Week #31 - Keep Those Apartments Coming!

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Attended Sacrament meetings in Kossoh Town and Kissy today; I was extremely tired and had difficulty staying involved in the meetings; didn't help that the microphones weren't working properly so I caught only snippets of words and sentences.

We got home a little before 3:00 pm and I headed to the couch to read and came back to life 2+ hours later; a much needed nap.

Ostlers got home safe and sound and Rachelle called me with the wonderful news from Makeni. 9:00 am church started and there were 173 in attendance (already more than the building can facilitate) of which 50 were investigators. Junior Primary had 25 +/- children, and Senior Primary had 19. We will likely be going out to Makeni next month to look for another apartment in order for more missionaries to serve in this town.

Julius Rowe - He served his mission in Ghana with Elder Treadway

Hard at it calendaring and reading text messages from District YW President

"Whitney Houston" and me

Monday, November 11, 2013

Rachelle and I walked this morning, and our little dog met us up past the embassy. He walked with us all the way to the top of the hill and we had to shoo away dogs in the process. At the top was a pack of about 4 so we turned around immediately and came back down. We are going to change our route on Thursday; we don't want to see this little dog attacked by others while he tags along with us.

P Day, but we had to make a trip to the dock lady to place an order for 4 more apartments. When we got there, she had a surprise for us – outfits she had made out of African material and designs. Rachelle happened to go along for the ride and benefited from the trip. I love the material and Scott looks like a grown-up in little boys pajamas!

While eating dinner tonight, I couldn't believe my ears! I heard either a plane or a helicopter fly over! That is a first. Now wondering if something happened at the Embassy that is just up the hill from us...hmmm

Our African outfits from my friend the Dock Lady

We got home yesterday and I saw Gary behind the dryer hanging out, but he didn't move from the spot while I was cooking dinner; I thought he might be sleeping or playing dead for the cockroaches. Not so – he must have eaten a rotten cockroach because he didn't survive it. Sad.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

We drove out to Calaba Town this afternoon to check on an apartment. While Scott and our friend Mr. Conteh got out of the car to find keys to the place, I stepped over a little foot bridge to speak with some of the locals hanging out. There were kids all over the place and when I inquired, I discovered one woman had two sets of twins plus one; and another woman had one set of twins plus 2. Took snaps of them and then walked back to the car. Just about ready to go, when I thought I would give them some of the salt water taffy I just got in the mail today from my aunt, so I grabbed a couple of hands full and went back. I counted the group and there were 17; counted my taffy and I had exactly 17 – go figure!

Two sets of twins plus 1

One set of twins plus 2

Scott and I need this book, not a missionary and his companion.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Freetown Zone Conference today; it was held at the Belliar Park building just down from the Mission Office. Took plenty of pictures for moms and dads to see on the Mission Facebook page.

Freetown Zone Conference Picture

How did Elder Hill do that with his leg!

The gathering in our office after Zone Conference.

Checking out the Google map of his area.

All the packages arrived from home in plenty of time for Christmas.

Good bye to Elder Richards

Friday, November 15, 2013

Long, hot and skin-sticky day. By the time all was said and done, and eaten, we got back home at 9:30 pm.

Rachelle and I walked this morning and took another different route in order to avoid the dog following us. We walked up a very steep road and I huffed and puffed, as we descended; we reached a residence where a number of men were standing outside and as I approached huffing and puffing, Rachelle and I turned to them to offer a good morning; I could hardly get it out I was at such a loss of breath, when one of the men looked at Rachelle and asked if I was her mother. I let out big aaaaay, which the Africans do here, and the guy realized he had “stepped in it” while his buddies around him just laughed.

Today marks the 7^th month of our mission; some days it feels like more than 7 months - the fact that it is some and not all is a good sign.

We closed on another apartment today – one in Waterloo – Happy Day! Looked at another apartment in Calaba Town which has possibilities, but not for this transfer. While we were in Kissy, the missionaries gave us a contact for an apartment between Kissy 1 and Kissy 2. The landlord's wife was in Makeni for the week visiting relatives and of course I told him we were going to be in Makeni on Monday looking for apartments so Heron will contact his wife and see if her uncle has any contacts there for apartments. We have been extremely blessed with the networking we have developed in finding apartments.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

We are driving to Makeni on Monday to look for an apartment, so decided today would be our preparation day, and lay low by staying home. I did loads of laundry, cleaned our apartment, while Scott finalized a document we need for the members going to the temple on the 25^th of this month and took it to the office to print and make copies.

Earlier in the wee hours of the morning, I was awakened by Scott brushing something off his pillow. Of course it was dark so initially he couldn't see what it was, but he felt it near his head; he turns on the light and looks down to find a very large cockroach! We sleep under a net for Pete's sake! Kind of creepy to say the least. I would have awakened the entire neighborhood had it been near my head on the pillow!

Take care everyone!

Love, Robin