Ward Conference Explosion! (not really, just a great turn-out)

Wow, thank you for the soccer update mother dearest, I got some dear
elders as well so I am excited to see what is going on there soon. I
would love any information you have on the Gareth Bale signing, I
heard he went to Real Madrid, but really any info on Manchester United
and Real Madrid is good with me :) what would be the SWEETEST is if
you could find a SUMMER 2013 Complete Transfer Sheet. I would love to
see where everyone ended up if at all possible. If you could do that
that would be perfect :)

And I loved the story of the van breaking and fixing haha, the Lord is
truly mindful of us when we are in his service, and I think especially
in the case of his missionaries as well haha, he doesn't want any
delays to his work :)

Can't wait to hear where Clayton is going on his mission, ah that is so
exciting. GHANA AFRICA, watch it happen!

Celeste Kellogg! Wow, congratulations to her, she was doing awesome
before I left and I even listened to some of her stuff, even if I'm not
a country sort of guy, and I enjoyed it. Wow, the Hannah Montana of
Smithfield :) I remember she was a good soccer player as well, but
kushey to her, if you happen to see her again tell her hello for me.

Well...As for my week...

Lets start with the big excitement. Yesterday, we had our Ward
Conference, which I anticipated would go well, but never imagined it
would go as well as it did. Normally, we had 100-120 in sacrament, we
had 310 yesterday...We spent the ENTIRE sacrament meeting adding more
and more and more chairs, and the sacrament itself took like 20 some
minutes to pass haha, since they ran out of trays and water haha, it
was great. We broke the record forreals, no other ward conference even
topped 200, it was incredible. And another Miracle...54+
investigators...Stake President Swarray had them all raise their hand,
and I was just like *whistle* tish we are going to be busy. They all
made it to investigators class and I stood up to address them all with
something like this (interpreted to English)... "um...obviously, there
are a lot of you, and only uh...2 of us. So, we will be calling and
visiting each of you this week, and do our very best to make sure we
come and visit each of you individually and allow you to learn more of
Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, The book of Mormon, and baptism...um thank
you..." I Have NO IDEA what to do. Currently I set up with ward
missionaries to go on splits with us on both Tuesday and Thursday so
we can go out and try to contact all of these people but I am honestly
so overwhelmed I feel like I am going to explode haha, but we will do
our very best, pray and hope for the rest :)

Another Miracle, received a picture from Elder Stanford in Bo...2 of
my investigators from a longtime ago who I had taught, loved,
cherished, and left were baptized and confirmed. Nancy, an old woman
nurse who just loved to tell us her life story while I struggled to
stay awake in the heat. I felt more like a therapist then a
missionary...but then again, we are like spiritual therapist haha :)
And John Mgvaou, a man I contacted by my theory if someone is outsider
eading a book then they are being led to me :) or I am led to them
haha, so talked to him, he was so POOR so soso poor and came to church
and payed his tithes the 1st sunday he came and then was offered a job
far away (Blessing or curse?) and left, but now he finally came back
and was baptized :) YAY!

Ibrahim ...A young man who was referred to us by a less active
youth member who is now in prison and uh...yeah,
but Ibrahim has come to church every week
for the past month, but we didn't see him AT ALL last week, until on
Saturday evening we ran into him at the church compound and he begged
us to have a lesson with him even though it was getting dark. so we
gladly accepted and sat down to teach him and boy he taught us, my
gosh, I asked him if he read the Book of Mormon introduction and
MIRACLE MIRACLE. he read...oh boy did he read. He recited to us the
entire introduction, and ALL of the testimony of Joseph Smith, dates
and names included as well as number of visits to Hill Cumorah and
Moroni visits. Out of curiosity he went on to read WORDS OF MORMON and
told us the whole thing perfectly.  His friend had asked him what he had
been studying so much and wanted to read it, but Ibrahim was so absorbed
he told him no, but he would copy it down so he could read it. SO
Ibrahim went on to hand copy the entire Words of Mormon for his
friend...hahahaha WHAT  A BOSS> and I want you to get a good image of
this kid. He is my height and looks like a thug. Swags his jeans down
super low, wears a leather jacket and spikes his hair, looks like he
has possibly killed someone and the boy is just so loving and caring
and just a witness of NEVER judge a book by its cover :) now he sports
a nice CTR ring (courtesy of mother dearest) and wears modest clothes
to church, and looks like a missionary. What a boss!

We had a super sweet baptism on Saturday! I worked super hard to
organize everything but I forgot to choose someone to say the closing prayer
but, everything else went PERFECTLY and
started 10 minutes early. What? you heard right! 10 minutes early :)
and it was combined with Dwarzak, Freetown, Belliar Park, and Hill
Station. I had the sweet privilege to baptize 33 year old Adama,
mother of 2 children who is just the sweetest woman, and
Alfred baptized his stepdaughter-ish Mariama  :) it
was a super sweet baptism and just an amazing day.

