Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Another Step and It'll Be the Furthest Away From Home I've Ever BEEEENNNNN.

Salut chere Famille et chers amis!!!

This is an attempt to make up for the lacking emails. If you were wondering, nothing has been taking up my time, just haven't been focused while at the cyber so time flies and all of the sudden I am without time to write you all; but don't feel like I don't love you, because I somewhat do! ;)

I find life rather fulfilling right now as I just started being a papa here on the mission to an amazing little fella. Elder Florion is quite awesome, there are bumps along the road because I have never trained before, and he has never been a missionary before, but that is why testimonies link us no matter what areas may be hard on us. Good thing is that I don't have to teach him French, I could, but it is nicer to just teach how to be a missionary rather than teaching them a new language altogether. I feel bad for those that trained me and how difficult I must have been for them. Luckily, that's all said and done; now it is my time to reign!!! Mwahahaha!!!! Je blague! ou.... est-ce qu je blague?

So, since my stay in the MTC last May I haven't had this kind of experience, but a "stranger from on high" decided to say, "I am going to give Elder Haggard a little present in the middle of his lesson!" Right at the end of our opening prayer *SPLAT!* bird doody all over my collar... Good thing we have such a loving amie that she just laughed hysterically at the situation and asked if that would happen every time she prayed because she would start praying for us every night... That would have been mean, but she is likely one of the next baptismal candidates that we will have.
Elder Florion has been having some health issues, but all I can say is "Bienvenue en Afrique!" It is kind of like a hazing, but it is done by the continent itself. Unavoidable, teaches you many lessons unwanted, but much needed concerning doing all one can to be healthy and learn to prepare food properly. Just taking it day by day and upset stomach by upset stomach. He is taking it like a champ!

THURSDAY was pretty awesome with a conference with Elder Vinson of the Seventy specifically for the missionaries. It was absolutely awe inspiring and spiritually packed like a package of toffees! (We did walk away with those as well :D!) There was one of my favorite subjects spoken about in such an intimate setting that I had never truly experienced it, we spoke about sacrificing to the Lord. I first fell in love with this subject thanks to Bruce R. McConkie, surpise surpirse, but in studying it more and more you realize the importance and your desire grows in ways you can't have others fully understand. That is the key to a testimony, for no matter how strongly you feel for these things, it takes personal experience and desire on the part of the audience.

Since now is getting closer and closer to General Conference, I invite you all to search a bit as to what you truly desire and yearn for concerning your spiritual well-being, and as those mighty men of God bear their hearts and personal witnesses, find those things that the child of God within you longs for you to apply. I promise you will find something that will appease your spiritual desire, but it is your personal research and application that will sate this appetite.

My companion and I were locked in our apartment on Saturday because our keys "mysteriously" disappeared... SUCH A WASTE OF TIME!!! There is nothing I hate more than having to cancel five rendez-vous because of stupid things like that, but our amis are nice and understanding, but they continue to think we are growing more stupid as these small things add up. We found them this morning... story for the journal and not for the email. But we were able to pass the time in studying and hunting... I just happen to have a bow, and lizards just happen to be all over our mango tree. Bow-hunting without a license in Africa, check! Do you think that counts me as a poacher? That is kind of cool, but if I were going to be a real one I at least want to see a lion, or an elephant, or a gorilla! I just have to hone my talents and one day I will play with the big boys. ;)

DON'T POACH CHILDREN, IT'S BAD!

That is the week in a nutshell... Any questions? No? Good. Love you all! Hope that your lives are as interesting as a day in the jungle, but I wouldn't think so. I love life, and this mission! "Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day!" Truly, everything's going my way. Thanks for the prayers, they have been answered in full, as I hope mine are being answered in your lives. Thanks once again for the love, keep it coming! ;) A toute a l'heure!
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Sincerely,
Elder Robert Haggard
Mission Bénin Cotonou
Cadjehoun Lot°1158 Bloc F
01 BP 3323

Cotonou, Bénin

2 comments:

  1. Hi Elder Haggard! Hope you had a good birthday. You sound so good! I hear bits about you from Jessy who is doing so well in our BYU ward! I'm so proud of you Robert. You truly are amazing for all this time and energy you have spent as a missionary. I can relate in only a tiny way to your African experience having spent a little time in Kenya. It is such a harsh and different world, but beautiful when you can look past that harshness. You are an amazing writer like your mother!

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