We had a great time talking with Elder Rybin on Mother's Day - despite the time waiting to connect! Love those talks! Here are some of his comments about his missionary life.
Travel between Cotonou, Benin and Lome, Togo is about 3-4
hours. Roads are pretty beat up. There are a lot of big old semi truck that
were used in the 1960's. They drive a 15
passenger van between countries and when they transport many missionaries. The mission also has a truck. He saw a camel on the road yesterday, a one
hump Sally, with the top of the hump about 7-8 feet.
Elder Rybin was in Togo for a transfer. They are taking a lot of missionaries back to
Benin. The mission is opening a new area
in Porto Novo, the capital city of Benin.
They are super busy with meetings, driving around. His companionship does not have a lot of
investigators. They have zone
conferences. They do splits with the
missionaries after zone conferences. The
last one he went with a Congolais Elder and a new elder.
When asked about the differences between the Togolais and
the Beninois people, he said the Togolais might be a little bit friendlier.
In his area there is a group - not a branch or a
ward. The group was split off from the
branch in Cococodji because there were too many people attending. The group meets in the missionary's
home. They have 50-65 people
attending. They have sacrament meeting,
then primary (outside), YM/YW, Relief Society and Priesthood. A person is called as the "Chef de
Groupe" - group leader.
As a missionary it is hard when their investigators are
not able to read the scriptures.
Azandé means goodbye in both Fon (Benin) and Eve (Togo).