Bushrod Island Zone Conference, Nov 2012

Great View! The scenery is nice too!

Sister Kirkham and Sister Roggia on Subsistence day at the elders' Caldwell New Georgia apartment.

Training branch leaders at our mission branch in Kakata

Sister Kirkham is training the branch Relief Society presidency in visiting teaching using some of the Church's leadership training videos we have on our laptop computer.  Sister Harmon on the right, the Primary president also wanted to sit in on the training. Next to her is Elsie Jensen, the Relief Society president (with the colorful head wrap) and her two counselors.  They are meeting in the "chapel", an empty classroom.

 Elder Kirkham is training the 1st counselor in the branch presidency (sitting next to Elder Kirkham) and the 1st counselor in the Young Men presidency.  We used Church Handbook 2 and For the Strength of Youth for the training.

Brother Weah, the Area Assistant auditor, is performing the semi-annual audit of the Kakata branch with the branch president, Pres. Harmon, and the branch clerk.  They are meeting in the branch president's office.  The "desk" which Bro. Weah is using is borrowed.

Buying lapas from a boy at Harbel

 When we went to Harbel for a baptism, a boy with a large metal bowl filled with lapas walked by.  Judy decided she wanted to buy a couple.  The neighborhood children were very interested in this business transaction.  Each lapa cost the equivalent of $3.35 each.

Here you see the young businessman with his store on his head.  Lapas are about 2 yards of bright cloth that women and girls wrap around them for a skirt.  Mothers wrap their babies to their backs using a lapa.

Harbel Branch is a mission branch where no missionaries are assigned. Five converts were recently baptized.

Meeting at the Harbel branch clerk's home, Elder Kirkham and Elder Krumm check out the baptism clothes for five baptismal candidates.

 Neighbors and branch members wait for the baptismal candidates to put on their baptism clothes.

While the five candidates were putting on their baptism clothes at the branch clerk's home, this mother was busy preparing a fish breakfast.

Here are the five baptism candidates from Harbel branch.  Since there are no missionaries in this branch, the investigators were taught by young men who were preparing for their missions.  They taught them during an Investigator Sunday School class using Preach My Gospel.  After they were taught, two Zone Leaders were taken to ensure that these investigators understood the lessons and were keeping their commitments.  The Zone Leaders then interviewed each candidate to determine their worthiness and readiness for baptism.

The branch elders quorum president did all the baptising in the local reservoir, just a few minutes away from the branch clerk's house.

Gormet meals by Sister Kirkham, dishwashing by Elder Kirkham

Sister Kirkham fixes gormet vegetarian meals. Here are some samples.  Upper left, green lentil soup.  Upper right, vegetable linguini with shrimp. Bottom, typical breakfast of Kellog's Fruit & Fiber cereal with homemade granola by Sister Kirkham and plain yogurt.  Plus our bottle of doxycycline pills. We take one every day to prevent malaria.

 Elder Kirkham is a good dishwasher, but a fantastic dish stacker.  Notice the duct tape on my apron.  It started to wear holes in it, so apply a little duct tape, and no problems!

More gormet meals.  Upper left, sliced cabbage, onions, kidney beans, tomatoes and mushrooms.  Lower left, 13 bean soup with brown rice, tomatoes and mushrooms.  Right, red lentil soup and two salads - cabbage, tomatoe and cucumber salad and a fruit salad.

Training & Mentoring

 Sister Kirkham training the Brewerville Relief Society presidency after Church on Sunday (and one of the daughters).  Sister Kirkham used two of the Church's 8 minute leadership videos on visiting teaching.

Elder Kirkham training the Brewervill branch presidency and Young Men president using the Church's leadership training videos on the Aaronic Priesthood.

 

Elder Kirkham helping Elder Krumm with Google Earth.  We use Google Earth to locate every family on a Google Earth map, to draw area boundaries for the missionaries and when splitting branches.

