What a great day!!

Last Saturday, Princess and Abraham were married.

This Saturday they were baptized members of the Church.

Abraham asked Elder Berrett if he would baptize him and Princess.  Of course!

Elder Berrett had to borrow Elder Finau's white pants.  We never thought that he might have the chance to baptize while on mission.

This is the font at the Matadi chapel where today's baptisms were performed.

Notice Elder Berrett's crutches.  He stepped in a small hole over a week ago and sprained his ankle  pretty badly.  He's been on crutches now for 9 days, which means I'm doing all the driving!  Yikes!!

Elder Berrett in the font ready to begin.

Before the  baptism, this tiny gecko had to be fished out of the water.  

Elder Berrett was able to perform all the baptisms scheduled for today.  

Romeo Twaklee Flomo, Linda Theresa Smith, Princess Kormbah, Abraham Kormbah.

The Matadi Branch showed up to support their newest members.

The missionaries and their converts

Elder Bosomtwe, Abraham, Princess, Elder Elliott.

Elder Bosomtwe and Elder Berrett signing the baptismal records.  

If the only reason we needed to come to Liberia was so that we could introduce Abraham and Princess to the missionaries, IT WAS WORTH IT!

Paynesville

Remember Alex Vandy, the young man from Liberia we met when we had to go home in January?  He gave us his sister, Margaret's, phone number. We called and were able to meet with her last month. 

On Wednesday, she called us to see if we could meet at the Paynesville Chapel so she could introduce us to her children.  

Here's Precious, Margaret, Paul, and Princess.  Such a nice family.  

Margaret brought us two of the biggest pineapples I've ever seen.  So nice!

This is our Eternal Marriage Class that we teach in Paynesville on Wednesday night.

This is the greatest group of people.  When they saw us talking to Margaret and her family, they came right up, hugged and welcomed them all.  We love these people.  

Our class was supposed to be for YSA to help them prepare for a Temple Marriage.  Somehow we've ended up with a group of older singles and married couples.  We've had some of the best discussions with them.  

For several months, Richard Desmond has been attending our class.  It wasn't till we were told he was going to be baptized that we realized he wasn't a member of the church.  It was a great day when he and he whole little family were baptized. 

Baptism day.

Front row - L to R - Joyce, Solomon, Richard Jr.

Back row - L to R - Elder Tolard, Richard, Decontee, Elder Bowring

When we walked out of our class this week, we saw that Elder Bowring had started up the mower and was hard at work.  Way to go Elder!!

Zone Conference and…..

This time, our Zone Conference meetings were divided into 3 areas.  

Elder Berrett and I attended the Zone Conference held on Bushrod Island at Duala.  

Our Conference included the Brewerville and Caldwell Districts.  

It was a great conference and we loved being with all these missionaries!!

Back Row - L to R - Elders Humpherys, Abbott, Osanebi, Cottrell, Agyei, Orton, Gunnell, 

Obeng-poku, Agyemang, Bangura, Enwukweri, Myaka.

Middle Row - L to R - Elders Dahlin, Backman, Amoah, Anderson, Nartey, LaMont, Farewell, Pearmain, Erickson, Maurana, Falemai, Finau.

Front Row - President and Sister Kirkham and Elder and Sister Berrett

Here are some of the missionaries receiving letters from 

President and Sister Kirkhams' daughter - Kelli's Primary AND our daughter - Lara's Primary.

Missionaries LOVE to get mail!!

 Elders Falemai, Orton, Cottrell, Abbott, Pearmain, Erickson

Elders LaMont, Farewell, Humpherys, Osanebi

Elder Banguar and Elder Enwukweri leaving Conference on a motorbike taxi

 Moving day!

Closed down the Upper Caldwell apartment and moved Elder Banguar 

and Elder Enwukweri in with the Caldwell New Georgia Elders.

L to R - Elders Berrett, Erickson, Pearmain, Bangura, Enwukweri, and Brother Sayon

Caldwell Zone Leaders - Elders Erickson and Pearmain - taking a much needed break.

***

Do you remember the end of last year when we ask everyone to fast and pray with the Logan Town Branch that they would get a better place to meet?  Well, those prayers have been answered.  

It's a long story - but a quick version is that Elder Berrett met the owner of the Logan Town Branch building, invited him to church, he was taught by the missionaries, and baptized.  Brother McCauley  now has sold the land and building to the church and they are remolding it.  

You can see at the back where they have expanded the chapel.

Here's what it looks like inside.  Everyone should now be able to fit for Sacrament Meeting.

We are excited to see what it all looks like when they are done. 

And we are so pleased for the Logan Town Branch.

****

I always notice this stack of mattresses along side the road as we're driving on Bushrod Island.  I think all the bright colors catch my eye - plus the fact that you can buy a mattress right there by the road!  

I'm even more fascinated by the people who buy them and how they transport them home.

 The mattress buyers here figure out some interesting ways to get their mattresses home.  

They just fold it in half and then…..

Put it ON or IN a car or taxi ...

Or on their head and walk it home…..

Or on their head on the back of motorbike taxi.

Just some helpful ideas for you next time you buy a mattress and are wondering 

"How am I going to get this home?"

A little of this and that ……..

Here's one of the stands we like to stop at to get fruits and vegetables.

At the far left is, Jenneh, the owner of the stand.  This is a great place to get wonderful pineapples, bananas, cucumbers, avocados, and some things I'm not even sure what they are!!

Every time we drive over to  Bushrod Island, I notice this cute little blue shop.  We finally stopped and I bought one of the large hand carved wooden spoons they sell.  Cost?  

150 LD or just less than $2.

Yep, the Rainy Season has begun.

It was nice when Elder Price and Elder Kamara left for church!  Some nice members gave them flip flops to wear home and bags to put their shoes and scriptures in.  Some of the puddles were so deep, that they had to roll their pants up above their knees to walk through them.  We stopped to give them a ride, but not before I took their picture.

This is Abraham - a security guard at our compound - his girlfriend Princess and their daughter Jocelyn.  One day, Abraham asked Elder Berrett if he had something he could read about our church.  He gave him some pamphlets and had the missionaries come talk to him.  Now he and Princess are scheduled to be baptized next month.  Elder Berrett had just helped them fill out their application for a marriage license.  They will be married on May 31.  Abraham asked Elder Berrett if he would baptize him! 

Could not get Jocelyn to smile.  Loved those chubby cheeks!

We were fascinated by Princess' hair.

  Another great hair do - This is Sister Muzambi's.  She told us it took the lady who did it only 30 minutes and it should last for about a month.   

Here's Rose, a little girl we meet at church.  Notice her fun hat.  

This is a little boy in our New Kru Town Branch.  His name is Obama.  

We are always amazed by the 'toys' the Liberian children play with.  Notice this little guy with a wheel on the end of a stick.  He was having the best time just running around, pushing his stick, and watching the wheel turn around and around.  We also see kids with paint rollers on the end of a long stick and they will be doing the same thing - just pushing the paint roller along watching it spin around and around.  

Some fun pictures from our week….

Sometime we have a craving for something like a good Whopper Junior from Burger King.  The missionaries told us about a place called King Burger.  With a name like that, we knew we had to go try it!  Can you read on the menu where it says, "With burgers, crunchy chicken, once you eat, you will never forget."  They are right.  We won't!

For months I've watched the pregnant mama goat at the mission office wondering when she was going to have her babies.  Then, I didn't see her for a while and thought she was gone. This week, there she and papa goat were with their two babies.  If I 'baaa' at them, they will lift their heads to look at me.  Wonder what I'm saying to them?

Took the Mission AP's - Elder Finau and Elder Dahlin - to exchange their US dollars into LD - Liberian dollars.  You can see what the exchange rate was for that day - 87.5.  That means, every US dollar is worth 87.5 Liberian dollars.  

Picture of a beautiful Liberian sunset taken from the parking lot of our apartment compound.

Last Sunday was the Bushrod Island District Primary Easter Program.  This is Isaac Weah who is 12 years old and in the 10th grade.  He played for the program and did a beautiful job.  His father, standing by Elder Berrett, taught him to play.  The interesting thing about that is, Brother Weah can't play the piano himself.  

Isaac told us that when Elder Holland came to visit, two years ago, he played for that meeting.  Sister Holland told him she had never seen someone so young play for such a large group.  That she expected to see him playing for the Tabernacle Choir some day.  He could do it!!

Here's a picture of the Primary children getting ready for their Easter Program.  I wish you could have heard them sing.  It brought tears to our eyes.  They knew the songs so well and sang out LOUD and clear.  They also acted out part of the Easter story. It was a beautiful program. 

Some day, they will be the leaders of the church in Liberia.

Welcome to Bushrod Island

This past week brought 6 new missionaries to the Liberia Monrovia Mission - 5 Elders and 1 Sister.  President Kirkham tells us that when new missionaries come, the work really seems to picks up.  Everyone works harder.  Their arrival is a real blessing to the mission.

Here are the 3 Elders that were assigned to our Bushrod Island District and their trainers.

Elder Gunnell with his new companion Elder Agyei from Ghana.

 Elder Osei Narty, from Ghana, will be trained by Elder Anderson.

Elder Amoah, also from Ghana, will have Elder Backman as his trainer.

As the Liberians say, "You are welcome!!"

As we 'carry' ourselves to Bushrod Island.

When Liberians are offering someone a ride, they say, "I can carry you."

***

We wanted to show what we see as we drive onto Bushrod Island and down UN Drive.  We make this trip almost daily.  Sometimes twice a day.  

This is what it looks like as we drive over the Gabriel Johnson Tucker Bridge.

This man is hauling heavy mahogany boards over the bridge on a 'push-push'. 

As we leave the bridge and look to the right, we see all these zinc roofs that have many small businesses under them.  

Motor bikes are no longer allowed on the main roads, so we are now seeing theses Huasha taxis.  They  are like a motorcycle in the front with a seating compartment on the back.  We've seen as many as 6 people get in for a ride.

Need to learn how to drive in Liberia?  You can come to the Island for driving lessons.  We are curious what they teach new drivers.  The condition of the car might show you how the driving is here!

This is the landmark that helps us know where to turn for the New Kru Town Sister's apartment.

The Logan Town, New Kru Town, Point Four, and Doe Community Elders' apartments.

There are 3 apartments on the second floor of this building where the Elders live.

Many people take a wheel barrow and turn it into a business.  This man is selling bread from his.

Put up an umbrella, set up a table under it, and start a business.  Need a pair of tennis shoes?  

OR a mattress?

A quick stop at Family Bakery and you could get some bread, rolls, or even a donut.

We travel under the Bong Mine Bridge as we go further onto the Island.

The Elders on Bushrod love this store.  It's one of the few supermarkets there.  We like to stop there also.

This is just a small sampling of what we see as we travel onto Bushrod Island.  We very much enjoy our assignment to serve with the members and missionaries there.