Monday, November 10, 2014

Week #43 - Scott's Namesake

Sunday, February 2, 2014
Along with church membership in California, Scott and I fasted today for the much needed rain. It isn't easy to fast for 24 hours in this country due to the heat and humidity and I was weak and spent, but happy to participate in this special day.

What added to the day was a trip to Waterloo and the blessing of President Kamara's son. He named him John Scott; he is the second boy that has been named after Scott. Scott served his mission in New Zealand, and converted and baptized Irie Thomson and her first child, a boy was named John Scott as well. Since we have been on our mission, Irie contacted Deb who contacted Scott and in turn, Scott and Irie have been reunited through FB and email after 40 years.

Richard Carlos with Michael Ron

Scott's namesake - John Scott Kamara

Elder Burns saying goodbye to the Waterloo branch. The Burns return home on the 14th of February!


We arrived home and I immediately plopped on the bed and slept for a solid 2 hours! I then baked a cherry cobbler to take to the dinner invitation we had with the missionaries of the Mends Street apartment. What a wonderful 2 hours we had with them. Elder Maxfield was in charge of the dinner and he fixed ground nut soup over rice; we provided the dessert, ice cream and watermelon. It was just so fun to be with them. Just wish we could interact with all the missionaries – when we do we try to make the most of it and let them know how great they are and how much we love and appreciate them.
It has been a great day!

Elder Maxwell was the head chef along with Elders Strain and Anderson

I love the centerpiece!

Sunday dinner with the Mends street elders. Dining in their bedroom/living room.

They used a sheet for a tablecloth.

We love the missionaries!

Got home from dinner and discovered one filthy toe. I must have stepped in a toe hole!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Celebrated Christmas, Valentines and Easter today because of packages that came from loved ones in the states. A Christmas package that arrived from the Smith's was mailed on the 1st week of December; also received a package from Sherry and Rex Favero for Valentines but when digging through the sweets, at the very bottom were Easter pencils and a note Happy Easter just in case the package doesn't make it in time for Valentines. Top this off with a package from some of the YW and YM of our home Ward, the Mission Oak Ward that included wonderful notes of love and support and some ties for missionaries. I barely got the ties out of the box when they were snatched up by missionaries who had just gotten out of Mission Leadership Council. Really doesn't make any difference how old a missionary is – it is exciting to get mail and packages.
Wonderful Valentine surprises!

Guess what came in the mail today!

Letters from the YW and YM from the Mission Oak Ward

Christmas and Valentines all in one on the refrigerator. 

Thursday, February 6, 2014
Skyped with Wendy and Bob Bagozzi last night and that was fun; they are serving their second mission in Hungary. The more I serve as a senior couple with Scott, the more respect I have for seniors who serve a second time and even more missions.

Today I was in the office and responding to lots of questions from the office elders who are learning a lot and doing a marvelous job with what they currently know since the Lauritzen's left so suddenly. Scott went out East to look at another apartment and possible church building; I worked on the Mission History that I need to submit no later than March. Scott shows up after being gone all day with a tale of driving with a policewoman in the car because she “caught him using his cell phone while driving.” They get in the car with you, and then you must drive to the local police station in order to pay a fine. She takes his driver's license, he takes her badge and off they go to Waterloo. Mind you, she is stationed in Kissy. So when he informs her they are on their way to the police station in Waterloo (an hour away) she exclaims she can't go there and to stop the car! She won't give back his driver's license and he won't relinquish her badge (stand-off). He somehow wins the battle, she gets out of the car and they give each other back their document. My question to Scott after he told the story was: “Would you have done the same, if it had been a male policeman?”

We dined out with the Ostler's at the Country Lodge – it is jazz night on Thursdays and the music is quite good and small-small on loud.

Friday, February 7, 2014
Nothing like a day of feeling completely overwhelmed for no significant reason and then have Edward and Blessing Kanu come into the office unannounced from Kossoh Town to pay us a visit to help me get things back into proper perspective. How they had the funds to get to Freetown is beyond me – Edward has been without a job for over 3 years now, though his wife works occasionally for some organization that she sometimes either gets paid in leones or food. Edward stated when they get 20,000 leones ($5.00) here and there, they pay their tithing of 2,000 leones ($.50). Tithing is tithing and the blessing predicated upon obedience is no different for the Kanu family then the Kanzler family – I believe the Kanu's blessings are even greater because of their great faith amidst great poverty.

Brother and Sister Kanu

Drove downtown to the Dock Lady to purchase more items for apartments. I always leave the shop feeling loved with her kisses on both cheeks and a warm hug. I usually end up eating some strange food item when I am in her shop. Today it was kebbe and a bottle of soda pop. I generally do not eat anything offered me off the street so-to-speak, but she is so insistent and I don't wish to offend her. Most times I can walk out of her shop leaving the food behind as though I forgot it, but not today. Before I left, she went to the back of the shop and came out with a Nigerian bracelet she had purchased for me. I wore it back to the office and Elder Nwosu noticed (he is Nigerian) it and commented, “Sister Kanzler, nice bracelet – it has a lot of bling!”

This week-end we are off to Makeni for training.

Saturday, February 8, 2014
Got up early and drove to Makeni to train the branch leaders; I had the specific assignment of the Relief Society; our task? To train the sisters on how to invite the spirit into their Sunday meetings. All the while the training is going on, the noise from the street is making me crazy, but they don't seemed phased. These people have the uncanny ability to ignore the racket, unlike me. After the training there was a baptismal service at 5:00. Nine souls entered the waters with life going on all around us in the neighborhood and the busy main thoroughfare that runs right by the church.

The new humanitarian senior couple who arrived last night opted to move into their apartment today and it wasn't as complete as it should have been. I completely forgot about a water filtering system, let alone a sleeping net. And let's just top it off with no running water. It is hard enough making the necessary adjustments in order to function in this country, so when I was called today and told they were in the apartment without some basic items, I hung up the phone quite disappointed with myself.

That's all folks!

Love, Robin

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