We even have families right now which just have me so excited! One man
we found contacting and his whole family live WAY WAY WAY up the
mountain but all came to church to be baptized.  One woman and her
children came, and then the less active boy, Tamba (the one who we
convinced to return to church activity) his father now wants to follow
the family :) so we are super busy and will be for the next 4 weeks
without a doubt...I will die...but, I will die happy.

So, everything is great and mission is great. I'm tired but I guess
that's a good thing :) Elder Labrum and I are working very hard, both
physically and spiritually haha. We are working out every morning,
benching like crazy, and running quite frequently. We are hanging in
there. he has lost TONS of weight, while I am trying hard to maintain
hahaha, but with how much we workout we got to eat A LOT haha , but it
makes life different and fun. Nice to break out of a routine and feel
human sometimes...what am I talking about, I'm a missionary, I'm not
human!

I love you all so very much, have a great week!

Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak

Growing Up and Loving Life

My week has been okay, a little stressful with meeting and stuff but a
whole bunch of brilliant new investigators to liven me up, so I'm
excited  that. those 20 missionaries arrived and they were sent ALL
over the mission with tons of new proselyting areas and splits popping
up. we survived another transfer and are still together and the only
missionaries in Belliar Park fortunately. But, on the 17th  we will
receive one newby in our apartment/district. His visa had problems so
he is a little late, so we got a branch missionary. Brother Kallon
with us now.We have district meeting every Tuesday but I only have 6
elders in my district, just my apartment. Elder Labrum and I. Elder
Itomo and Mthembu, and Elder Gweyu-Appiah and Brother Kallon. We are
enjoying and having a great time. they love to cook and my workouts
make me love to eat, so we get along great ;) hahaha

and what! that sounds like some CRAZY stuff going down at good ol
Iwa...I can remember when I was just a small chap, 15 some years ago
inside the kingdergarten class room with Mrs. Whitley, good ole
"Joseph" walking in to pick up his lunch, me and brennan ethan making
trouble and having a good ol time. man, where the heck did my life
go!? I mean I'm happy with where I am but I'm honestly tearing up just
imagining how fast my life is passing me by...I guess its sweet I have
a testimony of the plan of salvation and everything and know greater
things are in the future, but I believe my only opporunity of infancy,
innocence, and playful bliss has passed. Now my knolwedge and agency
holds me accountable for everything haha, am I a whiny baby if I make
it sound like I'm complaining ;) I honestly do love life! hahaha

Well concerning Nick - I'm handing it over to God and I am going to pray my heart
in gratitude and tears to him tonight for doing so much for Nick and me (I'm so
selfish I know) I have prayed and prayed and prayed for that boy this
whole week and I'm so happy he is doing well. Please send me another
email and tell me more stories about my growing little brother. I love
and miss him so much....

Had a couple of elders go home this week.
Anyone can "return with honor" but only the dilligent and
faithful can "serve with honor". I hope I am and will continue to be
the latter. If I get ever get trunky please someone send a package to
me with a boxing glove that smacks me in the face, because that is
some dumb tish, forreal. But, one elder  and my papi, Elder Ngerem packed
their bags and returned home Friday. On Tuesday I got to do my first
District meeting with Mt. Aureol district which went quite nicely. Its
right in our parlor so thats convenient. I have a great district and
apartment and I love them all very much...I am the oldest by far and I
try hard to be a good example to all these young guys. Everyone is 7
months and less, and we will have 2 being trained as well haha young
guns! :) root out all apostasy early so we don't have an Israel vs.
Canaan situation :) Sure people didn't even like Moses a lot of the
time, so if they don't like me...well" I'll  be kinda sad and maybe be
like Moses and say AH this burden is to heavy to bear alone, well its
a good thing I have the Lord to always pick me up :)

Miracle Miracle this week, that almost trumps all miracles in my life
in immediacy hahaha. Elder Labrum and I are walking up the mountain
and its just pouring. just miserable pouring, and my umbrella is
breaking and I'm just wanting to cry haha and I just cry out "Oh, Lord,
Please let it stop!" and Bam, not even 2 seconds passed by, the rain
UTTERLY CEASED, entirely! and the sun came out. Not even 2 seconds, I
promise...Elder Labrum and I stopped looked at each other and were
just like woah...did that just happen? and in the middle of the path,
just stopped and said a short vocal prayer of gratitude for another
constant reminder that our heavenly father is watching us and
listening to us...yeah, our prayers always seem to do with rain, but
gosh its sweet.  I am TRYING to become like Jesus, so one step
at a time right? Well in my joy, my umbrella snapped in half while
putting it up, so threw it in the bush and continued onward haha God
loves us :)

:)

The sisters this week had a sister conference which was quite strange
because as we were coming out of our district leader training, I see
all the sisters in the whole mission in jeans and Sister Ostler and all
of them having a good ol time haha, I want an Elders Conference where
we can all come play football! forreals :)

Sister Kanzler found EXPIRED Peanut butter for 7,000 leones, which are
normally 25-30 which is just too much for missionaries to afford
really, but she bought up half the stock and sold them to us
missionaries, so I got  a couple reserved and now she is going to go
buy us 10, which i will just use my money on for now so I can stash em
for the rest of my mission :) Yummy expired peanut butter, woot woot!
made in Illinois might I add!

