New area - TOGO!!

Well Yes I'm in Togo. I'm with another american, Elder Geisler. He's a cool guy and he looks like Pierce and sounds like Elder Legere. I'm in the Lomé sector. The President called me to be a senior, a trainer, and a District Leader all at the same time, while getting to know a new sector. So I'll be training a LOT. I'm happy though. Our apartment is literally a house, but it is so beat...

I'm just happy I have a toilet. That always reminds me of when Elder Legere came to Koumassi and said, "YOU HAVE A TOILET?!" So I'll always be grateful for what I do have.



Health is great. I got our Christmas package. I honestly think all my packages are in Abidjan. Please don't send anymore over there. They will get lost or stolen or sit. Thank you for the tree and food! I took a little video. The lights are like strobe lights. It's really funny.

The work here won't be too easy but better then in Bénin. It kinda makes me sad cause I had 11 baptisms lined up and was shooting for 15 but oh well. I'm [hoping] to do the same thing here.



The Branch has about 135 members [and want to] get that to around 175 to 200 before I leave so they can seperate for another Branch. Eating good but the water here SUCKS! Crystal light packets are a life saver. The pancakes was a big hit too but it only makes four pancakes... oh well.



I don't know my new number... I know it's ##### but I don't know the code for calling.... Meh. I would SO wear a reflective tie! Bright neon orange or lime green! LOL! CHOUETTE!

Sounds like Jordan had a good mission and is moving on. Mince. That's still a good ways away but at the same time, I've changed three countries in the last year and am fluent in French, so it's been flyin.

Kinda glad I was tranferred also. The leaders of the Ménontin branch were [kind of negative]. They told us we didn't work hard enough and that we need to do better, even though there were 35 people at church and when I left there were 70. I worked hard over there. That was probably the worst part of my mission.

I've had it rough in my mission, not gonna lie... Leavitts said a two year mission in Africa is five years anywhere else and man is that true. : )

Here's a fun little story, my Togo welcoming. SO I opened my bag and pulled my scriptures out to teach someone. After we finished, zipped it up, and went off to the next. Opened my bag, pulled out my scriptures [again] and taught. When I was putting my sciptures back in I noticed something that most definitely did not belong in my scripture bag. A GIGANTIC spider. Yep. Don't know how it got in there or when, but it was there. I freaked out and was franctically telling this African boy that was there to kill it. He didn't, it just ran out, but man, that was flippin scary...

There's one good experience I had in Bénin before I left. Elder Kablan and I knocked on this door and found a great contact. We went in and taught. Then she said my son is sick, and we said we could give him a blessing. Her eyes lit up and she said great! She took us inside and called her son out... He looked terrible. He was drenched in sweat, sunken eyes, looked like he had a heavy fever. So we said hi. He grunted. We asked him to sit down in the chair, and we asked his mother directly, Do you have the faith that we can do this? She said yes, I do. So we blessed him. He stood up and smiled and then moved to another chair. His mom asked him how he was feeling in Fong bé and he looked up and said, fine... She liked flipped out! She turned to us and said Thank you thank you!!! The boy stopped sweating and he starts talking like a rocket. He gave us his schedule number, we got another appointment there, they asked were the church was. Wow. It was amazing. I love those moments. : )

Well that it's for this week gang. This internet is slow so I don't get to write my friends which stinks, but no big. I'll look for another cyber.



I love you all very much and miss ya!



Elder Halvorsen

Letter from the Mission President

Date: 12/10/2009

Dear Parents of Elder Halvorsen

It‘s a great joy to have Elder Halvorsen in our Mission. He serves humbly, loyally and efficiently. His devotion permits him to serve in an effective a lot personally since his arrival in the mission field and has become a great instructor of the Gospel. His willingness to learn and the effort that he is exerting for the establishment of Zion in the Ivory Coast Abidjan Mission have inspired members and missionaries alike. It is a great pleasure to have him here.

He has the opportunity to serve with Elder Geisler as his companion. He serves now as District Leader. He accomplishes this responsibility diligently and gives valuable service.

We would like to assure you that as Mission President and wife, we will lovingly care for Elder Halvorsen like our own son.

