Going home and coming to Mission

Elder Boateng and Elder Jenkins returning with honor after two years! They flew out from Sierra Leone yesterday.

Elder Moyo leaving from Liberia yesterday to go home to Zimbabwe.  We had lasagna, coleslaw and ice cream with the Krumms and Kirkhams. Plus a wonderful testimony meeting...

Seven new missionaries that arrived straight from the Ghana MTC.. . We gathered their suitcoats to keep for two years, had them fill out some paperwork, gave them some pizza, a net, doxy and a pillow.  They had an interview with President Roggia and a few more orientation points then off to their new area with their trainer.  Beautiful story about our new elder (in white shirt above) from the Ivory Coast.  He speaks no English--only French.  Yikes!  Do we have any French speaking missionaries?  Yes, we found out that Elder Liufau studied four years of French in high school, wanted to serve a French mission and recently bought a French dictionary so he could teach some French immigrants in his area!  The wonderful thing with all of this...President Roggia had assigned Elder Liufau this missionary days prior to any knowledge of his French preparations or knowing that the new missionary only spoke French!  Does Heavenly Father know His children or what?  Love it!

Freetown Zone Conference

Oh-h, Assistants, sometimes the old van is temperamental; but we still love her continued service.  Jumper cables to the rescue...

mmmmm....baked ziti, fresh bread and Sister Randall's rich brownies...

Lunch during Freetown Zone Conference.

Our dear Sister Missionaries... representing four countries: Liberia, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.

 Catching transport...

Some by mission van and others by taxi.

Elder Jenkins smiling big (Elder Walker to the right) because this is a convert waiting for his mission call!

 Hauling water to the missionary apartment...

 Half way there...

Elder Emanuelson and Elder Akwa resting a minute before the final uphill.  We are still praying for rain.  We have had some storms but not enough yet.

 Assistants working on letters home and to President Roggia.

Taco soup from the Friend magazine with Leaders Training...

Bo East Zone and Bo West Zone Conferences

Prior to Bo East Zone Conference: Elder Despain, Elder Wootten and Elder Adah

Teach People Not Lessons and Finding.... takes practice

Practice

Practice

Elder Tawiah

Elder and Sister Schlehuber, our senior couple in Bo.  They let us spend the night with them in the "Schle Chalet" ... and the dining is superb!  We love them and appreciate all the training they are doing for the District and Branches.

Mail!!

President Roggia and Elder Richards greeting each other.

Getting ready for Leadership Training

These feet walk 1,300,000 kilometers in two years and shake 30,000 hands. (Estimates from our medical adviser Elder Fife) 

The Schlehuber's "backyard".  Look at those coconuts! The Zone Leaders live in the same compound. This is the kitchen for them (door and six round windows).  They cook on a propane stove and then go into the green apartment to sit at the table.

Elder Stott and Elder Iheanacho, Bo East Zone Leaders.  This is the entrance into their apartment. I thought it looked pretty.

This is a flour "floor mat" cloth that the Schlehubers use .... from Belgium.

Sister Schlehuber makes peanut butter cookies and hands them out the "window" to the Elders.  They, in return, pass coconuts through the portal in trade.

Practice Teaching People Not Lessons and Finding in the Bo West Zone

Such great missionaries... we love them all.  We are constantly in awe of the sacrifices and time they give to help others find joy.

Bo West Zone Conference

I'm coming!  I'm coming!  The Assistants had to come and get me because I was dawdling . lol  Time to drive back to Freetown. It was a hot day.

Laying the mangoes out to ripen...

Boys coming home from school...

Truck along the way.

Carrying produce to the market...

Wood to make charcoal

Pushing uphill... heavy load!

Three Zone Conferences this week

Freetown Zone

 Bo East Zone

Bo West Zone

Will post more in the coming days... then, we go to Liberia for two more zone conferences.

Freetown East Zone Conference

Freetown East Zone Conference today.

What happy elders!

Packing up the van and getting a couple of pictures...

Elder Jones making room so he can climb into the van.

Waiting for the van to back up.  It is still pretty dry here--hence the water tank in the back of the truck.  Markus will have to take water to the missionary apartments at various times.  We pray for more rain.

Freetown East Zone Interviews

Elder Allred and Elder Taylor, Freetown East Zone Leaders

Elder Wolfgramm and Elder Mills

Getting mail...

talking about the area...

Elder Wuthrich...I barely got this cause they were heading out the door...his companion was several steps ahead...now he had to really run to catch up.

Elder Ameworlor and Elder Goncolo

Elder Rochester and Swarray

Elder Norton and Elder Lambson's backpacks... Nearly worn out after almost two years of non-stop use.

Elder Allred sharing a moment with Swarray...such a sweet little boy.  We are at the Wellington Branch.

Elder Lambson fixing his tie.

Elder Norton is paying complete attention to his every word.

I like this picture because Elder Taylor is looking at Elder Lambson, he is looking at Elder Allred and he is looking at the little boy.... all with caring eyes and faces. What good missionaries!

And?

Elder Taylor lifting the lid of the baptism font.  We are praying for rain.

We have Freetown East Zone Conference this week so should have more pictures of everyone.