Week 3 adventures

Bonjour,




Comment Ca va?  So I switch campanions and apartments this week.  So that was kind of an adjustment.  My new area(Domessasse) is really awesome, the members here help so much.  They are always giving refferals and willing to help teach lessons.  Its a testimony builder of just how important members are to missionary work.  Also I've got to try a lot of different food while i'm here because each person takes a turn.  So i'm loving trying all this different foods.  My campanion makes pretty good food, but he is french so that makes sense. 



Corey and His First Companion

This week i've had some different teaching experiences haha.  Before my old campanion and I were transfered we had this lesson with an amie who always seems to argue with us about everything.  Well this time she decided to bring along a minster with her,  so the lesson was actually going really well until we got to the apostasy.  The guy just went off on us about how we were distorting the word of god and etc.  So we decided we would just ask them to pray and ask God if the things we were saying were true. The minster said he wouldn't instead he said he would pray for God to flog us.  And if we were flogged he would know we were lying.  So he prayed right in front of us for the people who distort the world of god to be flogged.  Then it was then fun to try to explain to Elder Mulumba in french what the word flogged means.  We were defintly supprised, later we just had to laugh.  So that was a pretty funny experience.  I hope though that she does pray though.  Also I had one of my best lessons yet.  My new campanion(elder Noumbolibona)  loves to give me tons of oppertunities to teach.  I usually try and teach half of the lesson, which was kind of nerve wracking at first.  So he let me teach God is our loving heavenly father, family, prophets, and the Joseph Smith story.  I was really kind of nervous but it actually flowed really well.  My french was not perfect, but it was good enough.  I know that it wasn't all me.  I know that the Holy Ghost helped so much during that lesson. We are doing a lot of contacting because the elder before me couldn't go out because of his back.  I like contacting, but its way better to teach lessons.  The day goes by way faster way we are teaching.  We get to teach a lot though which is really nice. 



Questions:

Living Quarter:  Right now I actualy live above the church.  Our apartment is really nice.  Its a lot nicer than the one in souza.  There is 6 elders that live in the apartment.



 

New food:  I thought you'd like this one because you could make it in america.  We had a mangez-vous with a member yesterday.  She but in this bowl tons of avacados, tomatoes, onions.  Then she mixed mayo, hotdogs, vingear?, and salt in another bowl.  She then but the hotdog mixture on top of the other.  We ate it with some bread.  It was way good.  I was kind of skeptical at first, but it was some of the best food I've had.

Photos:  I've uploaded a few photos, I hope you get them.  The first is of my old campanion and me in front of our house.  The Second is a view from the top of my house in souza nietime.  The third is of our bathroom.  Yes there is no shower curtain.  The Fourth is of our kitchen.

 



Something different here:  The picture that you see with everyone carring stuff on there heads is actually true.  All really heavy things they carry on their heads.  It actually is really awesome because they can use their hands as they do it.

So I'm really liking it here.  There is some adjusting to african culture, but its actually really funny sometimes I forget that this isn't average for the whole world. 

 Je Vous aime,

Elder Corey Kimzey



Week 2 and 1 (sorry)

Here are the emails we received from Corey today!  First is the main family letter...

Bonsoir;

sorry for not writing last week but when we came to the cyber ; the internet café; there was no power. (Welcome to Togo:) So I'll try to catch you up on everything but it might not be possible to remember everything. So I'm in a place called Souza Noutime. Its really close to the ocean. I love it here. Seriously I think the nicest people in the world leave here. Everyone loves talking about God and is always inviting us in to do things. I've had some great experiences these past weeks. Since I'm in a new secteur we had to find pretty much all of our amies. I remember the first door being way nervous and not really sure whats going on. My campanion knocked on the door and just said we're missionaires from the chuch of jesus christ of latter day saints and we talk about jesus christ to everyone. He also said we're not the temoin which is jeovah witness in french. I was suprised they totally let us in. The lesson went really well, we taught this teenager kid named samuel. It was awesome even though mostly I just bore my testimony. It suprising how many people just love talking about jesus christ here. So we have found tons of amies. My favorite is this lady named Martina. She is this Elderly lady who let us in because she wanted to talk about the second coming. I could see in her eyes how much she loved jesus christ and she even bore testimony of it to us. She is really one of my favorites. We taught her about joseph smith the other day and she said she would pray about it so i'm hoping she'll keep meeting with us. Everything here though is just so different. The bugs aren't bad here though at all. I've probably seen only a handfull of mosquitos, but I've been making sure to take my medicine anyways. Also everyone here stays outside most of the day. So its awesome we teach tons of lessons just outside peoples houses and the crazy thing is it works just fine. Even with all the noice and the people there still seems to be the spirit there and people are still way intrested. Also not very many people here have heard of the church. So its awesome because the message of joseph smith is new. French here though is way different. Everyone here speaks ava(I don't know how to spell it) and most speak french, but usually as there second language or maybe third. Also it really funny sometimes i'm bearing my testimony and i'll feel really good about it. Then the person wont really understand. Like the other day i try to ask this lady who really is progressing well if she had some friends who would be intrested in our message. She didn't understand what i meant. I said it again. Again she didn't understand. Then i swear my companion, Elder Mulumba said the exact same thing. She understood him. So funny. Actually though for the most part, my french is coming along really well. I usually can follow along in the lessons and teach some too. Its when people talk really fast or talk about random things i get lost. It helps a lot that my campanion is from the Congo and only speaks french. I have to admit the first few days it was a lot of communicated through hand motions. He is so nice though and really a great missionary. Also here people are so willing to try out our simple engagements. I thinks its because a lot of them are looking for the truth.

