She's a mighty nice sister missionary and she makes great cake.

Marlene was holding back branches so Sister Roggia and I could snap pictures of the missionaries.  Sister Roggia turned and snapped a picture of her assistant.

 The Carlos family from Waterloo.  We saw them at the Freetown East District Conference.

 The Carlos family on their way home.  There were seven branches in attendance and with everyone there we had three cars and a motorcycle in the parking lot.  Almost everyone walks or comes by taxi.

Brother Charles, S&I Director for Sierra Leone, and his "auntie".

 

 The Grafton Branch chartered a poda (van taxi) to attend conference.  People pack in the poda podas like sardines.

 Thanksgiving with President and Sister Roggia and the other senior couples.

Finishing some delicious chocolate cream pie.

 Sierra Leone held their national election on the 17th of November.  Marion Campbell shows off her voter registration card and her inked finger to prove she voted.  Marion has applied to go on a mission and she will be the first 19 year old female missionary from Sierra Leone.  She speaks excellent English.

 Elder Aniabre and Elder Bogh enjoying Sister Lauritzen's chocolate cake at the Freetown East District Conference.

 Left to right, Elders Walker, Woodhead, Serafine and McDonald.  Elder McDonald says, "Hi, Mom."  They have had trouble with the internet staying up at their Waterloo internet cafe so there have been no emails to home for two weeks.

 President and Sister Roggia.  They gave great training at our conference.

 The assistants, Elders Barth and Appleby hovering over Sister Lauritzen's cake.  The few extra slices never made it home.  Where did they go?

 The sisters:  Sister Lauritzen and Sister Roggia.

 The whole Freetown East District.  Great young men ... every one!

Freetown East District High Councilman, Brother Moses, showed up after our conference.  He was one of the first five Sierra Leoneans baptized at Lumley Beach in Freetown almost twenty years ago.

 Elders McDonald and Woodhead at the Grafton apartment.

 Moving day at Grafton.  The Waterloo elders and the Rokel elders left the Grafton apartment and moved to the new Waterloo apartment.  The mission is expanding.  The young man in the center always hangs out at the Grafton elders' apartment.

 

 The whole gang before the split.  From left to right:  Elder Aniabre, Elder Woodhead, Elder Iheanacho, Elder Bogh, Elder McDonald, Elder Serafine, Elder Nwoso, and Elder Hovley.

 Elder Bogh and a dismembered fan.  Said today, "This is the best mission in the world."

 Elder Aniabre ... the district leader for the new Waterloo District ... a quiet but mature missionary and a natural leader.

The new Waterloo District, left to right:  Elder Hovley, Elder McDonald, Elder Bogh and Elder Aniabre.

 

The moving is done.  It's just about time to go hunt down something for dinner.

 Sister Burton, General Relief Society President and Sister Dalton, General Young Women's President visited Freetown on the 7th, 8th and 9th of November.  We had dinner with them at the Country Lodge on the 8th along with government leaders, local Church leaders and Elder Sitati.  Sister Sitati is in the front row on the left.

 Sisters Burton and Dalton with Sierra Leone government officials.

 

 President Swarray is president of the Freetown District.  It was announced two days ago that his district will be made a stake in three weeks.  Elder Holland is coming to create the stake.  It will be the first stake in Sierra Leone.  That will be an historic event.

 Elder Sitati and his wife spoke to us.  Elder Sitati made this simple event a memorable one for us.  Marlene and I both felt this little dinner was the best part of the visit and it will probably remain a spiritual highlight of our mission.  Sister Sitati is humble and gentle.  Marlene really likes her.

 President and Sister Roggia, our mission leaders.  They have done great things with the missionaries and the Church in Sierra Leone and Liberia.  They are both from Montana!

President Jonathan Kpullum (ignore the K when you say his name), and Elder Lauritzen.  President Kpullum is president of the Freetown East District.  He readily admits that he speaks very fast and I have to work hard to understand him, but I enjoy working with him.  He has a great sense of humor.  He and his wife rode together to the meeting on the back of an okada (motorcycle taxi).  They were going home the same way.

 Visited the Grafton polio camp after church.  There are about 400 people in the camp and 40 children in the polio camp orphanage.  Everyone has a job.  This little girl was washing clothes.  She isn't showing it here but she was thrilled to get her picture taken.

 More polio camp orphans helping with laundry.

 This little girl was using a traditional African broom to clean the area in front of the orphanage.  She seemed happy to be contributing.

 This little baby was born a month ago in the polio camp.  The mother died of malaria about two weeks later.  The lady in red agreed to be the surrogate mother.  She said, "I have a new son."

 This young man was ironing clothes using a charcoal heated iron.

 Elder and Sister Burns are our humanitarian service couple and they are trying to get wheel chairs that fit the children through the LDS Church's Humanitarian Services Department.

 Rice paddies and gardens along the river on the Grafton road.

Wash day at the river on the back road to Grafton.