The Best Six Months :)

Bonjour tout le monde! I am home now. What a crazy crazy six months I've had, and I'm so grateful for every second of it that I got to experience.

It was Wednesday night when the assistants sent out a text that all missionaries were going home. They told us simply to pack our bags ASAP, because we didn't know when we would be getting flights.

After packing, it was simply a waiting game to see when we would be leaving. In the meantime, we ate our favorite last Ivorian meals and treats, such as Futu! It was a bittersweet time to leave these newfound memories and this newfound home.

Friday morning at 4 AM, our Zone Leaders from our apartment left to go to the mission office. They had asked for blessings so we saw them off with some. Later Friday, our whole zone of Adzope came to our apartment, so we would be closer to Abidjan if our flights came in. Soon enough, we got word that the whole zone was supposed to come to Abidjan to be as close as possible. We grabbed our bags and went to Abidjan, about a two to three hour ride.

On the bus to Abidjan.
(Elders Brooks, Dahou, Vance, and Itua)

Once arriving at the mission office, I was told that I would be leaving on a flight the next morning. I said goodbye to Elder Itua at the office and was then companions with Elder Vance (another American Elder going home with me, we came from the same apartment in Adzope). We stayed the night about 5 minutes away from the mission office at the assistant's apartment. We tried to get as much sleep as possible before an early morning Saturday.

At the office with Elder Vance
(and the package that was mailed on Feb. 15)

Our flights home took 41 total hours. Our flight plan was Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire to Addis Ababa, Ethiopa (6 hour flight with a 4 hour layover), then Addis Ababa, Ethiopa to Paris, France (8 hour flight with another 4 hour layover), then Paris, France to Los Angeles (12 hour flight with yet another 4 hour layover), and then finally Los Angeles to good ol' Salt Lake City (1 hour with no layover :))))

Saturday morning all the missionaries headed to the mission office, got our passports, and headed to the airports. It was just about all the American missionaries in our mission flying out the same flight, something like 30 or so.

Pres. and Sis. Binene sorting out passports and travel plans.
(photo:  Sister Ann Lewis)

Luggage for all of the missionaries leaving the mission.

About 20 of the 36 missionaries that were headed out togther.

In the van to the airport.

At the airport, all three Cote D'Ivoire missions were there sending off American missionaries (the African missionaries had already left or were still waiting on flights to their home countries). It was only our mission that was able to get checked in. The other missionaries were flying through Bangkok, which closed, and so the airline didn't let them through. We got through because Paris was still open, but we had heard rumors that Paris was closing soon so we didn't know if we would make it all the way.

Thankfully, Paris stayed open and all the flights went smoothly. Lots of naps with my trusty neck pillow, lots of reads with Jesus the Christ, and lots of time to think about what an amazing experience I've had in Cote D'Ivoire.

Flight path to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The airports themselves were crazy. There was hardly any people in many of the airports. We walked past rows and rows of empty gates and closed stores and empty seats. Even many seats on most of our planes were empty too. Most people in the airports were wearing masks and gloves, if not face shields. After landing in LA, we got screened by officials and had to get temperature checked and all that jazz. Thankfully in LA, they had real American food at Shake Shack, so I had to grab myself a burger and of course a milkshake (ca me manquait). Ironic thing, Shake Shack was my last meal in the states before leaving and my first meal in the states after returning. In LA, I said goodbye to Elder Roth too for who knows how long which was pretty hard, seeing that we were close for all the mission. But, regardless, we got back to SLC and what a bittersweet reunion it was with all the families and all this uncertainty. 

Shake Shack!

Saying goodbye to Elder Roth (MTC companion)

On the plane to SLC!

Reunited for now!

I will be released as a missionary later today. I don't know anything about reassignment right now, or even if it will happen. I am currently under quarantine for the next two weeks. I have absolutely loved being a missionary and I hope with all my heart that I will be able to continue again. This will be the last email and post on the blog for a while, so I would like to share my testimony of Jesus Christ, while I am still called to preach under His name.

I know Jesus Christ. He is my brother and my Redeemer. He lives and He leads His church even today amidst all this tumult. I know through my struggles and dark times that when we have faith in Him, in His plan, and in His timing, we are filled with lasting joy. When we learn of Him and make the effort to approach Him, we are always received with open arms of comfort, peace, and joy. I love Him so much. He is my Savior and the Savior of the World.

Avec Amour,

Elder Brooks

We will do another post this week with more photos and videos from the past month.

