more news in Cameroon.... November 7th 2011

Bonsoir, tout la monde!

Life is still pushing along here in Bastos I. We had a baptism - Brent and his wife have both been baptized. They are a fantastic family! It was such a blast teaching them. Brent said that he didn't want to wear the jumpsuit, so he bought his own clothes. His wife got a nice dress too. They're almost temple ready! She just needs longer sleeves.

Brent bought his own clothes because he said that the jumpsuits make people look like prisoners. He said something like "I'm about to be a free man! I don't want to be in a prison outfit when I'm about to be relinquished from my sins!" And so, he looked super sharp at his baptism.

That was so incredible to see. I am so grateful that the Lord placed them in my path. I am so grateful that the Lord let me teach this family the gospel. That was really a wonderful experience. I probably looked like a total dufus at the baptism because I was all smiles the whole time. 

Teaching that family shows that the Lord is preparing every one of us to hear the gospel. The Biloungas have totally been prepared to hear this gospel and to accept this message. They accepted everything we taught so readily. The Spirit was always super strong in every rendezvous we had. It was really a blast teachign them. 

I wanted to thank you all for sending me recipes the last time. Thank you all for sending me recipes.

I have received a lot of questions about me getting packages and mail. Turns out I can send mail and receive packages. Here is what you must do:

1. Find something to mail me. Food is okay, but you have to make sure it is in a tough container. Cardboard and plastic are easily opened by mice - a strong plastic or metal tin container are the best things to send food in. 

2. My address is the following:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Elder Andre Charles-Philip LaFleur

B.P. 3171

Douala, Cameroon

Send it to that address. If it's a normal letter, you can get away with an international stamp (about $1). If it's a package, you can USPS it (super costly, but more reliable) or Post Office (less costly, unreliable).

3. The missionarry couple in Douala will pick it up for me when it gets to cameroon - about 2 or 3 months. Cameroonian government looks inside every package they receive, and then you have to pay them depending on what is inside it. Don't send packages near Christmas - then it costs lots of money for them to pick it up. If you send something valuable, it costs even more (once again, Cameroon got number 1 on "most corrupted country" list a couple years ago). Save yourselves and us some money - don't send anything valuable. To be honest, all I really want is American candy. Skittles, Warheads, Twizzlers pull'n'peelz.... And my mom's homemade blackberry jam. The money that the couple in Douala pays I will have to pay them back in full.

Speaking of homemade, can I get your recipe for bread mom? I want to bake my own - despite the fact the baguettes here are so good.

And so, that is what's happening here in Bastos I. I hope you are all enjoying your time in the states. I am loving it here in Cameroon. I will send some more pictures of scenery next week.

- Elder LaFleur

Some more happenings this week: Oct 31, 2011

Before I commence this email, it has been made known to me that I'm not supposed to use real names of people. So I'm changing people's names. Please remember though that these are realpeople, with real problems, whom of which God is really helping out through me. 

The doctor for example (I'll call him Brent) and his wife (Josephine). So Brent totally knows that this church is true. He has gained a testimony and everything. His wife, however, hasn't received that. This week we decided to watch "Finding Faith in Christ" with the two of them. Tears were flowing (on their end - that never happens to cameroonians) and I bore testimony of Jesus Christ. After the nice lesson we ate dinner and left. We were walking down to the street when Brent called us and said "Dieu est magnifique." His wife spontaneously walked out of the kitchen after we left and said "Je dois me faire baptisé." We are so excited for them to be baptized. They are a wonderful family, and so Elder Tingey and I jumped and cheered after hearing that.

Another investigator we have is named Joshua. Joshua is a teacher for other congregations. Basically people call him up and say "Hey, I'll pay you X number of Francs to go and teach this congregation today." When we first taught him, he was really debative with everything we taught. But he decided to try reading the Book of Mormon, and studied it carefully (he really knows his stuff in the Bible. He wanted to prove us wrong). He told us about how while he was reading one night though, he heard this voice that said "Toutes les choses ils ont dit sont vraies. Ne doubte pas." And so, he knows without question that this message is true! 

I remember meeting him my first day. He had a darkened countenance. He was kind of grouchy and was frustrated with the fact that our message and church different than his. But he kept going to church and kept reading the Book of Mormon. Now when we see him he is very peaceful and happy all the time. Every time we see him, he is smiling. His countenance shines now. He is just on the cusp of baptism. I hope and pray that he makes that last change to join this church, because he knows it's true.

So Cameroonian french is dirty french. I had some people ask me about it a little while ago, and it's really funny. To say "It's been forever" you say "Ca fait depuis!" (literally translated "It's been since!"). Or instead of saying "Comment ca va?" they will say "Oh, Elder LaFleur! C'est comment?" (literally "It's how?") It's really funny to hear anglophones speak too - they speak literally translated french. They say these phrases in english: "Elder! How?" I actually really like the cameroonian french. It's a fun difference than the french I have been taught my whole life.

Anyways, I hope all your lives are good. Excelsior!

- Elder LaFleur