Hello Hello Everyone, Christmas has past and I hope it was Merry Merry! My week was great, especially Christmas day when I got to talk to my sweet momma and papa and grandma, grandpa, nick, uncle dave, thomas, laura, and lumi on skype. It was so much fun and was great to see them all. It truly was a tender mercy from the Lord because NOBODY was having internet luck on that day at all, everyone who tried to skype failed, even others who came to the office failed, yet our connection was flawless for the whole duration of our chat, so I was incredibley grateful to the Lord for that :) Oh, family, how I love and miss you so! great to see you though, wow that rhymed, sweet!
The night before Christmas we had our district spent the night and we had a great time hanging out and eating Jollof Rice, courtesy of Elder Oyetola, who was running around like he was on Iron Chef or something, just throwing food and what not and spices around and gosh our walls are stained haha but it sure was exciting to watch, and even tastier to eat :) I got up at 5:45 like usual to go workout on Christmas day, joined by Elder Rogers and Gherkins and Elder Gherkins and I battled it out on our jumpropes. We managed to fix my broken one :) with some electrical cord, electrical tape, and fire, and got me a pretty nice makeshift one that is still holding in there with 2,000 jumps a day, so its got some good milage on it forreals. We had fun working out, then had our studies, then they were out the door to their business. We had a sweet unplanned devotional though in which we all sang hymns and bore testimony of Jesus Christ through our studies and it was super sweet :) the spirit really directed the study and we all left feeling quite edified.
My companion and I caught transport over to the Lumley area and met up with the Goderich district to eat at ARABIKA, some arab restaurant that turned out to be a bar/club like place, but fortuantely we were like the only ones there, so no walhala, and we enjoyed some overpriced half decent food, but more just each others company haha. we came on home and enjoyed skype..and then our bishop provided us with a nice FM of rice and fried stew for dinner, and we just chilled and I wrote tons of poetry hahah, was feeling very inspired by the sesason really and just kept on writing and writing until late.
So, I guess that was Wednesday...I think. We did tons of office work on Thursday, and really Friday as well, when we had a transfer coordination meeting with President Ostler, Bishop Markus, and the Lauritzens and Kanzlers. Tons of stuff to do, but we are ready for the workload ahead! or trying to be ready... NO traveling this week. This week is CRAZINESS! 22 missionaries are coming on Tuesday next week, so this week is all preparation for that, doing transfers, making new areas, coordinating the travel plan, informing leaders, preparing all the supplies for new missionaries, new areas, new apartments, new districts, redrawing google earth maps, programming new phones, and some how trying to go and see our TWO investigators who came to church! woot woot! thats right we had investigators :) haha so I'm super excited for the week...and nervous....we have a game plan though, Sister Ostler made one: drink water, eat consistently, and pop ibuprofen :)
We found a family this week through some sweet inspiration and the help of Elder Taylor, and honestly my lack of following promptings that lead the Spirit to prompt someone else for the benefit of this family :) I kept looking at this one area next to our apartment and telling my companion we NEED to go tract down there, but stuff just kept coming up and we forgot about it and kept going where we go. Well, Elder Bogh and Elder Taylor while passing through that area to the chapel contacted a young girl, H. and then she came to church consecutively for 2 weeks. We went to go and visit her and she wasn't home, so we talked to her neighbour and taught him and committed him and his wife to baptism :) and she came to church on Sunday with Howa, so we are really excited for them. The Lord will get his work done, and it helps me to learn to always remember and act upon the promptings the Lord gives me, fortuantely nobody was hurt this time ;) I need to be diligent and obedient to the promptings to avoid anybody missing out on this wonderful message!
Well, we have all the zone leaders from Bo/Kenema on the way here to spend the night for the the MLC tomorrow Mission leadership council tingy, so we need to go and prepare the place a bit for them...mosquitoe nets and what not. Maybe have some nice rice for dinner...whats new? My companion did make some SWEET Egusi stew with Eba this week and it is SOOOOOOOO good!:) enjoyment de boku boku wan.
My companion and I went to the musuem today by the Cotton tree and we had a lot of fun. Got to learn a ton of things, then went over to the monument side of the musuem to do that tour as well, and found Sister Nansamba and Sister Asiimwe, our Ugandan sisters there, so we did the tour with them and had tons of fun and took lots of pictures. We love our Sister missionaries and are glad they are doing well and enjoying their p-day. No football today :/ but thats okay, hopefully can squeeze some time in next monday to do it....but I sure doubt it :) but no bad, got football for the rest of my life right!? yes yes! Everyone I hope you are doing great and I love and miss you bing bing! enjoy the new year and hope everyone had a merry merry Christmas...love you all
Love,
Elder Sumrak
Jesse
ELDER JESSE SUMRAK
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Merry Christmas!!