There are still 7 Americans and 5 Tahitians from Jonah's mission in Abidjan waiting for flights out.  There are also 8 Americans from the Abidjan West mission and 25 Americans from the Yamoussoukro mission waiting.  They think there is a charter plane coming for them on Thursday.  The plane will also take the American missionaries that are currently in the Ghana MTC.

We pray for all of the missionaries all over the world that are trying to get home in the coming weeks.  While we were at the airport the last flight of about 300 missionaries from the Philippines came in.  

We are working on finding a solution for his health problems before he is reassigned.

Let Us All Press On

Yes, Coronavirus. We'll get to it.

My week started with our Multi Zone Conference. Such a great opportunity to hear about the good things in the mission and see other Elders. In it, Soeur Binene gave a teaching all about health, touching on Coronavirus a little. It was foreshadowing.

After the Multi Zone Conference
(picture from a member that was there)

On Thursday, I hit 6 months! Crazy! And I have no idea how crazy the next 6 will be haha!

Friday was the craziest. Elder Itua and I had helped an ami make some futu. It was so great, we were able to have a great time together and then we taught her the message of the Restoration and helped to answer her questions. We had our Conference for the District of Branches this weekend, but we had heard it was cancelled and people didn't know why. Huh, that's weird, we thought.

We got back to our apartment, ate dinner, and I asked, oh yeah is district conference is cancelled? The other Elders responded with, THE WHOLE WORLD IS CANCELLED. They explained what was going on with Coronavirus and I literally thought they were joking. Haha ok guys WOW yeah I'm totally sure the church just cancelled all meetings. They continued to explain and there was never a haha gotcha moment. WOW. I was totally shocked.

On Sunday, we had Sacrament Meeting at our apartment with the six Elders in our apartment. Thank goodness we have a piano in our apartment so that I could play hymns. We also had a mini discussion about Come Follow Me for the week which was totally awesome.

Here in Cote D'Ivoire, things are good. We're not quarantined yet, and we can still go out. We're not allowed to shake hands, eat with members, and we have to give a report of everyone's health every night to our Mission President's wife. We're taking good care of ourselves. That's about all we know right now.

Saturday morning, I listened to Richard Elliot's arrangement of Let Us All Press On. The third verse has always been my favorite and it totally applies to now. It starts with "If we do what's right, we have no need to fear" IT'S TRUE! We have no need to fear Coronavirus. If we do what's right, what is there to fear? With God and Jesus Christ on our side, who can stand against us?

Elder Brooks

Notes from our video call:

He has lots of pictures and video but they wouldn't upload today.

The Abidjan West and Yamoussoukro missions are on lockdown for two weeks.  He thinks that they soon will be too.  

More of the story of the woman that they made futu with - They dropped in to see how she was doing.  She was doing laundry so they jumped in and helped her.  She invited them back the next day to make futu.  She also taught them some of the local language.

He's still waiting on results from his colonoscopy.  They told him it would be three weeks (it's been two) so he expects to know more this week.  There is a chance they will send him home to be treated, depending on what the diagnosis is.

Adjusting to Adzopé

So to start off, my health has been staying at a normal level. We still won't get the results for another week or two, but I've been watching what I eat and that has helped a lot. Also, we had an awesome week too.

We had our District Meeting at this super cool branch building that was basically a mansion. Super cool and also a little confusing?? I included a picture (I can do that now!)

Branch Building in Adzope
It used to be an event center and the church bought it.

Very close to our apartment is a restaurant of a member from one of the branches here in Adzopé. We ate there twice already this week. The member is Mama Yapi and she is basically the best. We eat Futu there and it is the best. (cassava and plantains mashed together into a bread dough substance that is one of the hidden treasures of this world)

Futu

At Mama Yapi's restaurant.
Elder Itua, Elder Dahou, Elder Vance, Elder Brooks

We had the awesome opportunity to get out to our sector a whole lot more because we weren't going to the hospital as often haha. We are teaching people, but this week I just want to describe the area. Imagine Heber Valley Camp. You're in a forest area with paths leading between the houses. Sometimes you find a little grove of houses with everybody out front as neighbors. There's one paved road through the middle of the village. Just about everyday, everyone mashes their futu in front of their house with a giant mortar and pestle-like device. At church, they speak two languages because the older people in the village only speak their native language and not much French. The branch had a piano still brand new in the box, so we got to get it out and I got to play for the meetings yesterday at church. It's so cool to be walking around out there with my big old hat and teaching these people.

