A Sierra Leone Freetown Mission twist on an old early nineties favorite. Bellair is an area around Freetown in Sierra Leone. In Nov 2011 there was a new branch created and named the Bellair Park Branch.
Jarren will be serving in the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission in West Africa for two years (Apr 2011-2013)
Friday, December 30, 2011
African Football
Football is a mojor sport in Africa, even for the missionaries on preparation day. I don't think all the players are missionaries from Jarren's mission but I recognize several who are. When Jarren sends pictures there have been several from the football field.
And there you have it!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Man on a Mission: Christmas
This past weekend was our Christmas Conference. We got to watch two
movies. A Christmas Carol and Megamind. A Christmas on Friday and
Megamind on Saturday. We came back that night. We left on Thursday
afternoon.
Oh I also forgot to tell you. Elder Moss was transfered to BO. Elder
Jenkins, Purcell, Okeke, and myself got to spend the two nights in his
apartment. He was also made District Leader after I left and is the
District Leader in that apartment. It was fun to see him again. We
both mised each other.
Christmas Conference was alright. We had to organize a Chior in the
three branches and have them sing at the Conference on Friday. We had
30 come. Ours was the biggest chior. We also had two investigators sow
up too. But it was a fight and a hassle from the begining. It always
is in Africa. The way Africans communicate is arguing about anything
and everything and over the smallest thing.
To top it off, nobody can carry a tune, they don't know how to read
music, they don't know the songs that we were supposed to sing and
they had no unison, or beat and they always want to sing the songs
about 50 beats slower than it should be. But somehow they managed to
pass themselves off as a chior. I don't know how I managed to do that.
I had to be the conductor. President Roggia thinks I pulled the skill
out of no where and at the end of the conference in his closing
remarks, asked me to conduct the whole place in Joy to the World. I
think hes going to have me conduct hymns at all the zone conferences
now. Crap.
I don't think we will get in much proscyliting time in this week. We
have this trap at our back door. Its a board of nails to catch
intruders who try to break in. I "tested" it last night. Guess what?
It works!
Yes I stepped on a nail last night and limped to the internet cafe.
Don't worry, I'm going to be alright. I'm up to date on all of my
shots. I'm taking an antibiotic that Dr. Ford sent me off with to
fight off infections before they start, and my foot is fine. It just
feels like I stepped on a nail, and it is very sore today.
How was your week?
-Jarren
- Show quoted text -
movies. A Christmas Carol and Megamind. A Christmas on Friday and
Megamind on Saturday. We came back that night. We left on Thursday
afternoon.
Oh I also forgot to tell you. Elder Moss was transfered to BO. Elder
Jenkins, Purcell, Okeke, and myself got to spend the two nights in his
apartment. He was also made District Leader after I left and is the
District Leader in that apartment. It was fun to see him again. We
both mised each other.
Christmas Conference was alright. We had to organize a Chior in the
three branches and have them sing at the Conference on Friday. We had
30 come. Ours was the biggest chior. We also had two investigators sow
up too. But it was a fight and a hassle from the begining. It always
is in Africa. The way Africans communicate is arguing about anything
and everything and over the smallest thing.
To top it off, nobody can carry a tune, they don't know how to read
music, they don't know the songs that we were supposed to sing and
they had no unison, or beat and they always want to sing the songs
about 50 beats slower than it should be. But somehow they managed to
pass themselves off as a chior. I don't know how I managed to do that.
I had to be the conductor. President Roggia thinks I pulled the skill
out of no where and at the end of the conference in his closing
remarks, asked me to conduct the whole place in Joy to the World. I
think hes going to have me conduct hymns at all the zone conferences
now. Crap.
I don't think we will get in much proscyliting time in this week. We
have this trap at our back door. Its a board of nails to catch
intruders who try to break in. I "tested" it last night. Guess what?
It works!
Yes I stepped on a nail last night and limped to the internet cafe.
Don't worry, I'm going to be alright. I'm up to date on all of my
shots. I'm taking an antibiotic that Dr. Ford sent me off with to
fight off infections before they start, and my foot is fine. It just
feels like I stepped on a nail, and it is very sore today.
How was your week?
-Jarren
- Show quoted text -
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Quotes from Jarren
I have let too much time go by before updating Jarren's blog so this post will be a long one. Jarren was moved from Kissy 2 at the end of October to Kenema, Bo district. Since his relocation Kenema has gone from one Branch to three; South Branch, Central Branch and North Branch. Jarren serves in the North Branch at Kenema.
Recently I was asked to speak at Stake Conference so I asked Jarren to give me some good stories to tell about his mission. He had this to say," Seriously I do not have any stories that should be told in Stake Conference. This place I am in is riddled with secret combinations, oath bound societies, and a twisted perverted mentality of God's commandments, doctrine, and gospel that makes it very difficult to teach someone. I have stories, just none that would go well to be told in Stake Conference unless you want a perfect example of how to lead your life down the crapper!"
There is an individual, which Jarren calls Korihor, that is very anti. Jarren had this to say about this poor fellow, " I saw him today. The guy is insaine! I would rather jump in the lagoon at a dairy than be around him again!!"
They had several baptisms lined up. The water comes on Tuesday and Thursday. Someone didn't set the plug on the baptismal font so most of their water drained out. All baptisms take place on Friday. They reset the plug and squeezed enough water out of the tank to fill the font to just above their ankles. The people getting baptized had to lie down in the font and turn their heads so their noses would be under water. They made it work.
Jarren's companion, Elder Tade, was burning the trash. They have a place in the corner of the yard to do this. Jarren said that Elder Tade poured about a half gallon of gasoline on the trash and then lit a match. The trash went KABOOM!!! Jarren said a wave of heat went over him. He was standing about 5 feet away. The blast broke one of the kitchen windows and knocked off the dishes that were on the counter. He said people came running out of their homes thinking that the civil war had started back up. On into the night their neighbors came by one by one to tell the Elders that they needed to be notified the next time they decided to blow something up! Jarren said later in the week as they taught discussions the people would ask them if they heard about the big explosion?! Boys will be boys.
Recently I was asked to speak at Stake Conference so I asked Jarren to give me some good stories to tell about his mission. He had this to say," Seriously I do not have any stories that should be told in Stake Conference. This place I am in is riddled with secret combinations, oath bound societies, and a twisted perverted mentality of God's commandments, doctrine, and gospel that makes it very difficult to teach someone. I have stories, just none that would go well to be told in Stake Conference unless you want a perfect example of how to lead your life down the crapper!"
There is an individual, which Jarren calls Korihor, that is very anti. Jarren had this to say about this poor fellow, " I saw him today. The guy is insaine! I would rather jump in the lagoon at a dairy than be around him again!!"
They had several baptisms lined up. The water comes on Tuesday and Thursday. Someone didn't set the plug on the baptismal font so most of their water drained out. All baptisms take place on Friday. They reset the plug and squeezed enough water out of the tank to fill the font to just above their ankles. The people getting baptized had to lie down in the font and turn their heads so their noses would be under water. They made it work.
Jarren's companion, Elder Tade, was burning the trash. They have a place in the corner of the yard to do this. Jarren said that Elder Tade poured about a half gallon of gasoline on the trash and then lit a match. The trash went KABOOM!!! Jarren said a wave of heat went over him. He was standing about 5 feet away. The blast broke one of the kitchen windows and knocked off the dishes that were on the counter. He said people came running out of their homes thinking that the civil war had started back up. On into the night their neighbors came by one by one to tell the Elders that they needed to be notified the next time they decided to blow something up! Jarren said later in the week as they taught discussions the people would ask them if they heard about the big explosion?! Boys will be boys.
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