We are in Africa! Liberia!

 

Trip to Monrovia, Liberia - April 21 to 25, 2022

To train the AAAs in that country with the assigned A2AA, Solomon Agbo.  Agbo lives in neighboring Sierra Leon and covers both countries.  He was in Accra for some business and flew with Atobora Brown and Elaine and I to Monrovia, Liberia.  A two hour flight.

Flew out of Accra at 4:00 pm for Monrovia, nonstop, Thursday April 21.  Called the Royal Grand Hotel as we taxied out.  We need a ride from the Monrovia airport to the hotel. Atobora had not arranged for that so I thought I had better do it quick.  Hard to get the message understood by the hotel clerk.  I explained who I was and that our group needed a ride from the airport into town.  We would be there in two hours.  She said she would check on it and call me back in twenty minutes.  That won't work.  She got the message, I think.  We’ll see when we arrive.  I turned the phone off as we arrived, we taxied to the end of the runway and took off.

A smooth flight over land and ocean.  

Arrived in Monrovia and endured the Covid-19 lines and questions and documentation requests.  We had heard Covid tests were no long required, but got tested anyway the day before flying out.  Glad we did.  Our friends the Dukes were in Liberia and Sierra Leon the two weeks before us and needed the tests, while the Munks were in Liberia ahead of us for two days and said they did not need the tests.  "It depends on who is at the desk" was Juliet Larbie's comment.  She is the former Area travel director.  In other words, you will get a different treatment depending upon who is on duty at the time at the Liberia airport.  I think she is right.  When we arrived, they had everyone lined up going through the process of confirming Covid tests were negative.  We got through without too many people jumping line ahead of us.  I didn't like that.  I am a missionary, with a badge to prove it.  I was patient.  

Many Africans wear colorful clothing because they can and they look good in colors.  Men and women.  

The back pack is hiding the shirt of strange designs

Outside the airport as we waited for the hotel van.  We called, and they said "it is coming".  A standard line in Africa which means "it is on its way", "we are think of sending it", or "it is almost there".  We waited for almost an hour and a half, so it meant "we just sent it on its way".

A guy in the Covid test verification line inside the airport.

Met Mustapha out front waiting for the ride into town.  He had called President Price of the Liberia Mission to let him know we were there.  Mustapha is not a member of the Church, but he knows the Church and the mission president.  He saw our badges, made the call, then handed me the phone.  I hadn't met him yet.  It was great to hear President Price at the other end.  A great guy.  He said he was just checking to see how our flight was.  I sensed a smile on his face.  I thanked him and said everything was going well.  Mustapha makes a living taking passengers to and from the airport in his car.  He lives close by.  A friendly guy.  The only “Mustapha” I know.  A great name.

We did the training at the Monrovia Stake Center.  A nice building in a busy area.  It has walls all around it, of course, and a big iron entrance gate with a guard station just inside.  The guy is always there, I think.  We met our two new AAAs, Brother Kpehe ("pe hay") and Brother Wrobeh ("Robay") and our old friend, one of my favorite muppets, Brother Goncolo.  I hardly understand what he says.  It's English with a muppet twist, and many hand gestures.  A solid latter-day saint and a good soul.  

The first picture above is lunch the second day.  We arranged for the rice sauce to be on the side.  It was very hot.  The Africans could put as much on as they liked and Elaine and I put enough on to taste and to enjoy the food.  I really liked it, but I didn't enjoy the contrasting senses of "this is delicious" and "my mouth is on fire and it really hurts".  The fish was good too.  This one had been cleaned out before frying. In Ghana the fish is fried without gutting it.  

Solomon Agbo, the A2AA over Liberia and Sierra Leon, where he lives.  He is from Ho, Ghana.  He runs a construction company.  A former stake president and a funny guy.

Brother Wrobeh, a new AAA, summarizing what was learned in the previous day's training.

Me, Elaine, Atobora Brown, Kpehe, Goncolo, Agbo, Wrobeh.

We went to Church today at the same chapel.  Four wards use it each Sunday, two at nine and two at eleven-thirty.  Liberia is a poor country.  The saints dress up for Sunday.  They wear their best.  Ladies, usually, like to show off a bit.  There was very little showing off today.  Simple styles and designs.  The guys wear dark pants, white shirts and a tie.  There was high attendance at our meetings.  More than usual.  I am impressed.  The music leader set a very low key to sing in.  No organ accompaniment.  The two talks were good.  A full-time missionary and the bishop.  Missionary work.  The priesthood meeting lesson was on Elder Christopherson's talk in the March 2022 Liahona, "The Refining Fire of Affliction".   Some African saints like to preach in priesthood meeting like other churches do.  This guy did his share of preaching.  My thoughts during the lesson: If our future station in heaven is determined in great part by the affliction we endure in this life, I am way back in line from these good people.  Tough days don't last.  Endure it well.  Serve others while waiting upon the Lord.  It's a tough and necessary process.  Experience is so very precious and enlightening when we look always to the Lord.  What am I supposed to be learning?  Then learn it.

Elaine's class experience.  In RS the ladies talked about following God's word.  They went through the five things President Nelson asked us to do in his "Spiritual Momentum" talk . One sister started talking about repentance and how hard it was sometimes. Another started in on how we shouldn't fornicate. I think she was aiming her comments at a particular sister. Needless to say I hadn't heard that discussed in RS before. I guess it's a problem here.  A small boy, maybe ten years old, followed me into RS and asked if I would take him to America with me. I told him I couldn't.  He asked if I had kids his age who looked like him.  I explained my kids are all grown up, but I had grandkids his age.

While waiting for sacrament meeting to begin, I looked up on the wall and saw this fire alarm.  I could help taking a picture of it.  

I guess they had a fire some time ago.  I didn't touch it.

Liberia is obviously a poor country. An "American-wanna-be country". The flag mimics the stars and strips with one white star in a blue background and eleven stripes of red and white.  There are American references in naming towns, and businesses that you don't see anywhere else in Western Africa.  This is only some obvious observances.  

The best thing we can be doing in this part of the Lord's Vineyard, is to strengthen the Church.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to the world's problems and challenges.  It is heart-breaking to see what these people experience and the apparent lack of sufficient government action to improve society and encourage business and the use of their most important resource: its people.  In spite of their situations, most everyone smiles back at you when you smile.  Big, beautiful smiles.  

We are catching a van to the airport at 4:00 am tomorrow morning.  The flight to Accra is at 7:00 am.  

Our mission comes to a close three months from today, on July 24, 2022.  

Have a nice day!