Week #45 - Generators!

Sunday, February 16, 2014

I have been under the weather for a week now with stomach issues so I stayed home and enjoyed the silence of our apartment because I had Scott go ahead and turn off the generator though I would be home. It was quite pleasant though without the vibration of the generator though I was re-acquainted with the constant ringing in both ears. It was still a peaceful day.

Scott left at 7:30 and didn't return home until 4:30 pm and informed me the Allentown Branch was created today; this means those living within the boundaries will no longer be going to the Kossoh Town branch which was too far to walk and it cost them at least 2,000 leones round trip to attend church. There are now 10 branches in the east; when we arrived 10 months ago there were 8. Before we go home this year there should be at least 6 more branches and the District will probably be split. The church continues to grow.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Busy day with transfers and the welcoming of 17 new missionaries. By the time we fed them and got them registered, then transported some sisters to the Lumley apartment for the night, we arrived back home at 9:30 pm. Can't complain, though as the Ostlers and Jests are still out. I continue to be tired all the time just trying to keep up and help with the work.

Orientation of 17 new missionaries. Their assigned companions are with them.

Orientation is over and they are just waiting to load cars with luggage and taken to their assigned areas.

 

Markus was gifted a new hat and tie.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

New missionaries and their companions were driven to their apartments today. Rachelle and I drove sisters out to the Thunder Hill apartment. Traffic was busy as usual and with certain roads closed that we usually take for short-cuts the trip was longer than it should have been; we left a little after 3:00 pm and didn't get home until after 6:00 pm which included a stop at the pharmacy downtown to purchase some medicine for one of our missionaries.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

I spent most of this day at home working on the mission history. I have been gathering photos and entries throughout the past 10 months of my mission and now I must bring it all together in a narrative and snaps to send to Accra and then I believe on to the church historical department. It has been a daunting task as I want to make sure I have included all the necessary information and include all the missionaries who have not only served here and gone home in 2013, but also Sierra Leone missionaries who returned home in 2013, and Sierra Leone missionaries who left in 2013 to serve missions. It's enough to turn my hair gray...oh wait, it is gray...then grayer.

We had dessert upstairs tonight with the outgoing missionaries – Elder Clawson, Elder Otubu and Elder Nwaokonko.

Friday, February 21, 2014

We held a testimony meeting this morning at the mission office. We thought the 2 departure times for sea coach were 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm so we held back Elders Wootton and Clawson because they had a later flight. The Ostlers took the other two missionaries to sea coach and by 2:00 pm I had a call from President Ostler that there was no 4:00 pm departure but 6:00 pm, so we had to quickly get Wootton and Clawson in the car. The good-bye to Elder Wootton was not what I had hoped (no picture with him) because he wasn't feeling well, so we put him in the front seat with Scott and I bid him good-bye and safe journey. It is an emotional time to bid missionaries I have served with farewell.

Elders Nwaokonko and Otuba

Kanzlers with Elder Clawson

Elder Wootton

We have been experiencing ongoing problems with our generators at home. Rachelle and I can never do laundry at the same time or the power goes out and we are in the dark. About a week ago, I woke up at 4:00 am in the morning and it was so quiet and peaceful; I then realized that my night light wasn't on and I couldn't hear the generator. Scott, of course, is sleeping like a baby until I wake him up and advise him the generator is off. Not good to have no lights working around the compound even though we have 24 hour security. He was able to turn on the 2^nd generator but the next day it was determined that we were completely without generator 1 and it required either replacement or extensive/costly repairs. So, tonight I hear quite a bit of noise that seems to be coming from our compound and I go outside to investigate and find a very large truck backed into the compound with a very large generator being delivered. 

Generator delivery at 9pm

Generator the size of our car should allow Rachelle and I do laundry at the same time!

It should be up and running tonight and supposedly able to run 24 hours a day, which will help with my refrigerated food. Typically the power is off during the day about 8 hours so I run the risk of foods going bad and my frozen stuff thawing. I have resorted to freezing bottles of water that I put in every day before Scott and I head out the door which holds the temperature to about 10 degrees more than what it is when the power is on. This just adds to my gratitude for the conveniences I have at home. I am so blessed to live in America!

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Why would I ever think a gynormous generator could be delivered, hooked up to the fuel supply and run without any problems? It ran all night on the fuel we manually filled it with, but when the fuel guy came this morning to hook up the line that feeds the fuel from the 500 litre tank, and promptly left, within 2 hours the generator surged and went down. At least two more trips to the mission home to adjust the line, it still won't stay on. Problem is, the repair guy doesn't stick around long enough to watch it all happen. Break out the headlamps!

I am ready with my headlight in case the new generator fails. I am hiding my multiple chins.

Love to all!