Our runs have gone quite well this week, even though I had to find us
a new route, but if you want to look up the route, its down Padema
road from the prison, to the cotton tree, from the cotton tree down
Sanders Street to the U-Building (miata conference center) then back
to Mends street :) its about 30 minutes or 35 minutes long but gosh
running this morning I did not feel well at all! and another miracle
happened in that one store was open at 6:15 in the morning that people
were mopping and I ran and found a safe haven! :) I am very lucky, and
TMI? so what?

So, Saturday was "national cleaning day" so on Friday evening at 4:00
we had our baptism, so of course it didn't start until 5:00 but it was
the baptism for 10 or so people, and 2 for Belliar Park, Ibrahim 
and Matta  who I had the privlige of baptizing, and gosh it was
great. I love them both so much, but Ibrahim is like my best
friend...My Saidu is gone and God sent me someone else for this small
time and its Ibrahim. He is so great and I love him so much. He has
already brought 3 investigators to church and just walks around as a
missionary haha, he even sat down at the sacrament table on Sunday and
I was like "what are you doing" and he was like "Ah, I forgot, sorry I
got excited" and went and sat back down hahaha :) he is great. On
Sunday I got to give a talk to the Ward, which was tragically empty
with only 60 people or so, far from our usual 100 -110 + because it
had rained from 5:00 am to 12:00 haha aond continued and continued.
But, I gave a talk on families and we had a member from the Area
Seventy there from Ghana who also spoke after me, so it was sweet
having him there.

And uh, Saturday cleaning day was a joke, we just cleaned small around
the place and chilled because nobody was allowed to leave their house
until 1:00 or you will get like arrested haha :) so that was fun...

Today we had super P day and all gathered at the chapel and played
games and ate food and watched something like A Rare Posession which
was pretty sweet...got some lovely packages from my lovely mother and
then straight to go email :) can't wait to go home and see whats
inside!:)

I love you all so much and just want you to know that I have a
testimony that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came and died for us.
He loves us. He has promised and offered us so much, in return for so
very little. Even if we offered our whole souls and efforts, we would
"still be unprofitable servants" so let us at least offer the most we
can, and try to be slightly less unprofitable servants :) I know if we
follow him that we will no longer be his servants, as the area seventy
said...servants serve with no thought of reward, Christ prepares to
reward our efforts...we aren't his servants..we are his FRIENDS :)

Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak

How Old Am I?

A week in Sierra Leone and gosh it has flown by. Already September, I'm
going to be 21!? what? and it's sad that while typing I actually had to
pause and think, is it 21? or 22? how long have I been here? sometimes
it feels like a month, sometimes it feels like a lifetime...but at
least its been a sweet lifetime! So, received transfer news this
weekend, AND...I'm staying Belliar Park to finish Elder Labrum's
training! Iam returning to my old apartment on Mends Street because it
is in our area, which makes sense, and I am the district leader in the
Mt. Aureol District now. So...of course I had a nice list of 
stuff to take care of, so I
went ahead and ran all over town and the office today to get
everything...almost all taken care of, just got to take care of myself
small small now...but, i am excited to be able to go on exchanges now
up to my old area! I am stoked!:)

This week was pleasant and busy. Saturday was a complete dud as we
showed up for the baptism to find the assistants calling us, informing
us that the font was unusable..we went to go check, and yes, someone
drove a hole in the middle of it...no waters going in that bad
boy...baptism cancelled until next week :/ I was not too happy at all!
Food was running low earlier this week while waiting for subsistence
day...so, Elder Labrum had the genius idea of making pasta...and
adding peanut butter and sugar...it was AMAZING, but he said after the
first 5 bites it was just too much for him hahhaha...but its all he had
so he downed the whole thing!:)

