Week 7 - August 26, 2019

WOW. All I can say is WOW. I'm just gonna say this off the bat if you see little typing errors i'm sorry but the keyboard here is all backwards and hard to type on that includes commas and everything. SO Cote d'ivoire. What a place I thought I had some idea of what I was getting myself into but I really didn't hahahaha. Every expectation I had for it has been wrong: The dirtiness is dirtier the smell is stinkier the busy streets are a lot more busy than I thought . In fact everything is different, the food, LANGUAGE, people's expressions, everything. In fact a mission is a lot harder than I expected. There have been nights when I just want to cry and as I write this I am getting a little bit teary... but nobody ever said a mission would be easy. If it was easy what would be the point. 

We had a multi-zone conference this week with President Nash and he said something that really helped me. He said we don't come on missions to receive things we come on missions to become more like our savior Jesus Christ. I realized that the only way that I can truly become like him is to be where I am right now doing what i'm doing right now. When I put it in that perspective it makes it a little easier. The things that are really tough for me right now are of course missing my family, I miss the material things back home like my house all the food and just Provo itself. I also have a hard time just accepting my apartment, cold bucket showers, and bugs everywhere. When I walked into the apartment for the first time I was shaken. Just little things that are different are really throwing me for a loop. Whenever i'm inside that's when I get homesick but when I'm out of the apartment working I have actually a lot of fun. Even though people tell me i'm speaking English when I try to speak french I'ts still fun to try. The people here for the most part are super nice especially the kids. 

My companion is a total stud. He's from Ivory Coast but moved to Nigeria during the Civil War. He told me some pretty crazy stories of seeing people shoot RPGs, he's had guns put to his head, he's had a crazy life. After that he made his family move to Nigeria. His name is Elder Ayinde and he is a language beast. He speaks like English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and he's learning Chinese right now.. He's really patient with me and I really appreciate him. Having him has been an answer to prayer. Also another crazy thing happened. I left my rain jacket in a taxi the first day I got here and 2 days ago the taxi driver pulled up next to me outta nowhere and just tossed me my jacket. Literally the craziest thing ever. Millions of people here and that taxi driver could've been anywhere. I guess it's kinda easy to pick out one of the only white guys though, haha.

Everywhere I go I just here Le blanc... white guy. Sometimes they ramble other stuff off to me in french and my companion just tells me not to pay attention to them. I don't care though I understand that it's so rare to see a white guy. Sometimes i'll go to give kids high fives and they will just start crying. One even peed his pants when i tried to talk to him hahahah. As hard as this is I feel so lucky to be here. I walked outside my apartment today saw a guy wearing an African robe and I just thought to myself how cool it is i'm in Africa right now. Just trying to be positive. Lastly, the thing I appreciate the most right now is for the first time in my life i'm actually praying. I kneel at night and just pour out my soul to God. This isn't about me anymore and I realize that the only way i'm going to be able to do this is with God. It sounds cliche but its true. I love you all so much and I cannot thank you enough for all the many prayers which have been said for me!

Love,

Elder Freedman

Our Sector Toit Rouge 3. Really clean place as you can see.

 Some fish thing. Actually tasted pretty good.

Week 6 - August 19, 2019

Andrew was given a little time today to send pictures and sign off from the MTC.  Here is what he said:

"President Lewis and Sister Lewis came to the MTC for some training thing this week and I'm just hyped to serve there.  Love you guys let's hope I don't get too wrecked this week hahahahah. JK It'll be great!

Love, Elder Freedman"

"My cousin Ben. He's super cool."

"Pretty common meal. Rice chicken that's what it looks like with juice and bread and salad as well usually"

 "the nightly talks/ study session. I love this picture" 

"study time" 

"me and elder Livingstone"

"Ben vs Elder Ward wrestling. He put that boy in a banana split"

"Some of the boys, Elder Akpan, Elder Dent, Elder Freedman, Elder Diedrich, and Elder Freedman"

"The workout area in case any of you wondered what it looked like"

Week 5 - August 14, 2019

Well I have almost finished my stay here at the MTC. On Tuesday I will be heading out to Cote d'Ivorie and lemme tell you, I am going to get absolutely wrecked. At the same time, I could not be more excited. I can't wait to actually start working with people. My french definitely got better this week, which is comforting. By no means am I going to be comfortable with the language but I'm better than I was a week ago. Our teacher one day pulled us outside of class to one of the ponder areas and told our district that the amount of french we have learned has been unprecedented in this MTC by any other district. Whether he was really telling the truth or not, it was motivating and good to hear. 

