No, you cut the tomatoes!

Bonjour!

This was a pretty eventful week, so I'll get right into it.

On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to do some service. We helped Fr. Honoré, the first counselor, with his job, which is basically yardwork/landscaping. We got some machetes and cut down some weeds, and other plants. Tigi was there to help us as well. I've never done this before, so I asked where I could cut to make sure I was doing it right. I start hashing, and then not even 30 seconds later Tigi yells "no you cut the tomatoes!" And not too much longer after that, Honoré comes by to make sure we are doing the job right, and I heard him say under his breath, "he cut the tomatoes." Sorry to whoever owns that land, but I cut your tomatoes.

On Thursday the Jeffcoats came to Kpalime, and we had the opportunity to go with them to visit a Nigerian family. It was just me and Elder Rogers who went, since we speak English. The family lives about 30 minutes north of Kpalime, in a village called Adeta. We had the opportunity to teach the whole family, and the father, who is not a member. Then, they gave us some amazing rice, and some beef that, for once, wasn't cooked passed well done. We also came back to Kpalime to see Barnaby, a friend of the Jeffcoats, who works at the Artisinal. We got to visit the Artisinal and see all the cool hand-made wood products, and paintings. We finished our exchange by finding some new people to teach, as well as taking some pictures with some random children.

Saturday night I felt really sick, and it continued into Sunday morning. Luckily, the Jeffcoats were still here, so I told them about it at church. I was honestly scared that it was malaria again, because it felt like the same symptoms, and it's been a while since the last time I had it. However, I got a malaria test, and it came back as negative, so it's just some sort of virus. We stayed in the whole day yesterday.

I love the Book of Mormon, especially when it talks about the atonement of Jesus Christ. I'll share one of my favorite scriptures on this subject:

"Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more." (2 Nephi 9:7)

The atonement is such an incredible and complex topic that it often appears incomprehensible. Often, we cannot understand how one man could do all of this for us. However, we know that it was done, and because of this, we are no longer subject to an endless and eternal torment. It is something I have grown more and more grateful for.

I hope that you are all doing well! Have a great week!

Elder Orchard