Happy Nevada Day from your favorite son (who was born in Caliente a long time ago) and currently in Freetown, Sierra Leone West Africa!

Sunrise Sunset

We see great sunrises and sunsets. or Fog!! but rainy season is about over so no more fog for a while.

Ready to go visit teaching

All prepared to go visiting teaching. Have my umbrella and a copy of the new Relief Society Book "Daughters in My Kingdom" for each of our sisters. Last week Sister Thomas and I visited two of our sisters. The sun was shining when we started but the rain came down while we were visiting Marion Koroma, and by the time we went to one more sister we were soaked. So this week I was prepared and it didn't rain.

visiting teaching supplies

can't go visit teaching without the latest edition of the Liahona with the message in it and a treat for the sisters.

This is Sister Mary Koroma (newly baptized member) with her sister, brother and niece. Sis. Thomas and I went to do our visiting teaching a week ago, but did not make it to Mary's house because we got soaked from the rain before we could make it to her house. So this week, we went again and she was not home. Her sister took us to her(at her brother's carpentry shop)tending her mother's vegetable stand next to his shop. Mary had told the Elders on Sunday that "two sisters said they were coming to visit me last week, but they never came". So we made sure we found her this week.

Sister Fuller preparing the daily meal in her outside kitchen. She and her husband are the proud parents of a darling two yr old daughter. Bro. Fuller bears his testimony every Fast Sunday and expresses gratitude for his wife and daughter.

Visiting Teaching sisters

Sister Thomas (my Visiting Teaching partner) and Sister Elizabeth Williams. We stopped to visit with her and she was not at home, so as we continued down the road back to the Mission Office we met Sister Williams going back home. She is a single mom with two cute little girls and has been called as a Primary teacher in the Mt. Aureol Branch.

7 more weeks!

Not sure these are going to hold out for another 7 weeks? notice the broken handle and the duct tape!!! (note to Jen: we have replacements)

Tree of Knowledge???

at the museum of peace

Super P-Day with the Freetown Zone Elders and Sisters. Visited the Museum of Peace and Culture. After the tour we came back to the office and the elders had ordered food for the zone and so the missionaries ate and watch the movie "Shark Tales". Sister P also made banana bread with bananas from a tree in the mission office yard for everyone.

New mission truck

The mission got a new truck!! just checking it out!

Braille Book of Mormon

This is awesome. Who knew that a braille Book of Mormon was 6 huge notebooks? Not I said the little hen. Elder Ditsi asked that I order a braille Book of Mormon for a young boy that they were teaching in Bo -- so I did; and HERE IT IS! Elder Vogl (one of our office elders ) is holding one volume of the book for us to see. When I took this picture it was all I could do to not have tears running down my face. Interestingly enough, Elder Vogl and Elder Ellsworth were the first missionaries to teach the boy a year ago. President and Sister Roggia will be driving to Bo on monday and will take the huge box with them when they go. Sister Roggia posted this story on her blog (sierraleonefreetownmission.blogspot.com)last September:
"President and I took a walk in the parking lot (church in Bo). 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.---
September 24, 2010

Update to Oct 2011: He still hasn't been baptized because he has been going to a school for the blind which is out of the missionaries area. The current missionaries are teaching him (when they can) and his older sister who takes care of him. I can imagine how happy he will be to get this book that will be all his and he can feast on the words. Makes we want to cry again! Elder Vogl says the boy has very few braille books that he can read. This should keep him busy for a very, very long time. I would like to meet this boy in 10 years - he will probably have the whole Book of Mormon memorized! People will probably come to see him just to look at the book and marvel at the wonder of it.

Former Elder Kargbo and Sister Adams

see post below for the story to go with these pictures. Bro. Kargbo is from Freetown and served his mission in the Freetown Mission. Sister Adams is a return missionary also.

former Elder Kargbo

Elder Patterson signing as a witness to the civil marriage. The members of the church first need to have a civil ceremony before the can be married in the temple. The closest temple is in Ghana which can be a 6 day car trip through three countries or an expensive plane trip. Most of the couples who marry in Sierra Leone have to wait a long time to be able to go to the temple. The newly wed Kargbo's have set a new standard among young LDS couples here by having a simple civil ceremony; and thus saving the many thousands of Leones it would take for a more elaborate wedding celebration, for a marriage that will last through the eternities. President Roggia had many positive responses to this wedding ceremony which we are hoping will inspire other young couples to strive for a temple marriage.

Zone Conference in Mexico City East Mission
Just thought we would post a picture of our favorite Elder. :)
He is doing awesome and loving every adventure, every companion, every member and investigator and person that he meets in Mexico. He is an inspiration to his parents, and we love him.