E-mail dated 6/29/09

The highlight of my week was the baptism we had on Saturday. Because the branch is struggling right now, baptisms come about once a month, and this month is no different. Gifty Cooper (I don't think I've ever mentioned her to you) was a pretty amazing find. One day whilst walking with Elder Seawright we heard someone yelling for us to come to them (read CJ's email as to why that is not always the best thing, it happens here too.) It turns out that the woman that was yelling was a less active woman that was baptized 9 years ago in a different branch in Liberia. It had been a good 4 years since she's been to chruch. Well her reason for contacting us is because she wanted us to start teaching her daughter, Gifty, but she(the mother) made it very clear that she had her "own chruch" and we shouldn't preach to her. So we began teaching Gifty and she was coming to church all by herself. One day after church we were talking with the mother and the conversation turned to fruit. I asked her if she had ever tasted a "pear" before. Now the only way for her to taste a pear would be in the can because they don't grow here. She said no, and I told her I would buy her some pears if she would come to church. I said it jokingly but she took me serious and to make a long story short, she came to church and was reactivated. Once she was reactivated we felt comfortable for Gifty to be baptized. So she was. Cool story.

My emails don't really have many of those, because those kinds of stories aren't from week to week. those kind of stories come month to month and somethimes even longer. Don't worry I have written in my journal everyday since I left so if you want more you'll have to wait a year or so. As I have been writing in my journal I realized that I didn't write very much about my high school years, and I will regret that one day. But I won't make that mistake again. That's about it for this week. I'm very tired right now as we just got done from playing football (soccer). I haven't run around since the end of March so my muscles are all sore. I can't really think straight so if this email doensn't make sense, I sorry-o.

I love you all and have a good week

Elder Degen