We're back from Liberia...

As soon as I can get the internet to download some pictures, we'll do it.  But for now, here is a snapshot of our last 12 days.

We just returned from Liberia.  We left on September 14th, traveled to Bo for Zone Council and Leadership Training.  It takes almost four hours from Freetown to Bo.  We spent three days there before we traveled on to Liberia.  From Bo to Kenema is about one hour, then the fun begins.  We have paved road from Freetown to Kenema.  After Kenema, it is all bumpy, rutty, muddy, red-dirt roads. That stretch of road takes about four hours to get to the Liberian border.  There are lots of police checks...visa, passports, etc.  After all the check points, it is another three hours to Monrovia.  We arrived there in the afternoon.  We spent the next five days with Elder and Sister Kimball.  We had Zone Council and Leadership Training there also.  It is always so wonderful to see the missionaries and talk to them.  All are doing well in Monrovia.  We are in admiration and so grateful for these wonderful young men who serve so faithfully.   On September 23rd we drove back to Bo.  On the way, we stopped in Kenema so President could do an interview.  We traveled on to Bo to get the hotel set up.  We went over to the chapel and attended a Book of Mormon class.

President and I took a walk in the parking lot.  It was dusk. While there, a little 11 year old blind boy came up to President and me in the parking lot and started talking to President.  He told President Roggia that he had gone to church two Sundays there and wanted to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He wanted the missionaries to come and teach his family the word of God.

President asked him how he lost his eyesight.  He said he had the measles when he was six years old and became blind.  President Roggia told him that he wasn't too blind because he could recognize the light of the gospel in his life.  President explained to him about the priesthood and what a blessing is...asked him if he'd like one.  He said that he would.  The Assistants then came out. Elder Hickey bent over, laid his hands on his head, spoke quietly in his ear and anointed him. Then Elder Gunderson bent over, laid his hands on his head, along with President and Elder Hickey, spoke gently in his ear and blessed him.  It was a tender, sacred, gentle, sweet moment.  The missionaries who serve in the little boy's area, Elder Ellsworth and Elder Vogl, came out.  When Elder Ellsworth spoke, and asked if he remembered him, (if he remembered his voice) the little boy's face lit up and grabbed Elder Ellsworth's hand.  He indeed recognized Elder Ellsworth's voice! Off they went, the two missionaries and this little boy leading them to his family's home because he wanted them to be taught the gospel of Jesus Christ.---