7 December 2015

Hi All,

We enjoyed a Saturday evening social with some of our African folks.  Lillian and Jan organized a get together and invited two old people (that’s us).  We ate African food and socialized.  It was great. 

On Sunday Lilian and Anaklet bore their testimonies at church.  I was sitting next to Anaclet and had a feeling I should encourage him to bear his testimony (In the time we’ve been here, no African has spoken in Church or borne testimony).  I was about to lean over and suggest this to him when he got up and bore his testimony.  Lillian also got up and talked about how the Book of Mormon is a light to her and her African friends. 

We had another discussion with Joseph Bizimano and his friends.  I asked Joseph if we could come to his apartment and read the Gospel Principles manual with him for a few minutes since he works on Sundays.  Joseph asked us to teach two of his friends about the church.  With Sandy correcting my imperfections we went through the first discussion and then showed the First Vision.  One of the young men, he is from the Ivory Coast, told us that he has been confused and seeking for some time.  He took a Book of Mormon and said he is interested in learning more.  We will give his name to the Elders.  We really enjoyed the evening.

As we mentioned previously, Joseph was also the source of another teaching—Janvier.  Janvier is coming to church and progressing with a baptismal date. 

We are also accompanying the Elders in teaching a young woman named Felista.  She converted from Muslim to Christian in Tanzania.  She says her parents would kill her so she came to the United States.  She is a very sweet young lady but difficult to read what she is thinking.  She has also been coming to church. 

We’ve been working with another African, Maisha and Azziza, to try to get them another apartment.  They live in very substandard housing and are expecting another baby in December.  We’ve been getting them to fill out applications for Section 8 housing and public assistance housing.  We’ve also been looking on the websites to help them.

 

We’ve enjoyed the English classes.  We have one at a Community Center and another with several of our African sisters to help them learn Gospel language.  I enjoy doing it and also continue to improve my French. 

We visited with a woman and her son in Scarborough this week.  She is going through a divorce right now and is a bit lost and confused.  Hopefully, we can help. 

Some of the African dishes we’ve enjoyed and want to try are: Sambusa, Fufu, Isombe (Kasava Leaf Stew).