More pictures of the new missionaries:

Elder Iheanacho from Nigeria

Elder Appleby from Australia.

 Elder Obinna from Nigeria

 Elder Iyiewuare from Nigeria

Elder Opuene from Nigeria

Elder Egbo from Nigeria

 Elder Beckwith from Australia

Markus teaching the new elders how to use a generator.

Old Missionary leaving and New Missionaries arrival.

 Elder Ewudzie went home to Ghana today after an honorable two-year mission.  We miss you already Elder Ewudzie!  Enjoy your family!

Elders Iheanacho, Appleby, Egbo, Obinna, Opuene, Iyiewuare and Beckwith flew in from the Ghana MTC.  They arrived at Lungi Airport in Freetown, took the Echo Water Taxi to the wharf and were picked up by President Roggia and the Assistants.  We had a very nice dinner at the Mission Home and testimony meeting
before they went off to bed at two of the missionaries' apartments.

Monrovia!

After Leadership Training at the Sinkor Chapel...  The assistants, with Elder Grabau driving, took some of the elders home.  Then spent time doing lots of training and going out with the missionaries throughout the zone this trip. 

The missionaries in the Bushrod Island District held an Open House.  There were many, many people there.

The Matthews family.  The are going to the temple in June to become a family forever... They were so excited.  They wanted Sister Kimball and I to take pictures of them together.

The Matthews family enjoying Sister Kimball's snaps of them.

Elder Kotey and Elder Marveh.  (Look at a Duty to God booklet. On page 90 you will see Elder Kotey before his mission)

Elder Merrill and Elder Moss after the Bushrod Island District Open House.

 Elder Essel and Elder Ellsworth after the Open House, too.

Sunday, we attended the Congo Town Branch where we saw Elder Taylor and Elder Priddis.

Elder Boateng and Elder Lambson.  Elder Lambson plays the piano for the Matadi Branch on Sundays.  We are so glad he is able to share his skills and brighten Sacrament Meeting with beautiful music.

Elder Smoot and Elder Grabau after Sunday's Devotional at Monrovia District. 

 Br. Wisseh and Elder Smoot.  He was Elder Smoot's companion several months ago and completed his two-year mission.  He was married last month.  It was fun to see him.

This very dear sister was attending the Congo Town Branch.   

Going to Primary?

 This is a family in the Monrovia District who are preparing for the temple this summer also.

President Roggia smiling while Elder Grabau enjoyed the moment. We didn't get to see all the elders this trip but will be back in April for interviews.  There will be more pictures then of everyone.

We usually spend the night in Bo coming from Liberia.  The hotels were full so we drove back to Freetown as the sun was setting.  So gorgeous!  Somehow, I caught this one as we drove.

Travel to Bo and Kenema..

Elder Eyinda and Elder Wood in Bo.  We picked them up while in Bo and dropped them off at their apartment.

They are locking their gate at their apartment compound as we drive away. It was good to see them for a few minutes.

Elders Hilton, Ogoloma, Lancaster and Vaughan at the chapel in Bo. President had interviews that evening so we spent the night in Bo.

A few minutes later, still there.

Elder Moyo and Elder Kenner.  (Elder Moyo is enjoying a lollipop).  

Elder Grabau and Elder Smoot sharing some snaps before Zone Council in Bo.

Elders Grabau, Mazani, Smoot and Laneri in Kenema at the Church building. We stopped by so President could do an interview before we drove to Liberia.

 Elder Laneri and Elder Mazani at their apartment.

As we left Kenema we saw this grand balancing skill.  Look closely. The woman is holding some bowls on her head as she rides with the driver!  These yellow containers most likely will be filled with water.

 These three school girls were walking by the Kenema Chapel on their way to classes. Each school has different colored uniforms.

At the Liberian border, this moth or butterfly was on the ceiling of the immigration building.  The immigration officer and I both thought it was just so beautiful.

Next will be snaps from Monrovia....

 

Everchanging...

Elder Vogl and Elder Hickey are now our Office Elders. Elder Hickey served wonderfully for seven months as an assistant. We haven't had Office Elders before. There's lots of change going on in the mission which requires some extra help with paperwork and with finding new apartments, beds, etc.  We are expecting more missionaries in the coming months.  We will depend heavily on our Office Elders.   

Elder Smoot is the new assistant with Elder Grabau.  He will leave with us in the morning to Bo and Liberia. Today he went for his Sierra Leone drivers license and moved all his belongings to the assistant's apartment.  The time as an assistant is very busy, very tiring, very rewarding and very blessed---all in one.



Back to Bo and Liberia...

In a couple of days we will be up and out the door early to drive to Bo for Zone Council Meeting and some Bo District Meetings.  We'll spend the night and be on the road to Liberia by 7 a.m.the next day.  We will be taking more "snaps"of the Monrovia Zone and the Bo Zone and will post them as soon as possible.  We will be back to Sierra Leone next week.  (Aren't the sunrises beautiful here?)

mail...

When the missionaries get a chance to come to the mission office, they love to check the mail shelves.  Mail is very sought after.  Please keep those cards and letters coming, Folks!

Elder Jenkins with a "good" letter....and Elder Massey seeing it.

Elder Jenkins successfully kept it safe....Letters:  a very valued commodity!  (All the while, the Assistants are working away.)

More pics from last week...

Some more pictures during our dual zone special conference with Elder and Sister Dickson.

Sorry, Elder Norton, caught you with your eyes closed but still liked the picture of the other elders....

These elders (Elder Lowe, Elder Massey, Elder Jenkins and Elder Emanuelson) worked so hard setting up over 700 chairs for District Conference in a meeting hall downtown.  When they arrived early to do chairs, there had been a wedding in the hall the night before and all the tables were still up.  So they took down all the tables and when we arrived, they had just started putting upthe chairs. They were just dripping in sweat by then because it was hot and humid out!  When the rest of the East side elders arrived, they all pitched in and got it done.  What great missionaries!

The missionaries and one of the members (with hat) handing out the program as everyone came in.

Elder Dickson talking to the choir after District Conference ended.  Elder Dickson, Sister Dickson and President Roggia spoke plus some of the branch presidents and missionaries.  We had over 500 at this conference.  Now, we drive over to the other meeting hall for the next District Conference.  We had some sandwiches, juice, bananas and cookies as we traveled.  The assistants drove us, the Dicksons, the Pattersons and the Zone Leaders in the mission van.

Isn't this just the best picture?  It is Elder Dogbaste and his brand new companion who came out last week, Elder Assumong coming up the road to the District Conference held at the British Council. We have too many people for one conference so we split it into two.

There were over 600 at this District Conference.  Each meeting was two hours long. Elder and Sister Dickson and President Roggia spoke at this one as well.  Elder Dickson also requested some of the missionaries to bear their testimonies at both conferences.

Tuesday morning, March 8th, we had Leadership Training at the mission home. Elder and Sister Dickson taught the district leaders, trainers and zone leaders about leading the way the Savior does. We made taco soup from the recipe in the January 2011 Friend magazine. President Roggia loves to dish it up for everyone.  It was very good!  (Thanks, Grandma Roggia for the tablecloth.  It works wonderfully.)

We used this ferry to get across the waters to the dock near the airport then hopped on a bus that took us the rest of the way there.  The Dicksons left for Ghana.

These are the boats we saw as we disembarked off the ferry.  We enjoyed the Dickson's visit and the missionaries all loved seeing them.  It was a wonderful privilege to have one of the Lord's special servants and his wife here with us.