Transferring Back to Freetown!

Wow, sure sounds like an interesting baccalaureate, but I am super
happy that you got my letter momma and hope you enjoyed it. I love you
and father so much and thank you for everything! Nick is hilarious,
I can't believe that boy is going to graduate! he is graduating on the
day that my best buddies are going home, so its pretty sweet, and one
day before a special somebody's birthday!:) happy birthday in advance
momma dearest and I hope it is an amazing one. You are still looking
like your 25 so grow up a little why don't you :)

Awww Raleigh...that is so beautiful and congratulations to her. I love
you Raleigh!

as for food, that's about right momma, as for cobras...well we find all
sorts of animals and snakes are here quite often. We usually don't
make too big a deal of it anymore. just kill it and toss it. no bad ;)
rats are back in the apartment as well. Caught one this week. One
touched one of my oatmeal bags...big mistakes, because now there will
be A GENOCIDE IN OUR APARTMENT. you don't TOUCH my oatmeal. I will
burn the whole apartment down to get vengeance on them...but not really
its okay :) I just like being dramatic.

As for baptisms for the week, we had one this past Saturday of Matilda
and it finally wasn't in the river, we felt inspired
to try to fill it at the chapel and the missionaries found it
depressingly difficult, until Heavenly Father came to the aid and sent
down rain from the Heavens, allowing the missionaries to pull the roof
gutters to empty into the font, success! so, it was a good thing too
because we found our river spot had flooded and would cause a drowning
in the attempt of any baptism haha, but Matilda is great. Nobody could
believe it when she showed up at the baptism, because she has been
taught by missionaries for close to 2 years now, but she finally kept
her commitments and decided that now was her time. She is a beautiful
young lady of about 20 years old with one child. She is great and
super sweet and really would have made an amazing missionary...but a
mother is nice too :)

Electricity is in abundance and we have enjoyed ALL week! Elder Weller
and Woodhead and I made the most delicious stew because we were able
to freeze it. Beef, Sausage, Chicken, egg, all thrown into a tomato
sauce with onions pepay and flavoring sauce and OHHHH it was great, we
put it in these wraps and enjoyed. Always have cold water, and YES!
for the past 2 nights I have been wearing a hoodie because we are all
too happy with light to ever turn the fans off, so I froze myself last
night and now I have a cold but I'm just too happy to have a fan to do
it any other way :) same with all the Elders in the apartment.
Sniffles for all! but, the days are still blazing hot and humid, but
when it rains at night it can get nice and chilly, especially for a
bunch of weak fasting missionaries haha :)

So...The big news from Saturday night...TRANSFER NEWS! Gosh, was their
excitement in our apartment, and really the whole mission. New areas
opening up, splittings, and a big change in our whole apartment, and
the entire district for that matter. Well first, Elder Hales is
district leader in Bo now, so yay! sad that I am leaving now that he
is coming but, he will do amazing. And my other MTC, awesome buddy
Elder Hill, is going to take my place as district leader...and
me...well, I'm going back to Freetown to be in Belliar Park ward,
district leader...so, a little background on it. Belliar Park and my
old area, Mt. Aureol, used to worship in the same building, live in
the same apartment, and walk through each others areas to travel, eat,
email and what not...so, I am now in a new apartment at least, walking
the same streets, the same path up the same mountain, worshiping in
the same building, buying my food from the same women, my jerseys from
the same dudes, walking the same streets and talking to the same
people and hanging out with the same ward missionaries...but,
strangely I am NEWLY excited and so excited to return to my roots. I
was such a baby then and its great to come back a little bit bigger
now with a little bit more experience. I am constantly growing and
will continue to do so so I am super happy to go and see my recent
converts again, and especially my BOY SAIDU LAMIN CONTEH! Ah, I can't
wait to see that boy again, gosh I am so so excited!

To top it off, I get to ride back to Freetown with the legendary Elder
Barth (my grandpapa) and Elder Esiaba. SO STOKED! I got to go on an
exchange in Elder Esiabas area with him this week and it was so much
fun, I love that guy so much. The most humble missionary in the world
and the farthest thing from trunky. With a week left the guy is still
going like a boss and I am so proud of that guy. What a great example
and I will be sure to follow it!

Also, I will be finishing training a newcomer, and be living with the
zone leaders, so I am super excited to learn from all of their fine
examples. Haven't served with any of these missionaries before so It
will be great to see some new faces and have some new experiences. Its
going to be GREAT!

Had a great week this week and did a lot of finding trying to build up
a nice big teaching pool for the new missionaries. Messima is
splitting once again, and its already so teensy, so I am happy to not
have that hahah but , I will have to split it today with Elder Flament
and draw the maps and send em in and everything, so that's always
exciting...for the 3rd time in 12 weeks haha.

Gave my farewell testimony yesterday and church and gosh...I'm going to
miss them!

Played an awesome football game this morning. We played on a small
small field and played 5 v 5 against another legit team, and we boys
pulled it out and won 5-4. It was pretty epic and there were more than
30 people watching, so tons of pressure. I got a goal and also
rainbow-ed a guy, so that can go down the bucket list - rainbow an
African - ;) haha it was fun!

 but, the mission is going great. I finished Jesus The Christ this
week and it was such an amazing read. I really enjoyed learning more
about the Savior's life and ministry and it has greatly increased my
love and appreciation for my savior. Jesus Christ is truly the god of
the Old Testament, and came to this Earth and died for us. He rose
again. He lives today. He loves us and this just makes me want to
serve him and heavenly father even more. As our testimony grows in the
atonement, so does our desire to share this gospel. I love this
people, I love them so much and its so sad to leave them again, but I
pray and fast for their well being, that they will remain active and
stay true to their covenant...I love them. I love this gospel for the
purpose it gives me. One boy asked me this week, "Why make me
christian"...I took a second to reply and I really learned a lot about
myself in the process. I am christian because it gives me purpose. It
gives me hope. It gives me knowledge how to live my life now and later
to obtain blessings. It helps me obtain happiness. It helps me
be...FREE! I love this gospel and church and know it is true! take
care my family and friends...I love you and Jeff Leavitt!!!! your
email doesn't work punk!

love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak!