Meet Elders Plackie and Kotokpo From Liberia

Each missionary comes to the MTC having traveled on an incredible, yet inspirational covenant path.   This group has 15 missionaries from Liberia and here are the stories of two of them:

Elder Plackie and Elder Kotokpo

HE FELT THE SPIRIT IN LOOKING AT THE SIGN ON THE ROAD WITH THE NAME OF THE CHURCH. Elder Tamba Plackie was born on November 17, 1989.  When he was 3 months old, his father became ill and passed away.  He was raised by his mother in Monrovia.  His life was difficult as a young man.  War started in Liberia the same year he was born and there was never a home his mother and older siblings (3 Sisters) could call their own.  They were often hungry and rarely was their food at the normal times for meals.

When Tamba was 18 years old he saw the sign for the local Church building and felt prompted by the Spirit that he should join that Church.  His uncle was a Reverend for the Pentecostal Church and told him many falsehoods about Mormonism.  For the next two years, he heard anti-Mormon comments about the Church, but in the following year he again saw the sign and felt prompted to go into the Church building, where the first people he met were the missionaries and this was on a Friday. Their names were Elders Redmond and Nelson. The first thing he told them was that we wanted to be a member.  He was invited to take the lessons and beginning the next day he did.  Within 3 months, he was ready for baptism, but due to being moved for his work assignment, was unable to keep his  scheduled baptism date.

He kept the materials and in his new city, Paynesville, he again met missionaries and was retaught the lessons.  Three months later he was baptized on August 17, 2010 by Elder Hills and Elder Erwery.  And Reverend Plackie?  He actually encouraged Elder Plackie to serve a mission saying it would make him a better person.  It is his mother who has serious reservations about him joining the Church.  He does have an Uncle who is a member, Uncle Jasper who along with Reverend Plackie are very happy that he is serving a mission.

HE WAS A MEMBER REFERRAL FROM A COWORKER BUT WAS SEARCHING FOR SPIRITUAL DIRECTION AND HAPPINESS.  Elder Isaac Mulbah Kotokpo was born February 20, 1994 in Bong County, Liberia.  His father was killed in the war.  The enemy had used sorcery on him.  When he was four years old, he was sent to live with his uncle in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  At the age of 13, he was acting out a bit, so was sent back to Liberia by his uncle for discipline.  In Liberia, he was cared for by his aunt. (His mother lives in the Interior).  Isaac was very sad to move to Liberia.  For him, moving from the US to Ghana was a long term goal.  While he was praying on how to get to the US, he started looking for religion.

A local member sister welcomed him to the Church and gave the missionaries a referral.  Soon he was taking the lessons and three months later was baptized by Elder Stott and Elder Chikwinu.  His Aunt says that he is a new man and his uncle the man in the US, agreed to have him come back to the US after his mission.

Both of these missionaries along with the other 13 are from Libera which are in the MTC at the present time, had to wait for a long time (many over a year) in order to come to the Ghana MTC.  Their life stories are fascinating.

AND THE REST OF THE STORY.  Elder Kotokpo was the person who baptized Elder Packie and now they are in the MTC together.  He was a priest in the same ward and had been a member a year. They will be serving in the same mission.