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
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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
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
Monday, March 8, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
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
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
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