It’s so hard to hand write letters to you now! I tell you practically everything I can via e-mail, so when I get home to write, I’m all out of stuff to say! I’ll do my best here.
I'm glad you like the hand-written letters. They're A LOT of work, and I try to get them out every few weeks. The Neves (older married missionary couple) only come for mail once every three weeks or so anyways.
I got the FloraLyte package last week! Ah, I was so excited! The cake boxes were a score, and I ate the Toy Story mac n cheese straight. I've got enough gummi bears to last the next transfer! Thank you so much! :) Additionally, Josh's letter cracked me up, and I really appreciated hearing from Heather. Thanks a ton! Oh, and the FloraLytes showed up right as our generator went out, so we had no lights. I was so glad they came! Our whole district uses them now, and the Sub-9 should last me forever since AAA batteries are readily available here. That's the second one I've received from the family (I've also received one from Grandma Suzi, and one from Kalei, totaling 4). It's seriously the best thing ever to get packages and mail around here. The cakes were genius, the Mac n cheese just might be the best, and I'm loving all the gummis! Oh, I found some Nutella this week! It's pretty expensive though. So, I still wouldn't mind getting some. ;) Thank you thank you thank you!
You would totally dig the theaters here. They are literally huts made from woven palm fronds with a corrugated tin roof. They run off generators, and play movies from projectors onto the walls. It's cheaper than dirt to get into a movie, but from the looks of it, you get what you pay for. Sierra Leone movies are total garbage. I've made better movies myself.
Oh, speaking of the Sierra Leone movie industry, you need to look someone up there in the States. Her name is Mariama Kallon. She's from Sierra Leone, and works for the church as a motivational speaker. If you want a spectacular story about the war, look for the movie that they made of her life story. It's POWERFUL, and highly representative of the sort of things that happened in the war here. The war is a big part of who these people are now. They are a very sobered people, full of love and genuine respect (generally). We don't see TOO many people from the war (as most of them were killed off), but we do have some that we run into, and their stories about what happened. They're WAY intense. I wouldn't say that the war directly attributed to the religious "revival" here, it's just that everyone here believes in God, whether Christian or Muslim, and everyone is one or the other. I've never met an atheist here.
Dad, no worries about not putting in a spiritual message in your letter this time. You think I don't get enough out here? Ha ha ha, not the case! So, this time I'LL send a thought (or a challenge, really). Look for the Sword of Laban, and tell me what you think it represents. I'm curious if you'd think the same thing I do. Why then was it important to provide to Joseph Smith? I think I have my own answer. I'm curious what you think!
The thing that I’ve learned most here is how completely just God is. You may think that in such a poor country the wiles of the devil would be too expensive. It’s simply not so. You can buy alcohol for 500 le (12 cents) cigarettes for pennies, and other unspeakable items at a seditiously low cost. But that’s not how God is fair. Satan levels his playing field by making things cheap, accessible, and worthless. God levels His playing field by making His gospel absolutely cost and interest free. It doesn’t matter where you go on this Earth, between Africa and America, it’s the same challenges for everyone: Obedience to the Lord’s commandments. It’s amazing to me how truly the same all of God’s children are.
You mentioned that Elder Whitney Clayton (President of the Seventy) said in his talk in Everett that he will be visiting Africa in April. He will likely never set foot in Sierra Leone. EVERYONE goes to either Ghana, Nigeria, or South Africa. Pretty much no exceptions (his exception is that he won't go to Nigeria because he's white (well, at least there are no white missionaries there)).
Josh going to USU? Who would have guessed! ;) We'll enjoy. Are you still looking into a family house/apartment there in Logan? I think that'd be SWEET. Jesse would be the most spirited. He'll LOVE high school.
Nate thinks he'll beat me at Warhammer when I get back? It's gonna take more than just a two year break to give him THAT much of an advantage! I just got a letter from him with tons of pictures of new stuff. It made me happy. Like, WAY happy. If he keeps this up, well, I'll think of some way to pay him back. In a BIG way. I have a letter I wrote him in response chilling on my desk waiting to go out. It takes so long to get ANYTHING out.
Dad, I remember those stories about John Layton hypnotizing chickens! Ha ha ha... You've told me at some point in my life. Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to try hypnotizing a chicken again. People are pretty sensitive about their chickens, so I don't touch them. And no, Butch was a "local chicken," so she wasn't so huge. The big ones are the English Hens. HUGE. Someday though, I'll have another chance to try.
Okay, I got some pictures. The first one is of this kid I saw wearing nothing but a fanny pack (I made him put shorts on for the picture). Then a picture of Festus, who we baptized Saturday. He's so great! And the last 2 are of the funeral procession that came through town.
Well, until next time; Mom and Dad I love you both so much. Thank you for helping me get out here. It’s the best time of my life. Hilary, welcome home! I miss you like crazy, and regret having to miss your wedding (you’re not going to wait longer than two years to get married, right?). Josh, we’re going to raise English hens when I get back. They are are chickens that are 2.5 feet tall. HUGE. Can you send me some potential names? Jesse, keep that bear spray on ya to keep the babes away. Sending my love your way.
Elder Chris Vaughan
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