C'est pourquoi je suis ici‏

Hello Everybody!!!

Sometimes I realize I hate the computers in Africa when I have to rewrite my email three times before deciding to write it in Microsoft Word. The computers here are a joke, not to mention I am using a German keyboard as I type, and it is all kinds of strange, I feel for Elder Hale in Berlin. J

                Life is going really well for me here in Kodjoviakopé. I love the work that we are doing, even though it is a slow process. The people that accept the gospel are lovely, but there is so much work that needs to be done for them. In their infancy they still have difficulty understanding the simple concepts of the gospel, or those concepts that I found easier. That is the beauty of the gospel, everything that is learned really depends on the person learning it and how they apply it to their lives.

                Yes, I am enjoying my time in Africa, so I am already doing so much better than I was when last I came. I love the people, the work, the spirit that is felt in an almost overwhelming amount, and above all how close I feel my relationship growing with my Savior.

                To begin this email I just want to give people my address so they can write me, if they feel so inclined. It is:

Elder Robert Haggard

Mission Benin Cotonou

01 BP 3323

Cadjehoun, Cotonou

Benin

                Now, I will talk a little about the magical work that is going on here, and those people that the Lord has entrusted me to teach and be a part of their lives.

                Currently we have 9 amis, each of them at different stages with different concerns and needs from the gospel, so we are figuring out how to best apply and adapt our teachings to their lives. Out of those amis, there are two that have baptismal dates fixed for the sixth of July. One is a young teen who is called Edem, the other is Pascaline, who also happens to be the woman mentioned in my last letter that was “addressing the needs of her baby” whilst I was bearing my testimony.

                I don’t know what those numbers are like in comparison to other missions, but we have the smallest and slowest growing secteur in all of the mission. I actually don’t care what they are in comparison to other missions, because I feel that I am helping nine of God’s children come unto our Savior Jesus Christ and qualify for eternal life. It sounds super amazing! I don’t want to get bogged down thinking that we could have more, or there could be others out there. Yeah, it may be true, but those others aren’t more important than those that I am currently teaching in the eyes of God.

                I say that mostly as a preface to my opinion that we do waste more time then I would like to as my companion despises street contacting with a passion. I honestly like talking to the people in the street, especially those at little kiosks every day that we know when and where we can find them. My companion doesn’t seem too convinced that that is a plausible way of finding just yet, but I will change his mind after he sees it actually work, for now a lot of our finding is on his shoulders as my French struggles, so I don’t want to force him to do things that he doesn’t want to do if I can’t support him the way a companion should.

                One of the members here is a teenaged boy named Michel, and he is an awesome kid. He is finishing up school and is planning on putting in his papers to serve a mission soon. We were helping him plan his lesson for church when my bladder decided to tell me it was full. So, being the naïve boy I am, I asked to use the “salle de bain,” which is bathroom. He looked at me, puzzled, so I said in more simple terms, “toilette.” He laughed then said “Ca va. Suivez moi.” I followed him to the toilet, which was a little niche outside that formed a room about 5’6” where you did your business against the wall. Yes, it was recently used as I had to dodge the remaining bits of the last users waste. Yes, I did use it instead of holding it like my mind and gag reflex were telling me to.

                I’m not meaning to sound better than these people, they are great and wonderful, but these things are little things back in the United States that allow me to be grateful for the common luxuries enjoyed by us.

                I had asked Elder Hawkins on the way to church if they ever have missionaries give impromptu talks in sacrament, he simply responded that he had been here for 6 months and has never given a talk in Sacrament. This eased my mind. We then get to the church building and are preparing for the meeting to begin. He (the group leader) calls Elder Hawkins in and asks him to bless the Sacrament. He calls Elder Ramananjanahary to say the closing prayer. He calls me in…..

                Yes, you guessed it. I gave another talk in Sacrament meeting, beating all the other Elders there in giving a talk in Sacrament. Elder Ngandu is leaving in 19 days, so that tells you it isn’t an often occurrence.

