I have a few of these little African elves hanging on our tree. They aren't cheap, but I just couldn't resist them. 

This is a tiny little basket we have hanging on our tree. I can get more for our Festival Tree if you think they are cute 

I could make each of you one of these for future Christmases. It's so simple even I can do it! 

Some of the things I have been doing to keep busy. I'm so glad that Joan Child likes to applique and quilt and likes to teach others to do the same 

This is my first helicopter ride and we're on our way from the aiport to Freetown. We could either take a 40 minute hovercraft ride or this 10 minute helicopter ride to get from the airport into town. We opted for the shorter ride. Seated with me is Sister Lynette Gay wife of President Robert Gay of the Accra, Ghana Mission. Part of their mission includes Liberia and Sierra Leone. Lynette is a real trooper and had done quite a bit of humanitarian work in Africa before this assignment. But for me, this is quite an adventure for a little housewife from Utah!

We took two new elders (just finished the MTC) plus the assistants to Sierra Leone with us. This will be the first field of labor for the two on the left. They just all happened to be white, which is very unusual. The two new elders will have a Zambian and a Nigerian for companions when they land. 

These are typical of some of the beautiful people we encountered in our training in the Freetown District. Notice the beads in the little girls hair. She looks a little like the dolls that we brought home from Africa. She was absolutely a doll herself and we couldn't resist taking a picture. 

This is the Grafton Branch in the Freetown District of Sierra Leone. It is located near a resettlement area that was created during the war. It has about 70 members that come regularly to this little "tabernacle in the wilderness" and President Gay said if they had just a little better building they imagine they would have about 100 people coming to this branch. Would you have enough faith and testimony to stay active and faithful in a building that looked like this? The Church doesn't yet have any of their own buildings in Sierra Leone. All of the buildings that they use are rented facilities or like this one are on leased land. The Area Office hopes to acquire our own properties in the future. Most of the other buildings are much more substantial than this one. This is the poorest facility that the Saints have to meet in. They hope to erect something more substantial on the cement pad in the foreground in the next year, but they will need a few more tithe paying members. Pretty hard to find in a country with 80% unemployment

This is Elder & Sister Anderson. They are our lone missionary couple in all of Sierra Leone. He is the District President of the Freetown District. They are truly some of the greatest and most valiant souls in the Kingdom of God. They are unflappable and extremely positive and hopeful and are also having the time of their lives. 

Not the sturdiest of classrooms and I have no idea what they sit on during classes. We forgot to ask. 

This is the inside of the Grafton tabernacle. You are looking at the chapel and some of the classrooms. 

You can see the roof of this "building" is made courtesy of the UN and the bags they ship refugee supplies in which have been recycled here to keep the rain out. 

Outside the Grafton Branch were they hold Primary under this tree. It would be easy to teach about the Savior as the good shepherd with the neighbors sheep wandering through Primary. Sister Gay and Sister Anderson are discussing the geckos that scurry in and out of the tent during the meetings. 

We crossed a bridge over this stream on the way to the Grafton Branch. This is where many of those from the relocation camp do their laundry and bathing. It is quite a communal experience and they were having a good time. 

This is the other side of the bridge where the laundry that was washed in the stream is laid out to dry. How they get these clothes so clean and bright under these conditions is one of the wonders of the world 

Before we show the pictures of our mango tree church we wanted to show you some dancing Ghanaian girls. We thought Baylee and our other dancing granddaughters would enjoy these girls and their costumes. They are dancing to the drums and instruments played by the young men. You'll notice they have very short hair. That's how most of the girls look when they don't have their hair extensions on. This was part of an Arts and Craft exhibit we just happened upon one day in Accra. The drums and dancing drew us right in to see what was going on 

This is the beautiful mango tree where the Dodowa group was assembling for meetings. It provided beautiful shade and let us feel the cooling breeze. This is Africa at it's most basic and most beautiful. You'll want to double click on these pictures so you can see them in a larger size. 

The primary leader teaching a basic lesson on family trees. The Ghanaian women wear beautifully colorful dresses.

The group leader Brother Nema conducted our meeting. 

Dad asked this fellow to bear his testimony. In the background notice the banana trees and the soccer posts. 

You can see the children lining the first rows of benches and the adults standing in the rear. Notice the sacrament table to the right. 

A long distance shot of the Dodowa group 

Here is one of the friendly chickens who kept things lively during our meeting. I missed the shot of the rooster 

People out in the villages make charcoal out of a certain kind of wood and sell it to people for cooking 

Dad couldn't resist taking this shot of the artistically arranged melons and oranges. The Africans have learned how to present their produce in eye-stopping ways even when they have no money. Try and get your oranges to stack like that. Doesn't it make you want a bite of that watermelon?