Elder Brooks and Elder Itua

I got the opportunity to study the Gathering of Israel a lot this week. It is the most important event going on right now. I didn't know much about the 12 tribes or the 10 lost tribes, and who even is the Jews?? But, I got to learn more about it and it has strengthened my testimony of this work that we are ALL involved in. I invite you all to really know what the gathering of Israel is and to find your part in the grand work of these last days.

Elder Brooks

Notes from our phone call:

They are having a Multi Zone Conference on Wednesday.  His former zone will be there, which is where a lot of his MTC group are serving now.

There is a District Conference next weekend.  The District President asked him to play the piano for it.  He asked if he could play some music before the meeting started (yeah - I can play prelude) and if he could play a little after the meeting was over (yep - I can do some postlude).

The District is in Adzope where they live.  There are multiple church buildings in the city.  His area is about an hour away.  They take a taxi to a station where they pick up a gbaka (minivan) that takes them the rest of the way.  Sometimes they get to the station and they missed the gbaka so they have to wait for awhile.

This week is his 6 month mark as a missionary!

I got a colonoscopy in Africa.

Craziest week of my life. Lets get started.

On Tuesday I went to the hospital for some problems down low that I've been having and they told me to get a colonoscopy. WOW, didn't expect that at all. We sat down, they taught me all about it and then scheduled me for that Saturday.

Wednesday was the travel day after transfers. I packed all my stuff, said goodbye to N'Dotre, Elder Kadima, and all the other Elders and headed up to Adzopé, about an hour and a half ride in the vans we call gbakas here. I met Elder Itua, my new companion and he welcomed me into the AC of our apartment, WAY NICE!

Thursday we were able to head out to our area. It's kinda the sticks. We take a taxi to a station and then drive for about 45 minutes to our village in a small mini van with about 10+ people in it. Only a little cramped and sweaty. Our village is called Bouapé and the people are awesome. I'm super excited to start working there and start working with the people. After the day, we took our transport all the way back to Adzopé.

Friday we travelled to the city, Abidjan so that we could spend the night close to the hospital for the colonoscopy the next morning. We stayed at another apartment of Elders which were super super nice and helped so much. 

Now the weird part.

So for the colonoscopy I had to eat nothing but spaghetti, rice, little crackers, and some chicken or fish for three days. The doctor told me to add oil and salt to make it taste good, ouch. Then, Friday night, I drank 4 liters of water in about 4 hours with some ..... great medicine. And then I didn't eat anything until after the exam. It was kinda the worst.

The actual colonoscopy was weird. I'll spare the details of the beginning but then they injected me with something. I think I was reciting memorized scriptures in my head. I never finished. The next thing I remember is waking up in a different bed 4 hours later after everything. They gave us our results, I finally ate some great food, and we left back to Adzopé. 

The results are pretty unclear and we're still figuring everything out. They took some biopsies and those results will be ready in three weeks. Great.

Anyways, here's the gospel tie-in. For the colonoscopy, one has to prepare in such a way so that the doctors can find the problems quick and easy. If someone doesn't prepare, the doctors can't do anything for them.

We must prepare for many things in our life, like a mission. If we are not obedient and do not prepare in the right way, the Spirit cannot guide us in our lives. Do we want to know what to do? Or rather what to do, where to do it, and when to do it? Our level of our revelation depends on how well we prepare ourselves for that revelation. Ask yourself what results do I want? then act and live in such a way to receive those "results." 

I'm still going strong here in Africa and I know for certain the truthfulness of how much our Heavenly Father loves each of us

Elder Brooks

Pictures from the past month:

1/30:  Exchange with Elder Agre
(This is at their apartment where they do laundry)

1/31:  Exchange with Elder Peter from Nigeria
The yellow jug to the right is for transporting water.

2/14:  Could be Souer Elizabeth that they were teaching in N'Dotre.

2/15:  Baptism of Frere Hermann
The missionaries are Elder Agre, Elder Kadima, Elder Brooks, and Elder Olson in the back.

2/20:  Going out to find and teach with Frere Ivan and Souer Audrey,
two members of their branch.

Notes from our chat:

His new branch speaks French and Attié, the native tongue there. Most people don't know how to read.  He wants to start a class of reading in French so that more people can read the Book of Mormon.  They also have a piano in the box.  They're getting it out this week.

His apartment also has a piano.  We joked he should sing and play hymns in the morning while the other Elders are sleeping in.

He was able to upload pictures, but it was slow.  It took about 90 minutes to upload 27 of them.  He still has about 60 more that he will upload next week.

He went to an international hospital, PISAM, for the colonoscopy - the third hospital he's been to in Abidjan.  We are working with the area medical advisor for the mission (an American missionary serving in Ghana) to find out what to do while we wait for results.