Where is the Missionary Without His Legs?

The Lauriztens...I love them so much, they are the sweetest people in the
world and cheer me and Elder Labrum up so much. Everytime we go in
there I just feel so happy talking to them and more encouraged to go
out and do the work, and he cuts my hair very well. He is a boss! He
actually flew fighters in the Air Force, and actually chased a Russian
airplane during his career :) he is awesome! also used to be Bishop,
so super experienced, and Sister Lauritzen is my mission momma and
takes good care of me. Always inspiring me and keeping me motivated
and helping me out with whatever I need. They take good care of me
haha :)

I am so jealous that you guys went down to Corolla...Maybe NC will
actually take my idea that I wrote for Oceanography and build a bridge
to help us get there quicker ;) wouldn't that be so sweet!? Gosh, the
beach is my 2nd home, honestly, I think about OBX so much, I have no
idea why since I only spend 1 week or 2 weeks there a summer...but I
would LOVE to have a place there one day. that would be a dream come
true!

Hello my wonderful family and friends! So, internet is kinda slow
today so I am just starting this  before looking at any
e-mails, but yeah… So my birthday passed yesterday, and I’m 21! Woot
Woot! So, it doesn’t feel too different and unfortunately it was
Sunday so I couldn’t go buy my 21 year old drinks…because of course I
have to keep the Sabbath Day holy…So, for those who might not know me
that well I AM JOKING. But, it was kinda uneventful, we had a nice
Sacrament meeting with lots of investigators and then taught some
lessons at the church, for reasons I will explain later, and then came
on home and I made Banana Pancakes because Jack Johnson popped into my
head early in the morning. They were quite delicious after I managed a
formula so the pancakes would quit sticking to the pan :) oh Sa Lone.
Me cooking them IS pretty funny. We didn’t have a spatula (until I
bought one today) and I would have to use a spoon to scoop it, and
then a wooden spoon to flip it, oh, it was entertaiing at least. Then,
enjoyed some Ginger Cake I had bought the day before, which is my new
favorite snack! It is like ginger snaps, but Sa Lone local style haha,
just ginger, flour, and sugar baked into a very very very hard cookie,
which will probably break my teeth during this week :) but no bad.
I did some pretty sweet cooking last Monday and made myself a
delicious stew! I boiled up some carrots, onions, green beans, and
then cooked in some tomatoe paste with pepay and chicken as well, which
made a sweet vegetable soup for the week, ah it was yummy! I enjoyed
very much to the envy of the other lazy Elders who don’t feel like
cooking much haha. Today I am going to make a groundnut soup with the
same thing so I will let you know next week how it goes…

So, um Friday something rather unfortunate happened while
proseltyting. While a small boy was showing us to his older brothers
house who is being baptized this Saturday, we were traversing some
rough terrain, and while coming down off a ledge I landed on an uneven
surface and rolled my ankle BAD ONE! I tried to walk it off and then I
almost blacked out haha and fell on Elder Labrum, but, I was under the
impression “just walk it off”, so I sucked it up and we went and
taught our lesson, and it really wasn’t bothering me too much, so up
up the mountain we went to go teach some more. We then went to the
mission compound to take care of some district needs…and then it hit
me, “my ankle feels kinda funny”, so instead of climbing back up we
decided to go home, and gosh I almost didn’t make it, my ankle started
swelling up bad one! So, we finally got to the house and I got it
elevated and got ice and ibuprofen and what not, and I couldn’t walk
for the rest of the night haha it was terrible, I almost fell over
just trying to go use the bathroom (that would stink…) and ah, it hurt
so bad. And, Where’s the horse without a rider? Huh? Where’s the
warrior without the sword, where's the soldiers without a gun, where is
the missionary without his legs!?!?!? So, I asked for a blessing, and
as soon as it was finished I said “tomorrow I am going to walk,
tomorrow I am proselyting.” Elder Itomo joked and said, yeah, and I
bet you will be up working out in the morning too, huh…oh yeah.
5:45 rolled around and I WAS ABLE TO WALK. It still hurt bad but I
limped on into the parlor and began my workout haha, just lay there
benching and curling for an hour. Sister Ostler told me I couldn’t
leave until she came to check it, and she finally showed up around
11:30, and she said that it was a miracle, but I shouldn’t waste the
miracle by climbing the mountain and screwing it up worse, so I begged
her to let me at least go to the chapel and teach there, and she
agreed :) So, we went on down to the chapel and we called some of our
investigators to come meet us there, and only got in 2 lessons…but, we
did our best and I didn’t feel COMPLETELY worthless. But, now I am
doing a lot better and tomorrow I have permission to climb the
mountain again, so I am very excited to be back at it tomorrow :)
I saw Henry Kaiwo-Pratt from Bo yesterday at our service and he told
me that he named their child Dominique Nephi Kaiwo-Pratt :) and I was
just like YES! That is the only Nephi in all of Sa Lone haha, so that
was pretty cool!

I am guilty...I fried plantanes this week...AH, but it was so good
and tasty and ah :) Elder Labrum even took a picture, because you will
probably NEVER see me do that again...oh, it was yummy....well, a
pretty awesome week and life is good. 21 years gone by and never
thought I would live this long ;) but here I am, serving the Lord and
doing my very best to do everything in the Lord's way. Not the same
boy I was 1 year ago, and I still have lots of space to grow...have an
amazing week family, thank you for all the birthday wishes and
messages and I love you all so much. You most certainly make the work
a lot easier!

Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak