Our Beautiful Liberia!

We wanted to share some of the pictures we've taken here in Liberia.  There really are some beautiful things to see here.

This is the view from the balcony of the Mission Office.  You know how I LOVE the ocean, so I especially enjoy this view.

This road is found as we travel to Duala.  Because it is paved, it feels like real neighborhood.

The view from the Mission Home veranda.

We missed not having a garden last year, so we thought this Branch garden project was beautiful.  They grew cabbages that they were able to eat and still have enough to sell.

This is our view as we looked back at the fishing village where we got on a boat to travel to Monkey Island at Marshall.

Look at the interesting way the branches of this palm tree grow.

A view of Broad Street from the top of the Ducor Hotel.  Broad street is the main street in downtown Monrovia.  It has planters down the middle that have iron fences, trees, grass, and benches.  The Ducor Hotel is on the highest point in Monrovia.  It was closed just before the start of the war and has pretty much been destroyed between the war and looting. 

Took this picture as we crossed the bridge from Bushrod Island back into Monrovia.  I loved the reflection of the sun in the water.

Up close look at the boats in a fishing village in Banjor.

Notice the American flag on this fishing boat.  

From the top floor of Hotel Africa.  This hotel was also destroyed during the war.  Look closely and you can see what's left of the swimming pool.

The Liberia YSA Summit will held this July at Rick's Institute in Brewerville.  The school has 500 acres and raises some of their own meat to help feed their students.  I loved the picture of the cows among the palm trees.

It was hard to know when to stop sharing pictures.  We've seen some beautiful places as we've traveled around.  

"I can see it!"

This last Tuesday, we received the final box of reading glasses from our Butler 10th ward.  It was about a month's time between the arrival of the first box and the last - even though they were all mailed on the same day.  It really was just like Christmas for us to get these boxes.  We had the best time opening them up, sorting them by strength, and handing them out.

Here are just a few of the people who have received glasses -

This is Francis Wreh.  He is the reason we suggested sending reading glasses.  We noticed when he came to our Eternal Marriage Class that he would hold a piece of a broken magnifying glass and try and read through it.

He would move the glass up and down, trying to get it just right, so he could see.  You wouldn't believe how happy he was to have 'real' glasses to wear.

 Sister Howard tried on several pair before deciding that these were the one.  After class, she carefully folded up her glasses and put them back in the plastic sleeve they came in before putting them in her purse.

This is Richard Desmond.  He is very shy and quiet so it took real courage for him to ask for a pair of glasses.  Look carefully and you can see he chose the glasses that have small reading lights built into the temples.

Selena Joloka first tried on a turquoise pair of glasses to match her shirt, but these are the ones that worked best for her.  When she put her glasses on and looked down at her Book of Mormon, she said, "I can see it!"  She was so happy.

This is Selena's sister, Theresa.  During the war in Liberia they went to live in Ghana in a refugee camp.  They just recently returned.  They are delightful women!!  

These are just a few of the people who've been helped - so far.  Thanks again to all those who helped with this project.  You really have blessed the lives of many here in Liberia.

"To teach and preach and work as missionaries do..."

 The Ghana MTC was looking for pictures to put up in their classrooms.  They wanted pictures from each of the West Africa Missions showing missionaries teaching.  Here are a couple of the pictures we submitted of our Liberian missionaries.

  We teach an Eternal Marriage class at the Paynesville Chapel on Wednesday night.  We love it when we drive up and see the missionaries teaching under the big tree there in the yard.

L to R - Elders Price, Pearmain, Pishl, Tolar

Here are the missionaries teaching one of the guards at the compound where we live.  Abraham asked Elder Berrett a few weeks ago if he had anything he could read about our church.  He gave him some pamphlets and contacted the missionaries to meet with him.  They've been teaching him and his wife, Princess, for several weeks now.  

L to R - Elder Guymon, a branch missionary, Elder Bosomtwe

 Elder Berrett is doing some training in the yard of the New Kru Town Chapel with Brother Geeplay, the branch clerk, and the branch president, President Doe.

This is Sister Weah, the branch Relief Society President, and me, in the Relief Society room of the New Kru Town chapel.  We were doing some Visiting Teaching training.

When we were home in January, we met a great young man named Alex Vandi from Liberia who is now living in Utah.  He told us about his sister, Margaret, who lives in Paynesville and gave us her phone number.  We were finally able to meet with her this last week.  We gave her some pictures of her brother and had a nice visit.  She wasn't interested in hearing about the church, but we were able to tell her a little bit about it.

The Monrovia Liberia missionaries are working hard to bring the gospel to many.  We love being able to serve with them.

A Big Thank You!

A 'BIG' Thank you to our wonderful Butler 10th Ward!!

We received the first of three boxes of reading glasses they sent to us.  You should have seen the condition of the box!  Luckily, it was still packed full with about 75 pairs of glasses.  I'm sure the other 2 boxes will arrive shortly.

Notice the red postal tape.  The one corner of the box is totally opened, BUT the box was still so full that I don't think anything escaped.

Here's one of the AP's, Elder Mohlahatsa, trying on a lovely purple pair.

After trying on several pairs, he was able to find the ones he really need.

The other AP's decided to join on in the fun.

Elders Finau, Mohlahatsa, Pentreath

We've already been able to give out several pairs.  I wish you all could be here when they try the glasses on, look at a page in a book, smile and say, "I can see it!"

Elder and Sister Ekufu will be starting a Gospel Literacy Class and the glasses will be a great help to those taking their class.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to help purchase the glasses.  And an extra THANKS to Brother Allan Allred and Sister Sharron Montoya for their efforts in putting this all together.

As the Liberians say, "We are ever so grateful." 

"How you comin' on?"

"How you com in' on?" is a greeting like, 'How are you doing?" 

 I love how it sounds when a Liberian says it.

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I need to start this blog post out by saying "Good Bye!" to Elder and Sister Miles 1 and "Hello" to two new Senior Missionary Couples - Elder and Sister Dever from Washington State who are taking the Miles' place as Humanitarian missionaries  and Elder and Sister Ekufu from Nigeria who will be Member Leader Support missionaries like Elder Berrett and I.

We will sure miss the Miles'.  They are a fun couple who have worked so hard for the people of Liberia.  They've literally changed people's lives with the wells and latrines they've built and the schools and orphanages they've helped.  We wish them well as they return home to Hooper, Utah and their family.

Here we all are at the Mission Home after going out to eat Chinese food at the Yellow Flower Restaurant for the Miles' farewell dinner.  Wasn't bad Chinese food when you remember that you're in Liberia, Africa!

Back row - L to R - The Hezseltines, The Miles 2, The Devers, The Ekufus

Front row - L to R - The Berretts, The Miles 1, President and Sister Kirkham

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This weekend was the Bushrod Island District Conference.  The chapel in Duala was packed.  It was very hot inside and those in the classrooms were not able to hear, BUT everyone reverently stayed for the whole meeting.

This is us with the Bushrod Island District President and his wife -

President and Sister Prince S. Nyanforh

Members leaving after Conference and walking down the road in front of the chapel to go catch a motor bike or taxi ride home.

Here are some of the missionaries who attended Conference -

Elder Zolo and Elder Dahlin

Elders Zaugg and Elder Kamara

Elder Widdison, Elder LaMont, and Elder Farewell

Elder Osanebi and Elder Humpherys

It was a great Conference and a great day!

New Kru Town

We've now been assigned to the New Kru Town Branch.  

Our Branch President is President F. Nyenswah Doe Sr.

Our first Sunday in the Branch, President Doe shook our hands and said, "Welcome home."  I got a little teary when he said that.  

This is the front of our building.  It does have some electricity or they use a very loud generator.  There are lights, ceiling fans, a microphone (some Sundays), and an electric keyboard (also on some Sundays) that 2 young people in the branch know how to play. 

The building on the side is where Primary, the Literacy Class and, Young Women's in held.

These are the Sister Missionaries that serve in New Kru Town.

Sister Iwenofu and Sister Okeke

 Here's the New Kru Town Elders, Elder Farewell and Elder Conners, pushing one of the branch's newest members to church.

Here's inside the Primary Room.  Today there were 52 children in Primary - in this one little room.  That is Sister Ibra, the 1st counselor, singing with the children.  I was very impressed by the number of Primary songs this little Primary knows.  They've already learned the new song for this year - 'The Family is of God' - and can loudly sing all 4 verses.  That's quite an accomplishment when you realize that they have not actually heard the music.  They've only heard Sister Dennis sing it to them a few times and she knows it by having it sung to her at a District Primary Meeting.

Meet one of the Primary children - Princess.  She's all decked out for church.

A little girl named Ida was sitting next to me today.  She wanted to hold my hand.  (When I saw this picture, I thought what's my mom's hand doing at the end of my arm?)  She also rubbed the skin on my arm and felt my hair.  We decided our skin felt the same - just a different color.  But our hair, felt very different.

The people of New Kru Town are very faithful.  They fill the chapel each Sunday.  And I mean fill!  I don't think we could have fit one more person on the benches.  The branch continues to grow.  There is a confirmation almost every Sunday.  We are loving our new branch and are grateful for the chance to serve there.

Another great week!!

Last weekend, the Senior Couples were able to take a quick trip to Marshall.  On our way, we attended a couple of well dedications with our Humanitarian missionaries - Elder and Sister Miles.

This cute little boy is already learning how to help get water from the well and carry back to his house.  His little bowl started out full of water but after a few steps he was pretty wet.  We tried and tried but couldn't get him to smile.  He took his job very seriously.  

Elder Berrett made a new friend.  This little guy came up and stood right next to him.  So many of the children are shy or afraid of us, but he was not.  He wouldn't leave Elder Berrett's side.

After the dedications, some of the villagers took us for a ride in this blue boat to see Monkey Island.  I was so nervous.  The boat would tip to the right, then to the left.  I was sure we were 'going in'.

I was grateful when we reached the island and I saw how big these monkeys (Chimpanzees) were, to learn that we would NOT be getting off the boat.  Instead we sat in the boat and watched.  The monkeys were afraid of the water so they stayed on the island.  We threw them cookies to eat.  One monkey went and got a stick to try and retrieve a cookie that had landed out in the water.  Pretty smart!

After our Island adventure, we all went to the Libassa Ecolodge for over night.  We each had  our own little Palaver Huts to stay in.  

All the furniture was made of bamboo.  Even the water spout in the bathroom was bamboo.  Felt kind of like Swiss Family Robinson.

Here I am enjoying the beautiful private beach of the lodge.  I was thinking about asking if I could serve a beach mission.

We had a wonderful time being together.

Elder and Sister Miles, The other Elder and Sister Miles (the 2 Elder Miles are brothers), President and Sister Kirkham, Elder and Sister Berrett, Ryan and Shannon Busby, Elder and Sister Hezseltine. 

This week we attended Caldwell's District Meeting.  We were well taught and glad we had attended.

Elders Falemai, Orton, Godi, Gunnell

On Wednesday night we teach an Eternal Marriage Class at the Paynesville Chapel.  This is the Paynesville Zone who were at the church teaching lessons, doing interviews, and holding a Book of Mormon Class.

L to R - Elders Jemba, Khasiahi, Gharbin, Tolar, Jensen, Pearmain, Pishl, Price