Two More African Temples & My Testimony of the Prophet

Wow, two more temples in Africa!! We've been praying for this like crazy. We were theorizing that they'd put another one in South Africa, maybe Nigeria, and we were hoping for Zimbabwe. But DR Congo? That's so sweet! That makes me happy. It's a big step to helping this continent become the best continent on earth.

I'm working on some Christmas presents for the family. It won't be a whole lot obviously. Also, I'm looking into some other things to get like a "shine-shine" gara suit. It'd be the coolest thing ever, but it'd be like $60. A gorgeous show-off (as we'd say, "bluff-man") suit for $60? No problem! Great deal, right? But, bottom line is that I don't have any personal money. I'll need you to wire me a few bucks. I had to use a chunk on a belt and some more ties. Oh yes, Jatala ties. I'm seriously considering a Jatala online store when I get home. Those things are the best! Anyways, I don't think I'd need TOO much. There's not a whole lot to use it on since our subsistence money goes a long ways here!

The other thing I was thinking about... I want to get Mom and Hil some sweet Africana dresses to wear to church. Yeah, sweet right? Head ties and everything. They're absolutely awesome, and I plan on getting one for Mom to wear to my homecoming. Problem is, you keep shrinking Mom! Okay, not so much a BAD problem, but a problem for guessing your size! Ha ha ha. ;)


So, Sister Roggia snapped me and Elder Priddis when we were chatting? Oh boy, that was like the best part of my week. Things haven't been so easy for me these past few weeks, so I was having a nice long discussion with him about what I should do. It was cool because he counseled me before as my trainer, and now he counsels me as Assistant to the President. How cool is that? It was a really great experience. I love that man so much, and am so appreciative for all that he did to make sure that I became the best missionary that I could. Our short period of six weeks influenced me more than all the rest of my mission put together, because I always remember his example as the most obedient and diligent missionary I ever served with. If I could "re-experience" (not necessarily "redo") any six weeks on mission, it'd be those.


Yeah, that package from Uncle Rick was great! The Jolly Ranchers are totally gone now, and we enjoyed the chicken stuff on rice. It was good! I really appreciated it.

It's too bad that the Aggies lost to BYU. I'm not really feeling it though. That's something from another universe. Speaking of other universe! Thanks so much for the excerpt of Neil Peart's blog where he talked about his visit to Logan, Utah. I LOVED THAT! That's the kind of stuff that I like to see! :) You don't have to worry about me being "trunky." If I was able to send Elder Lancaster home without getting trunky, then I'll be okay with anything!

You asked if I ever tell people about the time I got to meet the prophet. Yes, there are many times I've told people that I've met the prophet. It's a really neat thing to tell people about. I show them a picture of the conference center in Salt Lake City, and their minds are blown. There is nothing like that place in this country. I tell them that the prophet speaks to us from there, and they love it. However, I don't use it as part of my testimony too much, neither that nor my experience visiting the sacred grove. People here can already assume that I've been there. They don't need anything elegant or elaborate to tell them that what I know is true, I just have to tell them in pure and simple language that they understand.

I say to them, "A no se dat cl tin we a don tck today na tru, and dat Thomas S. Monson na we profit today."

It's just that simple. Because what I'm testifying is true, the Spirit confirms it in their hearts, and I don't have to worry so much about convincing them that it's true. They are simple people, and they believe everything we say, so it's just about getting the Holy Ghost to confirm it in their hearts. After all, that's how it should be, right? :)

Well, time don don for now. I love you so much and miss you like September rain! :)

Love,

Elder Vaughan

20th Birthday, Blog Notoriety & African Time

So, my birthday package arrived... On my birthday! Woohoo! I was very happy about that. :) We had to go to the mission office (a pain in the rear, if nothing else) for an interview with President, and it was there for me with a letter from Aunt Staci! I was super happy about that. Yes, I did keep my birthday a secret (except at Auntie Chris' restaurant, because I knew she'd give me a free drink). It was a nice day though. We went to a sweet baptism of our Nigerian investigator Uche (pronounced "oo-chay"), spent the afternoon in the heat traveling to and from the mission office (we went back though that horrid market again, but this time we were in a transport, and it wasn't the day before Pray Day, so it wasn't bad at all), then we went and had a lesson with a family. It was way nice.

I love all of my presents (Especially the one from Jenni. Thank you!), but unfortunately we don't have an oven in this apartment. Yeah, talk about something to take for granted. We decided to go meet up with the Grafton district in their apartment/palace to bake some stuff, and we enjoyed! It was way nice. I was in the kitchen as the Green Lantern today. Elder Taylor unloaded tons of superhero knowledge on me as we worked. It was a lot of fun.

Oh, I just remembered! You could always include a couple sticks of deodorant in any packages you send. That stuff is almost IMPOSSIBLE to find here! (Then there's the challenge of affording it!) I appreciate the birthday package. I'm bluffin' those new shirts around the apartment every day! I like them a lot!

I also helped Elder Stuart wash his clothes (since he is a new missionary here and didn't know how to do laundry in a bucket). It reminded me of my first days in Salone. Oh the time has flown! It was funny to me... I asked: "Elder Stuart, I bet it's pretty weird to have read my blog (before you came to Africa), longed to be here, and here you are with me washing clothes by hand."

"Yeah, it's pretty Twilight Zone..." He replied.

I kinda had a glimpse of what it must have been like for him. It was neat.

Yeah, not only did Elder Stuart read the blog, he STUDIED it! I guess it was a great thing for him to find. He followed in like manner, and tells me he has his own now. You should try and find it sometime. I'm sure I'm on there somewhere. Do you have much communication with other parents of missionaries here? I hear that there are many that communicate through each others blogs and things. I guess some need it to keep sane. Mission is as much an experience for me as it is for you, so it might not be bad to chat with other parents to see what they're seeing. Who knows? Maybe you'll be a strength to them through your example of faith in the Lord!

Well, this week was not the best for us. We got bounced a LOT, and I'm almost to my rope's end with "African time" (everyone arrives 30+ minutes late to EVERYTHING) and countless broken promises from those we teach. However, we're doing well, and holding together. I love this place, and I'm having fun. Especially with the new Zone Leader in the apartment! Elder Kotey is a blast. If you want to see a picture of him, go to the new Duty to God booklet, and turn to page 90. He's the black guy in the middle. He makes my life a lot of fun. I really enjoy having him in our district.

We had a birthday party (well, it's actually birthday SERVICE) to attend yesterday for Mummy Sivali, the oldest member of the church EVER! She's a pioneer saint! It's really silly how they do the parties though. First, prelude music of dance music by a DJ. Then an opening hymn and prayer, followed by two talks about Mammy Sivali. Then it's a Congo line to give gifts, then a dance party with food, then a closing hymn and prayer. Uh, WHAT?? It's just silly. "Evritin de na dobol dobol, but noto di man an wef, na in no mor we na wan wan." Ha ha ha, oh it was fun! And somehow apostate...

Mom, I miss having lunch in your classroom. When I come home, I'll make sure to bring you lunch that we'll share together again. :) I'm also really glad that I was never ashamed of my Mom (being a teacher at my High School).

I finally have those pictures you want! Sorry it took so long. You kinda grasp at how things are here with substandard computers an all...

