Okay I'll get right to it one of my favorite things about Africa is the SKY. Literally the clouds are enormous and beautiful and I'm mesmerized every time I look up at the sky. I do miss the towering mountains of Utah but the sky always is changing and it's like a painting that changes every time you glance upwards it's amazing. I try and capture on my camera how pretty it gets but it's not the same.
So the most common form of transportation besides a normal taxi or walking is called a baka. It's just a huge van that they specially fitted to have as much seats as they can inside and then just pile people in. There's usually up to 12 people at a time in the baka at a time it is very squishy and sweaty but it's fun! I heard from a very reliable source that one missionary had a woman give birth in a baka while he was in it so that who knows I'll have to keep my guard up haha. You know for a fact that when I have a minivan for my future family I am calling it "Baka"
So on our way to our ward which started in ten minutes, we got a call from the bishopric asking for one of us to give a talk and the task fell on me since my comp gave the talk last time so during the beginning announcements, I chose the topic of missionary work and found 3 scriptures. That was probably the hardest and most stressful prayer I've ever given during the sacrament but I felt the comfort. When I got up to give my talk, I don't know if it was divine assistance or just dumb luck but the mic stopped working and it started pourring rain on the thin tin roof when I started my talk so basically nobody could hear me. I was trying my best and projecting a lot so people could hear me to no avail so they motioned me to go into the aisle. The rain died down a little but I still had to talk pretty loud and then my limited french didn't really help haha but I honestly felt so powerful haha. I felt I was on an apple crate giving a sermon like in the first picture of Preach My Gospel with Dan Jones raising a Book Of Mormon to the air it was awesome!
The French is honestly coming along no matter how many times I think it is hopeless and pointless. Everytime I get down about the language, I always somehow find comfort in a tender mercy that Heavenly Father has given me and I can always turn to him in prayer for comfort and prayer.
WEEKLY WISDOM: Elder Bednar taught that it is very important to know of the enabling power or "grace" of the Atonement, not just the redeeming power of the Atonement. The Atonement is not just for sinners, but also for saints who need the strength to overcome their trials and make their burdens seem light.
Elder Perkins
PHOTOS
1. I managed to snag a picture from the back of a Baka. Hopefully that gives a sense of what it's like haha
2. It rained a lot that day and since there is no sewer system sometimes water blocks roads and even small alleyways. The response is to lay out cinder blocks as stepping stones.
3. Another attempt to capture the pretty sky here!
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