December 23, 2013 - Birthday party/Christmas Party, Mountains of Food!, "Je reviens! Je reviens encore!", "it was a dream come true!", why its so amazing to be a missionary in Africa

Comp: Elder Wright
Area: Douala, Cameroon

December 23, 2013

Dearest Mother,

I have been thinking about that all this week! My life is so wonderful! There are just no words to describe how I feel. I feel such peace, such joy, such happiness. It doesn't even feel like Christmas, but it is the best time of my entire mission! The more I give myself up to this work the more I feel engaged and locked into it. The more I work, I find more work to be done. I have been getting home later every day and working and sweating and bleeding and teaching and preaching. I honestly can't describe it. I know Natalie understands well, but I hope that you and Dad can too. As it states in the district, these are feelings that just can't be described. I love this work! 

So here we go! 

1. What do you want to hear about when we skype?

I honestly can't think on anything. I just want to see you guys and your faces. I hope that you are doing well and that all is well. Don't worry! We will just talk and it will be over. No worries! It will be great whatever happens! 

2. What are your plans for Christmas?

 We will be out working on Christmas until about 1:00 and at that point we will need to head to the city to see the Gaileys at their house. They will feed us a lunch/dinner. Once we get there we will start skyping our families and just playing games and having fun. After that we will head home and that is Christmas! We will also be watching last years Christmas devotional by the First Presidency. I love last years so I am excited to watch it again. 

3. What are you looking forward too?

 I am just happy to be here. It's a great time to be a missionary and I wouldn't trade the time that I have left for anything in the world. Honestly, this is perfect. 

4. What made you happy this week?

It's hard to answer that question. I feel so full of joy and peace. Everything is going well and it's the best! 

5. What have you been thinking of lately?

. Not much. I am just looking forward and enjoying my time here in the mission. It's an exciting time! 

6. Did any presents or packages or letters arrive as of late?

I have not received any letters or packages as of late, but I did receive a letter from Natalie! It's awesome! She seems happy and she is doing well. It's hard to tell though because the letter was written two months ago. Ha ha! Oh Africa. And the Phillippines. 

7. Tell me some African traditions

If there is a pimple on your face it means that you are in love with another woman. The Douala tradition is that mermaids exist. Africans never use a towel that they use to wash their body for the ground. I got in huge trouble for that one. Seriously. Chewed out. That is all that came to mind for the moment. 

8. What made you laugh?

Well Elder Davis and I  talk all the time and we laugh about every day. It's been so fun watching that relationship grow. We are doing awesome. 

9. Tell me a joke

What do British Nuclear physicists eat for lunch?

Fission chips! Ha ha! 

10. Tell me why its so amazing to be a missionary in Africa.... 

Because the work is growing and people are so accepting. People are very in-tune with the Spirit and it is wonderful to watch them grow and progress. However, there is also a catch to that. There are so many people that I love and have grown close to and it's hard to watch them not progress or watch them struggle and drown in their trials when I know exactly what they need - The Gospel. It's very hard, but it is a wonderful blessing. This country has been prepared and we have more people to teach than we can see honestly. I love it here, but it's not easy. 

11. How are you feeling?

 I feel great! Truly, everything is going my way. Other than that I don't have a whole lot.

So it was a really great week. On Saturday I helped one of our neighbors set up for a huge birthday party/Christmas party and thanks to my charm and class, ( wink wink) ha ha! I managed to get all four of us missionaries invited to the party! At 6 o'clock on Saturday, I hear the doorbell ring and so I went to investigate. As soon as I opened the door I just see my neighbor named Agnesse rush into our apartment and start placing plates with mountains of food of them on our table! She kepy saying, "Je reviens! Je reviens encore!" I'm coming back! Before I knew it there was like six or seven plates of food on our table full of African food. It was like a dream come true. Fish, chicken, meatballs, roast beef, stew, beignets that tasted like blueberry muffins,  cake, Ndolé, Cantonese rice, potato salad, and tons of soda. Seriously. It was the best thing ever. I had a seemingly endless supply of African food. It was a dream come true. 

Ahhh... And there is still more in the fridge! Ha ha! That was the highlight of my week. It was the best. 

I don't have a whole lot more to say and not much is really coming to my mind at the moment so I guess I will just end there!

I love you Mother! I will see you on Wednesday! Avec amour,

Love Elder Massé