The first one is of me standing in a mango tree. Nothing much, but of course, you love looking at me. ;) The second is of me after I got soaked on the way to a lesson. It was a lot of fun! Rain here strikes suddenly and leaves without any notice at all. You'll be lucky if you have the warning of seeing a wall of water rush at you. The next is of a Salone sunset over the mountain. Beautiful, right?
I love it too. The next is of some pikins (children) being funny. Thought you'd like it too. The next is of our baptism this past week, of Bro. Uchenna Ahamefule (say THAT ten times fast!). The last is of the birthday present that God sent to me. He inspired a cereal woman to pass me (a RARE occasion!), and He inspired me to have had 15000le to pay for it. Sweet, right? That whole box was enough for two breakfasts. :) My last breakfast almost a year ago! Can you believe it??!! :)








Well, I don't have a whole lot to say this week. It was pretty hard for me and Elder Purcell. We were bounced A LOT, and people at the moment are being troublesome. It doesn't really get me down though, I just see it as a temporary trial. Those sort of cycles happen on mission, so it doesn't bother me like it used to.

Love,

Elder Vaughan

Computer Woes, The Blog Precedes Me & The Breakfast of Champions

We have much more computer trouble here than in Bo, so this will be short, and no pictures unfortunately.

Anyways, yeah, turning 20 on Saturday. Woot woot? Not so sure. I've kept it secret, so nobody knows. I'm sure Sister Roggia knows and will tell me happy birthday, but I don't plan on telling anyone. You know how I am about birthdays. Turning 20 is nice though. I'm that much closer to being 21 and at home. Not that I'm itching that bad to go home, but the thought is always in the back of your mind. A month can't go by unnoticed.

Yeah, postal strikes are a part of life. I don't really watch for packages too much. They're always an unexpected surprise even when I know it's on the way. "We're made to suffer! It's our lot in life." -C3-P0

So, this week is pretty dang normal. We got TONS of new investigators, like, 14. Thirteen of them came to church. So, yeah. The work is sweet. Not anything too exciting going on. Just teaching and teaching and teaching and then sleeping and sleeping and sleeping. It's the best.

Regarding our new apartment, we're probably moving there! The Office Elders are coming with our physical facilities manager to check it out and approve it. If they give the thumbs up, then we move in! Woo hoo! It'll be the sweetest house in the whole mission.

I look forward to coming home and sharing all of my wonderful stories. We'll probably have to set up the projector and watch all of my sweet movies and pictures, and I'll tell stories for hours on end, and you will have your minds sufficiently blown. :) I have to finish with writing the stories first though! ;)

Oh! I met a new Elder today: Elder Stuart. He's from Louisiana, and I guess he likes the blog you made for me, because he read the whole thing! It's so annoying, because I'll go to tell a story to some people, and he'll be like, "Oh! I remember that! That was so funny!" before I've even said anything about it! The funniest was when I brought a big plastic bag with Monopoly and Risk in it, and he asked if Monopoly was inside even before he saw it! Eh bo, can you believe? He didn't just read it, he STUDIED it!

Thanks for building the blog for me. I'm sure I'll come to treasure it even after my mission. I've heard that there are companies that will make a nice printed version of a blog. Definitely something I'd want! ;) It's basically my second journal. I'm glad someone has been excited to come on this mission because of the blog. I thought most of the times that my experiences are boring and stuff, but I guess for someone who has never been here, then it's great reading!

Well, I'm out of stuff to say for today. You know how it is for missionaries. Things become very routine, so things become less and less "exciting" at face value.

Here's a fun fact I guess: I like eating "gari" now. It's dried and shredded casava roots. They're more absorbent than the best "Depends" brand diaper, and it's similar to eating pulverized Frosted Mini Wheats when mixed with sugar and milk. Way nice! and it's only 300le a cup! The breakfast of champions, let me tell you. I want to bring some home for you to try. It's easy to bring, so I'll make sure I do that.

Is there anything you want me to come with when I come home? (Yeah, a long time from now, but I can keep my eyes peeled) I have some few ideas, but maybe there's something you've heard of that you want to see/have/taste/etc.

Alrighty, love you! Have a wonderful week! Eat some cake for me in case I'm not able to! ;)

Love,

Elder Vaughan

Apartment Shopping & Sticky Keyboard

This email will be short, as I have a lot of business regarding apartment shopping I've had to take care of today, and this keyboard is STICKY!!

I haven't received a package from G-pa, so, unfortunately, it is likely lost.

So, I've been apartment shopping! We've found a sweet place, and I'll send pics sometime soon. This computer won't read my camera. Needless to say, I'll be stoked if we move there. It' so much better.

Oh, yeah, transfer news was yesterday. No changes for me, but Elder Eyinda is leaving us. We're receiving another Elder that I don't know. Everyone had changes except for me and my companion, which means that I'll almost definitely be training next transfer. That would make me so happy!

I'm getting really frustrated with this computer right about now. Sorry for the brief message. Know that I love you, and will strive to write more next week.

Love,

Elder Vaughan

Ten Months, 2 Million People & Black Bananas

I've been out ten months!  That's so long. But it's gone so fast!  Ha ha ha, we joke around that I should already start packing my bags because the plane is coming for me!  Of course, it's a little sarcastic for me. For Elder Kenner, however, he's on his last 13 weeks.  Yeah, the plane is pretty much waiting for him.  I think ten months is somewhat of a milestone because I've reached double digits.  That's the first step to reaching 24 months, right?  Ha ha ha.

I love getting Aunt Staci's letters too!  And I can't help but call her "aunt."  I'd call her "Mom" if the job wasn't already taken! ;) Wow, I can't believe Boomer left for Singapore 20 months ago!  I'm so excited for his brother Joshua in Mozambique.  African missions are just plain sweet (so long as they aren't apostate, like many of them are prone to be *cough* *NIGERIA**cough*).

Here's my adventure of the week:  EASTERN POLICE.  Wow, that place is the closest place to Hell I've ever been in my life!  East and West Freetown is essentially divided by this main juncture, and is pretty much the only route to pass from east to west, or vice a verse.  It's land-marked with the large Freetown Eastern Police Station, which overlooks the humongous junction.  So, it's a two lane road on which EVERYTHING happens.  Elder Purcell and I had to go to "town" (meaning the West end, as it is much more "town"-ish than the East) to find him some new proselyting shoes.  Getting there wasn't bad, because we simply chartered a taxi.  We enjoyed at one of the Freetown supermarkets (the closest thing to a K-Mart I'll ever see!) where I bought a bag of fajita-flavored Doritos (25,000le) and a Transformers-themed Risk board (I couldn't pass that up, even though it was 62,000le).  All in all, town was nice, even though it took three hours to get there.

The worst, however, was getting back.  Option A is to charter another taxi, but from the west at that time of day, the cost would have been too great.  Rather, we opted to try our luck with poda-poda's.  So, we walked along the main thoroughfare from the west towards Eastern Police.  Unfortunately, we reached Eastern Police before we found a poda, which took us about 45 minutes to walk.

By that point, I was already tired, but we had to continue down the road to find transport back to Wellington.  To describe it simply, Eastern Police is packed with people.  PACKED!!!  I wondered how 2 million+ people could live here, I FOUND THEM ALL IN ONE PLACE!!! EASTERN POLICE MARKET!!!  The entire road (yes, the road itself, not just the sides) is packed shoulder to shoulder, and those that aren't moving find themselves a spot where they stand to sell something. What happens when a poda/semi-truck has to pass?  The vehicle swims through the people like a fish through water.  It's crazy, I'm telling you.  Right as the poda is about to mow them over, the people all "jam-jam" to the sides of the road, completely sardined like you can't believe.  The podas roll past so closely that you have to turn your feet sideways so that they aren't rolled over.  Man, that place sucks like nothing.  It stinks!  Oh it stinks!  Every horrid smell in the world is there, plus the massive population!  We walked (pushed, rather) our way down that road for almost two hours before we were free of the "jam-jam."