I am happy to report that my eyes are doing quite well thank you very much! I was able to wear my contacts today for a couple hours to play football and what not before they started bothering me, so very big improvement, and besides that they haven't been bothering me at all :) Thank you so much family for your prayers and concerns. you are all so very sweet!
and oh Nick, I loved those pictures you sent momma. That boy looks so big and strong and confident now, with a nice sassy haircut to go with him, he is looking good. Definitely not the small boy I left 18 months ago, thats for sure! and Brennan is looking good and healthy as well and looks like a good fit for Best Buy! Digging his beard for reals, keep it up B-Dog :) miss the heck outta that guy as well!
and right on top of it, kushay bishop, get Nick and those papers finished as soon as possible :) Glad I am going to hopefully get to see the chump when I get home though. That is going to make my day :)
So...the ocean baptism was so sweet! We headed out early and fought for transport over to the Goderich area, which is the bushiest area in Freetown I have seen but it is absolutely beautiful, I will certainly send some pictures :) We showed up to the chapel and then there was I., the young lady that I contacted on the streets of Messima Bo over 9 months ago! I taught her and her family, and her mother and sister were both baptized after I left...now, 6 months after them, she and her best friend have finally decided to be baptized, and the sisters called saying that she requested me :) So it was a sweet reunion and a sweet baptism. We walked down to the beach and it was so beautiful. One side was very beachy but the waves were rough, so we made our way to a nice enclave of rocks where there was a more gentle inlet. I had to baptize in power stance to avoid standing on the rocks and slipping haha but all in all it was done the Lord's way, and that's all that matters :) It was a very sweet moment and I joked with Elder Weller that I had just baptized someone in Virginia...I TOUCHED VIRGINIA!? what?! haha good times. So, then we had a very rough time getting back to the Belliar Park chapel, and came to find out the Belliar Park Elders had texted me last night asking me to baptize P., but I was busy doing follow up calls so didn't see it :/ but, on Sunday I got to confirm P., and stand in on confirmations for I. and A., so all in 4 of my investigators were baptized and confirmed this weekend, so it was very sweet...now if only my area was that fruitful right now haha :)
This week was full of Conferenecs and business but it was very sweet. We were assigned to order and pickup the Christmas Phone Unit cards , so we finally arranged a deal and had to go get it the morning of the conference but got it all done. We went to the kissy/waterloo zones christmas conference on Wednesday which was very sweet, but not as sweet as our own Christmas conference on Friday for the Freetown/Lumley zone. So many sweet sweet people made donations and contributons from the states and the Africans got such nice things for christmas! NICE things! like, making me jealous nice things :) nice white shirts, belts, ties, socks, headlamps, journals, athletic shirts :) they were all so happy and grateful and it just warmed my heart to see how happy they were :) Those I bought jersies for were pleasantly surprised and oh so very happy. It was a great week, and even today was sweet.
Went and played some football in the morning and it was funny because I bought a lot of jersies at the beginning of my mission and put them all away in a box and just got the box out last night. So, I had bought one jersey without trying it on and when I tried it last August I couldn't get it on AT ALL and was like oh whatever, I'll give it to my wife when I get married one day or something or a cousin haha, but today I brought it out and tried it on and it fits very nicely :) I'll send a picture haha. we played sweet footbal then just relaxed.
We have the sweetest young lady in our ward, her name is J. and she is always there for us. She brooks for us every monday, but now our washing machine works...so I just give her some random handtowels and pants just so I can still pay the poor girl haha :) but she does everything for us, we are usually too busy to go and buy food and she will go and do it for us and deliver it and anything we want. She is there in like 30 seconds. we call and she comes running with visible sweat on her face and she will go help us with anything we need, the sweet girl and today I call her to go and get somethings in town and she shows up like an hour later and I'm like, what took you so long? and she hands me 2 christmas bags with a tie and apples in each. I was like, WHAT? This girl is so sweet haha so I had actually called her to go and get me small food and ironically had asked her to go buy some woman spray but didn't tell her why, but was planning on giving it to her haha so she came back and I gave her HER christmas bag which I had gotten her a hardback Book of Mormon, sunglasses, some food and then the 2 bottles of spray! she was so happy and ran home :) hahaha I love Christmas time!
Our 1st counselor to our mission president hosted all the missionaries at the chapel today and provided us with REAL delicious food and it was so nice of him. We had like a salad of sorts with fried rice and roasted chicken and it was so delicious and so nice to see the 2 zones again, even though its been like 3 days haha :) now we just finished up and emailing for the night. Ah...great week...not going to get to do much proselyting this week either though :/ and next week we'll get almost zero trying to prepare for the 21 coming on January 7th... ugh but, I love being able to help out and do my part. I love missionary work and I love this gospel. I love Christmas season so much and reflecting on the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Studying his condescension is so humbling, as you realize that the Son of God, the one who created this entire world, suffered himself to be fed by a mother, and to be raised as a child...its seriously mind blowing and pretty much incomprehensible, yet he did it for us, and we can't ever show gratitude enough, but we sure can try. I love this plan of salvation more and more everyday...this gospel is amazing and I am so richly blessed by it. I love you all so very much and wish you a very Merry Merry Christmas! Love you all!
Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak
and oh Nick, I loved those pictures you sent momma. That boy looks so big and strong and confident now, with a nice sassy haircut to go with him, he is looking good. Definitely not the small boy I left 18 months ago, thats for sure! and Brennan is looking good and healthy as well and looks like a good fit for Best Buy! Digging his beard for reals, keep it up B-Dog :) miss the heck outta that guy as well!
and right on top of it, kushay bishop, get Nick and those papers finished as soon as possible :) Glad I am going to hopefully get to see the chump when I get home though. That is going to make my day :)
So...the ocean baptism was so sweet! We headed out early and fought for transport over to the Goderich area, which is the bushiest area in Freetown I have seen but it is absolutely beautiful, I will certainly send some pictures :) We showed up to the chapel and then there was I., the young lady that I contacted on the streets of Messima Bo over 9 months ago! I taught her and her family, and her mother and sister were both baptized after I left...now, 6 months after them, she and her best friend have finally decided to be baptized, and the sisters called saying that she requested me :) So it was a sweet reunion and a sweet baptism. We walked down to the beach and it was so beautiful. One side was very beachy but the waves were rough, so we made our way to a nice enclave of rocks where there was a more gentle inlet. I had to baptize in power stance to avoid standing on the rocks and slipping haha but all in all it was done the Lord's way, and that's all that matters :) It was a very sweet moment and I joked with Elder Weller that I had just baptized someone in Virginia...I TOUCHED VIRGINIA!? what?! haha good times. So, then we had a very rough time getting back to the Belliar Park chapel, and came to find out the Belliar Park Elders had texted me last night asking me to baptize P., but I was busy doing follow up calls so didn't see it :/ but, on Sunday I got to confirm P., and stand in on confirmations for I. and A., so all in 4 of my investigators were baptized and confirmed this weekend, so it was very sweet...now if only my area was that fruitful right now haha :)
This week was full of Conferenecs and business but it was very sweet. We were assigned to order and pickup the Christmas Phone Unit cards , so we finally arranged a deal and had to go get it the morning of the conference but got it all done. We went to the kissy/waterloo zones christmas conference on Wednesday which was very sweet, but not as sweet as our own Christmas conference on Friday for the Freetown/Lumley zone. So many sweet sweet people made donations and contributons from the states and the Africans got such nice things for christmas! NICE things! like, making me jealous nice things :) nice white shirts, belts, ties, socks, headlamps, journals, athletic shirts :) they were all so happy and grateful and it just warmed my heart to see how happy they were :) Those I bought jersies for were pleasantly surprised and oh so very happy. It was a great week, and even today was sweet.
Went and played some football in the morning and it was funny because I bought a lot of jersies at the beginning of my mission and put them all away in a box and just got the box out last night. So, I had bought one jersey without trying it on and when I tried it last August I couldn't get it on AT ALL and was like oh whatever, I'll give it to my wife when I get married one day or something or a cousin haha, but today I brought it out and tried it on and it fits very nicely :) I'll send a picture haha. we played sweet footbal then just relaxed.
We have the sweetest young lady in our ward, her name is J. and she is always there for us. She brooks for us every monday, but now our washing machine works...so I just give her some random handtowels and pants just so I can still pay the poor girl haha :) but she does everything for us, we are usually too busy to go and buy food and she will go and do it for us and deliver it and anything we want. She is there in like 30 seconds. we call and she comes running with visible sweat on her face and she will go help us with anything we need, the sweet girl and today I call her to go and get somethings in town and she shows up like an hour later and I'm like, what took you so long? and she hands me 2 christmas bags with a tie and apples in each. I was like, WHAT? This girl is so sweet haha so I had actually called her to go and get me small food and ironically had asked her to go buy some woman spray but didn't tell her why, but was planning on giving it to her haha so she came back and I gave her HER christmas bag which I had gotten her a hardback Book of Mormon, sunglasses, some food and then the 2 bottles of spray! she was so happy and ran home :) hahaha I love Christmas time!
Our 1st counselor to our mission president hosted all the missionaries at the chapel today and provided us with REAL delicious food and it was so nice of him. We had like a salad of sorts with fried rice and roasted chicken and it was so delicious and so nice to see the 2 zones again, even though its been like 3 days haha :) now we just finished up and emailing for the night. Ah...great week...not going to get to do much proselyting this week either though :/ and next week we'll get almost zero trying to prepare for the 21 coming on January 7th... ugh but, I love being able to help out and do my part. I love missionary work and I love this gospel. I love Christmas season so much and reflecting on the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Studying his condescension is so humbling, as you realize that the Son of God, the one who created this entire world, suffered himself to be fed by a mother, and to be raised as a child...its seriously mind blowing and pretty much incomprehensible, yet he did it for us, and we can't ever show gratitude enough, but we sure can try. I love this plan of salvation more and more everyday...this gospel is amazing and I am so richly blessed by it. I love you all so very much and wish you a very Merry Merry Christmas! Love you all!
Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak
Monday, December 16, 2013
Short and Sweet
So, no boku time so I will type as fast as my little fingers can fly and really my hands are so small by the way. There are 6 missionaries in Makeni right now, including our Elder Clawson who is 1st counselor in the branch presidency there and Makeni is SWEET! It's really clean and pretty, but besides that really just looks like the rest of Sierra Leone, just with some rich things you wouldn't expect, like a giant shopping mall? or strip malls? its kinda weird haha and everything is super expensive but that is where the rich people all live. 24/7 light and water baby, those missionaries ENJOY...but then again...so do I now. I have light and water. and they came with a washing machine this week :) so, now business is booming and I have time to take care of more important things besides sitting in the bathroom scrubbing at my clothes for an hour!
This week was rather stressful though, with painters coming from Tuesday to Friday and having to lock all our stuff up. Found stuff missing like all my gum, my pens, and our bananas and some peanut butter and small things as well, and who knows what else I'll find is gone when I actually need it and go searching...but ugh small small :/ now that that stress is over I am a lot happier
and my day last week...haha I have those days quite often :) but its okay! and heck yes we bought that fruit! The Burns tried to buy some and got 2 pineapples for 20,000....I was not happy with that, so burst out my krio and told the Kanzlers to drive to the next pineapple stand where I made it clear I was not a white man from america and drove off with 3 bigger pineapples for 15,000 :) haha oh its so much fun. whenever an African calls the couples they say ummm...I can't understand, I'm going to hand the phone to a local so they can help...then hand us the phone haha its really fun :)
But, with what little time I have I will try to fill you all in. Had a baptism this Saturday and I got to baptize J., a 18 year old boy in our ward, and also baptizing was P. and G. in Belliar Park, 2 of my investigators while I was there :) and it was so sweet because P. and his children are being baptized and he is going to baptize his wife this month so its really awesome. he cried and hugged me after the baptism...and that's not typical African by the way, so it was really special and he asked me to do his confirmation, so I was very lucky to walk into Belliar Park sacrament meeting and confirm him! hhaha so cool!
