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| Elders Ellsworth and Stott on the way to Freetown for Elder Holland's visit. |
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Elder Holland visit 17-19 February 2012
Elder and Sister Holland, Elder and Sister Snow, Elder and Sister Dickson, Elder and Sister Curtis, and Elder Mensah visited the mission in Freetown 17-19 February. Leadership and auxiliary training was held along with a conference on Sunday. The conference was held at the largest conference center in town but it was overflowing! The training was wonderful! The missionary meeting was wonderful! The entire few days were busy but full of wonderful instruction and conversation!
And Elders Ellsworth and Stott on the way home from the 3 day Freetown event.
Dust and gas lines in Bo
One day in mid-February when the dust from the Sahara was blowing we needed to get diesel for the generator. The truck uses diesel also. Since about mid-February diesel has been scarce in Bo. Some days there is no diesel anywhere in town. Petrol (gasoline) seems to be in a little better supply, but the lines in the pictures below this day were for petrol. We were able to get diesel this day.
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| Dust from the Sahara. |
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| And more dust... fine red dust. |
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| Gas lines at Shellmingo Junction. |
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| Motorbikes (bike taxis) waiting for gas. |
Some local food
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| Pink and yellow grapefruit. |
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| Lots of seeds but REALLY good! |
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| Fu-Fu with fish. |
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| Pounded casava with chicken. |
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| And Elder Stott (l) and Elder Ellsworth (r) show how to eat it! |
Peanut Butter cookies
10 February 2012
I finally tried using the oven. There's no oven thermometer so temperature is a best guess. We found pre-heating works pretty well... just wait about 5 minutes, then stick your hand in and you can generally tell if it's about 350 or 400. Actually doesn't seem to make much difference! Jessica's Peanut Butter Cookies turned out great!
I finally tried using the oven. There's no oven thermometer so temperature is a best guess. We found pre-heating works pretty well... just wait about 5 minutes, then stick your hand in and you can generally tell if it's about 350 or 400. Actually doesn't seem to make much difference! Jessica's Peanut Butter Cookies turned out great!
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| Mobile, all purpose oven light |
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| No spatula but a potato masher works just as well! |
Friday, February 3, 2012
Some notes
We have put up lots of apartment pictures on the Our Apartment in Bo link above. And we've posted the last 3 weeks worth of pictures on this page below this post.
Some quick notes -
When we went to Njaie Town branch Sunday, I opened the truck door to get out but before even one leg had hit the ground my glasses had completely fogged up... same thing happened to Elder Schlehuber. And this is the dry season!
One disadvantage of not having hot water is that you either have to be stronger or more creative to get some bottles open. A belt wrapped around the lid and 4 hands works pretty well.
I always keep with me, even in the house, my phone, keys, small knife, and flashlight. I attach the phone to me so I'll have it, so I won't lose it, so it won't be stolen when I'm out.
Huge groups of school children, all ages, walk along the road between Bo and Kenema. They all wear uniforms and more than half carry machetes. We think it is like a school lunch program. They use them to open coconuts.
We did some training with the full-time missionaries. Every meeting starts and ends with a hymn and a prayer. However, there is no music, no recordings, no keyboards, so the tradition is that the conductor sings the first line or so, then he/she says something like "On the count of 2 go..., 1, 2..." then everyone sings. We had thought we were instructing but not running the meeting. However, it turned out differently. I chose the hymns on the spot, conducted, and yes, I even sang the first line of each hymn! I am going to fix that! I'm taking my mp3 player and speakers. Then I can play the hymns and conduct only... it will set the tone so much better if I'm not singing a solo! But the missionaries were very nice about it all, and the elders sing loudly, enthusiastically, and well. The windows for every meeting are always open... I think the singing must carry a long ways!
Some quick notes -
When we went to Njaie Town branch Sunday, I opened the truck door to get out but before even one leg had hit the ground my glasses had completely fogged up... same thing happened to Elder Schlehuber. And this is the dry season!
