All I Want For Christmas is an Exterminator (12/23/2019)

AND WE GOT IT!

This past week we had Santa Claus come in the form of a Sierra Leone man with a bunch of chemicals to kill all the coackroaches. He came on Wednesday and had a bunch of fun spraying our coackroach filled apartment. To quote our Branch President, he had never seen a place of earth with more coackroaches...but no they are gone so we tell God tenki, as they say in Krio.

This week as well Elder Sabau's new companion came from the MTC, Elder Gallano from the Philippines.  He has a bunch of energy and is funny and love the area so it is fun to be together.

Also on Friday we had our Branch party which involved the missionaries doing a dance and a bunch of food and laughing. Good times where had by all and I think it allowwd some people to see that being a member of this church is more than just Sunday worshipping.

This week being Christmas we have some plans to eat a bunch and visit some members but something I have grown to enjoy is the time that I get to study and learn about the birth of Jesus Christ. Earlier this season when singing the classic song Away in a Manger the thrid versus really stuck out to me.

Be near me, Lord Jesus

I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever

And love me, I pray

Bless all the dear children

In Thy tender care

And take us to Heaven

To live with Thee there

And I couldn't stop thinking about the joy and peace that I have because the Savior was born. He is near me. He is close by. And he does love me. And becuase of his birth, and ultimately his Atoning Sacrifice we can be taken to Heaven and live with Him, and his Father. I hope that this Christmas you all can focus on the peace and joy we have from his birth, and share it with someone that needs that knowledge. 

Elder Hendricks

1.The branch presidents son, he is fat and not even 6 months 

2. Dead cockroaches after the exterminator 

3. The Kunz leave this Saturday

4. My companion and I at the river that boarders Guinea 

Christmas Conference (12/16/2019)

This week was our Christmas Zone conference. It was in Bo, which is 4 hours away from Kailahun. We didn't proselyte much this week because the travel but we still had a nice week. Tuesday we had a normal day and then Wednesday we set off for Kenema. 

The drive from Kailahun to Kenema is a little over 2 and a half hours on very dusty roads. By the time we got to Kenema we were very relieved to be able to stop there for the night. And there we enjoyed. Kailahun doesn't have any restaurants or anything like that so the first thing we did was go eat and enjoy. That night too the whole zone went to the hotel in town and I had a very delicious pizza. 

The next morning we woke up at 5am and got ready so that we could be in Bo for the conference, which is about an hour away from Kenema. When we arrived in Bo we learned that Sister Harper wouldn't be attending the conference because she wasn't feeling well. And we were the first ones there so we just met President Harper sitting in his car. 

The conference was nice and it was really good to see some old companions and even Elder Barker gave his final testimony because he goes home tomorrow. Even some couples are going home. The Kunz and the Moomey's are both leaving right after Christmas and I have loved the last year and a half I have spent with them and will miss them.

That night we went back to Kenema and were going to the spend the night before heading back to Kailahun the next morning. We were sitting down discussing how the conference was nice but it didn't put us in the Christmas spirit too much. When all of a sudden we heard trumpets, trombones, and drums from right outside our door playing Christmas songs. Nothing like 4 Sierra Leoneans playing Christmas music for you to get you in the Holiday spirit. We gave them 6,000 leones and Light the World pass along cards for their efforts. 

Being in Sierra Leone is an interesting experience. You don't see lights or trees and you certainly don't see any snow. But I love it because it allows me to focus solely on the Savior. While listening to a devotional by Elder D. Todd Christofferson he made the point that there would be no Christmas if it wasn't for Easter. Which is very true, but all things have a beginning and Christmas is the wonderful to celebrate the beginning of our Savior's life. And remember all the joy and peace that we have because the Savior was born the night in Bethlehem. 

 

Elder Hendricks 

1. The Moomey's (she was the mission nurse, so all the times i've been sick she is to thank)

2. Our musicians

Biking (12/09/2019)

Some years ago after biking the John Wayne trail for a high adventure, after returning home I was unloading my bike from the back of our truck and on the way down the driveway it slipped and sliced my ankle open. Lets just say I was not very happy and I remember vowing to Gary that I would never get on a bike again. And I didn't...until last Wednesday.

Last Wednesday I went on exchange with Elder Wagner. He is from American Fork and has been on his mission for a little over four months now. Their area is big and he said we should take bikes so we did. And let me tell you bikes in Sierra Leone are sketchy. His bike didn't have breaks, mine only the front brakes worked and neither of our gears worked. But we made do and I actually enjoyed it until the last appointment of the day. When we were about 3 miles from our apartment I hit a rock or something and the tire bent and no longer turned. Wonderful as I got to push a bike 3 miles back to the apartment when the back tire didn't turn. Lets just say...I slept well that night. 

