FELIZ NAVIDAD!‏ (Alyssa)

LEE FAMILY!!!!!

Well, first of all I have to apologize for not e-mailing or writing you back for about 3 months! I have only been using the churches e-mail lately (the one I am e-mailing from now)…and so today I was doing something with my companion and when I checked my hotmail account to my surprise there was an e-mail from Becky, Amanda, and Ron! You guys are great! I am sorry I wasn´t able to reply sooner so real quick I just wanted to send an e-mail off to you all and wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Aka FELIZ NAVIDAD! All I have to say is that Christmas just isn´t the same without snow! I am not sure how you are holding up in Texas or what the weather is like there…but today is Christmas Eve and here we are in the mission office. Just seems like another day!

We have had to be here (in the office) a lot more this change because I am training the new nurse (and because we are moving offices on Friday). It is a joy and a blessing to be the nurse because of all the things you learn and experiences that you have unlike anything else…but at the same time I have seen the weight of the calling shift from me onto her…I no longer have preoccupied thoughts of elders calling about foot fungus or worrying about rashes or coughs, allergies, parasites, or doctor’s appointments, ect! It´s great!  at the same time it is a difficult thing to watch because she is struggling with Spanish, and half the time no one can understand her…lol but I guess that is just a nice little reminder of how I was...and also how I will sound here in about 1.5 weeks when I am officially off to k´ekchi land!

To respond to your e-mails…How exciting to hear about Amanda speaking in Stake Conference! I think I would be scared to do that NOW, let alone when I was still in high school! Congrats to her! Also how funny about the general authority comment about the boys all wanting to go to seminary now because of her….#1…she´s a gorgeous girl! #2…the funny thing is that I was reading that part out loud and there was an elder here in the office who said..¨well that´s why I went to seminary, for the girls¨ haha and now he´s here on a mission and his girlfriend (that he met in seminary) is married. That is actually something that I have come to realize on my mission. Everyone has different motivators or reasons for doing things. In a zone conference with Elder Clark (of the 70) we did an activity where all the elders stood up…then he asked who went to seminary…and who made them go….and who made them go to church…and who made them go on a mission… there was always a mom literally dragging their kids out of bed, or splashing water on them, or some really cute girl or some womanly motivator! Haha brings a whole new light and meaning to the saying ¨behind every great man is a woman!¨ Something else I learned on my mission and might be good advice before Amanda takes off to college…there are more than one kind of Returned Missionary! I used to think just the title ¨RM¨ was golden, but there can be a difference depending on the things they learn…and actually apply from their mission. Crazy to think that she is graduating this year! And Jayne? Last I heard she was playing the French horn…but I´m sure she is great as well. How is everything else? I am sure the ward there is just great now that you have been there for more than a year! Crazy! I know you miss Idaho, and the Harwards! How are they doing anyway? Do you have any fun plans for Christmas or new years? Anyway…Thanks again soooo much for the Birthday Package! And for all the love and support! Not just to me, but missionaries in general. I hear from David in Texas and he sounds like he´s loving it! And of course I hear from Africa every now and again and sounds like he is doing great! Tell him Hi from Guatemala! If you get this before you talk to him…. the capital or city is not as bad as he thinks …just watch out for cars…that was my hardest adjustment after my first changes out where there are mostly motos. It´s for sure different…but there is always something to learn and people to help! :)

Well, Thanks for all your prayers. Espero que tengan un buen Navidad! quise hablar en español porque sé que Ron lo puede traducir…y tiene que practicar para que hablemos secretos y nadie pueden saber! Tengo que compartir mi testimonio de que sé que esta es la obra del señor. I have seen god´s hand in this work, truly preparing people to accept the gospel and then placing them in our paths if we are spiritually sensitive enough to recognize them and open our mouths! The góspel is true, and has been restored by our loving father in heaven through a latter day prophet. The Book of mormon is the most amazing book on the planet!  I love the scriptures soooo much! Can´t wait til we get all the rest of the sealed books and other lost records ect. From the book of mormon! The scriptures are a map for our lives and truly the best way to receive personal revelation when accompanied by sincere prayer! I know that god does hear and answer our prayers and that he is always leading and guiding us by the Holy Ghost! That is truly the most important part of this work…the spirit! I love sharing the gospel! Seeing all these amazing families and helping them realize the necessary steps to become an eternal family! And all the cute little Guatemalan kids! Gotta love them! Haha

I hope that you have a great holidays! Have a great and MERRY CHRISTMAS! And a HAPPY NEW YEAR!
-Hna. Alyssa Collette

