Land of Miracles

Mother! so great to hear from you and if you don't mind I would LOVE
to hear some of those poems and stories of mine that you 
found if you have time :) haha and
wonderful creations this week...um frozen popo...uh I made sour sop
pancakes with jam and vanilla flavoring last night, but that's about
it on my creative scale this week ;) and no district leaders do not
usually cook, but I just do it because I love these guys and I know
how tired they can get of rice...if they are anything like me!

And YES!  the boy who missed his baptism last week DID
come this week :) and it was another great family baptism! We had 
the 4 children of this sweet woman who were baptized this Saturday, and
she even came to watch (which is a big deal here might I add) as well
as A. came to watch his son :) So 5 family confirmations
on Sunday and gosh it was just a magical Sunday. 4 families were
re-united/united in church due to the Lord's magnificent hand and his
abundance of miracles...it truly was amazing :)

And no...I don't teach many young men at all anymore. My teaching pool
is mostly 30-60 year old men with wives and children. That is mostly
our focus. Get the man, you get the family, so we are doing our best
here :) teach some mothers...but unfortunately the man has control, so
we mostly go for the man of the house now!

and about the little girl...yeah, it really was heartbreaking but she
is doing better! we saw her the other day and her leg really is
reducing in swelling...so we will keep praying for her :)

Quote of the week "Breastfeeding while riding on bike? Most impressive..."

by the way, Elder Donaldson, a missionary friend
from here just returned and is now Rebecca's home teacher!? weird huh?

I love this work and I want to do my very best and finish strong, no
rush,

hahaha oh mother, you are hilarious! starting trouble in church, good
thing father isn't there to stare you down :) how is it finally
sitting with him again?! sure has been a while huh?

and Elder Rogers and I scared a boy SOOOO bad this week...he was just
standing there and we both just walked up to him like 1 foot away and
stared down at him emotionless, not a smile, not a frown, and for like
5 seconds, and then he just went crazy screaming bloody murder and
starting clinging to my leg, and jumping around literally in circles,
I was afraid he might throw himself from the cliff we were on hahaha!
oh it was good :)

girls chasing me...nah, not here, though there are a couple who still
propose to me on occasion...that's always awkward.

Well...We got to play some football today and it was pretty awesome!
no lie, I was just feeling so naturally on the ball, and I just ran
around with no sub for pretty much 2 hours straight, and now I'm
exhausted but gosh did it feel good :) Got a little bloody of course,
but can I play football without? then, we went into town and got us
some big ole hamburgers...then the Lebanese man I was sitting with got
up and left...half his roasted chicken...so naturally I just finished
it for him, and even the other elders had to laugh at that...they were
like uh, is that yours? I was like um no but it was just sitting there
and we can't waste it...is that legal in america? because I might do
it when I get home :) maybe I'm just cheap...

But we had a great and inspiring zone conference this week that just
got us even more pumped up to go out and do the work and we just had a
great time! we just went the extra mile everyday with planning and
studies and ending our proselyting and the Lord truly blessed us with
an abundance of miracles. So many new investigators and the church was
filled up with investigators who we had only contacted on the street
haha so it was so neat to see the Lord bless us, but who knows where I
could be heading next week...Will I stay and finish Elder Rogers
training? Or will I go?! DUH DUH DUH! Whatever happens...no problem :)

Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak


Mom here:  Here are some other tidbits that Elder Sumrak shared with me:

Mom:
One part of your letter last week struck me.
That part is when you walked by the one man whom you had walked by for
months and this time you stopped to teach him and he said "my time has
come.:"  gosh, that gets me every time.  We take so much for granted and
that simple phrase is so powerful - my time has come.  I love your
mission - it is so inspiring to me! 

Jesse:
awww mother :) and what's even more inspiring and I know that the Lord
is watching us, and share this with  father as well. But, on Saturday
that same man told us at the end of the lesson..."Elders, I had
already made a decision that day, that if you didn't come and talk to
me, I was going to ask you to come and talk to me...." how amazing is
that mother?! that very same day!? and he brought his wife and 2 kids
to church on Sunday. oh mother we are so blessed here and the Lord's
work is moving forward. Honestly, there are powers at work now during
this harvest that are unprecedented...its not me...its not Elder
Rogers...It is truly the Holy Ghost, and at times when taking the
sacrament, I swear the veil is so thin I might just ascend haha....I
am so blessed. I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ...I love life
:)

Jesse:
Oh momma, yes its coming to dry season so I sweat everyday...a lot.
and I'm doing great! played some awesome football today so I'm nice and
happy :) and wow, my shoes are holding up okay, I got a man to sew
them back together for me, so they will hold up :) 

Who knows where I will be, I would like to still be here with my boys, but
we will see what happens...I only have 5 transfers left...and to put
it in perspective, I had been here for 4 transfers in Belliar
Park...isn't that crazy mother! I'm in the oldest 10 missionaries in
SIERRA LEONE! WHAT?! I truly am
blessed...Can't wait until after Thanksgiving...CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!!:)