Zone Conference in Monrovia Zone

Monrovia Zone Conference.  Elder Kimball isn't in the picture because he was doing GPS coordinates for the Monrovia Districts.  It is an all day job going from home to home.  Beside Sister Kimball is our Church Service Missionary Couple, Elder and Sister Smith.  They work with the Young Single Adults Outreach.

Elder Essel, Elder Okeke and Elder Milton "posing" for the snap.

Water!  Always a big drawing point! They are surrounding a large water jug with ice.

Elder Moss and Elder Lambson...MTC mates.

Elders Moss, Lambson, Boateng and Stott.  All were at the MTC together but Elder Boateng.  He came out a few months earlier.

Elder Taylor and Elder Priddis on their way seeking the true in heart after Zone Conference.

Elder Chikwendu and Elder Stott

During Zone Conference in the Sinkor Chapel....

Waiting for transport...

Saying goodbyes till the next Zone Conference...

Along the river as we drove back to Kenema from the Liberian border.

some of the road we drove on....

The Drive back from Liberia to Kenema through the villages...

The road is very dry and dusty now compared to the drive April to November when it is so wet and muddy.  When these big ruts are filled with water, it can be a challenge.  It is still a very pretty four-hour drive from the Liberian border to Kenema---even though the road is rough, dusty, rutty, rocky and long. I love to see the villages and people along the way.   We'll post pictures of the missionaries tonight.

Nothing as handsome as a man with an apron....

Assistants helping Sister Kimball with dishes yesterday....She only had these "cute" aprons for them to wash and rinse with....since we have bleach in the water to clean the dishes, it is important to make sure that one's clothes aren't ruined by it.....We are grateful for their quick offers to help and digging right into the big pile of dishes....thank you parents for your sons' good upbringing....

It wasn't this difficult for Eve...

 The fruit.....way   up   there....  how to get it?

 Still too short...

Extension of PVC pipe taped to together with make-shift wire hook on the end? 

The fruit?  Avocado!  Yes, Elder Grabau and Elder Hickey got one down but it still isn't ripe...maybe in a few more days they will reach for it again.

Going Home, Coming In and Moving Around

Elder Nyarko and Elder Eshun at the Mission Home prior to leaving the next morning to Ghana after serving a faithful two-year mission.

Elders Nyarko, Allred, Eshun and Ewudzie.

Elder Laneri and Elder Eshun served together as the Freetown Zone Leaders a few transfers ago, so it was hard for them to say good-bye. Elder Patterson and Elder Nyarko looking on.

Elder Eshun and Elder Nyarko were both Zone Leaders during their mission. They carried a lot of responsibility and helped direct the Lord's work. 

Off they go to the Lungi Airport then fly to Accra, Ghana.  We will miss both of you very much but we know you will add so much to your wards and stakes in Ghana!

Elder Assumang from Accra, Ghana just arriving to start his mission!  Freetown will be his first area to serve.

Elder Buckman from Ghana also.  He will be serving in Freetown, too.

Just waiting to get in the van so the assistants can drive to Bo... And others waiting for their new companions to arrive...

Elder Smoot enjoying some cool water from the water dispenser.  It's been pretty hot and dry now for a while and cold water is a luxury.

Packing up the truck to go first to Bo then on to the Liberian border.  Elder and Sister Kimball will meet Markus at the border and transfer missionaries.

Elder Lambson and Elder Njaga listening to Sister Patterson's instructions about their passports.  She takes care of all the paper work for the missionaries such as: passports, visas and residence permits.  Sister Kimball does the residence permits for Liberia.  So much paper work, and these dear sisters do a great job of keeping us all up-to-date.-

Elder Norton and Elder Visser, one of our changed companionships.  Elder Norton has been in Freetown but not in this apartment and area. 

Oh, the trauma!  Elder Norton and Elder Lambson have been together for almost 8 months--- flying from Salt Lake City, Ghana MTC, and sharing the same missionary apartment but never assigned here as  companions.  Elder Lambson is going to Liberia (along with Elders Njaga and Ogama) while Elder Norton will be in the apartment next to the Mission Office.  Saturday, we are off to Liberia ourselves for Monrovia Zone Conference. 

