear that I had, washed away. The Holy Ghost came to me and said, "Elder Vincent, don't worry, cuz there's an army fighting for you."

Thank you so much for doing that for me. And I know that all the other missionaries felt a little bit of that love too.  I know that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world, and I know that He loves all of us. I Know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church.  I know that you will all be awesome missionaries, and that someday God will all show you that you are his son or daughter. He will always protect you. I know it.

I love you all so much, and keep keeping the commandments and saying your prayers!

@Elder Vincent