E-mail dated 4/18/16

Family and friends,

Akwaabo! Thank you to every one who gave me kind words of encouragement this week in their emails. I was blessed to hear from so many family members. I'm glad that every one is doing well and enjoying work and school! I was grateful to know that my daily prayers are being answered.

My week in Liberia has been an awesome one! Elder Eguko and I have been blessed to be in Bassa Town together for the past 2 transfers, and we had an awesome last week there together. We taught quite a few people are really finished preparing Mitchell and Rita for baptism on the 23rd! Sadly, transfer news came on Friday night and we are being split apart! We are still in the same apartment and the same branch, but Elder Eguko has been called to train a new missionary and I am now full-time companions with Elder Adams! I have been companions with Elder Adams on and off during the past 6 weeks whenever we would go and do zone business, so it won't be that much of a change! I am really going to miss Elder Eguko though. I have grown close to him over the past 13 weeks, and I love that guy. I'm glad he'll only be one room over.

The fun thing about my week, though? I have gotten to kill and eat 2 cats! The Kpoto's (an amazing member-family in my area) set up a cage in their land and caught two large ones that they let us take home and cook. Cat meat is delicious! I hope that everyone will be able to see the pictures that I sent. 

Anyways, to answer your questions!

1.  Do you have any sisters (native) called to serve in Liberia yet?  If not, do you think they will be anytime in the near future?

We currently have 3 sisters serving in the mission, but 3 more will arrive tomorrow! Of the 3, one is from Ghana and the other 2 are from Nigeria. I don't know the nationalities of the ones coming in! I know that by the time I go home, President Carlson said there will be 12 sisters here so that he can actually transfer them around. The current sisters have been in the same area for a very long time because there's no where else to put them!

2.  Are transfers coming up soon?

The new transfer officially begins today and will end on May 31st, so I can sit tight for a while!  

3.  Do you speak any Fante or Twi at all?  (I hope I spelled those right)  Do you think you still remember the languages?

Since ELder Eguko and Elder Adams are both fluent in Twi, I have actually gotten to speak small again! I absolutely love the language, but I'm a bit rusty after not having been in Ghana for close to 7 months... Hopefully Elder Adams will help me regain it.

4.  What did you do when you ran out of water at your apartment last week?  How long were you without it and how is it generally replenished?

Well, I won't go into all the details of what happens when Elders don't have running water, but for the most part we just fetched water at the well across the road. Some people came this week and dug our own well deeper, so everything is fixed now. Normally we have an electric pump push water from our well up to an elevated water tank which then feeds into the house. That's how nearly all houses in west Africa get water!

5.  How is your Branch President doing?  I think about him often!  

He is doing great! He has come to church for the past 3 weeks, and he has really regained his strength back. He is still not quite rehabilitated from the mental aspect, although he has greatly improved. I love that man, and your prayers would still be appreciated!

6.  What is a popular snack food in Liberia?  We seem to like our popcorn and chocolate.  What about Liberians?

Popcorn is universal! Everybody eats popcorn here. You can buy a bag for 10 LD on the streets (about 8 cents), so it's very cheap. Liberians also love biscuits (cookies)! I really enjoy the vanilla wafers that they sell almost every where. Definitely no chocolate though.

Well thank you to every one again for the help and support that you give to me! I love all of you so much and pray for most of you individually. Please continue praying for me and those that I teach! I love you all. 

Love,

Elder Degen