Food is kind of different here. We cook pretty much all of our food ourselves. We usually buy everything from little stores or people on the street. EVERYTHING IS SO CHEAP. I bought like 4 kilograms of fish for about 2 dollars, but they don't prepare the fish at all. Its just a fish head and all. So i learned how to gut and prepare a fish, which was fun. Also we cook everything over this stove type thing which is like the kind you take when you go camping. Also the fruit and the bread is to die for. They make the bread in this bakery and it is heavenly and the fruit here is awesome. Although they have some different types of food, like they eat a lot of pate and also some vegtables and fruits are different colors. LIke eggplant is green here and oranges are green on the outside. The pineapple though is twenty times better than the kind in america. Also everyone eats with there hands, sliverware is optional. So tell uncle garin when we have togo food, it going to be so way hot pate( its like foufou) which you eat with your hands with some tomato sauce and some fried fish.

So i have some intresting news this week. I'm getting transferred on thurs. I know its kind of bizzare but i guess a missionary hurt his back and has to go home some i'm moving to a place called Doumesse. I heard its really great with a bunch of members. I'm be campanions with this french missionary whose parents are from africa. I'm excited to work there and with my new campanoin, but i'll definetly miss my amies and Elder Mulumba. Also i almost forgot but Elder Haycock is the son of Dad's friend. We freaked out about it. What are the chances we meet here in Togo. I'm really loving it here. I love seeing how intrested people are in the gospel here. Its really amazing. I know that there are some many people here waiting for the gospel, like one of our new amies. We would say something and he would say something along the lines of " i've always believed that but didn't know anyone else did too" It was a pretty great experience. Also tons of people here has very little, but love life. Everytime i even kind of feel like life is hard i just have to look around and realize the many things i have in my life. Also everyone here family is so important. Its really the one thing they have.

So quirky things about africa:

There are more motocycles here than cars and pretty much no traffic laws.

Also we wash all of our clothes by hand in a basin. Also all the missionaries think my clothes smell like america because i have american soap.

All prices: taxis, food, etc is negotiable. There is really no set standard.

Yovo Yovo is in ava. Little kids say it all the time is really funny because they think you don't understand and they you respond and it startles them. They usually start busting up laughing, but for many its there first time seeing a white guy

Thank everyone for there support and tell logan congrats on wisconsin: i know you'll love it there. on wisconsin on wisconsin. I love my mission and even though its going to take awhile to get adjust i'm love it.

Je vous aime,

Elder Corey Kimzey

A note to mom!
Bonjour,

sorry this isn't with the others but your letter just randomly showed up in my mailbox. No way they won state that is so awesome. Thats awesome that you start running again. Second week is awesome. My campanion and i can actually communicate pretty well. Sometimes its slower than others but for the most part its pretty good. My new campanion supposly speaks really good french, well i'm mean his from france so yeah. Fun eating stuff: i eat some food from a member which had some wierd meet that i wasn't even sure what it was. Also it had some wierd sauce that was some wierd brown color. WE eat it and it was pretty good. I get to teach some many lessons. We taught a lesson last night about the gospel of jesus christ that went so well. We mainly just shared scriptures and testified which really taught me the importance of those two things. Okay im kind of bad at taking pictures, but i was going to do more today. It been raining most of the day. It rains so hard here. Also when it rains people just will stay inside for forever because there are huge puddles everywhere. P-days we do our laundry which takes a while because its by hand. We usually buy some food and do an activity. WE didn't really today because it was raining, but last week we watch conference in french. It was prett fun because i had seen it already before so i knew what they we talking about. Everything is going well. You would be proud i've been taking really good care of myself so i don't get sick. Also did i tell you about how everyone carries things on their head. I mean like 4 to 5 boxes at a time. It madness, hopefully one day i can be like them. I love you and hope everything going well.

Elder Kimzey

And dad's

Bonsoir mon papa,

I'm doing really well still, i can't believe i'm ready being transfered but thats life. I do remember that from last year. Thats so crazy that Zabrinski was in yellow.  I hope it comes back, but i'm glad to hear about frere winters. That money would be huge in togo $100 is like 500000 cfas.. Thats a lot of money. Good luck with your bike ride. I'm sorry if your letter is really short but we are about to leave to go to a lesson. I love hearing from you and Just wanted to thank you for going on a mission. It always makes life easier for me. When ever people don't understand my french or i cook something really nasty. Which happens a lot because i'm not a good cook haha. I can always look to you and the stories you used to tell me. I hope someday to tell those stories to my kids of the great people of Togo and Benin. I love it here, not quite sure i would want to live here forever, but its really great. Je t'aime
Elder Kimzey

to chelsea...

