Hospital contacting??

Mom:
I WANT TO WATCH THE U.S. OPEN!!! Federer is my favorite... No packages, no card. I'm the senior companion in our new team. We work really well together. He's a typical Utah Mormon. It's really funny, but I love it! Health is fine. No baptisms, we have some set for the 26th. Things are difficult without the Black's. We had a load of responsibility dropped on us and paying for transport to certain places slaps us in the face, cause we're white... I'm not sure how i ended up with an American. President hasn't done that since the war, so we think we're the guiniea pigs. But we're gonna work hard. YOU GOT A 65 INCH TV?!?! [Mom's note: We got it for free and it doesn't work. We thought we could fix it, but it just wasn't meant to be.] I should chastise you guys about how poor it is over here and that you're indulging in unecessary luxuries. Lol! !just Kidding. THAT'S FLIPPIN SWEET!!!

For packages, I think if you put an insurance on it, it will reach no matter what, cause the africans KNOW they can't steal stuff from it.

Dad:
Ya it was weird.. Still in the same sector toujours. that sucks about the vette. That reminds me of my prom date with the concorde and thermostat got stuck and the engine started to overheat. Just the Halvorsen Luck. LOL!

So Here's what was interesting this last week. IT flew really. I love it when the team is happy cause everything just runs smoothly. So here's some culture stuff. The kids play this game with a tire and stick and roll the tire with the stick and chase it FOREVER. They're like never stopping energized kids.

They put their last names first, then their first names and then their middle names. Every African is capable of speaking two or more languages. It is very rare to find one that can't. There is lingala, french, fong, Mina, indatchi, yakuba, and the list goes on. Also the people here keep monkeys as pets and walk them around on leashes. It's really funny. Baboons, spider monkeys. Etc.

So we have a pet. We've had a praying mantis tht flew into our apartment two weeks ago and we've been feeding it flies and it hasn't left. So we named her Roxy.

I was cooking some chicken in oil, and i had finished some pieces and i just threw a new piece in and it CAUGHT FIRE. It was a flame that jumped up a good three feet. IT WAS SO COoL! But at the same time i was scared out of my mind. Just a good thing most houses here are all concrete. I also cooked my self up a nice chicken neck. Those are so hard to eat... Oh well.

With investigators. We met this Golden family that believes everything that we teach. They're learning ridiculously fast. It's great!!! We also met another family next to the floating house village. They're interesting We'll see how they work out. Also, one of our investigators who is getting baptised the 26th. She was married to this guy who's now dead, but the story of this man;... Is crazy. He had 120 wives and 156 children. Ya. Crazy. He didn't even know most of his kids... Sad really, but crazy.

We have this member who drives us around sometimes and she scares the tar out of me... She doesn't even look, she just pulls out in the middle of the road and like, if they don't stop, they'd smash into her. It's funny cause the people who have cars just do whatever. They know the moto's will stop.

Also a couple weeks ago, we were working with a member who's getting ready for a mission and Elder Lah wanted to show him how to do door to door. So he goes to the first door, and this lady just comes out and says go in, and leaves. So Lah's feeling pretty good about things, and then this lady in this white coat comes out and says, yes? And Lah introduces everyone, and she says, This is a hospital... LOL! I can say I've contacted a hospital.

So here's so funny things. We were teaching in front of this store, and this old guy was kinda hobbling in front of us, then, in the middle of the road, stops and starts peeing. It went all over his clothes, everywhere.?.. It was interesting... There's also this other guy that when we sing songs in church, he directs, but like SERIOUS hand movements. But what's funny is, he's not the director. He's sits with us on the Benches. He lives in Gbèdromédé.

You have to love the sidewalk blocks here. I didn't take a picture of them, but every time you walkon them, you risk falling. It's really fun. Cause some of the blocks tilt, so if you're not paying attention, WHOOPS! Lol! I saved Elder Guillory today from falling into this huge hole cause some of the blocks were missing. LOL!

So I've reached a new level of French. I've been asked to slow down and use simpler words. I had this sudden spike in French when I was put with Elder Adams. I rarely miss a word. I'll miss maybe one a day. I know it's the Lord that has blessed me with this so that I rise to this new challenge.

Just a little more. Here's some things that will be weird to see in the U.S. People dressed again completely, Bathrooms that aren't just built out of sticks, and children running down the streets screaming YOVO! and wanting to hug me and hold my hand. It's actually pretty comical to see this white guy trying to avoid this horde of children running at him.

Last sunday I was asked to give a talk at the last second. I did a good job. Or that's what the people told me. And I have these weird instances where I just realize that everyone is black. And this guy is bugging me cause he's reading my email.

My memory card should be there soon. I know the Black's are home. Also, there are going to be two people by the name of Koudio who are going to add me as a friend on facebook. If you could add them, that'd be great.

Love you all and miss you very much!!!

Elder Halvorsen