Fred-n-Tracy Together

  Mission notes       Tonight I am only checking in.  I find that we are busy as ever as if we were back at home.  It feels good to be busy.  We are very involved in setting up the "Gathering Place" a YSA program for West Africa.  It has been functioning with just institute and an activity night, but with the first of the year we were able to start mini skill classes.  We have a computer class, tailoring class, and a cooking class.  Of course, all of the YSA wanted to be in the computer class, but they were also excited for the others as well.  It took a bit of organizing, but I believe we have them all convinced that we will continue to hold classes an that they will all get an opportunity.    It is so fun to interact with each of them.  We are getting to know many of their names down so we are developing personal relations.  Elder Thacker and I are also strongly seeking and encouraging many to serve missions....

  Email January 14,2025 Dear Friends and Family,     Happy New Year 2025!  Here in Sierra Leone this is still a common greeting even though it is January 13th. They say, "Season's Greeting" or "compliments of the Season." Then they will say "Tell God Tenky." Meaing tell God thank you.     Elder Thacker and I are very grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission.  Each day we learn more about our Savior, ourselves, and love the people here in a deeper way.  We tend to be writing emails and posting on facebook less often because life just feels normal.  We are very busy in the work and wonder how we will get it all done.  Sounds like life at home doesn't it.    We work a lot with the Young Single Adults.  They have grabbed a piece of our hearts.  West Africa has a program designed to teach skill training so they can hopefully learn a skill so they can become self-reliant.  One night is an institute, one night is...

  Email December 29, 2024 Dear Friends and Family,     I hope that this Holiday season finds each of you well and feeling the Christmas spirit of love and giving.  We appreciate each of you as well and the emails that you send our way.  Elder Thacker and I are finding Christmas feelings are not the same here in SL.  Things are just so different.  We are not complaining, just simply writing to share our experience.  The weather is hot, with the days being around 85-90 degrees and the evenings are not much less.  There are no Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and very little music.  There is no Christmas shopping. We actually are enjoying the simplicity of the season and spending it together in our own little SL world.  We are told that there are celebrations with Christmas foods and that the children go around from house to house and they recieve small treats.  It sounds a little like Halloween to me, but we will see....

  Email December 3, 2024 Dear Friends and Family,    Well it has been another week or so in Sierra Leone Africa.  Time seems to go by so quickly, and just like at home there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done.      With this past week being Thanksgiving, we prepared a Thanksgiving meal for our Elders in our area.  We are getting good at making normal american dishes with the food resources that are here.  Most dishes don't have the exact ingredients, but thank goodness for google and good food substitute suggestions. I won't bore you with the listed food items, but I will say Elder Thacker pulled off 6 roasted whole chickens, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy.  Not too bad!  And I learned that you can actually make pudding from scratch and that it doesn't have to come out of a box. Either I have been in SL too long, or it truly was the best chocolate dessert ever! HAHA!! Of course the elders ...