Easter was, well, nothing special really. The town turned into a zoo as people traveled to and from Bo, but other than that, there was no real noticeable celebrating. We, the Elders in Bo Zone, were hosted at the Turray's compound in New London area for dinner. Brother Turray was a member of the district presidency previously, and is now a faithful and extremely prosperous member. He owns a large compound, complete with a stone wall surrounding it and a drug store out front. One section of the compound is rented out to the missionaries who serve in New London and Njagboima branches. It's such a nice apartment! Anyways, we went there for dinner, and they fed us some really nice fried rice and fried chicken. No small sacrifice, and we were extremely grateful for it. That's pretty much all we did to celebrate, but it was good enough for me.
Congrats to Josh on finishing his Eagle Scout requirements! Eagle is a good thing to get. Too bad he doesn't know the bliss of not having Mom bother you about it for so long... ;) I really liked being done with my Eagle.
It's so true that it's not the money that makes people rich. I wish these people here could know that... Some people just flat out don't like us white Elders because we're not there to give them things. ALL THE TIME we're asked for food/money/whatever we might be holding at that moment, and it makes me SO MAD. We're not here as a charitable organization, but as an organization all about charity, the pure love of Christ. We're here to teach the gospel message, not buy a new life for people. I think that all of the free handouts these people get is what's really spoiling this country. That and the corrupt government. Money just disappears like crazy. We (the "Western countries") have taught these people dependence on us. It's so sad, because this place has so much potential to develop and actually BE something, but people lay about all day long (that is, until we come to visit them, then they run away).
Regarding the Baptist ministers of which I previously spoke, they aren't too much of a nuisance. There are only two of them here (as far as we've seen) from America, and those are the mean ones. Our mission president talked to some of the Elders about the Baptist persecutors. He said "If I had the chance to meet them face-to-face, I would shake their hand and thank them, and say, he continued, switching to a mockingly high-pitched voice, "I thank you! I thank you! I thank you for persecuting my missionaries! Because of the un-Christlike contempt you've demonstrated towards my missionaries, they are going to return home with stronger testimonies and tell people that they were PERSECUTED. I thank you!" It was so funny. Whenever we thank someone now, we say "I thank you!" as a sort of inside joke, and it's way funny.
I've learned to fear Americans here. Very few of them are kind or have anything decent to say to you. Americans are just rude people in general, I've learned. I'm going to have such a hard time adjusting when I get home, because I'll want to greet everyone I see, much like how everyone does here. Everyone is pleasant and kind, but the Americans won't even look at you. It's... unbelievable! To think that I was once that way! I don't think we're intentionally rude at all, but man, we sure are. We don't look or talk to anyone we don't have anything to do with. It's totally the opposite here, and I've grown to like it.
This week was a difficult one. The stress is mounting, and making things very difficult for me. No worries, I don't need any encouragement or anything, I'm just sharing. It helps to dissipate some of the stress to get it out on paper (or screen, I guess). It's discouraging because I feel like I'm doing all I can, and yet, maybe it's not enough. I'm just at a crossroads for a lot of things that both effect me and Njaie Town in general right now. In two weeks time, it's likely that Elder Lancaster will be transferred to Freetown so that they can keep close tabs on his health, which means another six weeks here for me and a new companion. Ugh, 7.5 months in Njaie Town, at least. It's kind of a lot, especially for someone who's only been in one place. I look forward to greener pastures (or even browner ones, that I way I can at least know the difference and what I had). It's just an interesting time here for me. Just movin' onward. It's all I can do.
I'm so glad that as I was brought up, I was taught that doing your best was all that mattered. A lot of times, Satan wants me to think like all of the bad that is happening is somehow my fault, but I remember that I'm doing my best, and that that is all that matters.
Needless to say, this week was a tough one for me. I know, I know, keep courage/faith/going/etc. It doesn't stop hard weeks from happening, and this week happened to be one. It's pretty draining, I won't lie, but we push onward and upward.
Love,
Elder Vaughan
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