E-mail dated 5/31/10

It was a long day in the car driving back from Monrovia to Freetown. Hard to believe I was in Congo Town apartment early this morning. We left Monrovia at around 6 in the morning and arrived in Freetown at around 7 pm, with a 30 minute stop in Bo. Yesterday was amazing. It was the monrovia District Conference and I got to see the Congo Town branch. It was a great experience. My joy was . . . . I can't even use words to describe how great it was. I LOVE THAT BRANCH!!! Tender Mercy from the Lord. The rest of the week was great.

Tell Bishop Lang that I got his emial. I will be speaking on Elder Christofferson's talk in the last general conference. I know that Elder Lauti will be speaking on the 13th at 9 and Elder Yardley is the same day at 1 (but he lives just north of bear lake, that might be pushing it. I'll see if anyone else wants to make the run with me and then I'll make the decision). I don't know if it would be a good idea to have all my friends at the airport. My emotions right now are very very confused so I don't think I can make the best decision on this, but the Petersons and brother Seawright have confirmed that they will be coming. I don't know. I'll think about it this week and try and respond next week. My heart is being ripped in half, and I don't know what to think anymore.

I love you all and have a great week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 5/24/10

Ok. So we are here in the great Bushrod Island of Monrovia. We are in about our 3rd internet cafe and we have finally found one that works. It probably looks really funny to the locals that there are two white men carrying there traveling duffel bag on their heads. Oh well, you should never worry about what others think of you anyways.

I'm going to warn you first hand. You might not get an email from me next week. Monday is the day scheduled for us to drive back to Freetown. It will likely take all day for us to do that. Just a heads up.

We just finished a Super P-day here in Monrovia. All the missionaries (22 of us) gathered in Caldwell to play some kickball. Once the rules were explained and an trial inning was played, everyone had a great time. We went to a Ghanaian restaurant afterward and enjoyed some fufu. I really hope somebody can prepare fufu for everyone to try. You all might think I am crazy for eating it, but I love it so much now. I want to have a video camera ready when you try it. I hope I'll be able to find some other african dishes. correction: West African dishes. I don't know what they eat down there in the south. Crazy Southerners.

I don't really care who comes to the airport or not. I'm sure the Petersons are coming and they might round up some return missionaries from this mission to meet us their. Just know that I will probably be really tired. Maybe friends can wait until after I'm released. Maybe the Yardley's and the Lauti's will want to have dinner. meh. Whatever is cool with me. I'm going to enjoy this whilst I can.

Have a great week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 5/17/10

The past couple of weeks have gone really well. I can't really remember what happened during that time period. Time flies when your having fun, I guess. I don't really feel bad not writing detailed emials anymore. So don't be disappointed if this one is not very detailed.

I guess I'll start with our investigators. The Gbabay family is doing great!! I'm so excited for them. The father, Augustine, and the eldest son, Solomon, have been coming to church very consistently for the past three months and from what we can tell have gained atestimony of the restored gospel. This past week we retaught lesson one (because that is the foundation of our faith) and it was amazing. It was like I could see the lights turning on in their minds as we connected all four lessons back to the restoration. Its kind of like an epiphany moment. I could feel light entering into them. The very next lesson we reviewed the baptismal interview questions with thema nd they basically retaught the restoration in their own words and with thier tesimonies of how they know its true. And even better, the rest of the family (the mother, Christiana, Aminata, Pius, Alfred, and Florence) all came to church yesterday. The branch is welcoming them warmly and things are looking good. Augustine and Solomon will be baptized on the 5th of June. Everything else seems to be going good.

I'm staying very busy. We are getting ready to travel again. This time to Liberia for almost two weeks. I'm pretty exctited to attend the District Conference because I'll get to see the Congo Town people again. I hope everyone has a great week. Elder Degen
Rice is Life

I did get the package thank you very much. And I forwarded you somepictures that Sister Jones took of us.

E-mail dated 5/10/10

Well well well. Here I am again communicating with my family late in the evening hours. For that whole phone call I was doing my evening routine preparing myself for bed. We had six Elders in our apartment last night so thats why I may have sounded just a little bit distracted yesterday. Oh well. It was fun to talk for that small amount of time. I don't really have much to say this time, and I don't really have much time to mail. I would like to prepare for bed a little more focused tonight. I love you all and will give you many many more details next week.

Elder Degen
Rice is Life

Ok, So . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This email is definitely notoing to be as creative as last week. I don't really have much time.I just finished looking at the school emial and I hope that it makes sense. We went to a beach clear out in Goderich for P-day today and we are running a little bit late. The only thing to sacrifice at the moment is our emialing time. Which really isn't a problem for me because I'll be talking with you very very soon. We will be driving back from Bo on Sunday and we won't reach Freetown until about 9:00 in the evening. So whenever we get back I will call you on our phone first (but only long enough for you to get my number) and then if you could please call back. We have an hour to talk this time. 9:00 PM our time is 3:00PM your time (i think). We are just going to have to play it by ear because I don't really know what time we will get back. It would be nice to call while in the car but there is no service inthe middle of the bush. meh.

Sorry buts that all the time I've got for now. I hope you have agreat week and talk to you on Sunday.

Elder Degen
Rice is life

CJ: So you need to let me know when and if you recieved my letter.I really sent one about the day after you sent me a mail or so. Ialso met someone from South Africa this past week. Remember a MusaDitsi from Soweto, Protea Glen ward. Yep, he is now a missionary in the Sierra Leone Freetown mission and we met on Tuesday. He still remembers Elder Hanson and his parents coming to his ward for a Barbeque back in December. He is excited to be here and sends his greetings. We both know someone on the same continent now. WOOT!!

E-mail dated 4/26/10

Congratulations Degen family. You have been accepted into the School of Future Technology and will begin taking classes right now. Your first class will be "How to use the Time Machine". Ready. Lets Go.

To Begin using the Time Machine insert 4 quarters into the computer. Just kidding, that would probably break the computer. Our first destination will be SIERRA LEONE at appoximately 6:30 PM on MONDAY 19 APR 2010. Remember that you can see the people but they can't see you, so don't hurt yourself when you see your son.

Elder Bird and Elder Degen are currently in the middle of teaching a fantastic family home evening lesson with the Gbabay family. They have just taught the covenant of baptism and asked if the family would like to be baptized. " Yes, but what do I need to do to be baptized?" asks Augustine Gbabay, the father of the family. "That is a great question," responds Elder Degen "the first things you need to do to be baptized are faith and repentance, which we discussed about the last time." "But I've already been baptized in the Catholic church." Solomon states.
"In order for the baptism to be recognized by God that person must have the priesthood power. Here's an example: If I want to go and direct the traffic on Pademba Road who do I have to recieve the authority from? The government right. If I were to just go and do it and then go to the government and ask for my pay what would happen?"
"They would never pay him"
"Why"
"Because he didin't have the authority!"
"Exactly, so how does God feel about baptisms that aren't done by His authority?"
"He doesn't accept them."
"Very Good! Brother Gbabay will you be baptized as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints"
"Yes, I will"
"What about you Sister Christiana?"
"Yes"
"Solomon, Aminata, Pius, Florence?"
"Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes"
"OK all those who havn't been coming to church and haven't been joining the discussions will now need to catch up to the rest of us" said the father.
"Ok lets go to the game now"

We are sorry but your time has expired. Please insert another 4 quarters into the computer for another round. Just kidding. Man that was just as funny the second time. The next destination will be SIERRA LEONE on FRIDAY 23 APR 2010 at appoximatley 4:30 PM. Ready. (imaginary spaceship noises)

"Elder BIRD!! My brain hurts. Why don't you come and figure this out and I'll change the blue triangles to white on the computer."
"Just let me finish this map of Kissy on the computer then I'll give it to President' and come and help."
"Do you know how hard it is to divide this Kissy branch directory into two branches with the correct number of females per branch and the number of active and less active young men, young women, and children per branch. My brain really hurts!"

Malfunction! Malfunction! Malfunction! We are sorry but you can't be pushing those buttons Gavin Stewart Degen. Geez you think this is easy going back into time. Well you've got another thing coming. That'll be 20 quarters for you. Well lets go to our last stop for this period. Destination SIERRA LEONE on SUNDAY 25 APR 2010 at approximately 8:00 PM.

"Elder Bird, which zone do you want to call and give transfer news first? I think we should tell Elder Albright in Liberia first because they had their numbers in first"
"That would make sense to me"
"Elder Grabau and Elder Gunderson go upstairs, freetown is not first this time"
(moaning and groaning)
(excitment on the phone beacue Elder Albright knows he only has 6 more weeks left)
"Paynesville Elders remain the same. Paynesville 2 Elders remain the same. Elder Korfeh recieves Elder Kenner and Elder Onuoha is going home .. . . . . . ."

Ok Ok. Man that took alot of brain power. This is Elder Degen now. I was telling Sister Jones how hard it is to write home these days and she told me to be creative. How's that for creative. I don't think it makes much sense but oh well. I don't have any idea about applying for the business school at the U. You would think that I already did that because I'm in the middle of my schooling process, but I have no idea about that. I love you all and have a fantastic week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

PS Elder Lamb and Elder Stice are returning home on Wednesday night. Maybe get in contact with them and find out when they are speaking. If you want to go to Idaho and listen to Elder Stice that would be kinda cool.


PPPPS Mister CJ you win the prize for the belated birthday wishing contest. I almost pooped my pants!

E-mail dated 4/19/10

Hello Hello Hello

Well I don't have much time right now because only one computer is working and we split the hour between the two of us because we have an Family Home Evening appointment with the Gbabay family in like 10 minutes. I think we are going to be just a little bit late. Meh. Nobody really keeps time anyway.

This past week was very busy. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday we had Zone conferences with Elder Golden in Movrovia, Bo, and Freetown. He is a very doctrinal man and its a learning experience just listening to him. It was interesting on how he instructed each zone differently according to what the spirit put into his mouth. I really enjoyed it. It was a lot of travelling but at the same time a great experience.

The only day we had to plan was Saturday. Everyone remembered my birthday. We bought ice cream (4 liters for $25) and Sister Squires and Sister Jones baked a cake and ate some of it with us. Lets just say eating cake and ice cream for three consecutive meals is not very healthy. I always wondered why mom wouldn't bake cakes for dinner every night, but now I know. Anywho it was good. We even had a great day of teaching (it was our only day of teaching as a matter of fact) as we were able to see most of our investigators.

For Super P-day today we went to the Aberdeen beach and played Ultimate Frisbee. Man I love that game. The sun scorched me though. And I'm out of shape.

Well I've got to go now. Have a fantastic week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 4/12/10

This past week was very busy for Elder Bird and I. Wow! Well to start things off I'll just give a summary of my weeks events. I used to have pretty normal weeks with nothing much out of the ordinary happening but this past week was anything but ordinary. On Wednesday we had to move the missionaries out of the Freetown apartment (the apartment where I started my mission) because the landlord wanted a big increase in rent. We spent the whole day transporting furniture and bags and anything else in the apartment to where it needed to go. Now we still don't have another apartment for these four elders so we are squeezing them into two different apartments. Two of them are moving into our apartment, so we had to make alot of adjustments to our apartment to make it capable of accomodating four elders instead of two. That took the whole day.

On Thursday we had a Zone Conference in Freetown and on Friday we had a Zone Conference in Bo. We had more of a testimony meeting rather than actual instructions because of 3 Zone Conferences scheduled this week. We watched Bruce R. McConkies final testimony he gave in General Conference right before he passed away. That started our testimony meeting. It is pretty good.

On Saturday we drove to Monrovia, which took up most of the day. We actually listened to some of the conference talks from this last conference on the car ride over here to Liberia. Sister Squires and us cheated by downloading them and burning them on CD's. I think I could listen to Elder Holland speak all day long. He is pretty good.

Now I'm in Liberia and for P-day today we helped the Paynesville apartment clean their apartment just in case Elder Golden wants to inspect apartments when he visits. Elder Albright (my MTC mate) taught and helped all of the missionaries in Paynesville and Congo Town make Pizza's. His family owns a pizza place in Shelly, Idaho and lets just say that the pizza was amazing. I'll definitely have to go to shelly this summer and see how the big boy stuff is made. It is pretty good.

I don't even know what a "leave of absence" is. I was told by the scholarship office that everything was good and that I didn't have to do anything else. Please just do your best. I don't think I'm a senior in college, maybe just by the amount of credits I have. I think I should be a sophomore, but i don't think it really matters.

Have a great week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

Brother Seawright: My man, you are a grandfather. Elder Naeata is currently training his first pekin. Remember Suliaman Milton from Congo Cross. Yep thats who he is training. Your speed record to Bo was broken this last week. The road is completely finished now and president flew thier in 2 hours and 45 minutes on Friday. Elder Ogoloma told me that Annie came to church for the first time in two months yesterday. Things seem to be turning around now. Thanks for the email.

E-mail dated 4/6/10

Happy Easter Monday,

I don't know why but Easter Monday is a very big holiday today here in Freetown. Everything is closed. Even the schools have been closed since last week Friday. Easter is celebrated a little bit different over here. Good Friday is the most interesting. I remember last year in Liberia many of the children had dummys of Judas Iscariot and were chanting innapropriate things about him. Most of the world really doesn't understand the Easter season. But we do. We need to tell the world the true meaning of Easter.