One disadvantage of not having hot water is that you either have to be stronger or more creative to get some bottles open. A belt wrapped around the lid and 4 hands works pretty well.
I always keep with me, even in the house, my phone, keys, small knife, and flashlight. I attach the phone to me so I'll have it, so I won't lose it, so it won't be stolen when I'm out.
Huge groups of school children, all ages, walk along the road between Bo and Kenema. They all wear uniforms and more than half carry machetes. We think it is like a school lunch program. They use them to open coconuts.
We did some training with the full-time missionaries. Every meeting starts and ends with a hymn and a prayer. However, there is no music, no recordings, no keyboards, so the tradition is that the conductor sings the first line or so, then he/she says something like "On the count of 2 go..., 1, 2..." then everyone sings. We had thought we were instructing but not running the meeting. However, it turned out differently. I chose the hymns on the spot, conducted, and yes, I even sang the first line of each hymn! I am going to fix that! I'm taking my mp3 player and speakers. Then I can play the hymns and conduct only... it will set the tone so much better if I'm not singing a solo! But the missionaries were very nice about it all, and the elders sing loudly, enthusiastically, and well. The windows for every meeting are always open... I think the singing must carry a long ways!
Delivering a new generator (and elders) to Kenema
We needed to take a new replacement generator to the elders in Kenema (45 minutes away). However, the elders were in Bo for interviews, so we piled 4 of the 6 into the back seat of the Ford Ranger. They still thought it was better than a taxi ride with 9 or so people in crowded into a small small taxi. ("small small" is Krio...see, we're learning the language!)
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| .4 in the back! |
Elder Jenkins (Star Valley), Elder Tawiah (Qatar), Elder Purcell (Samoa), Elder Coffie (Nigeria).
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| Elder Purcell and Elder Coffie and Elder Schlehuber driving. |
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| Kenema. |
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| Bo to Kenema country side. |
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| Hut by side of road Bo to Kenema (taken at 110 kph). |
Bo
Bo East Zone Leaders Elders Ellsworth and Stott had this beaded mat made for us by the District Young Women's 2nd Counselor, Sister Bahun, and presented to us on behalf of the entire East Bo Zone.
Some general pictures of Bo below.
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| Lewabu elders apartment. |
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| View from Lewabu elders apartment. |
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| View the other way from the Lewabu apartment. |
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| New Lewabu chapel - no sign yet. |
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| Bo market road to Njaie Town chapel. |
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| Bo market road. |
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| Such is Life truck (that's what it says on the hood). |
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| Road to Njaie Town chapel. |
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| Turn off to Njaie Town chapel. |
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| Motorcycle swarms. |
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| More bike swarms. |
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| From Bo Branch chapel. |
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| Just liked the goat in the parking area Bo Branch. |
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| View from back of Bo Branch. |
Freetown - 12 January to 19 January 2012
A few pictures from our week stay in Freetown at the Mission Home apartment. Arrived in Freetown on 12 January, departed to Bo on 19 January.
Downtown Freetown pictures
On the way out of Freetown to Bo.
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| View from our apartment in the Mission Home. |
Downtown Freetown pictures
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| Road to the Mission Office. |
On the way out of Freetown to Bo.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Food in Sierra Leone
While food variety is fairly limited, we can get some very good foods. Delicious butter from Belgium, Holland, and Denmark. Oats (both regular and Scottish) and UHT box milk from Germany. I've used that milk with a yogurt start that I brought to make really good yogurt! Frozen vegetables from Belgium. Great gherkins from Turkey. Canned and bottled goods from the U.K. Chicken from Brasil. Chicken frankfurters and some other items from Lebanon. Beans and flour from the U.S. Pasta from Italy. Rice is from the U.S. and Asian countries. Laughing Cow (La Vache qui rit) cheese. Bread, eggs, mangos, bananas, garlic, onions, potatoes are local. We have papaya, coconut, plantains in the yard and we may get a pineapple before our 23 months is up. They are pretty small right now. Local beef and Groundnut Paste (peanut butter) are available in Freetown. I made a Sierra Leonean version of stroganoff that was pretty good. Only thing is, Freetown is 4 hours away. Next trip there we will get a cooler and bring things back that are not available here in Bo.
