Life in BO

Wow! So exciting to hear about all the sweet stuff going on in the
missions in the world and also I must say it is sweet to hear about
Cristiano Ronaldo :) I hope that deal goes down! Wow, kushay to
Gabriella and Uncle Chris. Congratulations for reals! And a happy
happy birthday to you Nick, you old man you. I hope you enjoyed your
18th birthday lil bro, and probably your last one with the family for
the while, so treasure the memory and if you're not keeping a journal I
recommend you start small small now...I love being able to look back
at any day to remember what happened and everything...it's a great
blessing :) but happy birthday man!
And i will definitely write Sister Gopp today, so thank you for the
address moma dearest. It will be nice to hear from her again, but  I
guess she isn’t Sister Gopp anymore haha!
And don’t send me any t-shirts mother dearest ;) if you see anything
you like and really want to get, just stash it with my shoes back home
haha...I am leaving everything here when I go home, and these shirts
are getting torn up from the brooking board here haha, so I don’t want
to destroy anything more then I need to here :) but thank you!
Well, I have had quite the week here in Bo. I will try to fit it all
in here in my short time to email today haha. So, first, we got
Hammocks! We went to some guy and gave him some money to go and sew
some rice sacks together and make some hammocks for us. So, we finally
got them, tied rope through either end, and set them up last night.
Not being a boy scout, it took a couple falls on mine before I got a
good knot haha ;) I encourage scouting now. But, they are pretty
legit, if not very small, and I will hopefully get some pictures off
today if I get some time. Super awesome though!
We went to teach one man this week,  and he came 2
hours early to his appointment and walked about 2 miles to the chapel.
He called us so we closed companion study early and caught bike over
to him. We rode with him back to his place to see where he lived, and
he drove to the in construction Bo-football stadium. So, we pull up at
the gate and the security guards with AKs are just freaking out,
telling him that Missionaries are not allowed in, but eventually the
Chinese manager came and let us in. So, we got to enter the stadium,
which was super sweet, if not completely crappy to be totally honest
haha, but small small. We made our way around back and got to teach
him in the sketchy barracks, where he lives with the other workers
who work on the stadium haha it was totally sketchy and scary but a
sweet lesson at least. The stadium looks not to betta, but they dey
try small small. Just a bunch of Chinese overseers walking around
screaming at the Africans who are working in the most mundane of ways
on what is supposed to be a modern stadium...we will see how many more
years it takes to complete the stadium. My guess...5 years.
We made our way back to our area and took the bushiest path haha! We
had to cross fallen trees and swamps and what not, and Elder Jones
showed me where we are probably having our baptism this week...Yeah,
it looks exactly what the Doctor told me NOT to ever enter in hahaha!
Stagnant swamp water in the middle of the bush farming fields...but,
if we have to do it then we will have to do it, and I will be
moderately excited to do a river baptism while also a little hesitant
due to whatever lasting worms and diseases will plague my body as a
result. Nowhala.
I found a wood carpenter in our area and he was making a sweet (and
kinda scary) mask that probably is used for ju ju or something, and I
asked him if he could do a special project for me...he said yes. So, I
brought him the little miniature Finn, you sent me, and he told me he
could make me it. So, I am getting a foot high wood carving of Finn
done, and if it is sweet, I am going to put this man on some more
projects for me haha :) not too expensive either. $5 ;) so we will see
how that turns out. Said it should be done by March 5.
Elder Jones and I videoed a crazy thing I never had before seen until
I got to Bo...A woman feeding her child (and I’m not talking breast
feeding because I have seen more than my share of that just trying to
teach a lesson haha) but, this is trying to feed a baby who is not
hungry and will not accept the spoon...So, they put the baby in their
lap, and cup their hand around the baby's mouth, they then drain all
the mushy food in to their hand, practically drowning the child,
giving the child the only option to eat, or die pretty much, because
then they close the baby’s nose...if the baby screams or anything or
tries to throw it back up, they flick the baby on the thigh until it
opens its mouth to swallow the nasty mush. It was pretty horrific to
be quite honest, but we videoed the whole thing...so one day you will
all see this  feeding...oh my.
So, we found the roof is a sweet relief to the intense heat we have
experienced this week...the past 3 nights I have gone to sleep it has
been above 90 degress... so miserable. So we took all of our
mattresses and put them on the roof...yes, the crappy zinc roof
hahaha, but no bad, it was super cool and nice up there and we all 6
chilled up there for like an hour haha, it was a lot of fun!
Also, while dressing today, I finally tried one of my Sa Lone shirts
