Meeting Legends - Ahoutoué, Côte d'Ivoire

Hey everyone! Its been a crazy week.

I got transferred to a tiny village called Ahoutoué on Saturday. It's a bit of a change from my last area but it also feels like a bit of a return to pace. Serving in tiny villages is always the best. 

Elder Leight and I got news on Thursday that we would be moving to the same apartment to train a couple of new Elders. Friday was spent going from house to house and breaking the news to all of our amis and members from Atlantique and Aéro-cité. There were a few really difficult goodbyes.

I think the hardest goodbye was with Frère Koffi. Elder Leight and I found him my first day in that area. Over the last 3 months, he has become more converted to the Gospel than any other ami that I've worked with. He was sad to see us go and said "Je ne vais jamais vous oublier," or, "I will never forget you."

On Saturday, we met our new trainees and made our way to Alépé, the village where our apartment is. My companion is named Elder Ho Ching and he's from California. It's really fun to be with a new Elder. We have a few tiny villages that we cover and I'm really excited to get to know them.

Yesterday we had our first sacrament meeting with one of our branches. The branch is very small, only a dozen or people or so, but all of those people are really awesome, dedicated members.

In that sacrament meeting, I met two people that I've been waiting to meet for a long time. Phillipe and Annelies Assard were the first members in Côte d'Ivoire. Phillipe left for Germany in the 70s for school. While there, he met and married Annelies. After meeting the missionaries and being baptized, they moved to Côte d'Ivoire to bring the Gospel to Phillipe's homeland. 

Ever since I read about their story at the beginning of my mission, I've wanted nothing more than to have the opportunity to shake their hands. 

Yesterday, Elder Ho Ching and I were the first to arrive at our small church building in Ahoutoué. Not long after who walked in but none other than Phillipe and Annelies Assard.

Of all of the places that they could have chosen to live, they live in Ahoutoué, the smallest village you've ever seen. It was so amazing to meet them and to be a part of the small branch with them.

This week has been really good. I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead in our little village. 

Thank you all and have a great week, 

Elder Farr