Pressing Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ

April 2026

Our three days with Chris and Ang were wonderful and flew by far too quickly. They were gracious hosts, but we knew they needed to get back to their full-time calling as mission leaders.

I was grateful for the opportunity to get a glimpse into their mission life. They were always busy—even while taking a couple of days to spend with us.

They were fielding phone calls, answering emails, and managing illnesses.

They were preparing for mission health council meetings and an upcoming zone conference.

They were hosting us, overseeing their missionaries, and FaceTiming with their children and grandchildren back home.

They were celebrating the achievements of recently released missionaries and cheering on the successes of those still serving.

They were busy, and they were happy.

The love they had for their missionaries was unmistakable. They seemed to glow whenever they talked about them. I found myself both overwhelmed by all they were juggling and inspired by the joy they found in their service.

West Africa is blessed to have President and Sister Vore, and I am grateful we had the chance to spend time with them.

Our Final Day in Senegal

April 7, 2026

For our last day in Senegal, we took a ferry to Ngor beach and had a wonderful, relaxing day together.

There were little shops like this both on the mainland and on the island. These two were nicer than most of the shops we saw, which I assume was because the island attracts more tourists.

This man had more than fifty tiny birds in a cage. For a small fee, you could make a wish as he released one of the birds into the sky.

We saw horses everywhere in Senegal. They are still commonly used for work, hauling everything from lumber and bricks to carts filled with supplies.

The ferry ride with part of the city in the background.

There were a few people selling souvenirs, but they were very respectful and quiet in their approach, which we appreciated.

We purchased a few bracelets and couple of small fabric satchels from this mother/daughter team.

The young men in this picture were very kind and quietly lingered nearby, hoping we might agree to a pedicure. Eventually, we all caved and got one.

Ang was so cute about the young men. She had a huge smile and just kept commenting to us about how impressed she was with how hard they were working.  

Chris did all of the negotiating of prices because he is the most fluent in French. I think he was very generous with the  payments and tips. They love the people of West Africa and know how hard it can be to earn a living.

Parker, Ang and I went on a walk around the island. There were beautiful cobbled streets, pretty flowers, and colorful buildings.

We had a late lunch at a restaurant right on the water and then traveled back to our Airbnb so Chris and Ang could attend a mission health meeting on Zoom.

Later that evening, we walked across the street to the fancy lighthouse restaurant. I was cracking up because this dog was stationed at the entrance, but it didn't even faze the Vores. There was also a pen with goats on the side of the hill about 10 feet away.

We ate outdoors and there was a live band. We walked to the top story of the place and could see the city. So fun!

Also, I'm not sure what day this lunch/dinner happened, but Chris found a restaurant with great reviews a couple of blocks from our place. This is a picture of our shared meal which was delicious. (Fish, rice, carrots, eggplant and cabbage with meat pies on the side.)

I'm so grateful it worked out that we were able to visit them. Ngor Island was the perfect way to spend our last day in Senegal—relaxing by the water, wandering colorful streets, enjoying good food, and spending time with people we love. .

Packed with Love

April 2026

Before we left, we wanted to find a way to serve the Saints in West Africa. Ang mentioned that some missionaries begin their missions with only two or three white shirts to last the entire two years, so we thought a white-shirt drive would be the perfect project.

We shared invitations with friends and family, and so many people stepped up to help. In the end, we collected more than 80 white shirts, which were distributed to missionaries in both the Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission and the Ghana Accra East Mission.

Many friends from the Odessa 1st Ward and several Gwilliam and Vore family members participated. In addition, a few families from our stake and some of Parker's friends donated shirts as well. Most purchased shirts through Amazon. Others donated shirts they no longer needed, although men's small and medium sizes can be hard to come by in a typical U.S. closet.

A friend in our ward, Cathy Bonifay, generously offered to alter the long-sleeved shirts, converting them into short-sleeved shirts. It truly was a group effort, and Chris and Ang were very grateful for everyone's kindness and generosity.

Grandpa Vore also took on a little service project of his own for the mission leaders. He sent them a suitcase filled with all sorts of goodies—pistachios, beef jerky, medicine, socks, brown sugar, granola bars and other favorite items—to help them feel loved and supported. 

Between the white shirts for the missionaries and the care package for Chris and Angelique, it felt a bit like Christmas morning. They are working so hard to spread the gospel and love their missionaries. I am glad they were able to feel some love and support from home.

Lions, Missionaries, and a Senegal Safari

April 6, 2026

Monday we started off by going to the Bandia Lion Reserve. We met up with a senior missionary couple, the Hydes, who are serving a humanitarian mission. It was so interesting to hear about the programs they are helping facilitate for our brothers and sisters in West Africa. 

I'm probably going to get some of the details wrong, but I'll try to share one of the programs. Individuals can receive a microloan to start a poultry business. They receive training on proper chicken and egg care, along with instruction on how to run a small business. Then they are given an incubator and eggs. After 21 days of incubation, it's go time! They have a solid foundation for building a profitable business through poultry farming, egg production, or both.

At the reserve, they drive you into a large enclosure with the lions. Then the employees place raw meat on the roof of the truck, and the lions crunch, drool, and slobber as they eat it directly over your head. It's quite the experience.

Here is a video of some of our adventure.

Because the lions and lionesses are at a preserve and getting fed regularly, they feed them horse and donkey meat, which is leaner and less fatty.

These animals are massive, and I really had no idea just how large they were until I was sitting so close to them. Their bodies stretched nearly the length of the truck, and just look at the size of this paw.

Chris & Angelique Vore, me, Brian and Parker

After the lion experience, we headed down the road to the Bandia Wildlife Safari. The missionaries serving in Senegal were able to join us on their P-day (preparation day) for an African safari.

They were from Nigeria, the Republic of Congo, Australia, the United States, and probably a few other countries as well. They were happy to be together. Chris and Ang moved from one group of elders to the next, chatting with them mostly in French.

Luckily for us, almost all of them knew at least some English, and we were able to visit with them too. Parker fit right in with the group. They talked about missions, school, and the MTC (Missionary Training Center). It was fun for me to watch Parker interacting with them and to think that he had been serving just a couple of countries away not too long ago.

We had also brought some Fun Dip candy to share. The elders from the U.S. were thrilled to have a little taste of home, and the other missionaries were eager to try it.

There was a small gift shop (with A/C!) and an outdoor art market.

It was hot and dry. I was thirsty. Everyone was thirsty. After about a 90-minute wait, we loaded onto a truck to see the wildlife.

The land was parched, but Chris and Ang said it looks completely different during the rainy season. 

Afterwards, we ate at the restaurant. Parker was just so happy for the missionaries. He would shake his head and say, "They will remember this forever." Or "We never did anything like this in our mission." 

Elder Hyde took care of preordering the food, and he ordered a large pizza per missionary. Parker was so happy for them. He knows the poverty most missionaries from Africa have experienced their entire lives. I think watching them enjoy such an amazing P-day brought him almost as much happiness as if the day had been planned just for him.