Other than that, the week was very uneventful. Elder Abad and I are plugging along. 

In my studies this week I had the chance to study the words of Christ. I mean all the scripture are the words of Christ but this week specifically was 3 Nephi. ANd it truly has been awesome to study His words leading up to the holiday where we celebrate His birth. And while focusing on Light the World One by One, It has been eye opening to see that the words that He shares to the Nepites are great examples of how we can light the world today.

Elder Hendricks 

My wonderful bike  

Thanksgiving (12/2/2019)

My temporal highlight for the week is that I dropped my phone in a bucket of water, and it's okay! In fact in still works perfectly. I went to pick up a bucket of water to mop our apartment, using the same hand that had my phone in it and it made a splash. But don't worry the Nokia bricks are just as durable as people make them sound. 

My spiritual highlight for the week was held during Sunday church. On Saturday Elder and Sister Kunz came to Kailahun to hold a training on Gospel Literacy. So as we sat in on that, they trained member of the branch council to lead discussions on Sunday during second hour. During Sunday second hour I had the chance to sit in and help those leading the discussion. The purpose of this was to find those in the branch that don't know how to read or write and offer them some help. But it also helped the members learn that they can have a Gospel lesson in their homes from just a picture. The struggle in this country is that most people don't have a high enough education to have the confidence to study or have family home evenings in their homes. Through the Gospel Literacy program we help those that need help as well as show how easy it is to study about Jesus Christ.

Thursday was Thanksgiving! Which doesn't exist in Sierra Leone, but we tried to make the best of it. We had a very nice day of proselyting and the sun was very warm. And by very warm I mean it was in the 90's with a lot of humidity so there was a lot of sweat.  For our Thanksgiving feast we decided to make fried rice. It was terrible. I don't know what happened but the rice didn't cook very well and all stuck together and it looked more like oatmeal than fried rice. But we had a good time. 

This week was spent contacting and talking to a lot of people again, and still not a lot to come out of it. But hey this week our branch president gave us a referral that even came to church yesterday, so things are looking up for us. 

One scripture that really stood out to me this week was Alma 34:8. Amuleks testimony of Jesus Christ. "I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people,and that he shall atone for the sins of the world". This scripture stood out to me because it is very plain and simple. Amulek could not be more straight forward, and I like that. Why jump around it when you can be bold. This Christmas season I invite you to boldly share your testimony of the Savior just as Amulek did. Because I know he lives. And I know that he truly did take upon him our transgressions, and this is the time to celebrate his birth!

Elder Hendricks 

1.We found the prison!

2. Me and my boys aka my branch missionaries (Ibrahim and Tengbeh)

3. Walking to an appointment 

4.Sunset on Thanksgiving 

5. Our attempt on fried rice 

Kenema is a STAKE! (11/25/2019)

This past week there was a special district/stake conference presided by Elder Edward Dube of the Seventy in Kenema. Kailahun is about a 2 hour drive from Kenema but was under the Kenema District. Until this weekend when Kenema was officially recognized as the Kenema Sierra Leone Stake of Zion. 

Friday the wonderful Elder and Sister Kunz drove all the way out to Kailahun to set up an internet modem which allowed us to stream all sessions of Stake Conference as Elder Kunz would film them. What they thought would be an hour visit turned into five when they found that the chapel generator had blown a rod and needed to be repaired before the conference. But Satan couldn't stop us, and we got it fixed friday night. 

Saturday morning and afternoon we were the tech specialists for the branch as they were able to watch the conference. And it was an awesome conference. Great speaker and power testimonies were boren. The attendance was subpar for the branch which was a little disheartening but the First Lady was in town on Saturday so everyone and their mom went to see Fatima Bio, so i contribute the poor attendance to that. 

This week the work was slow. Kailahun isn't like a lot of my other areas where investigators just fall into your hands. It is a fairly new branch and our section on has about half a dozen members living inside. So we have spent most of our time walking around doing the equivalent of knocking on doors. (We can't knock on doors because no one is every inside). But I feel that I might as well be knocking on doors in the USA because no one is taking our message. But we just got a referral from our Branch President that seems really solid so hopefully we can meet with her and start teaching her about the Gospel. 

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving this week, as there is no such thing as Thanksgiving in Sierra Leone, I think that it is best if we truly slow down and really think about how much we thank those that we love. The Church put out a video titled "Think to Thank" and I encourage all to watch it. Being away from my family has made me realize how thankful I am for them and what they have done for me. Growing up in a gospel centered is the best thing that they could have done for me and seeing people in the world seeing lots of people that didn't have that opportunity has made me become more thankful for the little things. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Elder Hendricks 

2.Watching Stake Conference

1. View from our Apartment 

3. For everyone who wonders what my shower looks like. 

Oh the Irony (11/18/2019)

Most of you that know me, know that I love the city. I loved growing up in Seattle and thanks to my wonderful mother, we were in downtown Seattle a bunch. Due to this I have concluded that I need to live the rest of my life by a major city as I love the hustle and bustle as well and the accessibility to everything around me. You might even remember that when I moved to Provo for my freshman year, I was concerned because it felt like a small town.

