Well Coronavirus has arrived in Cote d'Ivoire. Honestly, I'm already tired of it. My name instantly changed from "the white" to "coronavirus". The first time I heard it I was just like you have got to be kidding me. Also all the corona talk is just getting really old. Every house the same story, I guess it's nice though we get like an hour to hour update on it from everyone we teach. Although it's starting to pop up a little here in Abidjan, I am not afraid of it. I just don't think its getting to me for some reason. Luckily it hasn't really slowed the work down at all, our Mission President just told us to buy hand sanitizer and we should be good to go!
This week we met the coolest guy! His name is Fr. Richmond and his girlfriend is a member but he is not yet. He is probably about 30 has some twin little girls and he went to the church universelle. Ever since the first time we saw him I just felt like I could see him as a baptized member of the church. When we met with him he started asking us some really good questions like what is special about our church, why we love the church and all that. We responded and the spirit was really strong. At the end of the lesson he told us he needed to tell us something... He said that about a year ago he had a dream that he saw 1 white guy and 1 black guy dressed nicely that came and talked to him. He said that these 2 people told him that he needed to move to Gesco and that he needed to bring his family with him. Well that's exactly what he did, he grabbed his girlfriend and his 2 girls and they moved here. He decided that he didn't want to go to his church anymore and soon enough he accepted to hear from us the missionaries. We showed up at his house and started teaching about the importance of families. He said he was just absolutely shocked by our appearance and message, and that he thinks that it was Elder Colas and I who showed up to him in his dream. When he told us that, I was just like WHOA! I remember getting my call about a year ago and just praying that the people of Cote d'Ivoire would be getting prepared for me... Sure enough they have been! What an amazing miracle, I'm so excited to teach Fr Richmond some more!
I also found a new amie who is from England. I started talking to her and her teenage girls (in English (and asked her if she knew what fish and chips are, and told her that I love them so much! I was totally just trying to lead her on to invite me over to eat with them and sure enough she said that she is going to invite us over this weekend, and we aren't going to be eating futu, but instead fish and chipssss! Total scoreeeee! I also asked if she had ever heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and she said she said she knew it very well. Turns out she had been talking to the missionaries in England before she left and even has The Book of Mormon in her house here in Cote d'Ivoire. How absolutely wild is that! I feel like the lord has really placed me here for a reason!
One of the favorite things that I studied this week was the story of the Stripling Warriors. I have always loved their story but I gained a greater appreciation for them by one word that is included in their story. In verse 21 it says that the Stripling Warriors obeyed with EXACTNESS. There was no wavering no excuses no nothing just obedience. And look at how successful they were! This scripture gave me so much hope and built my faith so much that if we obey with exactness "we will be blessed immediately"(Mosiah 2). I know that this is so true!
Well good luck with Coronavirus everyone. Hopefully you don't get sick! Oh yeah I also got a new companion. I'll be working with Elder Owurouka, a Nigerian, here as Zone Leaders in Niangon Nord. I'm gonna miss working with Elder Colas. I'm just not the biggest fan of changes and we were working pretty well together.
Love you guys thanks all for being you and being the best! I'm praying for you guys!
Bises,
Elder Freedman
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