Mélange de deux mondes differents

Well sorry about writing late, yesterday was p-day but because of the rebels, there was an attack in the area, helicopters, tanks, jeeps with mounted machine guns, where wizzing by us and we could hear machine gun fire, so we decided to not to go out the internet yesterday... mom you scared? Côte d'Ivoire is not like that, not at least here up north but not in Abidjan, all is nice, way too nice, so last week was spent in Cotonou saying goodbyes to everyone, is was so crazy to be back, see all the changes and see all the old familiar faces and that they remembered me was incredible, alot thought I had already finished my mission, it was so good to see them all again. Benin is completely changed new couple, new missionaires, new members! So I went over with Elder Carter from Togo, then elder Phillips et Crooks left with us on thursday at 10h30, we took a plane ride over there and arrived 10h30 over there, all I got to say was it was a culture shock! Incrtediblably different over here! Everythign is top notch, the elders had to get shots cause they didnt have any record of shots, i did! But the whole airport airplane was crazy, we got there, president met us, jumped into some really nice cars and took off... on a FREEWAY! I was scared because of how fast we were going! Abidjan is like a mix of two worlds, I dont like it, its like a little of Togo, and what I can remember of home, freeways skyscrapers, big billboards, fancy flashy cars... the list goes on! I am with Elder Amany, we are the ZL's of Cocody. We are in the WARD cocody, in the STAKE of Cocody, and we have NO investigators, the area is dead, president gave me a lot of work to do, the missionaries are awesome, Amany reminds me of the movie actor, the rock. Yep, he is my comp! THe office missionaries are there too, we leave in the second story of an apartment, nice, witha bakery on the main floor, its great WHOLE GRAIN BREAD!!!! I remember that! We elave near the edge of Abidjan, its very quiet and nice, and very HILLY, not mountians but it will do, the countryside is not far, and everythign is really green! THe ward will be moving to a building the church is building, its big, i forgot. Ivorians are a lot less friendly, no body greets each other. grr. The little kids all speak french, and they are not really suprised when the see a white guy... All in all it different. To be honest, I feel liek I already finished my misson, said all my goodbyes to everyone I knew left on a airplane with basically the same missionaries that I came with. Its kinda hard right now, cause I got to start from scratch, but I guess it will keep me busy if I can refocus right again, I will just it feels like we are done as missionaries cause everything they do here is different. Elder Phillips and I talked about this today after conference. We had a regional Zone conference, meaning ALL the missionaries in Abidjan came, even the sister missionaires, sister missionaries..aie aie aie. they cause a lot of ruckus! That in itself is its own story, so different here. Anyways time to go, all will be great here and know that I love you all!!! Have a great week and remember who you are!!!

Elder Lee

Elder Lee
Mission Côte d'Ivoire
06 BP 1077 Abidjan 06
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Afrique d'Ouest

Well.... I didnt lie...exactly‏

Umm this week, well tomorrow morning at five I will be leaving Togo and flying to another country, Côte d'Ivoire, it will be the first time a white missionary has been there since the Civil War... Im pretty excited and disappointed! I found out yesterday moring that I was leaving, I was pretty bummed cause I love it here and had it set that I was going to be here for x-mas, but i guess He has other plans for me... It was fast and testimony meeting so I got to render my testimony, and dang it, it was like my farewell, a lot of crying, I feel like I am leaving home again, saying goodbye to everyone for the last time, it was heart wrenching... I cant believe that i am leaving... I took a big photo with my family, the branche... I have to come back, there is no way I couldnt... So tomorrow morning i will leave with Elder Carter and we will go to Benin for a couple of day to search a vista, we cant search one here cause there is no Côte d'Ivoire embassy, so I guess I get to see some people over there and say good bye to them, it ahs been 14 months ssince I was last there! Its a pretty unique mission ici, any transfer you can switch between three countries! And this week was an awesome week! a lot of non actives that we have been trying to motivate came, one of our investigators baby was blessed, Euro. Papa Tepe is incredible! When we came out his house he was dressed up in priesthood, he didnt know why, but we planned earlier that day to ask him to come visit an investiogator, and he was prepared to go and rendered a huge testimony at this guy, Papa is the best!!! I dunno everything is clicking... this area is by far the best area now in the mission, the members, friends and everyone are incredible, i cant imagine leaving...so I dont know where I am going in côte d'Ivoire hopefully into the mountains!!! that would be the best for me... We have a lot of new people like Ama and their famille, Assou, Amassogblé,Kodjo,Better, Kokouvi, Therance, Rubin, Gael, Florance, Akoffi, Daniel, Wahib, Souria, Mawuko, Mawuli, José, Essi, Diane, Jenni, Bella. Too many to name!! I dunno was ready to leave until after x-mas. anyways hope all is well at home, Elder stucki plays x-mas music when we return, still isnt any signe of x-mas, maybe there will be over there, the Ahuhatumn came this weeken, means cool weather until i leave!!! The hot season was killer this time, wow even the lizards were feeling it, it rained ALOT saturday all day, HARD. anyways when I figure out a mailing address I will let you know, love you all and remember who you are!!

Love tons et avec beaucoup des bissous,
Elder Lee

MAL a la tête!‏

So Im still here! I guess the Lord has other plans and I am not ready to leave Togo. President kinda of did transfers, sending a new american here! That has been such a long time since there has been an american; well new come here, Elder Adams from Utah. IT really funny cause her doesnt speak a lick of French. Reminds me of how innocent et unknowning I was at first! So as far as I know I will stay here another transfer with elder Stucki again. It going to be a difficult transfer in alot of ways. Well this weekend was incredible, Nicole and Diane got baptised! I love that family so much!!! They are the sweetest people ever!! I was sucha great  blessing to be here to see them baptised!!! I spent alot of time writing president, so I dont have much time to write, thanksgiving we went to this resturant, wasnt very good. I fell bad cause I dont write much but All is well is Togo, Elder stucki started to play x-mas music this morning. Anyways have a great week and remember who you are!! I love you forever!!!

Elder Lee