Right Time, Right Place

This past week has been a week of miracles. I want to testify to the statement of being in the "Right place. Right time." But before I talk about that, I want to talk about Basketball! In my farewell talk I said that Basketball can be a missionary tool. I took that thought and Ghana-ized it! Where an old run down tennis court stood we replaced it with a brand new (hand made) basketball court. Elder Harris and I had the idea a while ago, but it has taken time to finalized the details. We had to get measurements of what size everything had to be. We found that we had to get a rim, back board, pole, paint, cement and the strength of youth (not the pamphlet) to do it. We got a welder in Takoradi to weld an 18 inch rim, and a back board and a pole here in Agona. 

We told our young men about it a few weeks ago and they were just ecstatic. They said they are going to invite all their friends. This Wednesday we all got together and served by weeding and cleaning up the land surrounding the court. Weed wackers and lawn mowers are just a dream in Ghana, it is all about giant 3 foot knives they call cutlass. They said, "In America, man use machine. In Ghana, man use strength." Trying to do manual labor next to these people is tough, mostly because they think Americans don't know how to work. But when they saw me chopping grass and digging a giant hole with my hands some of them stopped and said, "I have never seen an Obruni work so hard before." That's right. Redefining racial stereotypes, one chop at a time. 

After about 3 hours we transformed rundown tennis court to a clean, NCAA guideline approved Basketball court.  We will start on this coming Wednesday for the first Agona-Nkwanta Basketball League. The reaction when we tell people is usually super excited like "Basketball! Yes! I love playing Basketball!" but then they get more serious like "Wait. Basketball... I have never actually PLAYED basketball" So these first few times will be teaching. I am very excited to truly mesh Basketball and Missionary work. We are trying to think of a good name for the court. Kimbell Court, Utah Court or Riehle Court.... Its a work in progress.... The job of putting up a basketball hoop in the bush of Africa was surprisingly much easier than I thought it would be. Must be the will of the Lord. "Right time. Right Place." 

This week has been full of spiritually edifying experiences. On Friday, it was just one after the other. In the morning, Elder Harris was calling people in the morning setting up appointments. Accidentally he called a past investigator who wasn't very serious. It wasn't until after the call that he actually realized who he was talking to. So that day, we went to go talk to this already proven not serious person. He didn't remember anything we had taught him last time. We felt it right to teach the first lesson to him again. One of his colleagues was in the back of the shack watching tv. As the discussion went on and on, became more and more involved in the lesson. He started asking golden questions and became really interested. We collected his name and number and will be seeing him soon. Right place. Right time. 

A few days ago one of the couples missionaries was buying something and man came up to them and asked to be a part of their church. When we got the chance to talk to him he said "When I saw them and the name of the church on their nametag it was like God was shouting at him to talk to him. Right time. Right place. 

I remembered that one of our investigators was feeling sick, so I asked if we could stop by to see her. She wasn't there, but we talked to a man there. He said he had been taught by guys like us before and he had been looking for us since. Right time. Right place. 

We stopped to talk to a member at his shop. The same time we came, another member of the branch who hadn't come to church for a month was there and was desperately looking for the Branch President but had no idea where he lived. We were there at the Right time. Right place. We were able to help her with a big problem that she was facing and needed help immediately. If we hadn't of been there at that time. That place. She could be in danger of her life. I testify as a servant of the Lord that you don't always know the impact you have on other people's life. If you follow the promptings of the spirit he will guide you to be in that Right time Right place to be there when someone needs you most. If nothing else, I have learned the importance of being worthy of Spirit. Live in Faith. All will be worth it.

Ether 4:11. Belief-> Spirit-> Knowledge 

"But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.