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!