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!
Monday, April 26, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
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
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
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