As time here at the MTC comes to an end, I have really been thinking about how much I appreciate this place. The people are so nice, I get to speak some English, there is AC and washing machines... the list is honestly SO long. It is a wonderful place and the best is that I have felt the spirit so much. I'm so grateful for all of the relationships that I have made. The African Elder's testimonies and faith blows my mind. One of my African friends shared with me how both of his parents died not many years ago and he was living on the streets absolutely alone and then he found a Book of Mormon sitting on the street. He picked it up read it and knew it was true. He went out found the missionaries and demanded baptism. The rest of his life has been working to be able to pay for his mission. There are many more but that story strengthens my faith and my desire to serve the people here. I have grown in ways that I could never had at home and I am so grateful for that. I still have a long way to go to become the person that I would like to be but I know that as I keep going I'll get there. As for MTC life the routine and the food is the same but our African roommates always seem to make me laugh.  I'm so excited for Tuesday, pray for me! hahaha

- Elder Freedman

Pictures:

1. Room 307 Elders

2. Our nightly study/ talk about other stuff (Elder Freedman, Elder Dent, Elder Freedman and Elder Livingstone)

Week 4 - Aug 8, 2019

WOW I have seriously just had the best week. Its been full of so many fun and funny things. Last tuesday we ( 6 weekers) had the opportunity to be set free from the bars of the MTC and go out and proselyte in Accra. It was crazy to actually be walking the "streets" and it was so much fun. The people here are just as expected, super nice and ready to learn. I don't think one person said they didnt have time to hear our short message. We basically went around handed out pamphlets and BOM's and then got their contact for the missionaries serving in Accra. I'll share a couple of my favorite encounters from that day: 1. We met a guy named Frank (A.K.A Crazy Frank) who pulled us into his little compound, he ranted for a while about how ever since the volcano blew up the winds have just been making everyone in Ghana go crazy. He also testified to us of how Isaiah is the savior and how its really weird we call our savior Mormon... we corrected him and then   at the end he told us he was staying in a psych ward which made a lot of sense. 2. We were just walking along and we decided to go say hi to this woman so we did and then she responded in french, I was like you have got to be kidding me. So we tried to talking to her, I hope she asked a lot of yes or no questions because all I said was "oui" hahahaha. I guess it was good to give us a little taste of the field. I think the lord blessed us for trying to talk to her because right after we said bye we ran into 4 guys who just ran right up to us begging us for Books of Mormon. We had one so we gave it to them and told them that we could get the other missionaries to bring them some more. They were so excited! It was just cool to see something like that. The greatest thing I learned that day was how important the Book of Mormon is in teaching. Whenever we started to talk about it people would look up and start listening. I thought that was interesting. 

          Last thursday we got a new shipment of Elders and Sisters in. It was a lot of fun to be able to greet, welcome and give tours to the new missionaries all day. Elder Livingstone and I were the only ones in our 4 person dorms before so when the new arrivals came in they put a companionship in our room. Elder Takesala, from Congo and elder Koakao from Cote D'Ivorie both french speakers. ill put picture of them below. The first night they got here was pretty rough. They made our room smell like foot cheese and also cranked the AC up and turned off the fan which made out room so hot. Then they would not turn the lights off and go to sleep, I was so mad hahahaha. Anyhow I eventually fell asleep and so did they. Then it was 3 in the morning and the lights flip on again I just started laughing to myself I couldnt believe it. Elder Takesala had to go to the bathroom and so he turned on all the lights i was like youre kidding me. Well after about a day of just being a little upset with them I got over it. I think they were just getting used to it here. Turns out even though its super tough communicating with them we are starting to get along better. They are learning in english so its nice to have them in the room becasue we help each other learn our language. FUNNY STORY about Elder Takesala! He kept telling me about how he is going to come to America after the mission and marry " Americana". I had my picture books laying on my desk and he found them and started looking through the picture books. I was looking through my picture book and he came over and saw a picture of Catie. He thought that you were so pretty and asked to get you information so he could chat after the mission. I didnt give it to him but I probably should have. I mean hes 24 so maybe it could've worked out.

           Last super exciting thingsthis week. If you have made it this far in the email it means you really love me. As we were coming back from the temple this morning I saw a HEFY group outside. I kept walking and then I saw Easton Carter, one of my best friends, jump out of nowhere! I dropped my stuff and just booked it, felt like I was in a movie. It was the biggest blessing ever to see him. I gave him a huge hug and then his group leader came up and asked if I could share my testimony with them in French. I was still shaking from the fact I saw easton I think everyone thought I was super nervous but it was still good. It was proof the gift of tounges is real. It was so fun seeing him and we talked for a while it was such a blessing. Lastly I buzzed my hait. Something about Ben and I being together we just love doing it. We saw some clippers and were tired of sweating so me, Elder Freedman, Elder Dent and Elder Deidrich all buzzed together. Full send.