You might also remember that when I started my mission I was directly sent to Moyamba, the bush of Sierra Leone. Well after 7 and a half months I made it out alive and even enjoyed some time in Kenema, a small city, and Freetown, the big city. So you can imagine my expression when I learned last week that I was transferred to Kailahun. Yeet again another bush of Sierra Leone, only this one even farther from the city. But nonetheless, all is well. 

Kailahun is right on the border with Guinea, infact just a mile and half walk from our apartment to the river that is the border. Kailahun is pronounce like Kai-Lounge with out the G sound, if that doesn't make any sense, ask my mom how to say it, I told her over the phone.  Oh and to make things even weirder my companion is Elder Abad...again. 

Kailahun is really nice though, I would say that it is a little bigger than Moyamba in size of people but to be honest I have no idea. The branch is a little bigger but then again I left Moyamaba 8 months ago so right now they could be the same size. I do know that both branches were created within the same 3 months back in the summer of 2017. 

So this past week was filled with lots of exploring. The teaching pool that I inherited wasn't that strong so we spent a lot of time walking around and getting familiar with the area. As a result of that we were able to talk to a bunch of people about the gospel. Three weeks ago when Elder Nash came part of the conference and guidance he gave was about the simplicity of contacting someone on the streets. Ever since he shared that with us I have realized just how easy it is. So last week we ended up talking to and inviting a bunch of people to church. 

You can only imagine the joy I felt when not a single one came to church on Sunday. Not even one. But no problem, maybe at some future time they will change their minds or another missionary will find them. I always have to remind myself, it took almost 7 years for my mom to join the church and patience is a Christ-like attribute. 

This past week I started reading Church History in the Fullness of Times. Church history is awesome and I have already learned lots. But the part the stood out to me the most was about The First Vision. President Nelson has challenged us before the next conference to think about how our lives would be different if the First Vision never occurred. For starters, I wouldn't be in Kailahun right now. But it has a lot more involved. My life in completely different because Joseph Smith went into the grove of trees to pray. 

These words that Joseph spake stand out to me everytime I read them, In Joseph Smith History 1:25 "So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two aPersonages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation."

I invite you to reread Joseph Smith's testimony and the history about the First Vision as well and think about the question that President Nelson asked?

Elder Hendricks 

1. Me in Kailahun Bush

2.Walking in our area

3.More of the area

R.I.P. Free Meals (11/4/2019)

This week was an action packed week, but we will start with what I call the Milkshake Miracle.

This past week we received a blender from the mission office, which is a luxury in this country. Most apartments don't have blenders but we pulled some strings and talked to the right people and got a blender. So Saturday we prepared and froze some water to make ice, and we added bananas, chocolate powder, milk powder, and sweet condensed milk and started blending. Well it turns out that the blender sucked. Couldn't blend the ice and it was even turning off. And after one time we could not get it back on to save our lives. Elder Hadlock was frustrated and exclaimed "why is this not working" me being the great disciple of Jesus Christ that I am, suggested to pray. Elder Blatter was laughing so hard he couldn't pray so I took it upon myself to call upon the Lord. When I was finished we turned on the blender to have it perfectly blend everything together, and we enjoyed our milkshakes. Tell Me Gods not real...you can't. 

Anyways this week was our Mission Tour with Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Seventy. Thursday on Halloween, no Sierra Leone doesn't celebrate Halloween, we all went to Kissy stake center and was spiritually uplifted by a General Authority. To start the meeting we all lined up and shock him and his wife's hand. I got multiple hugs, turns out being from Seattle and being in President Dance's stake growing up has some benefits. 

Elder Nash's message was based on Ether 12:41.  "And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen."

He talked about how this scripture changed his life when he was a teenager and read it for the first time. And how we as Missionaries must also seek Jesus as well. To help us on our way he gave us some new guidelines for us as missionaries.

One of those new guidelines is that members can no longer feed us. This is to try and cut down the amount of time that we spend at members. He wants us to spend 5 minutes or less sharing a spiritual experience and then leave. So it will take some time to get used to but it will be good for the members.  Some members have already voiced their frustration to us but it will be interesting to see.

I love this Gospel and can't wait to continue to share how I am seeking Jesus Christ 

Elder Hendricks 

1. Milkshake Miracle 

 2.Favor and I

3. Mission President came on sunday