Elder Hickey and Elder Grabau, our assistants, were so excited on Saturday because 13 Sierra Leoneans desired to follow the Savior and be baptized as a result of their teaching and testifying of Jesus Christ.  Sunday, they were all confirmed in Sacrament Meeting as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Several received the Aaronic Priesthood also...It was a weekend for joy!

 More pics when we come home next week...



Bo Zone Feb 9th

When we are up at 5 a.m and on the road at 6 a.m., we see the most beautiful sunrises as we drive to Bo.

Another angle of the sunrise...

We see lots of children on their way to school at that time of day.  They have no school bus.  They walk and walk and walk.

This poor guy really had a heavy load of wood on his bike going uphill.

How about this for a nice little hut?

 

Yesterday, Elder Mansuray came home from serving 2 years as a full-time missionary in the Nigeria Enugu Mission.  Today as we drove to Bo, we brought him with us to drop him off at his home there.  This is his mother and cousin who were walking along the road.  They were so excited to see him!  His mother insisted that we drive behind them so she could get home to welcome him properly.  (We would have driven her but were packed.)  It was so touching because she ran from house to house clapping telling everyone that her son was home. 

Elder Mansuray, was so thrilled to see his family: cousins, sisters, brothers, grandparents, parents.  They were a lovely family and just so hospitable!

Elder Kenner and Elder Vogl at the Njaboima Chapel in Bo where we had our Bo Zone Conference.

Elder Nyarko, Elder Hickey and Elder Eshun.  Elder Nyarko and Elder Eshun go home to Ghana next week.  They are such good individuals.  We will miss them.  They have a great love for the Lord and the people.

Bo Zone missionaries waiting for conference to start.

Elder Eyinda singing with Elder Kenner playing (he said his mother would like to know that he is playing the piano.  This is one of the few chapels that has one).

We know it looks like all missionaries do is eat.  Since they cook on their own and buy food on their own, a meal that someone else makes is a real treat.  They work so hard from 10 in the morning until the evening teaching and talking to people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is no forcing here only gentle invitation to follow Jesus Christ.

THE BO ZONE....although transfers are next week...where will the changes take place.  We receive two new elders from West Africa on Tuesday.  And yes, another trip to Liberia overland driving starting the 19th.



Our recent visitors...

We had Br. Danel Yirenya-Tawiah, Area Welfare Manager for the Africa West Area and Elder Freebody Mensa, Area Seventy of the Africa West Area.  President Roggia traveled with them to Bo and Freetown for coordinating council meetings.  They are a delight. We valued all of their instruction and inspired messages concerning the poor, the needy and developing self-reliance.  (Elder Mensa was in Monrovia, Liberia last week with us.)

Freetown Zone and snaps for the Grandkids

Elder Hickey and Elder Grabau sharing their pizza creation.  They used Lebanese flatbread, found a pizza sauce, used some summer sausage sent from home, cheese and spices.  It was very yum!  Nice having great cooks for assistants.

We found some boxed milk on the shelf.  We can also find powdered milk.  This particular brand was selling for $1 each.  It tastes like milk and probably more like an evaporated variety---but works on cereal or oatmeal.

While waiting for the water taxi bus we saw these fine looking lizards!

As we returned from the airport and were waiting in traffic, we looked up and saw all the bats flying to the great big cotton tree in the center of the city of Freetown.  If you look closely, you will see at least two bats flying.  Just amazing to see right in the middle of the day!

Elder Norton smiling among everyone else preparing to sit down for Freetown Zone Conference.

Lunch.

More lunch...

Elders Ewudzie, Lanari, Allred, Adjei, Visser and Njaga after Zone Conference.  They piled into our vehicle and we took them down the mountain to the mission office.

We saw this very large wall hanging at a cafe' called Momba Point. It was about 2 ft long.  It is a hotel and restaurant.  Grandkids, can you find the fly?

 These weapons were about three feet long.

More wall hangings...about four feet long

My little yellow birds that greet me at the kitchen window every day.  Although, the one with the black head in the upper left is someone new...

What are these called, grandkids?  That is all for now---we go to Bo the 9th and 10th for the Bo Zone Conference.