Bonus Email!

Elder Sumrak had the opportunity to email again.  This was sent Thursday, January 9th.

Well, Well, Well! It's Elder Sumrak, or what is left with him. Due to having no P-Day on Monday, I was granted today to be able to get all my shopping and what not done, and decided I would take some time to send a quick e-mail. Monday night was relatively simple. After emailing I went out and juggled the soccer ball for a little bit and got out some stored energy, which I would come to find should have been stored in deep deep supply. Woke up Tuesday morning at 4:45 to help get Elder Manzini and Elder Muthoni out on the road on time to go on out to Bo. We went back to sleep for a little bit and then got up at 6:30 and went over to a little gym we found right outside the chapel compound. Has a bunch of long barbells and a bench, but all of it's really heavy for its individual use/ or at least for me haha, not doing high reps like I am used to but got in some good heavy low ones and we felt great and headed out for the rest of the day...let me tell you now! we are both torn in half hahaha its now Thursday and my whole body is still aching, and I tore various places in my back and have bruises on my shoulders and lower back...what is wrong with me?! I am dying haha and popping Ibuprofen like candy! but, all is well... 

Tuesday, we went down to the office and got to work doing everything we could to prepare for the incoming missionaries. We then had a delicious lunch and testimony meeting with our departing Lauritzens, and it was such a blessing that we got to go and take them across to the airport while picking up the new ones in the process. They are such great people and it was such an honor to be able to serve with them, and I admire them for their faith, their sacrifices, which we will NEVER understand...they went through more then I could ever imagine, and they were so strong and diligent and I love them so much, so I was very priviliged to be able to see them off from the airport...and then we went and President Ostler, Sister Ostler, Elder Nwosu and I all passed out waiting for the new missionaries haha, we were pretty tired...but, finally they arrived, all 22 of them excited and nervous and ready to go! so, we got to go back across the ocean on Sea Coach with them, which is the fast boat and not the ferry, and all of our plans ALMOST worked... (while we're getting calls the whole day about the transfer movements and the catastrophes happening along the way...lost keys. Elders not prepared, drivers not answering calls etc...but in the end it all worked). But, we arrived and everyone grabbed their luggage and all the drivers (who were busy doing transfers all day) showed up right on time to grab all the missionaries...except of course, every seat was full and Elder Nwosu and I got to stay behind :) yeah, funny how that works out...so we waited for about an hour for them to drop off and return to get us, showed up to the chapel and got to eat, before we realized the Sisters had not taken their own luggage, they thought we were taking it, so we hopped back in the car and were driven back to the dock, secured the luggage, came back to the office and helped with whatever work we could. I then accidently put the paper in the wrong way through the laminator, you can imagine how that ended, with a surgery that ended more with a NEW laminator today (thank you Elder Sumrak, we all wanted one...I know I know, no problem, I get the job done!). Well, then after all the Elders and sisters were assigned and taken care of..my work got started. President handed me the new assignments and I hurried to print out the new Mission Roster, then got to work making the newsletter binders (which I could not do until after I had the mission roster )...well, I was in that office with my beloved Elder Tucker who so graciously and selflessly offered to help me, we were there until about 1:30 in the morning...got finished up, crawled upstairs with the other 25+ Elders and crashed... 

Woke up around 4:30 when the Elders started stirring to get ready to go on out to BO/Kenema. So, I got up and made all their breakfast baggies of PB&J and boiled eggs and watermelon and got them all fed and what not and the van came to get them around 6:00. After Elder Tucker's service to me, I was inspired to return the favor, so I found Elder Magrangqa in the office trying to finish everyone's paper work before they left so he knew he had their signatures...so helped him with bank cards until the sun was risen at like 7:00 or so, and went upstairs to help feed and prepare the other 10 Elders still present. Got them all ready and went downstairs to get everything else ready for orientation and the like, and managed to get everything started and what not by 10:30ish...Orientation was so great and President always shares such spiritual messages. Most of it is just made up on the spot, as he doesn't want a programmed orientation, and just goes with the flow sort of, which is fun for me when he asks me to conduct haha :) but, it really was inspiring and helped me out a lot. Elder Nwosu and I got to do some role play for the whole group which is always a bit of fun and we had a great time. then , back up the office to help get all these elders in their different vans and cars and dish them out to their own apartments and areas. Got all that finished by about 4:00 and then got to work on some paperwork. President Ostler came and picked Elder Nwosu, and the dying old man Elder Aniabre (27 years old, just released as a mission elder/branch president) haha and he drove us up to the top of Leicester peak, the highest mountain top in Freetown, and we got to take some pictures, which was a good time :) 

Went down to President's house where Sister Ostler had prepared for us...or bought for us delicious pizza that was amazing! it has been over a year since I had pizza now and BOY was it soooooooooo goood :) so we all enjoyed lots of pizza, pineapple, and vegetables and juice.  We all sat around the table and chatted, while I fell asleep sitting up, and crashed on the couch for a while. Got to hear Elder Aniabre's testimony, which was so awesome considering all of his experiences as branch president and the like, and he really is just an inspired humble missionary. I really admire him and his humility and diligence. All with a big smile as well haha. We then got home around 9:30 and I crashed.... 

Woke up at 4:45 a.m to help Elder Mojaje and his companion get out the door to go to Makeni, and my companion was too tired to even get up, so I did my best, made them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with apples and peanuts and then I felt generous and gave them some poptarts (THANK YOU ROBERTSON family :) ) and got them out by 5:10...went back to sleep until 5:45 (MISTAKE) and went and gymed and got my exercise. It was impossible for me to stay awake during personal study, and ended up trying to study standing up, but in the end my head just hit the table haha, but we helped Elder Aniabre out this morning and took him into town to get his bushy hair cut, then take transport down to Sea Coach to put him on the boat to the airport...he looked so good wearing a country cloth vest and not his suit jacket haha, what a bluff man. Well...Elder Kanzler stopped by the supermarket for us...and now I'm done...its all done. I hope its all done. Everyone is where they are supposed to be, and I might get to teach a lesson tonight :) and then I will sleep...and sleep, and it will be great. well that's a quick update on this week, that I thought I would let you know. Isn't my life so boring haha :) I love mission so much and helping out all these new missionaries who have such big and bright expectations, and who woulda thought they can exceed even that in this wonderful country of Sierra Leone. The country of dust, of rain, of no animals, of poverty, of humility, of love :) my country...I love it. I love the gospel, because without it I would be nothing and have no faith or hope for anything. what would be the point? Thank you parents for your testimony, for I would not have gotten my own without you. I love you so much, everyone have a great week! 


Love, 
Jesse
Elder Sumrak