One thing really struck me there.  The market is supersaturated with all of the same product, and similar products tend to coalesce into a section of all the same thing.  E.g., bananas.  I saw a huge section of at least thirty different banana sellers, selling all kinds of bananas.  Red ones, yellow ones, green ones, big ones, small ones. Then I saw one woman, who was sitting and staring off into the distance.  I could see in this woman a loss of hope.  What was she selling?  Black bananas.  Nasty, smooshy, black bananas.  Why? Why on earth would you sell that?  No one would in their right mind buy such a thing.  Well, for this woman, it's all she has, and all she can manage to make a living on.

Do you realize that this seller of black bananas has the potential to be a goddess?  Wow.  It totally blew me away to think of that. Stripped of class and circumstance, we are all the same, regardless of where/who/what/ANYTHING!  She can have hope, love, peace, and joy through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Wow.  It totally blew me away. The gospel is for everyone, so share it with everyone!

That's cool with the Mormon.org stuff.  I ran into the site a year or two ago, and even considered making an account at the time.  Of course, I didn't know my record number, so I couldn't, and then I just forgot to ask.  It'll be on my "to do" list when I get home.  It's such a cool way to do missionary work even when you're not actively doing it!

Oh, by the way, I've decided that I REALLY want to be an EFY counselor sometime when I return.  I just remember looking up to all of the returned missionaries who were counselors, and how they were all just an awesome example to me and to hundreds of others.  I kind of want to reciprocate that too.  I'd want to do it in Tacoma, just like before, at least one summer.  What do you think of that?  Of course, a de ya fos (I'm here first).

Love,

Elder Vaughan

Rainy Baptisms, Boku Interviews, & Cockroach Carnage

This week was a tad bit stressful with trying to get people ready for baptism. It was nice and sunny for three days, during which all of the interviews were conducted. Then, the day of the baptism, it RAINED. Fortunately, at least one of our candidates, a rippled man of awesome by the name of Mustapha, was able to make it, even under the rain without any coat or umbrella. The other candidate, however, not so much. Sunday was the scheduled confirmation for Mustapha, and again, it RAINED. TEEEE!! "Te" (pronounced "teh") is a Krio word that represents time. If you say 'so something happened "te"', it means that it happened for a long time, or a lot in general. So yeah, it rained te. This time, unfortunately, he wasn't able to reach under the rain. I kinda understand, as it was just dumping buckets.

One new thing that I got to try this week was performing baptismal interviews. In fact, I did TEN of them! Ha ha ha, yeah, it was a LOT! I went on a brief exchange with Elder Eyinda, one of the Zone Leaders, and he took me to all of his candidates and I interviewed them! It's not really hard, and it's kinda fun. I like being able to see people who have really changed (or, in one case, someone who had definitely NOT!). The Spirit attended to me as I talked with them, and I was able to discern their needs. One of the candidates was clearly not prepared. As I talked with her, I sensed that she was lying to me regarding the law of chastity, and when I inquired further, she continually denied. So, I simply asked her if she was ready to baptize. She said yes, but I felt sick to my stomach, an indication of the Spirit that indeed she was not ready at all. It was a neat experience that I won't soon forget about how the Spirit very SPECIFICALLY guided me.

I am excited for Austin to be serving his mission in Georgia. That'll be so cool for him! He's going to love it there. Stuart's mission call to Russia definitely fits him! Ha ha ha, good luck in Russia! It's COLD there! I hope Riley makes the choice to serve a mission. It's really just plain awesome. I know that it's the kind of thing that he'd like, especially in a crazy mission like this one. He seems like the kind of person that would shrug off most of the daily problems that we face here. Uh, kind of like the swarm of cockroaches I faced the other day. Elder Vaughan + 2 flip flops against 100 cockroaches. Score: Roaches: 0 Elder Vaughan: 87. It was gross, but highly satisfying. Just a simple fact of life around here.

