Today I am going to just be raw and let the words fall on the page.  There is so much to share and so little time to write.  I can not believe how quickly time flies while being on a mission, especially being in a remote country.  FORGIVE THE GRAMATICAL ERRORS.

    We arrived in Sierra Leone late Sunday evening and were graciously picked up by Elder Ettinger, who is serving with his wife in the mission.  They were called to the Freetown Sierra Leone Mission, but we needed to help in the newly formed Bo Mission.  We enjoyed our 3 hour drive from the airport to the mission home.  Elder Ettinger was so good to share with us some of the things to watch for, learn about, and educate us on so many things of Sierra Leone.  Sister Ettinger would usually travel with him, however, she was recovering from Malaria and a few nights in the hospital.  This was the first lesson I took to heart.  The truth is 50 out of 107 of our Junior Missionaries were sick this past month and most of them it was due to malaria!  That was my first lesson....Take my Malaria medicine!!

    Fred and I have had a great time!  Life in Sierra Leone is not easy and it doesn't take much time in the country to recognize how truly blessed we are.  Surprising to me the homes are block/cement homes as well as the zinc (tin as they call it) homes.  I guess I expected thatched roof huts.  There are thatched roof huts next to some of the homes, but they are the kitchens - open fire with a cooking pot on top. I was invited into one of their homes and was shocked to find that they have nothing in them.  Dirt floors and 1 room filled with beds.  All of the living goes on outside on the front porch and no doors, electricity, or water.

     

•       The dollar is called a Leon.  I need to note (Sierra Leon works completely off  of a cash system.  No credit cards.)  At the beginning of the year they dropped two zeros off the amount because the exchange was so low.  So this means that instead of things being 1,000 it is now only 10.  When we go to the store, we are constantly worried we will not bring a big enough bundle of money.  There highest bill is a 20.  We have a good time laughing.  The other day we grabbed a  handful of money and headed out for the day.  We got to the edge of town, filled our gas tank and it took the whole bundle of money.  We had to go back to the house for more. The exchange rate in  Sierra Leone is 23.60 to $1.  We drive a Toyota Tacoma and it cost $65 US which added to 1400 Leones.  Count that out in 20 Leone bills!!  Here is a picture of Fred with a bundle of money!

• It is very hot in Sierra Leone with humidity, but right now we are in the rainy season.  The raining season is a huge blessing to the country, but it sure makes things very difficult travel especially.  Fred and I are grateful for our 4x4.  Fred handles the roads very well, but for me I wonder if we will make it through the deep mud and the endless ruts.  To get to our home, we have to put it in 4x4.  I thought this was crazy until I seen some of the highways.

These pictures are the road and "driveway" to our home.  Now I will show you the Kenema Highway.

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• The little children love to wave and smile at us.  Our skin color is such a novelty to them.  They can't help but to touch our hair and the hair on our arms.  They like to pick at Fred's freckles on his arms.  As a missionary we are not suppose to let children sit on our laps, but as you can see I these friendly children swarmed around for a picture!  It was a joy, but a bit overwhelming.  I learned quickly from Sister Wyatt that if I sang hand gesture songs they were extremely attentive and kept them entertained.  One funny note, the children so "Snap Me" when they want a picture. This little girls said "Snap me", I thought she said "slap me". I replied, "honey I won't slap you."

•  The best part of our mission is meeting people and learning about how we can help in the church.  We attended 2 branches and 1 home group (which I have never heard before.) The people love to sing and sing the hymns with boldness and convictions.  We had some beautiful experiences meeting members.  They love Jesus Christ and want to see the church grow in the country.  I'm amazed at the members that come alone, being the only one in their family.  One particular day we drove 5 hours on a crazy road to find a branch.  We were talking with a person asking how we could get ahold of the Branch President when he drove up behind us.  He noticed us driving through town and followed us to the church.  He gets out and says, "I am so happy you came, I have been waiting for you."  It was an amazing experience.  Then the next day for found another home group.  The Branch President left work to meet us!  He is a special man, very humble.  He has several investigators attending church weekly.  He just needs to have missionaries in his area to baptize them. 

• One may ask because I did, "What is a home group?"  In Sierra Leone people are too poor to travel to the branches.  If this is the a case a small village with a few baptized people they will meet together.  Then the home group grows as they share the gospel.  This is a wonderful way to continue worshipping and inviting people.  The problem is, they need missionaries to teach and baptize the ones that are ready.  We met a home group that has 30 plus people ready for the missionary lessons and baptism.