Serving in Sierra Leone & Iowa City: Throwin' Down Some Krio and Getting New Missionaries

Kushe mi padis an fambul dem! Ow una de do-o??

I had such an amazing week! It was busy so that made it go by quick. We had to say good bye to Elder Dunn, received new missionaries into the mission, had some really awesome experiences, and will be getting a new Senior Couple.

Early in the week, we had 10 new missionaries enter the mission. There were 8 Elders and 2 Sisters, they will be a great help to the mission! It was fun because 6 of the Elders were American and so it was fun to talk with them and answer tons of questions from them. It was pretty funny because all they wanted to know was how krio sounded like! So I was able to speak some krio for them and they thought it was just insane! It is pretty funny because when I first came I was in the same boat but now Krio just sounds regular and easy to understand! Makes me think back to when I first came and how much I have grown and learned since then. It is pretty crazy to think that I will be hitting 8 months soon! With new missionaries coming, that also means Missionaries are also leaving. Elder Dunn left us on Tuesday, that was a sad day. I really looked up to him and really enjoyed being a companions with him. But going home happens to us all sometime right?

Elder Morgan, Elder Dunn, and Elder Hansen together for the last time for a few months

We had some really solid experiences with some people we are teaching this week. One I would like to talk about is a lesson with Susan Dumbuya we had on Friday! She has been taught for a really log time but has not really showed the commitment yet. Elder Hansen and i have been really praying and trying to plan lessons that will help her to become more committed to The Gospel. As we were planning Her lesson, we were really feeling good about talking about the covenants we make at baptism, so we went with it. When we come to see her, she is usually kind of grumpy and quiet. This time she came out of her house joking with us and smiling. As we began our lesson, she pulled out a paper with goals on it. Last week we challenged her to figure out what she was gong to do based on the knowledge she has of the gospel, and she gave us 5 goals she wanted to commit to! I don't think I have ever been so happy in my life!!! After that we had such a spirit led lesson.

After we saw her, we went to another person we are teaching, Momodu. We got to his house and wanted to talk about the Book of Mormon and how it can bless our lives. When we began the lesson, it just didn't seem right and we ended up talking about the importance of prayer and asking God about questions. Another out pouring of the spirit in that lesson! It is really awesome to see how God can use us as his instruments just like that. A few really good experiences.

We will be getting a new Senior Couple today, and they will take over our job. We will be training them for the rest of this transfer and maybe a bit next one as well? I am pretty excited, because there really is nothing spiritually fulfilling about looking at a computer screen and talking with angry people for half the day, so it will be an awesome change.

This week I have been participating in the challenge our mission president gave us. He gave all the missionaries a new Book of Mormon and asked us to do 5 things. Use 5 different colors and mark any reference to Jesus Christ's name, His words, His doctrines and Principles, His attributes, and write down impressions that we receive. By doing this I have really understood that when we study with these 5 things in mind, how much the Book of Mormon can help strengthen us and give us that boost we all desperately need. My Dad sent me a quote from Jefferey R. Holland pertaining to the sense of urgency to have the Spirit with us. As we read the Book of Mormon we are really able to open up our thoughts to revelation Heavenly Father is just waiting to give us, sometimes we just need to ask for it. It has been a very special experience to know these things for myself. I am very grateful for a Father in Heaven that loves us enough to set us up for success, it all just depends on us. I love you all! Keep on keeping on.

- Elder Morgan

It's Jennifer's birthday today, so Eli sent a typical birthday wish in Krio, "A tel God tanki for anotha year whey Daddy God don giv me for make a de na dis world, He don do boku tings dem fo me sef sef. I tank God fo me healt and fo me well bodi!" (They take it to be so big, because they really don't know if they will live another year, especially if they are 40+.) "But me bak I tank God fo yu sef sef, yu na me provida and me best padi. I tell God tanki fo di tings dem whey yu sef don do fo we fambul dem, all man get fo tell you boku plenty tanki. I luv yu ya! I pray God go de wit yu."