Monday is Preparation Day.

Monday is preparation day (a day to do laundry, get groceries, rest) so we took some time to see the area. Here we are on our hike up to Charlotte Falls: Standing beside us in red is little Patience, then Elder and Sister Neves, Elder Jones (Sister Jones is taking the picture) Elder Bird, Elder Gunderson, Sister and Elder Patterson.

This bamboo bridge was fun to cross.  

 

It was really misty and the falls were loud. We stayed there for a while and enjoyed the view.

Hang on, President!  He really loved this little bridge and had to pretend he was hanging on for dear life!

It was really beautiful there.  We had a "guide" who met us as we drove into the hiking area.  The little girl in red, Patience, was with us the whole way.  She held my hand and sang.  She was excited to see herself in the camera after we'd take a picture.

That evening we went to dinner with the Senior Couples at a place called "Roys".  Some of us had barracuda and rice.  We haven't eaten barracuda before.  It was very light and delicious.  

Roy's had our tables outside near the beach. The weather was perfect with a gentle breeze.  It was a beautiful sunset and a wonderful day with our fellow servants.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves all day.

Elders Returning home after serving two years

Elders Wisseh, Gifford, Naeata, Anderson and Roberts.  We made lasagna, coleslaw, french bread and yummy donuts.  Again, the Senior Couples did most of the preparations and we did the lasagna.  Gotta have a little Italian with the Roggia's!!

The hamburger here is very lean.  We found lasagna noodles at the Freetown Supermarket plus tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes and some crushed tomatoes.  The onions and garlic were from one of the fruit stands.  (washed in bleach, of course).  Also at the Freetown Supermarket we found some mozerella and cheddar cheese.  Taste is a little different and it crumbles not shreds.  We didn't find any ricotta but who cares, the lasagna tasted mighty fine and there wasn't any leftovers!

More flora and new missionaries arriving

One of the fantastic flowers around our apartment courtyard.

The landscaping has a variety of wonderful plants.

We thought these purple ones were really pretty too.

Our new missionaries arriving: Elders Mazani, Stott, Lambson, Norton, Chaparadza, Allred, Moss and Emanuelson.  We fed them spaghetti, coleslaw, french bread and homemade donuts. The senior couples did everything but the spaghetti!  We love our missionaries.

Baptisms in Freetown....plus pretty birds

Last Saturday, July 17th, there were three baptismal services.  Pictured here is Elder Wood and Elder Visser with several who were gettting baptized.  We had eleven who came unto Christ and were baptized at just one of the baptismal services. 

Outside our kitchen window, these little yellow birds were pecking at some bugs.  We were able to get really close and get this great picture of them.  We don't know what they are....do you?

More from our road trip...

See the goat on top the pile...?

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We stopped for a minute while driving to Liberia and these sweet children ran up to the window of the car.  One read my name tag and told me "Hello, Sister Roggia!"

This is one of the roads we went down to Liberia.  This looks pretty good.  The ocean is on the other side of the trees but we couldn't see it.

Firetone Tires owns acres and acres of rubber trees in Liberia.

The t-shirts of these dear sisters from the Bo District reads "Charity Never Faileth"  They came to greet me with hugs and handshakes and introductions.  We had to get a "snap" together.  What a wonderful welcome!!!

More Sierra Leone and Liberia

These are huge termite hills.  Taller than Rick.

These are the little villages that we saw all the way to Liberia and back.  Actually I thought they were very well built and nice looking.

These beautiful coconut trees are all over the place. 

These are Primary children in a little branch north of Monrovia.  It took us about 30 minutes on bumpy roads to get to the building.  We heard roosters crowing, monkeys whooping and ducks walking through the building. It was all open space with just walls but you can see a black board and the place for the hymn numbers. Yet, these wonderful children were excited, happy and singing.  We loved them so much!

This is the branch president's lovely wife and cute baby.  She was sleeping so soundly during all the singing and people.  So sweet....

Sights to Liberia and back

One of the bridges we crossed over before Liberia

This is a very common sight.  The bags are charcoal that they make from trees in the area. 

Another common sight:  Selling coconuts in a wheelbarrow.  They will hack off the top for you with a machete and you can drink the coconut milk.  The meat inside is just pulled off.