French Toast and Ping Pong (9/9/19)

Let me tell you, living in Sierra Leone never ceases to excite.

First off it was off and on raining all week once again. Which means that there multiple times when I got soaked from the rain, but also many times when it was 90 and sunny and I got soaked from my sweat. Super Fun!

The highlight of my week was my exchange with Elder Tuione. It happened on Wednesday and part of the highlight was their apartment. They have one of the nicest apartments in the mission and on that exchange I did two things that I hadn't done in a long time. First I slept in AC. It was the first time that had happened since I was being transferred to Kenema. And then in the morning I took a warm shower. Like warm water came out of the shower head above my head. They have a water heater and it was the first time since the MTC I had taken a warm shower. Yes you would be correct when you think wow that was 396 days between warm showers for Elder Hendricks. 

Okay back to the actual exchange, Elder Tuione is half Tongan and from Heriman Utah (lol to anyone that gets it). He went to Riverton High School and has been out just over 6 months. He is super dope and we had an awesome time. We even taught I dude that lived in Canada for like 15 years so we taught in perfect english. Also side note, the guy from Canada said Washington was the best state, so even people in Sierra Leone know.

The rest of the week went pretty much as planned and we are teaching some really cool people. We were given a new person to teach by our soon to be new Ward Mission Leader. His name is Isaac and he came to church on Sunday and really has a desire to learn so stay tuned about him.

A while ago I shared about a man named Sylvester Kabia. After I shared about him he kinda went awol. But he's back and better then ever and tonight we are going to give him a baptismal date for the end on the month. As you can see "No Unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing". 

Saturday night was our party. We had a district activity of making french toast and playing ping pong. Your boy cranked out about 80 slices of french toast and took 2nd in the district ping pong tournament. Elder Tuione worked me in the final but hey what can I do, hes half Tongan. 

All is well!

Elder Hendricks 

1. Views

2. 95% of hair you see in Sierra Leone is fake, so one member let me try her wig, I was told I looked like a mix between Jesus and a punk rock drummer. 

3. New Phone... who dis

4. French Toast with Elder Tuione 

Bellevue Born (9/2)

This week was full of adventure. 

What I forgot to mention in last weeks email is that we had been like four days without power. At all nothing. So it was an interesting weekend. And to start last week, it started on a good note. We got our generator fixed and the power came back on. Also the office elders brought us new mattresses. Which means that I don't have to cram four pillows under my mattress just to not hit the slats in the bed.

Wednesday I went on exchange with Elder Lunga. Elder Lunga is from South Africa and is hilarious. And we like a lot of the same music and movies and such so we had a really enjoyable exchange talking with each other as well as teaching the gospel.  

Thursday it rained a ton. And Friday and Saturday were ho hum days. 

This week as we were teaching I thought of something that blew my mind. Why I am here? Not why I decided to come on a mission, or my motivation. But physically why I am here? The answer is all very simple when you think about it. 

Because on 14 year old boy in upstate New York had a question, and even more importantly, had the courage to ask that question. Because Joseph Smith asked God which sect to join I am in Sierra Leone today. 

As we were walking into the church compound the other day an elder turned to me and said, "do you ever look at this building, and just think, this is because a 14 year old boy?". I had not, but now I can not stop. 

The knowledge of that just adds on to my testimony that The Church is true. There is no way that it is not. I was listening to a devotional yesterday by Elder Lawrence Flake where he talks about the pioneers. I invite all to listen to it and hear the words of a General Authority, because he can say it better than I.

Elder Hendricks 

1. View from our area

2. Even In Africa I am still Bellevue Boujee

3. This shoes didn't make it, the heel fell off during church yesterday. 

I am a Happy Boy (8/26)

As many of you know, before I went on mission, my life pretty much revolved around two things. Golf and Root Beer. As many of you know, I have not been able to play golf here yet but, a few weeks ago while I was in the hospital it just so happened golf suddenly appeared on the tv. I have no idea how it got there but it satisfied the craving I had. Well back to this past week. I FOUND ROOT BEER!!!!! I have been looking for the past 13 months with no avail until Saturday. I was so happy (see picture) and it tasted amazing and didn't even last 24 hours but who cares, now I know where to find it. 

In terms of this past week Elder Schwenke and I are having a good time. Sometimes Elder Schwenke is like a 12 year old in a good way so it makes for a lot of laughs. Probably the most memorable experience this week was a meal that a young women in our ward gave us. We went to teach her and she said she had food to which as I was hungry I said yes, not knowing the doom that lurked before me. That doom was Foo Foo and Sawa Sawa.  You all remember my last experience with Foo Foo and this time it was with Sawa Sawa, which is Krio for Sour sour. And let me tell you it was sour to the tongue all right. Let just say I did my best and Elder Schwenke did not attempt. As we struggled through it the young women laughed and when I had finally tapped out she informed us that she too did not like this meal and gave it to us to watch us suffer. How Kind of her right?

Elder Funk, in our apartment, got his new companion straight from the MTC this week, Elder Langwani from Zimbabwe. He's cool so we are all chilling doing our thing. Sunday morning Chef William came out to play as I whipped out some nice french toast for everyone in the apartment. Best thing was because I cooked I didn't have to pay for it. 

This past week i studied President Eyrings talk from last Priesthood Session, "The Power of Sustaining Faith". And let me tell you it was awesome, if you haven't read it for yourself I invite you to and change. What I got out of it is that truly sustaining our leaders is more than just raising the right hand but, showing them through our actions. I think as member of The Church we can all do better with this and work more to help and lift others. He talks of sustaining faith in the home as well, or showing love to each other and supporting each other. It is very ironic but as I have been away from my own family I have come to a greater knowledge of the Love and Support that I can count on from them, and I hope that I too can reciprocate that love and support. 

Elder Hendricks   

1. I Love Root Beer

2. Foo foo and Sawa sawa

3. You have to remember we are still a bunch of 19 and 20 year old boys

4. My gourmet Sunday breakfast

Video: Rainy Season at its best 

Another Great One! (8/19)

This week was another great one. Not a bunch happened until the ending of the week but it was still great. 

Friday night was our transfer news, that also turned into me cutting three different elders hair. But what made it so cool was that we ate at Chicken Cham. Chicken Cham smells and tastes a whole lot like KFC so it was well worth the 60,000 Le. Turns out Elder Schwenke and I will be staying together another transfer (no surprise there as we are only half way through his training.)

Saturday started early and it was wet. Saturday was the Africa West Day of Service. So all around West Africa all members of the Church were doing service. And it decided to poor rain for us so that was super fun. And the people that planned the project didn't quite plan it out perfectly. The project was supposed to be planting try by the ocean. Well no one checked the tide charts (they needed you Mom) so when we go there we found that the site to plant was covered with 3 feet of water. So it was a nice service project of just standing there wondering what to do for an hour before we went back. Oops but I guess we can try again later. 

Saturday afternoon came around and the sun came out just in time for our baptism. It was combined 3 ward baptism and it was very nice. Our own person being baptized was 11- year old Oedette. She a little nervous but it went awesome and it was my companions first time baptizing in English so it was a good experience for all.  

This past week I was listening to a devotional by Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy, titled "Avoid It". In this devo he talked about how it is a lot easier to avoid temptation rather to resist it. I could not agree more with him that by reading or scriptures daily, praying with sincere desire, and remembering the Savior in our everyday life, Satan will have no power over us. As it read in 1 Nephi 22 verse 15, "the time cometh speedily that Satan has no more power". How fast that time comes is ultimatly up to us and our desire. 

Elder Hendricks 

1. Chicken Cham 

2. Baptism 

3. All 3 wards 

4. We have the nicest Chapel in the country!

Back At It (8/12)

This past week was a lot better than last week because I was healthy. I felt totally fine and I was able to work as normal, and more importantly eat as normal.  

This week was pretty normal in terms of work, although it did rain a ton. And when I say a ton I mean a ton. Everyday it rained which meant that everyday we got wet. So that get real annoying after a few times. Because unlike in America where you just run from your car to inside. Here we have to go everywhere in the rain...walking. Makes for some wet times. 

In other news this week, third time is the charm. Finally the third camera my mother sent me finally arrived and all is well. So now you can expect some fire pictures from me for the rest of my mission. 

Sunday morning it rained so hard so our church attendance was lacking a little bit, and church struggled small. But will partaking of the Sacrament I looked back at what I had studied this past week in Romans chapters 5 and 6. 

As I read these versus in the chapters my knowledge and understanding of the Atonement of Jesus increased greatly. And yesterday as I partook of the Sacrament I could not help but to think of his mercy and the love that He has for we. And that our part is to strive to do that is right, 

Romans 6 versus 16 states that it is up to us. " Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

We must always be aware and caution whom you yield yourself to.

Elder Hendricks 

1.Squad up at Church 

Guaranteed Weight Loss Program (8/5)

As most of you know, this past week was an adventure of a life time. But I'll start from the beginning...

Tuesday we had Zone Conference. This was the first zone conference that President and Sister Harper planned. They wanted to make it more warm and "homey" so they held it in their Apartment. Their apartment is way nice and way clean. One of the cleanest places I have ever seen in this country for sure. And the conference was amazing. I learned so much and took away lots of things on how I ca n become and better missionary and person in life for that matter as well. Also their apartment has couches, so that part was really nice. A nice couch is one in a million in this country and theirs are the best. After wards it was pouring rain and late so we made no bake cookies and played ping pong. It was a nice day. 

Wednesday Elder Hadlock and I went on exchange. Elder Hadlock and I agree on every level of everything, except two things. Which is better, Seattle or Salt Lake? And who is better, BYU or Utah St? So as you can imagine we get along very well and have a blast any time that we are together. We straight balled out doing missionary work that day and it was awesome.

Also that day was Elder Schwenke's 19th birthday. So late that night we went to a different chicken place that tasted exactly like KFC. 

Now on to the part ya'll have all been waiting for...

Friday morning at 1:30 am I woke up with the chills. Laying in bed for an hour I decided I needed to get up and do something about it. So i got up and put on all the coats that I have. Mindful its still like 75 degrees outside. I was still shivering so I heated up water and stuck my feet in it and that finally did that trick. But I still didnt feel that great so when I went back to bed I made sure I had a bucket...good thing because 30 minutes later, I hurled. And 30 minutes after that, and 30 minutes after that. Finally it was 6:30 am and I called the nurse and we went to the clinic to get a malaria test. When we got back I rested and ate some Choco Rings. Around 2:30 pm I threw them all up and was then tolf by Sister Moomey that I need to go to the Hospital to be seen by the MD.

Now this Hospital is nice. Its private and rivals the Harper's Apartment for cleanest building in Sierra Leone. There I had test done and the doctor informed me I had Typhoid. YAYYYY! At least its not malaria right. 

And I got to stay the night in the hospital, actually 2 nights! But don't feel bad, the food there was amazing and there was AC. I had pancakes for the first time in over a year so we were chilling. I was released Sunday Afternoon and the only thing that made me mad was I missed a baptism for one of our investigators. But don't worry at all. Today I woke up felling 100% fine and totally have the energy to do things. This afternoon I even ate 2 eggs burgers so I would say I am doing just fine. Now to gain those 20 pounds back. 

In the hospital I read the story of Paul getting bit by the serpent yet not having an effects in Acts 29.  I could not help but laugh to myself about the situation that I was in. My mother often likes to compare me with Paul as we are both studying Come Follow Me at the same time, and while I didn't have no reaction today I feel fine, and will even continue the work. I know that it is because Heavenly Father is watching over us. All of us whether we are his full time missionaries or just his children. He cares for us and will protect us.

Elder Hendricks 

1.The great Choco Rings!

2. Balling up in the Hospital 

Let the Good Times Roll (7/29)

This week was not bad at all, it was even Good!

Elder Scwenke's English is getting better and better and he is talking more and more in the lessons, which makes my life easier. Now we just have to get him to understand Krio so he can talk back to them, because we are still at the point where he just stares blankly at them, but small small we are trying!

This week we had an awesome experience. When I first got to Tengbeh Town, one of the first people we taught was Brother Kabia. He is an older gentleman that does almost every kind of manual labor you can think of. When we first started teaching him it was going nicely, we were teaching him every other day and he was coming to church, but the past month he hasn't come to church at all and everytime we hike up the big hill to his house, he hasn't been there. But on Tuesday I felt that we should walk and teach him, good and well knowing that he probably won't be there, he'll be at work. So when I told my companion to hike up the hill he looked at me like I was crazy and we went up the hill. To our astonishment he was there, and we got to teach him, but that's not the crazy part. 

The last lesson we had taught him was the Law of Chastity so by nature the next lesson we had left him to study was Tithing and Fast Offerings. So we taught the lesson and it went well he asked nice questions and understood it and even commited to pay his tithes. Now comes the cool part, he asked if he could share something during the lesson, i obliged and he proceeded to share the just the day before he had been listening to some pastor from another church preach about tithes on the radio. What he heard didn't sit right with him and he wished that we were there to help him, and boom we showed up the next day. Tell me that wasn't the Spirit, you can't. 

Other than that Elder Faddis and I went on exchange and had a nice time teaching some people. All is well and the rainy season has started here. It pours rain everyday and I mean pour. Everytime we leave with umbrella or not we get soaked, like soaked. Yesterday it looked like we went swimming. But at least its cool, and I never thought my feet would be cold, but when they get wet and its 75 degrees I freeze. 

Elder Hendricks