And the rains came down….

Liberia only has two seasons - The Dry Season and The Rainy Season.  It's official - it's The Rainy Season.  Even the locals are amazed by the amount of rain we are getting.  See how deep the water is on this car as it slowly travels down Somalia Drive.

I worried for these two young boys.  I was afraid they might fall down from the force of the water as they tried to cross the street.  The water is up past their knees.

If you have to catch a ride on a motorcycle taxi, hope one with an attached umbrella comes along.

Just as we left the Duala District Center, we saw two of our Elders walking in the rain to get to Saturday's baptisms - Elder Kamara and Elder Price.

We stopped to make a delivery at the Caldwell New Georgia apartment.  The Elders all gathered on the porch to watch Elder Berrett and I make our way across their flooded parking lot.  I think we put on quite a show for them!

The water completely covered our shoes.  WHY didn't I bring my boots!!

A few of the Elders decided to join us.

Elders Erickson, Gunnell, and Agyei

As we drove past the Brewerville/Banjor Branch Chapel, we noticed the members were there trying to sweep the water out of their flooded building.  They'd been at it since 6:30 am and it was now 11:00 am.  

Can you pick out the missionaries?

They were also trying to dig a trench to divert the water away from the building.

Here's Elder LaMont on his way to help.  You can see his companion, Elder Fairwell, ahead of him carrying two mop buckets.

Even the Sisters braved the elements.

Sisters Iwenofu and Dlamini

People will put plastic grocery bags or shower caps on their heads to help keep their hair dry.

No need to let a 'little' rain stop a good soccer game!

When it rains, the window washers come out.  When you stop for a light, they pour laundry detergent on your windows and rub it on with a rag. Then the rain is supposed to wash away the soap and you'll have clean windows.  But, it really just soaps up your windows and makes it difficult to see out.  Then when they are done, they want you to pay them for cleaning your windows.  When we see them coming towards our truck, we start waving our arms and saying, "NO!  NO!" since you usually have to start driving before the rain has a chance to rinse your windows clean. 

JUST FOR FUN…..

As we drove over the bridge from Bushrod Island,  a man dressed up and walking on stilts was coming from the opposite direction.  I wish you could see his face.  It was covered with what looked like burlap  cloth with no holes for his eyes or mouth.  It must have been hard for him to see and breathe. He stopped right in front of our car and I took his picture.  He then wanted me to pay him for 'letting' me take his picture.  We waited for a few minutes and he finally moved and let us pass.

Some of what we saw this week…..

This week we attended the Logan Town District Meeting, which includes Logan Town and Doe Community Branches.  Because of all the rain, bad roads, and traffic on Bushrod Island, we were a hour late but still enjoyed a great meeting.  

L to R - Elders Kamara, Ideh, Osatohangbon (sitting) Gharbin, Burr, Price, Widdison, Okunrobo

There is a group of small shops by the old American Embassy that we call 'The Mall'.  That's where I like to get recycled glass bead bracelets and Elder Berrett likes to try his bartering skills with the shop owners.  We've been there so many times, that now we know the names of many of the shop owners.  We are especially attracted to the wood carvers who use the simplest of tools.  Look closely and you'll see this carver making an elephant using a small hatchet.  They are fascinating to watch.

This is Abu who employes many of the wood carvers there to make things for his shop.  Here he's putting the finishing touches on the carving of a man reading a book for Elder Berrett.

This is a view of the Mission Office as you drive up Redemption Road.  See the office just to the right of the two palm trees. This location gives great views of the ocean.  

This large tree, located by the Mission Office, fell over during a big rain storm. Notice how small Elder Berrett looks!  They had already cut the branches off that were blocking the road, but you can still tell how large it was.     

Of course this sign caught my eye.  A fully furnished beach house for lease!!  Sign me up.

Saturday Samuel Weah and Marya Fahnbulleh were married in a civil ceremony at the Duala District Center.  Don't you love their outfits.  I would love to be able to try Marya's hat on.  It is made of cloth that has been stapled to fit her head.  It was beautiful.

This is Samuel's mother - Sister Comfort Weah.  She is the Relief Society President in the New Kru Town Branch where we go to church.  She is so faithful and we just love her.

One last picture - Brother Wallace, a branch missionary and Elder Orton walking towards their apartment after a morning of proselyting.  That's their compound on the right.  I love it when we come upon the missionaries out 'doing the work'.

This week in our Liberia

This is a picture of the New Kru Town Primary doing the 'I Love You' sign.  

I taught them to do the sign as a reminder that Sister Berrett loves them

 AND so does their Heavenly Father.

And here is the New Kru Town Branch Young Women's Presidency.

L to R - Naomi Johnson, Margret Nepay, Nmasnoh Larmie, and Mary Nagbe.

We've just had a training meeting in the courtyard of the church.

I wanted everyone to see what it now looks like in the Logan Town Chapel since it's been remodeled. Doesn't it look nice!  It's so large and bright.
Now all the members can fit inside for Sacrament Meeting.  No one needs to sit outside.  

That's President Kirkham visiting with some of the members.

Had a great Meeting with the Brewerville Zone.

L to R - Elders Osanebi, Cottrell, Nartey, Fairwell, LaMont, Amoah, Maurana, Etete, Backman, Humphreys, Anderson, Abbott and Sister and Elder Berrett.

Elder and Sister Hezseltine will be going home on July 23.  So, we have been driving around with them, trying to learn where the missionary apartments they take care of are located on the Monrovia side of the mission.  On our travels we passed a fruit stand where I bought this cute little pineapple for only 30 LD - Liberian Dollars - which means it cost about $.30 USD.

On our drive we passed this road side business where weights were for sale.  The larger weights are made from car parts. The small hand weights are iron bars with cement balls on the end. There's even weight benches.  No excuse not to be pumping iron!!

Look…..No hands!

We made this young man stop so we could look at the hair accessories he had for sale.  He was carrying quite an array of goods on his head.  When we stopped him, he put the stool he was carrying down and sat the box from his head on top of it.  Was a clever way to display his wares. Sister Hezseltine found what she was looking for, but he wouldn't dicker with her on the prices which is unusual.

We made a stop at the Gardnersville Chapel and saw how well their garden project was going. They had a grow box with some plant starts in it.  We weren't sure what was growing in it, but we could tell that the plants underneath were cabbage.  You can see the rice sacks lined up against the building that they have also planted cabbage in.  It was quite a large and beautiful garden.

They were also growing a few pineapples.

When we stopped at Harbels Grocery Store on Friday, I noticed a young boy holding this bouquet of flowers standing on the sidewalk.  Elder Berrett asked, "How much?"  When he said, "$5" I knew they'd be mine.  Aren't they beautiful!  Bird of Paradise.
Thanks Elder Berrett!!

And finally …..

Remember Elder and Sister Ekufu, the Senior Couple from Nigeria who came in March?  They were only here for two weeks when they received news that their daughter who was 8 months pregnant had been killed in a ferry boat accident.  The next day, Sister Ekufu's mother passed away.  They returned home to take care of the funerals and waited to see their son sealed in the Temple on June 18.  After the marriage, they were on their way to the airport to fly to Lagos, Nigeria to be set apart again so they could return to Liberia on the 20th and resume their mission.  On the way they were involved in a head on crash with a bus.  Sister Ekufu was killed and Elder Ekufu was seriously injured.  We were looking forward to our reunion with them and are deeply saddened.    

We pray the Ekufu family will be blessed with peace and comfort.  We will always remember them.

Back row - L to R - Sister and Elder Hezseltine, Sister and Elder Miles 2, Sister and Elder Dever, 

Sister and Elder Ekufu.

Front Row - Elder and Sister Berrett, Sister and Elder Miles 1, Sister and President Kirkham

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?"