I bought, and when putting it on, I realized that it is a McDonald's
Manager shirt! It has a big M on the pocket, and I was so stoked when
I saw it haha, unfortunately its covered by my tag, but it is so
awesome!:) probably going to use that shirt to wear home from mission!
I have also given myself the Mende name of Tai( proncouned Tay)
which means Chicken. Some of our recent converts named me Gorjo (which
means our Father) but they said they gave me that name because my chin
reminds them of a strong man like a father :) haha, and then a woman
named me last night Batoley (people’s picking(child) ) to which I am
to respond Hopanda (take good care of it) haha so, we are always
having fun with the Mende here!
Had a rather uncomofortable lesson later this week with Michael at
the chapel. We couldn't get it, no key, so we pulled up some stones
from nearby...mine was very sharp and not so comfy, so I spent the
next hour shifting from cheek to cheek every 5 minutes just trying not
to destroy my poor backside. Geeze it hurt! But, we took some pictures
of the stones and everything :) so, another sweet memory is added to
my wonderful mission haha
We wanted to go fill the font Friday, because the other branches font
is under construction, so we have to fill our own. SO, we went over to
our branch presidents house, but he was in the farm. So we went out to
the bush farm and gosh it was awesome. A bunch of people were in the
swamp with nets trying to corner the fish and it was awesome, they
were catching a bunch haha, I was tempted to just jump in and help em
out, but knowing me, I would cause problems ;) we got the key to the
chapel and made our way back to the font...the beginning of a painful
experience.
Some branch missionaries met us there and we had a short coordination
meeting before we spent the next hour and a half filling the font...we
lower a small bucket into the well, lift it out, sift the water
through a t shirt into a bigger bucket, then dump the bucket in the
font... well, you can imagine how painfully slow that is huh? We only
made it about 6 inches the first night...but, we decided to come back
in the morning.
So, we woke up early on Saturday, ate, and then made our way out the
door. Hadn't even opened the gate before we realized it was national
cleaning day in BO! Every last Saturday of the month in BO is  a
national cleaning day, and nobody is allowed to do anything but clean
until 10:00 am...enforced by the police. SO, there are no cars out or
anything, just people cleaning their compounds and the streets...but,
we asked our district leader and he told us we were allowed to go. So,
we had about a mile or so to walk to the chapel and we dodged most of
the police blockades...but, the last one got us, and the police
started shouting at us and called us over. The conversation went a
little like this.
“you understand you are breaking the law?”
“we are going to go clean our chapel”
“you are breaking the law, we are going to have to take you down to
the headquarters” He grabs me by the wrist and starts walking me down
the street...
“Okay, let's go” I grab him by the other wrist and start walking him
towards the headquarters....
Made it about 10 feet before he says he is going to just let us off
this time with a warning, but we better never do it again...yeah, he
was just trying to scare us into bribing him...yeah, not going to do
that ;) hahaha so the Lord helped us off and get to the chapel safely.
We got to the chapel around 8...and we filled rapidly for about 2 and
a half hours...gosh we were dripping, dirty, and so sore, and the
water was barely up to the knee...and it was BROWN. You couldn't even
see your feet in the water...so our investigator
showed up and I had the sweet blessing and privilege of baptizing
him...so we enter the water, I kneel down, and we had him sit down,
and baptized him coffin style, just laying him down under the water.
It took about 3 trys to do successfully, but it was done :) and he was
confirmed yesterday in church so what a sweet baptism, if not
completely gross...because I saw worms swimming in the water...my gosh
I have so many things in my body I am sure.
Sweet weekend. Had 2 interviewed for baptism yesterday and one more
tomorrow so, we should have a sweet sweet Saturday! But, I think we
are doing river baptism... Nose goes ;) haha
Got to play football again today, and it was a lot of fun, but we
lost! But, it was a great time :) didn't even bleed today! So, that is
a success in my opinion. First time for everything!
Well, another sweet week on mission. I love this mission so much and
I am so excited to see tomorrow who will be our new mission president
in June. I am sure going to miss the Roggia’s but change...its pretty
consistent on mission. Never can really get too comfortable, but that's
life :) I love you all so very much and I know that this gospel is
true. I will be receiving all letters and mail tomorrow so I will be
trying to write you all back slowly over the next coming weeks...I
love you all. Never forget the Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice and
I promise you will never be unhappy...Take care all! Farewell
-Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak

Traditions, Reunions, & Changes!