On Friday and Saturday evenings we held a little open house at the Freetown chapel. We set up a projector and sound system and watched some Easter films, "Finding Faith in Christ","To this end was I Born" and a talk by Bruce R. McConkie about the Savior. We invited the branches that were closest and everyone on the streets. We had a pretty good turnout and everyone seemed to enjoy the film.

I heard some exciting news this week. Grandma Jah is going to the temple this week!!! She was my first baptism all the way back in July of 2008. She is a very frail and fragile old lady but has remained faithful to her baptismal covenant and will be going on the next temple trip. President Squires doesn't think she will make it on the long bus ride so they somehow worked out for her to fly to Ghana. Guess who will be picking her up at the airport in Ghana. Elder Sadare (I guess he is Brother Sadare now), my companion at the time she was baptized. I'm happy for both of them. I have not been able to see grandma jah since I left Congo Cross, but all of the missionaries that have served there since, always give me an update about her. One of the missionaries said that grandma Jah said "All I want to do is go to the temple, so I can die." That seems to be her only will to live right now. She has got a sweet heart and I hope everything works out for her.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 3/29/10

Well well well, Where do I start. I have two full weeks to update you on and alot has happened since I last mailed. I was doing just fine last week. No monkeys attacked or anything like that. In fact I couldn't have been better. I was in Liberia traveling with President Squires. The Elders that I were with last monday took me to the crappiest internet cafe in the history of the world. Myldsmial.net would not load. Hence why you had the no emial last week.

But, alas, I am safe and sound back here in Freetown ready to mail. That last week in Liberia was amazing. I absolutely love that country. We traveled by road, and it took two days to reach Monrovia. We had to cross a river on a ferry that was man-powered. See 10 missionaries pulling this ferry (with our two vehicles) across the river with a cable that the ferry is connected to. Pretty sweet. The best part about this Liberia trip was that I was able to proselyte in Congo Town. Holy smokes that was awesome. Made me feel like I was back home. I absolutely love those people. The feelings I had were amazing. I wish I could describe how happy I was to see some of these great people. This kind of happiness is so much better than the utes/jazz winning any championship. So much better than recieving an A in school. So much better that recieving one million dollars. This kind of happiness only comes from God. I have learned that I am recieving this joy because Heavenly Father is appoving my sacrifice. Honestly I love those people so much that I desire thier salvation to the greatest extent. It was a pretty neat experience.

Well, here's a funny story for the day. We are planning to have an Easter fireside this Friday and Saturday at Belliar Park. One of the members has a sound system big enough for us to watch the films on a projetor outside (we need it to be loud to compete with the apostate church across the street). This morning the member dropped the equipment off at the office and Elder Bird and I unloaded it and gave it a little test run. We had some EFY music blasting at full volume in the office. I could feel my stomach vibrating. Presenting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert. ha ha.


Elder Seawright: I got your mail. Here's the Congo Town update for ya. Annie Brown received your mail. (Kushe for writing her). She has been going through a rough time these past couple of months. They have been evicted from thier home (they are still living on the Old road in Brooklyn community) and in the last two weeks cynthia's husband (William biney) died and Cynthia's father died. Annie seemed really stressed and has been inconsistet in going to church. I wasn't able to see her, but thats the update from the congo Town Elders. I haven't really met many families in Dwarzark yet, but I will greet them for you-o. I love you-o.

CJ: I got your mail too. I love you man. Thanks for the updates. I will write you a letter. (I think I said that last time. But this time its true.)

Well thats about all I've got for this week. I love you all and have a great week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 3/15/10

Elder Mills lives in West Bountiful and is going home tomorrow. I lived with him back when I lived in Freetown. 659 north 660 West, West bountiful. I don't really know what good that address is going to do, because that is his house. VISIT HIM!! Call and ask when he will be speaking in church. It might be this Sunday. Or you could call the Petersons and ask them.

I thought I would tell you that now so I won't forget. This week went very very well. Sister Issatu Smith was baptized on Friday with her two children, Abie and Francis. Brother Smith, who is a strong member, performed the baptism and now everyone in the family are members. Sister Smith has gone through a "mighty change of heart". She has been taught by the missionaries for over a year now, but was not progressing. Her husband has been trying very hard to help his family progress but her hear was hardened. I remember teaching her once in October or November and she told us that she never wanted to go to church again and that she wanted to turn back to be a muslim. It all changed back in December when Brother Smith went to Ghana to go to the temple. When he returned he had an added measure of enthusiasm for the church and it rubbed off on the rest of the family. Ever since then Sister Smith has been coming to church and really has a strong desire to go the temple and seal to her husband. She bore a sweet testimony after she was baptized on Friday.

