Harbel, Hearts and Homecomings

While in Liberia, we attended Harbel Branch which is about an hour from Monrovia.  It is a Mission Branch located on the Firestone rubber tree plantation.  This is the school room used for Sunday meetings.  With charcoal smoke, roosters crowing, homemade school chairs of various sizes and sunshine streaming through the cement slats, we had our Sacrament Meeting, Gospel Doctrine and Combined Priesthood and Relief Society meetings with faithful Saints.  It is a big step-up from the previous meeting place and an appreciated blessing.

We love the Youth! After the Sunday meetings are over, these deacons and teachers carry the plastic chairs and sacrament table to a secure location for the week.  Then, carry them back to the school room the next Sunday.

Corn field and well next to the school room.  The Harmattan season is still here with sand laden skies.

Elder Kirkham with previous branch president and wife.

These are the rubber trees at the Harbel Firestone plantation.  The little red cups catch the  drops of  white latex sap for making tires, etc.  There are acres and acres of rows of trees like this on the plantation. It is the largest rubber-tree farm in the world started in 1926.  

The LDS Charities, along with the Humanitarian Couple, (Sister Miles on right), taught neonatal resuscitation classes in Monrovia. Each trainee received their own 'baby' to demonstrate to other midwives how to help newborn babies have a heart beat and breathe.  The class was well received and participation was excellent.  Thank you Dr. Lind and Dr. Jensen!

Sitting in the airport in Liberia.  We were on the same flight from Monrovia to Ghana with the returning sister missionaries.

Sister Asmah-Davies, in pink dress, was met at the airport by her mother, sister and two brothers.  All of her siblings have served missions!  It was a joy to see a family welcoming home their missionary at the Ghana Accra Airport. We rarely  witness such homecomings in Africa. It was so satisfying and wonderful to see! To hug her mother and thank her was a delight for me.  The other three returning sisters spent the night at the Alma House and were on the morning flights to Nigeria and Uganda.   

More... Last Week

Sister Addo, arrived last week with her trainer Sister Nyamekye. First Zone meal.

Elder LaMont experiencing his first zone conference meal.  Rice, chicken, cole slaw and a banana.

Elder Nabende with Elder Dahlin tasting his first zone meal.  Only with fried plantains...

Elder Park...the rice was not as spicy as usual...so a good way to begin life in Liberia.

Elder Sekrime and Elder Kamara with his first zone meal also.  Even though Elder Kamara is from Sierra Leone, the food in Liberia is different, more spice and different preparations.

Elder Smith and Elder Willis, Monrovia Zone Leaders

Elder Harris and Elder Essego (center) Bushrod Island Zone Leaders with Assistants.

Elder Anderson and Elder Pentreath

Special tie with handprints of nieces and nephews...great idea!

Sisters Udenwa and Akwuruoha

Sister Krumm getting just the right snap!

Elder Pentreath was so very, very excited when Elder Hezseltine introduced himself.  His British accent was music to Elder Pentreath's British ears!

yum..

Elder Egbu and Elder Conners

Elder Okello from Uganda joined us on the flight to Freetown from Accra. He worked a few days in the Ghana Accra Mission while waiting for his visa to Sierra Leone. Welcome Elder Okello!  Elder Donaldson will be his trainer.

THIS COMING WEEK

We have four zone conferences in Freetown and Bo; so, I will post more pictures of our wonderful missionaries afterward.

Last week in Liberia...(with more to come)

Sister Lamwaka, Sister Asmah-Davies, Sister Akpanumah, Sister Usen:  All returned home with honor on Thursday after serving 18 months.

Elder Willis catching up with his companion who just went through the door...

Elder Miles showing Elder Hill, one of our Liberia Assistants, how real ping pong is done!

Oh-h, my arms would be so tired pulling this wheelbarrow behind the motorbike.

Sister Lemah and Sister Agbonifo

Elder Finau and his companion running out to the truck to pick up some wash tubs from Elder Kirkham as we are driving to zone conference.

Elder Widdison, Elder Sekrime, Elder Park and Elder Skouson

Assistants: Elder Hill and Elder Addo.  They and the zone leaders did an excellent instruction about "holding to the iron rod".

Elder Elliott receiving his first "dear elder" letter with Elder Humphreys sharing the fun!

Mail, cameras, smiles and pondering.

Elder Kamara's first letter on mission with Elder Sekrime

Mail means so much!

New Missionaries arriving in Liberia: Elder Kamara from Sierra Leone.  He was surprised to get his mission call to the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission.  He, of course, will stay in Liberia.

Elder Park from the USA

Elder Dahlin from the USA (with his "from-someone-special" Texas tie)

Elder and Sister Hezseltine arrived last week.  We are so happy to have them in the Mission!  Welcome!

Sister Addo from Ghana.

Elder LaMont from the USA

3000th Stake Organized in Sierra Leone

New and Old

Elder Gherkins is in Freetown Zone with Elder Bogh.

Elder Gyewu-Appiah is in Bo West Zone with Elder Turner.

Sister Apiyo is in Bo West Zone with Sister Attiogbe.

Elder Losee in Freetown East Zone with Elder Baffoe-Appiah. 

Elder Ngerem and Elder Walker in Bo.

Greeting the missionaries after arriving in Bo while waiting for the chapel to open. President Roggia was finishing interviews with each missionary in January.

At the Kenema Apartment with all the elders.  We were looking at pictures on the camera of all the other missionaries.  We love our missionaries!

Elder Clawson found this "Remember Who You Are" towel in Kenema.  It hangs  in the living area for all in the apartment to see it.

Assistants washing dishes at the Schlehubers.

The beginning of a pineapple! Beautiful!

Elder and Sister Schlehuber's plantains ripening... Flying to Liberia today.  Will post pictures of missionaries in Liberia after the 15th.