      Overall this week as you can tell was so great. My french is still pretty rough, but better then last week. Sometimes I get kinda down on myself in class but I do my best to snap out of it quickly. I've loved the MTC because I have really had the opportunity to read the scriptures. They are so amazing. So many fun and interesting stories but also so many encouraging and inspiring as well. I've loved being able to really dive into them. The mission is hard but i'm taking it one day at a time, loving it for what it is. I know this church is true!

- Elder Freedman

Picture time!

1. 3 of the buzz boys

2. Elder Takesala and his fav picture hahahaha

3. The african roomates

4. Me Ben and Easton

5. Some of the district at the temple

6. Elder Koakau

7. Where we Proselyted in Ghana

Week 3 - July 30, 2019

Salutttt,

I cannot believe i'm writing another weekly email. It actually blows my mind how quickly this week went. Everyone says that time on the mission is the weirdest thing but it actually it actually is. Classes feel so long and like sometimes I sit there and literally look at my watch watching the seconds go by but then every night I look back on my day and i'm like geesh where did my day even go. Couple of new things that happened this week: Like 120 missionaries left so now their are only 29 of us in the MTC. The place is a ghost town right now. Its actually really fun though because all the guys that are here are like my best friends. We should be getting more missionaries in in a couple days, i'm really excited to welcome all of them and be the veterans one here at the MTC. Today the surprised us and gave us new companions which was a nice surprise. Having a companion all the time is still something that i'm getting used to and something that i'm not the biggest fan of yet but I know we have them for a reason and i'm thankful for that. My new companions name is Elder Livingston though and hes super cool. We are more alike than Elder Brockbank and I were which is fun. French is slowly getting better. I would get absolutely destroyed if I went to Cote d"Ivoire right now. I can pretty much teach some lessons ( very poorly), ask how you're doing and ask where you're from. I've also memorized some things like the first vision, Moroni 10: 4-5 etc... Sunday I went to my last English sacrament meeting for 2 years. Oh how I will miss English. I'm still Zone Leader right now and i'm honestly hoping they release me because I don't know how to speak french and we are moving to the french branch with all the native speakers. Pretty much the next 3 weeks are going to be the last 3 weeks all over again but with french headsets on. All the same devotionals and everything just with headphones. It'll be a struggle but good.  I'm excited for this next week because we get to go proselyting in Accra and then also we get to welcome the new elders in on Thursday. Another change is when they shuffled around the companionship they shuffled the districts and classes and so Ben got moved into my class! Also Elder Livingston and I have an extra 2 beds in our room so I invited Ben and his Comp over for a sleepover. hahahahaha I'm hyped it'll be fun. We work so hard here but its honestly good because it keeps me focused on why we are here. This week we talked a lot about the restoration and the book of Mormon. I feel like I have questioned everything I know so much but at the same time I feel like everything I know has been strengthened so much. I have learned so much more and it has made my testimony so much stronger. Every day I thank heavenly father for this opportunity I have to be on a mission I have learned so much about the church and myself. Its hard but I love it!

Love you all,

- Elder Freedman

Not any pictures this week but ill have more next week I promise!

Week 2 - July 24, 2019

Man can't believe week 2 is over. Classes are super slow but the days actually fly. 2 years seem like its forever away but I know it'll come quicker than I think so i'm just trying to enjoy every second! The days here are becoming very routine and repetitive. wake up class, eat, class, eat, class, sports, class, eat and then more class and maybe teach a lesson to end the night. We didn't have as many big long devotionals which was so nice. I like being in class much more. French is still super hard but we are getting better every day. We are working on increasing out vocab, and memorizing things like the first vision, Moroni 10:5, and the baptismal invitation. Thinking i'll be Cote d'Ivorie where people only speak french is daunting but gimme a couple months and i'll have the language down! To be real though I think learning French will be easier than trying to understand the African English. Half the time anybody talks to me I have no clue what language they are speaking. The food has gotten a little better... actually I think i'm just getting used to chicken and rice but at least i'm adjusting.  I think one of the things I took for granted most at home was boneless chicken, I really miss that. Every once and a while they throw out some pizza which is a real treat but then their are other days where they serve yam pudding which I think is actually just dog food. As hard as the MTC is I really do enjoy it here. My teachers are straight beasts. All of them got back from my mission like a year ago so its super fun to talk to them about that but also they just have the best stories and teach the best lessons. I got my first haircut here and I was very surprised because it didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would haha, The lines are very sharp like they were cutting a Africans hair though. Fun fact I learned this week. All of the African Elders are pretty old. Their is only 1 18 year old and then I have only met Elders between the ages of 21-25. Kinda funny but I guess their older age just makes them extra wise! The spirit here at the MTC is STRONG! It actually surprises me how much I feel it. Having Ben here is still the greatest blessing. Everyone is so jealous we have each other. Anyways all is well here. I think about you guys all the time but haven't been homesick, and haven't been sick and any other way which is also a blessing. Taking it a day at a time.

