​Bonsoir et bonne Pâque, ma famille!

So, this week was really great. My new companion showed up, Frère Victor! He's a super cool guy. He was born in Nigeria, and moved here when he was five. He celebrated his 18th birthday on Thursday, so he's a young whippersnapper. Haha, just teasing. He put in his mission papers the week before, and he's waiting for his call right now. We're very similar, physically and personality wise. He's like a young, cool, hip version of Elder Phillips. He plans on going to BYU Provo after the mission (ahem, Allison), majoring in civil engineering (ahem, Allison). He's an awesome guy (ahem, Allison), and I'm really excited and grateful to work with him.

In lieu of Victor's birthday, Soeur Précious got special permission from Président Morin to take Friday afternoon off to a birthday mangez-vous at their house. We went to Victor's house Friday afternoon, which was super fun. We ate really well, and I tried a new food: cow stomach lining! It was chewy, but I found the flavor super delicious. The food was awesome, and for desert we had chocolate chip cookies! Victor's family is super nice, and it was great to hang out a little bit and share our testimonies with some very strong members. Also, those bird's eye view pics of the soccer field and street are from Victor's house.

Our sector is doing well. We've got our batch of baptismal candidates for the 9th of April: Gudi and Yvette. Gudi still feels like he is waiting for his answer on whether the Book of Mormon is true. Keep praying that he'll get his answer. I believe he has gotten it, but just hasn't recognized it yet. I have faith that it'll all work out. Yvette is the wife of the Elder's Quorum President. She's been coming to church for forever, and she always comes to Gospel Principles class, and it was only a week or two ago that it clicked in my mind: "Hey, she's an investigator who comes to church every week. Why isn't she baptized yet?" So yeah, we're working on that. French is a difficulty for her, but with her husband's help, we should be good to go.

Bonjour ma famille!

So, plot twist, this week they delayed the coming of Frère Victor for another week, and they placed me with an RMM- Returned Mini Missionary. My companion's name is Frère Cyril/Elder Ogoudiran, and he's a cool guy! He did a mini-mission last transfer in Finagnon with Elder Barnes, and he was willing to spend another week here in Akpakpa. This was actually a huge blessing! His dad actually lives in our sector, so he knows a lot of people in town, and we got to contact a lot of them! He knows Lom-Nava (the neighborhood in our sector that's closest to the apartment) like the back of his hand, and it was so good. We had a lot of ratez-vous this week, so we just optimized the time and did some OVB. A lot of these people have rendez-vous fixed for this week, so we'll see how it goes! (:

One thing that is cool about working with Elder Ogoudiran was changing my teaching style. This week, I just found that I needed to focus more on the comprehension of the amis, and go a little slower, point by point. I spent a lot of time in Prechez mon Evangile chapitre 10, and that helped a lot. It's okay, you mess up, you learn, you get better.

During the week we had a follow-up lesson on the Restoration with an ami, and we asked him to summarize the First Vision for us. He said that two angels appeared and told Joseph Smith to organize the Church, so we reviewed it again and said that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared and told Joseph to restore the Church. He said he understood it, and we moved on.

This Sunday, the ami came to church for the first time. Président Okpetche taught Gospel Principles, and there was a conversation that went something like this:

Prés.: How was the Church of Jesus Christ restored?
Our ami: Two angels appeared to Joseph Smith and told him to organize the Church!
Later...
Prés, talking about the Great Apostasy: Can you guess who the Roman Emperor was at this time? (Answer: Constantine, during the time of the Nicen Creed).
Our ami: Moroni!
Phillips: *facepalm*

Haha, yeah, that's our fault, we need to revisit the Restoration again. Oh well, it's one of those moments when you just smile and keep trying. Also, during the lesson, Président Okpetche did something super bold. If I had to categorize missionaries, I would categorize them by three quotes:

Phillips: An ami has to receive all of the lessons before he gets baptized
Dakouri: If the ami shows up for two sacrament meetings, we can baptize them.
Prés. Okpetche: Everyone in the room, there's a baptismal service this Saturday, and you're all invited to get baptized!

Yeah, that kind of surprised me. (:

Anywho, the sector's doing good. Gudi didn't make it to Church yesterday, so we're gonna have to push his baptism back a bit, but it's okay, the Spirit assured me that it would all work out.

We had a lesson with a recent convert, and they told us about some visions that they've been having, and then asked us what they meant. It was one of those missionary moments where you feel the Spirit super strong, and you kind of just say "I have no idea what just happened, but I feel really good."

If I had to put a theme on this week, it would be a thought that came to me early in the week, and kind of continued throughout the entire week.  When the Assistants came to pick up Frère Amos, I got to talking with Elder Mutombo, who has only four weeks left on his mission. He said that he wrote "Unprofitable Servant" on his very last planner. He could tell that I was confused, so he asked me "What does unprofitable servant mean?" I said "A servant who doesn't do what he should." Elder Mutombo smiled, and told me to go read Mosiah 2. I read it, and I found my answer in verses 20 and 21: "I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to...God...that if ye should serve him...with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants"

We're imperfect, and even when we give our best, we make mistakes, and perfection is unattainable in this life. But when we focus on Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement, we realize that it's not about us, it's about Him. It's His life that we testify of, and it's His sacrifice that makes improvement worthwhile. As a missionary, I've been struggling a lot with self-improvement, and not being very kind to myself, but the Spirit really calmed me this week in prayer, study, and sacrament, that I was doing just fine, and to stop worrying about myself. I'm not here to preach my gospel, I'm here to preach the Gospel of Christ. As we focus more on His power, and not our own willpower, we get a front row seat to manifested miracles in our lives.

I love you all so much! Have a fantastic week!

Tout mon amour,
Elder Phillips (:

*cue "Gabriel's Oboe"*

Bonjour ma famille!

Hope y'all are having another spectacular day!

This week was a different week, but a good week nonetheless. Tuesday, because we were a three man team waiting for the new American, we worked in Elder Kola's sector. It was an interesting experience, being in Akpakpa 2. The other equipe found a totally new group of amis to teach, and it felt like a completely different sector. Elder Kola's got a very different teaching style from me, so it was hard for me to really apply myself to the lessons, but it was a good day nonetheless.

That evening, at midnight, Elder Alexander came! He's super cool, I like him. He's almost as tall as I am, and a lot more built, so we've got two yovo Goliaths roaming Akpakpa now. Elder Kola, his trainer, has got a new "no English between Americans" policy in the apartment, which is difficult, but will help Elder Alexander (and me) in the long run. I talked to Elder Hansen about it, and he said "That's tough, but it'll teach the new guy very early on the important lesson that he can't rely on anybody except Heavenly Father". My trainer is seriously a wise guy. Speaking of Elder Hansen, this week I noticed how much I'm becoming more like him. Just in my mannerisms, and the way I react to certain things. I remember my first day, entering the apartment, I wanted to speak only French, and Elder Hansen said "No, it's okay, you can speak English," and when I asked Elder Alexander if he wanted to speak English or French, and he said French, he said "Français," and my thoughts were Elder Hansen's exactly. Anywho, I find myself becoming more and more like my trainer.

Wednesday, we took some time to figure out some money issues for Frère Amos. He received a generous donation to support his mission fund, so we had to run around to different banks trying to work it out. The good news is that he's all set! I'm also planning on giving him a shirt, some ties, and some other stuff I might be able to find.

Wednesday evening, tired from the bank running (teehee), we arrived at Coordination Meeting. Before, it was only the missionaries and Frère Jean, our Dirigeant de Mission de Branche (DMB). Now, Président Dangnisso comes, as well as Président Okpetche, the new first counselor of the branch. Prés. Okpetche is a returned missionary as of six weeks or so, having served in the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission (Amos's future mission). It was his first coordination meeting here in Akpakpa, and he completely turned things around. He's placing more emphasis on finding through members, which will help a lot. He, and Président Dangnisso, has a real attitude of "What can we do with the missionaries," not "What can the missionaries do for me." I love it! Thursday morning we did street contacting with Prés. Okpetche, and we found so many new amis! It was fantastic!

Gudi has been progressing really well. He really understands the Plan of Salvation, reads his readings in the Book of Mormon, and this week, he came to church for the first time! He loved it, was super happy, and when we asked him how he felt, he said "I felt the desire to change!" It was one of those moments when you clap your hands for joy and say "Just like in the scriptures!" Haha.

Well, Frère Amos is still with me, and he'll be leaving tomorrow. He's been such an all-star. We taught a lot of lessons about the Plan of Salvation, and he shared so many touching experiences. Working with Frère Amos has been such an amazing, humbling, and uplifting experience. He will be a fantastic missionary, and I'm so excited for what the Lord has in store for him. I love you buddy! :) My new companion is going to be another mini missionary, his name is Frère Victor! He's the son of Soeur Precious, who is the office secretary for the mission. I've heard that he's a good guy. So, if I mess up, heads will roll. Haha, just kidding, it's a cool opportunity, and I'm excited to work with another mini missionary. Akpakpa, here we come!

This past week, I celebrated my 8 month mark! Woohoo! Then, I did the math, and I realized that I have just finished one third of my mission. 1/3. That's insane. I felt so old. I had the complete feeling of "Okay, you are no longer a new missionary. It's go time". I have loved this experience, and all that it has done for me. If you dedicate yourself to the work, you'll be amazed at what the Lord does to change you. I know that I've changed a lot already. I'm really starting to feel like an experienced, professional missionary. That said, as I was reflecting on my mission, I heard in my mind Elder Dube's voice "Look at how much further we have to go". Wherever we may find ourselves in our missions, or in our lives, we have come far. We have traveled the eternities to be where we are right now, and we are becoming the people that Heavenly Father wants us to become. However, we must never let what is behind us stop us from fully embracing what is ahead. There are still mountains to climb. I've still got 16 months left on my mission, and a full life of experiences after that. I'm so grateful that the Lord gives us these experiences to help us become His masterpieces. I know that if we turn our hearts to the Lord in humility, He will make of us even more than what we could have imagined. I'm excited and thrilled for what lies ahead. Are you?

Have a great week, and all my love!
Elder Phillips

​Bonjour ma famille!

Ça va ici dans Akpakpa. We're doing good here. This week was a slower week, with a lot of appointments falling through. Nevertheless, we have some solid and progressing investigators.

Alex is doing great, and his cousin Gudi (pronounced "joo-jee") is doing even better. Gudi has a baptismal date fixed for this month, and he's loving the Book of Mormon. He asked some really good questions that nobody asks, like "What are the urim and thummim? Who was Moroni?" and, in our last lesson with him, he asked "What happens after we die? Where do our spirits go? Do we all get resurrected?" I probably looked like a giddy idiot. We didn't have time to go into the questions, but we promised to respond to them in our next lesson. Every time we teach him, we feel the Spirit. He is definitely prepared for the Gospel.

The Lost Boys are doing good, and one of them, Evè, is starting to really accept the Book of Mormon, and he's got a baptismal date fixed as well. So does another ami, Valentine. We're not sure if he's going to make it, but we know that he'll eventually get baptized. Another ami, Eugene, is basically the foster father of Christ (my first baptism), and he's interested in the Plan of Salvation. He came to church! We will have to talk about marriage with him, so pray that it'll go well.

Elections passed very well. The mission asked us to only go out for one hour of sacrament meeting yesterday, and then to go directly back to the apartments. We were obedient, and spent the day in the apartment. Turns out everything was really tranquille, nothing happened at all. We probably could've gone out proselyting, but it's better to be safe than sorry, and we really needed the rest. We'll be hearing about election results in a couple of days.

Frère Amos is an all-star. He works hard, and he never complains, even with days of lots of missed appointments and walking around. He's got a lot of integrity, and he's a good man. He's also starting to pick up some of my habits. For example, we were knocking on an ami's door, and they weren't responding, so Amos went to open the door, and I said "No, Amos, wait," and he turned and gave me this facial expression that I give all the time: wide eyes, jaw wide open, as if to say "Things 'bout to get crazy down here!" Haha, I love my companion.

So imagine my surprise, Saturday night, when the Assistants call Amos and ask him to stay on the mini mission for another week. That's all we know, is that he's staying for another week, we don't know what's going to happen after that. He was kind of depressed by that, by the time he leaves he'll only have two weeks before he leaves for his real mission. We bought some soda together, talked it over, and he said he's willing to do whatever the Lord asks him to do. He's got so much faith, I love my companion.

Elder Magré got transferred out (he was only here for five weeks, what?), he's going to Zogbo. Elder Kola is the new district leader, and he'll be training an American. Also, my good buddy Elder Destribois has finished his mission, he's now home in France. Elder Hansen is now district leader in Fidjrossé.

I'm going to miss Elder Magré, he was a really great missionary. He really helped to bring his sector back to life, and in his last week they found 27 new amis! He's been a big influence on me, given me a lot of good advice. I've actually modeled a lot of my teaching style off of him. He's been a great friend.

In reflecting over the transfers, I was really content and grateful to spend at least a little more time here in Akpakpa, and to stay with my awesome companion, but I was kind of mad. "Why does my companion have to stay, he wants to go home? Why does Elder Magré have to go, he was such a fantastic district leader? It's not fair." Satan was really feeding me a bunch of negativity. I ended the Saturday night praying that Heavenly Father would help me see His will.

Sunday was fast and testimony meeting, which can sometimes get chaotic here, but it was by far the best testimony meeting I've been to here. Everyone gave moderate, actual testimonies. And the underlying theme was "I know that the Church is true". Seriously, every person bore testimony that the church is true. At the meeting, I thought it was great  for our amis, and that it would help them a lot in their search for answers. Then, back at the apartment, I realized that that little miracle was for me too. There was a message just for me. "The Church is True". It really helped me reflect on my personal engagement to the work. We must have an anchored testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ as our Savior, and a testimony of the reality of the Restoration. I know that God has again spoken in our day like times of old by means of an ordained prophet, Joseph Smith. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is what it claims to be, God's true church established with the authority of heaven to administer the ordinances of salvation. I know that all that happens happens for a reason, and that if we have faith in Jesus Christ and His inspired servants, we can endure any storm, and look forward to a sunny future. The Restoration is the coolest thing ever, isn't it? :)

Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Phillips