Had a wonderful experience with one young man this week that has
really made me one of the happiest I have been my entire mission. The
young man is  a long time member, but has often caused
trouble just due to his loud candid character and he offended the
bishop and youth, who essentially drove him away from the ward and
literally told him he wasn't welcome anymore...I was pretty mad at the
boy too, he was cursing in the compound, causing problems, we saw him
in our area with literally 50+ people gathered around as he and one
woman yelled and screamed at each other for well over 30 minutes...I
had about enough of him...So, Saturday, I felt promted to go and visit
him and found him inside his room in the dark, by himself. He looked
completely depressed, almost as if he had been crying, and this was
not the energetic boy I was used to. I felt complete compassion and
pity at once for him and all negative feelings subsided as we sat down
and talked and he told us all abut how he felt and we
continued to talk to him and his mother and reassure them that
everyone can makes mistakes and they are still welcome and it seemed
like nothing was really accomplished by the time we left...I felt
disappointed I couldn't help him more. We had brought a strong recent
convert who assured him the youth would accept him back, but he didn't
seem convinced...I invited him to the youth family home evening, and
he acted as if he would dodge it.....So, family home
evening came, and I didn't even recognize he was there until the youth
leader noticed him. He was sitting amongst us on the benches outside
the chapel, but was wearing a hat and sunglasss (almost like out of a
movie or something haha) and the youth leader reconciled him to the
group and we sustained his return...but, after the closing prayer, I
saw the boy  quickly heading for the gate, but managed to catch
him, and my prayer was answered as 4 or 5 other youth grabbed him and
gave him a big bowl of rice and he enjoyed with everyone else...and
when I left, he was smiling :) it made me so happy to see him
fellowshipping again with the youth. Sunday came, and there he was,
for the first time in months, and he got up and bore his testimony,
and there was just such a different humble spirit about him and he
went and sat back with his friends and ah, it felt as if we had
contributed in converting someone to the church...it was an amazing
spirit that filled my soul even until now, reassuring me that I am
making a difference small small in this world :) I love the Lord and
the Spirit for prompting me to go visit a boy who  I now love, 
and now realize how much the Lord loves him :) What a blessing!

But, not much else is going down really. we have PLENTY of people to
teach, but fortunately our new apartment will give us more time to
teach people, instead of spending hours of waiting and getting
transport, so we are going to enjoy much much success here I pray. It
is raining a tish load still...which is disappointing but by the end
of September it should be finished for the most part :) Or I can pray
haha, but I will miss rainy season for reals. its my last one :/ oh,
sa lone I love you!

Shoutout to Nicholas Sumrak, I love you little bro, be strong. Take
care my good friends and family, cousins and uncles and aunts, my
missionary friends and cousins. grandparents, neice, brother, and
sister. love you all so much! bye bye!

Love,
Elder Sumrak

Lots of New Missionaries Coming to Sierra Leone

Sorry for the late post!  I had to take my youngest son to college (BYU) but I am back and here is Elder Sumrak's letter from 08/26/13:

Oh, that box sounds positively delightful dear mother and I am anxiously anticipating this blessing haha thank you so very much angelic momma! 

As for the worms, they were successfully defeated when our plumber came and we reported the problem, the fix is nice, since it was only our water tank that had mold and worms and crap in it, but he climbed on the roof and cleaned it all out so as for now, no more worms...but yes, we drank it haha we just put it through the filter...yes we bathed with it, just use boku bleach, we use it for cooking...boil the tish out of it. but, we have and will continue to survive. also, the Kanzlers are amazing and I love them lots, you should talk to them or email them some time, I know they would enjoy that, being always in the office helping around I get to talk to them quite a lot and they are hilarious. even Sister Kanzler helped us out and bought us some on sale, expiring peanut butter :) yay! came to find out why the beans at the store were so cheap! THEY WERE EXPIRED...so, my reaction when asking the manager might surprise you when I asked...is anything else expired? I'll take it...yeah, lets go sa lone! 

We are trying hard to prepare for more missionaries and doing what little we can do. 20 in Sept, Oct, and Nov, and 10 more now already confirmed for December...that's at least 70 this year, and almost doubling our mission...we found 1 apartment this week with the zone leaders and it completely SHOT our proselyting day but eventually got inside, got boss man Markus  there to take pictures and he immediately started the paperwork with them ....we are desperate haha, not playing around like last year when this happened haha 

Well...sweetness and sweet news and conversions this week! Saturday was a sweet sweet baptism of 11 people, 2 from Belliar Park, 2 from Hill Station, 2 from Mt Aureol, and 5 from Congo Cross and I kinda took charge and made it run like an american baptism haha! made sure it started on time with a program and everything and everyone had whites and the water was actually filled up (if not sort of brown) and I was just happy alone with that, much less the miraculous people who were baptized :) 
Aminata  was baptized who is a sweet 18 year old girl whose whole family is members 
then, Ibrahim , one of the oldest people I have baptized, he is about 35 and is a super strong athlete and person who has just had a super hard life with lots of challenges and set backs both with school, jobs, sports, and even religion, and upon finding him, he was highly addicted to smoking over 10-12 cigarettes a day...he now has not smoked in close to a month, and it was amazing to hear his testimony and his change and even for the first time on Sunday when he came he wore priesthood attire and looked great...what an example that anyone can change... 

Then, the miracle man, Solomon ...so, this young man of about 24, I taught all the lessons to in Bo. He lived WAY out in the bush, far enough that it was a 45 min journey, just to teach him and come home haha, but now he came to Freetown and was living in Hill Station by himself. He found the church and the Hill Station elders, who just had him interviewed by Elder Weller. Well, it was funny because I called them because we were locked in the apartment the other day, and Elder Mongalo answered "Yes, Elder Sumrak?" and Solomon was like WHAT, Elder Sumrak is in Freetown?! So, he asked me to do his baptism and it was a great experience being able to see him again and see him make this promise with God :) truly a blessing! 

Also, got a call from Elder Stanford in Messima that 2 of my investigators, and even a man and his family, that I taught all the lessons are finally being baptized :) SO EXCITED! everything is going great right now and the Lord is showering Sierra Leone with blessings, and even me abundantly. I am so lucky to be here serving the Lord and doing his work...I love it so much and I am so happy. 

Had our interviews with President Ostler this week and also had an exchange with Elder Aseidu, which was great. We had an emergency swap  and we received a younger missionary in our apartment now...so change is always exciting, excited to see what happens next Sunday. exciting transfer, I'm sure, with 20 newbys on the way...WHAT! 

Well...the miracle of the week happened on Saturday night, Sunday morning. Saturday night I was exhausted, and the water was very low, so I knew me and my compy would have to go fetch it from a distance away...but, I prayed while we closed and the rain started pouring...but ended quickly, giving us only enough water for Saturday night, but the time was late...so as I went to sleep I prayed that rain would come so we could have drinking water and bathing water Sunday morning...around 3 a.m my prayer was answered, and I jumped out of bed and went out into the cold rain and put all of our buckets outside, then soaking wet, crawled back into bed...the rain continued all morning and we filled EVERYTHING :) and the rain still continued to pound, even blowing the door open...as I prayed and told God that we now had enough water...if He would please allow the rain to cease so our investigators would come to church....15 minutes later, the rain ceased until our service was over :) miracles are amazing and are so possible if we just have the faith to ask our Heavenly father. He wants to bless us :) just ask! 

Well...Life is great, I love and miss you all so very much and pray for you constantly. Nick...your going to do great buddy, don't worry about it! Thomas and Laura, your the bomb diggity, Lumi...don't poop yourself. momma don't pretend your not happy to have some quiet ;) love you. Pops...go eat something ADVENTURE TIME! 

Love, 
Jesse, 
Elder Sumrak 

Cleaning the Beach

I heard from Saidu like you did and I willl be writing him for sure for the
next 2 years, no doubt, he is a great guy and even his brother came to
church yesterday! I'm not sure if he has ever come before, so it was
really sweet :)

They have been focused a lot lately on Families because each week for
the next 6 weeks I have been assigned a district discussion topic
concerning families, so its fun to be creating those discussion
lessons and trying to provide interesting material for a spirit filled
lesson in which we can all be edified and uplifted by each other, and
by the spirit. My personal studies are going awesome and I am in like
Leviticus 10, using the old testament manual word for word, so its
slow going but I am really enjoying learning about the tabernacle and
all the temple symbolisms and what not and can't wait to go back to
the temple and look and see all the symbols and what not for myself.
Its also interseting to learn about all the sacrifices
and how they all are shadows and tellings of christ. It really is
interesting how everything in the old testament points to Christ. From
Abraham and Issac to the birth of Moses to the Sin offerings before
the tabernacle, it truly is marvelous...

Had some small palava in the apartment this week but we got everything
settled out and fixed up and what not. once again, prayer saved the
day and chilled my burning emotions and prayer is truly amazing. The
spirit is changing my life, who I am how I think, everything, as long
as we hand it all over to God, its all good. we just need to be brave,
and follow Elder Bednars advice and bury ALL THE WEAPONS we have, as
the Anti Nephi Lehis did...it would have meant nothing if they buried
their armor and shields and swords but kept a small dagger tucked in
their pocket, just in case...thats not faith, thats a backup plan, and
with God and faith, their is no back up plan, either hand it all over,
or your holding it all back.

My name tag finally snapped this week when snagging on someone while
entering the poda poda. It was already starting to splinter so I had a
new one ordered, so now I am a pearly whites missionary with a brand new
white name tag and ah, if you put it next to my wo wo yellow one it
would make you laugh out loud, it really is atrocious...just like all
my white shirts, all my shoes, and I can probably guess the inside of
my body as well, speaking of which, an abundance of worms has been
found in our water sources...YAY! we looked inside our water
containers yesterday to find little worms swimming at the bottom...so
we poured some bleach inside...3 hours later...still swimming, so gosh
my body is probably lined with them and they are eating me away, no
wonder im so hungry all the time, TISH!

My workouts are still going good and I hope I am putting on some more
weight. I eat a whole lot more and lots of protein everyday. protein
shakes, eggs, sardines, chicken, baked beans, everyday, makes me
pretty full but I hope it is working. having some fun workouts from
dads book he sent me and its great. the exercises are challenging
parts of my body I haven't really targeted before, but I seriously
miss a legit gym...like the good ol BYU gym. that one is legit. I love
that gym haha :) no bad, I'm patient! pushups and situps will do for
now.

We had a big ole stake service project this weekend which actually had
quite an impressive turnout. It was at lumley beach, and we woke up at
5:45 and managed to arrive at Lumley junction by 7...they told us it
was close...it wasn't. We walked down the beach for about 40 minutes
before arriving at the Belliar Park Ward work site on the beach area.
We were sweeping the boku boku trash off the beach and gosh it is just
filthy. syringes, needles, shoes, crap, beer bottles, just lots of
tish that I don't think anyone has cleaned in YEARS, so we swept with
brooms and shovels and rakes and worked and worked for hours as numbers
consistently continued to flow in, until about 50 youth were gathered
on our end of the beach and we ran outta tools for everyone haha. So,
I didn't realize it until yesterday when I woke up but my hamstrings are
TIGHT! I was bent over sweeping for 2 and half hours and ahh....they
are still tight now haha. Its like a little handheld broom, imagine
taking the stick off the broom and there you go, and it started
POURING and you can imagine how that makes sweeping a beach...soaking
muddy sand and sweeping...yeah that doesn't go together, but the
beach looks absolutely beautiful now and we really made a difference.
I think 400-500 people from the stake were there, all in our yellow
helping hands shirts, so maybe pictures will be in the liahona or
something ;) but I doubt it because of the rain. I was absolutely
FREEZING and got a pretty bad fever, but nothing stops us from
continuing our proselyting efforts. already made a oath to myself that
I would never miss one day of proselyting due to my own choice or
health...I will endure! to the end!

Well...nothing else is really going down. we finally played some
football today and I really enjoyed finally getting to play again
today and I'm not TOO rusty although I really need some real legit
grass and to strap on my good ole football boots and go out and do some
work! our jogs have been going well in the morning and  my
companion and I are active and fit. He is a boss and he is doing great, I
love my companion!

Wish I had more to say but I guess I am pretty boring, huh? sorry haha
I love you all so very much and hope and pray that you are all doing
well...I'm tired haha...peace love and idk, apple juice ( I miss apple
juice...) bye bye!

Love,
Elder Jesse L. Sumrak

I Wear Yellows

Oh mother, you and your corny jokes haha, I love them indeed!
something interesting I also found in my studies this week incorporating
our new mission focus on families, I did a study for district meeting
and this is small of what I came up with from the study : talked about
how the Book of Mormon starts with family in 1 nephi 1, the New
Testament starts with family in not only telling the birth of Christ
but establishing the genealogy and family history, and I found the Old
Testament starts with Heavenly Father building a home and a family in
the first chapter with the world and Adam and his wife, also in
Doctrine and Covenants section 2, it talks about Elijah's promise and
blessing, which the first section was added later to the beginning, so
maybe that was originally the beginning of family being the first
doctrine in the list of covenants, and then the Pearl of Great Price
does the same, beginning with Moses and God establishing his
connection with Moses as HIS SON, and that God is most certainly his
FATHER. Small small.

and yeah, they eat a lot of that chicken gizzard here, its cheap! and
easy to cook, just boil it nice and nice till its not too tough, but I
am teaching my companion a little how to cook...he can heat up baked beans now
:) but thats about as much as he will do. I am going back to chicken
breast when I looked and found chicken gizzard contains like 127% of
your daily cholesterol in 1 serving...so small small with that one :)

Yeah...I drink a lot of syrup now haha, i have a ton and its just like
my snackng now just take it and chug some...yeah, super healthy huh?
but yummy :) went into town today and got some sweet material and got
a tailor to take my measurements and she is making me a jacket vest
like for church out of it. it should be sweet, but we will see...Saidu
also left me some SWEET african shirts when he left on Friday...Gosh,
I love that boy. I am going to miss him and Idriss so much. 
...anything to help that guy! even got an email from him today
:)

ah, mother it makes me so happy to hear that you are anxiously engaged
in missionary work back home :) You and I can go and visit people
together on Sundays okay? and maybe if I'm lucky dad and I can be home
teachers together for the summer. I would like that a lot! and gosh I
miss me some Bubba n Franks! ah, need me those sweet potatoe fries,
forreals!

ah, crazy in Williamsburg! everything okay? and yeah we get pretty
intense lightning sometimes, but the craziness of sa lone right now is
that like Wednesday it poured all day, and a bridge collapsed, killing
10 or so people, and 30 + are still trapped underneath it and people
are STILL working on rescuing them...its very sad and a big commotion
here still. its got everyone scared about the  infrastructure of
this town!

and I don't know if all of you will be able to have the patience to
wait for me and Enders game...how does it look? who are the actors? :)

I tried a new fruit this week...SOURSOP! super yummy :) Thursday was
the end of Ramadan the muslim fasting month so we had PRAY DAY and
tons of food and nobody goes anywhere so lots of appointments and lots
of happy belly full muslims running around haha :)

Got your guys SWEET box this week and I am enjoying everything SO
much, thank you thank you! listening to Kenny G is amazing and for
some reason strangely reminds me of late night drives through Newport
News? strange... and the workout book is so much fun! I am loving the
handstand pushups and working hard to improve my muscle strength and
even got to 8 today, so I am trying to reach 10 by Saturday :)

Lost the phone on Saturday when getting out of taxi...went and got the
sim recovered today but lost all the numbers and they will be deducting
money from my subsistence for the next 4 months to pay for it...tish...but its
the will of God so I am not too beat up about it . I was super upset at
first but immediately entering the house I knelt down and prayed and
just felt at peace with the world and everything is good and dandy :)
I know God loves me!

We had a baptism for Ibrahim  on Saturday and it was
awesome! Elder Labrum got to do his first baptism and it was super
sweet. Ibrahim is following the example of his close buddies who were
all rebel children who gambled, broke the law, and were troublemakers
who are now turning into the saints of the neighbourhood :) I love
them all!

We went to another youth Family Home evening on Saturday and 30 were
there! again, they asked me to give the spiritual thought and I
invited ALL of them to invite us to come teach their parents...we will
see how they do :) Also, one of the young men has quit smoking since we
gave him a blessing the previous Sunday, so I am super excited for him
and he should be interviewed Sunday if he can continue enduring :)

The work here is great, we are busy and loving it and working super
hard...district duties are great and everything is taken care of. Hill
Station elders just moved in with us today so got to help them unpack
and get settled...also Elder Labrum and I lifted a taxi this week that
was stuck in a gutter haha, we didn't get TOO dirty...but gosh my
whites are not white anymore...I wear yellows! but life is great and
family is the most important thing in the world. I love my family so
much and I'm so grateful for this gospel and the opportunity I have to
unite families forever...KAYEAGOMA!

Love,
Jesse,
Elder Sumrak

Awesome Amazing Youth

Yeah, the internet last week was disappointingly wack, not
happy at all with that, but its all good now its working fine. I am
doing marvelous this Monday, even though the rain is pounding outside
and I didn't get to play football today, our area is doing well and
changes are constantly on the way. The Zone Leader, Elder Aseidu told
me he was informed he will be training TWO elders next transfer and
will no longer be zone leader...and we have 4 Elders going home, 2
zone leaders, 1 assistant, and a district leader...changes are
abundant here and he told me that according to president I shouldn't
plan on finishing this training...which makes me sad, but then again,
nothing is definite until I hear it from President myself :)

Training is going great and I love Elder Labrum. He is a great
missionary and is learning very quickly and yes, to answer your question
Mom,  he is nervous but he is confident and doing well.  Of course I was 
SOOOOO Nervous when I first came out.  Whenever I am training I
always try to do everything to help him as much as I can. He
has made me a better person as I have done some self evaluation and
trying constantly to better myself and my example so I will have a
good lasting positive influence on him. But, we get along great. 4
mornings this week we woke up early and made our way out into the dark
to go on nice jogs. We went pretty off course Tuesday morning haha and
wanted to reach the beach but never really got there, or close. but
the other runs were nice haha :) also have increased in pushups and
what not now and putting on some more weight through my delicious
cooking as well. Decided to try cooking some new stuff last week,
CHICKEN GIZZARD!!! and I made a nice stew. It was a bunch of chicken
gizzard in a tomatoe stew of Bell Peppers, baked beans, onions and
some chicken seasoning as well to make one nice tasty stew. THAT is
GOOD protein :)

Wow, that yellow front door looks good TOO! I like it a lot, good job father
:) and Nick drove?! can it be? well im glad to hear that he is a good
driver haha , I was TOO slow when I first started driving...now
mission has given me a great desire to buy a bullet bike and go fast
fast fast! but, thats how they all drive here :) can't blame me!
You can remember the first time I took the interstate by myself? and
tried to drive over to like that stake center in Newport News or
something? gosh momma if you knew that experience I had you would
never have let me go again! haha

Ah, the ROSHYBURGERS! I love those guys! I hope they are all doing
well and I would love to join back up with those original boys in some
7v7 football when I get home...even Grant Cummins :)

But, the mission really is going great! The other day when waiting for
transport a USA military man came and started talking to us and he is
a United states military...who lives in Italy? Who is a Mormon, and he
was awesome. His name was Paulding, and he wanted to take us out for
lunch, but unfortunately was running late :/ so boo! but always great
to see members!

I finished Church history in fullness of times this week, that
whopping 600+ page monster, which was an awesome read, and then began
my night time studies of the Old Testament, using the Pearl of Great
Price, DC, and Old Testament manual, and our beloved prophet Joseph
Smith and his many aided translations. It is going amazing and I am
really enjoying all the doctrine and lessons I am learning and
learning more about how Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament
and how he is also our saviour and how is most certainly the same
yesterday, today, and forever. It is an awesome study and I am really
enjoying it. Its so sweet how powerful the spirit is and as I record
the things in my journal how new and inspiring thoughts come to my
mind and its like continuous revelation and its really really sweet! I
love it and its more than I have ever experienced before!

