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
ELDER JESSE SUMRAK
Monday, January 13, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
Happy New Transfers!
Wow, so sweet to see the church's 5 new year resolutions, as some of mine I made are very similiar. I am super excited for this new year and trying to become a better person everyday. I have been so very blessed during my life and these past year/s as a missionary and have had many opportunities to grow, especially in these last 6 weeks. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for the plan of salvation. So many deaths are being experienced at the moment, but my knowledge and testimony brings peace to my life and understanding of the gospel. I am happy that auntie Alice can rest in peace now, what a wonderful woman!
This week has been absolutely crazy and so much has happened and it has honestly been one of the most stressful crazy weeks of my entire mission. So many times I just felt like punching a hole through the wall while I felt someone punching a hole through my head. Monday night we received the zone leaders from Kenema and Bo and we had such a great time, although I didn't get to hangout and talk as much as I would like because of the duties we were doing down in the office till 10:10 at night ,but it was still great to see Elder Stanford, Mills, Despain, my boy Hales, and Symons, and Serafine, Woodhead, and even old compy Jones. What a great time! Tuesday we had our MLC meeting and it was super effective and we talked about some very serious topics and mission changing decisions, so it was a great opportunity to be trusted with my opinion and the opinions of all else and be able to make decisive decisions to make a better change in the work here in this country...sure was nervy though.
Tuesday night, new years eve, I set my alarm for 11:55 and Elder Jones, Nwosu, and I got up and walked outside to find that the ENTIRE chapel was full of people. The parking lot was full of cars(never seen that before) and the chapel was packed past capactiy, people were sitting in the hall ways down stairs listening as people bore testimony and they sang hymns and they were so strangely reverent as the rest of the town was exploding and shooting fireworks and what not, and here were these great people 25% or more were investigators probably, and here they were at church to start the new year...what a resolution to become better and put CHRIST first in your life. what better way? it was so great :) we had fun and some people saw us watching and started to head our way so we greeted and retreated back into the house of many missionaries and went back to sleep... I had an awful time sleeping because the missionaries got up at 4:00 to get out the door and get out to the east and they were making lots of noise, so yay...January first, missed my alarm and woke up at 7:00.... great way to set off the new year being more obedient right? and missing my workout? hahaha, oh good times :)
After that was finished, we were set to work on more innovations and more work, especially trying to implement all the decisions that had been made.
Wednesday...we received transfer news from President Ostler...and then the work began, we had to organize the transfer sheet for the next 3 hours, and president couldn't even send it to us because the internet crashed for the entire week, so he had to drive down from his house just to give it and print it for us, then we worked on it all night making the transfer sheet, woke up the next day and spent the ENTIRE day working out the transfer movements. Its not easy, let me tell you, coordinating drivers and vehicles to move around 157 missionaries in the span of 2 days, but we worked hard and we got it all done, with not too much sleep lost. but some headaches and frustrations and some tempations to give up, but WE DID IT! many pieces of paper thrown away, many heads bashed into the table, but its done, and its going on right now, people are being thrown all around the country and we pray that we made the right decisions. I didn't realize that we had to do it all until I was told, you guys make it up...Uh...I can do that? I have to coordinate all the drivers and what not? But, I hope it all works out...I pray :)
Sat in the office doing all sorts of work from Wednesday to...well today. we didn't even have p-day today as we have just been in the office. Lets see a crazy list of the stuff I have been doing...Programming phones, printing maps, drawing areas, correcting phone lists, making newsletters, transfer movements, transfer sheets, mission rosters, mission logo, follow up calls, taking care of sick missionaries, setting up nets, dishing out pillows and doxy and water bottles, trying to find which apartments need additional mattresses during the transfers, helping make sure every apartment is ready for the new missionaries, ordering food for orientation, preparing food to feed new missionaires, purchasing tickets and preparing transport for the sea boat and bus, wow it has been complete insanity...and its almost over...or actually the fun is just beginning but, we are doing out best :) created a pretty nifty letter with Sister Ostler, which took SIX versions until it was perfected to her liking, which was fun as I got to learn word better, and frustrating as I murdered probably 10 loving trees...but small small, its getting done.
excuse my vexing, i really am a happy person :)
So, continued to revise and do this work and then got to go to church and take the sacrament and have a FUN time with our bishop in coordination meeting...oh can't wait to tell that story one day... then actually got to go teach a lesson! to one sweet girl, whose name is H B and she has been coming for the past 3 weeks now and she is so great!
Today, set up nets and what not and been in the office just preparing things all day, and finally have a minute to message my family which is very sweet :) I love you all and hope you have a wonderful new year. Happy 2014, so good to be in 2014! I come home this year hahah
well, everyone have a wondeful 2014, love you all so much!
Love,
Jesse
Elder Sumrak
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
A Sweet 2013
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
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
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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