Super P-Day, a Lose-Lose Situation & a 'Debul'

So Dad, you mentioned that you were listening to Rush play, "La Villa Strangiato" while you wrote your email to me?" Goodness, you have no idea how much I miss listening to Rush. That's gotta be one of the hardest things out here: Giving up good (but not mission appropriate) music. It hurts, especially on the rare occasion that we happen to hear a radio station playing something familiar. Most of the time, however, they are playing garbage.


This pain was helped a little today at Super P-Day (a zone wide preparation day) when we were allowed to watch "Megamind" and "The Lion King." Megamind was AWESOME, and super hilarious. It had some sweet music that reminded me of Josh like crazy (namely "Back in Black", "Bad", and "Welcome to the Jungle"). All of us missionaries don't really know what to do with ourselves after watching a movie. It's so... WEIRD. The Lion King reminded me of Tesia (that may have gone without saying). I'll be sure to write her a letter telling her about the awesomeness that it was. Man, I miss my music like crazy!

Speaking of Tesia, she told me that Steve Jobs died. Ah! That's a big deal now! The computer world is sad for that.

You know, seeing first-hand what outside influences do to Africa, I've definitely concluded that it's almost impossible to find a satisfactory way to help the people without digging a pit for them in the end. It's almost always a lose-lose situation. If you go in to help, then they learn dependency on the "Western World" or UN, and become even poorer/hungrier/etc. when we pull out. Do nothing, and the same outcome (plus death). It's just hard for these people. Most unfortunate of all is that it's caused by a small handful of wicked people, therefore influencing the rest of the population to follow in like suit to help themselves, rather than to worry about others. I guess that that is why Salone needs us so bad. If we teach correct principles, the Lord will prosper these people regardless of what others do.

The life of a missionary here isn't all that exciting. Just tons of hiking mountains and teaching people. I like to make sure that we're back in the apartment by dark (around 7:00 p.m.). There is no reason to be out after that. No, not even to teach. This place scares the crud out of me after dark, so I don't even mess with that.

Speaking of scary things, I saw my first Devil (pronounced 'debul') this week! I can't believe I've been on mission for this long and I'm only seeing my first. To sum it up, they are "societal sorcerers".

Here, they have national gender gangs called societies, and they have Devils that represent and lead them. Each of them have different and terrifying appearances, and are there for the sole purpose of scaring others, and performing black magic. The one I saw was wearing huge horns and animal skins and hair. Others paint themselves in blood.

Some of these societies are even involved in cannibalism. Lucky for me, the people here don't use black magic on white people. I asked someone why once, and they said that it's because it simply doesn't work on us. Hahaha, I thought that was funny. If you keep away from the Devils, they won't bother you. Well, unless you're in Grafton, but I don't live there, so I won't get into that.

Have a great week! Transfer news this Sunday! XD

Love,

Elder Vaughan

Hard Work, Obedience & Knowing

Boy, the questions in your letter have left me a lot to answer! And once again, this keyboard is horrid. It comes from thousands of untrained Africans coming in here and pecking at the keyboard all the day long for months. I'll do my best. ;-)

Yeah, a year. It's so long! Ha ha ha. Man, I feel like mi na JC (I'm a greenie). I feel like the thing that I've learned the most is love (rather, charity). How to love people that are mean/evil/lazy. How to love companions that are challenging. How to love situations that are crappy (like our baptismal font that had no water Saturday. Uh, problem right?). How to love strangers. How to love those that hate you. How to love the most under-foot-trodden country on the planet. Suffice it to say, how to love everything. The most challenging part (as with the gospel of Jesus Christ) is "enduring to the end". Day to day work is easy, but doing it every blessed day without a break with numerous failures can be discouraging, and the tough thing is not letting it beat you. Lets face it, missionary work is HARD. I summit-ed Wellington every day this week. Is that hard? YES. Was I crushed when 0 investigators came to church yesterday? YES. Does it keep me from trying harder? NO.

Facing and overcoming challenges is easiest when you just focus on the fruit that comes of the manure, so to speak. Do what you're supposed to, be strictly obedient, and God does the rest. When I'm doing everything that I can do to be obedient, I don't feel bad about anything that happens in the day.

The most important goal for the remainder of my mission is to sprint faster. Become cleaner in thought, word, and deed. Have a greater desire to do good. Change from a disposition to do evil, as the people in Mosiah 5. That's the goal. Come back a new man, and don't ever turn back. This is the most important ultimately because it's the reason I came. I came to make myself a faithful Latter-day Saint for good, and to help others do the same.

As far as my testimony goes, it hasn't changed. Should it? I know it's true. Can that become anything more? I KNOW. You can't go from "know" to "knower" or "knowest". I just know. And if, in the impossible scenario that I've been duped by Joseph Smith, I'll thank him forever for the joy it has brought in my life. You can't replicate that anywhere else.

So, does that help answer your questions? :-) When people ask how long I've been on mission, I say 11 months. Why? It means I have MORE than a year left, rather than LESS. ;-)

I can relate to Tyler Russell suffering from Culture shock upon his return home from Ghana. I will have such a hard time adjusting when I get back. Brother Lancaster wrote me last week, and he said he went through the same thing. If you want a bit of entertainment, ask Tyler how his Twi is (pronounced "tree"). I've been blessed to learn a phrase or two from the Ghanans I've lived with.

We joke about how we'll wander around the house looking for a bucket to fill for bathing, and other funny things. We'll marvel at the light switch that will turn on the lights EVERY TIME you switch it. We'll be happily surprised when the running water never runs out. Oh! And its heated! I'll be able to cook more than one thing at a time (we have just one burner here), and I'll never have to lug that 60-100lb tank of gas to be refilled for the stove. I'll be able to drink tap water and not die. I'll be able to sit still and not sweat. I'll be able to sleep in the open air, even outside without any risk to my health! I won't have to take doxy again. I'll never have to watch for cobras as I cross a cemetery. I'll never have to worry about being run over by a motorcycle. I'll have internet that moves, and a keyboard on which ALL of the keys work. I'll be able to flush the toilet (yeah, it's a big deal. I'm sure you've taken THAT one for granted your whole life!). I'll never greet someone by asking how their body is. And most importantly, I'll never have to squish a cockroach again. Yeah, it really is a big change. Luckily, I'm still here. ;-)

Okay, time is don don. Oh! I got Grandpa Doug's package! Make sure he knows. I wrote a letter to thank him that I'll send asap.

Have a wonderful week! :-)

Love,

Elder Vaughan

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