Josh has been emailing me for the past few weeks, and we've talked about a lot of things. He already told me about all of his awesome college roomies, and it sounds like he's having the time of his life. I can't wait to be a part of it! College just seems like the right place for me to be. Well, after mission of course. Africa is the place for me for now! ;) Josh has already told me about how he changed his major, and some other different things. He says he found himself an awesome secret computer lab. It just sounds like fun over there!

Okay, my time is short. Elder Purcell and I are going into west end today to find him some shoes. Oh yeah, podas. Can't wait for that... I had a little less time today because i had to write a good long letter to Josh. ;) Oh I miss that guy... Have an awesome week! I love you bin bin!

Love,

Elder Vaughan

Uber Zone Conference with a General Authority & Poda Poda Logistics Explained

So, the "uber zone conference" was uber exhausting. Remember how I had a keyboard I practiced on in Njaie Town? Yeah, I have one here too. So, Sister Roggia asked my companion and I to accompany ALL of the sessions of conference! we were BUSY!!



Friday was the first day of the conference, and the first day that we got to hear from Elder Sitati. We had a combined Zone Conference with all of the elders in Bo and Freetown at Beliar Park. It was SWEET! We received instructions from the assistants to the President, President and Sister Roggia, and Elder and Sister Sitati. It was just amazing. Elder Sitati is just one of the most down to earth people ever. He's a real person! Not some super-charged spiritual coalescence of power! His instruction was basically a one hour Q and A period with the Elders. He shared a lot of awesome experiences, and gave some inspiring counsel regarding the selection of an eternal companion. ;) The advice that he gave there was especially good.

Saturday was another busy day for us, because my companion and I had to be Elder Sitati's piano ghosts, appearing wherever he was to accompany the singing. It was EXHAUSTING!! Saturday morning we took a taxi all the way from Wellington to Beliar Park to accompany the Priesthood and General Adult sessions, in the which Elder Sitati destroyed false notions about the "church in Africa" versus the "church in America." People here have the stupid idea that they are different, and we spend so much time convincing them otherwise! Elder Sitati sure helped us out. And, as an African general authority, he did an excellent job of destroying notions regarding mixing traditions and culture with the church. Some people in the church fight juju with juju, rather than depending on God. Anyone at the conference would now think better of that! I was grateful to be there.

After the sessions of the conference, the Assistants drove us, President and Sister Roggia, and Elder and Sister Sitati to the Kissy chapel (it was to drive us close to home, which was nice). I got to ride in a car with a General Authority! It was way nice. I just loved listening to him talk. He was going there for the open house and to prepare for the dedication the next day. As soon as we got there, we went proselyting.

Sunday was probably the busiest. We got up early to go to the dedicatory prayer in Kissy for the new chapel, and then left right before the conference session started so that we could find transport to west end. I gotta admit, any kind of travel from East to West or vice versa is STRESSFUL!! Eastern Police is a junction of a main thoroughfare of Freetown, and you HAVE to go through it to reach the other end of Freetown. Yeah, thousands of cars, one intersections. Who's idea was this?

Anyways, the transports operate as follows: Poda-podas and taxis labeled for West end operate West of Eastern Police, and those labeled for East end operate East of Eastern Police. So, to get to Beliar Park, one has to take a poda/taxi to Eastern Police, then find another poda/taxi to beliar park (if you are quite lucky, you only need to transports, though you usually have to take a third and sometimes fourth). Yeah, not fun. So, we had to do that from Kissy to Beliar, East to West, in order to meet Elder Sitati at the conference that was going to take place in the West. Yeah, piano ghosts, eh?

The conference in the West was wonderful and all, and the Freetown district was split into East and West districts, which is nice. After our duty was finished, we were left to ourselves to find transport from West to East (which we weren't able to. We WALKED from Beliar Park to Eastern Police before we found a ride! It was so far...).



So yeah, that was the majority of my week! Kinda hectic, kinda awesome. I have a few more pictures, but for the sake of time, I have to save them for later. Have an awesome week!

Love,

Elder Vaughan