The local market has lots of "things" available. If you can't find it, just ask and someone will appear with it. Then the bargaining starts. We are quite good at walking away... we know what the prices should be for the few things that we need to get at the market. If they don't come down, we don't need it!
There are 3 "mini-marts" in Bo that sell things fixed price. Bo mini-mart and Albertsin's have a very limited selection, but Sabbagh's is the store where we do most of our shopping. They are Lebanese (as many of the store owners seem to be), have the best variety of foods and other things. They sell propane, mosquito nets, Islamic foods, all the foods listed above (except for the beef). They even had Argentine apples the other day. The most interesting thing on the shelf is an inflatable life raft... I'm not sure where you would use that, although there is a river between Bo and Kenema. I'd hate to puncture it and sink in that water though!
So, cooking is a bit of a challenge. I haven't yet had the courage to try the oven... there is no oven thermometer, it's all a guess! And, cooking really heats up the kitchen so I think I will wait til the rainy season when it's a bit cooler. We are eating well, more carbs than at home, but we work it off!!
The missionaries tell us there is a new restaurant run by an American couple for another faith's ministry here. They say it is "real American food", mashed potatoes even... the Americano... they get real excited about it! When we get a free moment we will have to try it. Sab's, run by the Sabbagh store owner, is a restaurant that is also okay to eat at... haven't tried it yet. We hear that they have chicken and rice and more traditional Lebanese food.
The local market has lots of "things" available. If you can't find it, just ask and someone will appear with it. Then the bargaining starts. We are quite good at walking away... we know what the prices should be for the few things that we need to get at the market. If they don't come down, we don't need it!
There are 3 "mini-marts" in Bo that sell things fixed price. Bo mini-mart and Albertsin's have a very limited selection, but Sabbagh's is the store where we do most of our shopping. They are Lebanese (as many of the store owners seem to be), have the best variety of foods and other things. They sell propane, mosquito nets, Islamic foods, all the foods listed above (except for the beef). They even had Argentine apples the other day. The most interesting thing on the shelf is an inflatable life raft... I'm not sure where you would use that, although there is a river between Bo and Kenema. I'd hate to puncture it and sink in that water though!
So, cooking is a bit of a challenge. I haven't yet had the courage to try the oven... there is no oven thermometer, it's all a guess! And, cooking really heats up the kitchen so I think I will wait til the rainy season when it's a bit cooler. We are eating well, more carbs than at home, but we work it off!!
The missionaries tell us there is a new restaurant run by an American couple for another faith's ministry here. They say it is "real American food", mashed potatoes even... the Americano... they get real excited about it! When we get a free moment we will have to try it. Sab's, run by the Sabbagh store owner, is a restaurant that is also okay to eat at... haven't tried it yet. We hear that they have chicken and rice and more traditional Lebanese food.
Been busy
We have been very busy, and it looks to just get busier! That's good! We have limited internet so I haven't been able to put up any pictures. I hope to do that soon.
We are enjoying the work, enjoying the local meetings, enjoying working with the missionaries, enjoying Bo. Bo is a relatively quiet smaller area that is easy to get around. There are 28 young missionaries in Bo & Kenema. The Zone Leaders for the Bo Zone East live in the back in the same compound. They are a great couple of missionaries, Elders Ellsworth and Stott.
They have been so helpful to us, getting us oriented to the area. Andrew, the daytime guard, is trying to teach me some Krio... he says he will only speak to me in Krio which makes it a little difficult! He is Muslim, native language Krio, 2nd language English. In this area and especially in Kenema (1 hr to the east) people also speak Mende. Yesterday I learned how to say "bye-bye" in Mende... that will get me a long ways!
