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
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
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!!
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!!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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
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
Monday, January 4, 2010
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
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
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