Merry Christmas 2012

Mother! wow, yes I can tell you are excited and so am I :) I can still
remember how amazing a Christmas it was when we sat around and talked
to Thomas for like 4 hours haha. I absolutely loved it so much and I
know this Christmas will be just as special. Ah, I can't wait family :)
I am glad you got all the phone stuff working! Well, my week...oh boy.
So my week was pretty tishing awesome, because my companion was ELDER
HALES! for the whole week :) my new companion did arrive, more on him
to come.
So, first I guess we'll start. My new companion: Elder Etuk, is from
Nigeria. He is a sweet guy, who looks like he could be 30. He is super
short and had a constant mustache that I tell him to shave everyday
and I think he shaves it and it's still there!  He is 24 years old...he is
really like kinda shy,  hahaha oh its fun...very fun.
Elder Hales :) I had THE BEST! time working with that guy. We had so
much fun just walking around and teaching lessons and just all of our
inside jokes. It really made missionary work fun x2 :) I love that
guy. we have so much fun speaking krio to each other and everyone
else, and ah, i miss him so much. almost cried when that guy left :/ I
have had so many companions these weeks hahaha, elder burton, elder
hales, brother solomon, and now elder etuk, boy!
Wow! you are such an amazing missionary mom, and kushayo on all the
house work! it really sounds super nice and i hope no trees hit it
before I get home ;) and mom I'm so proud of you. you're the best
missionary there ever was anyways, specially for the work you have
done in our home.
But...on to my week....
First: I got thiefed! yes, came home with Elder Hales to find someone
had stolen 50 of my dollars. It was strange because somebody came in,
stole only the 10s and not the 5 or 1? so now i have like 25 dollars,
but its okay...I learned a valuable lesson surprisingly. Somebody left
the door open to the parlor and were inside cooking when they heard
someone call elders, when they checked the door, nobody was there, so
they continued cooking...but its okay...I came home and noticed
within 5 mins and was so angry, and just wanted to find my money so
desperately, the whole night i was distressed about it and I could not
get it off my mind, i just wanted to catch that thief and pummel
him...but, before I went to bed, I prayed,...and I don't want to sound
all mushy mush missionary what not...but, i really learned something
from the Lord.  I prayed to God surprisingly not to find my money, but
that I would be content with the blessings he had given me, like how
they had left some money, and I prayed to love whoever stole the
money...and the sweetest feeling came over me and the holy ghost was
so so so incredibly strong, so i went and wrote about it in my journal
and i was just so happy and I couldn't understand it, and i really had
some revelation. I was always wondering...how can i get more charity?
God, I am trying so hard to get more charity, please help me...this
was my chance, and I am so glad that I didn't let it pass me by. And i
started thinking....to move closer to a christlike attribute, would i
pay 50 dollars? yes...I would pay EVERYTHING I have. So, that is
exactly what i did. I gave 50 dollars, and gained more charity and I
do not regret it one bit. YES, i have hid my money better now and we
have the compound and apartment on strict lockdown, BUT i am happy for
the many lessons the Lord has taught me :)
Oh, Elder Hales, just remembered how he bought the nerdiest pair of
glasses ever. they are like half rimmed glasses that are just GREAT
and look so stupid! In the middle of the lesson, the investigator will
ask a question, and Elder Hales will take out his glasses and put them
on and then answer haha oh gosh it is so great :)
Well, our apartment is surely building zion! we now have family meals
for dinner and lunch. we all chip in money together and then the chefs
in the house (nigerians) make a big thing of rice and stew, which we
all eat together, which is a first, and is super nice. we all come
together in the evening and sit down and have dinner together which i
really enjoy :) and it's nice not having to cook, and they enjoy
because they get to eat the food they want for cheap, and we all just
help with washing and what not.
We also go on district water runs usually every other morning, where
all 6 of us take our water buckets and gallons and go down a ways from
the apartment and fill our rubbers and take them all back up to the
apartment for bathing...washing...drinking..the water is straight from
a well and it is GROSS! it is yellow tinted, so we put bleach in it
before we use it for bathing but gosh you know I am getting some super
sweet worms and tish in my skin, no tishing doubt ;)
Had a mouse in our bedroom...Elder Hales and I made a trap for it but
it never went for the bait...2 nights later elder esiaba killed 3 rats
in a row...hope one of them was ours ;)
Orientation: So, the wonderful assistants invited Elder Hales and I to
orientation on Friday, to help usher in the new missionaries because
President/Sister roggia are in Liberia right now. SO, Elder Hales and
I went and helped for the entire day, helping the new guys understand
the rules/regulations, bearing testimony, just helping out in anyway
we could. took the 4 new guys all out to lunch and we all had a great
time! there were 3 nigerians and one guy, Elder Evans from Hawaii, who
reminded me of myself when I came, we had so much fun trying to ease
all his concerns :) oh, this mission is so sweet. it really did
rejuvenate my aging self seeing all the freshies and helping them with
all those things that I had forgotten even happened...seems like years
ago i was going through orientation haha, so it was so much fun to
help!
We had the Christmas program in the evening which was really sweet,
especially since we had 7 investigators attend,, which was awesome. we
sang lil drummer boy, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and the
primary sang Away in a Manger and tons of recent converts bore
testimony in between songs. it was a sweet sweet day and we all really
enjoyed the program :)
SO BAPTISM SATURDAY! we combined all 4 wards today for a very exciting
baptism with about 10 people being baptized. so sweet...well...um, the
water was very low, and came up to about the knee or mid thigh
ish...and was yellow/almost brown. so, the Belliar Park ward had a
member baptizing 4 young girls...but, he couldn't do it. they kept
messing up, so they called me into the water and  I had the girls sit
down on their butts and I crouched down low in the water and baptized
them. they were so scared but we got it all taken care of :) I ended
up baptizing 5 people that day haha and it was not easy! a couple
repeats were necessary because of the shallowness of the water, but
all in all everyone received the saving ordinance of baptism ;)
Had 11 investigators at church on Sunday which was just super
awesome!:) I was so happy to see so many people there, but gosh it is
stressful trying to talk to them all. they are all dragging me by the
hand, cutting each other off, pulling me in either direction, trying
to make appointments, and my new companion has no idea what is going
on...so i am left to do it all alone...but, i am learning patience. oh
boy am i learning patience.
Miracle of the week: Ellis/Zeezrom...
So, on Tuesday I went to go and visit one of my investigators Ellis
and his friend Sullayman, and go over the baptismal interview
questions with them. these guys have made a ton of changes in their
life and really want to be baptized, but came to find out while
reviewing that they had both broken the word of wisdom this past
weekend...So, I asked Ellis how he felt about that, and he was like no
problem, I just forgot, that's all. And I told him I know he didn't
forget, and don't try to play dumb, the Lord is a lot smarter then
that, and he just tried to play it off...oh boy did he get it....
came back Wednesday evening to find both boys sick in bed with fevers,
and Ellis had typhoid and malaria...Ellis was laying there and shaking
with his eyes closed. I came in and sat next to his bed and talked to
him for a while, and explained that the Lord may be trying him, and
this was his opportunity to prove his faith. he said I got faith I got
faith, i just don't want to die man. So, Elder Hales and I gave him a
blessing and then stayed with him while the doctor visited and
injected him with drip...
We returned the following evening to find him doing a little better,
and we talked for a little bit and left..
Came back Saturday night and he was dying again. laying there shaking
and crying and just dying and I sat down and read to him the story
from Alma about where Alma and Amulek heal Zeezrom, except we acted it
out and everything ..just like in the story where Alma grabs his hand
and asks him if he has faith to be healed and he says yes...
Came back last night and the boy wasn't even home! his mom said he
woke up and was feeling amazing and went off running down the street.
he came in during our lesson with Sullayman and was like Elder Sumrak,
I get faith! I get faith! and I want to be baptized! hahaha oh the
Lord and his miracles...:) This gospel is so amazing. and I know the
Lord is watching after his righteous children, even when they turn
their backs on him...he always has his arms of mercy extended...
Elder Etuk is coming along...I took him to a chop shop his first day
and got him to eat krin krin, which he hated haah. its funny how
reluctant africans are to try new foods. it was a lot easier for me to try
these foods then for them, which I don't really understand. it's not
just my companion but all the nigerians say they don't eat cassave
leaf or krin krin, and some have been here for a year! Geeze!
Well, everyone...I love yo so so so so much!:) I love this gospel and I
know this church and gospel is true! thank you for all your love and
support and I wish you a merry merry christmas...not much celebrations
for us here...I went to the market today and bought everyone in my
apartment long colorful soccer socks...hope they enjoy...I'll wrap it
in ensign paper ;) love you all! Merry Christmas!
-=Love, Elder Jesse Sumrak!

Busy, Busy and New Companions

So, just hit my good ole 6 month mark in beautiful sa lone...wow wow wi
wow. but, I'll let you know all about it later ;) I just wanted to
thank mother, father, rebecca, drew, Julian, Sis Peterson, Jen, and
Kristen Evans for the letters I received this week!:) thank you for
everything and I love you all so very much. Julian my man,
congratulations again on your call. I will definitely have to get
writing you soon, I want to keep in touch, just busy as tish this week
:/ but, can you write me again and send me your address So i can write
you? thanks buddy :)

Mother dearest! So good to hear from you and see all the pictures and
thanks for the compliments on the poems ;) I try haha. Maybe if I feel
inspired this christmas I will write some more and send them to you.
thank you for encouraging me in everything, even the small things ;)
hahaha

I GOT THE BOX and package! thank you so much
mother :) you are such a sweetheart and I am enjoying everything in it
so much. Thank you lots for the gum! I will definitely be enjoying and
giving myself cavities for sure! The pictures were awesome and I love
them all so much, especially our family 2010 ones! Ah, I love those,
even with Nick and his blue steel ;) he looks so good in his senior
pictures and you are looking amazing my mother dearest. father your
muscles look gigantic, thomas your head looks smaller ;) and Laura,
you are an angel :) The soccer catalog is awesome...I finished it
already ;) hahah i love that thing! thank you so much! so many sweet
new shoes! The stickers are awesome and one of the Elders here, Elder
Wolfgramm actually worked at the shop in Park City that printed out
that sticker haha, so that gave him lots of good memories. Love all
the protein bars, they are going to last me a good while I hope...well
at the rate i go, probably not ;) thank you so much for the card and
all the packages, everything that is wrapped I left in the box and I
am planning on opening Christmas day, but thank you so much mother,
you are so sweet to always be thinking of me...random ren and stimpy
hahaha but i like it!

So, on to my crazy week...So, the transfer news just keeps changing.
Elder Burton ended up leaving earlier then expected on Thursday
morning at 7, and I was told we would be going to the mission office
at 9 to pick up my ward missionary who would be working with me until
monday, when my new missionary was supposed to arrive from the
mtc...man I miss Elder Burton...I love that guy. but, they told me the
ward missionary's name was Brother Koroma and he would be leaving on
mission soon...and I was like oh gosh I get a rando commando to go
pick up hahaha so i went with the zone leaders and walked into the
mission offfice and to my great surprise it was one of my best friends
from Hill Station! He had proselyted with Elder Ngerem and me like 10
times and even came and cooked with us and stuff. His name is Solomon
Koroma!! ah, I was so pumped. So, for the last couple days I have been
training the good ol ward missionary and we have had a blast together!
waking up every morning at 5:45 and jogging down to the cotton tree
and back. He is a great guy. But...even better news....guess who is my
companion right now??????????????????

ELDER HALES ELDER HALES ELDER HALES! he is in the cafe with me right
now and we are companions until Friday :) he is leaving to go to
Kenema and the mtc flight got delayed so my new companion will not be
here until Friday. so, i finally get to be companions with dear Elder
Hales :) I am super excited for this week. we are most certainly going
to enjoy! well...my new companion is a Nigerian.....and Elder Barth
said he looks scary old and big hahaha so, chances are I will be
training an old man who is like 25 years old but, I will do my best
and let the Lord do the rest. I am really excited/nervous to train
but, I know the Lord will help me as I turn to him...He already
is...as I will talk more about later :)

Well, some sweet sweet experiences this week. Had one mother referred
to me...remember the boy who ran into Elder Burton and fell down and
started having a seizure? yeah, he was at church on Sunday. His mother
heard about the priesthood and wants him to be baptized and receive a
priesthood blessing and be healed of the seizures that are troubling
him his whole life...So, I went to her house the other day and taught
her the restoration and at the end she asked us to give her son a
blessing, which we gladly did. I know that the Lord heals according to
FAITH and his WILL, and this woman has so much faith...but, I know
that all things are according to God's will, not ours, but the boy has
a date for baptism on January 5 :)

Taking over the area has been kinda scary and stressful. Filling out
all the records and everything and dealing with ward meeting times and
my bishop ...its super great but, I am
learning patience super quick :) I know I have many lessons to learn
from the Lord and I am willing to humble myself and learn them...small
small

Well had our first FM of the whole transfer on Wednesday night from
our investigator JANE. She heard Elder Burton was leaving and made us
the most unhealthy delicious meal I have had here in Sa Lone! A bowl
full of fried chicken, fish, potatoes, onions, pepay, all just
smothered in oil...ah, gosh it was so good but made us feel so sick,
we could barely even walk around the apartment when we were done
hahaha. Jane even gave me a bottle of honey the other day...legit
honey, with chunky stuff inside? not sure what it is but it tastes
good to take in the morning when my throat is dry :)

Also, tried grapefruit for the first time this week...grapefruit is
not tasty! bitter as tish!
Also, tried some star looking fruit???Like google it our something, I
have never seen it before, either end is shaped like a star, so I saw
it and bought it and it tastes super yummy. like a really watery pear
or something, idk but super good!

My staple food since elder Burton has left...the Sa lones call it
"Kaka soup". It is taking dry oats, adding sugar, water, and enjoying
haha, I have been too lazy/tired to even cook so I just eat plain oats
with water...and add pnut butter and it is actually super duper
delicious! or maybe I am just super weird, because no one else will
even try it....

Well....Most exciting eventful day of the week, as usual, SATURDAY! my
6 month day of December 15, 2012, and I even got to enjoy it with MTC
mates Elder Hales and Serafine. Well, got a text from the assistants
informing us that the tanks were all empty at the baptismal font...so
we would have to bucket water to the font :/ Brother Solomon and I
skipped studies and ran over to the font and cleaned it all out first,
then to our fortune and the Lord's aid, Belliar Park elders showed up
along with 4 ward missionaries, and we took buckets from the
assistants water tank, about 50 yards to the font. took us about an
hour or so of non stop back and forth bucketing to fill it half way
(or, in better words, high enough that I can shove someone all the way
under the water ;) ) well, after that was done, the hill station
elders joined us for the baptism and it was so sweet. We had a sweet
sister Jane, being baptized and she is amazing. hasn't missed church
once, loves it so much, bore her testimony before she was even
baptized last week, and wants to cut her nursing program early to go
on mission in one year. she is amazing!:) and then Belliar Park had one
sister baptizing as well...

Well, I invited our recent convert Emmanuel to speak at the baptism on
baptism and even let him borrow my preach my gospel and he got up and
did great...(by great I mean he tried really hard so I know that is
what matters)! and even asked his mom and she is allowing him to come
and proselyte with us tomorrow :) we have lots to teach him. going to
be training ward missionaries and fulltime missionary all at
once...this will be exhausting hahaha, but back to the baptism.
I had the wonderful opporunity to stand in the shallow water and
baptize Jane Banguar and Ruggiatu Sesay and it was so sweet! no
problems with the baptisms at all either, even with the lack of water.
the spirit was so sweet and reverent there and it was an amazing
experience!

After the baptism, I was given an OLD MAN elder to come and proselyte
with us for the day. He is from Zimbabwe and has finished his mission
and is going home on Tuesday, so he came and taught with us for the
day. Elder Svangwa...yeah, try to get a Sierra Leonean to say that one
time slow haha :) It was really sweet going out with him.
Well, after dropping off our senior Elder, Solomon and I proceeded to
empty the entire font back into the tank by ourselves, after all the
Elders completely ditched us and didn't show up...so that took about
an hour. came home to shower to find out there is no water...they had
even drained my entire storage unit. so, all 6 of us missionaries went
trooping around in the night until we found  a well, and we all
carried water back to the apartment so we could have water to shower
on sunday hahaha and eat with!:) oh, water...how i will always
appreciate you when I return home, I promise I will never take you for
granted again. I will love and cherish you. I will love and cherish
showers...oh my, its just an unreal dream that never happened...what
are showers? non existent, thats what!

So, Elder Hales made me a present on saturday...6 month birthday cake
in an oreo box that crumbled before I even got home, but it was still
yummy as tish and I enjoyed very mucho! what a baker!

Sunday was crazy as usual...wish I could enjoy the sabbath day to be
honest, but as quoted by my companion "are you sure you're a
missionary....I think you might be the bishop here" as I ran around
taking care of everything sunday morning. lets see how my phone call
went with the bishop earlier during the week...oh boy, here goes.
"Hello bishop Hinckley, so you told me church was on sunday at 12:30,
correct? Where are we meeting?
"Yes, Elder Sumrak, we will be meeting in the same apartment building
at 12:30 on sunday."
"Bishop, I just got off the phone with President Roggia, that building
is being demolished on Saturday..."
"Okay, I'll call you back."
.....
"Hello bishop, you never called me back, what's up."
"Yes, we are having service at 12:30 on Sunday in the apartment."
"Bishop, that building will be gone."
"Its okay Elder, we will take care of it sunday morning"
"So bishop, um...I spent one hour moving out all the stuff out of the
apartment last sunday evening...there is nothing there....you told us
the plan was 2:30."
"Don't worry about it elder, i will get the members to take care of
everything this weekend..."
"Okay bishop...thank you"
So, show up at church at 11:00 on sunday, yep the building is
demolished. Bishop shows up at 11:30, bishop what are we going to
do,....okay after about 30 minutes of phone calls, okay, we are having
service in the stake office, um yes, that is correct, an office room.
so, of course, i am in charge of rallying the troops to squeeze like
rats 65 chairs in to a room, almost stacked on top of each other to be
honest...and still had 20 people sitting in the hall during sacrament
meeting. ugh stressful as tish......but, its all over with. the Lord
blessed my patience and we had 11 investigators there yesterday :)
wow, it was SO hard trying to grab them all to get them to go to
gospel essentials class. I literally had people by their shirts haha,
they think church is over and run for the gates and I am trying to
tell them where to go and we don't even have a class room secured but
the Lord truly helped me and somehow I was able to get everyone to
class without losing a single investigator...whew...:) it was
sweet...but, never got to rest. just work work work the whole church
service...one day I will enjoy the sacrament and enjoy sundays...one
day ;) hahahaha

Well, running short on time, got to get over to Belliar Park for the
Christmas program practice. as performed by the LDS missionaries ;) so
I love you all so so so much and take care! Merry Christmas everyone
and a merry full year upcoming on mission, along with my dear Elder
Hooper and Sister Cutler! love you both!
-Love, Elder Jesse Sumrak

Pictures!

Service Project

Feasting on the Word

Christmas Cheer 2012

Craziness 2012!

Cleaning, Wildlife, and Another Car Accident

On to your email and the week! Yes! we did have a service project this week on Wednesday and it was probably the grossiest tish in the whole tishing world....So, we went to go help out at this local hospital. There were about 20 or so of us. Outside, on the street, the sewer gutter thing was completely stagnant with trash and filth and nastiness...it was about 4 feet deep or so? maybe more...just filled with mud and garbage and was not flowing anymore...so...we literally had to dive in to get this trash out. (about a strip of 30 yards or so) 20 elders spent cleaning for over 2 hours. Just taking shovels and buckets and just getting the stuff out and dumping it on the other side of the street hahaha. we literally flooded the street, all the passerbys were so thankful for our service though, even the bikemen were hollering their thanks, even the old women as they tip toed across the constant stream of nasty water coming from our direction. It was hard and gross...the things we saw in that mud....well feces, for starters, shoes, backpacks, bottles, trash, dead animals, syringes, and that is really just the beginning....I mean in these sewer things I have seen dead puppies and tish so it was surely nasty, and I have a feeling if President and Sister Roggia saw us they would have had a fit hahaha, but we worked hard, and even extended our service an hour to do our best, and by the end it was still pretty gross but the water was flowing again :) oh boy...good stuff

Afterwards, we trooped on back to the chapel, and all gathered together and watched ELF :) it was so sweet and made all of us American missionaries very trunky. We were seeing real life, snow, Americans, ah it was great, you really do start to forget the simple things hahaha. Oh, Will Ferrel. how I miss you.

Well, they really haven't given us any information about the phone calls in the upcoming weeks but I DO NOT want to skype. I have watched the crappy skype calls on peoples adjacent computers and it is just sketch. The connection is so terrible that everyone is just doing the robot and it does not look very pleasant. but, from my hypothesis right now, without any confirmation from higher authorities, I imagine Christmas day we will just come home early from proselyting to call. So, probably around 6 or so our time, so I guess that is like 12 your time? or something like that? and I guess I will just call you real quick, and you can call back the same number? sound good? Im not entirely sure how it works but I will get straight on it....

YEAH! I heard about the Manchester United game during church!:) I was having to drag all the Priesthood boys back in because they all tried to make a run for it after 2nd block and I chased em out the door and told them all to get back in for class and that if they went Manchester United would lose...so my boys stayed :) and we won! BOOYEAH KASHA!

For some reason this week I have had some nostalgia concerning Barnes and Noble? Old childhood memory...but, I really just want to chill in our one in Newport News with a big hot chocolate and read some scriptures hahaha, is that weird that that is now what my idea of a good time is? I am a weirdo now.

Ah, i want to see the service project pictures :) and also, the pictures of thomas/laura/ and I and the bike! that would be sweet tay!

and yes...my 6 month mark is this week. I am an old man...and the news I have for you just makes me older and older....

SO TRANSFER NEWS CAME LAST NIGHT

and...I'm not happy at all....at all....

So, Elder Burton is leaving and going to where I wanted to go... BO, and becoming a zone leader, my 2nd district leader companion to continue on to be a zone leader hahaha....

I will be remaining in Mount Aureol for my 5th transfer...training someone who has not been revealed to me yet. I am super excited to train someone but I am super bummed about staying in this area. This means I will be here for 9 months...and its just getting harder and harder because now they tore down our old apartment which was our chapel...so now, our ward meets at 2:30 on sundays.... TWO FLIPPING THIRTY!!!!!! It was hard enough to get investigators to come at 12:30!!! How in the world, ah geeeze, I don't mind, I can only do my best, but I pity my new picking (child) because he is going to wonder why the 30 people we teach in the week don't come to church when they all promise to do so...Ugh, maybe I should be a little bit more optimistic...but, its just going to be really hard. I will stay here and continue to do my best, but I hope I only have to stay one more transfer...but at least I get to train :)

Well, on to better news...I got NAILED by a car this week! not just nicked by the mirror, but hit by the front of the car...just walking down the road like normal and it slammed me in the butt and I rolled down the whole back of the car, and managed not to fall down, but definitely had a limp in my step for the rest of the day, and a bruised wrist, but fortunately that was it :) and yes...you guessed it...the car did not even stop, even with a bunch of angry africans chasing after it, but I am fine :) nothing bothering me now

Random fact...news on the tv the other day said "hooligans" which made me laugh.

Sister Cutler has inspired me but, my shirts here aren't as cool ...but, they can try to be as cool as Hong Kong t-shirt of the week: "My money grows like grass"....I saw at least 20 of those, old people women, men, it is definitely the shirt of the holidays...just can;t figure out why they are wearing it and begging for my money....

So, our Thursday Christmas conference was awesome! We had a gift exchange at first which was pretty funny. We were told not to spend much money, but to get a present and wrap it up for someone. So, I was generous and took one of my nice pink ties, and wrapped it around a big box of mac n cheese, and wrapped it up in ensign pages :) well...much to my pleasure as I watched her pick it up, Sister Edem got my gift from the pile...sorry sister Edem, meant for an Elder ;) While, I picked up Elder Barths gift, a 500 leone (15 cent) toy gun that shot darts, oh christmas time is great!:) It was a lot of fun. Then, President Roggia gave special instruction and it was probably the greatest instruction of my life. He had a slideshow prepared and he talked on the Condescenscion of God, and we talked about everything Jesus Christ really did and how many worlds and everything he has created and all the billions of galaxies and what not and it was just amazing and he had so many good scriptures and just wow it was sweet. President Roggia then dismissed anyone that was tired or had proselyting to do, and so a lot of people left, and there was like 10 or so of us that stayed, and he gave a 2nd lecture on Symbols, so he helped us understand all the Old testament symbolisms and how to really understand the scriptures and everything. He first started with Leviticus chapter 14, and went on to explain pretty much how each word was a symbol and how it related to someone in these days going to their bishop to seek repentance. it was so sweet. we did all these different symbols and how everything everywhere is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. He can do it with anything. it was so cool :) he even did an entire lesson using a  piece of paper, it was so intense. He first taught the restoration with a blank piece of paper by folding it, then proceeded to tear the pieces up until they formed words + a cross, and proceed to teach a lesson with the words. He is an inspired man :) and a future apostle hahaha!

Well, lots of animals invaded our compound this week, and Elder Burton was catching all of them. He caught a Pidgeon that was sitting on our window one morning while it was sleeping. He caught a bat one night that invaded the parlor, and he caught a mouse inside the kitchen.

Also, awesome lesson this week. We were teaching these 3 18-20 year old guys the other night, and one asked if pornography was bad. We answered uh, yes, remember the law of chastity? He went on about how he knew it was bad but was having trouble with it, and how he had just got a film, and how it wasn't easy to just stop...so, we had him bring the cd covered up, then, had him hand it to his friend who snapped it in half. He looked like he was about to cry...but, admitted that it was for the best, and determined he was going to change :) so, it was really sweet to help him with that! he was more upset because it cost him 15,000 leones but, whatever haha, we told him not to sell it, but just get rid of it, and that he did!

SNAKE ATTACK! During one of our lessons a mob of people came rushing down the hill, all throwing stones and sticks and whatever they had at something. Came to find it was like a cobra of some sorts, and at least 15 people were mad in an attempt to kill it, which they eventually did, and then paraded around with it on a stick hahaha. oh silly africans :)

Singing football trainings! Every morning you can look out the window and watch giant football clubs of 30+ people all running by with coaches in the front and what not and everyone is just singing their hearts out to some african chants. it is pretty cool to listen to :) those boys are pumped. but, they are from ages like 10-15. they got some pretty catchy songs they sing too haha

Had a baptism this Saturday of Samuel Albert Morrison, a 10 year old boy who has been coming to church. he has no family attending the church and goes all by himself every Sunday since we contacted him on the street. He even got transport all the way across town to the conference the other day, no easy task for a youngster. so, I had the wonderful opportunity to baptize him :) what a great kid! I know he will be a light and an example to his family as he continues to come to church and endure to the end!

Well...I'm a little bummed about my future at the moment, but I know it will get better. I will train my child up and we will have an awesome time together. I will help him know everything he needs to know so he himself can train in 6 weeks instead of 12....because i want OUT!:) hahah but, everything will work out like it is supposed to. I love you all so much family and friends and cannot wait to call you Christmas day, but I will get it organized better this week hopefully ;) take care everyone! love and miss you bang bang!

-Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak

Area Conference and Pizza!!

Hello everybody! I was so pleased this week to receive such a large
stack of dearelders :) it really made my day! I read em all that night
hahaha it was great! Thank you so much Elder Mann, Moma, Pops, Drew,
Kadee, Nicole, Rebecca, Aunt Deb, Sis Peterson, and Evan Verbeek! I
love you all so much and am working on writing you letters...just not
much free time now with all the work haha but I will do my best and
thank you very much!

Momma dearest! sounds like you guys have had quite a relaxing time at
home. I am glad that you got my letter momma. I am trying my best to
be more consistent but its not easy haha ;) So, to take your letter
one step at a time like usual:

Water situation: It was a little rough early on during the week, but
now, we are SET! Last night, we came home and the basin was completely
full (well, we found out the neighbors downstairs had been taking our
water...not cool, so I came up with a plan haha) we turned on the pump
to pump the water to our tank, then, when it filled all the 1,500
liters up, I turned on the taps, and started filling all the buckets
in the apartment, then emptied about 40+ into these giant blue drums
we have in our house (Katie Cutler, these are what they are for ;)
hahahah ) and proceeded to fill them for about an hour until all our
water was filled and the basin was empty hahaha, so now we have water
today, and emergency water, and water water water muhahaha! I never
thought water would be so important...now it is :) but, we are set for
a good good long time, so no worries.

And transfers are in exactly 2 weeks, so yes, probaby a 90% chance
that I am being moved. Usually don't keep anyone for over 4 transfers,
but Elder Hales might end up staying for 5. His companion Elder
Richards has a hernia :( and is being sent to Ghana for surgery...poor
guy, so he will be gone for a transfer, which means Elder Hales will
probably stay for at least 1 more transfer....Maybe they will send me
to him ;) bahaha I wish!

Wow, awesome you can send the stuff now momma! thank you so much! I
know you are a boss at hiding stuff, so I have the utmost faith in you
mother, :) you are amazing like always haha and yes I mean the ace
bandage, my bad mom. The ones I can continue to apply. Like on my
bleeding palms it was sweet to just wrap every morning and put the pin
on and be set hahaha, by the way, no bleeding right now so we are good
:)

What! they tore down mcdonalds? Are they turning it in to one of those
sweet lil cafe's now? Like the one at VA beach? that would be so
sweet...I sure do miss my oatmeal hahaha, I cannot wait to come and get
some of that...but with my appetite now I might get 3! :)

Ah Nick didn't go to ring dance? Who payed him not to go? hahah Dad?
Nick really wants that money, i know it ;) And thank you so much for
sending the letter on to Phoebe. I had already tried sending it once
but it got returned about 2 months later all the way to me hahaha, so
I just put it to you and hope whatever address she gave you works!

Also, congrats to my boys Ro Bin and Jullian on their mission calls
and also Miranda Heibert! I believe I Already congratulated you all
but I love you all so much and I am so proud of your decision to go
and serve! Best of luck my friends. Miranda....I will come and see you
in VA ;) haha

I love you very much my sweetest mother, now on to another exciting
week...by exciting I mean completely well you know sa lone. normal for
me haha

Well, first, Tuesday I got pretty torked off as well as my companion,
when we were in the middle of a lesson on the street, and about 5
black school guys (about 18 or 19) decided to get about 3 yards away
from us and continue to take pictures...oh boy, I almost flipped. They
were like, look at the Jehovah witnesses, we were like OH NO OH
NONONONONO Notta Jehovah Witness, Never Jehovah witness, oh boy, not
happy at all...

We also attempted to teach a pastor this week and he was too afraid of
us to say anything. He kept telling us I know all about your doctrine
and we were like, well tell us, and he wouldn't say anything. and we
asked him some questions and he wouldn't say anything,
...even saw him on sunday when his church was
letting out, and he saw me and tried to run inside but, i quickly walked
to make sure everybody saw us shake his hand :) we don't run away...we
embrace the truth...he runs hahah...oh good times!

So, we woke up early wednesday because we have an investigator with a
problem. her uncle she stays with is muslim and won't let her come to
church, and she is 18, but he leaves for work at 7, so, we ran over
there before he left and confronted him. He said, oh no problem, she
can do what she wants, she can go, I don't agree, but she is old
enough to make her own decisions...well, then everyone in the compound
wanted to come to church when they found out she could...so
sunday...she wasn't at church...oh boy, we are getting up EARLY again
this week to go and talk to him again.

Also, had a nice fast this week. Fasted on Wednesday for our
investigators who are currently struggling a little bit and it was
nice. We were so weak climbing the mountain, but the spirit really
lifted us up and carried us for the rest of the day. It was awesome.
For ALL the walking we did, I actually was not even tired as a normal
Sunday. I know that the lord truly helped us as we put our faith in
him :)

By the way, after seeing all the motorcycles here everywhere...I want a
bullet bike when i get back ;) thomas, start looking for a good one
for me :)

We met an American by our house too! his name is abraham, and he even
came to the conference on sunday. He sounds like he has a rough
background, but says he wants to change. he is moving to london though
very soon :/ ugh. he is so cool though. he is from texas and has THE
strongest accent, but from what little we absorbed or snuck from his
conversation...uh he does have a marijuana leaf tattoed on his arm, he
has a gun wound on his shoulder, and he is on probation from America
for 5-10 years...so, I can understand why he is looking for change.
and this gospel fortunately can heal any wounds you have suffered.
that is the miracle of the atonement. its never too late to turn to
Christ, he is always there waiting...you can change.

So...Saturday...Wow...What a tish day...Slept about 2-3 hours the
whole night. Had runny tummy about 3 times in the night, 3 times in
the morning. Was downing ibuprofen like nothing, while shivering
myself into a sweaty mess under my hoody hahaha, it was terrible. the
whole day was a mess for me, but God really helped me. 5 minutes
before we left the apartment my stomach was STILL churning, but I
prayed for help...I took a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer in
my bag, and took a leap of faith and went out proselyting and
everything was ok...well, by okay I mean I didn't have any more
problems with that...instead I only had a fever, had no strength in my
whole body, had a cold sweat all the day long, and possibly the worst
migraines of my life...but, all in all, a quite successful day which I
was very glad that I didn't wus out and stay home...its only 2 years.
I got to give it my all. I can rest later ;)

So, to top that, we had to go to the U-Building, the Myata conference
center, to set up for Elder Hollands visit that night. So, we got
transport across town and met all the other Elders there and began to
set up thousands of chairs for the conference. Didn't get back till
late, but it was okay. Gosh, I was so weak, all I ate all day was dry
rice so geeze was I tired, we closed, I wrote a short journal entry,
did our area book, and died in bed.

But, to the answer of my prayers, I woke Sunday completely restored!!!
well, I was still running, but I was happy. I had strength, I had
energy, I wasn't dead!:) So, we left early to get to the conference,
and oh boy was it great! all the Elders in the 2 zones in freetown
were there, ushering everyone and showing them to seats. We spent our
first hour+ standing by the one of the 2 staircases going upstairs to
the conference hall...and to my great luck, those were the stairs
Elder Holland used to go up, so I got the wonderful opporunity to
shake his hand and his wife and Elder Dickson of the seventy as they
went on upstairs...AH, So sweet!:) So SO SO SWeet!:) Well, we
continued to help people to their seats, even as the conference was
going, and continued to set up more and more chairs, even out in the
hall ways where all the people could do is hear the conference, not
even see it. Very few of us elders got to actually watch haha, but for
Elder Holland, I made the exception. I found a spot on some stairs
where I could barely see his face through a slit in the door, and got
to hear some wonderful wonderful wonderful news....


Sierra Leone is the 3,000th stake in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints....Isn't that amazing!? 3,000 stakes in the world?
This work really is going forward. It really touched me how special
that moment was when Elder Holland announced it. None of us knew that
this was number 3,000. And he promised all the people that this
country had just made more history then they ever imagined, to the
great pleasure of the many beautiful beaming African faces :) ah...it
was truly amazing....

Well...Another week gone by and I am almost restored...not really.
Woke up this morning with some more runny...so decided that I needed
to put my weight back on hahaha, so Elder Burton and I made a long
trip up to Hill Station to visit our fellow americans Elder Hales and
Elder Richards in their small, but wonderful apartment all alone
hahah. We all walked down to one of the only pizza places there is,
this sketchy lil looking shack in the middle of nowhere, where this
fat white french guy is laying on a lawn chair with his shirt off and
a monkey running around...and man did he make us some good pizza! I
haven't had cheese since I even got here!:) It was SOOOSOSOSOS yummy
:) We really enjoyed. It was expensive, but we didn't even care! and
Elder Hales made cake with m&ms and boy, we really enjoyed today. yes,
my tummy is churning, but I am happy hahaha :) so, we ran down to
e-mail in time, and here we are ...hahaha :)

I Love all of you so very much. I know that we are never too tired,
never too weak for this work. The Lord will turn our weakness into
strength, we just have to take that step of faith and walk out the
door onto the path. you don't receive the witness until after the
trial of your faith. I know that to be true. I will continue to push
through this trial and I know that the Lord will help strengthen
me...I love all of you more then you will every know. Know that the
Lord loves you more, that Jesus Christ has died for your sins...my
sins...all the sins...and only asks us to turn to him...enjoy life,
adam fell that men might be and that we might have joy...in keeping
the commandments ;) take care my family and friends. Love you ma, pa,
nick, thomas, laura, gparents, family!!!! bye bye

-Love,
ELder Jesse Sumrak

Zone Conference Picture




November 2012

 

Thanksgiving and Elections

Thank you so very
much for the Dear Elders momma, pops, sis Peterson, Cassy, Bekki Brau
(I wrote you a letter and will be sending it Friday) Drew, Rebecca
(also wrote you a letter dear cousin), and Thomas and Laura for the
most amazing postcards I have ever seen :) also wrote you 2 a letter!
Well, to address everything in your letter first mother.
Thanksgiving: Pretty Awesome! Well, we celebrated on Thursday evening
and made some delicious stuff! We started by boiling some chicken,
like usual, then added some carrots, and then made some mashed
potatoes and used some gravy packets Elder Hales gave me for my
birthday to have some delicious sausage flavored gravy. Ah, it was so
good and we enjoyed so much haha. Just looking at it all we were
smiling and geeking out and we ate until we were so full…then just
crashed in bed by like 9 hahaha. Ah, it was so good :) But, I know I
missed out on the normal family madness at our house and I hope you
all enjoyed. I can’t wait to come and join you all once again in a
short while hahaha.
I do vaguely remember running around the Sacred Grove haha, but, I
really would like to go back and visit now that it would have a much
more personal signifigance to me haha. So I will most certainly plan
on doing that sometime when I get back.
Wow sweet to hear that you ran into Nikki. Glad to hear that she and
Angel are doing well. Thank you so much for sending my message to all
my friends mother dearest, I know it probably was a hassle and I am
very appreciative that you did that for me.

Also, I gave Saidu my music player and card this week, and he went
all over Freetown trying to get it to work, and nothing would work,
until he randomly tried putting the card in his phone, and then
transferring the music to another card, and for some reason it worked!
So, now I got all the music and stuff, but I am pretty sure the card
was a 4gb you sent me but I got most of the music on my little 2gb
card and me and Elder Burton are throughouly enjoying the music so
thank you thank you thank you mother and father :) you should see us
singing to Mulan and Toy story haha, we have had such a good time with
it, but unfortunately, no power, no battery :/ but thank you so much
hahaha I love all of it, especially the teachings of Joseph Smith,
can’t wait to listen to all of those!
My supplies are doing pretty well. Haven’t even finished my first bottle
of solution, nor my first pack of contacts, nor my first shaving cream
can, but baby wipes are always sweet ;)

So, on to the randomness of my week that I just love sharing with all of you!
ELECTION MADNESS: So, the election finished up last Saturday, but
this week…the results came out. Friday night, we got an emergency text
from the zone leaders telling us all missionaries had to immediately
return home because the election results were about to be announced.
We had just opened with prayer in our lesson, so we closed with prayer
to the delight of our investigator who prayed something along the
lines of “I know we just started but, now we are ending, and please
bless…” hahaha so that was nice. We hurried on home, and then realized
that the boy we were planning to have interviewed for the baptism
Saturday was waiting for us at a later time, so we would not be able
to do it once we were in the apartment. So, we went to his house…and
waited…and waited…but nothing. As the results were sooner to being
announced, we began to pray in the middle of the street that the boy
would show up right then, so we could take him to be interviewed by
the zone leaders. Well, God answers prayers, just not always the way
we want. So, instead a little girl came running up and said she had
seen him in the Playstation arcade. So, she led us down there, we
grabbed him, took him back to the apartment, and finished the
interview right before the chaos erupted. The results came out, and
the city just lit up!!!! For hours! Everyone just singing and dancing
and banging pots and cars coming by and parades and just complete and
utter madness. The APC party won…
There were a couple conflicts in the city during the weekend
regarding the election, but we didn’t see anything fortunately, just
were told by President to be on alert. Saw some more Devils though
hahaha
Homeboys (hoodies): Well, got some material last week and took em to
our gnarly tailor to get them made into homeboys. So, he is crazy like
usual and is just ranting and showing us his karate and trying to
teach us push ups and calling us his handsome white princes and gosh
this guy is just so crazy haha but he made our hoodies but
unfortunately he made mine too big :/ so I will have to take them back
this week and get them refitted hahaha crazy man.
Okay, also random, Laura, you told me something about a new star wars
movie and Thomas said nothing about it….so please tell me because I am
awfully curious now, and also would love news on the Hobbit and
everything regarding that…thank you :)
Pull up bar: So, last week I bought a metal pipe to make my pull up
bar, and then proceeded everynight this week in sanding it down with
sandpaper, to get all the rust and the paint off. So, after a couple
nights it was ready, and we attached rope to either side, and threw it
over the balcony, so now we have a legit pull up bar that I will be
taking with me for the rest of my mission haha. So, I am pretty
excited about that, but geeeeze! My pull ups are lacking haha, I was
doing like 15-20 before I left and it was hard to do even 7 now. So, I
got some work to do ;)
We had surprise zone conference this Tuesday which was pretty
awewsome. Had some pretty inspirational instruction from President and
Sister Roggia and I really enjoyed it. We talked about signs, gifts,
and fruits and it was a super awesome conference, topped off by normal
egg burgers with fries and chocolate cake courtesy of the amazing
Sister lauritzen :)
So, remember how my shirts were all fitted way too tight? Well, they
have slowly been tearing hahaha and I had to take them to the tailor
to get them restitched under the armpits haha, so now they are even
tighter, but they are holding on.
Food of the week: Well, we have been eating this one food every day
this week for lunch which they call ochecke. Which is like ebba, with
spaghetti, with beans, with lettuce, with boiled eggs, with ketchup,
with some other things and ahhhhh so good :) we love it. Also, thought
I would get pretty funky with it and bought a coconut this week. That
was fun. Got to cut the holes open, drink the water out, then smash it
on the concrete outside before cutting it open and eating it. It was
actually really yummy and surprisingly very filling! But, I cut my
finger with the knife, so that is a nice little scar to add to my
nicely growing African Collection.
Also, bought a papaya this week since I had never tried that which
wasn’t as tasty as I wanted it to be. It was like a crappy cantelope
haha, which made me really crave cantelope, but there is no cantelope
in this country :( boo!
We have almost run out of subsistence, so we have been enjoying “poor
man’s chop”. Which is Gehrie  + sugar. Gehrie is like dried cassava
root that has been shredded and grinded into a fine powder. It is the
cheapest thing you can buy haha and contains zero nutrional value I am
pretty sure. But, we add it to some dry oats and yeah…enjoyment. Also,
makes it nice since we have run out of water this whole week…with  6
elders in the apartment again it is not too easy to maintain
water…but, elder burton and I went out early this morning to carry
those fun 6 gallon tanks of water back to the apartment so everyone
could bath this morning :) hahaha but, water should have ran today so
hopefully tonight we will be back to enjoyment!!!!!
Also... had tuna with ketchup today which was surprisingly delicious :)
Mother…could you send me some gauze wrap maybe? I wounded myself
playing football and have been using elder burtons gauze wrap so I can
gym in the morning without opening the wound again and now it is all
healed up, but it is rather handy and I would like it in the future if
anything was to happen. Thank you mother dearest :)
So…Also, at the zone conference, President Roggia enlightened us on
the progress and history of the Sierra Leone Freetown mission… pretty
much amazing. We currently have 100 missionaries in Liberia and Sa
Lone combined, but in 6 months we are planning to have 80 in Liberia
and 100 in Sa Lone…also, apparently our conversion rate in this
mission is 220+ baptisms a month…which apparently makes us by
percentage the highest baptizing rate in the whole world…not sure how
accurate that is but our Mission President said it and uh…it was very
motivating and made me smile very much :) the people of Sierra Leone
are so amazing and are accepting the gospel so readily and it is
incredible to watch the expansion of the church here. Even the
formation of a stake by Elder Holland on SUNDAY!!! WOOT WOOT!!!!
But, its not all easy, especially since so many new members
are given responsibilities in the church haha, so
we end up with elder’s quorum classes with false doctrine being thrown
around, but thank goodness Elder Burton and I were there this time to
clean it up hahaha. They were teaching that Coca Cola was against the
word of wisdom and that it + tea + coffee all contained Nicotine, and
they also said that if you eat too much it is a sin, and yeah, we
definitely had to calm all that down and clear that up hahaha oh its
so fun watching the church so fresh and growing here :)
But, speaking of which, we had 2 amazing baptisms on Saturday of
Elizabeth Katherine Augusta Thomas, and Emmanuel Bendu, and both their
conversions are pretty sweet.
Elizabeth is the sister of Onike, who was baptized 2 weeks ago, who is
the sister of Henry Thomas, who has been a member for 6 months now, so
it is awesome to watch the whole family come together and then bring 3
investigators with them to church on Sunday :)
Emmanuel is pretty awesome as well. We were contacting on the street
about a month ago, while adjusting to our new area, and we were
telling some serious looking people about the gospel, when Emmanuel,
some punked out kid came up and started asking questions. He was young
looking, with a bleached Mohawk (known as the Balotelli). We didn’t
think him serious at all, but came and visited him the next day. He
had already shaved his Mohawk (with any connection to us, we are not
sure hahaha) and came to church the next 3 Sundays and was baptized :)
ah, so sweet to see the Lord touch the hearts here…too amazing.
Well, my family and friends I believe I have ranted long enough in
this e-mail. I love and miss you all so very much and hope you had a
wonderful Thanksgiving. Grandparents I love you and happy birthday
wonderful grandma. Please take care everyone and know you are in my
thoughts and prayers every single night :) I love you all! Farewell
and be safe and remember Jesus Christ and what he has done for us
everyday!
-Love, Elder Jesse Sumrak

Preparing for Thanksgiving

We are actually preparing for thanksgiving
We went to the market today and just bought a ton of stuff!
potatoes, chicken, ground nut, pepay, cucumbers, carrots, papaya or
however its called which I have never tried but wanted too haha
plantanes, onions, and geeze we are going to make sure it is a
delicious thanksgiving for us as well :)

The water situation? that is going a whole lot better! this week we
fixed the pump and everything and water flowed and we had a full tank
:) we got to take shower all week and clean the dishes and wash our
clothes and everything. but today we were outta water,
but it should have flowed so we can hope
for the best :) even went and bought some nice axe shampoo today to
spoil myself small. also, been wearing my chocolate axe spray. no
difference in bugs. they only come out at night.
About the chapel...uh yeah, they said it was too expensive or
something....they have no idea what its like down there...We just need
to bypass everyone and talk to President

Well, when we come home we just kinda chill...or go to bed. usually too
tired to gym these days. my body is slowly dying so I don't gym at
night anymore. Like, last night I just opened up the old testament and
started from the beginning with the manual so...yeah, just get my
flashlight out and lay in bed and enjoy some good personal studies.
sometimes I write letters. usually cook or something, maybe wash
clothes...always something to do since everything takes so much time
haha, and never can have enough chikcen mother ;)
Electricity works about...1/4 of the time. none today, but last night
it was on all night which was really nice to have the fan on hahaha

and mommma...we will have thanksgiving again soon. I promise :)

but, a thank you thank you to to the 3 dear elders I received this
week from Rebecca (wrote you cuz) and Uncle Dave (wow, I loved your
analysis of Jaws...that was pretty awesome, not going to lie) and Jen.
Thank you for taking the time to write me everyone. it always makes me
smile smile smile :)

Well...I do have one request momma. Nothing I can do to that USB will
make it work on my player :/  It works on Elder Ekpo's player, and it
also works on all the computers, but it won't work on my lil player,
but maybe dad will know better, but yeah it just won't work. We even
tried putting the songs on one of my lil cards and putting it in and
it wouldn't work...So I don't know if maybe you could send a micro Sd
card with the music on there? or maybe just a different format? I
don't know. I thought they were all mp3 and my player plays mp3 so I
have no idea. Its very frustrating...stupid Sa Lone tish. just makes
life difficult hahaha.
Another request...my card reader broke :(
Also, do we have the Apocrypha back home? I don't want it here, but
was just curious.

Also, random question...um idk if we have ever talked about it but I
feel like I visited the Sacred Grove when I was younger with the
family? is this true? My memory is failing me...I couldn't have
appreciated it at that age, but just wanted to know.

So, , Elder Burton and I bought the Testaments this
week to show to a group of investigators. So, there were 12 of us in
the room and we watched it and it was just great. It was spiritual,
entertaining, kept their attention, and they even understood, and at
the end, all 12 committed to be baptized, one 18 year old boy wants to
go on mission, and ah, it was just really sweet, the spirit was so
strong, especially during Christ's visit to the Americas. Man, that
ending gets me everytime, whew, I love it so much :)

Well, I was trying to amp up my workouts, so upon crossing the street
the other day, i noticed some guys welding a metal desk outside a
shop, so I ran over and we got them to weld us a 1 1/2 yard thick
metal pipe, that I can use to do pull ups. we are going to get a rope
today and hang it from the balcony of the apartment so we can start
doing pullups :) we are so legit. I bought it with my personal though,
so I can take it with me wherver I go next...and hang it from a tree
if I have to.

Speaking of spending money, I bought a football(soccer) last week for like 15
dollars and have been using it almost every morning to go and juggle
and have a good ol time. It is super nice to have and the ball
actually isn't that bad, but considering it IS Sa Lone, I anticipate
it will survive less then 3 months...as opposed to the soccer ball I
have had since 9th grade that is still good back home....I miss you
ball.

I have a craving for oranges currently, and have just started buying
them off the street. they pre peel em so I just grab em, rip the top
off, and suck all the juice out before peeling the rest and eating it.
straight Sa Lone style and I can sometimes get 4 for 1,000 (25cents)
So I enjoy that. Also, tried grilled Cassava root this week, which
just looks like a big ol ugly potatoe on a grill haha...but, super
yummy. they cut it open and put butter inside...but you know me, i no
can like butter too much (FAT) so I tell em no.

Well, had Peanut Butter and Jelly about 3 times this week, which was
super yummy and satisfying, so thanks again mother for the Peanut
butter, Elder Burton also tells you thank you very much and he loves
you for all the food. we just finished the last of the protein bars
today, we were rationing them to Sundays haha but we couldn't resisit
:)

Um...Elder and Sister Lauritzen are pretty much amazing. They are the
coolest senior couples missionary in the world. For some reason I can
imagine myself going and visiting them when I get home as much if not
more then the other missionaries. They are so sweet and nice and spoil
us so much haha. They also came the exact same time as me, so we will
leave at the same time, which I feel priviliged to do with them.Sister
Lauritzen even gave us like 40 bananas the other day...they are such
great people. I feel like they are as much my friend if not more then
any other Missionaries hahaha :) you should talk to them mama, they
probably would love to hear from you.

Sad event happened this Tuesday morning, as one of the Elders in our
apartment got a little bit too trunky, missing home, but
apparently the assistants took him proselyting with them this week,
and now he is back in the apartment with us :) so, we are really happy
that he changed his mind and manned up to finish what he started. its
not easy for any of us. but, we don't expect it to be. We enjoy the
mission, no doubt, but in those moments your not enjoying, its about
enduring. The gospel of Jesus Christ does not say Faith in Jesus
Christ, Repentance, baptism, holy ghost, enjoy...it says (endure to
the end) we will enjoy the blessings that Christ has made available to
us...maybe not in this life, but in the life to come. that is where
faith comes in. that is where hope comes in. that is even where
charity comes in. we can do it....we all can do it.

SATURDAY!!!!! Election day! so, absolute chaos. Friday night, we
packed our bags and made the trip over to the assistants apartment
inside the church compound, all of our apartment did, so that we
wouldn't  be cooped up in our small apartment with no power/water for
the whole day. Well, we came friday night, I got my letters, which was
pleasantly wonderful and rather unpleasant at the same time, but
fortunately Elder Appleby and Elder Burton were there to cheer me up
and Elder Barth was sort of there hahaha :) just started calling
everybody fat hahahaha so, got to sleep there on the multiple bunk
beds, with the ceiling fan seriously less than 2 feet away from my
head...hahaha and got to use a sofa cushion for a pillow...but it was
awesome!

Woke up Saturday morning to the absolute chaos of African politics.
They had a polling station right across the street from us on the
basketball courts and it was absolute madness. The line looked like a
line at Busch Gardens duuring Hallow Scream! it honestly was a 3 hour
wait line! Well, ignoring the distractions, I joyfully went on a run,
which I haven't had the pleasure to do at our new apartment in a
couple weeks...a lil while later, the crazy started, and the people
started going crazy, the lines started pushing and looking like a
wave! and then the soldiers and police men showed up and yeah...we
went inside for a little while to do our studies hahaha....
After studies, we went out to the parking lot area and played a fun
game of football (soccer) with the Elders and some of the guys who wash mission
cars haha, which was a lot of fun. well, like usual, I got tripped and
yes. BLOOD. so, gashed my knee open, and my other elbow, and have a
hole in the middle of my right hand (yes, the one I shake hands with)
so got myself all bandaged up right now and keeping the wound clean
clean clean :) but, no big deal. I was really scared when I got the
football that I would be SOOSOSOS rusty! and I am rusty...small. But,
I can still do all my jukes, i lost some speed and precision small,
but I can still juggle to at least 500 and do all my flair, so that
made me very very happy!

After that, we all just sat around and talked and were lazy and sent
little children outside the gates to go and buy us food haha because
we forgot to pack enough. sat around, wrote letters, talked , and then
went and watched a general conference session, and then a New
Restoration video, which I did not like as much as the old ones. This
one had some new scenes and had taken out some other scenes and was
narrated by the voice and character of Joseph Smith's mother. I do not
know if you have seen it or not, but it was okay...not as good as the
classic Temple Visitor center one...but it was okay :) slept at the
assistants a final night, then woke early sunday to return home.

Sunday...complete and utter embarrassment and dissappointment.
Everybody was afraid of violence, or tired from voting, or tired from
working the elections the whole day(all branch missionaries and branch
presidency) so we had 23 people in Sacrament meeting...and of course
it was the week President and Sister Roggia decided to attend ....so
that stunk :/ but we had 5 investigators which was super nice and sort
of uh like what the heck members, even these people came, grow up
forreals!

Ran out of gas earlier this week...so couldn't cook anything, so had a
surprisingly almost tasty experiment breakfast. apparently all the
Elders in other places endure it, so i tried it. Its dried Gehrie
(which is like dry powder like idk, rice) and oats, mixed with water
and sugar...hahaha it was endurable and kinda yummy at the same time
:) hahahahaha

Well, the mission is going sweet. Africa is sweet. I love life. I love
the mission. I am tired and pday is not ever relaxing hahaha too much
tish to get done but, its okay. I got some more material today and we
are gong to stop and get some more hoodies made this week, which
should be very nice!
I love you family and I love this gospel, thank you for everything and
thank you for your prayers....Farewell everyone:)

-Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak

Good Things Happening

Hello, dear family! Wow, I got a lot of dear elders this week which
was super nice :) I just want to thank Elder Mann, Rebecca, Sis
Peterson, Miranda, Mr.Whitley, Mom, Drew, Kristen Evans, Mom, Dad, Sis
Peterson, Thomas and Laura, Rebecca, and Aunt Deb :) thank you so much
for writing me this week! I love you all so very very much :)

Miranda! That is so sweet that you got your mission call!
Congratulations! Miranda got called to serve in the Virginia Richmond
mission, she is my very good Canadian friend from BYU. So my family-
You may see her hahaha :)

So, some super awesome things that happened this week...I got the
opportunity to meet the General Relief Society and Young Women's
Presidents! Yeah, they came all the way to Africa to have a conference
and it was awesome. Only women got to go, but my companion and I were
coincidentally there on some district business so we got the
opportunity to meet them and their husbands and also Elder Satati
again. Pretty sweet!

Also, awesome awesome awesome news...Sierra Leone Freetown is becoming
a stake! on December 2! Elder Holland is coming to make it and also
they are making a Bo District and a Kenema District! ah its so so
sweet :) I am so excited, finally finally a stake! So many changes are
about to start taking place and it will be so cool to be a part of it
all.

We had an awesome baptism on Saturday! Onike Zenobia Princess THomas
was baptized by her brother Henry Thomas. She is the sweetest 15 year
old girl. She is so shy and awesome haha and was confirmed along with
Christiana yesterday in church...so awesome!

Well, Saturday night was not sweet...Water did not come on Friday, so
on Saturday we drained what was left in our storage tank and had
absolutely zero..so at like 8 at night, Elder Burton and I trooped
about .5 mile away and filled up 4 giant 6 gallon + rubber tanks from
the only flowing well...yeah, uh heavy as tish. So, we finally got back to
the apartments and our backs were finished...so, we were so happy the
next day was Ssunday...NOT-----
Because, we showed up at church to find out they had taken all the
chairs out of our chapel and put them in the main hall....about 200
yards downhill. So, Elder Burton and I got to go cart chairs back and
forth up the hill for about an hour, and then cart chalkboards and
everything up as well. In the end...a brown stained shirt, ripped
under the armpits, and blue pants that are dirty beyond tish! but,
church went well and we had 6 investigators which was super awesome :)

Had chicken every single night for dinner this week, which was super
nice. Just would come home every night and throw some chicken in the
pot to boil and then whatever else we wanted with it. Made some pasta
which was really yummy thanks to that super sweet sauce you sent momma
:0 thank you very much! and made potatoes one night, chicken
sandwiches another...not too bad. just chicken chicken chicken. so
good. oatmeal for breakfast, chicken for dinner. Life is good. Still
been getting up every morning at 6 to gym so that is going well as
well. Shirts are getting super duper tight on the chest, causing some
to rip :( but, its okay hahaha.

Also, internet just came back up and saw the thing about Captain
Wesley momma...and you can send it straight to the mission office or
the theological college. probably the mission office would work best,
but I am 75% sure that the theological college is about 5 mins from my
current location...but who knows :) but, that would be super sweet
momma dearest thank you!

I am still in Sa Lone.
The busyness of the mission President with all the recent stuff has
caused him to look over the transfers hahaha...no transfer news until
probably december they said, which is okay since he is super busy, but
it is going to throw off a lot of things having zero transfers this
time...but, who knows what will happen :) but, yes I am still in my
area for the 4 transfer now, and going to be at 5 months this week,
which is super crazy. I don't really need anything I guesss...I am
doing great. If I can fix this music problem then everything will be
sweet ;) the protein is still in supply and that is great as well.
Have it every morning...but yeah, thank you so much momma dearest :)
and you can send as many packages as you want momma...I know it makes
you happy and it DOES make me happy. I just know it costs a lot haha
and I don't want you to feel like you need to. I will survive without
them, and probably still come back a lil chubbier then when I left ;)

Um, on to the craziness at the apartment stilll...we still have to
bucket the rest of the little water we have...still not enough water
has come to wash my clothes, but we are really praying for the water
to come today, so then Saidu is coming to help me out and get all of
those washed...

Also, have only 5 chairs in the apartment for 6 missionaries...so,
right now elder Burton and I are switching off using a rubber bucket
hahah....yeah, we are cool. Flies have officially invaded the apartment
and would now be deemed unsuitable for any place in the USA hahaha. We
don't have enough water to wash dishes everynight so they start to
pile up and get pretty stinky. The trashcan was flooding with maggots
and we had to pay someone to take it somewhere else to dump it...we
used to just burn our trash but we have nowhere to burn it here :/ so,
we are still adjusting. The pump broke...so now we have to bucket all
water...

My Krio is still improving which is nice. I know all the words I need
to say for someone to understand and have a conversation with pretty
much, now it is just getting the accent down. It makes a tish load of
difference! Its crazy how me switching my accent can make someone
 understand so much better. I was talking krio and this girl was like, Elder
Sumrak...Your krio has improved so much since the last time we
talked...I was like tish...the worse I sound the better they
understand...shoot me!

Had a super duper windy night this week in which I had to get up out
of bed at 3 because our apartment had turned into a tornado! the
windows were all blown open and papers and everything were flying
around the parlor, so I wandered half blind around the room and shut
everything up and climbed back into bed...hahaha what a mess. But, I
always keep my gyming area so clean! its hilarious in contrast to the
rest of the room because I sweep just the gyming area everyday :)
hahaha I am so silly. My pushups are getting pretty awesome...can do
70 consecutively now. Working on getting to a 100. That would be
pretty sweet :)

Teaching an awesome kid named Ellis...Who, lives with Christiana in
what we had supposed to be a crazy house. still may be, but, we are
teaching EVERYONE there. We taught like 6 people our age the other
night there, and two of them came to church yesterday, and ones name
is Ellis. He is like mr. break the commandments, but its so sweet to
slowly watch him change...and I honestly think he is going to make the
changes necessary to allow the Lord's blessings in his life. He came
to church. He committed to the word of wisdom...now, we just need to
help him....Or, help him help himself :) that's better

But, life is good. Its a lil hard but we are getting by. The only
problem really is that the menial labors take up all the free time, so
I don't have much time to write letters, write in my journal, or any
of those things, but I am still keeping up with it as best as I can. I
can't chop any more sleep haha, but I will do whatever I need to do to
stay on top of things.

Life is sweet. the mission is sweet. the gospel is sweet the church is
sweet and I love life. I am so grateful to be serving here and
wouldn't go anywhere else in the world. I finished the New Testament
for the 1st time yeseterday and it was totally awesome! and I received
such a powerful witness from the Holy Ghost after I had read the last
word that I could never deny the truthfulness of the book
I know its true and I know the
things I have learned from it will bless my life, but I am super happy
to be back in the Book of Mormon again. Today, I decided to trace the
Urim and Thummim through the scriptures to Joseph Smith which was a
lot of fun hahaha, yeah, I do dumb things, but I enjoy. I also have
started reading 2 pages of the Bible Dictionary a day so I should finish
that in a couple months ;) hahaha oh mission is so sweet...

I know this gospel is true and I feel so close to my Heavenly Father.
I pray so often that its hilarious and I can feel his love and his
arms around me as I strive to do my best. We really do work hard
here...From morning until night hahah hiking around Africa teaching
teaching teaching. Even though the teaching here is so different then
anywhere else in the world...I learn so much. Seriously, we teach like
Ammon and Lamoni haha, so so simply, and still its so hard for some of
them to understand...really frustrating sometimes... "so, who is the
current prophet"?
......
Thomas S. Monson
oh, okay
So, who is the current prophet?
......
Thomas S. Monson
Ok i got it this time.
Who is the current prophet?
Joseph Smith
.....WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?
hahaha oh boy, patience is what I am learning. patience indeed :)

Also, got to go on splits this week! which was a lot of fun. There
were 6 boys heading out of Sierra Leone on their way to the Ghana MTC
to start their missions in Nigeria. So, we were coincidentally in the
building and waited for them to be set apart and then we went on
splits, both taking one of the new boys. I got to take Elder Khan, a
boy from Bo, who has never proselyted with missionaries but it was still a sweet
experience going and teaching a couple lessons with him. Really quiet
boy, but, I am sure he will break out of his shell when he hits his
mission field.

AND, Elder Burton and I finally found a suitable legit chapel! Our
branch president called us during the week and we went and met him in
town and took some pictures and then brought one of the senior couple
members there the next day and its almost approved! so, we may have a
large new pool of investigators coming soon soon soon in a beautiful
new building...located on the 4th fllor of a hotel :) hahah best we
could find!

But. thats enough of me talking today, I love you all so very much and
miss you all more then you can imagine. I pray for all of you and
can't wait to see everyone again one day! Love you mom and Pa and nick
and thomas and laura and grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins
and friends and not friends but potential friends and wonderful people
and people who aren't so wonderful who could be if they wanted to be
:)
-Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak

Do Not Take Water for Granted

Wow! so glad to hear that everyone is doing well and you guys weren't
affected too bad by the hurricane. Elder Laurizten told me about
his brother meeting Laura and I thought that was totally awesome!:)

Well....Let me apologize in advance for any pessimistic subliminal
messages or very obvious messages found in this letter. The past
couple days have been very stressful and I am going to try to make it
as cheery as possible. So, lets begin with the best news of the
week....I GOT ASSAULTED!!!!

Yes, Saturday evening after a very very bouncy day (8) bounces, Elder
Burton and I decided to forget it and go and get some district errands
off the list. So, we went into town and got some more keys made for
the new apartment and uh, there was this guy all dressed up in white
sitting on the ground writing on a sign board. We walked by and a
couple guys nearby were like talk to this guy, he needs help. So, we
talked to him and he introduced himself as Prophet John. Elder Burton
asked him how he became a prophet, well he said because he received
the call while he was in his mothers womb, like Jeremiah...so, Elder
Burton asked how he did that? and he told Elder Burton that if he said
another word he would slap him in the face. So, Elder Burton and I
immediately backed off and started to turn to leave him, and he stood
up and started screaming saying stuff like Your devil prophet Joseph
Smith and your demonic book of mormon, and we were just like woah,
lets get out of here. Next thing I know the guy is up and like drop
kicks me in the quad, and we are continuing to back off and he comes
and does it again hahaha and all the guys around came and grabbed him
and we kinda just hurried off and got around the corner and started
laughing our heads off....we weren't sure if he was possessed/crazy/
or just really wanted to start something but gosh he kicked me hahaha!
there were shoe prints on my pants!...so yeah...that was the
excitement for the week...gotta love it

Well, Tuesday we had our apartment moving day, which took the whole
day. We took apart EVERYTHING in the apartment, beds and all and
dressers and anything and packed it into vans which 2 vans had to make
3 trips to our apartment to drop everything off. not too bad I guess,
but it took the whole day and was a tish load of work and lots of
things still weren't put into place...
The dressers finally showed up Friday, so were finally able to move
them in and get unpacked. The apartment isn't bad. It has tiling (woot
woot) um, 3 bedrooms that are smaller than your master bathroom, and
our kitchen is smaller then nick's and mine bathroom...for 6 guys. One
shower...no curtain...and uh....tish we don't even have a study table,
so we are using the parlor eating table..nasty.

Uh...current situation...no water for the past 3 days pretty much. Um.
the pump is broken, we kinda fixed it, but the rest of the compound
residents are taking the pump water and we get well water that has to
be pumped up to us (when we have power) and first it has to fill the
3rd story tank before it will fill our 2nd story one, so we are screwed
on that end...the man in charge of taking care of the missionaries is
swamped right now and wasn't able to get us our electricty on
saturday...so our prepaid meter died last night...and we lost over 10
pieces of chicken from spoiling this morning...yeah, that was fun to
clean out of the freezer...no water...so I couldn't gym, and slept in
my own filth. We went to the street and bought satchet waters this
morning, (lil sacks of bacteria filled water) so I could cut them to
shower. Also, sucked yesterday because I fasted, then came to find NO
WATER when i got home, not a happy Jesse at all, so I pretty much dove
inside the well, trying to reach my bucket in enough to get a bottle
full at least haahaha, yeah it was pretty pathetic, but we are getting
by. Hopefully we will have water tonight and maybe electricity...I'm
kinda in a bad mood about the whole thing, but its okay. I know it
will end up okay, im just bummed because all our food spoiled, I'm
super dirty, breaking out everywhere, and just feel gross...but, this
is only one end of missionary work in Sierra Leone. The first
part..Surviving. The second amazing part...proselyting...so at least
one thing is going successful right now ;)

We have met some amazing people this week and are starting to refill
our teaching pool, which is totally awesome! and Saturday I had the
wonderful opportunity to baptize Christiana Samba, the girl who had so
many problems and everything. She gave it all up and chose me to
baptize her and it was awesome. She started laughing afterwards
because she was so happy and couldn't stop talking about how she felt
so "holy". hahaha so that was really sweet. Lots of people here are
totally receptive of the gospel and are just like sure baptize me, but
this girl had to change, she had to make committments, she really had
to have that desire, and it was really awesome to watch this
conversion :)

I have been getting up 45 minutes early everyday to gym now...so I get
up at 5:45 and workout from 6-7. which is a really nice way to start
the day. But, I got up the other morning and forgot that I had had no
water to wash my hands the night before..and had cut pepay...so, yay
when I put my contacts in in the morning and couldn't open my eye for
about 5 minutes because I was crying so much hahaha, I laugh now, but
it was terrible! I couldn't even get my eye open to take out the
liquid hot contact...ah.....! so I just went and gymed and cried it
all out hahaha. so pathetic.

um...more dogs. the compound doesn't have money to buy a guard, so they
have viscious dogs that are just as bad as the ones before! ah it
sucks!

and our neighbours are crazy! there are some cools guys our age, but
their is a crazy woman who I am pretty sure is a mom, but gave me a
handshake the other day and did this thing with the index finger that
is the Sierra Leone way of pretty much saying you want to do bad
things, so ran away up stairs and haven't seen her since. thank
goodness. so thats nice and awkward.

Washing dishes is fun too hahaha I feel so legit. Sitting on the floor
in the parlor with 3 buckets in front of me, one for washing, one for
rinsing, and one for dries...hahaha oh boy africa...

Well, with no water to gym, and no electricity to do anything, I
passed out at 8 last night, and 9 the night before haha. so lame. I
feel like I am wasting time but there is nothing else we can be doing
:/ the assistants asked us to try to be in our apartment by 7ish
because of the crazy area we are in....blah.

no mail this week :/

Been eating tons of  boiled chicken and fried plantanes

Well, craziness yesterday...um nobody told us that we would be
watching conference at church on Sunday at 9 am...our church meets at
12 and we told all of our investigators that but, they decided to
watch the general conference...um yeah, not even half the district
could fit inside to watch it. we got to watch one talk, before we
decided to get up and give up our seats so others could watch. and all
our investigators who did show up early didn't know what was going on
and it was hard to explain that this isn't how church normally goes,
but we did our best. so sketch. They had bed sheets covering all the
windows to block light, and they were using like a 20 inch tv with a
micropone in front of it haha, oh boy :) but, everything went okay,
and we actually had 10 investigators at church, and even taught this
boy Charles afterwards in a classroom.

Met a awesome kid named Charles who is the smartest Sierra Leonean I
have met. He is about 14 or so and passing the other day asked us to
explain our doctrine. we talked for like 15 minutes and he was
explaining the Orthodox doctrine he has, in a giant book he carries
around. but he asked about our title and stuff and a statement I gave
him really hit him. I asked him if Moses was to start a church, what
would he call it? if Paul was to start a chuch what would he call it?
and he was like the Church of Moses, the Church of Paul, and I asked
him about Jesus Christ and he was like hmm....and we left him, and he
showed up at church on sunday and told us that that had really touched
him, because he wanted to be a part of Jesus's Christs church....the
kid talks so well and he knows so much. I had not even met an adult
here who speaks English like he does. And he understands so well. Like
we were teaching the restoration and he was looking at the picture and
was like...hmm....it appears he is praying, but the way they are laying
hands on his head seems like something else is going on. Are they
giving him the Holy Ghost? or are they like giving him the priesthood?
we were like uh...Out of the hundred some lessons I have taught while
I have been here nobody has even come close hahaha :) he is great!
baptismal date on November 24, along with a friend he brought to
church. So funny...his friend was falling asleep and he woke him up
and told him to keep watching the tv. ah he is great :)

well...yeah...sorry I don't have so much to say. Feeling gross,
looking gross...got plenty of worms inside my body, no mail this week,
no water (which means no food, no washing, no washing clothes, and no
shaving), no electricity....NO PROBLEM:) everything is going great
but, I didn't write letters this week....sorry...don't really have
energy to do anything....just come home, close, and go to bed. but, I
am doing my best to get pumped up and write some. Proselyting just
drains me hahaha

oh, was supposed to get transfer news last night but nope...nothing.
so who knows, maybe I'll be somwhere else next week. maybe not...i
don't know anything anymore. I just miss you all very much and want
you to know that this gospel is true. If it wasn't for trials then we
wouldn't have reason to grow. So, may the Lord humble me and make me a
better person then the whiny baby I am now. I love this gospel, I love
the church. I love missionary work...just wish I could focus more on
missionary work and less on surviving hahaha, but hopefully they will
balance out soon. But, life is great and I really am doing well so
don't worry about me :) I love youu soooo much. I love you all.
I did get the music by the way! but...it isn't mp3, so it won't play.
but its okay, the zone leaders took it today because they said they
got a place that will convert it for free. so hopefully they take care
of that :) but than you so much for the music. Maybe if I get power
tonight I can charge my battery and try it and let you knows :)
It is super hot here by the way and I am tanning too quickly. it looks
gross when you take off your priesthood attire...but, all the white
guys look that way I guess. so no problem :)

I love and miss you all. take care and be safe!
by the way, in the internet cafe with Elder Hales too right now ;)

Love,
ELder Jesse Sumrak

Moving Day Picture



October 30, 2012 Moving Day
Thanks to the Lauritizen's for the photo