Families Can Be Together Forever

I am doing terrific of course and everything is
going fine as you can imagine. Time truly is flying by for me and I
can't believe how quickly each and every week is going, but this week
was really special and lots of great things happened so I will have
lots to talk about and hopefully not be boring like I have been for
the past 6 weeks haha. I apologize.

The APs mostly get all the new stuff for the missionaries but I have
to order some other stuff through the office for my new companion such
as boots and jackets and rain gear and what not, but they give them
nets and doxy and every thing the day they come.

The APs (Assistants to the President) stay above the mission office. the zone
leaders stay with me. and yes, I am
50 pages away from finishing church history haha. and I am eating I
promise! I gained 4 lbs in the past 2 weeks so now I am up to 146, so
I am doing my best but its hard to eat healthy here and I don't want
to put on fat...but I will do what it takes to stay alive ;)

tenki tenki for the sports information. I have 10 dear elders in my
bag so I am excited to read them tonight haha

and I have TOO MANY SHORTS, so please no shorts haha, every time I buy
a jersey the shorts come with them...so naturally I have close to 15
shorts ;) hahaha

and ah...I want to go to the temple SOOOOO BAD momma...I would really
love to go the week I get home, to kind of seal my mission in a way
and just kind of go have a conversation with God where the veil really
is the thinnest on the earth. I would really like that a lot :) 

and mother I am very proud of you and your new calling 
and I know you are going to love it and do great. I can still remember
all of the great lessons and everything you did for me when I was in
Primary :) I can remember those good ole days. I can also remember my
1st talk in Primary, where you whispered the words in my ear, until I
refused and you just gave my talk for me...gosh do I love you mother.
you really are the greatest mother in the world so thank you :)

ah I didn't know Laura's parents went to go see them?! that is so sweet
and I love the post baby blessing picture! oh the song I sang at Thomas 
and Laura's wedding - my song...even i had forgotten
about my song...I need to watch that video again sometime, I need to
come out with my own album. and I can notice the prayers momma...so I
thank you, because I really am on the roller coaster high right now, so
I am trying to stay up there :) life is sweet!

My week....

Tuesday: Well, Tuesday morning they came and took my child away, and
Elder Dancan was off to east Freetown, and I was to go with the
Freetown elders, the zone leaders. Upon arriving at the chapel for
district meeting, I was told to go with the assistants. This would
later change as well. I was inspired Tuesday morning and changed my
district meeting and it actually turned out really nice. I came up
with the Missionary plan of salvation and it actually works really
cool and accurately and stuff, you would laugh and love it, I'll show
you when I get home one day. After District meeting, the other
trainers arrived (which I wasn't expecting) and it was Elder Serafine
(my mtc), Elder Symons (my 1st apartment and Bo apartment mate) and
Elder Arikpo. So, they gave me Elder Serafine and Elder Symons to
proselyte with for the day while they went to pick up the freshies
from the airport and boy it was a fun day!

We had a couple lessons after ambushing some investigators because I
was not able to inform them before hand, but all was well and we had a
great time teaching some great people, then we all went out to eat 
for dinner at Quick Take and sat down and had some delicious egg
burgers before hurrying back to the church compound to spend the night
with the assistants. We came to find the 4 new elders, 2 Americans and
2 Nigerians. We spent the night scaring them with stories and building
them up as well of course, and I read lots of Elder Liufau's cook
book...yeah :)

In the morning we were assigned to take them out to breakfast, so out
to the street we went for sweet milk + bread sandwiches, then we were
all picked up and taken to the mission home for orientation, which was
all very nostalgic and too many coincidences. We got to help with the
teaching and training and then after introducing our areas, President
Ostler assigned us to our companion, and I received Elder Labrum, from
Utah, and he is great. He is an awesome companion and is a little bit
shy but we are getting along great and the work is going forward
smoothly. It's weird having a white companion again though, but the
Africans love it...

We then were spoiled to an amazing lunch of like chili soup with pita
bread and chips and then vanilla ice cream with carrot cake and
pineapple and I was just in heaven and enjoying too much! ah, it was
amazing! then, I came to realize I was sitting in the exact same seat
as I was one year before at my orientation...weird huh? and of course
it would get weirder that we would coincidentally have our first
lesson right outside the security post, (where I had my 1st lesson 1
year ago) then it would be even weirder that I would see my trainer,
Elder Ngerem come into the compound from Kissy, and even weirder when
Elder Baffou-appiah (my 1st apartment mate) would walk in through the
gate, and weirder still when I came to find out Elder Adah would be
staying with us for the week (my 1st apartment mate) before he goes
home on Wednesday...so lots of coincidences and lots of fun :)

I am really enjoying training again this time around because I am 
already seeing growth and he is already becoming a great elder and I'm
teaching him languages and all the food and ah, I'm really enjoying.

The week went by great with fun lessons and fun investigators and much
progression in our area. back to leaving the apartment at 11 :/ but,
it's all good, but it really dampens how many people we can see a day,
but we do our very best.

Yesterday, Sunday, was our amazing miracle of the week though. On
Friday we taught one young boy, Eugene, and he loves the church but
his parents are strong in another church, but his mother just wants
him to be happy and be a good boy, so she has urged us to love him, take him
and baptize him...but, following the encouragement of our mission
president, we told her we wanted to teach the whole family. She seemed
scared and told us her husband wouldn't like that, he was strong in
his church. We persisted. The Mission president sent out a text asking
to join any family lessons...this would be my first my whole mission.

So, President and Sister Ostler joined us at the chapel and we made
the hard climb up the slippery mountain to the appointment. I was
nervous and excited, my first family lesson and also mission prez was
with us...but, miracles happened. The man came into the room and you
could tell he was not happy at all, but after the opening
prayer...everything changed, he suddenly just started about how he
wanted to join and his family as well and how he felt prompted to go with
Eugene to church but hadn't and he wants all these answers and you
know, I have had some experiences like this before on my mission, 
it was truly amazing and the
spirit was so strong and the wife was so happy and told us that she
didn't think he would ever agree. So we made another appointment this
week, and then...Eugene's momma brought us out a giant bowl of cassava
leaf :) to my joy and to Elder Labrum and the president and his wife
to try for the first time...they ate very very very small, needless to
say to please our humble investigator I ate very very much. They then
turned on a video, gospel Nigerian music and it was absolutely
hilarious, and probably one of my favorite memories on mission.
Watching Nigerian gospel music while eating African food with my
president and his wife :) classic. so a great day!

This morning topped off the week when we went to the bank and then
entered the super market to find....WAFFLE CRISP! WHAT!? WHAT?W!HAT?!
and it was the cheapest cereal there. gosh I almost went crazy and
bought 4 boxes but I calmed myself and just got one...and a box of
Special K for the same price as well :) ah, life is good. Just got my
haircut done in the mission office by Elder Lauritizen, so life is good
:) life is good. another great week and gosh...teaching that family
was such a powerful moment to me because I want them to be together
forever, I want to be with my family together forever. and when the
father put his arm around Eugene and said, this is my best friend, we
talk about everything, I want the best for him, if this is the best
then I want it, I was brought to tears. I want this...I want it for my
family and I am so happy for this gospel, even tears well up in my
eyes now as I write this because I love the plan of salvation and my
family so much...I thank God for everything he has done for me. Thank
you mom and dad. thank you everybody, I love you all have a great
week!

Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak

WET

Another week indeed my wonderful family, with more adventures and
surprises around every corner...I have almost finished the adventure
time journal now and have thoroughly enjoyed it haha. I am on page 500
of the church history fullness of times so I am breezing through that
pretty fast. Moldy shoes...um I wear rain boots everyday which yeah,
not too sweet wearing rubber boots everyday, but no bad. My umbrella is
broken again, but no bad, I am only slightly soaking wet today ;) and
we found a spare pillow, which is better then the sheet I used as a
pillow for 2 weeks at the beginning of my mission...but during my
night in Bo before I left I had made a pillow with toilet paper
rolls...fortunately or unfortunately elder clawson saw and gave me a
pillow....I was disappointed I didn't get to try :)

Ah that is hot hot hot, I try to tell people here that it can get
hotter in America but they don't understand haha, they are prideful of
their afflictions if that makes sense? like, poverty can't exist in
America, or pain, or suffering...its not possible. and no black people
are in America...only whites. come to Smithfield...

hahaha random, but I saw some suspenders today with Santa Claus on
them...thought I might come home and bluff with granddad Christmas 2014
baby! woot woot!

Did I tell you that Elder Dancan taught me how to sew? I stitched
a button on to my pants! WHAT?! aren't you so proud of me :) I remember
you trying to show me the night before I left but I was so stressed
and scared I couldn't even think haha ...good times

There are currently 4 in our apartment and 4 sisters moved into our
old apartment and shopping for the new missionaries? shopping for what
haha?

So...news of the week. Didn't feel very well at the beginning of this
week and went and weighed myself in the office...uh, surprise
surprise, Elder Sumrak now weight 142 with all his clothes on...That's
how much I weighed in like 11th grade! WHAT?! When I left mission I
was 155...in December I was 165...but, I guess I have been sick and
gyming too much so I reported my health problems and now am eating much
more food and doing well and feeling better so I hope I can put on at
least 10 more pounds to equalize myself.

But...I think I know why I was sick. Monday night I cut up some
pineapple and put it in the freezer...someone turned the freeze off and
pushed my pineapple on the rack...where the chicken was. Chicken
defrosted and dripped on pineapple. I looked and saw it was red
small...realizing what it must be, I prepared to throw it away...then
looking at what food I had...none.. I ate it! punishment deserved.

Eating chicken the other night, my tooth lost more of its self. So,
now my back tooth is uh, half a tooth...yay! Options: 1. wait till I
get home. 2. Go to Sa Lone dentist which = SOLUTION PULL THE TOOTH!
yeah, about as good a solution as the plumber in Bo....*well their
seems to be a leak...what should I do?...fix the leak?...no....Bust a
hole in the wall for the water to drain out?...GENIUS!!!!!!

TRANSFER NEWS arrived Saturday evening and turns out that Elder Sumrak
is once again, yep you guessed it, TRAINING. For the 3rd time...yay,
boku boku pikin for me. I really am excited and he will show up
tomorrow and I have been asked to spend the night with the assistants
and help with the orientation so I AM STOKED for that forreals, I
can't wait :) I got to help with one my last transfer in Freetown
before I went Bo and it was so much fun. 50% chance I will get an
American or Nigerian. 2 Americans and 2 Nigerians on the way. its
going to be sweet :)

Yesterday was a super sweet experience for Elder Dancan and I.
Sacrament meeting, the 2 assigned speakers were Miata, 10 week recent
convert, and Charles, the security guard, 6 week recent
convert...It was awesome! they did awesome and were completely natural
and great :) I felt such a sweet spirit realizing the difference and
power in these individuals and the impact they are going to make on
this country. Charles is going to make one FINE missionary one day and
I hope he goes in one year...gosh he is a great guy. and Miata is such
a sweetheart. she is primary secretary and is so active with those lil
kids and Charles is youth Sunday school 1st counselor and is always
studying the scriptures because he feels so behind these doctrinal
youth haha, he is really trying.

We were supposed to have 1 to be interviewed yesterday...she didn't
show up because...she was cooking for us....WHAT?! I was not happy
with her at all haha, but, I am forgiving, so we explained to her,
church first, cooking second!

It has been a wet week...and has rained about everyday and well
today...its been raining since about 11:00 so for about 5 hours or so
now. what the tish I hate the rain!

But, I love Sierra Leone and I love the people so much. I am excited
to train again and I hope I can make a positive impact on my new son.
I really hope that he will adjust quickly and come to love this
country and this people as much as I do now...not as much as I did 13
months ago ;)

well...I really don't have much else to say. life is great. mission is
great. I love my family so much and they are the foundation of my
testimony and life. Family can be together forever. My missionary
planner: Front (picture of my family at Thomas' wedding), Back:
(picture of our house) Home can be a heaven on Earth when we are
filled with love...I know that is true. the love I have for my family
is honestly a celestial feeling. its indescribable, its real, its sweet.
I love you all.

Love,
Jesse Sumrak, AKA Elder Sumrak

Can you see Virginia from Africa?

Dear Family and friends, Life here in Freetown is going well. The Lord
has blessed us with many amazing investigators and many miracles this
week, which never seem to cease when on the Lord’s wonderful errand. I
had read to page 350 of Church history fullness of times and its
amazing to see the many miracles that occurred in the lives of the
early saints, despite all their many challenges and hardships they
were forced to suffer, the Lord helped them through the refiners fire
as they humbled themselves and came unto Him. It truly is a great
example in my own life. Often, things get simple, things get easy,
that’s when we get challenges to shake things up and continue to help us
to grow…we elders, former residents of the Celestial apartment of
Kiama Road, Brooksfields, were forced to face this challenge this
week…
Friday morning, Elder Dancan and I had gone deep into town to buy
somethings necessary for the zone service project to take place the
following day, when we received a call from the Assistants. They
informed us to immediately return home and pack our bags, we would be
exchanging apartments with the sisters at any moment during the day…
(this was due to some harassment from some neighbours in the sisters
neighbourhood). Well, we returned home quickly and began to pack and
no later then 30 minutes the van arrived to pick us up…well,
obviously we made them wait so we could get all of our stuff but gosh
it was a mess and we had to leave so much food and stuff behind :( it
was hard leaving that beautiful apartment of joy and blessings, but
happiness isn’t meant to last in Sierra Leone.

The new apartment is interesting and has many  cockroaches and not all
the necessities that we were enjyoing but, I do find comfort in that
WE now have to suffer while our dear sisters do not have to suffer
anymore.So much crap they were having to deal with and I am grateful
to take that sacrifice for them. Never for a second did I regret the
swap...but, life is good.

I am super jealous of your awesome family reunion this week and beg
that you guys have another one in like...2-3 years :) so then a lot of
the missionaries will have returned, but lets be honest, now that we
are at this age, there will ALWAYS be someone on mission haha, which
is of ourse a blessing and a curse huh? oh mission work is sweet!:)
Kayeagoma!

and I DID get my hot dog king story and it really cheered me up to read
it and remember words that I used to use that I had totally
forgotten...oh my vocab is gone, I am dead and gone. I have so many
more stories to write though haha, I can't wait. I have been recording
all the future stories I have to write...like for Thomas and I "the
ice cream man..." for me on mission "How Oatmeal saved my life" a
nutritional autobiography of Elder Sumrak ;) I'm such a dork...yeah,
whatever gets me going right?

NOTE FROM MOM:  I had asked Jesse if when he fell in front of his
mission president, if he got up smiling and this was his response:

and you're right about my smile in that circumstance, of course I got up
smiling, I'm not really one to go around being ashamed too much, just
get up and make a big joke out of it and then everyone feels better,
including yourself! you know me too well mother. well, I managed to
stay drier but gosh...everything is starting to mold. I hate to put
this image in your mind but when moving I removed my pillow case and
found my pillow GREEN...its a white pillow...so i threw that Tish away
haha, my shoes are even getting mold on them now overnight...I'm not
really sure what to do except clean them in the morning :/ any
suggestions?

and our relationships with our cousins has truly been a blessing and I
hope Nick and Clayton get to see each other lots. I loved spending time
with Drew when I was at college and he was my best friend. we didn't
live together :) but I think that helped make us best friends haha,
someone you live with and be with everyday you can tire of and get
impatient with, but me and Drew always got along great, and he was my
eating buddy, study buddy, gyming buddy, miss that guy like crazy.
can't wait to continue when we return. hope clay and nick can find
some time together as well :) always Sunday nights at Thomas' at
least!

So, more excitment in my life... I was thoroughly enjoying a piece of
frozen pineapple the other night when I thought I discovered piece of
rice in the pineapple (not  a big surprise, rice is EVERYWHERE) so, I
spat it out and continued my enjoyment...it wasn't until a couple
minutes later that I realized a small chunk of one of my back teeth
was missing haha :) life sure is funny sometimes...rice? boy oh boy
where am I?

To add to my injury list, yesterday morning I was cutting a mango, and
the knife was slightly dull, go figure, but not dull enough to stop
from chopping into my thumb...blood minimal, questions
lots...madagascar band-aid...mom for the win :)

Due to our distance form the apartment now, we must locate and use
Poda Poda transport now, which I hope to one day video for you so you
can see the craziness of Poda Poda :) just throw in as many people
into a stripped van with metal benches bolted to the ground and a
driver who is with the motto "Time is money" and use your
imagination...I tried to use mine but I'm still suffering from the
concussion from the low ceiling...

On Saturday we got to participte in a zone service project at...you
guessed it, A hospital! yea,  probably one of the top 3 places in sa
lone I wouldn't like to be, is a 3rd world hospital. but, we managed
and did our service, I mostly mopped and swept so I got to avoid some
of the dirty work that some were forced to do, like cleaning the
birthing room, which from the details from the elders sounds like a
nightmare. blood...guts...stuff...yeah , glad I missed out on that.
but, we sang some hymns to the patients as well and it was a wonderful
experience and the people there were very grateful so we all loved the
opportunity to serve and help out!

The baptism on Saturday was super duper sweet and we had to rush
quickly from the project to the chapel and it was great. Aruna and
Brenda were baptized. Brenda is the sister of the young lady I
baptized in Bo, who requested her sister wait until she came to
Freetown to be baptized..sweet...but its all good :) Sunday was great as well!
we had over 125 members and not even enough seats for Elder Dancan and
I and some of the priesthood brethren who volunteered  to
stand in the back with us :) it was great! we had 10 investigators
there and ah we were busy...and me...well me...I was sick the entire
service and ran to the bathroom about 6 times, but upon my final visit
I prayed to the Lord that he would allow me to do my proselyting and
do my work for the day, that I would sufffer in the evening and night
and instantly I felt better and had no more pains or troubles with my
stomach for the rest of the day...coincidence...NO...MIRACLE...YES!
the Lord is truly blessing me abundantly as I put my faith in him and
simply pray for his help :) ask and ye shall receive...I beg everyone,
just ask, he will give you...

During sacrament, another miracle happened, when one of my recent
converts Matilda, from BO, walked in to OUR service out of the
4 services for the day. I went and talked to her small but was
disappointed because I was busy and sick and hardly got to talk to
her, but I promised her as she left that we would see each other again
one day, so no worry, and then she admitted she was returning to Bo
tomorrow...but i re-extended the promise...the Lord fulfilled it. One
parent, was ushering his daughters to
class, when I then saw the teacher (our recent convert Charles)
turning her away, telling her to go to investigators class because she
no baptize yet, I questioned the father and he was like...well thats
true, my daughters are like 16 and haven't baptized yet, i guess you
should come visit the house and teach them...okay come do that
sometime this week...yeah, thanks for helping boss, terrestial
kingdom? I'm not the judge. Well after church we went and taught a sick
recent convert, and the father passed by, pointing us to his house. so,
we went high up the mountain to an area I had never been before, and
we found the 2 girls...turns out Matilda's family shares the house :)
so, she introduced us to her whole family and they all have baptismal
dates for august 17, so lets see how it goes with them hahaha :) oh,
their is no coincidences with God...he truly is our loving Heavenly
Father, of that I testify and know to be true!

Today was sweet, we went to Lumley Beach and met up with the other
district to play a football game on the beach with goals and
everything...the rain came down like a hurricane and it was complete
chaos and slippery and glass and tish and ah, it was great! we ended
up winning a dramatic game 14-10, and it was super sweet playing the
members and investigators and so much fun. ah, the beach is
amazing...I could see Virginia, you know?:) so, I wanted to leave the
beach as soon as possible before trunkiness could set it, but it was
really cool. their beach road has potential to be like Virginia Beach one
day, so they are trying haha.

but, that was my week, another week of greatness, business, business,
tired, ugh :) sweet! Love sa lone, love mission, love my family and
friends, farewell all!

Love,
Jesse Elder Sumrak

Trust in the Lord

So, my pessimism is over, for the most part, and the Lord truly
blessed me with a great week. I know that He knows me and loves me and
knows exactly what I need, and sometimes I just need to be patient and
wait for the Lord instead of wondering why the Lord doesn't answer
immediately. he knows and loves me...of this I am sure. The conference
this week was great and short but I really enjoyed it. I especially
enjoyed that we were running a little late because i wanted to buy an
umbrella and upon dodging a car my toe hit the curb and I spilled hard
right in front of the compound, but fortunately only mission president
and the assistants saw hahaha, not too much blood, only small small :)
The conference was sweet and the food was delicious. the new mission
president and his wife are amazing. they are super strong and
confident and I love them very much. Its funny, Elder Liufau and I
were talking about it today, but President Ostler is like the New
Testament God, the one that loves you and wants you to keep the
commandments because YOU love him...while President Roggia was the
God of the Old Testament, who made us fear him and be obedient out of
respect and fear haha, but both are amazing men and I love them so
much! President Ostler is going to continue this mighty work
here...assistants called last night...expecting 50 missionaries in the
next 3 transfers...thats more than half the amount we currently have
here in sierra leone...nobody has any idea how we are going to put
them all somewhere...

Mom, you asked about tomatoes:
We do have tomatoes here but they don't look or taste like our
tomatoes really, but I was never a big tomato fan so no bad. I do use
tomato paste though, to cook my stews haha. no french toast yet :/
but I eat a lot of boiled eggs during the day, they sell them on every
street corner so I usually eat 2 or so a day. What I made this week
was super yummy, made a tomato stew by adding tomato paste and water
and then adding a can of baked beans, an onion, pepay, and some taco
seasoning to make a super sweet stew that I ate with pasta for like 3
nights. so cheap as well, so I made it again last night. enjoyment :)
made kanya and had the President and Lauriztens try it and they liked
it haha, kanya is just when you brown gehrie in a pan, beat it
together in a mortar with ground nut paste and sugar, and my own
specialty, on accident, is left over pepay juice in the mortar because
people don't know how to wash things!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but,
it turned out quite nicely actually :)

So, many miracles this week that I want tos hare with you all to
strengthen your testimony, because they have strengthed mine as well.

We were proselyting on Thursday and we were high up on the mountain
and I had a broken umbrella (that I had purchased that
morning...tankey tankey african CRAP!) and of course it started to
rain! this was not a calm rain, this was a torrential rain with tish
flying around and everything and I was already upset because zone
conference had taken up 3/4 of our day. So we taught our lesson and I
glummly waited for the rain to cease, which hadn't for the past
hour...We could go out in the rain...no problem. get soaked. we do it
all the time. but, I am worried for my pickin because he has only one
pair of shoes, and these ones are getting torn apart quickly by this
rain...but I put my faith to the test and closed my eyes and
prayed...and as I earnestly prayed for the rain to stop, the rain
started to pound harder and harder but I didn't giveup, I continued to
pray with real desire and intent, pleading to let the rain stop so we
could continue our busy work. the people present realizing what I was
doing started to laugh, talking how the rain was only getting
worse...but still I prayed. after a good 5 minutes of prayer, I ended
and the rain continued, no it didn't cease just like that, don't be
too silly...but I stood up, grabbed my stuff, put them in my bag,
apologized to my picking, and told him we must go. By the time we were
packed and started into the rain, it was a drizzle, by the time we
walked 30 seconds, the rain had completely stopped...its not a
coincidence, its not nature, its God and I know he loves me and
answers my prayers. Just have to be patient, and then put your faith
into practice :)

Second, yesterday I fasted and prayed for one boy,  that his
uncle would agree to let him become a christian and follow his
heart and desire. so we went and found the uncle far in the other
missionaries area, and he was bold and confident and very intelligent
and the conversation was going quite ...um...okay I guess. we weren't
gaining much ground, but we weren't losing any, when one quite,
STRONG, man, working in the tailor shop interrupted the man and
without ever looking at him, talked the most sensible things to him.
he asked him beautiful and gentle questions and I could tell that this
man was the answer to the fast, that  because I had centered my fast
on this, this man appeared to help. The conversation ended well, and I
believe everything will be okay now, but I left the shop almost
feeling like that man was one of the 3 nephites or something, because
it was so elegant and beautiful the way he took over the conversation,
and the way he put his words almost made me think he was an angel in
disguise...miracles are sweet. :)

Saturday was sweet, for Jestina Kamara was FINALLY baptized! she has
been taught by missionaries who ended their missions before I even
began. since 2011!!! but, she had finally committed to the gospel and
kept all her committments and was finally baptized :) I can't wait to
let all the missionaries who taught her know, ah it was so sweet. I
got to confirm her yesterday and The spirit was so strong in
manifesting that his daughter of God is going to be strong!

The work is going sweet, new missionaries on the way, the Lord is
hastening his work. my studies are going sweet and I am half way
through Mosiah using the Book of Mormon manual as well. I am almost
finished with preach my gospel again, and have reached about pg. 175
of Church history in the fullness of times. that book is so sweet!:)
so, studies are sweet, life is sweet, tons of work to do, too many
people to see. exercise is going great. up at 6 every morning. 30 -40
minutes of jogging. 20 minutes of gyming. kayeagoma!

We had an EPIC football game today, since it was raining like a
hurricane when we started, with a good inch or two of standing water
on the tennis court we used. We were soaked before it even started,
but we had such a good time playing :) we were all falling down and
sliding and bleeding and dying and people falling on their backs and
slamming their heads on the concrete and gosh, what a great time :)
but seriously it was a lot of fun, and we played for almost 2 hours,
before my legs couldn't go anymore :/ not like my good ole days at BYU
when I would get up Saturday morning and go play from 10am - 2 pm. and
couldn't walk home and would have to call Thomas or Laura to come pick
me up hahaha, I'll get back to that point though :)

Today...it's still raining. I'm still wet, and thats how it will be
mostly for the next 2 months. 4th of July...I
love our country and I love it more now then ever. USA!:) lets go
world cup baby, keep it up, take care my lovely friends and family and
know the Lord loves you and will answer your prayers. just be obedient
and have faith and all else is sweeto!

love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak

Saluting President Roggia

Dear Family and Friends,
Well, not going to lie, I'’m pretty bummed right now, maybe when this
internet opens up finally I will be happy to see news that I am an
uncle, but right now I am just burned. This day and week has been long
and wet. It rained about everyday this week hahaha and just walking
around all day, I am exhausted.
Well, the rain pounded the other day, and we didn'’t have our rain
jackets or umbrellas. so...put everything in zip lock bags and plastic
trash bags and walked out into the rain. Didn't take more then 2
minutes till we were completely soaked...then, up on the mountain we
encountered a bigger problem...our road was blocked by  dangerous
rapid water...like, rocks and what not and just craziness. we stood in
contemplation for 5 minutes while bathing children and others came to
watch to see what the Kenyan and American would do. They all started
yelling out suggestions, until one young man came out to show us the
most solid stones that we could safely cross on, so we followed his
guidance and I took a running start and made the leap over the water,
much to the jeers and satisfaction of all watching, and my compy
followed suit. Adventure Time yay! Finn would have been proud...My
little Jake is always following closely behind...love my companion
Elder Dancan so much. he gets pretty moody over how
clueless these stubborn people can be, but I can usually cheer him up
and keep him going. its not easy, but you just got to keep going :)

Yay email is finally open!
Jersey collection is going nicely. me and my picking went and got blue
sa lone jerseys last week so we got papa/pickin matching now haha. No
box yet. I will be getting an interview with the new mission
president, President Ostler, tomorrow, so I will be able to tell you
lots more after that and our zone conference on Wednesday, lots of
interesting things will be happening this week I am sure. But, the
roots of apostasy are already quickly setting in. missionaries
drinking from satchet water and what not...ugh, trying to help them
recognize the principle of obedience but I guess a good way to learn
is through a nice experience with typhoid. hope its not bad to pray
for the punishment of the disobedient ;) i still love them. they will
learn.

Oh, the beauty of Utah is just breath taking and I am super jealous
haha...beauty in Freetown?! beauty in Freetown! well, on the bright
side, everything looks beautiful when your farther away, just as a
sunset is beautiful in the most polluted skies, am I right? Not much
beauty, ironically wrote in my journal last night something along the
lines " I am sitting on the front porch relaxing as I look out over
our ugly compound, past the dirty walls and the sewage filled streets
and past the ugly houses littering the horizon to the ugly Freetown
sky" there is beauty in the hearts of the honest and faithful, but
that is all the beauty Freetown has to offer. Bo...Bo is beautiful.
Freetown, Freetown is not.

I miss adventure time haha! and Taylor Swift and Trevor Hall and
football...random :) but, finn...oh finn, how you inspire me. The way
he always deals with his problems is truly great. He is always
smiling and always thinks of a solution instead of despairing. he is
human, he fails and gets frustrated sometimes, but in the end he
always learns a lesson and comes out better then he was at the
beginning. he has fun and is joyful along the way, always full of
jokes and laughter even during the hard times. His pal Jake is great,
they are a good team. Guess its a lot like mission work. You always
got your buddy and you just got to make each other laugh and be stupid
to get through the hard times. If you are too serious, you'll fail. You
got to be serious, but don't take yourself too serious. remember you're
human. remember to have fun. remember to enjoy. My goal, as inspired
by the great Elder Hales, that I make every single week on mission
"have fun, feel the spirit, enjoy mission." if you feel the spirit you
are on the right track, then have some fun and you'll enjoy mission.
simple :)

Got to go on an exchange with Elder Otubu for my first time in the
Freetown area this week. Do not like that area the most in all of Sierra
Leone to be honest. just city city city and nasty streets and
smelliness and oh :) oh sa lone, i love you i really do. deep down.
But, had a new experience. Had one woman come out with rice, she
normally feeds the missionaries, and became very apologetic when she
saw me, a white man, and said ah, sorry, forgive me for the
African food. WHAT?! I must say, at first I was kind of offended, but
all is well, all is well...the reason being...

I am the only white man, and oftentimes I don't try to think about
that. I am with my brothers and sisters all day everyday and I feel
like I'm one of them. we talk, we laugh, we live, but why can nobody
else here see past color? I CAN, why can't they?! We are all human, we
are all gods children, and if they could just realize that their lives
would change. I'm honestly just tired of this racism here, its
terrible. get in a taxi, "5,000" "FOR WHAT!? its 1,000, you craze?"
"yeah, but you got money" "pull over, I'll find another taxi" "What,
why" " shut up and pull over" yeah...my patience is dwindling. Just
imagine that conversation in about 50 different contexts occurring
between 10-20 a day...it gets old, real old, real quick.

But, our great Bishop, bishop Abu Sesay, went out proselyting with us
twice this week which was a great blessing. he truly is a powerful man
and he has great love for these people, which is great to see in that
he is actually trying, which no one else really does in this country.
This man works and tries and kushey to him for that,
may god bless him and his family for his sacrifice.

Yesterday we showed up to church to find our new mission president,
President Ostler and old dying President Roggia in our sacrament
meeting, which was a great blessing. I had the opportunity to meet the
new president and introduce myself and the Lord further blessed us in
that the chapel didn't burn down in my 5 minute absence from doing
absolutely everything for these members hahaha oh my :) upon seeing
President Roggia get in the van and depart the compound for the last
time, I alone went out into the street and pouring rain to salute him
for the last time. he always had a tradition of saluting the
missionaries as they left for home...I thought he deserved the
same...it was the beginning to a very wet day, as we had no jackets
and umbrella again, but many appointments. we had a team of recent
converts and our bishop, young women, and prospective missionaries who
wanted to go proselyting with us...but not everyone is ready to go to
work just yet haha, so up the mountain I took my courageous young men
in the pouring rain, all soaked and cold, shoes spoiling, ties ruined,
hiking up the mountain. the women along with bishop joined us with
umbrellas after the rain had ceased, but we proved to the Lord that we
are diligent, and will not waste his time :) the work must go on, and
if the field is white and ready to harvest, its got to be done now!

Went and played football today with the whole zone. we played on a
tennis court and we had a great time all slipping and falling and
bleeding and yeah, sa lone style. it was fun though and I enjoyed
being on my element once again. oh football, you truly are a blessing
from God to me. FAITH, FAMILY, FOOTBALL. the 3 F's to my life :)
usually they go in that order ;) hahaha. but, life is good. life is
good. mission is great mission is great. Shout out to my wonderful
cousins Sister Cutler doing an amazing work in Hong Kong, and my
awesome cousin Elder Hooper, changing Spain forever. you are both
amazing. and shout out to Sister Future Cutler, going to Brazil,
kushey cousin :) I am so proud of you! farewell my family and friends
and hopefully my little niece will be born any minute now :) another
miracle in my life and my families life. the Lord is amazing.
farewell!:)

Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak