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