The Zone Leaders were showing me some of their pictures when Elder Stott wanted to show me one... they debated back and forth until I said "If it's not appropriate I don't want to see it." They were quick to say it was appropriate. Then Elder Ellsworth started over to show me and Elder Stott said "Do you like cats?" I said "Yes" and Elder Ellsworth did an about face and sat down again. I could see they really wanted to show me, so I said "Oh, just show it to me." Elder Ellsworth came back with the picture... a cat being roasted. It was skinned but you could see that the head was a cat. Elder Stott had taken 1 bite... Elder Ellsworth had declined. We don't see many cats around.
There are huge rodents called "grass-cutters". We haven't seen any yet, only pictures, but several people (including Elder Stott) have said that the meat is excellent, really sweet and tender, better than beef. I'll take their word for it.
Last week Elders Ellsworth & Stott were in their kitchen having breakfast. Their kitchen is separate from the living quarters... it's like an outside cooking area that has decorative bricks all around it... with a lot of holes in the bricks. They had put screens in every single hole to keep the mosquitoes out and it was working well. But that morning a lizard was on one of the screens. They were peacefully watching the lizard when suddenly a huge bird swooped in, grabbed the lizard and flew off with the lizard still holding onto the screen. They replaced the screen later that day.
We are enjoying the work, enjoying the local meetings, enjoying working with the missionaries, enjoying Bo. Bo is a relatively quiet smaller area that is easy to get around. There are 28 young missionaries in Bo & Kenema. The Zone Leaders for the Bo Zone East live in the back in the same compound. They are a great couple of missionaries, Elders Ellsworth and Stott.
They have been so helpful to us, getting us oriented to the area. Andrew, the daytime guard, is trying to teach me some Krio... he says he will only speak to me in Krio which makes it a little difficult! He is Muslim, native language Krio, 2nd language English. In this area and especially in Kenema (1 hr to the east) people also speak Mende. Yesterday I learned how to say "bye-bye" in Mende... that will get me a long ways!
The Zone Leaders were showing me some of their pictures when Elder Stott wanted to show me one... they debated back and forth until I said "If it's not appropriate I don't want to see it." They were quick to say it was appropriate. Then Elder Ellsworth started over to show me and Elder Stott said "Do you like cats?" I said "Yes" and Elder Ellsworth did an about face and sat down again. I could see they really wanted to show me, so I said "Oh, just show it to me." Elder Ellsworth came back with the picture... a cat being roasted. It was skinned but you could see that the head was a cat. Elder Stott had taken 1 bite... Elder Ellsworth had declined. We don't see many cats around.
There are huge rodents called "grass-cutters". We haven't seen any yet, only pictures, but several people (including Elder Stott) have said that the meat is excellent, really sweet and tender, better than beef. I'll take their word for it.
Last week Elders Ellsworth & Stott were in their kitchen having breakfast. Their kitchen is separate from the living quarters... it's like an outside cooking area that has decorative bricks all around it... with a lot of holes in the bricks. They had put screens in every single hole to keep the mosquitoes out and it was working well. But that morning a lizard was on one of the screens. They were peacefully watching the lizard when suddenly a huge bird swooped in, grabbed the lizard and flew off with the lizard still holding onto the screen. They replaced the screen later that day.
Monday, January 16, 2012
George Albert Smith quote
"It is not an easy task... to be called out into the world... but I say to you it will purchase for those who are faithful, for those who discharge that obligation as they may be required, peace and happiness beyond all understanding, and will prepare them that, in due time, when life's labor is complete, they will stand in the presence of their Maker, accepted of Him because of what they have done."