May the Lord bless you for all you have done to prepare this noble missionary.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

President Ayekoue
Sister Ayekoue

New companion

There was the cable but it was the wrong one. No candy. Don't send anymore tuna. I found it and it's not that expensive. Ya we saw that [in an email that the senior companions sent to us, it mentioned a lady that had been hit by a car and was lying in the middle of a busy road. They stayed by her til help could arrive. Because of the threat of AIDS there, there wasn't much they could do but to shield her from other cars running over her again]... The lady was really messed up... we were on the way to pick up my new companion. No one moved to help her for a while. We blocked the road with the truck... Her leg was definitely broken and pretty bloody...

Speaking of new companions, Elder Adams was just transferred to Côte D'Ivoire and I just got another Ivoirian as a companion. His name is Elder Kablan. We get along really well and have just instantly clicked. I'm loving having another French speaker in the apartment. Elder Ghisquiere got another companion too. He's Ivoirian. His name is Elder Kouakou.

I just have a couple of things I would like to tell you. I wanted to know if I could send packages by airlines? Is that safe? I heard it was less expensive. I think I would like to send at least a couple of things home. I love the clothes and ties here so I've been thinking of what I wanna pick up. Especially for christmas. I REALLY want that debit card... Don't send anything else to Abidjan, only to the couple. I'll be in Togo after this so there isn't any problem with sending stuff to the couple.

I love you all very much and can't wait for the call. What time and day did you guys choose? Well gotta go!

Love ya and miss you all!!!

Elder Halvorsen

Checkers isn't for sissies

Not too much exciting stuff has happened. We went to the beach again today but we just took a couple pictures and played a messed up version of checkers where I lost almost every single match against everyone but the Americans. They'd better never put checkers as an Olympic sport. The Americans will get owned time and time again against the African's and the French... That's about it.. I think.

Elder Halvorsen

Some real quick stuff

Hey! Just letting you know a couple of things. Elder Adams and Elder Guillory are being transferred to Côte D'Ivoire soon. Just got the call yesterday afternoon. I'm going to be in an all french speaking apartment again. I was speaking french all the time for the last two weeks anyways, so that doesn't change too much. I'll be with Elder Kahblan and Elder Ghisquiere is with Elder Kouakou. Two Ivoirians. Also, KEEP IN VERY TIGHT CONTACT WITH THE BAILEY'S As soon as my package with the debit card hits Abidjan, they need to send it with President or by mail immediately. Do not send ANY packages to Côte D'Ivoire. Only the Bénin address. Apparently I just got one of your packages you sent in August. The Leavitt's just told me I got one that was sent in august. I don't know who from. We had a good dinner with the Leavitt's. We ate at a thai restaurant. SO good. Man I miss chinese. Also you can pick the time and day you want to make your phone call here. So choose one that works out well. Love you all!

Elder Halvorsen

Thanksgiving in Benin

No packages, but I would like that you call/email the Baileys and have them send all my packages over here and check the post for the others. I am sure president has some over there. The weather is hot but bearable. I'm glad I didn't start my mission in this weather... Lol! The work is good. We just baptised another 2 people who are really strong, and we have 7 already planned for the 26th, but we're shooting for 11 or more. Insights maybe later. Scripture. I'm reading in the Old Testament right now and Jesus the Christ. HAven't finished. It's hard to study french, scriptures, Jesus the Christ, and BOM in thirty minutes in the morning... We're always busy. I'm working at it little by little.

Did not celebrate thanksgiving. I don't even think we ate that night... Lol! I wear my clothes like that cause I HATE WASHING BY HAND! Especially socks. they kill. But it works out alright in the end. I still gotta wash once a week. They don't really get stinky. Or I don't notice anymore which really worries me too... I haven't opened my other g's yet. I am going to open them the 4th of February cause that's my real year mark kinda... Lol!

This year has been faster for me cause I'm so busy and the surrounding never changes. Always dirt trees and hot. Sometimes rain. Lol! If I didn't have a calender I wouldn't know what season or month it was.

