It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

Dearest Children,

So last week I was a little tired as I wrote, but I got over it, I am looking back at this last week and saying that I actually enjoyed it!

So to begin, these first two things took place on Thursday, which you all well know was Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving ya'll! Despite you all knowing that it is a VERY VERY important day of the year, it was somehow overlooked here on the African continent, but NEVERTHELESS, we Americans celebrated! (and we brought a Frenchie along with us as well, but he just wanted an excuse to eat.) 

We went over to a Middle-Eastern Restaurant called, "Akif's" where we ate! (I realize the redundancy of going to a restaurant and eating but it is dramatic/emphatic).  One down, one to go!

 I had a half-chicken, a charwarma, a plate of fries, a side of "salad" and a can of Sprite. I don't know about you, but that just screams "HAPPY THANKSGIVING" to me! 

We had me, and we had Elder Ringle, and we had Elder Layton, and we had Elder Faerber, and we had Elder Shearer, and alas le français, Elder Lemaire.

To top off our festivities, we were invited to an end of the year festival at the church of one of our amies. Well.... looking for words to describe this... once in a lifetime occasion... Worshipping in song and dance was taken a bit too literally. It was a moment where I felt I shouldn't be there, but it was torn between I don't want to insult our amie for her invitation. So, the Spirit not being there was uh-oh number one, the next uh-oh was that it was ALL in Ewe, save all the "Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!" I don't know if you could ever fully comprehend all the things that went down in "The House of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ." The question that she kept asking was why we don't worship God... It is an awkward question when people get so deep into the traditions of their fathers and confuses adoration and worship with songs and drums. We shall see how we can help her; it is hard when that is ALL that they have known their whole life.

So...

HISTORY IN TOGO: The first stake in the country of Togo will be constructed on December 8th 2013!!!! 

It will be a fantastic week here in Togo! Love you all, and I constantly pray for you!  The Lord loves you so very much, but I would dare say I am a close second! Talk to you later!

  

-- 

Sincerely,

Elder Robert Haggard

Mission Bénin Cotonou

Cadjehoun Lot°1158 Bloc F

01 BP 3323 

Cotonou, Bénin