More New Arrivals Last Week

Elder and Sister Miles!  They have been called to serve as Humanitarian Missionaries in Liberia for 18 months.  Welcome!

Elder and Sister Miles enjoying a welcome dinner with the Krumms and Kirkhams.

Elder Penia from Samoa.  He arrived from the MTC a few days later because of Visa issues. He was blessed to serve in the Ghana Accra Mission those days.  His trainer is Elder Purcell who is from Samoa also!  Welcome!

Transfer snaps...

Saying goodbye to MTC mates as the transfer to new areas begins...

Off they go...

Watching the van leave...They spent the night with us at the Mission Home.  The next morning we drove over the mountain to their apartment in Grafton.

Elder Bogh at sunset on the Mission Home balcony. Leister Peak in the background.

Trainees meet some trainers in front of the Grafton Chapel.

Good instructions... (click picture to see better)

This is the Grafton Apartment with wet baptismal clothes hanging on the porch.

The Lauritzens and Markus took two vehicles to Bo filled with missionaries and returned to Freetown with transfers.  They stopped at this apartment first as they "caravaned" out of Freetown.  It was 7 a.m. and the two missionaries weren't ready... it is obvious by the body language that the clock was ticking.  :-)

 Okay, off to Bo!  Sleepy eyes early in the morning...

Elder Clawson coming out carrying his filtered-water bottle.  All missionaries have one to carry with them throughout the day-- every day.

Arrival in Bo at the Schlehuber's compound.

Elder Liufau is training and teaching English to another French-speaking-only elder from the Ivory Coast, Elder Lokpo.  We are so grateful for Elder Liufau and the desire he had as a young boy to learn French.  His desire to serve a French mission is absolutely realized!

Bo District Apartment...trainers and trainees

Sewa Road Apartment prior to taking four of them to Freetown. We love all the  missionaries in the mission!  What great missionaries!  They all sacrifice so much to serve the Lord for two years!

Elders in the Njaboima District

Sister Laurizen smiled as she watched the elders use this tiny plank to cross a ditch to the van.

The sister missionaries switching out.  One came in from Freetown and one went back to Freetown.

 Elder Serafine bringing out the last suitcase in the back of the truck.  Like the barbells?

Grafton District Apartment

Lovely purple leaves with dew outside the Grafton apartment...

Charcoal pots in case the propane for the stove runs out.

Elder Nwosu prepared well for his new companion, Elder Woodhead.  His apartment was spotless with closet ready with space and desks cleaned off.

We went to the Grafton Branch on Sunday. The new elders and trainers were on their way to the Kossoh Town Branch a few kilometers away.  First time! Elder McDonald (on the far right) is the only one that knows the way.

October is interview month.  President Roggia interviews each missionary in the mission as do all mission presidents this month throughout the world.  I'll snap as many as I can. (Thanks Sister Lauritzen for the pictures of the Bo trip)

First Day in the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission

Elder Okeke going home this transfer.

We took him to the wharf to get on the ferry to the airport after this picture.

Taco soup with tortilla chips from Liberia was the fare for the new missionaries this afternoon.  Tomorrow everyone will be in their new areas and with their trainers....finally, with months of waiting after receiving their call letter, they are here to do the Lord's work.

All of our new missionaries! They are doing just fine!

Yes, They Have Arrived!

Tonight we received these wonderful missionaries from the Ghana MTC.  We took them on the ferry to Freetown from the airport.  The Assistants on the far right will give them all a sandwich, have evening prayer and put them all to bed in their apartment.  Tomorrow, orientation, dinner and some will be in their new areas by nightfall. 

First ones out of the airport

Heading to the van to load up the bags.

On the ferry and on the move...  More pictures tomorrow. It is time for bed.

Moving, New Bunk Beds, Mattresses and Pillows

Markus and Elder Wuthrich...moving out of the old Wellington Apartment.

Markus and Elder Walker

Elder Egbo

Elder Wuthrich, Elder Otaniyuwa, Elder Walker and Elder Egbo after a hard day of moving into the new place.

Markus and the Lauritzens helped them move into the "Allentown Apartment"

Good picture of Sister and Elder Lauritzen at the Allentown Apartment.

Kissy Road heading to the apartment.

 View from their apartment.

We have 12 missionaries coming on Tuesday. We had six bunk beds made and delivered.  The Assistants temporarily set them up in their apartment so that we can have a place for the new ones to sleep for a couple of nights.  We are receiving 31 more missionaries by Dec and will need more apartments plus beds. 

Elder Sumrak helping out.

So is Elder Ngerem...

Elder Barth

Elder Appleby

Now the fun begins...

Pillows

Mattresses

Now the bunkbeds.. (all the above pictures are from the Lauritzens. Thank you, thank you.)

Finished product! Every corner of their apartment has a bunk bed! The new missionaries will have a new mattress, pillow and bunk bed the first couple of nights after arrival in Freetown on September 25th. We will pick up the missionaries from the airport, take them on the ferry for an hour across the water after which we will settle them into the Assistants' apartment.  The next day, Wednesday, the Assistants will do breakfast and an orientation. We will have a meal with President and me plus testimony meeting. On Thursday, September 27th, some will go to the Bo Zones (four hours away), some will go to Freetown East Zone and some will go to Freetown Zone.  I will do my best to post a picture of the new arrivals from the Ghana MTC late Tuesday.