June 21st arrivals...

New Missionaries receiving orientation from the assistants and President Roggia at the Mission Office in Freetown.

The next day after the missionaries arrived we had a full day of orientation for them before they left with their Trainers.

 Elder Raymond whose trainer is Elder Elder Lambson

 Elder Brownson whose trainer is Elder Kenner

Elder Nyaku whose trainer is Elder Allred

 Elder Barth whose trainer is Elder Stott

 Elder Hill whose trainer is Elder Norton

Elder Tawiah whose trainer is Elder Wood

 Elder Esiaba whose trainer is Elder Vaughan

 Elder Otaniyuwa whose trainer is Elder Kotey

 Elder Expo whose trainer is Elder Marveh

Elder Goncolo whose trainer is Elder Jenkins

Preparing to head out to their new areas....

We followed this van on the road to Liberia.  We thought the message was appropriate to the new missionaries.  Although, "luck" has nothing to do with their success or happiness.  It includes prayer, obedience, pondering the scriptures, loving their fellowman and  the desire to serve the Lord with all their heart, might, mind and strength.

Through the jungle to Liberia to make transfers

These are the roads to Liberia during the rainy season.

Lead truck is Markus driving, our mission driver, with him are Elders Raymond, Ekpo, and Svongwa, and Otaniyuwa. In our Ford Everest, we have Elders Smoot, Priddis, Moyo, Guzha and President/me. We met up with the Senior Couples carrying the missionaries that were coming to Sierra Leone.  We make the switch at the Liberian/Sierra Leone border.  Markus turned around and returned to Bo, Sierra Leone and we continued on to Monrovia, Liberia.

 

  We traveled for five hours on this road to arrive at the border.

New Assistant, on the road and Liberia

  Elder Priddis is the new assistant.  Elder Smoot leaves next transfer so he is teaching Elder Priddis all he can  in the next five weeks.  

 Elders Tims, Taylor, Ameworlor, Ogama, Njaga and Boateng at the Caldwell Apartment in Monrovia on preparation day.  They had just scrubbed the walls, floors and shelves in their apartment.  They wanted a celestial apartment!

Elder Appleby and a branch missionary (Elder Pabie, Elder Appleby's next companion, was coming from Liberia) Next is Elder Wood and his new companion who he is training, Elder Tawiah, a Ghanian from Qatar.  We met them on the road while we were on our way to Bo last Friday.

Elder Laneri and Elder Obinna serving in Kenema.  Elder Laneri goes home next month too.

At the Liberian border: Elder Chikwendu, Elder Smoot, Elder Priddis and Elder Moss.  The Kirkhams and Kimballs made us all sandwiches when we met for the exchange of missionaries.

Nice picture of  Elder Kimball saying good-bye to Elder Moss at the border.

Sister Kirkham jumped up on the truck to help.  The missionaries loved it.  

The Sister Missionaries all together in the Paynesville apartment in Monrovia on preparation day. They had already cleaned and organized their apartment before we arrived.  Sister Mosery and Sister Jibba are on the right and left of me.  Sister Kirkham and Sister Kimball are on the ends.  Sister Tweh in the green shirt is a returned missionary who served in Nigeria.  She was helping train the new sisters who are pioneering as the first sisters in our mission.  We had a three hour training with them to help get them orientated.

We visited the elders in the Logan Town apartment in Monrovia: Elder Marveh, Elder Ekpo, Elder Raymond and Elder Lambson....all on preparation day.

Elder Hilton and ElderIheanacho at the Kenema Branch chapel. Elder Hilton heads home after two years in four weeks, too.

We had Zone Council at the Kimballs.  Sister Kimball made them some yummy taco soup.  Elder Smoot, Elder Ellsworth, Elder Guzha and Elder Priddis all jumped up and ran (literally) into the kitchen to do the dishes!  What great elders!

on the road again to Bo and Monrovia, Liberia

Internet hasn't been working so just a quick note. We are taking missionaries to Bo and Liberia so won't be able to upload any pictures until next week after returning...Have more of the new missionaries to post and new companionships

Arrivals, departures and first sister missionaries!!!

Our new Sister Missionaries in the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission: Sister Moseray and Sister Jibba! We are so excited to have you!
Yesterday, ten elders came in to Sierra Leone and our two sisters flew into Liberia. Add to the excitement: the water taxi ran out of gas in the middle of the sound and it took an hour for another boat to come with the fuel. What a journal entry! Then we fed them some baked ziti, veggies, bread and red velvet cake....they were ready for bed.
Elder Grabau, Elder Kitson-Dodoo and Elder Lowe on their way home via the water taxi then the airport yesterday....should be getting close now.

Before the departure...

Elders Lowe, Grabau, Priddis and Kitson-Dodoo looking over Freetown from Lester Point.  How beautiful Freetown looks from this view!  This time of year everything is so green!

On Saturday Elder Grabau and Elder Smoot had several wonderful souls join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through baptism.  Elder Grabau thought it was a great way to end his mission.  He saw many lives changed and filled with joy over two years of service to the Lord.

Elder Smoot in front of the freshly painted Mission Office.
We just took Elder Grabau, Elder Kitson-Dodoo and Elder Lowe to the water taxi.  Twenty minutes on it, then another 15 on a little bus and then to wait in the airport for about 1 1/2 hours for the flight to Accra.  Elder Lowe goes from Accra to JFK airport in New York then to Salt Lake City.  Elder Grabau goes from Accra to Amsterdam to Houston and Elder Kitson-Dodoo goes straight home to dinner in Accra.  We will get departing pictures up as soon as possible.

First Meeting in the new Kissy Chapel Today

The building and grounds looked like this in January.  It has three pods on each side of the chapel for classrooms, bathrooms and font.  We had to smile because no one could "walk the halls" because there are no halls.  This is the first of its kind in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

 This is what it looked like today. We will have an open house and dedication in August.  We had 174 in the congregation for the Kissy 2 Branch Sacrament Meeting.  Kissy 1 Branch was gathering as we left. Yesterday, the missionaries used the new font for eight baptisms.  We are so happy to have it open!  It is a great blessing for the Saints here in Freetown.

 President Roggia and I with Sister Brown (our public affairs director for the Freetown District) with her daughters standing next to Elder Olukanni of the Seventy.  Elder Olukanni presided and spoke in Sacrament Meeting.

 President Roggia and I with Elder Olukanni.  He taught us so much and is so full of faith!

Elder Emanuelson and Elder Addo with a friend in front of the new Kissy Building.