E-mail dated 7/20/09

The work here in Congo Town was about the same as usual. We are busy trying to find some new investigators as the ones we are working with will be baptized in the next four weeks. I remember you asking the names of our investigators about a year ago so I'm going to give you some of the names of the people we are working with now. Emmanuel Jayjay (who will be baptized this Saturday), Annie Brown, Dabeh Brown, Andrew Ziama, Amie Freeman, Augustine Tamba, Emmanuel Curry, Lawrence Grigsby, Lucy Mulbah, and Mayonnah Johnson. Now not all of them will be baptized soon, but most of them are progressing towards that. If all goes as planned we will have three on the 15 of August.

One of the things we have recently been working on as a district is to have weekly service projects. We have set aside thursdays mornings from 8-12 to do a weekly service project. When we first got the instruction to do so, I was hesitant because its hard to find service projects monthly, and weekly seemed like an impossible task. But we have been succesfull this past month. One week we drew water from the well and planted a garden for our investigators, another week we whitewashed a house, the past couple of weeks we have brushed (which is pretty much mowing the lawn with a sword, its hard work and it takes a lot of time) a member house and a community park. This week we will be painting someones house. Opportunities to serve are really everywhere. It has really opened my eyes as to how we can serve others. I'm sure if everyone was looking for ways in which we could serve others it would sure make a lot of burdens lighter (which is what we covenanted to do when we were baptized). We also covenanted to stand as a witness at all times, which means to be an example and share the gospel at all times. I love these service projects.

I had the experience of giving comfort to one of our investigators this week. She had lost her only child due to sickness and we happened to be at the house when she returned home from the hospital. She wasn't really in good shape. I can't even imagine how she is feeling but the only thing I could testify of was the plan of salvation. I don't know if she was touched or whatnot, but life is very precious. I've always had a soft heart for those who lose loved ones. The funny thing is that when the family loses a loved one the remaining family members become closer than ever before. I felt as if I was part of this family. Lawrence is still progressing. I know he will eventually be baptized, he said he wanted more time to get accustomed to the church before baptism. I've never had an investigator read the entire Book of Mormon before baptism (some of them can't even read). But this man might be the first. I'm happy for his progression.

Elder Degen