And I would Walk 500 Miles

Freak dude. Like FREEEAK.
In the wise words of The Proclaimers:
I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more,
Just to be the Missionary who walked a thousand miles
To Give you Eternal Salvation and like all those really good things that come along with the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thats how that song goes, right?

This week was totally a normal week. Well, for a missionary in Togo. We taught, we walked, we handed out brochures, we walked some more, we asked people to come to church, we walked even more, people made fun of my accent, we walked like a lot more, and we ate some pat. But like, without a doubt, we flipping walk a lot.

OKAY. PAT. I KNOW I SAID I HATED IT OKAY? BUT MAN. This week, a member made us some pat. And oh, my flippin flappers, that was best thing I have ever eaten in my entire flippin 18 years of life. Im sorry family and friends, but I no longer can consider myself an American. Im full blown Togolaise.

Earlier this week, Tuesday maybe, Mubanga and I went and visited Olivia, one of my Converts, and she was REALLY SICK. She told us she had been praying every night, but that nothing was working, and that she wasnt sure if God could hear her and that it shook her testimony. I was honestly freaking out, because I thought that this experience might drive her away... Wow that broke my heart! So, we explained to her the power of the priesthood. We then gave her, what was probably, the most meaningful blessing I have ever been a part of. She stood up and OH MY GOSH you could see the Spirit in her eyes. It was really a cool experience for all who were there, including her non member mother and brother (So like, MAYBE we can teach them now.... ;))

But after a whole week of LITERALLY suffering with our amis, Sunday was just a MAD disappointment. We invited PROBABLY over 20 people to come to church this week. And from our sector, we had a
WHOPPING
0 of them show up to church. Definitely super disappointing. Wowzers. Once the sacrament started, I was almost in tears.Like, imagine youre throwing a HUGE party, where you can LITERALLY be given eternal life if you attended, and you invited EVERYONE you knew, and none of them showed up. OOPH. That was a sucker punch to the FACE.

But God is good.

Olivia had shown up to Sacrament meeting, and before the meeting began, I asked her how her health was and she told me she was completely fine. That the next day after the blessing, she was just fine! So, mini victory there!

But the 1st Sunday of every month, is in fact, FAST AND TESTIMONY MEETING. And Olivia went up, and bore her testimony. One of the most shy people I have ever met in my entire life, went up and bore the most meaningful and heart felt testimony ever. Wow. She has DEFINITELY become converted to the Lord.

So, God IS good. He gave Olivia a testimony, and he comforted me in a time of my afflictions. Tender mercies man, tender mercies.

Missionary work, is definitely the hardest work. BUT GOSH DANG IS IT REWARDING.

I love Togo. I love the Togolaise. These people are pretty rad! I love being able to be surrounded in my Saviors love everyday. J'aime mon Sauveur. Il est ma chant, et ma joie.

Je Vous Aime, tous! Adieu.


-Elder Ethan Vincent