Christmas primary program this Sunday as well and boy was that crazy. These kids are so talented, and the songs they learned well...but they were taught a little wrong so some of you would laugh because that is NOT how I Am a Child of God goes haha. but these kids had memorized entire scriptures and what not and the whole program was memorized...really, imagine, kids the size of Kennedy (who is 4) getting up and quoting doctrine and covenants and the first vision without batting an eye...but that is how they learn here. and by learn that mean just memorization, because they have NO idea what any of the words coming out of their tiny little mouths mean. It was funny to find that even the beautiful prayer at the end was memorized as well, as I heard the woman whispering from across the room....or shouting hahaaha oh sa lone...
but, my time is extremely short on this great super pday. got to play some football and watch MEGAMIND! yeah...who approved that one? oh yeah...that's right me :) and yeah did some Christmas shopping then had an appointment with a a less active and our bishop and ward mission leader but no, we had to stay and receive missionaries at the compound haha but whatever the Lords will be done. :)
well, that's my week in a nutshell. I love this amazing work that I have been called to do and I give a hearty hearty kushay to my cousins Drew and Katie who served amazing missions and changed the world...one person at a time. and I hope that I can be as great as missionaries as them one day...but I only have 6 months to do it so I better get on it quick. Amazing job cousins :) thank you for your example. I love everyone so much, have a merry Christmas. As I enjoy Michael buble Christmas songs, boyakasha!
Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak
This week was rather stressful though, with painters coming from Tuesday to Friday and having to lock all our stuff up. Found stuff missing like all my gum, my pens, and our bananas and some peanut butter and small things as well, and who knows what else I'll find is gone when I actually need it and go searching...but ugh small small :/ now that that stress is over I am a lot happier
and my day last week...haha I have those days quite often :) but its okay! and heck yes we bought that fruit! The Burns tried to buy some and got 2 pineapples for 20,000....I was not happy with that, so burst out my krio and told the Kanzlers to drive to the next pineapple stand where I made it clear I was not a white man from america and drove off with 3 bigger pineapples for 15,000 :) haha oh its so much fun. whenever an African calls the couples they say ummm...I can't understand, I'm going to hand the phone to a local so they can help...then hand us the phone haha its really fun :)
But, with what little time I have I will try to fill you all in. Had a baptism this Saturday and I got to baptize J., a 18 year old boy in our ward, and also baptizing was P. and G. in Belliar Park, 2 of my investigators while I was there :) and it was so sweet because P. and his children are being baptized and he is going to baptize his wife this month so its really awesome. he cried and hugged me after the baptism...and that's not typical African by the way, so it was really special and he asked me to do his confirmation, so I was very lucky to walk into Belliar Park sacrament meeting and confirm him! hhaha so cool!
Christmas primary program this Sunday as well and boy was that crazy. These kids are so talented, and the songs they learned well...but they were taught a little wrong so some of you would laugh because that is NOT how I Am a Child of God goes haha. but these kids had memorized entire scriptures and what not and the whole program was memorized...really, imagine, kids the size of Kennedy (who is 4) getting up and quoting doctrine and covenants and the first vision without batting an eye...but that is how they learn here. and by learn that mean just memorization, because they have NO idea what any of the words coming out of their tiny little mouths mean. It was funny to find that even the beautiful prayer at the end was memorized as well, as I heard the woman whispering from across the room....or shouting hahaaha oh sa lone...
but, my time is extremely short on this great super pday. got to play some football and watch MEGAMIND! yeah...who approved that one? oh yeah...that's right me :) and yeah did some Christmas shopping then had an appointment with a a less active and our bishop and ward mission leader but no, we had to stay and receive missionaries at the compound haha but whatever the Lords will be done. :)
well, that's my week in a nutshell. I love this amazing work that I have been called to do and I give a hearty hearty kushay to my cousins Drew and Katie who served amazing missions and changed the world...one person at a time. and I hope that I can be as great as missionaries as them one day...but I only have 6 months to do it so I better get on it quick. Amazing job cousins :) thank you for your example. I love everyone so much, have a merry Christmas. As I enjoy Michael buble Christmas songs, boyakasha!
Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
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Off to Makeni
Yes, I am a tad bit more busier then usual, and if you saw my daily planner you would just laugh because each day has like 8 to do boxes...mine are usually filled and I have them extended to have like 12 to do boxes haha so at least I'm always busy :) never have to wonder what next...except when you find yourself NOT busy, which doesn't happen too often fortunately. and mom, you asked if I ever fall asleep early?...I wish! Saturday and Sunday night we didn't even leave the office until 10:35 because we were having to do follow up calls and prepare to send them to President Ostler haha, we get to call the zone leaders and check on how their zones are doing and they just had lots to talk about so we literally sat in the office Saturday and Sunday evening from 7-10:30...but, its good, and I feel like I know all my wonderful missionaries so much better now :) and I do manage to get up at 5:45 everyday to workout still...its not easy and leaves me pretty pooped but I get it done, no problems!
My Nigerian companion, Elder Nwosu is great and we are having such a good time together. MTC mates always do I guess, but we just teach in sync, think in sync, and really are just everything in sync right now, so its a lot of fun. we are always goofing off and pretty much constantly in a service competition of sorts. He will come in and see me polishing his shoes and next thing I know my shirts are ironed and haha its just a really nice companionship, I am very lucky to be serving with him. He is an OLD man, he is almost 26 now, so its funny to see his expectations and everything when he gets home compared to me. "I got to get married when I get home! like, within 6 months..." "Man...I got to watch world cup and blow all my time away, I don't know what you're talking about...you're going to have kids before I get married haha" oh we have lots of fun.
On Tuesday we had our MLC meeting for Lumley, Freetown, Waterloo, and Kissy Zone. Its where all the zone leaders and the APs come together with President and Sister Ostler and we talk about new implementations and things to best help the mission.We report our monthly zone goals and actuals and it was so nice to be there. It was awesome being able to contribute and be a part of great changes taking place in this country. Its very nice also to get to work with President Ostler so closely, even Wednesday we got to sit down and discuss with him and the couple for like 2 hours about how best to get the convert date entries in as soon and correctly as possible, so its fun being a part of everything and having my voice be heard as well. I really notice how much Heavenly Father is helping me because I am picking up so many new things so quickly and I know that I could not do it without his help. I learned lots of new little things this week, like adjusting all the missionary photos, printing, cutting, laminating, magnetating (thats a nice word) and organizing them on President's board. Nice little things that I couldn't do before :) its fun haha. The Lauritzens and the Kanzlers are so friendly and great and make the office very comfortable and make life for us very optimistic and fun. We enjoy and love and appreciate them so much :)
Well, we are rebuilding our area slowly but surely, and with all of our distractions and what not last week we still managed to squeeze in about 17 lessons last week and found some really sweet people. We have an amazing ward who help so much and have always helped... they help us out with food, that's for sure, but not with investigators at the moment, and its hard FINDING and TEACHING but if they could help us with the finding then everything would run pretty smoothly :/ The bishop's wife cooks for us every Wednesday and Saturday evening and gets someone to leave it at the compound for us :) and then on Sunday afternoons we go there for lunch and get to coordinate with our bishop as well, so very convenient haha. they are all so sweet to us and I know that the Lord will bless them abundantly for their sacrifice and hospitality :)
We traded our P-Day today so we could go to Makeni on Wednesday and we are excited to be one of the first 10 missionaries to go to Makeni, so its going to be awesome and I will make sure to take lots of pictures so that you can all enjoy...one day. Its going to be a bushy journey, but I hear that Makeni is pretty sweet, so lots of videos and pics are on the way :)
We had stake conference on Sunday and boy was it surprisingly great. We got all bluffed up with polished shoes and ironed shirts and what not and was doing my personal studies when a young man, A., from the stake frantically called that the stake printer was broken and that he needed our help, so we let him in to the office and he was printing the conference programs haha, so I helped him the most I could and folded maybe a 100 before he had to run, but gosh we had 850 people at the conference. we actually looked and sounded like a real stake, with a choir and everything, and we missionaries got to do a special number, even though Elder Nwosu and I didn't get to practice, but we flowed pretty well :) everyone said we were the best haha and Elder Curtis gave a beautiful talk and somehow, I guess by the spirit :), everyone understood him and had many people really touched by his talk. He pretty much gave them the Restoration straight up and then told them what they could do to know the Book of Mormon was true. read it chapter by chapter praying to know the truth, or take a specific chapter and pray after every verse, which many of our investigators accepted the challenge to do, so we will be following up tomorrow to see how that is going :) But, the conference went well and were lucky enough to catch a ride home with the Kanzlers as well haha so SCORE!
Well...That's my week, by the way, EFY arise and shine music is AMAZING! don't know about this years efy, I haven't heard it. Anyone know how it is? I love you all so much, life is great and I know that our Savior lives. Jesus Christ really did die for us, but what I love about Christmas is that we really celebrate his birth...that he came and lived, even though he LIVED before this life, and still LIVES today. oh for those who say X-mas, wo unto you, for let us keep Christ as much as we can :) for without him we are nothing. I love him so much for his condescension... the creator of the universe suffered himself to enter a vulnerable human baby shell, and had to grow up, certainly with some godlike advantages, but suffered and humbled himself to go through what we go through...life...I love him so much for that. He truly did abase himself that he may exalt himself above all, and has offered us the same opportunity, so let us take what he has given us and go with it with a smile, thank you, and I love you! Merry almost Christmas!
Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak
My Nigerian companion, Elder Nwosu is great and we are having such a good time together. MTC mates always do I guess, but we just teach in sync, think in sync, and really are just everything in sync right now, so its a lot of fun. we are always goofing off and pretty much constantly in a service competition of sorts. He will come in and see me polishing his shoes and next thing I know my shirts are ironed and haha its just a really nice companionship, I am very lucky to be serving with him. He is an OLD man, he is almost 26 now, so its funny to see his expectations and everything when he gets home compared to me. "I got to get married when I get home! like, within 6 months..." "Man...I got to watch world cup and blow all my time away, I don't know what you're talking about...you're going to have kids before I get married haha" oh we have lots of fun.
On Tuesday we had our MLC meeting for Lumley, Freetown, Waterloo, and Kissy Zone. Its where all the zone leaders and the APs come together with President and Sister Ostler and we talk about new implementations and things to best help the mission.We report our monthly zone goals and actuals and it was so nice to be there. It was awesome being able to contribute and be a part of great changes taking place in this country. Its very nice also to get to work with President Ostler so closely, even Wednesday we got to sit down and discuss with him and the couple for like 2 hours about how best to get the convert date entries in as soon and correctly as possible, so its fun being a part of everything and having my voice be heard as well. I really notice how much Heavenly Father is helping me because I am picking up so many new things so quickly and I know that I could not do it without his help. I learned lots of new little things this week, like adjusting all the missionary photos, printing, cutting, laminating, magnetating (thats a nice word) and organizing them on President's board. Nice little things that I couldn't do before :) its fun haha. The Lauritzens and the Kanzlers are so friendly and great and make the office very comfortable and make life for us very optimistic and fun. We enjoy and love and appreciate them so much :)
Well, we are rebuilding our area slowly but surely, and with all of our distractions and what not last week we still managed to squeeze in about 17 lessons last week and found some really sweet people. We have an amazing ward who help so much and have always helped... they help us out with food, that's for sure, but not with investigators at the moment, and its hard FINDING and TEACHING but if they could help us with the finding then everything would run pretty smoothly :/ The bishop's wife cooks for us every Wednesday and Saturday evening and gets someone to leave it at the compound for us :) and then on Sunday afternoons we go there for lunch and get to coordinate with our bishop as well, so very convenient haha. they are all so sweet to us and I know that the Lord will bless them abundantly for their sacrifice and hospitality :)
We traded our P-Day today so we could go to Makeni on Wednesday and we are excited to be one of the first 10 missionaries to go to Makeni, so its going to be awesome and I will make sure to take lots of pictures so that you can all enjoy...one day. Its going to be a bushy journey, but I hear that Makeni is pretty sweet, so lots of videos and pics are on the way :)
We had stake conference on Sunday and boy was it surprisingly great. We got all bluffed up with polished shoes and ironed shirts and what not and was doing my personal studies when a young man, A., from the stake frantically called that the stake printer was broken and that he needed our help, so we let him in to the office and he was printing the conference programs haha, so I helped him the most I could and folded maybe a 100 before he had to run, but gosh we had 850 people at the conference. we actually looked and sounded like a real stake, with a choir and everything, and we missionaries got to do a special number, even though Elder Nwosu and I didn't get to practice, but we flowed pretty well :) everyone said we were the best haha and Elder Curtis gave a beautiful talk and somehow, I guess by the spirit :), everyone understood him and had many people really touched by his talk. He pretty much gave them the Restoration straight up and then told them what they could do to know the Book of Mormon was true. read it chapter by chapter praying to know the truth, or take a specific chapter and pray after every verse, which many of our investigators accepted the challenge to do, so we will be following up tomorrow to see how that is going :) But, the conference went well and were lucky enough to catch a ride home with the Kanzlers as well haha so SCORE!
Well...That's my week, by the way, EFY arise and shine music is AMAZING! don't know about this years efy, I haven't heard it. Anyone know how it is? I love you all so much, life is great and I know that our Savior lives. Jesus Christ really did die for us, but what I love about Christmas is that we really celebrate his birth...that he came and lived, even though he LIVED before this life, and still LIVES today. oh for those who say X-mas, wo unto you, for let us keep Christ as much as we can :) for without him we are nothing. I love him so much for his condescension... the creator of the universe suffered himself to enter a vulnerable human baby shell, and had to grow up, certainly with some godlike advantages, but suffered and humbled himself to go through what we go through...life...I love him so much for that. He truly did abase himself that he may exalt himself above all, and has offered us the same opportunity, so let us take what he has given us and go with it with a smile, thank you, and I love you! Merry almost Christmas!
Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
New Missionaries!
Hello my dear family and friends! this week has been complete chaos and miracles and awesomeness and change and what not, but it sure was great! Also, I heard something about some missionary film that is in theaters or something? true or false? please confirm and report! So, Monday last week was pretty lazy and chill and we just spent most of the day in preparation for all the upcoming missionaries. Tuesday morning was spent doing all the last minute preparations, ordering the foods, preparing the orientations, and getting the tickets and what not. Around 12:00, we joined President and Sister Ostler to drive down to the docks, where a super sweet speedy boat drove us across the ocean bay to Lungi. It was a lot of fun being on the boat and on the ocean again, looking out I could almost see Virginia Beach, but then seeing how much trash was in the water even over 3 miles out from the coast...I silently prayed that VA was VERY VERY far away, so this polluted water would never enter my beautiful beach. The nice rocking of the boat put everyone to sleep except for me, but then we arrived at Lungi and a bus came to pick up all of us passengers and drive us on to the airport. Get to the airport, get frisked a little bit by some security, then went inside the terminal to wait for the new missionaries. Did memory games with flashcards with President and Sister Ostler so we could learn the missionaries faces and names. Then we got a call saying that ONE didn't make it, that the plane filled up and that he had to stay until a flight on Thursday would take him...Poor Elder Chola :(
Well, the missionaries starting filing out one by one and we were trying to rush them and their bags over to a safe and consolidated area where President was, and it went pretty well. Some bags were torn from poor airport facilities and one sister had bad nausea, but everything else went surprisingly smoothly. A large private bus came to pick us up and transport us to the ferry and the excited missionaries sang hymns the entire way haha, it was pretty entertaining. It was 19 missionaries, 13 Elders and 6 sisters, from so many countries, but only Africans. Many from Nigeria, and some from Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Botswana, and I think even other countries haha, they were a super fun and excited group :)
The ferry ride was incredibly slow, like usual, but we had a lot of fun mingling and getting to know all the new missionaries. They all gathered around Elder Nwosu, Wootton, and I, and just wanted to hear every single little thing about Sierra Leone, and it brought back memories of me 17 months ago, asking my boss men (elder Barth and Appleby) the tiniest of questions, trying to learn all that I could. And having gone through that experience, I was trying to make this new adjustment as easy and happy as possible for these new missionaries, and they are very fortunate that things have changed in this mission...for you shall see how spoiled they are as the story continues. The ferry landed and we got everyone back on the bus and then had to go and look for our bus driver which caused some small palava, then we were back on the road...but right outside the mission office is a large amount of construction work at the moment. And its 8:30 at night and its just complete chaos and we're not moving and its just not possible to make the left hand turn to get into the compound..."Elders, can you please take care of this." Of Course! So the 3 of us jumped out of the bus and started doing everything we could to open the space for the bus, pushing taxis backwards, blocking off the bikers, and just complete chaos, but we managed it and got the bus into the compound successfully. So, the Elders went on into the chapel while we unloaded their bags, then joined them on up there for a feast of chicken sandwiches, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, apples, oatmeal cookies, and what not...I did not get that welcome party when I came hahaha. After, the new missionaries had to do some new paper work for entering the country and what not, then they all went to the office to receive their assignments from President Ostler and boy were they excited to get those! We got them all calmed down and put them to bed, then went down to the office to write in our journals then get to bed...
Woke up at 4:00 on accident because my dumb universal clock screwed up and I meant to get up at 5, but It seemed pretty normal though because there were freshies ironing and showering and what not ??? but, while I was shaving Elder Wootton came in and was like you know its 4 right? and I was like tish, so I shaved and slept another hour, then got up early so I could shower ahead of everyone and start getting ready for the day, preparing the breakfast for the new guys and what not. Elder Nwosu and I set it all up for them. Bread for sandwiches, chewy bars, apples, and 2 boiled eggs and I refilled all the bottles for them haha pretty crazy but managed to get them all fed and what not on time and to the chapel for orientation. The orientation didn't start until an hour later at 10, but it went well, and Elder Nwosu and I even got some time at the end to do some instruction and practice on companionship inventory with the group which went nicely :) We did some office work and kept the Elders occupied and did everyone's chores and what not around the place, printing maps, programming phones, and updating phone lists and what not, but eventually got all the new elders sent out with their trainers and only had 8 left to sleep with us who were off for Bo and Kenema tomorrow. We also had Elder Coffie with us, who would be leaving the following day...my district leader from Bo :) old man haha. Elder Kanzler took us all up to Goderich to drop off some elders there and then continued on with us assistants to the mission home for the farewell dinner/testimony of Sister Attiogbe (my mtc) and Elder Coffie. We had an amazing dinner which I counted for my thanksgiving dinner, of roasted Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, pineapple, banana, guava, peeta bread, and then for dessert ice cream with oatmeal cookies...so yeah, I definitely forgot I was in Africa for a little while ;) we 3 did the dishes and then joined everyone including the Ostlers, Lauritzens, and Kanzlers to listen to the departing missionaries testimonies...and then back to our apartment we went.
Up early again the next day at 5 to make sure all the elders were outside to wait for Bishop Markus to come with the van to take them all to the bus station. I was already awake so I just stayed up and gymed and did like 3,000 some jumprope or something haha. and then Elder Wootton left us on for his new assignment in Hill Station. We did our weekly planning. and then down to the office for the rest of the day to do all the work with the new transfers. Updating the transfer list, phone list, assignments, all the internet updates and what not and informing new missionaries about certain things, then late in the afternoon we rushed to the bank to get our subsistence. We were late and transport was impossible, but fortuantely the Burns drove by and gave us a ride. and had to beg security to let us in, which they did, then had to beg the last accounting woman to please help us, which fortunately she did, miracle after miracle I tell you. Eventually came home and had dinner...I think we had like frosted flakes or something haha HAPPY THANKSGIVING!:)
Friday we had a lot of office work as well. 3 missionaries were leaving Sierra Leone for Nigeria and we had to help weigh their bags and then give them a brief orientation and open up their myldsmail accounts and what not, then we got to stand in the circle with President Ostler and Stake President Swaray to set them apart, which was pretty sweet :) but in the evening we actually got to go to our area for the first time and got to teach a lesson in Dwarzak! Yay! That was nice :) nice to be out teaching again haha it sure it different, but fortunately teaching is just the same :) Came on home and had some potato leaf, courtesy of Elder Nwosu.
Saturday we had had a ward baptism that we attended, then had to stick around to help out the Elder Who came late Thursday night and get all his paper work filled out...
Yeah...so life is good. It's a bit different, only got to teach about 8 lessons last week, which is definitely different for me...but, I'm getting used to it :) It's nice because we have a water heater haha so hot showers are new indeed, as well as AC...yeah can't complain about too much really...but, more stories and interesting things to come. Always excitement here in the office. Love you all so much and hope and pray you are all doing well! take care!
Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak
Well, the missionaries starting filing out one by one and we were trying to rush them and their bags over to a safe and consolidated area where President was, and it went pretty well. Some bags were torn from poor airport facilities and one sister had bad nausea, but everything else went surprisingly smoothly. A large private bus came to pick us up and transport us to the ferry and the excited missionaries sang hymns the entire way haha, it was pretty entertaining. It was 19 missionaries, 13 Elders and 6 sisters, from so many countries, but only Africans. Many from Nigeria, and some from Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Botswana, and I think even other countries haha, they were a super fun and excited group :)
The ferry ride was incredibly slow, like usual, but we had a lot of fun mingling and getting to know all the new missionaries. They all gathered around Elder Nwosu, Wootton, and I, and just wanted to hear every single little thing about Sierra Leone, and it brought back memories of me 17 months ago, asking my boss men (elder Barth and Appleby) the tiniest of questions, trying to learn all that I could. And having gone through that experience, I was trying to make this new adjustment as easy and happy as possible for these new missionaries, and they are very fortunate that things have changed in this mission...for you shall see how spoiled they are as the story continues. The ferry landed and we got everyone back on the bus and then had to go and look for our bus driver which caused some small palava, then we were back on the road...but right outside the mission office is a large amount of construction work at the moment. And its 8:30 at night and its just complete chaos and we're not moving and its just not possible to make the left hand turn to get into the compound..."Elders, can you please take care of this." Of Course! So the 3 of us jumped out of the bus and started doing everything we could to open the space for the bus, pushing taxis backwards, blocking off the bikers, and just complete chaos, but we managed it and got the bus into the compound successfully. So, the Elders went on into the chapel while we unloaded their bags, then joined them on up there for a feast of chicken sandwiches, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, apples, oatmeal cookies, and what not...I did not get that welcome party when I came hahaha. After, the new missionaries had to do some new paper work for entering the country and what not, then they all went to the office to receive their assignments from President Ostler and boy were they excited to get those! We got them all calmed down and put them to bed, then went down to the office to write in our journals then get to bed...
Woke up at 4:00 on accident because my dumb universal clock screwed up and I meant to get up at 5, but It seemed pretty normal though because there were freshies ironing and showering and what not ??? but, while I was shaving Elder Wootton came in and was like you know its 4 right? and I was like tish, so I shaved and slept another hour, then got up early so I could shower ahead of everyone and start getting ready for the day, preparing the breakfast for the new guys and what not. Elder Nwosu and I set it all up for them. Bread for sandwiches, chewy bars, apples, and 2 boiled eggs and I refilled all the bottles for them haha pretty crazy but managed to get them all fed and what not on time and to the chapel for orientation. The orientation didn't start until an hour later at 10, but it went well, and Elder Nwosu and I even got some time at the end to do some instruction and practice on companionship inventory with the group which went nicely :) We did some office work and kept the Elders occupied and did everyone's chores and what not around the place, printing maps, programming phones, and updating phone lists and what not, but eventually got all the new elders sent out with their trainers and only had 8 left to sleep with us who were off for Bo and Kenema tomorrow. We also had Elder Coffie with us, who would be leaving the following day...my district leader from Bo :) old man haha. Elder Kanzler took us all up to Goderich to drop off some elders there and then continued on with us assistants to the mission home for the farewell dinner/testimony of Sister Attiogbe (my mtc) and Elder Coffie. We had an amazing dinner which I counted for my thanksgiving dinner, of roasted Chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, pineapple, banana, guava, peeta bread, and then for dessert ice cream with oatmeal cookies...so yeah, I definitely forgot I was in Africa for a little while ;) we 3 did the dishes and then joined everyone including the Ostlers, Lauritzens, and Kanzlers to listen to the departing missionaries testimonies...and then back to our apartment we went.
Up early again the next day at 5 to make sure all the elders were outside to wait for Bishop Markus to come with the van to take them all to the bus station. I was already awake so I just stayed up and gymed and did like 3,000 some jumprope or something haha. and then Elder Wootton left us on for his new assignment in Hill Station. We did our weekly planning. and then down to the office for the rest of the day to do all the work with the new transfers. Updating the transfer list, phone list, assignments, all the internet updates and what not and informing new missionaries about certain things, then late in the afternoon we rushed to the bank to get our subsistence. We were late and transport was impossible, but fortuantely the Burns drove by and gave us a ride. and had to beg security to let us in, which they did, then had to beg the last accounting woman to please help us, which fortunately she did, miracle after miracle I tell you. Eventually came home and had dinner...I think we had like frosted flakes or something haha HAPPY THANKSGIVING!:)
Friday we had a lot of office work as well. 3 missionaries were leaving Sierra Leone for Nigeria and we had to help weigh their bags and then give them a brief orientation and open up their myldsmail accounts and what not, then we got to stand in the circle with President Ostler and Stake President Swaray to set them apart, which was pretty sweet :) but in the evening we actually got to go to our area for the first time and got to teach a lesson in Dwarzak! Yay! That was nice :) nice to be out teaching again haha it sure it different, but fortunately teaching is just the same :) Came on home and had some potato leaf, courtesy of Elder Nwosu.
Saturday we had had a ward baptism that we attended, then had to stick around to help out the Elder Who came late Thursday night and get all his paper work filled out...
Yeah...so life is good. It's a bit different, only got to teach about 8 lessons last week, which is definitely different for me...but, I'm getting used to it :) It's nice because we have a water heater haha so hot showers are new indeed, as well as AC...yeah can't complain about too much really...but, more stories and interesting things to come. Always excitement here in the office. Love you all so much and hope and pray you are all doing well! take care!
Love,
Elder Jesse Sumrak
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