Bonjour toute la famille!
The week in rap...
Mmhmm, yo, yo yo yo
This week was really chic, it was hard but it was worth it
Forgot to mention last week that we taught a lesson on the way home from church.
We tried our best, but the guys were kinda jerks
They asked us why, if we were like Christ, do we teach by rendez-vous instead of in plain sight?
The words that came to me, they caught me by surprise:
"The Lord knows the hearts of His children. He knows them perfectly. He knows your hearts, your true intent, why you've chosen to speak to us. He knows who is ready for our message. He knows His elect. We are guided by His Spirit".
Well, Monday was so great! On Tuesday, whoda thought?
We tried teaching a guy from Ghana, but speak English, he did not
Well, just a little, enough to get confused
When I tried to teach the Restoration, he seemed to straight-up refuse
Well, together with Arnaud we taught in Ewé, and to our surprise
He understood perfectly, it was plain before his eyes
PAUSE: I totally forgot to mention this last week, but do y'all remember Julien and Lioni? Well, Elder Omotoyinbo, our new zone leader, served in my old sector, and after much effort, they finally got married, and now their whole family is baptized! That's such a miracle! I was leaping for joy when I heard it, I felt so happy! The Lord is truly working miracles, and He is blessing the lives of His saints.
Thursday, whatayaknow, we did our best to gather,
Some candidates for baptism, but it didn't seem to matter
Our amis are great, but they aren't quite ready
That's okay, we keep on runnin' slow but runnin' steady
Ahwefah understands little by little, that's just swell!
A few weeks ago we found a family, oh they understand so well!
It's the niece of Elizabeth, and her adorable kids
Her husband however, is kinda gettin' jipped
He's locked up in prison for at least a couple of years
So their marriage is gonna take a while, and maybe a few tears
But do not despair! They have so much faith!
I feel so uplifted when we teach, I'm sure they'll make their baptismal date!
Their daughter, we work with, she's really super smart
Maybe next week, she'll be ready, she's got a sincere heart
Tierry hesitated, he doesn't quite have his response
We encouraged him to read and pray, we have hope he'll learn how to dance (pronounce in a British accent, dance in the context of the Gospel)
Sam is great, just as always. This week we taught him
About the temple, and he's in! (with the idea, he likes it)
Sam also received, this Sunday passed,
The Priesthood of Aaron, what a path he's traced!
In one lesson, a late Friday eve
There was a cryin' baby, "Oh baby, stop cryin' PLEASE"
Well, you need not worry, I'm an expert of sorts
In helping African kids turn tears into snorts (of laughter)
I danced and danced, made funny faces and shouted
For at least ten minutes straight. The confused baby pouted (as in, she didn't really know what to think),
But she stopped crying! And the whole family laughed,
Geez, that really tired me, I'm gonna need a- (falls onto his bed, snoring)
Weeeeeell,
Come Friday evening, we tallied up our lessons
And we found that we had more than 30 lessons
Be bold, be courageous, and shoot for the stars
We set 40 lessons as our finishing mark
Saturday, the day when we decide our fate,
Got to work, taught at a great rate
Took a taxi to find a contact, that surprise!
Really wasn't in our sector, but we still testified
She's got a kid that's got special needs
She wanted a blessing, we encouraged her to plead
Her case before the Lord, in a special fast
So the missionaries over there, will probably work things out
It was great, but from home, we're like three miles out
So we skipped going home, we walked all the way
We ate lunch chez l'un des nos amis, it was great!
We ate and ate and ate, boy was I hungry
Hey, look at that guy, he's kinda ugly,
And whoa, look away, he's actually naked!
And to our delight, he decided to make it,
His day to parade all along the street
Awkwardly, I laughed and looked at my feet (#Nike!)
We taught more amis, and what made me smile,
Arnaud came and joined us! We hadn't seen him in a while
His best friend passed away in a moto accident,
But he's been goin' on, he's truly an inspiring example to me
We ran around Attiegou, teachin' and testifyin'
To wrap up the day, we encouraged our dear Arnaud
To introduce us to his crush, we'll take on his load (be his wingmen in the Gospel)
Well, before we came in the picture, their relation was cordial
But for some reason, when we were there, it became rather adorable
She was super flirtatious, she played the "punch the shoulder" game
All the while Frère Arnaud looked like he'd never be the same
"What just happened?" he asked with a quirk
"My friend, that's what you get for doin' missionary work"
We finished the day, exhausted but proud
Of our great work, we'll say it loud:
44 lessons, wow, how did it happen?
Well, it was all thanks to the Lord, and His tender mercies.
All throughout the week, I was kinda discouraged,
But the Lord showed us that He's in control
Your prayers have helped us, thank you so much
Woohoo! Prayer works, the Lord hears us, He stays in touch
This Sunday was good, we started off with a split,
But then I felt, distinct and clear, a prompting from the Spirit
So I cancelled the split, it was just me, Angbo, and Bakana
I love my companion, he's really the top banana!
And Frère Bakana's faithful, no matter the cost
Without him, this whole ward would be lost
We taught a guy who makes the JWs quake
He knows his scriptures, he can make you shake
But we have our testimonies, what we know to be true
My companion was bold, he was true blue!
No matter what you face, never forget
A testimony will last when everything is set
So, you may ask, what's the lesson of today?
What really helped me all throughout the gray
A talk titled "The Fourth Missionary," it's been my quest
To apply this talk since day one, to become my best
It doesn't matter how imperfect you may be,
The Lord only asks for your heart (Omni 1:26), not the fluffly and sparkly
Never be discouraged, just continue your conversion
And the Lord will see you through. Here's a poem
That reflects what I learned this week:
"Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin, but held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried, “Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two? Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice; Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet as a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?” And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two? Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried, “We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply: “The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine, a game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice, he’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought by the touch of the Master’s hand."-Myra Brooks Welch, as quoted by President Boyd K. Packer, April 2001
Well my family, thank you for your prayers
You rock, you're wonderful, I feel your gentle cares
Never give up, even when things may mount
He is coming, He'll lift you up, The Fount
of Ev'ry Blessing. If you are discouraged,
That's the best of times, you'll see!
How much you'll be helped and touched
My Him who calmed the Sea of Galilee.
I love you all! Have a great week!
Avec tout mon amour,
Elder Phillips
The week in rap...
Mmhmm, yo, yo yo yo
This week was really chic, it was hard but it was worth it
Forgot to mention last week that we taught a lesson on the way home from church.
We tried our best, but the guys were kinda jerks
They asked us why, if we were like Christ, do we teach by rendez-vous instead of in plain sight?
The words that came to me, they caught me by surprise:
"The Lord knows the hearts of His children. He knows them perfectly. He knows your hearts, your true intent, why you've chosen to speak to us. He knows who is ready for our message. He knows His elect. We are guided by His Spirit".
Well, Monday was so great! On Tuesday, whoda thought?
We tried teaching a guy from Ghana, but speak English, he did not
Well, just a little, enough to get confused
When I tried to teach the Restoration, he seemed to straight-up refuse
Well, together with Arnaud we taught in Ewé, and to our surprise
He understood perfectly, it was plain before his eyes
PAUSE: I totally forgot to mention this last week, but do y'all remember Julien and Lioni? Well, Elder Omotoyinbo, our new zone leader, served in my old sector, and after much effort, they finally got married, and now their whole family is baptized! That's such a miracle! I was leaping for joy when I heard it, I felt so happy! The Lord is truly working miracles, and He is blessing the lives of His saints.
Thursday, whatayaknow, we did our best to gather,
Some candidates for baptism, but it didn't seem to matter
Our amis are great, but they aren't quite ready
That's okay, we keep on runnin' slow but runnin' steady
Ahwefah understands little by little, that's just swell!
A few weeks ago we found a family, oh they understand so well!
It's the niece of Elizabeth, and her adorable kids
Her husband however, is kinda gettin' jipped
He's locked up in prison for at least a couple of years
So their marriage is gonna take a while, and maybe a few tears
But do not despair! They have so much faith!
I feel so uplifted when we teach, I'm sure they'll make their baptismal date!
Their daughter, we work with, she's really super smart
Maybe next week, she'll be ready, she's got a sincere heart
Tierry hesitated, he doesn't quite have his response
We encouraged him to read and pray, we have hope he'll learn how to dance (pronounce in a British accent, dance in the context of the Gospel)
Sam is great, just as always. This week we taught him
About the temple, and he's in! (with the idea, he likes it)
Sam also received, this Sunday passed,
The Priesthood of Aaron, what a path he's traced!
In one lesson, a late Friday eve
There was a cryin' baby, "Oh baby, stop cryin' PLEASE"
Well, you need not worry, I'm an expert of sorts
In helping African kids turn tears into snorts (of laughter)
I danced and danced, made funny faces and shouted
For at least ten minutes straight. The confused baby pouted (as in, she didn't really know what to think),
But she stopped crying! And the whole family laughed,
Geez, that really tired me, I'm gonna need a- (falls onto his bed, snoring)
Weeeeeell,
Come Friday evening, we tallied up our lessons
And we found that we had more than 30 lessons
Be bold, be courageous, and shoot for the stars
We set 40 lessons as our finishing mark
Saturday, the day when we decide our fate,
Got to work, taught at a great rate
Took a taxi to find a contact, that surprise!
Really wasn't in our sector, but we still testified
She's got a kid that's got special needs
She wanted a blessing, we encouraged her to plead
Her case before the Lord, in a special fast
So the missionaries over there, will probably work things out
It was great, but from home, we're like three miles out
So we skipped going home, we walked all the way
We ate lunch chez l'un des nos amis, it was great!
We ate and ate and ate, boy was I hungry
Hey, look at that guy, he's kinda ugly,
And whoa, look away, he's actually naked!
And to our delight, he decided to make it,
His day to parade all along the street
Awkwardly, I laughed and looked at my feet (#Nike!)
We taught more amis, and what made me smile,
Arnaud came and joined us! We hadn't seen him in a while
His best friend passed away in a moto accident,
But he's been goin' on, he's truly an inspiring example to me
We ran around Attiegou, teachin' and testifyin'
To wrap up the day, we encouraged our dear Arnaud
To introduce us to his crush, we'll take on his load (be his wingmen in the Gospel)
Well, before we came in the picture, their relation was cordial
But for some reason, when we were there, it became rather adorable
She was super flirtatious, she played the "punch the shoulder" game
All the while Frère Arnaud looked like he'd never be the same
"What just happened?" he asked with a quirk
"My friend, that's what you get for doin' missionary work"
We finished the day, exhausted but proud
Of our great work, we'll say it loud:
44 lessons, wow, how did it happen?
Well, it was all thanks to the Lord, and His tender mercies.
All throughout the week, I was kinda discouraged,
But the Lord showed us that He's in control
Your prayers have helped us, thank you so much
Woohoo! Prayer works, the Lord hears us, He stays in touch
This Sunday was good, we started off with a split,
But then I felt, distinct and clear, a prompting from the Spirit
So I cancelled the split, it was just me, Angbo, and Bakana
I love my companion, he's really the top banana!
And Frère Bakana's faithful, no matter the cost
Without him, this whole ward would be lost
We taught a guy who makes the JWs quake
He knows his scriptures, he can make you shake
But we have our testimonies, what we know to be true
My companion was bold, he was true blue!
No matter what you face, never forget
A testimony will last when everything is set
So, you may ask, what's the lesson of today?
What really helped me all throughout the gray
A talk titled "The Fourth Missionary," it's been my quest
To apply this talk since day one, to become my best
It doesn't matter how imperfect you may be,
The Lord only asks for your heart (Omni 1:26), not the fluffly and sparkly
Never be discouraged, just continue your conversion
And the Lord will see you through. Here's a poem
That reflects what I learned this week:
"Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin, but held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried, “Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two? Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice; Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet as a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?” And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two? Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried, “We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply: “The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine, a game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice, he’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought by the touch of the Master’s hand."-Myra Brooks Welch, as quoted by President Boyd K. Packer, April 2001
Well my family, thank you for your prayers
You rock, you're wonderful, I feel your gentle cares
Never give up, even when things may mount
He is coming, He'll lift you up, The Fount
of Ev'ry Blessing. If you are discouraged,
That's the best of times, you'll see!
How much you'll be helped and touched
My Him who calmed the Sea of Galilee.
I love you all! Have a great week!
Avec tout mon amour,
Elder Phillips