We also began to teach another sweet family. The musa family. We contacted them about six weeks ago and just last week we thought we would stop by and ask how they were doing. We were prompted to set an appointment. When we taught Lesson One they loved it and really wanted us to come back to teach them more about the Book of mormon. They have been prepared.

Well I have been transfered back to Freetown. My new area is Dwarzark branch. I came in on the bus early this morning. I will miss Bo alot. My new companion is Elder Bird from Kearns, Utah. He came just a few months after me. We will get along fine.

Until Next week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

Today we had a Super P-day once again. We all went to the chapel and played volleyball, dodgeball , and kickball. It was so fun, but man was the sun hot. say sunburn. I can't remember if I told you last week but the thermometer is reaching around 105 F the past couple of weeks. Oh and as I write right now it has just began to rain. Thats nice.

You mentioned something about how the church is moving towards having members follow the spirit more than a structured material. If you look in Preach my Gospel in the first chapter it will tell you about 6 things that will help you determine whether or not you are using the spirit. Following the spirit has always sounded like a daunting task to me, especially before I came here. But as I learned to recognize it more I realized that the spirit has been guiding alot. I just didn't recognize it. But think if I had recognized it, how many other things it could have told me? That is a principle that I'm still trying to improve upon.

Elder Scott gave a talk last General Conference on how to aquire spiritual guidiance. He brought up the principle of writing things down when we recieve inspiration from God. How many of us use a study journal when we study the scriptures to write down the things the spirit tells us? I have found that the spirit teaches me many things when I take the effort to try and write down my thought and feelings while reading the scriptures. I think I could improve on keeping a more consistent study journal. Also I learned that the more we record and recognize blessings from God in our day-to-day efforts in our journals that more we can see that the spirit was guiding us throughout the whole day.

No one has told me anything about a release date. I'm sure they have bought our plane tickets and everything though. If everything works like it has with the past elders going home we will leave on Wednesday the 9th of June and be home late in the evening in Thursday the 10th.

Birthday gifts of letters and a small pack of journal pages would be all that I need. Don't make it a big box. I haven't had any time to look for any souveniers so I have no idea how much additional money (if any) i'll need.

I think thats about all for this week.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 3/1/10

I have no idea why you didn't get that email I sent last week. hmmm. Oh well. I hope this one works and I resent last weeks. I will admit I was kind of tempted to make up a crazy story about a monkey chasing me and my companion in the bush and what not . . . but even if it was true you wouldn't believe me. he he he.

The highlight of the week was our zone conference on friday. Both President and Sister Squires gave some great instructions. Sister Squires showed us a video of a story titled the Miracle at the Sink. Maybe you've heard the story but here it goes. It starts with a very young girl who was really excited to take a break from her chores and go with her family on a picnic. She was devastated when her father told her that she needed to stay home and tend to her little brother. She rationalized within herself that her father never told her where she needed to tend her brother and she got the bright idea to meet the family at the picnic. In order for them to make it in time they would have to take a shortcut through a place called the sink. Her father had told her that they were never to go to the sink because of the dangers there. Belle continued thinking her father would forgive her when he realized how good her idea was. Halfway around the sink they could follow the path no more. A rockslide had covered the path. Belled chose to carry Joe across the rocks and in the process she started the rockslide again. She said her most heartfelt prayer in her life and as soon as she ended she felt a force lift them out of the slide and put them back on the path towards home. Belled vowed that day never to disobey father again and to follow God. She went home and told no one of the event, and she was grateful that Joe was to small to tell anyone. Many years passed when Belle's father asked her if she and Joe were ever in trouble at the sink? Apparently while Belle was on her mission Joe got very very sick. When he had a high fever he started talking about the experience at the sink those many years ago. Joe said that angels lifted them out of the slide. The father questioned Joe about the incident after the recovery and Joe had no memory of the miracle at the sink at all. Upon questioning Belle the truth came out. She had wondered why Joe had seen angels when she could see nothing. She realized that she was the one that was disobedient and she wasn't worthy to see that angels.

Well there are many things we can learn from this story and I'll let you just let you learn from the spirit. "One of lifes hardest lessons to learn is obedience."

President Squires gave a great instruction on the meaning of keeping an eye single to the glory of God. It should be given in the next General conference it was so good. I won't even attempt to share it, but just so you know, it was good.

Everything else is going great. We are going to try and find new investigators this week, because some of our current ones aren't keeping thier commitments. Kind of sad, but we can't let that from stopping this branch from progressing. Elder Lauti is back to perfect health, nothing could be better.

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 2/15/10

Well here we go again. Another monday and another day of nothing much to say. I don't really know what that means but the past couple of weeks I'm really struggling of what I should write. I'm currently in Freetown for a meeting today. I traveled yesterday after church and we are going back this evening.

The news of the mission was that the new mission president has been called. Like you said his name is President Roggia. He is from Texas and he is a retired military chaplian. I didn't know what a chaplain was either but it guess its a religious counselor in the military. Another retired military man for this mission. Elder Wire was also a former military man and he was perfect for the calling. I don't think I will ever meet this man but the news is still exciting. President Squires was saying he might not get to meet him either.

Ok, well I'm just going to be honest with you all. The reason my last couple of weeks was boring was because I didn't go anywhere. I was stuck in the apartment for six straight days because my companion was very sick. He had Typhoid and Malaria at the same time. Elder Lauti has never gotten sick in his life and he sure chose the wrong time to start getting sick. He had the same sickness about a month ago and he relapsed last week. Now you are prabably thinking typhoid and malaria is pretty serious, but its actually quite common among missionaries here. I've even had it and its not much fun at all. I'm still trying to figure out why we got a typhoid immunization if we can still get typhoid.

It all started last week Friday, when Elder Lauti had a really bad headache and a fever. The conditions did not improve and I ended up taking him to the hospital with sister squires last week monday (which was why I wasn't able to email on monday last week). Oh man, that hospital was quite an experience. I don't think those doctors knew what they were doing but the good thing was that they had a drip. Thankfully he started recovering on Tuesday and Wednesday and by thursday we were able to go out for half a day. Its actually all really funny now. Oh another part of it, when my companion was laying down with a high fever I fanned him for hours at a time to keep his fever down. I seriously got a blister from fanning him so much. The good news is that he is 100% better now so you don't have to worry. You can even emial sister squires and she will tell you its all true and we are being well taken care of.

Hopefully I will have more to talk about next week because I'm out of ideas for this week. Love you all.

Elder Degen
Rice is Life

PS HI KEVIN!!!

New e-mail address!!

The area office has asked that all missionaries begin using the myldsmail.net for emailing family. My new account is eric_degen@myldsmail.net. Please let all family members know. Remember that I can only respond to family members (extended included). I can receive mail from friends but don't expect a return email. Please begin using this account next week.

E-mail dated 2/9/10

Well, like you, I don't think I will have much to say today. This week wasn't really exciting. Let me start by answering your question about Sunday School. As missionaries we don't attend Sunday School, we attend the Gospel Essential Class (or as it is called here the investigators class). We use the gospel principles manual for this class and then we do the same thing in Elders Quorum. A couple of weeks ago, the leaders made a mistake and we read the same chapter for both classes. I believe that the actual Sunday school class is studying the Old Testament, but I've never attended so I'm not sure. You never know here.

So I have a random question. If you had to live without running water or power which one would you choose? I am currently without both and it is very obvious which one we need more. Living without power is easy, but living without water . . . It takes so much effort to go and get a bucket of water from the well. Needless to say our apartment was very dirty because of our laziness to get water from the well. I spent a lot of time cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom and they look so good now. Geez, that was probably the lamest paragraph I've every written. That's how exciting my week was.

Well, not much else happened this week and I'm out of things to say. I love you all and enjoy the week.

Elder Degen
Rice is Life

E-mail dated 2/1/10

Ok I can't really start emails very well so I'm just going to dive right into whats on my mind. Its kind of interesting as I look back on the progress of the mission since it was created 2 and a half years ago. Very gradually the Lord has revealed line upon line his will with this mission. When I first came the mission was focusing on finding the rich, the noble, the learned and wise to teach instead of the low class. Just before I came the focus was finding the less active members and for a long time we focused alot on reactivating the less active members. Early in 2009 the revelation came to the mission leaders that we needed to focus more on teaching familys. Not necessarily changing the focus but rather just adding to it. About October of 2009 the focus was added once more this time about member present lessons. One of the things we report each week is the number of lessons taught to investigators with a member present. This is what we are really focusing on right now here in Bo.

Once we recieved this focus we quickly made a plan to do the Lords will. Ever since October we have been doing our best to get our member present lessons to be more effective. The results have been miraculous. Gradually we are seeing a change in the members' helping us. Now that we have seen how effective member present lessons are we don't want anything else. That is really our goal. All member present lessons.