Initial Stay in Freetown
Since we arrived last Thursday we have been staying in a senior couple apartment in Freetown. We've been busy practicing driving (yes, that's necessary!), shopping for things we need, and most of all being oriented and trained for our activities in Bo. This Thursday we plan to move to Bo and make our home there. We've been to a branch meeting Sunday where there were some really wonderful talks. We've been well taken care of and fed (spiritually and physically), attended a departure tonight for 3 elders going home (all 3 and the Assistants bore sincere heartfelt testimonies), and tomorrow we'll be at a welcome dinner for the new missionaries. I didn't realize we were new... I thought it was just for the missionaries arriving tomorrow!
A summary of our trip here. We had great flights from SLC to Atlanta and then to Accra Ghana where we stayed overnight in a very nice hotel (Novotel City Centre). In Atlanta we had a fun conversation with Sister Judd, wife of the Accra Ghana Mission President. She was on the same flight back to Accra. It used to be that we talked with missionaries and senior couples in the airports, but now things are reversed... other people come up to us and talk to us! Where are we from, Where are we going, and frequently they tell us about their missions... lots of fun!
At the Accra airport we discovered that one bag had ripped open about 10 inches but amazingly nothing was missing. And then when we got to the hotel we found that the bags had gotten wet in Atlanta (it was raining) and Cameron's red ties had bled onto my white shirt and a few other things. We left them to deal with later, caught a taxi and went to the temple. Had a wonderful time there.
Next day we packed up yet one more time and caught a Kenya Airlines flight to Freetown. The 2 hour flight flew right over Bo although we couldn't see anything (too much water in the air). After landing, Elder and Sister Greding (pure water project) whom we had met up with in Accra showed us how to blast thru customs with the help of an airport porter. Then we took a bus down a very rough and steep dirt road to a palm lined beach with fisherman repairing their nets. There we caught the Eco Taxi over to Freetown. Only a 20 minute ride but no airflow inside made it, in President Roggia's words, a terrarium! It was great to finally arrive after months of preparation and 2 days of travel.
We have so many stories and great experiences... they have to go in our journals... this blog would be way too long!
By the way, my white shirt is white again... after much scrubbing and soaking in bleach!
A summary of our trip here. We had great flights from SLC to Atlanta and then to Accra Ghana where we stayed overnight in a very nice hotel (Novotel City Centre). In Atlanta we had a fun conversation with Sister Judd, wife of the Accra Ghana Mission President. She was on the same flight back to Accra. It used to be that we talked with missionaries and senior couples in the airports, but now things are reversed... other people come up to us and talk to us! Where are we from, Where are we going, and frequently they tell us about their missions... lots of fun!
At the Accra airport we discovered that one bag had ripped open about 10 inches but amazingly nothing was missing. And then when we got to the hotel we found that the bags had gotten wet in Atlanta (it was raining) and Cameron's red ties had bled onto my white shirt and a few other things. We left them to deal with later, caught a taxi and went to the temple. Had a wonderful time there.
Next day we packed up yet one more time and caught a Kenya Airlines flight to Freetown. The 2 hour flight flew right over Bo although we couldn't see anything (too much water in the air). After landing, Elder and Sister Greding (pure water project) whom we had met up with in Accra showed us how to blast thru customs with the help of an airport porter. Then we took a bus down a very rough and steep dirt road to a palm lined beach with fisherman repairing their nets. There we caught the Eco Taxi over to Freetown. Only a 20 minute ride but no airflow inside made it, in President Roggia's words, a terrarium! It was great to finally arrive after months of preparation and 2 days of travel.
We have so many stories and great experiences... they have to go in our journals... this blog would be way too long!
By the way, my white shirt is white again... after much scrubbing and soaking in bleach!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Our Arrival!
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| We're on the Eco Taxi from Lungi Airport to Freetown. |
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| Elder Schlehuber disembarking onto the floating dock. |
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| Sister Schlehuber disembarking...just a little wobbly on that dock! |
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| And up the steep stairs... |
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| ... to the top. |
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| We're here! |
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