Turning over the Keys and a Fond Farewell to All!

We took this picture in March before the Kirkhams went home for a few months knowing that we probably wouldn't connect again as they returned to Liberia June 30th.  What a wonderful thing!  The Liberia Monrovia Mission with President and Sister Kirkham!

Welcome back to Liberia! 

At Lungi Airport, Welcome President and Sister Ostler!!

Handing over the phone...This will be a quiet evening for President Roggia and the beginning of a very active phone for President Ostler.

Fond Farewells with the Senior Couples and Assistants.

In Liberia, we had a nice farewell dinner with the Senior Couples and Assistants: Elder and Sister Miles, Elder and Sister Krumm, Elder and Sister Hezseltine.  It has been so great serving with them all.  (It was a "tie-free zone" except for the Assistants.)

The Liberia Assistants, Elder Harris and Elder Willis did all the dishes!  We gave them frilly aprons to put on...they were great sports.

In Sierra Leone, we had a nice farewell with Elder and Sister Burns, Elder and Sister Lauritzen, Elder and Sister Kanzler and the Assistants.  We just love these Senior Couples and Assistants.  They make everything happen!

The Sierra Leone Assistants, Elder Wolfgramm and Elder Liufau doing the dishes for us at the Mission Home.  What good husbands they will be.

Elder and Sister Schlehuber had us for a bed and breakfast plus dinner in Bo.  They have graciously taken us in every trip to Bo. We will miss you all so much.

More dishes in Bo at the Schlehubers... 

 A great big thank you to you all!  

Kenema: First District Conference

Missionaries after Saturday baptisms. We drove into Kenema from Bo this morning and arrived about 9 a.m.

I followed the missionaries around to the back of the building where I saw them folding the dried baptismal clothing...

Walking back around the building

Pretty flowers along the fence.

Bagging up the baptismal clothes to carry back to apartment.

The Assistants came to do exchanges and to spend the night with the 10 elders in Kenema.  Elder Losee, Elder Liufau and Elder Despain walking to catch transport.

Elder Wolfgramm, Elder Richardson and Elder Mosenthal bringing in boxes of curriculum for the Kenema District

Sister Schlehuber coming in after unloading their truck.

This is the Relief Society room where we held the first Auxiliary Training Meeting for the Kenema District

I was particularly touched by the hand embroidered "I Am A Child of God" tablecloth.

"who are so dear and kind to me"... Don't you just love it?

Sunday's Kenema District Conference was held at the top of a bank in Kenema.  There were close to 500 in attendance.

We just love these missionaries!

Leaving the bank after District Conference

Young Women in Kenema saying goodbye!

We will miss everyone!

I like how Elder Chemuru is losing the arm wrestle to the little boy...(Elder Miller on right)

Elder and Sister Schlehuber taking pictures as we leave.  We'll miss them too.

Scenes on the way back to Freetown.  The bottom picture is laundry drying along side the  road.

The Assistants, Elder Wolfgramm and Elder Liufau sleeping as we drove.  It was a busy, wonderful three days in Bo and Kenema.

Enduring to the End ....Bi-,Bye,Zone Conference in Bo

Bo Bi-Zone conference

Now, the silly one....

Putting the chairs back in the building...Ta Da! Elder Coffie!

Enjoying lunch from Sab's.

Food...never fails to be a big success...

Bye Missionaries!  We will miss you!

Jump for joy!!

Elder Bogh and Elder Itomo

Elder Hill and Elder Flament at their apartment..... 

New Missionaries in Liberia Orientation

Arriving at Roberts International Airport in Liberia

Yes, we are on the ground in Liberia with the Assistants, Elder Harris and Elder Willis!

Elder Osanebi

 Sister Onwuka

 Elder Fairwell

 Elder Seiya

 Elder Avornu

 Elder Bell

Elder Anderson

 Sister Okeke

Sister Iwenofu

Doing the orientation in the new Liberia Monrovia Mission office.

After the orientation, it takes some organization to get everyone's luggage and more out into the van and trucks.

Elder Osanebi and Elder Willis

Packing up the trucks

"That way!"

More bags...

"Okay, almost loaded, now let's get in and go to our new areas and trainers!"

Elder Harris and Elder Willis prepared the bunkbeds, fed the new elders supper and breakfast, organized all the transfer movements, did the orientation for all nine new ones and then, they clean up their "hotel" for the next transfer.

These are some of the bunkbeds in the Assistants' apartment where the new arriving missionaries spend the night.

 

Some of the pretty flora around the mission office grounds.  We feel very blessed to have this mission office for the beginning of the new Liberia Monrovia Mission!