As I was pondering one morning the question came to my mind What do I want for these people here? Baptism did not come to my mind like it would in most missions. My answer would be to have the church so strong here that they could sustain a temple. They can't get a temple unless they first become strong enough to become wards and a stake. We have been called here to build these branches, not to baptize. Maybe one day 5 years from now the mission president will be telling the missionaries to baptize more, but for right now we need to build this kingdom. I know that member present lessons will do this faster than anything else.

We are still focusing on families. This Friday we had a baptism of the nine year old son,Emmanuel Songu, of our first counselor in the branch presidency. I have really enjoyed going to the house and teaching the whole family for the past 3 months. I don't know of anywhere else where the missionaries would spend three months to teach a nine year old. But we felt that it would strengthen the family and it has. As the father was present for all the lessons he is now helping us teach another family that lives nearby.

As for the rest of our investigators we are still teaching the Kinawa family. We are also trying to finish the Smith family and we started teaching Abu Kougbaka's family. We are teaching the Moigula family, and the Massaquoi family is helping us teach sister massaquoi's brother. I think I'm starting to get attached to this branch.

Well Elder Lauti and I are staying together for this next transfer which will be six more weeks. We are learning alot together and I'm excited for what the Lord wants us to do next. Thanks for the updates and have a great week.

Elder Degen
Rice is Life

E-mail dated 1/25/10

I don't really know where to start. This whole week was so busy it all kind of feels like a blur know. Well I guess I'll start with today. We had a super p-day today. All of the elders met at the chapel and Elder and Sister Jones came from Freetown to play some crazy games. We kind of split up into four groups and did some elementary school relay races. It might sound kind of dumb, but it was so much fun. To conclude we played a missionary version of the "Newlywed game". But since none of us are married we played it with our companions. That game is so much funnier when we give different answers. It was a nice break from the normal football game.

I really can't remember what else happened this week. We once again have a busy week planned ahead of us so my mind is on the future and not on the past. Man its a good thing that I write in my journal or else I would forget everything. oh wait i remember now. On Saturday our zone held a district Fireside for all the branches in Bo. The Fireside was directed towards helping members fulfill their missionary responsibilities. We discussed three different ways in which we as full time missionaries need the help of the members. The first was introducing friends and family to the church and referring them to the missionaries. The second was how the missionaries and the members can teach together. The third was how the members can fellowship the investigators and new faces in the church. We really need the members help (not just here in Sierra Leone but all over the world). We are really focusing on working with the members here and we were hoping this fireside would get them to help us even more.

Thanks for the updates on everyone and thats all I've got for this week.

Elder Degen
Rice is Life

E-mail dated 1/18/10

Hello there friends and family and neighbors and all peoples. This past week went by so fast. On tuesday Elder Lauti was still recovering from his sickness so we just took it easy and spent the afternoon inside the apartment planning for the upcoming events of the transfer. On Wednesday we had District Meeting and we had from noon to seven to proselyte. Almost all of our apointments bounced and we were left scrambling to find people to teach. On Thursdays we had exchanges out in Kenema. I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with Elder Amoa-Ohenakwah from Ghana. He's a funny elder. Our service project was done with the Kenema Elders and we cleared the foundation of a house. This foundation was built at least two years ago and never finished. Some members own it and they now have the money to finish it. We cleared the weeds from the foundation of the house and brushed their property. It was alot of fun. On friday we had a Zone Conference. I got a big surprise when three of my christmas packages came. Woo! Thank you Crooks, Gram, and Grandma and Tammy Degen. Saturday we went on exchanges with the assistants. I went with my good friend Elder Stice. Sunday we went to church and right after the service Elder Lauti and I travelled to Freetown to attend a meeting for Today. Today we had the meeting and now I'm emailing. I guess that about explains my week. Something different every day this week. Thats why it went so fast.

I don't remember if I told you but President Squires has challenged all the missionaries to read the book of mormon before Easter. We are looking and marking 4 things. The references to Christ, His attributes, His words, and the doctrines and principles contained in the book of mormon. Now that I think about it I think I did tell you this last week. Oh, well. I'm still doing it. There are so many things we can learn from the book of mormon. I love it like crazy. The book of mormon really does have all the answers inside. Ok, maybe not all because we still have a need for modern revelation, but it has most of them. Our zone conference was centered on the book of mormon. It was so nice. President Squires gave a nice instruction but that is a different story for another day. I can't really describe what he talked about. It really wouldn't make any sense to you because you aren't here. so ask me later. he he he.

Yesterday in church while our branch was just finishing and the branch after us was just finishing sacrament meeting we saw like 10 americans walk out of the chapel. It scared the crap out of me. I was like what in the world are you doing here. I so used to being around Africans that just there presence intimidated me. Its going to be a funny site to see when americans will be around me all the time. I might pee my pants. I

love you all and enjoy the cold. Don't forget there is opposition in all things so you'll be wanting that cold when august reaches.

