Valentine's Day Mission Style‏

Dearest ........, (Fill in your relation/personal view on our relation)

It has been a long week with all the stuffsies goin' on ici-bàs. Like
you all know, I got the call last week that I am receiving a new
companion, but his beautiful and welcome face has yet to appear in
Bè-Kpota. The MTC in Ghana let us know, somewhat ahead of time, that
there was difficulty in finding them flight plans, so it may not be
until this Saturday that he comes. :( :(

In all honesty, this week hasn't been one of the most fruitful on my
mission... Due to Elder Kouadio's depart we had to say good-bye to
members and investigators, there is nothing worse than having to wait
a week until you are transferred, habitually the call comes
Friday/Saturday and you leave Tuesday morning. I wish that I had
things to share with you all... I am just eagerly anticipating the
arrival of Elder .....!!

Elder Kouadio's last day was Friday, which happened to be Valentine's
Day... Essentially I got "dumped" on Valentine's Day and left working
in a tri-comp for the past few days. I appreciate the learning
experience of having to manage time wisely to teach effectively in
this form of companionship, but I much prefer two by two rather than
in threes. You have a developed balance between you and your
companion, but when a "third-wheel" tags along it throws you all off.
(It's worse being that third-wheel.)

I heard a talk recently, but I failed to remember who was speaking. In
the discourse that was given there was an idea that stood out to me
amongst the rest. They spoke about action, about simply doing things,
but everyone seems to always worry about timing and whatnot which
creates a barrier impeding one's success. Everyone waits for that
"perfect moment" when everything will just work out the best, but the
emphasis was on doing the best things at the worst times. How
profound!

I did a bit of that introspection stuff and realized that it is so
simple to wait for the right time, but how often does that actually
come around? We wait and wait until all the signs point to now, but
from personal experience, now never comes. Trials, challenges,
obstacles all come to trump us, so we uselessly wait around for a time
that never seems to come. In reality, we should all prepare ourselves
to make the decision, do the best thing, no matter when or where. The
Lord expects of all of us to choose this day whom we shall serve,
despite the calumnies that may be raging against us. He expects of us
to stand "steadfast and immovable" for the right, even if all of our
family and social circumstances are pulling to the wrong. In all
things that we do, today we must make the decisions, for tomorrow
never comes.

I have learned more deeply and sincerely of the love of God and His
Son Jesus Christ while serving my mission. I have felt things in the
depths of my soul that light had never penetrated before. I know that
this work is true! I know that this is the only true and living
church; it is the Church of Jesus Christ. I love serving these
wonderful two years of my life knowing that I am here by divine
appointment, knowing that the Lord has called me, a nobody to the
world, to save these of God's children through the message entrusted
me to share. It is such a difficult task, but I know that I am here
because I made the best decision. My prayer is that I will continue to
do so, and that those that I may be able to influence will do the
same.

I love you all, and I hope that you have an amazing week! When next we
speak I shall be 21... crazy....

So Here's Some News!‏

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a week full of new experiences and the introduction of some daunting tasks that fall into my lap to fulfill. Have no fear on my part though; I am sure it will all work out!

So I will first start with explaining our Cours d'Anglais (English Class), which has nothing to do with the load in my lap, but I haven't mentioned it in past letters and I thought you might all be interested in knowing what goes on in the life if Elder Haggard, super hero! Je blague!!! :) Néanmoins, Cours d'Anglais is pretty awesome (when people are there) and in general we have them there, so that isn't really a problem. In all honesty we should first have a French class before due to a small problem of illiteracy, but that is also because we attract the more youthful crowd so they haven't had much experience in the French language. The tongue spoken at home is that of Ewe, so it hinders the speed of learning here in Togo. 

Each Wednesday we, Elder Oliverson and I, teach Cours d'Anglais as a means for finding new investigators. It is effective at creating friends, but because of how young our group is, their vision on the eternal aspects isn't as widened as you might hope. It isn't to say they are incapable, but they just have never looked very deep into the religious spectrum due to the nature of "inherited religion" and therefore generations of "faithful" members of a particular denomination begins. God had much reasoning when He decreed to the Latter-day Saints to be fruitful, to multiply and replenish the earth, it is a great way of anchoring people; here the problem becomes in what one is anchored to. No matter how secure the anchor is on a sinking ship you will still go down, but if your ship and anchor are secure you will stay afloat and can weather the storms. (Not sure if that expression truly captures the idea of anchoring yourself to a religion.) They are learning English with us slowly but surely!

Friday was super sweet with our Conference de Zone! We have such an awesome set of leaders here on the mission, it is mind-blowing how much you can learn as they teach. We learned much about humility and the necessity of it on the mission, and how in developing our Christ-like attributes here we can relieve ourselves of the fear of falling away after the mission. It is a sad reality that as we live proud lives here on the mission, we will neglect the aid that came from the Lord on our behalf and we will believe ourselves to be too good for the life of a saint after the mission. You find yourself belittled by the mundane tasks of everyday business thinking yourself to be a great success, but you are too 'humble' to say that you should be one with more responsibility. Crazy little fellas there! I don't want to be prideful after my mission, which should be easy to avoid, but we also have to be sure we have self-confidence and faith.

