Blog

For those of you enduring a hard North American Winter, I thought I would send a few pictures I took around our yard in Lomé. We have mentioned before that the yard here is really beautiful. Last night we had a nice thunderstorm. It rained for about an hour and really washed the dust off… Continue reading Chairs to the New Hedzranawoe Chapel

We left a quiet harbor In favor of another, we know not where But first, there are seas to cross And storms to brave. How could we prefer the foreign deeps To the encircling arms of our bay? Because some things Can only be learned at sea. Yes, our craft is watertight, We can navigate… Continue reading The Winds that Fill Our Sails

We are really keeping the road hot between Cotonou and Lome, Togo. I think if we cross the border very many more times we will be on a first name basis with the guards! I think that they do recognize the pick-up as they don’t seem to have very much interest in searches. We made… Continue reading An African Snowman

The Hamatan has hit this week. That means it is cold in Benin and the coats and stocking caps are sprouting like weeds in the springtime. Last night I suspect it dropped as low as perhaps 75 and today it probably didn’t break 90 for the first time in a while. The biggest difference, in… Continue reading Winter in West Africa

This week we hurried and did all we could in Cotonou then hurried to Togo on Friday morning to be there for the arrival of President Ayekoue Friday afternoon, who was hurrying to be there for the arrival of Elder Craig Cardon from the Area Presidency on Sunday, who is hurrying to make a tour… Continue reading Traffic and Drivers

This week was devoted entirely to a quick lesson about the missionary efforts and branch situation in Togo. Elder and Sister Gillis were almost packed and ready to go to Abidjan when we arrived on Sunday; therefore, on Monday we began the daunting task of learning a huge city in two days. They and another… Continue reading Learning the Ropes in Lome

We celebrated New Year 2009 by getting Elder Hubbard on the airplane for Cote d’Ivoire and then going home and going to bed early. We may have been the only ones in Cotonou on that schedule. There were fire crackers going off all night that kept me awake but Soeur Black reported a good night’s… Continue reading A New Year in Cotonou

The Cotonou Branch of the Church no longer exists. Last Saturday and Sunday, December 20 and 21, President Ayekoue interviewed over 20 priesthood holders, disbanded the Cotonou Branch and replaced it with the Gbedjromede Branch, the Menontin Branch, and the Akpakpa Branch. We have a little catching up to do on the blog after last… Continue reading Division of the Cotonou Branch

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY! As missionaries, we live closer to the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ, so, with fewer distractions this year, it is easier to keep Christ in Christmas. When Luke recorded in Chapter 2 verse 11, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David,… Continue reading Merry Christmas!

We found out more about that goat market we told you about two weeks ago. The Muslim people celebrated Tabaski on Monday. We don’t know a lot about that holiday except that it seems to involve feasting on goat meat. All over the city on Monday morning there seemed to be a somewhat ceremonial slaughtering… Continue reading Tabaski and Transfers