I Know I'm Not the Only One

They say a mission really prepares you for marriage, because you are always with the same person for LITERALLY the entire day, and you just figure out literally everything about that person. The only kind of awkward part of that is they're your same gender.

BUT. Holy crap, there were somethings I never thought a mission could teach me. Like what it feels like to be cheated on.

Well my companion and I have this ami, and this ami has been progressing VERY VERY GOOD. Like, we set her baptism for the 7th! So during this week, we show up at 15, and she told us that we HAD to be out by 16, no exceptions.

WELL AFRICAN TIME IS DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD.

So at 15:56 our ami just kinda yelled at us to get out, but like, we were taking that from nobody! So we sat and kind of argued and joked, and at 16:07, there was a knock at the door.
Our ami went stone cold.

The people entered.

"You saaaaay, Im crazy, cuz you dont think I know what youve doooone,
But when you call me your missionary, I know Im not the only one."

OUR AMI IS TAKING THE LESSONS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD JEHOVAH WITNESS.
Man I was devestated. I felt like our ami had just RIPPED my heart out and threw it on the ground. OOF.
Man, DEVASTATING.

DONT CHEAT ON PEOPLE. ITS NOT COOL. IT REALLY HURTS.
DONT CHEAT IN GENERAL. THATS NOT COOL.

But New Years in Africa man. Oooooooooh man. Im not sure which night was crazier: December 31st or January 1st. Cuz Flipppp man Africans know how to party.
The 31st A member invited us over to teach someone who lives in his same wall, and hes a return missionary, and he feeds us really good stuff.... so we were like ya we'll come teach! So we taught him and it was rad, but after that the Party started! People were showing up, and we started eating. But President told us that we had to be home at 18, cuz it gets WILLLLD. So we did.
At home, Id wouldve been with my friends, probably playing video games, or doing stupid stuff, maybe crashing my moms car like I did a couple of years ago, or probably doing karaoke or something legitimately stupid.

But my New Years was a normal day.
I did some laundry, I organized the area book, and I went to bed 20 minutes early.
Missionary life, man. Its a good life!

When I woke up, the people across the street were still taking shots and lighting fireworks. They partied HARD. Like dang, I was impressed. Endurance is key.
We made plans to go pick up one of our amis, and let me tell you. THIS AMI IS LITERALLY THE BLACK VERSION OF MADDIE WOOD. IF YOU KNOW HER, OH MY GOSH SHE IS LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME PERSON. EXACT. Just black.

But we went to pick her up, and Ive never seen so many passed out drunk people in my entire life. Like, just on the road. Dang. CRAZYYY.

We went and ate at the same members house again, for another mange-vous. And dang, food.

But man, the members uncle kept trying to give us beer, and rum, and anything! He really just wanted us to drink! He brought me a coke, which he 'secretly' spiked with rum. By secretly, I mean, he turned his back to me, poured it and gave it to me. I love drunk intelligence. :)

But really, I love walking home.
Walking home is a time I get to reflect.
I get to just think about all our lessons, and all of our amis, and the members who need help. I gt to think and ponder about my personal study, and ways I can improve. It truly is a blessing.
I really do love this work. I love how the church is the same In Utah, as it is in in Togo.

READ YOUR SCRIPTURES AND SAY YOUR PRAYERS.

I love you all!
Elder Vincent