Saturday we had a HUGE activity trying to find new investigators in our area. We have been in a bit of a dry spell on the whole investigators to teach thing, so we brought in the big guns! We had all the missionaries from our zone, and a good part of our Ward Missionaries there to help. We set up four tables and distributed pamphlets and received their contacts in hopes that they will be interested in the message. After the three hours that we were there, we got 144 contacts! That is amazing, and I am hoping that many will be sincerely interested in the message we have to share. One tiny hitch is that we still have "pay-as-you-go" phones that require credit... It will be hard to call them all based on financial circumstances, but there are many ways that we can handle this situation, we will get it worked out! Another thing was presented that evening, but we knew it was coming....

TRANSFERS!!!!!! I am not leaving Bè-Kpota! Elder Kouadio (my companion) is heading over to Bénin to be Zone Leader over the Finagnon Zone. I am going to be training! That is kind of crazy, but I have been out... nigh on nine months, and in many other missions around the world it isn't uncommon to train sooner than that, but it is still crazy! He is supposed to be an Elder Bile, but President is known to have changes made to the transfers after the interview he has with them. We shall see if it goes through. My new companion is planned to arrive the 19th, Elder Kouadio is heading out the 14th or 15th, so I have a few days to work in a tri-comp with Elder Oliverson and Elder Sahue, that will be fun!

In this week there is a special group of missionaries heading home... it is kind of hard to see them go as they are my group. Those that I started my mission with in 2012 are in their final moments on the mission, and it does hurt a bit to see them go. I don't regret having gone home in the first instance, I was not ready to serve, but the regret that I have is that I didn't ready myself to serve the Lord as I was younger. I took much of my youth for granted, but I have learned from it and am on the track I need to be on. I love that group of Elders dearly, and I will miss them.

The Lord has been extremely good to me in my life, and in turn it becomes my sacred duty and privilege to serve Him at this time in my life. I am excited to continue in the work, to labor in the vineyard of my Father, and I look forward to whatever life has in store for me. I have the support of angels, both living and those on the brighter side of the veil, so I know there is nothing that will hold me back if I put in the same effort to match that of their faith. Thank you everyone that prays for missionaries, those prayers are well-received. I love you all! I hope you have a great week!!!

I Guess its February Already

Dear Family and Friends,

This week, unproductive in terms of continually exciting, had a high point as we were visited by Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy! :D It is always amazing to be in the presence of someone that has clarity of spirit that is often rare in a world like ours. It is a magical experience as one listens to the loving words of a disciple of Jesus Christ teach you the will of the Lord. It was AMAZING! 

It was a very interesting approach on Agency and its eternal principles. We are not given the choice to choose between red and green or articles of clothing, we are given the choice to choose between the things of moral standing such as good and evil. These things require knowledge and a capacity to discern, whereas what tie I will wear has no significance on an eternal scale and don't contribute at all in the war of heaven. It's come to a point in the world where people worry more about their temporal well-being and neglect their eternal responsibilities by saying that it is by merely confessing a belief of Christ that one is saved. We abuse the idea of agency by saying we are saved by grace and avoiding all personal efforts to work out our own salvation. 

It was equally amazing to see how intelligent and independent the wives were also. They could stand their own, but they complimented their husbands perfectly. There was a love and respect between the spouses, and it was highlighted that now is the time we prepare ourselves to have eternal companions as we learn to deal with the difficulties and hardships that come daily in missionary companionships. This was then again tied into the principle of agency as we are not meant to force our companions to do anything for it is their decision to be obedient and to work diligently for their own salvation. 

It is a true testament to me when the questions that had been turning in my heart and mind were resolved through the prayerful direction of these men that prepared their lessons. You are able to serve more effectively as you search for the Spirit of the Lord, and you put into practice the truths that are found in prayer and diligent scripture study. I have a difficult time of being hopeful as often as I should, but as I turn to the Spirit that is carried by prophets and Apostles I find the comfort that I earnestly seek and a renewal in my conviction to press on.  That is one of the many reasons I listen to General Conference on an almost daily basis. Everyone should listen to and study 'The Plan of Happiness' -Dallin H. Oaks October 1993, answers A LOT of questions still being disputed by the confused of the world.

In general the week was not very productive (as said at the beginning) but the key points of the week were that I saw Elder Clayton, I am no longer sick, I got my "Nutella" (white and milk chocolate mix yummy!!!), and I am still working. Life is good to me, and I hope beyond hope that it is the same for you all as well! I love my mission, and we are still deciding if it loves me in return, but nothing to worry, I am a smooth-talker and will win her over! ;) 

Never loses the smile!

Love you all! Have another fantabulous week where-e'er you may be! Talk to you later! Au revoir et adieu!