They do have tithing settlement. They pay in cash. yeah I liked the school plan too. The only other thing was sell the car, get a little pick up, a dirt bike, and a street bike. Suzuki Bandit 1200. : )

The laid off thing doesn't sound very positive... That sucks about Blake's ankle... Hope he does better... And Austin's blowing his cash already. Lol! I'll have to come in and tease him at Fred Meyer when I get home.

Here is some of the things that went on this week. this was crazy. We were heading out to teach someone and I grabbed a "L'évangile de Jésus-Christ" pamphlet in which I thought I had grabbed in French. We got to the guys house and he had a nigerian there. So we taught him and he was really interested. so I was like well we only have this brochure in french, but you can have it... Pulled it out. ENGLISH! God is great. Then we went to his house to teach him and his brother was there. I would like to tell the Primary Children that both of their books of Mormon have been placed. I took a picture with them and their new books of mormon, and also, THEY WILL BE GETTING BAPTISED THE 26th DECEMBER! Good job Primary!

These are just a couple other random things. Ghanians and Nigerians say "Your welcome!" every time you visit and at first I was like, what did I even do? But I quickly realized they meant "Your welcome (at my house)!" Lol! That really confused me... But it was interesting none the less.

Also I found out that Congo uses American currency more then their own. They have clinton, jefferson, francklin, every bill! I laughed so hard when I saw pictures of that and the Frère Farya told me that.

I had a question about customs. If I have only African clothes, statues, masks and paintings in my bags, are the custom people going to stop me? I wasn't sure if I should try sending packages home or what; It's got me a little worried...

Well I'm glad to hear you're all doing well! I love you all very much and miss you very much!

Elder Halvorsen

ADDENDUM: I forgot! I think I said we just had two baptisms with another 7 or more on the way, but just in case I didn't, voilà! And then something else. The call that you guys will make is anyday near christmas you want. So we pick a day and time. Then you call. I think Sr. Leavitt is going to send you guys an email talking about that. Just a heads up. Love you!:

Elder Halvorsen

Reach out and touch... the yovo's hairy arm

Elder Adams is actually doing really well. He's staying here and he's back to his normal self. No packages, health is good, we have three baptisms this week, and the work is going great, but at times it worries me cause you have to REALLY chastise people here to get them to do things. That little thing to the boys was NOTHING! Everyone is so busy all the time over there now. Dad's been having a lot of fun on the big toys again... lol!

SO the things going on here. It is HOT! Your guys winter is our summer. It flippin kills. It's hard for us to want to leave the apartment and we sweat almost all through the night. Well I do cause my fan sucks... Lol!

So just a couple things this week. Here is a lot like Bro Hardy's mission. People just think it's so weird I have so much arm hair. Their skin is tough too. So they love to squeeze my arm, rub my arms, and pinch and hit me to see if it hurts. The children are really funny cause when they shake hands with me, they check their hand right after to see if their skin changed. lol! It's also common for people to touch my arms just randomly when i'm walking down the street.

Here's my interesting life which concerns my clothes. I wear the same pair of socks for 2 to 3 days. The same shirt for 1 to 3 days. The same T-shirt for 1 or 1 1/2 weeks. The same pair of pants for 3 to 4 days. Pair of shorts for the same time as the T-shirt. BUT I change my g's and tie daily, so no worries there. : )

So I've been thinking about life after the mission and I have a plan and wanted to know your thoughts. I'm also writing this so I don't forget it. : ) I would like to head to BYU 2 1/2 months after I get home. There I will find a job and maybe live at a cousin's house for a bit. I'll work until the school season comes and work half time instead of full. Then when school starts I can move out to an apartment and pay rent. VOILA! I think it's solid. It's a little more detailed then that, but that's the gist.

Sadly that's all I have really this week... Oh. Family, it is possible that you will be receiving a package from an INREDIBLY nice man here in Africa. He wants to send Africa clothes to you. I will also include some SICK ties that are made here. That's a HOPE not a PROMISE! I'll try and send a package despite that.

I love you all and miss you all SO much. Christmas is gonna be a little weird... We'll probably eat spaghetti Christmas morning... Yipee... OH! Yes we have a cell phone so you can call that. ######## and there is the number. You can give it a test shot a couple weeks before to test it out and make sure it works, k?

That's crazy I'll be speaking to you guys soon!

Love you all,

Elder HAlvorsen