Awaaba!

 It has already been three weeks, it doesn't seem like it has been that long.

I flew in on Aug 7th and have been trapped in the MTC ever since--only getting to see sunlight for an hour or two each day, but I love it anyway. The airport was my first glimpse at how different things are here in Africa--it was in no way as clean, organized, or friendly as the London Heathrow Airport where I had been just 7 hours before. There were actually several fights that broke out while waiting in line for immigration.

From there we (3 other American missionaries, and a ton of French speaking missionaries from DRC) got ushered out to two tiny vans that drove us to the MTC. Once we walked out the airport doors, we were mobbed by people trying to help us with our bags in exchange for cash, and they did not take "No" for an answer!

We work hard at the MTC, and enjoy it. Most of the class time is actually not lectures, but personal and companionship prep for our teaching sessions. We only do an hour or two of formal language instruction each day, but we still are all making leaps and bounds in our French and teaching skills.

We eat rice and chicken twice a day everyday, but I've grown to love it. I have also accepted that I will never be able to compete with any African over the age of 4 at soccer.

I can't say that I truly feel like I am really in Africa yet, because the MTC is air-conditioned. Soon I will be out in Benin or Togo on the streets teaching, and I can't wait.

I'm not sure how to close, so how about some French testimony!

Je sais que Jesus Christ expient pour mos peches et qu'il est mon redempteur. Je sais que Joseph Smith a ete un vrai prophete et que L'evangile de Christ est reatablie sur la terre aujourd'hui.

Love you all!

My companion, Elder Jorgensen, and I at the Ghana Temple

The other missionaries learning French

Elder Walls and Elder Ozegbe (from Nigeria)

Life at the MTC

Everyone here is so Happy!

The Start of an Adventure

I couldn't be more excited to be able to go and spread the knowledge and love of Christ throughout the African continent. There is no where else I would want to be, and nothing else I would want to be doing for the next two years.

I like to think that I know exactly what I am getting myself into. I have been doing as much research as possible, however, I know that there are few real ways to prepare to live so far away from what I have known for the entirety of my life, but I know that there have been many who have gone before me with much harsher circumstances and they were protected and successful.

I can't wait to make some amazing memories, and to meet some amazing families in Africa, and I hope that I will be able to make the most of my time there to positively affect both myself and others.

I will try to keep this blog going, however, I can't give any guarantees.

I encourage you, if you do not know much about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to contact missionaries in your area at www.mormon.org/missionaries

Keep me in your prayers, Ebola is no joke.

-Eric