Elder Benjamin Archer

Elder Benjamin Xavier Archer
Benin Cotonou Mission
Quartier Cadjehoun #1158
Block F
01 BP 3323 Cotonou
Benin
Email: benjamin.archer@myldsmail.net

Monday, June 6, 2016

Back to Togo!

Well there's about three months ahead of me now and I have been
transferred back to Togo! I had learned that an American named Elder
Neubert would be replacing me. Neither he nor Elder Adjo has
experience driving a manual transmission vehicle. (Well, Elder Adjo
has a little from his driver's educaton class.) So I had about four
days (starting on Tuesday) to show Elder Neubert the ropes and ins and
outs of the bureau life and take the two on some driving practice
sessions, and we did so. On Friday night of that week, I handed the
car keys over to Elder Neubert after a final dinner appointment in
Cotonou with one of our investigator families. That was when it hit me
that I was leaving the office and Elder Adjo, whom I'd been working
with for six months. I miss him already but we will be returning home
at the same time, so we will be seeing each other again at the office.

After staying the night at their apartment, the assistants drove me to
my new area in Togo called Baguida. This "apartment" looks more like a
mansion (I'll send pictures next week). It's the largest in the
mission. I am now working with an American named Elder Atherton. We
both lived in the same apartment when I was in Togo last time, so we
know each other very well and are excited to be working together.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that this Sunday was stake
conference for Togo! I got to see most of my converts and friends from
Tokoin. That was a very special experience for me and I would say even
one of the happiest moments of my life.

Our area is very large and we do a lot of walking. I don't have the
area "mapped-out" yet in my head so I have no idea where I am when we
are outside. I had walked this place over with Elder Sagers around a
year ago so he could visit his converts before his departure, so I
recognize some places but it doesn't help much. Here's my first weird
experience: So we were teaching a woman named "Jeanne" who works at an
outdoor café. She brings people their drinks. There was a two year old
baby girl walking around the premises, which I assumed to be but am
still unsure of whether she is Jeanne's daughter or not. The only
customers were two men at a table drinking beer. At one point the
little girl started to cry. She was near the customer table and one of
them reached over and tipped his beer bottle into her mouth to give
her a drink. She stopped crying. Then he poured some more in a cup and
gave it to her and she walked away. Well, I know who's going to be an
alcoholic before five.

Anyways, I'm doing great. Feeling awesome and am looking forward to
some cool experiences. Until next time.

Love,

Elder Archer

1 comment:

  1. let's hope elder archer doesn't use this toddler drinking technique when he has toddlers -- bottoms up

    ReplyDelete