Tranfered- Off to Benin!



District basketball- thanks to Elder Layton!

 Bonsoir Ma Famille,
Comment vas-tout le monde?  So I'm being transferred to Benin.  I going to the branche of Fidrosse and I'm going to be working with Elder Indayi(he is from the Congo.)  I'm really excited to go to Benin, but it is wierd to think that I'm leaving Togo behind.  I really love Togo, the people are so great here.  Although, I'm excited to work with the people of Benin.  I heard that they are great.  I also heard that my new companion is a great missionary too.  So yeah, I'm really excited.  Also i guess that means you will have to change my clock because Benin is an hour ahead.  I guess that means i am going to experience Daylight saving times in a way. 
Okay, this week has been a lot of fun and a lot of success.  Many of our amis are really progressing now.  I had a really miraculous experience the other day.  We were just walking down the road to the next appointment when we decided to stop and talk to this lady who owned a small boutique.  I thought we were probably just leave her a brouchure because we were kind of in a hurry.  As we started to talk to her, i realized we really need to talk the time and have a lesson with her right then.  We had just a small lesson about the restoration.  She seemed very touched by the message and seemed really interested.  So i learned a very important lesson that we never know who God wants us to talk but we just need to be open to the Spirit and willing to talk to everyone.
Also this week we have been teaching an ami who used to work on sunday.  We explained to him the importance of the Sabbath Day.  I thought that maybe this would torque him.  It didn't really.  He asked a few questions and we gave him a few scriptures to read, and he accepted it.  I realized the simple truth that we don't need to be afraid to ask people to respect the commandments because we know they bring blessings and that God will help us keep them also.  Also that he was obviously prepared before we ever arrived.
So this week has been a great week.  I also went and played Basketball today.  We played for 3 hours.  It was a lot of fun and it was good to see all of the other missionaries before i go to Benin.
Well, I love you all and hope all is well.  Next week, I'll be writing you from Benin.  That's pretty exciting.
  Je vous aime beaucoup meme,
 Elder Corey Kimzey

Sections of Mom letter...
Bonsoir maman,
Comment ca va?  The big continent is going well like usual. 
The xc banquet sounded way great...  That is great that casey logged the most miles.  I was awful at that.  I'm glad that Casey didn't follow in my footsteps haha.   That is really great that Trev made the Hall of Fame.  He really deserves that...  How is Trev doing? 
That is great that you carpet came in early.  Are they already installed?  I don't remember drawing on Carli's floor but that is super funny. 
I'm gald that you had fun in Thanksgiving.  It always is a fun time. 
Answers of the Week(the daily double haha):
Did you get transfered this week?
Yes i did get transferred.  A lot of people got transferred.  We have a bunch of new missionaries coming in so that changed a lot of things.  There were 7 missionary who came last month(5 from Ghana Mtc and 2 from Provo.)  Then we have 4 missionaries from Ghana Mtc coming on Tuesday and 5 missionaries coming from Provo MTC in the first week of December.  So it kind of exciting. 
Did you do anything for Thanksgiving?
Yes i did celebrate Thanksgiving.  Elder Burkhart and I went and ate at a restuarant it was fun.
What is the weather like this time of year?  Is it still dry? 
Yes it still is dry season.  It is really hot.  I think it starts to change around Febuary but i'm not sure. 
Do you have any new missionaries?Yes and we are supposed to be getting a ton more with the new age change.
Thanks mom.  I'll make sure and have a great week.  It should be tons of fun going to Benin.  I have kind of forgotten what it look likes.  It should be exciting.
 I love you more than pie,
Elder Corey Kimzey