                Today is P-day and we went to some place over in Toquin, which is the center of our Zone here and we played basketball and soccer. I just played basketball, and I am so grateful that this country is at sea level. I had so much air in my lungs that I could run and run and run. That is something that hasn’t been happening for me in a while; just ask those that I played football with at Thanksgiving. It was great fun! We then went to a popular restaurant among the white tourists here called “Festival des Glaces” where we ate burgers and charwarmas and ice cream. :D I love ice cream!!

                This is a jumbled letter that is far from chronological, but on Thursday we have Coordination with the ward mission leader, who is also the group leader that nobody likes. Well anywho, we had a rendez-vous before that started at the church, and as my companion tries to unlock the gate, the lock falls to the other side with the deadbolt firmly in place. We look at each other then he has the great idea of having me climb over the twelve foot high wall and push open the gates at the same time from the other side. It is shoddy craftsmanship, so that part sounded easy, it was the me climbing over part that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy the idea of. I offered to lift my three-foot nothing companion up do that so he could hop over, but the drop on the other side is too high for him… so of course I climb over the gate to open the gates. The only thing that my companion helped me with is taking a picture with my camera as I was lowering myself down the other side.
                Maybe some of you begin to question why nobody likes the group leader here in Kodjoviakope, and to those I will give a response. It is a simple response, read the last part of Doctrine and Covenants 121. Not to mention that I got on his bad side at institute on Wednesday, but not meaning to.

                You see, I want to be obedient so that I can avoid regrets on my mission. I feel that I have had plenty of regrets associated with a mission already that I don’t need anymore. I have already overcome those regrets so there is no desire in my heart to add more.

                So, Institute begins at 18h30 (6:30pm) and is meant to go for only an hour. Which is lovely for us missionaries since we are meant to get back to our apartment by 20h (8:00pm) so it rolls around to 19h30 and we think to ourselves, okay maybe he is going to be finished a little late, we are okay with that. 20h rolls around, and we are thinking any minute now. So there is leniency in a mission that you can be back to your apartment a half an hour late if you are in a lesson, and we figured this counted. But 20h30 rolls around and we are all very annoyed. So finally he asks his favorite question, “Est-ce que ca va?” “Is that alright” or “does that make sense”, and I accidently stretch and he calls on me to ask my question. So I ask, “Are you almost finished?”

                Granted it may have come out rude, but either way he shot me an evil look as if to say “how dare you ask that question.” Luckily I saw his puzzled look, and his lesson was on being obedient and more like God, so I said that we needed to be obedient to our rules and leave so we can be more like God… Yes it was in broken French, but that may have something to do with why he called on me to speak in church yesterday.

                Yesterday was eventful, I saw a monkey. J The funny part of that, my companion doesn’t really like animals so he was scared of the monkey. It was a cute little monkey, though it did not like its owner touching it. That little monkey was scratching and beating his owner.
             





 Two more things that have happened this week. The first was disgusting, it was a mangez-vous. That is a rendez-vous where we are fed. Which in almost all missions is heaven on earth, and it is here as well…. for the native missionaries. It was pad and a sauce that I have heard the name of many times here but can’t remember for the life of me. It is boiled spinach and a few more spices that turn it into a gooey lump that looks like snot. Pad is just cornstarch that has been heated to finger scorching temperatures. The idea is that you take the lump of cornstarch that is melting the flesh from your bones and dip it into the also hot bowl of snot and all the dangling bits and snotty texture you try to “gracefully” wrap them around your fingers and eating it in one swoop……. It was disgusting and painful, for my stomach and my fingers. Yes, I appreciate the investigators making it for us, and no, I will never reject it if they offer, but I will dread it.

                The second thing is to help others learn the native tongue of Togo called Ewe. I will teach you all five words/phrases that you can try to put into practice and be cool knowing a language that isn’t English.

