Twelve Days out of a Suitcase -Part 2

I started this post a week ago, but life got in the way. So, here I am getting back to Sept. 10.

the delay speaks much about how the last three weeks have been BUSY. But that's for another post. For now...

From Pointe Noire we flew to Douala and spent the afternoon there since the only plane to Yaounde leaves at 10:00pm. We were welcomed by the Nuttals, our great couple in Douala. Brent met with the Branch President for most of the afternoon and then we were off to Yaounde on the 10 pm flight. We ended up flying with a Cameroonian basketball team. They towered over Brent. The shortest one was inches taller than Brent and the tallest must have been 7 feet tall.

Every one of them had to duck to walk down the isle. They must have had a hard time crammed into those little seats.

The Camair-co airlines that we take to Younde is best we've seen in all of Africa. We fly in a new wide-body, comfortable airplane and are almost sad it's only a 25 minute flight. This plane stops in Yaounde and then continues on to Paris. We're always tempted! But we surmount the temptation and get off in Yaounde.

The Thompsons assist the missionaries and the four branches in Yaounde. They also pampered us with wonderful meals, good company and even a little sight seeing.

The first day was occupied with zone conference and new missionary training again. Our new missionaries didn't get visas in time to be there, but they came in a couple of days later and we were able to be with them before we left Yaounde. It was so great to greet them as they began their missions.

Old elders being a little crazy when they get the chance.

New missioanries fresh from the US, jet lagged, culture shocked, but read to go!

Brent also went out teaching with the Elders Tingey and Hansen. I loved seeing him walk away with them down a little dirt road.

They also took a taxi to one appointment and they had a flat tire. The driver jumped out and changed the tire on the spot like a NASCAR driver. Time is money and other fares were waiting. Just another adventure in Africa.

Younde has four mission branches, so there is always a need for training. Brent spent part of the next day with priesthood leadership training while I talked with Sister Thompson about a new primary training kit and mission security plans. Then we went to a Casino. That's a Casino market. It's a French food chain and they have many things that we can't get. The big find was crackers and pretzels. It's hard to imagine being so excited about soda crackers that you haul them home in your suit case. But sometimes a person just needs crackers.

We had a few minutes in the afternoon so we went to see a piece of land that belongs to the church. It has been fenced and there's a family living there to protect it. It' a long way from where there are branches now, and like many other pieces of land in Africa, nothing is being built there in the foreseeable future.

The Thompsons invited us to drive through town. Yaounde seems to be a little more progressive and to have a little higher standards of living. It's also very green and lush.

The US embassy and a new building in construction

The big modern stadium and Best Buy appliances (no relation to the US version)

THE NIGERIA TEMPLE TRIP

While in Yaounde the Thompson shared pictures and the story of their trip to the Nigerian temple with branch members. It was an amazing journey. I'm including a few pictures of the trip that these saints made. They rode 7 hours on a bus from Yaounde to Douala.

Then they spent the night sitting or lying on the floor of a ferry boat to travel to Nigeria.

From there it was another 4-hour bus trip to the temple, where they stayed in the patron housing available to members traveling long distances to the temple. It took great effort, time and finances to make this trip. It also took a lot of faith and love.

But it was worth it. Personal covenants were made, couples were married and families were sealed.

Another group followed two weeks later, but this time the Thompsons were asked to stay behind. Having them along was too much of a security risk. A couple of sisters brought her wedding dresses to wear for their sealings and it was shared by several others.

What a wonderful work the Thompson have done to help families to attend the temple and enjoy the blessings of eternal families.

Later in the day we visited the missionary apartments and found them to be the nicest in our mission. They even have a washing machine, microwave and couch. Those are things that aren't in apartments in the Congo.

Missionary apartments

We ended our drive at the spot where the land of Cameroon was dedicated by Elder Holland two years ago. It's a big flat rock just off the highway with a beautiful view of the land. Elder Holland gave a wonderful dedicatory prayer there and made special promises to this land. He spoke of the missionaries who were and would serve here and the special call they had to serve these people. It was very touching to us as we serve with the people and the missionaries of this land. It made us know that the Lord is aware of the work we're doing and has had this plan long before we were sent to do it.

Site of the dedication of Cameroon for the preaching of the gospel

Then it was time to get back on a plane and head on to destination #3- Douala.