Conference Generale

 Bonsoir ma famille,
Comment allez-vous?  I hope all is well back in the USA.  I'm doing really well.  It just started to down pour outside but like usual african rainstorms it stopped after a few minutes.  So this week was a really great week.  I got to watch conference this week.  All of the members of Togo came together to watch it in Hedranwoe.  So it was great to see all the members and all the missionaries too.  I watched the Saturday morning session in English with all the english speakers(mostly american missionaries.)  I really liked some of the talks.  I loved Elder Andersen's talk about how we can endure through Trials.  I also liked Elder Gay's talk about what would what we give for our soul?  I really liked all the talks, it was a great general conference.  Afterward a lot of people left, so i went downstairs and watch the Sunday Morning Session in French.  It was great also.  I loved Elder Hollands and President Monson's talk.  I really loved watching conference because it really helps put my life in focus and help me improve my life. 
Well stories from this week.  We have a great new ami named Gentille.  Her name means nice or kind in french(which seems very apporiate because she is very nice)  We found her by ovb.  We happened to be walking along when we saw her sitting on a bench.  We started to talk about the importance of Faith and Repentance.  She was very accepting and we fixed another rendez-vous.  She has been progressing really well.  She reads quite a bit which helps a ton.  She has a little kid too who is funny.  He always is climbing all over the place and seems to be curious about everything.  She has even accepted a baptismal date.  She is really keeping all the commitments and seems to really believe in our message.  It is so crazy how we seem to meet people that God has prepared in the most unusual ways.  She also came to watch General Conference which i thought was a big plus.
Also we have another new ami that is actually a contact from some other missionaries.  Her name is Tatiyana.  She already told us that she has been praying about our message and she feels really good about it.  She told us this during the second lesson.  Obviously, we were ecstatic.  It kind of reminded me that we never know when God is going to answer  our investigator's prayers, so it is so important to help them recongize answers.  She also came to conference.  So we were excited for that.
So this week has been really amazing.  I am hoping that things keep going this well.  I'm loving my mission.  This week i have really noticed the importance of prayers and how God really listens to our prayers.
 Je vous aime tous,
Elder Corey Samuel Kimzey

ps. the picture is of a member who is about to leave on his mission and i at Kpalmie     

(excerpts from email to mom)
Maman!
   Bonsoir, Je vais très bien.  Comment ça va?  I'm glad that you are doing well and the house also.  I'm sorry to hear you still had to deal with the fans this week, but atleast you recieved the good news that the floors won't need to be ripped up.  That is great that you are getting new carpet too.  I can't wait to see how it looks.  Are you going to replace all the carpet in the whole house? 
    I'm glad that Carli is still doing family history work. I also thought the temple was even a greater experience when i got to do work for our ancestors.  Actually, as missionaries we don't  really pay tithing.  If we recieve money from home or from other source we are supposed to pay tithing on that but we don't pay tithing on the money the church gives us.  Although, we do use that money to pay Fast Offerings.  It is kind of interesting.  I don't think we have tithing settlement either although, i'm not sure.
   Thank you for supporting me although it probably be better if you could sleep for longer. haah.  I'm sure you will get adjusted soon. (I mentioned in my letter, that my body clock was completely messed up since the end of daylight savings..) Here, we don't have daylight savings time. 
   Thanks for the compliment on my picture(don't i always look good haha jk)  I think my weight has kind of balanced out.  That is great that you saw Coach Ginsel, how was he doing?...  I will make sure to take a bunch of pictures. I will take picture of my new apartment too.  Well, if i get to move in to it.  We are suppose to move in December 15 and transfers are next week.  So i'm hoping i'll get to move into the new apartment.  But either way i take pictures and a short viedo if i get transfered too.
 I love you mom even more than pie in the world,
Elder Corey Kimzey   

(for dad)
Things are going great here.  I got to listen to 2 sessions of General Conference.  So i was pretty excited about that.  I don't really have any plans for thanksgiving.  I guess last thanksgiving a bunch of missionaries got together to celebrate.  At the very least, i'm sure I'll make a big feast for everyone in my apartment. 
Wow, it really sounds like College Football is going to be exciting this year.  I wonder who is going to make it to the champanionship.
 My investigators are doing quite well.  Most of the arae progressing really well.  I'm hoping they will keep progressing like they are now.  That is cool that Alec is going to LA.  I'm sure he is going to love it.  I'm sure he will get to meet a wide variety of people.  I heard that Jessica got her call to Russia .  Talk about Cold.  I'm sure she'll love it anyways. 
Studying is really great.  I don't know what it is about a mission but i seem to love the scripture and love reading them more than i ever did before.  I just love really a the story(????)and seeing how they apply to me and my investigators. I study with my campanion in French.  One reason is that he doesn't really speak english.  But i like study in french because we are really studying for our investigators.    Yeah, Elder Burkhart(the other North American Elder in my apartment) and i get along really well.  We actually sometimes speak in french.  But usually we communicate with a form of Frenglish. I really love all the Elders in my Apartment right now.  WE all get along really well.  I haven't really written down all the blessings i have given, but i think that would be a good idea.  I will definetly do that from now on.  Thanks dad for all the encouragement.  I often think of the advice someone gave me that if i wanted to be a good missionary that i just needed to become like my dad.  I think this advice is true.
 I love you very much,
Elder Corey Kimzey

Life is really simple here

Waterfall in Kpalime

Bonjour ma famille,
Comment allez-vous?  J'espere que tout le monde aille bien.  (How is everyone?  I hope that you all are well)  So this week has been pretty great.  We been working with this new ami named Natalie.  She is really great.  She is one of those people that I know God has prepared way before we ever got there.  She seems to answer all the questions right and seems to understand things that most people don't.  She also always love talking with us.  The other day we were in her parcel to talk with her neighboor but her neighboor happened not to be there.  She asked of if we could teach her instead.  Of course, we were way excited to teach her.  She seems to be progressing really well, but she is going to be busy for a few weeks so we can't talk with her.  But I'm sure she'll keep progressing afterwards.

I also had another great experience this week.  We had been planning on teaching this man and maybe his two sister.  We weren't really sure who was going to be there because it was our first rendez-vous.  When we showed up there was 6 people there to listen to our message.  I was stunned.  Then we started the lesson and they are all really great people.  They asked really good questions that really applied to our lesson.  I remember we answered one woman's question about repentance.  Our answer seemed to really click with her.  It was like we were saying things she had always believed.  What a great experience!
Also this week we have been working a lot with the members.  It seems to be helping us out so much.  My testimony of working with members has grown a lot.  I can often see a great change in the expression of the ami when the member testifies of what he or she knows to be true.  It is really quite amazing.
Also today we went and played basketball again.  It was tons of fun.  It is nice and cool today. The rest of the week it has been pretty hot. I have been sweating a ton, but that okay.  It is way better than the snow.
Well, today i attached some of the photos from last week.  One is of the baptism of Desire.  The other is us going to the waterfall in Kpalime.  It was very beautiful.  Well, that was kind of the synopsis of my week.  It was short and sweet. 

 Je vous aime tous,
 Elder Corey Kimzey

Bonsoir Maman,
Ma Mere, comment va?  I know, I can't believe I've already been out for eight months.  I feel really old just saying that. 
I'm really sorry that you are still having problems with the house.  Really, what are the chances?   But I'm sure you will catch a break soon and all will turn out in the end.  But at least you can keep using Meet me in St Louis quotes. 
Well the inspections went really well  We have inspections every month.  They score us and which every apartment wins either gets to go to lunch with the Leavitts or some money.  We didn't win this time but they said it looked nice.  I was pleased with that.  Also they found us a new apartment and we will probably be moving in there next month.  The leavitts are really busy right now because we are suppose to be getting a bunch of missionaries so they are looking for new apartments.  It is pretty exciting.  A lot could be changing soon.
Thank you for the package too.  It doesn't matter if it comes in January or even Feb.  I'm just excited.
Great experince:  well, the other day that we teaching this ami and her neighboor came up to us and  asked if we could come by sometime and teach her.  We accepted and came by a few days latter.  We were talking about faith and a few other things, but we hadn't even really got to any really new doctrince when she told us she had a question.  She asked us if she could come to our church and if there were any requirments to come.  We explained that there weren't any.  She seemed really excited and told us she would come to church next sunday with a member that lives in her parcel.  We latter told the member and he seemed way shocked.  It kind of just proved to me that we never now when somebody will be open to our message.
Funny experience:  Well I can't think of an absoultely hillarous experience but something kind of funny happened today.  I was in the process of washing my clothes.  I was having a good old time washing the last shirt and singing hymns as I worked.  Then as I was finishing my last shirt, my foot slipped that was on top of the basin.  Water flew everywhere and I lost my balance and almost fell into the basin.  I was laughing pretty hard after that.  I know that was probably not very funny but I thought it was.
Bon, I love you a lot mom.  I hope you know that.  I hope your floors and kitchen come around too. 

 Je vous aime beacoup, meme plus que tarte, (I love you beacoup, even more than pie)Elder Corey Kimzey


Elder Kimzey and Elder Kalala


Dad,
Togo is great.  I love this country. Life is really simple here.  The mission has really taught me that when you leave all the other things behind and just care about the important things in life, life is so enjoyable and simple.  I love it.  That is really cool you got to judge a programming contest.  What kind of applications did they have?  I'm sure they had some really awesome applications.  What was your favorite?  I can't believe Alabama lost.  It should be intresting to see how things turn out in the end.  Although, Oregon kind of seems like they are dominating.
Yeah, i guess we might be moving from this apartment to one near the marche.  It will be closer to my secteur so that should be good.  Also we didn't win the apartment inspections.  Maybe next time we will win.  My companion and i are getting a long really well.  He is really a great missionary, so it makes it easy to get along with him.

Frenglish

As my sister Kari said this week, we might have to start looking for ESL classes for corey- he's losing his english-sorry ahead of time for all those english majors out there!
Bonjour ma famille,
Comment allez-vous?  Je vais tres bien. (cow is everyone?  I'm really well.) This week has been absolutely crazy, but was amazing at the same time. 
So to start off, we have been finding some new amis.  This two guys stopped us on the street the other day.  One of them is soccer player/ farmer(i know what an intresting combination.)  His name is Koffi.  And we also have been teaching his friend too.  His friend is from Togo but lived a long time in Nigeria.  So, he sometimes speaks Frenglish(French and English.)  I don't think he does it on purpose, but sometimes it is pretty funny.  They told us that they have been looking for the truth for a long time.  They said they don't even go to church because they are sick of them.  Then it was awesome, they reacted so well to the message of the restoration.  They seemed to find so many similarities between them and joseph smith.  They said that they really wanted to read the book of Mormon too. 
Also we have been talking to  a new ami named Germaine.  She sells stuff at a little store.  She is super nice.  We started talking to us about baptism.  She was very recpetive to our message.  So, we are really excited about her.
The best day of the week was saturday.  We had a some really good lesson in the morning and left to Tokoin for the baptism.  There was actually quite a few people getting baptized.  I think there was 6 people.  We had one baptism(Desire.)  So it was really great because i had the opportunity to baptize him.  Also the missionaries of Be Pota asked if I could baptize there canidate too.  So i got to baptize two people.  What an occasion(does that work in english?)
So we usually have a little baptism service beforehand.  It went really well, so i was very pleased.  Then the amis of tokoin were the first to get baptized.  So we all went outside to watch and wait for our turn.  Then when the second candidate of Tokoin was being baptized, she passed out as she was coming out of the water.  So a bunch of people came and helped her.  She turned out to be ok.  I guess she just didn't have the habit of going under water.  She had never been swimming or anything, so the sensation of going underwater kind of freaked her out.  After that i was nervous that my ami would be kind of freaked out.  But he totally wasn't.  The baptism went really well.  He seemed very excited.  He is really going to be a great member. 
So this week turned out to be awesome.  It ended so well.  It is so crazy to think about sometimes how we are helping people recieve ordannces and accept the gospel.  Sometimes it is daunting to think about it, but with heavenly help it is possible. 
Thank you all for the many emails, letters, and words of encouragement.  Also today was pretty great, we went up to Kpalime.  It is a small town/village that is 2 hours away.  It was super cool.  We met the familly of this member.  Some of them didn't speak much french but it was fun to practice our ewe.  We went and saw a cocca and caffine plant.  Then we went and saw this huge waterfall.  I took a bunch of picture.  It was beautiful and it reminded me a lot of the time my familly and i spent in Costa Rica.  I forgot my camera cord today, but i will defintely try and send the picture back next time.I thought you like the title too. The ou bien, ai-je menti is a really common phrase here meaning or what, have i lied.  I love it when people say it.  Also people sometimes for saying thank you they say C'est Gratuit, meaning it is free.  I like that one too. Well, thank for everything. 
Je vous aime et je vous souhaite les bon choses, (I love you and I wish you all good things)
Elder Corey Kimzey