E-mail dated 10/18/09

Well, I’m typing this email on word because the server is down and I don’t want to waste my browsing time. Hopefully the server comes back up so this can get to you all the way across the world. I was able to read your email before it went down, so I’ll do my best to remember everything.

First thing I have an announcement. I have been called to repentance by President Squires. During his instruction in our zone conference on Thursday we reviewed some of the mission rules in the missionary handbook. The one that I realized that I was not keeping was emialing only family. So please help me be obedient and only family emial me. It is much better to be obedient because obedience equals the companionship of the Spirit, and if I don't have the spirit then what am I doing here. So here is the situation, everyone can either do the hard thing and email me your writing address and write me a letter, or the easy thing and just read my blog. From here on out I will not reply to any emails other than those in whom I'm related to (aunts, cousins, and grandparents are ok).

That is so cool you got to see Elder Seawright and listen to his homecoming!! Tell the Peterson's hello for me, and now you can tell them to write me as well, since I'm no longer going to email them. The next American missionary to come home would be the wires who are returning right after Christmas. The next one will be Elder Mills, whom I lived with in freetown for 3 months, and he will be returning home in march.

I'm finally starting to get comfortable in my new area. Coming back to Krio was no problem but I still would rather teach in English. If they can understand me when I speak English I will speak it everytime, but if they can't I will do my best in Krio. What do we do with all the time in the evening? Well, we usually return about 7:30 or 8, so we have to plan for the next day and then we have to cook because we usually don't eat during the day. Journal and with my new repsonsibilities, I'd say we keep pretty busy.

The only things that I will need for Christmas is some more contact solution. Two more bottles should do me until next summer. Everything else is up to you. But just to let you know, most of the stuff you send me will most likely be left here or given to other missionaries, unless its candy, then I will eat it. Pictures are always good. Nothing else is really needed. My shoes are doing just fine. I might have to resole the other pair but, now that it is dry season it doesn't really matter.

Conratulations Adam and Brooke. Sorry Lisa about your head. If it makes you feel any better I had my leg glued shut about a year ago, but that is another story for another day. I love you all and have a great week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 10/12/09

Hello from the great city of Bo. Man, what were they thinking when they named this city. Maybe it was something like the easiest sound to make. Think about it bo is pretty easy to say. Tell Adam to make his childs first word "Bo". Well, that seems like a little ways down the road. Anywho . . . Bo is a lot smaller than Freetown and Monrovia put still pretty big considering we are out in the middle of the bush. Bo is a tribal village of the tribe "mende". I can actually speak small mende now, but I don't really have the zeal to learn it well. Everyone here speaks this language and I here it all day. "poomwee" means white man in mende. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard that word I would be . . .(use your imagination here). The main means of transportation here is motorcyle. Yep, I ride on the back of a motorcyle two or three times a day. Add that to the list of things I'd never thought I would do on mission.

My branch worships in the church owned chapel here in Bo. The only church owned chapel in Sierra Leone (Liberia has three church owned chapels f.y.i) The same problems still exist here as in any of the other branches I've served in. Our apartment is pretty "bo-bo pain" (krio for poor man) but I'm pretty used to that by now. I'm excited that we have light some of the time and I get to sleep with a fan on half the time. Sadly we are moving into dry season and light here in Bo stops coming in the dry season. which means we are back to generator.

Well, it looks like this weeks email won't be much of a spiritual one. I'm still trying to get used to new faces and having to learn a new branch. Things are coming on small small. The package you sent finally found its way to me. Thanks for the pants and the pictures. Gram thanks for the small envelope. I hope the wedding goes great this week and sorry, but I'm out of things to say. Send me the Ensign just in case please. Let me know how Elder Seawrights talk is. I love that guy.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 10/5/09

Well, I'm here in Bo right now and boy are things different. Maybe its just because I was so used to the Monrovia culture that everything is crazy again to me. Once again I feel like a new missionary and started my third mission. I am back to speaking Krio and using Leones(the currency). But I'm still getting used to not knowing anybody (in my branch) but once I start to develop a relationship with them I will be just fine. Right before I left on my mission I learned that the hard way. Two of the most important things in this life (1) Our relationship with God and (2) our Relationships with others. I have really learned how to improve both of them since I've been here on mission. I'm so grateful that I was able to spend time in Liberia and get to develop a relationship of love with them. But how great will my joy be when I will see them again.

The branch that I've been assigned to is called Sewa Road. Bascially the church has the same problems here in Bo as they do in Liberia so the work is the same. I'm enjoying my apartment. We have six elders total in the apartment and one of them is my MTC mate who was at the airport with me (Elder Yardley). I have seen Elder Kargbo and Elder Gifford who were living with me in Liberia, they are living in the other apartment in Bo. In the Zone we have 12 Elders. 10 of them are in Bo and 2 of them are in Kenema (close to the border of Liberia on a map). Today we played football against some branch missionaries and we beat them 6-3. Elder Smoot stayed in Liberia. I am now on my 9th different companion which is actually quite a bit. I guess I'm just a troublesome missionary that nobody wants to be with?

I was not able to watch any of General Conference. I don't think we will be watching it until November. So how was it? Kalli hang in there, I'll cook some rice for you when I get back.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life