Liberia, Freetown and Bo

Zone Conference in Liberia.

Zone Conference in Freetown

Zone Conference in Bo

Our internet has been poor....so will try to post more in the next few days.  It was wonderful being with Elder and Sister Cardon.  

We're leaving on a jet plane....but first the water taxi.

Before Elder Bird and the Jones left, we went to a place called "Country Lodge". It was a very nice place with a beautiful view toward the ocean.  We saw a lovely sunset.  

That was a gorgeous sunset!!.

Elder and Sister Jones, in the middle, with us and Elder and Sister Patterson, on the docks before they got on the Echo Water Taxi to get to the airport.

Elder Bird in his suit...it hung in the closet for two years...fits just fine...it is his father's.  We'll miss you Elder Bird.

With Elder Bird going home, Elder Gunderson needed a new companion. Our new assistant to the president:  Elder Hickey (on the left.) It is an inspired call...  

The Echo Water Taxi that takes Elder Bird and Elder and Sister Jones to the airport.  We'll be on it Friday as we fly to Ghana, then to Liberia for a few days.  When it is raining so much, the roads are nearly impassable to Liberia so we have to fly.  We'll take lots of pictures of our missionaries in Liberia.

Down to the taxi they go, after the 45 minute ride to the airport, they have about 36 hours of flying to get back home.  Thanks for all your unselfish service to the people in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Sleeping securely....

Our bed.... an ordinary bed, right?  Ahh-h, not so....

Princess and the Pea? (very colorful mattresses here and about $25 a piece.)

No, it becomes a Cinderella bed (at least that's what I call it!)  Every missionary in the mission sleeps under a net to keep out the malaria mosquitoes. The ones that carry malaria only come out between dusk and dawn... It feels quite secure under there...

Although, I don't think this little bird, on the right, felt so secure with these two vultures a few feet away!  I looked out the kitchen window and caught this scenario.

Speaking of secure....looking off our balcony is the United States of America Embassy.  All the houses to the left are enclosed in the compound.  What we love to see the most every day is.....

Old Glory

Sierra Leone and Liberian Missionaries leaving for Nigeria,... and Mary Kay?

Elder Bangura is going to the Nigeria Enugu Mission.  His mother and sister attended his setting apart by President Roggia.  His mother is such a nice, gentle lady.  I'd love to just sit, talk and hear all about her life.

Elder Jusu received his call to go to the Nigeria Lagos Mission.  He and his aunt were the first ones there at the mission office waiting for the doors to open.  He was so eager and happy.

Left to right:  Elder Sesay (to Nigeria Enugu Mission), Elder Bayon (Nigeria Lagos Mission), President Roggia, ElderJabbie (also Nigeria Lagos Mission), Elder Bangura (Nigeria Enugu Mission), Elder Jusu (Nigeria Lagos Mission).  An elder from Liberia also left today out of Monrovia. She will go to the MTC in Ghana also. What a great picture of Elders on their way to serve a two-year full-time mission!  They all had family with them.  We had a class on finances and the assistants to the president gave them a class about mission rules and safety.

It was a happy day for them and for us.

The Senior Couples made them lunches to take and then they were packed up into the van.  Off they went to the docks where they get on the water taxi to get to the airport.  It's about a 45 minute ride on the water.  They wait a couple hours then fly to the Ghana Missionary Training Center for 21 days before they arrive in Nigeria.  They are actually at the MTC with the missionaries that will arrive in our mission Sept 1st.

Driving along the road that goes to our mission home, we see this car with a familiar (and an unlikely to be found here in Freetown) sign in the window....

We had to take a picture to have proof that we actually saw it....

Everyone needs a little "balance" in their life...

Here in Africa, everyone uses their head...

Whether it be sacks on the head....

Or merchandise on platters or bread in buckets.

Or nearly empty buckets (that little building sells phone cards, etc)

Big loads or small loads

Colorful large loads

Even in the rain...

No matter what the age...

Or in casual conversation...

Of course, this way is best for precious little ones... (taken in Relief Society)

Missionaries throughout the mission

We set up three long tables at the Bo building's multipurpose room and fed 20 hungry missionaries after zone conference. (president is sitting at the very end) This time we ordered chicken and fries from Sabs.  It is a Lebanese restaurant that makes some good food reasonably priced.  He'll make hamburgers and fries for us too.  We had some cookies and ice water that we brought from Freetown.

There they go....

We took these pictures in July while we were in Liberia outside of one of the chapels.  We'll be back in Liberia in August.

Elders Allred, Emanuelson and Chaparadza heading off to Bo last transfer in July.

Elder Moss and Elder Stott (sitting) (last transfer in July) on their way to Liberia and waiting patiently in the mission office for the four-wheel drive Ford Everest to take them on their long journey.  

On a personal note.....

We had our 10th grandchild this week: Seth Rocco Roggia...so sweet.

Mom, check out these brands...

I'll have to look up what kind of cattle they are, but there are cattle here in Sierra Leone.  As we drove to Kenema, these were being herded down the middle of the road.  I was interested in the brands.  Definitely not like what Dad and Jim did.

This old bull only had one long horn and a brand that looked like a lion had grabbed his hind quarters plus the big "x" on his ribs.

This one looked the most complicated of them all....talk about a lot of zeros or circles all over.

There are other brands harder to make out.  These aren't registered Angus but they are obviously in good shape and belong to a growing herd.  Most of these were bulls and healthy.  So, just for you, Mom, thought you'd like to know that there are cattle ranches in Sierra Leone just like in Montana.

Zone Conferences and on the road...

  Bo Zone Conference August 5th, 2010.  Next to President Roggia is his counselor, Pres. Libby.   

                                                                                

Freetown Zone Conference, August 6th, 2010.

Our wonderful Senior Couples: L to R:  Elder and Sister Patterson,

Elder and Sister Neves, us, and Elder and Sister Jones.  The Jones'  have served a faithful 18 month mission. They return home with honor August 17th.  We will all miss them.

As we drive from Bo to Freetown, we pass many interesting vehicles.  This one wins the prize!  We are going down the road at about 60 mph/120 kph.  Here is this fellow standing on top of this truck with a load of wood.  The exhaust was so black because we were starting uphill and it was a heavy load.  This man turned around, saw us, gave us two thumbs up (you'll have to enlarge it) and was smiling the whole time.  How he stood up there and didn't fall going down the road so fast is amazing to us!

Batik, Bananas, Birthday, Flowers and lizards

 We found this batik last Monday.  It's the size of a large tableclothe.  Of course, it had to be blue and white.  These were the same colors at our wedding reception nearly 34 years ago.

We have bananas at the mission office that are nearly ready to eat.  We are fascinated with watching them ripen.

Sis. Patterson baked a yummy cake and Elder Jones got ice cream for Elder Gunderson's birthday.  He is one of our assistants to the president.  We really value their constant insight..

Aren't these so unique and colorful?

Tons and tons of lizards....