HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEN, ON THE 15th. Hope you and Dann enjoy the day together.
The past two weeks have sped by so quickly--we have been really busy with school projects, in which we got to visit 3 of the 33 schools we helped with school kits. It was so wonderful to visit with the children; they are well-trained by their teachers and very polite, thankful for the Church's help in providing supplies for the less advantaged among them. We also have set up appointments to work with the Red Cross, but don't have any specifics yet.
Our good friend here, James, went with us last Thursday to see and evaluate areas of the city which do not have water in their homes. They use a central well and carry it to their homes, often over a few miles. The Church's project would pay for piping the water from the central system into the individual homes, a marvelous help to the people. We are happy to be representatives of such an organization which helps so many.
A funny happening this past week is about one of the district leader elders who had just moved into a newly built place, with no water or electricity turned on yet (the electric company is slow to go to the homes and flip the switch, so to speak). The elder lay down on his mattress on the floor (his metal bed was rusted and broke when they tried to move it on the truck), so he wanted a short power nap. He happened to be chewing gum, and when he woke up, there were ants in his mouth wanting the sweetness of the gum! Yukky! but funny to write home about!
It is Carnival time here, Jan. through March. It is much like the Mardi Gras in New Orleans, except here the revelers (only a small part of the people) paint themselves, wear wierd and scary costumes, and parade through the streets, beating loudly on drums. In fact, they are doing it right now in the afternoon, as I write this, but more often it is in the evening; thankfully never late at night. It all ends before Easter, so they can repent and be "clean" for that day! It seems harmless to many of the young people, but the spirit in the group is much like a hard-rock concert with tons of people and anything can happen. The Church plans alternative activities for the youth on these scheduled nights of revelry, but some still go to the festivities. The elders and sisters have a harder time with proselyting during Carnival months because the ordinary population doesn't want to repent until the FUN is over!
The Church is growing well here, though, and we are headed to a baptism this afternoon. We had Zone Conference last week, and District (branches) Conference in 3 weeks, visitors from Germany in early March (our Area supervisors), and members of the General Sunday School and General Young Men presidencies are coming the first weekend of March to speak to the members, especially the youth.
We are thinking of each of you with much love, and pray for you every day.
Love, Elder and Sister Goff (Dad and Mom, Grandpa and Grandma, etc., etc.)
Sister missionaries in our zone, with mission president's wife at far right, Jan. 30.
A good friend at a couples' dinner for the district. He has only been a member for 6 months, is the branch mission leader, and has brought over 15 people onto the Church.
School children with their kits.
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