Elder Degen Rice is Life

PS Congrats on the baby Brendon and Melissa

PSS HOLY GOODNESS CJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for the mail. WHOOO!!

E-mail dated 1/12/10

Sorry about the shortness of the email yesterday. My companion was not feeling very well yesterday and he needed some rest so our emialing time got cut short. He is feeling much better this morning and with permission from the Mission President and orders from Sister Squires to take it easy today, we are now at the cafe.

This week was yet another normal week in the missionary work. Our apartment is going through a rough time as we still don't have running water or power (except the generator, which only runs for 3 hours in the evening). But we are all used to living like this so no problems. We ran into a couple of interesting less actives this week. One of them is named Elizabeth Allieu. She was the second counselor in the Relief Society Presidency and preparing to go to the temple when she fell less active. During her temple recommend interview with the mission president she got offended when she learned that she couldn't go unless she divorced her husband (because her husband has two wives). She has since fallen less active. When we went to visit her this week she got a little emotional with us. We could tell that she had a testimony but she was fighting it back.

We also ran into a return missionary who has since fallen less active. He was expecting the church to help him when he returned home to get his life in order. Of course thats not how the church works and he got offended when help didn't happen. He has since gotten another job with the help of another church and he is now attending that church. He to got a little emotional with us and we could tell that he to had a strong testimony and yet he was fighting it back.

The moral of the story is to LIVE YOUR TESTIMONY. When God, through the Holy Ghost, tells you something is true you had better live by it. Have faith that your decision will bless the rest of your life. We will still continue to work with these individuals and one day they will come back.

We had a neat lesson with the Kinawa family this week. We read with them the story of The Tree of Life from the Book of Mormon stories book. For the next lesson we blindfolded all the children (all 7 of them) and had them get from the stump to the papaya tree, with a small red "rod of iron" string. They all got excited and it was fun to watch them learn. We are still working with them and hopefully we can get the whole family on board before baptism. All the children came to chruch while the mother chose not to. The father was traveling in the village for work.

Everything else here is going good. I love you all and yes I can read emails from friends but don't expect a response. I can email extended family so keep em comin yance!!

Elder Degen

Rice is Life

E-mail dated 1/4/10

As I was reading your email you made a statement that our family is very predictable in what we do on New Years Eve. I think I'm in a little bit more of a position of predictability because I really do the same things every day. I love doing the same thing everyday but it really makes it difficult on what to write about. I don't really have an miraculous stories from week to week because miracles happen by small and simple things. At times we as missionaries don't recognize the miracle because we don't know the full story. The miracles I'm talking about are not miracles of healing or raising the dead or anything, although those are very possible, I'm talking about the miracle of conversion. I've learned that I can't change anyone, only they can change themselves. It ultimately comes down to a personal choice by everyone that we teach that they want to change. I've seen the hard-hearted have their hearts softened many times. I've seen that personal choice to change be made at times during teaching. When our investigators "cross that line" or "turn that corner" there is no turning back. Is there anything more miraculous than that? Elder Lauti and I have been seeking miracles in our proselyting and we decided to ask the Lord through fasting to soften the hearts of Emmanuel Buakai-Tongai and Amie Kinawa on Sunday. We are expecting miracles now according to our faith.

Wow, that was pretty spiritual. I've forgotten how to be any other way. President Squires gave a Book of Mormon challenge to the missionaries to start the new year. We all have a goal to finish the Book of Mormon by Easter. We are going to mark how many references to Christ with one color, Christs attributes with another color, Christ's words with another color, and the doctrines and principles contained in the book of mormon in another color. I've only read 11 chapters and my eyes have been opened of how much the book of Mormon really testifies of the Savior. I'm excited to finish this activity as we are going to add all of them up when we are done.

For our service project this week we watered the garden of the Kinawa family. Now gardens here don't have a nice sprinkling system installed inside. There is no city water here in Bo. All water is drawn from a well (even in our own apartment, any time we want water we go to the well). The gardens in the dry season are positioned in the swamps, where water is. We only had one watering can and about 4 buckets. It was a really fun project because the younger Kinawa children helped us every step of the way. I got some cool pictures of us in the swamp watering "plassas".

We didn't really do anything to celebrate the New Year. We can't really stay up until twelve because we have to be in bed by 10:30. Elder Amegayie set his alarm for midnight and yelled in the apartment "Happy new year".

Elder Degen
Rice is Life