Love you all,

Elder Freedman

1. Some of the Elders in my Zone

2.Elder OTAHOAhiFHAuHu something like that hes a great Elder.

3. Elder Ward hes my boy

4. Elder Diedrich hes going to my mission and we are like super good friends

5. Thomas and I's mission tags! Probably my favorite picture

Week 1 - July 17, 2019

WOW what a week! Being a missionary is still very surreal to me. Leaving my family was really sad but as soon as I walked to the gate and saw a bunch of Elders all going to Ghana I got super excited. Sitting next to Elder Freedman (Ben) on the flight was a great blessing because it was so long (16 hours). We got to Ghana, shoved our bags in the vans and then drove literally like 100 miles per hour down the street weaving through traffic. It was crazier, scarier and more fun than any amusement park ride I've ever been on. The first couple days here were veryyy long. Lots of big meetings that just seemed like they went on forever. My companion is named Elder Brockbank, hes from PG. Hes a really good guy. Quick description of him is he is really smart, like super smart, hes 6'5 so he played volleyball and he hopes to work at NASA one day. Actually hes already applied to work there we'll see if he gets in! The things I really like about him is he is super calm and patient, hes super easy going and he works out with me which is way fun. We actually got called to serve as Zone Leaders which has been a lot of fun. Basically what we do as Zone Leaders in the MTC is teach lessons in church, make sure everyone in all our districts is good and hand out a bunch of deodorant and other essentials to people that don't have them. I kid you not this place smells so bad, its so hot and its so humid so you sweat all day, bad BO everywhere! I don't think many of the Africans wore deodorant before they came. In fact we had an hour long meeting on how to brush your teeth and put on deodorant. Not many Americans have African companions in the MTC, i guess they like to keep us americans together as we learn french. That brings up the next thing... french! It is super hard. I haven't gotten down on myself though because its only been a couple days but its been tough. I'm hoping that the gift of tounges will kick in soon. haha. Luckily we have the best teachers in the world. Total studs. Now you're probably wondering why the title is "dry bones"... well this week I have eaten lots of bone. Before I left for my mission many people told me to become African for 2 years. Many of the Africans here eat the bones, so I figured I should too. They actually aren't that bad though, kinda rubbery and first and then they just crush up into like dry powder kinda, doesn't taste like much and they say its really healthy for you. Another thing that was fun to eat was fufu. I've heard so much about it so I couldn't wait to try it. For those of you who don't know what it is its pretty much mashed up bananas and bread stuff and then they make dough and you dip the dough in this soup stuff. You're supposed to swallow it down whole which is impossible, I almost throw up every time they give it to me. fufu itself is gross, but the soup is another level. Its literally this gross orange stuff and what i found in mine was a piece of cow. I say a piece of cow and not a piece of beef because it was bone, meat, and then the skin and hair. Literally I could see the hair. Naturally I tried the cow skin and it was disgusting... never again. Anyways the food here is not great. Lots of rice and chicken and its already so old. I don't starve because I eat so much rice but I dread meals sometimes. After all this I would just like to say how happy I am here. I love this place, the people here are amazing. The Africans especially have built my testimony a lot. They say the best prayers and have so many scriptures memorized, they are really good examples of not having been giving much but really loving the lord and just having a desire to serve him. The halls here are often filled with songs, the Africans love to sing. They are just such happy people, I hope people can see that happiness in me.  At times it seems like the mission is going to take forever but i'm really happy. I know I can do hard things. The good times out weigh the difficult. Their have been a couple nights that I just notice myself going to sleep with a big smiles on my face. That never happened back home. The spirit is real and God has already blessed me so much, I really have noticed his hand in my whole experience so far. I'll try to attach some pictures, hopefully they work! Love you all I think and pray for each of you, family and friends. That's it till next week! Email me I want to hear whats happening back home!

-  Elder Freedman

Arrived to the MTC - July 12, 2019

Whatsssss upppppp! The flights were long but good. super happy i had ben to sit next to. I read a bunch of the book "saints" which passed the time pretty quickly. The ghana airport was really nice actually and were picked up by our teachers. We loaded everything in cars and then just drove like complete maniacs. They actually like so crazy I thought I was going to get in so many crashes. We were greeted at the MTC by a bunch of missionaries. They were all so welcoming and happy it was really fun to walk in. The MTC is Super nice, pretty much a small version of Provo. As we speak someone is mistaking me for Ben which has quickly become the norm here. I guess it easy when their are 2 elder freedmans. My companions elder brockbank hes a super nice guy from PG. we have gotten along really well. we also share a room with one nigerian whos name I cant pronounce and one kid elder dent from california who is going to bens mission. So far everything here is good. We missed breakfast because we slept through our alarm but all is well. Ill right a email on monday that explains more but this is just to say im here. love you guys! please forward to everyone in the family it was only letting me put one email in.

Love Elder Freedman