 

Sister Kirkham training the Brewerville Primary presidency, Sunday, after Church meetings.  Notice the computer for videos.

Random Shots for September

 Rainy season.  We weren't sure if the door was meant to be an umbrella or if he just had to take the door somewhere...in the torrential downpour.  Notice the road washing away on the left.

 We thought this was an appropriate sign for a huge manhole (has never had a manhole cover) in the main road leading to the main bridge in Monrovia. 

Another marker for a manhole with no cover - tree stump with plastic sheet wrapped around it.

Vehicle Registration - Liberian Style

This is the stack of papers we ended up with to get our truck registered. It was an interesting experience to get our truck registered at the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Finance.

This is the vehicle registration certificate from the Ministry of Transport. Can you find the four hand stamps on this page - obtained in four different offices? Can you identify the five different signatures on this page - obtained from five different people in five different offices?

This layout shows all the paperwork required to get everything done. There is last year's registration papers which required two dated signatures to begin the process for this year's registration, the Billing Form which required two signatures, the Flag Receipt from the Ministry of Finance verifying payment which required two hand stamps and four signatures, copies of the Billing Form and Flag Receipt, the Vehicle Registration Certificate from the Ministry of Transport and the Vehicle Revenue Certificate to put on the windshield... Whew! Thirteen signatures, four hand stamps, three certificates, two forms, one receipt and we were done... Nothing to it... piece-a'-cake!

Beautiful Morning Beach Walk

We received wonderful instruction from Elder Sitati, 1st counselor, West Africa Area Presidency

On Saturday, we had the privilege to participate in a missionary zone conference and leadership training for the members where we were instructed by Elder and Sister Sitati. They both provided powerful insight into gospel principles and practical application to help investigators and members achieve real growth toward ordinances and covenants leading to eternal happiness.

We also received instruction from Elder Mensah, Area Seventy.

Liberian Sunset at Palm Springs Hotel

This was the scene when we took Elder and Sister Sitati and Elder Mensah to their hotel.

Subsistence Day Pictures

We took pictures the day we brought subsistence to the missionaries in Bushrod Island district. Elda Kirkham with Elders Essego & Sekirime in Caldwell district.

Brewerville District: back row, l to r, Elders Molahatsa, Buckman, Akwah, Finau, Kirkham; Front row: Elders Addo, Nyaku, Osifo, Willis

Logan Town District, Sista Kirkham, Elders Kauao, Harris, Humpherys, Myaka, Pentreath, Dlamini

Preparing Stuff for Training Primary Leaders

Sister Kirkham decided to train Primary leaders in singing time. She got Sister Krumm involved plus the two Eldas. Here Elder Kirkham and Elder Krumm are preparing red and blue flags to be used in singing time. Notice the use of duct tape - an indispensable commodity, no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing.

Bushrod Island Zone Conference

Here are the 20 missionaries we are currently working with. They come from Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Utah, United Kingdom, California, Ivory Coast, and Arizona.

The Rainy Season brings hidden potholes - BIG ones!

This hidden pothole is on UN drive, the main road on Bushrod Island.

What we wonder is how the driver got out!

Retrieving Mail from the Mission PO Box

Sister Kirkham is getting mail from the mission PO Box. Every now and then, apparently somone is sent rice through the mail (we guess). So they just stack the rice bags (in the yellow bags) in the isle by the PO boxes as shown in this picture.

Sister Kirkham Working with the Elders

Sister Kirkham showing Elder Humpherys (from Utah) and Elder Dlamini (from South Africa) the wedding program from two members who just got married.

Sister Kirkham explaining medications to Elder Kauao (from the Ivory Coast) and his companion, Elder Pentreath (from the United Kingdom).

Twins!

One day, Sister Krumm knocked on our door, Judy answered the door and this was the scene. Twins!

Beach Walking

When they have time, Sister Kirkham and Sister Krumm like to walk in the evening at the beach, about a 5 minute drive from where we live.