1.       Agbolotovy - Fat lady

2.       Akpé kaka - thank you very much

3.       Eyzande - See you later

4.       Amewibo - Black

5.       Yovo - White

All in all it has been a good week, and I am looking forward to many more wonderful and exciting experiences throughout my mission. I feel my letters may get shorter, but hopefully they will still help you know what is going on in my mission. They may stay just as long as well, right now I am just frustrated with my keyboard because I know I can type faster than this. I didn’t spend four months in the Referral Center to type this slow.

Oh, also, remember to check out my blog at haggardreii.blogspot.com and tell your friends about it as well. It is my hope to use that resource to share the gospel as well.

-- 

Elder Robert Eugene Haggard II

Bienvenue en Afrique

Salut tout le monde,

I'm not really sure what to say to everyone. It is quite the experience here in Togo. I am in Togo and not in Benin right now. I am in the area Kodjoviakope, which is the most southwest part of our mission. My secteur (area) has two of its borders marked: the first by the ocean and the second by Ghana. I see them both from my apartment, which much like unto mine last year, has a beautiful rooftop balcony where I can overlook the city. The one problem here compared to in Avotrou last year is that the people now stare back.... Awkward.

My companion's name is Elder Ramananjanahary........ we call him Rama. Those Malygasy have quite the names. He is a unique little fellow. If anyone has seen the movie Radio, he sort of looks like that, but pocket sized. He is a machine when it comes to walking. We walk 10 miles a day, and that isn't an exaggeration, I brought a pedometer. It is super exhausting, but at least it helps me sleep at night. Plus, he has only been a member for 3 years, which I have noticed is the case for a lot of the native African missionaries. 

We have the only group in our mission. What that means, is that it is smaller than a branch, which is smaller than a ward. Most people don't hear about groups in the U.S. but apparently they do exist. We had 12 members come to church on Sunday, the most part of them are teenaged girls... I'll get into that a bit more in a second.

We spend a lot of time working with the few members asking them for friends and referrals that they can help teach with us. We don't do a lot of OVB, which is Ouvrir Votre Bouche (Open Your Mouth), because it is tremendously ineffective here. Our efforts are focused on member strength and unity. But there are disputes here among the members because nobody likes the Group Leader, Frere Alex. He is power hungry and has a "holier than thou" attitude towards the other members of the group. It is sad, but I have received plenty of earfulls about his personality. So that is our first priority, fixing everyone's relationship with each other.

Let me tell you about my first few days in Africa, and if you want a true description of what I see here, it may not be pleasant to some people's imaginations. That is a disclaimer. It isn't that I wanted to imagine these things either, but being here to serve my Lord at the request of my God through His servants the Prophets, I have seen these things. So they will help others understand how the world is here, beyond the idea that there are starving children in the streets and the land is war torn and ravaged. These things are true, but you see them from a different angle than most as a missionary.

On my very first day, we went out tracting after a four hour drive from Cotonou to Lomé. [The countryside here is beautiful.] We were walking down a street towards the house of an Ami (investigator). For those that don't speak French, "ami de l'église" is the way to say investigator for future reference in my letters and blogs. As we were walking towards their house there were girls gathered in a group all urinating by the side of their coiffure (barbershop). 

Today, being our jour de preparation (P-day) we were taking a taxi to this place called "Citimart" which is where you can buy American products here in Togo. As we were trying to find said taxi we had to walk along the boardwalk and wait for one within our price range to come by. Thus, as I was enjoying the view of the lovely ocean an out-of-place sighting marred my view. It was something that I had never seen before in such a way, nor do I hope to see it again. There were, lying in the sand of the beach, two dead bodies drying out in the heat of the sun.... This is just a taste of the things that are seen here.

As it is said, "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." I sincerely miss the safety of the United States, but I realize that the only hope for these people is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no way to deny that each of the teachings of the Gospel apply here, as they do all around the world. It is as if God knows what is going on in the world.... ;) 

There is no principle of the Gospel that can't help people all around the world. Through poverty's veil or abounding in wealth, the Gospel rings true and loud for the blessing and edification of the whole world. I am glad that I get to take part in so great a cause here in this special part of the world, though it will test my capacities more than I can imagine. 

I said a little earlier that I would explain more about the teenaged girls, and so I will. Now, take into account that most of the African missionaries are recent members of the church as well, though I don't condone their behavior on that excuse.

The natives enjoy those of the opposite sex here. They flirt with the girls, they hold hands with the girls, and yes, there are those that kiss the girls.... It is something that I do not like in any way. The other Americans here tell me to ignore it, that it is "easier to not say anything" and I can't believe that I hear that out of their mouths. 

Yesterday on our way to church my District Leader was holding hands with an ami called Sonya. Now, I tried to speak to him about it, but he acts ignorant to my ability to speak French and makes it seem as though I'm just speaking gibberish. It is ridiculous! I speak broken French, but it is still understandable. I know because after I said something the girl started to get awkward holding his hand around me, which I thought was good at first until they started holding hands again during Sacrament Meeting. GRRRR!!!!! I will figure out what needs to be done in this situation, so there is my rant and complaint about Africa this week. 

So let us talk about me bearing my testimony my first Sunday in church to the 15 others in the room: 12 Members and 3 other missionaries. It wasn't bad, my French is a lot better when it isn't in response to someone else's French. The Togolaise have a unique accent, and as I have learned, it is a self-developed accent. You see, when Togo gained independence from France in 1960 the Government decided that they hated all things French so anyone that had a French name needed to change it to one that wasn't French and with it, they changed their accent. They hate French accents. One of them said I sounded French, which I took as a compliment until I found out that they depise the French....

Well anyway, French was good, but I think the only person that was paying attention to me was the other American missionary there, Elder Hawkins. There were boys laughing and sleeping, there were two children playing tag, and the other girls were flirting with my District Leader. There of course was a woman with a semi-prolific beard breast-feeding her baby. I mean there obviously had to be this sight or Africa would be incomplete. Sure I respect breast-feeding, it is great and all, it isn't really a spectator's sport though. Plus, beards aren't the most appealing of things on woman. It gets me because she shaves her armpits, so why not her beard. You don't need to stare too long to figure out if they shave their armpits here in Africa, if you were wondering that.

Like I said, there are plenty of unique experiences here in Africa. They are once in a lifetime moments, and they will definitely help me appreciate the finer things in life. I love you all, I pray for you. I hope that you are all having wonderful and amazing lives, enjoy the simple things. They may seem small to you, but they may be the most important things in your life. 

Scripture that helped me this week, Ether 12:6. 

-- 

Elder Robert Eugene Haggard II

Photos of Kodjoviakope

 View from Kodjoviakope Apartment

 Elders and Friends

A visitor to the apartment, one who came then disappeared. Check those shoes carefully!

First City: Kodjoviakope

Elder Haggard arrived at his first city, Kodjoviakope, where he will be serving with his companion Elder Ramananjanahary (from Madagascar) and two other Elders: Elder Ngandu (from the Congo) and Elder Hawkins (from the USA).

The order in the picture below: Elder Ngandu, Elder Hawkins, Elder Haggard, and Elder Ramananjanahary.

The Arrival

Elder Haggard arrived safe and sound in Benin. This is a picture of him with the Weeds.

My Zone here in the MTC. AMAZING MISSIONARIES!!!‏

Final Countdown

Heya Everyone!

Well, these are my last two days here in the MTC. So it is hectic. I am the last one leaving out of my generation of missionaries. I leave Wednesday Morning at 5:30 from the Travel Office here at the MTC. My companion leaves at 3:30, so that is different.

I just want to say thanks to all those that have sent me things and have written me. It means a lot, and I am grateful. I know that I have been truly blessed with great friends and family, especially in support over this last year. Everything is so amazing here.

Today as I was in the Temple I was just overcome with joy and peace in knowing that I am doing the right thing here on my mission. Never had a feeling quite so unique. Those that have experienced the serenity of the Celestial room know what I am speaking of. There is just no good way to describe the divine love that is felt within the Lord's home. I'm sad that it is my last time going for the next two years, but what I will be doing will be able to bring just as much peace and love for my Savior, so I am equally glad and excited.

We just barely said our good-byes to the first wave of the missionaries heading out of our zone. They are all going to Madagascar Antananarivo Mission, so they are my fellow Africans. It is always bittersweet when you say your good byes to fellow missionaries. I know they will do amazingly, because they have each touched my life and made my mission so much the better in these past fews weeks.

I don't know what else to really say, not much has happened over this past week besides loads and loads of studies, which I am grateful for. I came out here a year ago thinking that I knew my stuff, but this time I know that I know enough, which is almost next to nothing. Funny how that works. We need just a seed of faith that we can plant in others, to use the common Alma story. 

Life is amazing! I'm so happy I get to share it with all of you!

With love, 

Elder Robert Eugene Haggard II

Week 2 Down in the MTC‏

So this week has been another powerful week for me. I don't know if I have heard anything new or learned things more profound than I have heard before in life, but I continue to feel an overwhelming presence and closeness to the Spirit here in the MTC. The people are great and the work in truly marvelous!

So I got my Malaria Medication as well as my flight plans. There were quite a few issues that intermingled with that process. Here are the "set in stone" ones that I have in my hands now. 

 Wednesday June 12-Thursday June 13

•  SLC- Chicago 10:25-2:25p
• Chicago- Brussels 6:00p-9:00a
• Brussels-Cotonou 2:35p-8:15p

That will be super exciting. I am happy to be going through two new airports and one new country. I still have another week and some here in the MTC, so we shall see what fun and adventure awaits me here. 

Last night, Sunday, we had a devotional by Ted Gibbons who worked for the C.E.S. for 38 years. It was absolutely astonishing. He recounted the history of Joseph Smith's Martyrdom through the eyes of Willard Richards. I had never felt a spiritual prompting so specific as to the one that I need to begin further studying the life of Joseph Smith. The events that transpired in his life and those that happened in preparation to the Atonement are the most important events that have ever happened to the world, and I feel like I hardly know anything about them at all. 

I wish that I could just see what they saw, feel what they have felt, and live a life in such a way as they have lived. 

In my personal studies this week I read from the Bible Dictionary quite frequently. The one that stood out to me was under "War in Heaven" which states:

"Although one-third of the spirits became devils, the remaining two-thirds were not equally valiant, there being every degree of devotion to Christ and the Father among them. The most diligent were chosen to be rulers in the kingdom (Abraham 3:22-23). The nature of the conflict, however, is such that there could be no neutrals, then or now (Matt. 12:30; 1 Ne. 14:1-; Alma 38:40)."

The question that popped to my mind was, which of these degrees am I? How valiant am I in this fight? If there are no neutrals, how diligent am I?

I'm hating these questions that pop to my mind because they will all take so much time out of my life to figure out. So many mysteries that need to be figured out, and typically they all revolve around me. The Lord hasn't kept much back for the glories and mysteries of heaven, it is time for us to figure out what kind of child we are.

Today in the Temple there was an astounding peace, and with it joy for my life and the path I am on. I know that doing this mission is going to be the foundation for the greatest blessings in my life. I recommend a mission to any and all, despite the shortcomings we all have and the difficulties present on a mission, there is nothing about a mission that we can't overcome. 

I love you all, and hope you are all having wonderful lives. Continue to grow in the spirit. Pray with steadfast faith in Christ, and know that you will be blessed in all of your endeavors. 

Scripture of the week, Alma 26:15

Love you all! Sincerely, 

Elder Robert Eugene Haggard II