Bonsoir Chels, Everything is going well. i cn communciate pretty well with my campanion, sometimes i don't understand but for the most part its going well. I'm glad to here that your work is going so well and also that you starting going on dates with skyler. So when the two week mark so i can know when you'll be engaged. Just kidding. Africa is very diffferent. The culture is very different but awesome. I'd think you really like it here. Although everyone would stare at you like they do with me because there are very few white women here. I got to talk with a guy from america the other day, who moved here with his wife and are actually members. It was competly random. I love you and hope the best for you,

Elder Kimzey

last (but not least) Carli
Bonsoir ma soeur,
NO way tiger is still alive that is aweome.  (Carli's fish that corey bought for her in January)Yeah i bet he doesn't remember me at all.  i have read how to kill a mockingbird and i really like it.  My campanion and i communicate through french and sometimes hand motions.  I get all of you random emoticons and there awesome.  I do sometimes meet some girls who remind me of you because they seem to enjoy life like you.  I don't have time to send pictures this week but i'll defintly try next week.  I'm glad you are doing so well.  Also there youre trying some many different things.  I love you tons,
Elder Kimzey




 





 

 

Elder Kimzey has landed!

Brother and Sister Kimzey

We received your son Elder Kimzey safe and sound in the Benin Cotonou Mission.  I have attached a picture of him with President and Sister Weed.  We look forward to serving with him and know that he will be a tremendous asset to our mission.  He is currently assigned in the country of Togo serving in the Souza Netime area with Elder Mulumba as his companion.  If you require anything please do not hesitate to contact me at *****.  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...thank you for your son.

Sister Leavitt

Benin Cotonou Mission

Last Week :)

Bonjour tout le monde,(Hello everyone)

Comment ca va? We got our travel plans this week!!! We are now leaving monday the 7th. Here is the general plans

May 7th: We get to the travel office at 5 am

Then we leave to the SLC ariport. We have a flight that leaves from about 8 o'clock to JFK. Its about a four hour flight

We have 3 hours in JFK. Hopefully I will be able to call during that time. Also it will be cool to be in such a famous airport.

So we then leave JFK to Charles de Gaulle. I know awesome right, I get to be in Paris. It is an 6 hour flight . We should be there about 8 in the morning for french time, but about midnight in Utah time.

Then we have 7 hours in Charles de Gaulle. That should be fun, but we can't leave the aeroport. Hopefully, we get to practice our french a ton and share gosepl too. After that we have a 7 and a half hour flight to Cotonou. I think we get there late tuesday night around 9 Benin time.

So yeah its pretty exciting. I can't wait for the day, but for now i'm still loving the MTC. Also thanks Ryan, Sarah, and Aunt Jana for the food. I got it today and i'm really excited to eat it. It looks really good. Thank you. Also, I haven't got a letter from Elder Harding, but i'm sure it will come anyday now. So pretty much, nothing much has happened this week. We had a devotional by Russel M Nelson. He taught about the difference between doctrine and doctrines, which i had never noticed. He said that throughout the scriptures they use doctrines when referring to wickedness ie the doctirnes of men. And the scriptures use doctrine when talking about the doctrine of christ. It was way intresting and awesome. Also today was our last day at the temple. It is crazy to think that our time is coming to an end. I feel like I just got here yesterday. Also we got to go to in-field orientation this week. It was pretty fun to meet a bunch of other missionaries. Also it was way cool to see how much the ward helps with missionary work. That is defiently something i didn't relaize before was how involved ward members and Bishops in missionary work. I'm really thankful all those who do get involved because it helps us as missionaries so much. Also last sunday all the missionaries that are leaving sang "Souvien-Toi" in sacramenting. Its only in the french hymn book, but i love it. Also congrats carli on doing so well as goalie and on being a missionary. I bet you did a great job teaching the plan de salut. Also tell casey, good job on his run. I know that the SUU track meet is always a beast because of that stupid wind. Just trust in your ablilities and you'll do great.

Questions:

Weight: i'm not quite sure if you meant me or my luaggage. I'm doing good. I haven't weighed myself in awhile because the field opened up. I have been playing tons of kickball and horseshoes latly, which has been a blast. Also luaggage, i'm not sure. We haven't really started packing yet. I'm hoping to start packing today and do a little each day.

Package: I haven't recieved a package containing a bunch of stuff for africa, but i'm sure it will come anyday now. Also I'm planning on sending one home full of stuff that might not be useful in africa like a big quilt.

French: We are trying to speak in french all this week. We have forgotten sometimes but its been pretty fun.

Je vous remerci pour les lettres et pour votre amour.  Thank You for letters and for your love Je suis trés euthastic que je puisse aller en Afrique.I am very euthastic I can go to Africa.   Je sais que l'église est vrai.I know the church is true.  Je sais que l'évangile peut aider tout le monde.   I know that the gospel can help everyone Je suis trés heureux que je puisse enseigner l'évangile.   I am very happy that I can teach the gospel. (thank you google translate!-kim)
Well my time is up,

Je vous aime,

Elder Corey Samuel Kimzey