Lip-Sync Battle

This week has been another good week of learning the area!

One thing bad about Kenema is that we aren't fed as much as in Moyamba, which just means that we have to cook for ourselves more often. While it sucks I have gotten real creative on how to make pasta, rice, chicken, and hot dogs taste a lot of different ways. I haven't decided if my favorite is ketchup and hot dogs in rice, or baked beans on pasta.  But on the bright side, there are legit restaurants here, so when we have enough money we go enjoy. I had pizza this past week.  

This past week was on the slower side when it comes to work. A lot of people had sports (basically high school track meets) like every day so it was a challenge to meet with people this week. But it made for some fun conversations with members and some good work with some less-actives. 

Living in a 6 man apartment is sweet too, there is always so much to talk about and something to do. Not quite as crazy as living in a 40 person hallway, shout out to Merrill 1200, but it's sweet. And because other missionaries are actually close to us they are sometimes at our apartment or we are at theirs.  Also some huge news is that we got chairs in our apartment. Like nice chairs. The couple missionaries in Kenema got a new set of couch and chairs so they gave us the old chairs. This is huge because no apartments In Sierra Leone have anything but wood chairs. And granted they aren't like super nice love seats but they are a lot better than wood chairs. They have seemed to be a prized spot, as they are under our ceiling fan as well. So it's always a race on who can get them first. I win a lot. 

Last week I mentioned my area is big but this week we have a story. On Saturday we had two back to back appointments bounce at 1 and 2. So we were faced with 2 hours of nothing. We decided to contact....in a place that Elder Abad had never been. Well we did some small contacting and then I got carried away into a mode of just turning left and right down these past, and before we knew it we were completely lost. We had no sense of where we had been, which way back to town, and it was hot. (if you ever wonder how hot it is look it up (the forecasted low in Kenema today was 76. The high this week was 104)). I had a blast just trying to find my way in an African town but I think my companion wanted to kill me. After we got done we probably walked upwards of 8-10 miles. I thought it was awesome and now I know more of my area.

Saturday night we had a Zone Activity. With everyone gathered at our district center here we had a blast, lip syncing and dancing and eating rice pop (basically cream of rice). And all would be proud of me because I had my first conversation with a Sister Missionary on my mission. Being in the bush for so long causes a lot of people in this mission not to know me, but I am putting my name out there now. 

This work is divine and awesome! This past week teaching the Plan of Salvation, without even thinking I compared it to a baby and to me it was real weird but the guy we were teaching understood it perfectly. Honestly I don't even remember all of what I did but he gets the point and that's what is important. It was so cool to see how the Spirit can help us teach to the understanding of those we are teaching. I know this church is true and love the gospel.

Elder Hendricks 

1. Sign Board at our building

2&3. When we got lost 

Kenema is Sweet! (3/11/19)

This past week has been awesome.

Kenema is pretty big but it is super spread out.  But let me tell you guys, it is awesome to see other missionaries than just the ones in your apartment. In Kenema there is 6 sets of Elders and 2 sets of Sisters. So every so often we will all meet and the ice cream shop after proselyting or like today we all played soccer and Frisbee.  

In terms of my new area it is absolutely huge. I have been trying to find the best way to describe the area but I am having trouble. We cover it all on foot which makes it seem a lot bigger than it is but there are a lot of areas where Elder Abad has never been, and he's been in this area for almost 6 months. 

Kpayama area consists of 7 different towns and at first I compared it to the Selah valley but that might be a stretch, but hey on Thursday we walked an hour and twenty minutes to an appointment and my companions said if we really wanted to we could have kept going. And yesterday we went to the other side of the area and that took like 45 minutes and he said we could have gone over the next hill and that entire valley was in our area too. Needless to say I don't think I will be running out of ideas on what to do in this area. When in doubt go exploring to where the missionaries have never been and see what type of people are out there. 

The people we are teaching are super cool too. We don't work as much with members in this area but it's nice because the branch is a lot stronger here than in Moyamba. We even sent a young man on a mission this week, and are sending another in April. Both to Nigeria. Speaking of the branch my first Sunday was a real eventful one. The branch president had been serving since 2014 so as you can probably guess my first Sunday we got an entirely new branch presidency and the entire district presidency was there. I bore my testimony in a full house and was even told by some members that my Krio was perfect, so that was nice to hear because I never really know if what I am saying is right. 

We had a Zone Council meeting this past week and discussed our Zone Vision. We want to understand the why behind the Doctrine of Christ, Teach as the Savior taught, and bury our weapons of war like the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's. While these are our goals to be better missionaries I think they can apply to members of the church on how to be better disciple of Christ, and also just regular people on how to become a better person. I will keep you updated on how it works out through this transfer.

I know this church is true. It is truly awesome that I get this chance to teach people. Yeah its hard especially when its hot (it was between 90-100 degrees) but the joy and change that I see in peoples life makes it all worth it. 

Elder Hendricks

1. Elder Abad and I, after having my last two companions be 6'5" and 6'4" and I am just happy I don't feel short again. 

I don komot (3/4/19)

After 5 long transfers and 7 months I have come out of the bush. I am currently serving in Kenema and will be for the foreseeable future! 

This past week was a good one for Elder Flake and I. After we got back from Bo I was able to email but he was not, so Tuesday he emailed. So Tuesday we saw some people but most of it was just sitting in the apartment. Kind of boring but he had to email. 

This past week one of the secondary schools (basically high schools) had their sports. Sports is basically like track and field but the school divides into 4 teams and they compete against each other. We had a few members, recent converts, and investigators all competing so we decided to test our luck. It was a hoot. It was an all girls school and Elder Flake and I found ourselves laughing a lot. Because not only do they have track and field events they also add events such as potato sack races. tug of war, and musically chairs. Really funny to watch.

Later that night we received our transfer news. And low and behold I was transferred to Kenema. Kenama is the 2nd biggest city in Sierra Leone and it is in the eastern province of the country close to the border with Liberia. That's about all I know about it.

Saturday we had a baptism for Brother Andrew. We had been teaching Brother Andrew ever since I switched into that area and it was super cool to see his desire to be baptized and make the covenants with Heavenly Father. Also it was awesome to see how he could stop drinking and smoking weed so quickly.  

Saturday and Sunday then turned into days of goodbye. Because I served in both areas I had a lot of people to say goodbye to and to be honest it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. I took a lot of photos. Sunday I was able to bare my testimony and give my last goodbyes. At around 5 pm the couple missionaries from Bo came and picked Elder Vele and I up. Elder Vele got transferred to Freetown for his last transfer. We arrived in Bo around 7 pm and sleep in the apartment with AC.

This morning around 10 am we left for Kenema and arrived around 10:45. We're I met me new companion Elder Abad. He is from the Philippines and is a real cool guy. The apartment we live in has two other sets of missionaries so 6 total and has water and solar polar so we enjoy. Kenema also has restaurants and a super market. 

I know that this Gospel is true. I was super happy to serve in Moyamba and sad to leave. But I know that the Lord wants me in Kenema and I am excited to serve the people are share the Good News!

Elder Hendricks 

1. Elder Flake and I with Andrew and his baptism. 

2. Elder Vele and I with some young men from the branch

3. Sister Musu, she owned the snack shack by our apartment. 

4. The baby that was named after Elder Applegarth 

Catholic Mass (2/25/19)

Last week I was greeted by a wonderful announcement that I am able to talk to my family every week. How cool is that! While I thought it would be a little weird it wasn't at all and it made this week awesome.  

This past Tuesday marks 7 months since I have lived in Africa, crazy how fast it goes. And it was a great day. Sister Konie in the branch had her mother die (not great) but the burial was this past Saturday, and Sierra Leone culture is to have people over all week so we were there a lot. Tuesday we went and ate there and then went on with our day. It ended teaching a man that we have been teaching ever since my first day in the field. Its a real funny story because the same time I was transferred across Moyamba he moved across Moyamba so I got to continue to teach him. Which isn't always good because sometimes he can be not serious. But Tuesday was one of the most spiritual lessons I've had and it was awesome that I was able to bare my testimony of Joseph and the Restoration of Jesus Christ's Church. I haven't cried from the spirit teaching yet, and that was for sure the closest I have come.

I then went home baked and cake and proceeded to eat it all and drink a whole bottle of sparkling cider to celebrate. I then felt really sick. 

Also this week our Zone Leader came for exchanges. It was nice but they never proselyted with us, just stayed for District Mtg and then thought there job was done and left, kinda strange but we didn't complain. 

Friday we got a call in the morning from Sister Konie asking us to come help set up for the funeral after gathering at her house the next day. We don't get asked to do a lot of service so I was excited to be able to help. When we got there at 8 am she told us to go sit down and wait for the other men coming. Next thing we know there is a plate of rice and applesauce. Turns out there was no service, she just wanted to feed us. And get this, we went back at 2 pm for more food.

Saturday was the burial, and Sister Konie's mom was Catholic. We thought it would just be a memorial type service, but nope it was full blown Catholic Mass. The four of us missionaries had to bit our lips more than a number of times to not bust out laughing. 2 and a half hours later we were back eating more food at Konie's. This time African fried rice!

This morning we went to Bo at 4 am for a Zone activity and it was super fun, we played basketball and it was super fun to see other missionaries and have the chance to buy more peanut butter. Transfers are this coming week, so who knows maybe my time seven and a half months in the bush might be coming to end.  

This week has been awesome and I can't wait to see what is in store of sharing the Gospel and my testimony that what I am doing is true. The Gospel has brought me such joy in my young life and I love the chance that I get to share it with others.

Elder Hendricks 

1. My new friend, Isatu 

2. 7 Months with Cake and cider 

3. I am really good a doing girls hair haha