It's weird to think that I'll be home soon

February 12 2018

This week was good for us. We got a great contact because Elder Thomas drank some bad water and was hospitalized. Elder Odimba and Elder Snow contacted her in the clinique he was at. (He is doing better now, but their apartment has problems) Her name is Sr Erique and she came to church!

We also helped an ami who hasn't come for some time to come (Fr Kedric) We still have difficulties seeing FR Boutoto because of his work, but we saw him once. With Fr Ivan, he just needs to read the Book of Mormon and he will progress well.

I had some more.... weird health problems but they are gone now. We went to the beach today as a zone and ate some good food afterwards. It's weird to think that I'll be home soon. But I still have a week!

Spiritual thought: The scriptures, prayer, church and temple are all ways that are meant to bring us unto to Christ and help others do so as well! Even when there are ordonnances (or "ristuals" as some call them) the symbolism and meaning will always point us to Christ.

Je vous aime!

A bientôt!

Elder Russell

I'm in the branch of Pointe Noire now!

February 5 2018,

Well, I'm feeling better. A bacteria called shegella something-or-other was what has been bothering me. The doctor told me to take some anti-biotics that should help with my intestinal tract also so ça va.

I'm in the branch of Pointe Noire now! Lots of changes recently. Elder Muamba, Elder Robin's new companion finally came and the Pointe Noire apartement has the most space so there I am. I'm with Elder Reese from Utah and Elder Kabengele from RDC Kinshasa. They're cool and chill. I've started helping Elder Reese with his pronunciation by reading the Book of Mormon out loud. Other than that not much news sector wise because I'm new here, but I'll get some more to you! We have one ami with a baptismal date: Fr Ivan the son of a member, more should be soon to come.

One of the things I learned about this week is the power of prayer. Often I'm distracted but if I pray I can focus easier. So pray! It helps! Fasting was hard this sunday because of the sickness (it still has me a bit, but the worst is over).

Je vous aime tous!

Nous ne craignons aucun homme!

Elder Russell

This week was kind of a downer...

January 29 2018

Well this week was below average to say the least. I got sick on Tuesday (and it was bad that night. I threw up everything I had eaten and I was going to the bathroom all night. Fortunately, I had the sense to drink a lot of water) and it's still kind of there. The Sorensens think I ate something and that gave parasites or something. I finally got the medication they recommended. Stupid pharmacies were closed a bunch. I did go to the doctors to get some tests but they are still waiting on the last one. So we had two whole days of nothing this week, and the days we did go out I was having a hard time.

Fr Prince was at church, though one ami, Fr Sejean, didn't make it and we weren't able to talk to him this week.

We saw a brawl on the street as we waited for someone... that was interesting. Yeah.

So this week was kind of a downer but at least we were able to do something!

Je vous aime!

Nous ne craignons aucun homme!

Elder Russell

We also helped dig a hole for someone... that made me sweat a lot.

January 22 2018

Our week went well. We've been teaching mostly a daughter of a member and a brother of another member (at least they are progressing the most but we teach others) we are planning to set their baptismal date around the beginning of Febuary. Fr Prince is doing well, though he wasn't at church this week, we'll have to follow up on that. 

We also showed an ami where the church is so we hope he will come too. 

We also helped dig a hole for someone... that made me sweat a lot. 

Also: I finally got those letters! And I forgot to bring the answers to the questions that were given me. I'll do that next week. 

There was this one lesson where I almost totally fell asleep, even when I gave the prayer. I do not know why I was so tired. There was one part where I was supposed to talk and I jerked up, vaguely remembering that we were talking about the Book of Mormon and then I asked "Do you like to read the Book of Mormon" "Yes" "That's good" Then I stopped because my brain was working slowly. 

We had zone conference, which was good. We learned how to improve our study and use scriptures to help people learn.

Spiritual thought: Make goals with a plan that invites the help of Christ. Joni L Kosch said, "Include the Savoir in our new year's resolutions. 'A goal such as: lose 10 Kg' (is useless and does not help to obtain the wanted result) This objective will not attract the powers of heaven to produce a change! But if the goal is: 'I will obey the word of wisdom, by eating correctly, by exercising, and by sleeping enough in order to lose 10 Kg' it is more likely to attain the desired result" (I was translating so it probably isn't exactly the same in english).

Je vous aime tous!

Nous ne craignons aucun homme!

Elder Russell

back to Mont Kamba...showering in the front yard....Fr Prince got baptized

January 15 2018

Yep, that was an unexpected transfer. And the shortest I've ever had. Elder Robin's companion has visa troubles (all of the congelese from the DRC do actually) so I got sent back to Mont Kamba Wednesday night. But Elder Nkosi is a chill guy and the amis that we talked to were cool. 

One of the interesting things I experienced was showering in the front yard because the apartement has weird water problems (the apartment is enclosed so no one except maybe the other missionaries saw me). I got some pictures of the apartement that I'll send. 

Fr Prince got baptized on saturday! We had to go to Loandjili's building because we don't have any water at Mont Kamba. Hopefully that will be fixed soon. We have Elder Mukengela with us now in the apartement. Is from Lumbumbashi and knows a lot of other missionaries from there, like Elder Kisimba! He's cool too.

Spiritual thought: I was reading the Liahona that talks a lot about temples and I was impressed by the talks that tell us how to come closer to Christ especially by studying his words (the scriptures!à) So I started doing what one of the General authorities did and study all the scriptures that are in the topical guide about Jesus Christ. So far it has been good. I'll tell you what else changes in the following weeks!

Je vous aime!

Nous ne craignons aucun homme!

Elder Russell​

Elder Russell, Elder Robin and Frère Prince

Would you rather shower here......

.......or here?

"BONNE ÂNÉE!"

January 8 2018

On new years eve (meaning midnight) a bunch of drunk people started screaming "BONNE ÂNÉE!" on the streets. Fortunately the rain came in and let us get a bit of sleep. I'm transferred to Mpaka 2, still in Pointe-Noire, with Elder Nkosi. I was surprised but hey, that's life. So I've been packing my bags, then I will pack them again soon. Weird. I'm excited to see everyone. Yeah, I'm not sure what else to say... oh, Fr Prince will get baptized on the 13. That's cool.

Pictures next week!

Spiritual thought: It is by Christ that we can find lasting peace in our lives, even during times of great trouble. He said that he will give us peace but not as the world does. I hope we all do a little more each day to dray closer to him.

Je vous aime!

Nous ne craignons aucun homme!

Eldr Russell

When he read about the Word of Wisdom he threw all of his coffee away.

December 18 2017

Well, still not really sure what is going on with calling. Apparently we might be calling by telephone... not the most effective manner... If I can find a cyber café where I can use Google Hangouts I think that would be good, but I'll have to look around a bit. If I do find one then I'll try to call around 3 on the 25th from , either that or you'll get a telephone call from a +242 number. Unless we do end up skyping... it's a bit complicated this year.

The sector is going well! One of our amis who progressed is Fr Prince (though we have three Fr Prince's). When he read about the Word of Wisdom he threw all of his coffee away. So yeah, it looks good with him. We still teach Fr Leonel's wife and we try to see Fr Leonel too but not much luck there. They are very interested though. 

We are having a zone conference on Friday and we are doing a skit of the ten lepers and the denying of Peter, then we will sing. I've personally been seeing a lot about how we have to give everything (or at least be willing to do it) to God. I'm also reading Doctrine and Covenants backwards. It is interesting. Oh! We also have our building now! I hope more people will come to Church. It's far from the apartement though. ça va aller.

Elder Russell