E-mail dated 3/2/09

My Good People,

I will start the email by giving you the surprising news of the week. I'm leaving Sierra Leone and am being transferred to Liberia this week. After only two transfers in Hill Station I'm on my way to Liberia. I'm very surprised and yet kind of bummed and excited at the same time. My new companions name is Elder Seawright who is from Heber (I think). Yes Heber, that city that Milt and nate live in. I've yet to meet him but I'm pretty excited to go and serve with him. I'm sad to leave my branch, but thats how missionary work goes. So that means no more Krio and no more mountains. I will be speaking Liberian English and walking on flat ground. So that is good.

My boil is better. No problem. Boils, Malaria, the sun . . . its all part of life now. You know I pretty used to living like this now. Now it kind of feels like I'm starting a new mission as I'm traveling to a new country.

A typical non-p-day? Well I get up at 6:30 (normally from a puddle of sweat on my bed) and I try and wake myself up (which sometimes isn't easy). From there I write in my journal and then shower. If someone is in the mood to cook breakfast (a scrumptious plate of rice and tomato stew) then we eat, if no one wants to cook I eat random things (bp sandwiches, cereal, and so forth). Personal study followed by companionship study. We leave the apartment by ten everyday. We have appointments every hour from ten in the morning to seven in the evening with no lunch break.( we rely on free meals to sustain us, which don't always happen). Just imagine hiking angels landing every day while teaching people along the way (in a different languange). We get home around 8 or 9 and depending on our hunger we cook and talk with the other Elders in the apartment. Tuesdays we have district meeting from 10 to 12. Sometime during the week I have to get up early and do a mid-week wash (to save my hands from being destroyed on Mondays). Yep so thats pretty much my days. Sounds fun doesn't it?

I see the Peterson's all the time. In fact I'm in their apartment right now emailing you because all the cafes in the area aren't working. They are so wonderful. We have already agreed they are coming to the airport the day I get home. They are so funny. I'm sad I'll be leaving them. They say hello right now.

I had an experience this week that made me grateful for my family. We have been teaching this family for a long time now. They are ready for baptism but the only problem is that they have not been married. The woman wants a traditional marraige with her parents attending (who live in the village) and the man wants a church marraige (with no parents in freetown). We asked them to try and solve the problem and work something out so they can get married. This week they got in a huge fight and we were inspired to go and visit them without any knowledge of the fight. The woman was about to move out of the house and take the only child with her. Luckily we showed up and she told us what happened. How do you respond in a situation like that? Well thankfully we have the spirit and I was promted to share how we can develop charity and we read Moroni 7:45-48 together. Wow, the spirit was so strong and we challenged her to pray for this charity. We went back the next day and they had resolved the problem for now. Missionary work is so much more than teaching from Preach my Gospel. We have to be ready for anything at anytime.

So I love you guys and candy and drink mixes are always welcome. I'm also going to need some journal pages soon.

Elder Degen