New Companion & New Country

Hello everyone!

How are you doing? Well I made it to Yaoundé, Cameroon. I’m in a jungle it is so beautiful here luscious green everywhere you turn so amazing you can’t even imagine. I want to thank everyone for all their support and prayers. I Hope you are all doing well. My companion is elder Tshibanda. He is from Lumbashi DRC. (Democratic Republic of Congo) The other elders in my apartment are Elder Dorson from AZ and Elder Tokiniaina from Madagascar. My comp has only been here for 6 weeks more than me so it’s hard right now because we are trying to get everything to work and know where to go and how much it is. haha the life of new.  

I am in Bastos B which is in English!? What? Yes, it’s the only branch in my entire mission (5 countries) where we speak English haha. When we are teaching in other meetings like district meetings its back to French haha it’s a good work out keeps you on your toes because I have to keep my French studies because I’m in a French city still. The weather is just to die for, it rains for like 5 minutes or 20 and then sunshine it’s kind of like Florida but not as humid.  The food is so different here and much cheaper so tonight I am cooking and I’m making hamburgers!!!! I’m so excited to do that and then Friday I’m making spaghetti. So awesome! We eat a lot more beef here because it’s easier to prepare and you can just put it with anything haha.

This week in sacrament my companion talked about the saviors sacrifice and how important it is in our lives but we all have to make sacrifices which change our life. I’m so grateful for those who have made sacrifices to help me be the person I am today. I love you all have a wonderful week.

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Leaving Brazzaville

Bonjour Well!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to Cameroon tomorrow! I have a flight that’s like 6 hours because we have a stop and then a 4 hour bus ride to my new villa. I’m so excited to see more of my mission. (my mom’s attaching a picture of the flight to show the 5 countries in my mission)(plus the lizard from last week, the Elders from my old apartment, and a sister we’ve been teaching)

This week was crazy with my companion having to do tons of baptismal interviews and then we had a reunion with all the missionaries who had finished training. I had to go because we never had time to do the reunion before with the craziness of Brazza and then Elder Ellis coming here so yea.

Well this week it’s never give up. The Lord is with us and it’s his time not ours. I hope that everyone is getting ready for conference; yes I know it’s in over a month but I’m so excited to here from President Monson.

I am so grateful for the knowledge that my family will be forever because of the blessings of the temple I love you all 

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Lizard Eggs

Bonjour tout le monde! (Hello Everyone!)

Comment allez-vous? (How are you?)

Bon (Good) this week was good we were assigned to work in two sectors because we closed one so we were super busy.

On Sunday our ward choir sung in Lary. It was really cool it sounded like something from Lilo and Stitch. Then we sang the third and fourth verse in French it was really awesome.

I saw a lizard lay eggs.... that was pretty cool. I wasn’t moving and I was like oh is it dead. Then it popped out an egg, oh so sorry mama didn’t mean to startle you and then we all just looked at it and she stared at me.....

Other than that our week was normal. I’m so grateful for all your support. Elder Holland 2010 October conference gave a wonderful talk about gratitude mom can you attach a link to it please? I listened to that talk this morning and it was just amazing. I think that sometimes we forget the wonderful people in our lives so thank you and I love you all.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/because-of-your-faith?lang=eng

(Great FHE video idea for tonight!)

Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

Called to SERVE

Hello everyone

Well we had baby transfers this week and so our apartment will be losing Elder Larson and Elder Manasse. This week went by really fast. We had interviews with the president Friday morning. I want to say thank you again for all of the birthday wishes it was weird this week I only got to tell 2 people in our lessons that I was 19. Normally it’s like 6-7 times every week because we find lots of new people but the problem is getting them to stick. I am so very grateful for my call and all the support that each of you has given me and my family. I want to say thank you to all who have helped my family while I am away. 

Oh hey I think I forgot to share that  2 weeks ago we got to do Mormon helping hands and we cleaned the windows at one of the hospitals it was really cool! We don’t get to do a ton of service here. We try to help people wash dishes or clothes but they never accept our help, or only for like 1 minute. Come on people we are called to serve not to teach.

The best thing that a member can do is to be living in a way to be a great example. When you are a good example the people will come to you and ask “What makes you so you so happy or do the things you do?”

I love you guys and I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can live with our families again. What peace and joy that gives me, if you doubt that or want to have that assurance, pray and ask god if it’s true. I know his response because I have done it but the only way you can know the truth of all things is to ask for yourself. Love you all!

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Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission

Preston.stephens@myldsmail.net

6 month mark and Birthday

Hello everyone,

Well the best thing on your birthday is being on a large bus filled with Africans and its all hot and sweaty happy birthday haha. jk but that’s what we do here on Mondays if we need to go shopping. Thank you all so much for you birthday wishes. The lord blessed my computer and I was able to read all of them. It was truly a miracle! I couldn’t believe my inbox thank you all so much. This week was good we’ve been walking a lot and searching for new amis. We found and old ami and we went to visit her, and were like so what’s your favorite scripture and she’s like the sacrament prayers? Ok why. Well ok do you want to be baptized?..... Yes... I was in shock after the lesson I asked elder Kamba what didn’t I understand what’s the problem that I didn’t get. The lord prepares people to hear his word and sometimes we plant the seeds and other times we reap I’m so grateful for my mission and the chance to serve the lord here in the Congo. ; love you all

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Love,

Elder Stephens

Republic of Congo, Brazzaville Mission