On Saturday we had a frustratingly great baptism. Of course, my error,
the baptism was to start at 10:30 and stupid me, I told them to come
by 10:00...what was I thinking....because if I was smart I would have
said 9:00 or 8:30 and maybe they would have come on time. Our 2
candidates came late but were able to change quickly and join in the
baptism. Two awesome girls, Binty and Elizabeth who I
had the privilege of baptizing and it was really sweet. they were so
happy when they came out of the water and ah, it was a very spiritual
baptism and they bore beautiful testimonies afterwards :) They showed
up yesterday and were confirmed and 2 more souls are now converted to
Jesus Christ's true church and his true plan of salvation. Not all is
done of course, and they must endure to the end, but they have entered
in the gate, now just must press forward :)

Our Ward's youth is amazing and are actively going around constantly
doing missionary work and reactivating friends and what not. TONS of
referrals this week and 12 investigators in sacrament yesterday. The
Youth have family home evenings every Saturday night and always
invite us to come, so this time we came and we had a great time. They
invited me to give the spiritual thought and it was cool because about
30 people were jammed into a room fit for maybe 10, and we talked
about tithing and fasting and fast offerings and it was tons of fun :)
We then told jokes and I stumped everyone with a riddle that Elder
Flament taught me.

What is more righteous then God,
More Wicked then the devil,
The Poor have it,
and the Rich need it?

Boo yah!

Fun family home evening and they even gave us kool aid and popcorn at
the end before we had to go stand in the rain for 45 minutes while
waiting for poda poda...fun :) trying to get a video of poda poda
journeys for everyones sake back home haha...we fit 25 people in there
the other day...quite a feat I must say :)

Eugene and his parents both came to church yesterday and it was
awesome. they even came in the rain! and they were both so happy and
it was a sweet service! Elder Labrum and I ditched priesthood because
Saidu invited me to hear his testimony in his final sacrament. 
 Saidu then got up to bare his testimony and it
was powerful and he had good composure...until the end, and then he
returned to his seat and put his head down and I went over and it was
just a really special moment I had with him. We both just balled our
eyes out like little babies and went out into the hall and cried some
more and he is really scared to leave but I got him all cheered up in
time to go back in to find Idrissa also choking up as he left the
pulpit and returned to his seat and then went and cried with him
hahaha, then their best friend Patrick was just balling his eyes out
because he is leaving next month on mission and ah it was sad but it
was a good sad :) I am really happy for those boys and I am so proud
of them. Just to top it all off they sang I'll Go Where You Want Me to
Go to close and I was reminded of my sweet beautiful cousins and my
sister Laura singing at my departure and ah it was too emotional for
me. Too emotional for Africa haha, here they don't cry! But, it was a
really awesome moment seeing my boys all leaving on mission when one
year ago I was sitting there telling them  they had to go and they
were making excuses and I was filling their papers with them and
trying to convince their parents and ah, its so amazing to see them
all now going to represent the Lord Jesus Christ and go and do this
great and powerful everlasting work...I am so proud of them and I
encourage everyone to pray for these boys continually, they are
sacrificing more then we can imagine, and having to exercise greater
faith than any of us to put our papers in...I love them all very much.

Taught one awesome lesson yesterday in which our investigator arrived
at HIS house with about 15 of our youth with him haha, we were waiting
to teach him after service and he had been out with the youth
reactivting, so ALL the youth taught him the word of wisdom and law of
chastity and Elder Labrum and I just kinda dictated the discussion and
kept it focused and oriented and asked questions and let the youth
teach him and it was awesome. I am so proud of all of them and even
him. He is a very intelligent boy of about 18 who probably knows the
bible better then most 18 year olds, and he wa just so convinced, not
by the doctrine or teaching, but by the example his friends set and
the missionaries as well. he wants to go on a mission already :) I
told him one step at a time haha :)

Sierra Leone is amazing...I have seen so many miracles here, the
greatest one being the growth and foundation of the church establishing
here...last year I was meeting on a dry Sunday in the same chapel with
20-40 people...now I am meeting on a rainy Sunday with a bunch of
soaked members in the same chapel with 100-125 members :) the Lord's
work is hastening my dear friends and family. From my studies of the
Old Testament, look to the sky on these rainy days, and that old
familiar rainbow will tell you that you have time :) but, when that
rainbow doesn't appear any longer, know that the Messiah is coming
soon. The rainy days are coming, let us plant our foundation deeper in
deeper on the rock of our reedemer so that the devil and his assured
attacks will have no power to lift us away from the sure knowledge and
testimony we have built. I love you all! peace out!

Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak