It's Only Monday

Of course it is a Monday.  I really, really needed to get things done because Ethan and I are traveling to Tennessee to pick up Bryan on Wednesday and I have class all day tomorrow.

Woke up Jordan and he was running late, for sure, because he HAD to get a bike built today.  Not a simple bike, either, but a recumbent.

Couldn't find my new contacts anywhere even though I just bought them.  I hate wearing my glasses when it is hot and humid.

It was over 100 degrees today and very, very, very humid.

Washer out for the count - called the repair man.

I dropped a gallon of paint (plus one quart) of my brand new paint near the kitchen door, on the brick steps and on the garage floor.  Oh, by the way, the paint is now also over some new pants.  (And this evening I dropped a bottle of cleaner on the bathroom floor and it emptied.  At least that clean up was productive.)

(Did I mention the heat today??)

Repairman comes as I am gracefully trying to clean up the mess.  He spends a half hour only to tell me it will cost an outrageous amount to fix it.

(Did I mention I had a TON of laundry backed up??)

Rushed to Lowes to look for a deal - and I found one.  They delivered it two hours later and installed it at no charge! :-)

Spent the rest of the day at the shop because we were short handed.

Ate dinner.....at 9:00 this evening.

I would love to post some pictures, but unfortunately (it's Monday, remember) my camera battery is dead and I CAN'T find the battery charger anywhere!!!!

Oh goodness, I can't wait for Tuesday!! ;-)

Logan and the Monkey

Dearest of dearest families:

Well this week was pretty good. We found out news for tranfers next week… I am not getting transferred but my companion is. He has been here for about one year same sector. Now I am getting it and a new companion. Elder Baker. A very very very new companion. Fresh from the USA new companion…. That is right. I am training… and I am district leader. Crazy how president springs stuff like that on people. Oh well I will just do the best I can.

This week we just had was pretty good. Had a baptism! Brother and sister Ndiemboh. Anglophones!!! They have been investigators for two years. Finally got baptized!!!! They are some of the nicest people I have met. And good too! Good parents and grandparents, good people! I saw him talking with other Anglophones one day and went over there. He was discussing what he and they could do to activate the inactive Anglophones. He was talking about organizing and visiting them in couples to talk about why they left and try to get them to overcome their problems and come back. He is  awesome.

Then we have a person ready for the fourth. She is the mother of a member, Rueben. She is awesome. She was super sceptical so she prays about everything. And then gets the answer and is like, fine… I’ll believe you! We have to fix one or two things, but she will be a huge asset for the branch. She is so nice!! Also we met a Giovanni Alexandre. He is an awesome cordonée from a member. He is really nice. There is simply the not married but living with someone and have children problem that just kills me! It is so hard to get married here. The dote is terrible! How could a family take as much money from the son in law as they can. They leave their children and their new family with absolutely nothing. It is ridiculous.

Well I went to the monkey park today as you can see. It was really cool. It is a rehabilitation and protection refuge they had some really cool monkeys there. The Evansons took us. They will actually be leaving soon. Then the Whitesides will come in. They might want to go see it too… we were trying to get a picture of the monkeys  with us in the shot. One of them grabs a rock and chucks it straight up!!! Guess who’s head it lands on! Yep… mine… it hurt…. :’(

Well that is the news to day boys and girls!! Have a good week!!

Love you all!!

Elder McGrath

Wait so Margo is getting married!? When!? Do you talk to them!? They should send me a photo or something. wow that is awesome!!!!

Logan Update

Apparently Logan has some friends who are NOT on the email list and they have been waiting for me to put Logan's letters on the blog.  I do apologize - both to his friends for taking so long and to those of you who ARE on the email list.  You will not read anything new below:-)  I should here from him again tomorrow and will post it - so keep in touch!  He has only 13 more months to go.....

Just to update - Logan is in Cameroon now.

June 18

Well, I thouroughly enjoyed talking to you all yesterday!!!
Next time I will be more than halfway done with the mission... that is
weird!!! Time has flown by so fast!!!

Well this is the start (today) of my 7th transfer.....craziness.
Next transfer will be the craziest. The new people will be in and they

don't know this place or speak french. Ils s'sppellent the Whitesides.
I hope they are nice!!! I love senior couples. They are like grandpas

and grandmas!!!! Sister Evanson makes us cookies all the time!! They
are so nice and helpful!!! You two should go on a mission when you

grow up!!! They would love you!!! And it is probably so much less

stressful than the lives you have now. All you have to do is work 24/7

to make elders comfortable!! I am sure it is quite satisfying!!

June 26

My famille !!  Comment ca va ? J’espère que tout va bien là ba!!
 This week was really good !! I went on splits on Friday with elder
Tshibindi and that was really fun, the way Africans teach is a little
bit different but it gets the point across you know?  He is quite a
goof ball sometimes. More so than the other Africans. They tend to be
way too serious to the point of adding in unnecessary restrictions and
rules but Elder Tshibindi is really relaxed and funny. He has a great
sense of humor! Sometimes it is hard to tell when he is joking and
not, but I have gotten good at telling.

I have discovered that I can understand people at lot easier. I mean
it is first hard to understand the French. When you get good at that
the next trick is understanding the nuances and gist behind things. I
mean sarcasm and other little tricks are hard to understand when you
learn a language and culture. That is all gotten a lot easier now and
it is easier to joke and tell stories with people. And that leads to
more real connections with investigators.  I mean that is how you have
friends. So there are many good people here that I really love and
understand. That is not something everyone can do. But it is pretty
cool; I am able to express myself more in French now.

We have some progressing investigators. An awesome family of
Anglophones. The parents are older but really nice. We climb a
mountain to see them each week. And they all jump on the back of a
moto to quick to church. It is amazing how many people can fit on a
motorcycle… I love them so much, they are ready and prepared to come
to the gospel.

Today was pretty awesome. We and a recent convert went to a museum of
cameroun. It was really interesting . then the tour guide, (the
grandson of the famous guy who built the museum) was explaining how
music always gets disqualified at the world music competition. He said
it is not because the music itself is bad (which is the reason) but it
was just recorded badly. He said that is why last time "I was in
America I bought a studio and brought it back with me." Shows us into
this totally legit music studio! It was awesome!! Then he was like,
here are instruments you know how to play? Well I took the piano,
elder lafleur by the way plays guitar REALLY well. And we jammed!!
Recorded it too!! It was actually "If you could hie to kolob"… he liked
it! So we got to jam out for a while. Soooo much fun. When I get rich
when I am old I will buy a nice place to record and jam out.
Well this week looks like it is going to be same old same old! How are
things going in your neck of the woods. Other than the stifling heat
and unbearable humidity. I am not really that jealous actually.

Any way I love you all!!! I hope your days pass well!