Well, hello there dear family and friends! Well, to go down your
letter momma -  the rats are quite small really, but I have seen some
big bush rats about the size of a football here as well ( and I would
love to say that is an exaggeration...but no, no its not ) But, the
ones in our apartment are pretty small :)
Giant spiders haha? We smash em of course. The old days of running to
get toilet paper is over, you just smash 'em with your bare hand of
course, and pick em up and throw 'em out the window.
And what do you mean your next beach trip will be with me?! Are you
guys not planning on going this summer? Don’t ever skip beach trip!
Even if its just you and dad!:) we've got to keep the tradition alive. I
already decided I am going to continue to go to Nags Head with my
family for the rest of my life. I was inspired by an Ensign talk I
read and it said something about what is more important? Paying off
your car or redoing your bathroom, or taking your family on that small
vacation tradition every year that they will remember forever...I pick
the latter. I love that tradition greater then everything in our life
and I wouldn't trade it for the world :)
Coping with the many dialects...well here to be honest it is really a
little overwhelming, and its exhausting trying to remember and learn
it all so I'm really not trying anymore...if I absorb anything its just
going to be naturally and by repetition because I will not waste any
of my time or energy trying to learn it haha
Well, its hard not getting letters from you guys but I am doing okay.
I will get used to it haha, only getting letters every 3-4 weeks or
so, but like I said, I am expecting on next Tuesday, so that will be
super nice!:) That is when we have our next zone conference, so I am
happy to see President and Sister Roggia again! Miss seeing them so
much throughout the week.
Well on to my super sweet week in Messima Bushy, BO! So, we started
last week by waking up early Tuesday and going on down to the
transport station. We met up with the zone leaders Elder BURTON and
Elder Stewart, yeah that's right my boy elder Burton :) he is sitting
in the cafe right beside me emailing right now, so good to see that
guy again! So, the 8 of us elders got in a poda poda, mashed in nice
and tight and we made the hour long trip to Kenema to go to our Zone
Meeting. Yeah, its weird, there are 2 zones in Bo, and our zone
includes a district from Kenema, so we get to go to Kenema for zone
meetings, and Kenema comes to us for zone conferences haha, no bad.
The trip was super fun and we got to go see tons of stuff on our nice
and bushy drive :) we took tons of pictures and stuff so when my
camera finally gets here and I transfer all the pictures I can send
you all lots of pictures and videos hopefully. But, the drive was
really nice, except for my dead butt from sitting on the window/seat
the whole way haha, but it was cool. Kenema is really sweet, but is
even bushier then Bo is.
So happy when we got to the Elders apartment and I go to see my
favorite ELDER HALES! Yep, so happy to see that guy! And got to see
fellow MTC Elder Edwards, and my PAPI Elder Ngerem, and my grandpapi,
ELDER BARTH! So awesome to see those guys :) but, they are having
CRAZY thief problems in their apartment. They haven’t slept all week
because every night they have had people sticking their hands through
the windows, stealing anything they can get their hands on. They now
have some brutal traps set up, such as nail boards under the windows,
they all have metal pipes underneath the windows, so if they see a
hand they can grab it, and use the metal pipes to smash it hahah,
But, the zone meeting was really nice and Elder Burton
and Elder Stewart gave us a great message and instruction about
recognizing and trusting the hand of the Lord, the holy ghost, in all
that we do. It really has helped us in our area as we have turned to
the Lord in prayer and have received our own personal revelations for
our area :)
After the zone meeting our apartment went down into Kenema city,
which is just one long road pretty much, and they have a super nice
hotel there that serves food, so we all went back to the serving area,
which is a nice breezy shaded area outside with a pool on the side and
even a pool table and everything, and we got giant hamburgers for BOKU
money! But, it was delicious and we all enjoyed together, then we
caught Taxi all the way back home. And I had Elder Weller literally
sitting on my lap for the whole hour drive, so my leg was dead when we
got back, and we were all exhausted...we all collapsed when we got to
the apartment, but always to the work, we managed to pray for strength
and get up to go teach the gospel for the end of the evening :)
Elder Jones and I caught bike over to the chapel to go clean the font
and start filling it for the baptism on Saturday...but, problems arose
quickly. The pump was broken, so we cleaned the font for quite some
time, and then prepared to start bucketing the water from the nearby
well to the font. Well, Elder Jones got the first bucket and then I
got my opportunity to do my first bucketing from the well. So, I threw
the bucket down the well and lowered it with the rope, then began
pulling the bucket out of the deep 25 foot well....and then the water
weighed too much for the rope, so about halfway up the rope snapped,
and we were like OH OH! NO! And I was like wow, first times a charm :/
but a branch missionary showed up and the guy just takes off his flip
flops and jumps in the well haha and starts climbing down just by
pressing his hands and feet to the side of the well, so he climbs all
the way down while I have my eyes closed praying he doesn't fall and
die, and Elder Jones is taking pictures. And he manages to stick his
feet in the water to get the bucket...but nothing. Too deep :/ so we
lower the good ole rake head down on a separate rope to give to him,
but the well is too narrow and he isn't able to turn the rake upside
down to grab it hahaha so, total failure, so he climbed on out and we
gave up for the night. Oh boy...
Well I learned a fun Sa Lone favorite here, they call it draft. And
its played on a checkerboard, but you use a 10 x 10, instead of 8 x 8
and ah its so much fun. Its just like checkers but you can jump
backwards and kings can do all this crazy stuff, and you HAVE to jump
or you lose your man, and ah its just a really fun change up on
Checkers, and everyone here plays it . Elder Weller taught me it and
destroyed me over and over the first night, but I caught on quickly and
was able to beat him the next night ;) but he is pretty good, so only
once haha
They also have another game they call Ludo, which is just like
Trouble, but you just roll the dice instead of bouncing it , that one
is pretty fun as well.
Valentines day was nice...I guess. We all just talked about our
dates, looked at pictures, and drank hot chocolate and were nice and
trunky for a good hour or so ;) but, now that's all over and we're back
to work haha. We are quite silly. A puppy came into the apartment and
Elder Penia literally scared the poop out of it...we were not too happy
about that. Not too happy at all...
We eventually and successfully did have the baptisms this Saturday,
which went very well :) We showed up at the new barracks apartment to
have a combined baptism with the district leader, but the battery to
their generator to pump the well was dead, so we cleaned the font, and
I hand pumped water out of the well, and a ward mission leader went to
our chapel and got the battery and brought it back...so, eventually
the font was cleaned and was filled deep enough to do baptisms. We
had 2 young men being baptized, Maxwell and Matthew.
Elder Jones baptized both of them and it was super sweet :)
Elder Coffie and Elder Penia baptized a family of brothers and sisters
of about 7, which was really nice. So, a successful Saturday morning!
More wonderful souls are returning to one day live with their loving
father in heaven...now they just need to endure to the end ;)
Well...Church was interesting. The woman who usually conducts wasn't
there, and the branch presidency sat around after giving the
introduction before realizing that she wasn't there. So, panicking
slightly, they caught my eye and asked me to go and conduct...so, for
those of you who know me and my musical rhythm...I have none, (only
when it comes to guitar hero) so, it was a bloody and painful musical
session for both me and the branch on that fateful Sunday. I got up
and did my best to swing my arm right haha but, I didn't even know the
crazy hymns they were choosing (since African favorites are NOT the
American favorites haha, you come here and sing those backwater songs
you never even heard about.) But, we all suffered through it together,
and I did my best and it was funny to catch the eye of the old women
who would just smile and laugh and even my investigators who it was
obvious to that I had no idea what I was doing...but I tried my best
:) had a good number of about 60 or so in sacrament, and even had 10
investigators! So, we are doing our best to push the work right along.
They even asked me to teach primary haha, but I refused and told them
I needed to stay with my companion oh that would have been too big
of a journey for me!
We are planning for 2 baptisms this Saturday. The boys both were
interviewed yesterday, so we are very excited, and then planning for 2
more the following week, so we are doing our best to just meet all the
appointments and get all of these wonderful people prepared, but gosh
the time is short and the sun is hot but we are going to work hard to
do our absolute best :)
Today was SO much fun! We went over to our area and our whole
district of 8 showed up to play some of our investigators in a
wonderful game of football. We even got like 30 pictures of the game,
so eventually I will be able to send them to you all, maybe even today
if the connection improves shortly. But, I didn't play too great,
because we were playing on straight dirt, but we came together and
actually won the game! They were pretty good too, but I think God just
always helps his servants in the end ;) we were down 3-1 at half time
but came back to win 6-5! Our poor investigators and soon to be recent
converts. Hope they still love us, but we invited everyone to church
so I hope they all come!
But, I am so exhausted and my eyes hurt so badly from the hot sun and
the bright pitch, but it was great fun to play again. Elder Stewart
and Elder Jones are good, so it was great playing with them, and Elder
Burton, Coffie, Symons, Weller, and Penia try ;) so it was lots of
fun!
Spent all last night with Elder Weller on the roof writing letters
and just chilling drinking hot chocolate and talking about good ole
missionary work. It is surprising how much I really have changed since
I came out on mission...The Lord is changing me and I don’t even
recognize it half the time :) I love you and miss you all family and
friends, but the Lord is giving me strength to continue on and be
strong in the work.
I love you all so very much and I hope you all are doing well. Know
that the Lord can take the dullest of blades, the rustiest of
instruments, and the most broken pieces of wood, and make the most
beautiful masterpieces out of them. I was completely inadequate and
still am, yet the Lord pushes the work right along through me, even
when I am completely incapable and oblivious...Funny...I just realized
it when I was talking to Elder Weller last night, because word had
spread to everyone about how down I was at transfer news long ago
back in Mt Aureol. So, I explained my story that I didn't even
remember had happened until I was reminded. Upon finding out that
Elder Burton was leaving me and I was going to stay in the
area of Mt Aureol, where the work was stagnant,  and I just felt
 like I was not helping with anything...When
the transfer news came and Elder Burton was so excited to find HE
would be leaving, I immediately retreated to my room and shut the door
and knelt down and began to pray to God...I was upset, angry,
discouraged, and I prayed that the Lord would help me, I had no idea
what to do, no idea how to fix the area, no motivation to continue at
all...Elder Burton apparently had opened the door and heard me praying
and left. I had forgotten. I didn't even realize until last night ALL
the blessings that the Lord gave me after that prayer. I took over the
area, a new missionary was trained, many people were baptized, the
members became strong and active, the presidency and auxiliaries all
started working, conversions were raining in like a waterfall, and
everything was perfect...and it wasn't me that did it. It was the
Lord...I encourage everyone to look back on their own lives at the
many ways the Lord has blessed you. Look hard, and I'm sure you will
find blessings the Lord has given you that you have failed to
recognize thus far. God truly loves us and hears our prayers. I, being
a useless tish am living testimony of that. Even miracles have come
through me, and I know that I am only an instrument in the Lord
hands...I love you all... Farewell till next week!

-Elder Jesse Sumrak

First Week in Bo

First off, Happy Valentines Day! I love you so very much, and
gosh I have so so so much to talk about this week...ah so much, hope I
don't miss anything. But, first I was not able to receive the box
before I left .. :( but, I got a text saying that the box has arrived
in the mission office and I will receive it at zone conference on
February 26, so not bad ;) and thank you thank you to Bekki and
Patriarch Keaton! I received your letters this week and I was so happy
to get them.

Well...lets just try to fit everything. Monday night I spent in the
assistants office and tried to clear out my bag so I would take less
stuff to Bo. Had 7 lbs worth of dear elders, so so so many, and they
said I should probably get rid of them....so, it was really sad and
hard but we took them all outside and burned the dear elders...but, I
love everyone so much and I'm so grateful for everyone that has sent
them to me. I kept all the hand written letters and everything, but at
the rate I was going if I kept all my dear elders I would just have
paper coming home with me in 16 months haha but I really appreciate
everyone who has written me.

Well, Tuesday morning we got up and got ready and by 8:30 the
humanitarian couple, the Burns, were there to pick us up. We piled in
everything and got into the truck and headed off on the sweet 5 hour
drive to Bo. Wow, the country is just absolutely beautiful outside of
Freetown, and the Burns are just the most amazing people in the world.
They are so sweet and loving and compassionate to these people- it is
just amazing. We did not stop at the wells on the way, but they did
stop by a Polio Camp in Grafton, which was just so touching to visit.
Everyone in the village has polio and it is just so sad, they all look
like pictures of the holocaust and Elder Penia and I got to go in and
play with the children and some were so excited to see us and others
were just horrified of us but still, it was a wonderful experience to
go and show our love to these people...The drive continued and it was
just awesome. Saw a different side of the world and just so much I
can't even take it all in. Saw diamond miners, saw mud huts, thatch
roof houses, so many coconut trees hahaha.

Sister Burns was sweet and packed us a great lunch of sandwiches,
apples, and even oreos! so we were completely spoiled haha but such a
great time with them. we showed up and met the other couple in Bo, the
Scheluhubers and then we went inside for 30 minutes because Sister
Burns was having computer issues and wanted me to fix it, so I did my
best, and father you might be half proud of me, but I was able to fix
the problem and get her computer running at 100% again haha and then
they took us on over to the infamous SEWA ROAD APARTMENT, the DUNGEON!
THE WORST APARTMENT IN SIERRA LEONE!

But, it is awesome and I love it. Once you get past the 4 rats we
caught this week, the 10 cockroaches I killed, and quite possibly the
most gigantic spiders I have seen in my life, and the dusty floors
that can't be mopped, it really is awesome and I love it. We have a
well outside, and wells in Bo aren't like Freetown, these ones you
have to lower you bucket down in the well and then pull it out with
the rope, straight manual style, no crane or anything haha :) so sweet,
makes me feel so legit!

Well, now I am in the heart of Bo, I don't know the place very well
yet but I think this is the only actual city in Bo, but all elders in
both zones come here to email. so there are like 20 elders in the room
and I haven't even met half of them, so it is super cool getting to
know all of these awesome guys! so much fun.

My apartment mates are awesome and my new companion Elder Jones is so
cool. I love the guy so much and I am so glad we are serving together.
A really honest hard working elder and he and I are working out now
and just doing everything and working so hard and its going great. we
are cleaning out the area book and just spending hours of nonstop
working trying to get this branch up and running and boy we are seeing
success. He is super
excited that I am here and ready to work hard, and we are going to
turn this place around, and we are already seeing the fruits of our
labors.

So, I get to take bike everyday, and it is so sweet! I love it so
much, just jumping on the back of an african bike and speeding down
the road, with a prayer in my heart that we don't die constantly, it
is so much fun haha! I love it and I look forward to everytime we get
to jump on bike.

So, the language in bo is Mendeh, and its not all like Krio in
Freetown, because here if people don't speak Krio, they speak Mendeh,
where as before in Freetown it's if they don't speak English they speak
Krio, haha but it is such a goodtime! The language is straight tribal
and its exactly what you could imagine the stereotypical african
language would sound like. and its so fun to try to learn it and speak
it, but there is like 10 different dialetics of it, so its hard to
learn them all because each person is speaking it differently and ah, its
just a lot of fun. My area is straight BUSH! BUSH BUSH! we travel
through cassava and rice fields to our area on fallen trees and dirt
paths under giant palms trees and coconut trees and trees of things I
have never even seen before. The houses are okay and most are pretty
legit, but some are mud houses and even some thatch roof houses haha,
they say I am in one of the most bushy areas in Bo, but I love it :)

I am working hard every morning and evening as well, still gyming and
jogging and what not, and its going well. They have a nice little
bench and one dumbbell so I haven't done very much with that but, I
keep my running and everything up and crunches so that is nice. Elder
Jones and I went on a 30 minute run today through our area which was
just super refreshing to go on a legit run again! no fence or
restrictions just freedom!:) Ah! he is a cross country runner so he is
in shape still (with a rice belly of course, as typical of all elders
here) but he also plays football, so we are going to go enjoy next
monday!

we don't have power very much in the apartment, so the nights are
super hot, and we don't turn the generator on too much, so often we light
candles and just write by candle light so we don't burn through all
our batteries...so more batteries would be sweet momma ;)

We got a giant 1,000 piece puzzle we have been doing all week at night
and we finished it last week and taped it up on the wall haha, maybe
when my camera finally gets here I will take some pictures and let you
guys see, I am going to take so many pictures when that thing gets
here haha!

Our church is actually pretty legit, an actual building all to
ourselves and there were like 50-60 members on Sunday which was nice :)
They are super friendly to me already so we are getting along great,
and even had successful coordination and PEC this week, which hasn't
happened really my entire mission, so that makes me super stoked! But,
for our baptism this saturday we have to draw all the water out of the
well by hand to fill it...so its going to take forever, but its okay
:) had a super sweet spiritual experience with it...

We wanted to see how deep the well water was , so we attached a rake
head to the rope and dropped it down the well...then we found that the
rake head got stuck to the pump pipe and we couldn't get it out for
like 7 minutes...so, I told Elder Jones "power of prayer" and then I
said a quick prayer, and immediately the rake came out...Wow, I know
that the Lord is really watching us missionaries out here, even with
the small things. I know he loves us and he helps us with anything we
ask for as long as we have the faith to ask him. and my faith has
grown so much more ever since I embarked on this journey, and I know
that the Lord is always there waiting for us to just knock and he will
open.

We then met our district leader and took him to our 2 candidates in
our area to have them interviewed and while one was being interviewed,
this one man came out and started talking to us elders. He told me I
had american written all over me, called Elder Penia an Asian (when he
is a Polynesian from Samoa) and then called Elder Jones british, and
then told us that we would all be "leaving our seed" in Africa to
which we had to have a very long talk with him that THAT was
absolutely not what we were here to do, and he couldn't really fathom
it and just kept saying, we're all men aren't we? and ahh, so stubborn
haha, he then called me frisky! he just looked when I was leaving and
was like Elder Sumrak...I can just tell, you are frisky! Ah, Do I look
frisky?! haha

But, all in all BO IS AMAZING and I love this area so much. we had 10
investigators in church yesterday, and they have been averaging 2 a
week, so I just know the Lord is watching out for us and if we do our
best and serve righteously he will pour out an abundance of blessings
upon us.

I know this gospel is true and I love everyone so much. I love this
mission and I am so blessed to be here laboring in the hot african sun
for these people. My eyes hurt from the bright Bo sun, but small small
price to pay for this great opportunity!:) Farewell my dear friends and
family and know that the Lord is always there watching and waiting for
you to call on him...so call on him... he will answer :) Farewell and
happy valentines day!

PS. here is some attempted Mendeh I have picked up with no idea how to
spell it of course

Klo Klo (small Small)
Klo Klo Mayajavei (small drops of water make a mighty ocean)
Boah (hello)
Becey (thank you)
Cowyena (how di bodi)
Kaingoma (thank god)
Bungo (red)
Pumwe (white man)
Ndulelley(black man)
Nessi (pineapple)

haha oh, this language, I am learning as much as I can haha
Elder Jesse Sumrak

Leaving Freetown for Bo!

Elder Sumrak leaves for Bo!  

Transfer to Bo!!

Well I will tell you more about transfers and all that soon, but
I'll just work right down your e-mail first :) They are going to the
post office today because I want my camera before I leave tomorrow but
we are going to see what happens I guess, but I am patient as well,
just unfortunately didn't get to take much pictures of the area before
I left...but it will always be in my heart ;)

And gosh, this year is just flying by already! And no! no signs of
rain or anything, just dry dusty dusty dust. Shouldn't even rain they
said until like May...and then its all rain in July, but not sure yet
if I am looking forward to that or not haha, but nevertheless, it will
be my last rainy season in Sierra Leone, so I will make the best of
it. The sun sets close to 8 PM or so, so we always try to be back in the
apartment by like 7:30 because the roads get a little crazy at
night...well they are always crazy but you know what I mean.

Also would love to mention the privilege it is today to be e-mailing
inside the mission office. Yes, I am honored to have fast internet and
no viruses and air conditioning. Today I am SPOILED! but, it's very
nice :) Here with former assistant Elder Barth, he is my companion for
the day and we have been enjoying so much haha

Wow! the Smithfield branch sounds awesome and that is so cool that you
took the sister missionaries out for dinner. You guys are so sweet. Ah, I miss
Anna's...I was just talking to Elder Barth today about our usual Sunday
meals which often included reheated Anna's pizza which was always so
much better when you cooked it back up in the oven. ah so good! great
that they are experiencing some success and I hope the branch
continues to grow and grow :)

Ah, that writing thing Thomas is doing sounds so cool. That is good
money for reals! I was doing it a little bit before but just on some
little sites and everything, but to get a legit job getting payed a
lot for it would be really nice. I would love to do that when I get
home, especially with the world cup and everything going on because
then I could meet my own schedule and everything and gosh I just love
writing so that would be super sweet. What type of articles is it?
Like stories or reviews or what? creative informational
advertisements?

Aww Quinn...can't wait to get her letters, I love her so much! and
your time is about over as seminary teacher momma. What, has it been
like 5 consecutive years now, with the previous 3 before? or 4? geeze
you seminary woman, no wonder you understand the gospel so well now!:)

Well...as for the exciting news...I am BEING TRANSFERRED! Finally! I
am leaving tomorrow morning very early and riding 3-5 hours with the
Humanitarian couple, Elder and Sister Burns, to travel to Mesima
Branch, Bo. Ah, so exciting! We are going to be stopping at many
villages along the way to check on the well waters and everything and
ah its going to be so much fun :) only downside is that I am only
going to be able to receive and send mail like once every 4-6 weeks or
so :/ but, thats okay. my turn to suffer that aspect I guess haha.
also, probably won't have as much time to email because the internet
cafes there aren't as good, so expect shorter emails unfortunately.
But, ah BO! so sweet! Its very bush they say, and very villagey, and
you ride motorcycle for transport everywhere. Fruit is super cheap,
everyone speaks Mendes, and very little English, and everyone loves
the gospel. Free Meals are daily and expected and gosh its going to be so
cool. I am going to be companions with Elder Jones, who is another one
of Elder Barth's Children, which is funny because I was with his first
child Elder Ngerem hahaah, I am going to be in the sweetest zone in
the world, which includes wonderful Elder Hales, Elder Ngerem, Elder
Barth, Elder Weller(mtc) and Elder Symons (my first apartment) ah so
excited! I will have more news about Bo and everything after I arrive
there of course, but hopefully my next email will be full of bright
news!

Ah, it's been hard to leave this wonderful Mount Aureol ward, and I am
going to miss it so much...almost 8 months here, and so many wonderful
converts and friends and everybody. Ah, I love them so much. Almost
cried saying goodbye to everyone and everything at church
yesterday...but, I will see them again one day, and if not, I am going
to meet new wonderful people wherever I go. Elder Etuk will be
receiving Elder Rochester, an old missionary who will be ending his
mission in April, so the ward isn't too excited to receive a
potentially "trunky" elder, but they will get over it hahah :)

Well, this past week has been very very exciting and I have enjoyed
very much. Saying goodbye to everyone and teaching many people who
will be baptized Saturday :( sad that I am going to miss that but I got
them to sign my journal and give me pictures so at least I will have
that.

Well, met a a sweet rasta man this week on the road buying phone
credit from my boy Eddie Bangura, and we were talking for quite
sometime and he showed me to the building where he has a radio
station. 104.5 rasta radio. It just plays like Bob Marley and all that
wonderful stuff and he was telling me about their message so I told
him about ours and he was so excited and told us he loved us and he
wanted us to come visit his rasta church one time, which we uh,
assured him we would have to do sometime ;) and then he invited us to
have a one hour block on the radio next week to just talk about our
message and our church and share it with all of Sierra Leone and
Liberia...hahaha oh boy. he told us it usually costs 200,000 for an
hour block but he loves our message and he will do it for free. I told
him we would love to, so maybe Elder Etuk will get an opportunity with
that ;) who knows!

My farewell Sunday yesterday was very nice. I got to bare my testimony
(on testimony Sunday) and say goodbye to eveyrone, and had a solid 13
investigators in church again, so I am excited that my companion will
stay very busy after I leave. I hope Mesima has lots of investigators
and I can get straight to work tomorrow afternoon, super excited :)

Well, my diet for the past two weeks has been pretty uh, unique. I eat
1 cup of oatmeal everyday, then an apple snack, then about 2 mangos
and a protein bar for lunch, then a coconut on the road, about 2 more
apples and a mango, and then for dinner I have a piece of bread with
the peanut butter spreads you sent me mama...so that has resulted
in...10 lbs lost! hahaha what!?!?!?!? well that and the fact that
every morning I do sprints in the compound and sprints up the stairs,
30 mins morning, 30  mins evening time. oh boy, definitely been eating
more since I got on that scale.

Today was a lot of fun! we woke up and did our cleaning and studies
and then we went to the church compound and played some football for
the first time in months which was so much fun! I played very well for
someone who has not played in 2 and a half months, which made me very
happy since I was worried I was going to lose everything slowly. But,
I got it still. :) but, of course I feel like usual. Can't play
football here without some bleeding you know! so, then Elder Etuk went
with Elder Aluka, and I went up into the office and took dear Elder
Barth to be my companion for the day :) we went to town and had such a
good time in the wood market and everything. Now, we are here in the
office and enjoying e-mail!:) so nice!

Well, I hope next week will be more exciting and I will have more to
talk about. I love everyone so much and I miss you all like crazy!
This mission is so sweet and I am so lucky to be here and I can't wait
to see Bo and tell you all about it. I really had a sweet experience
with my studies today in which I was reading the New Testament manual,
and came to find out more of who I was before I came to Earth, and who
I will be in the future...I love this gospel for the assurance it
gives me and the wonderful testimony I have that it is true :) Take
care everyone! love and enjoy the gospel! it's the only thing that will
save you in the end!

-Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak