Download, Read, Ponder and Pray

Moroni saw our day and spoke to us as if we were present. But in his final words he forgot one important detail. If you are in an area hours away from the mission home and you run out of Book of Mormons, the work doesn't cease! Talk to people with smart phones and commit them to download, read, ponder, and pray. No problem. 

We had another baptism this week. All were fathers completing their families. One was a Bro. Eshun who has been a return missionary for a long time but hasn't been able to go to church since he moved to Dunkwa about 10 years ago. He has come back to the church as if he had never been gone. When we came his non-member wife, Christina, had no interest in joining the church. After some months, now she is full of testimony and light and is a big strength to the group. He baptized 3 of his children as well. Another, my convert from last baptism, baptized his daughter and his wife will hopefully be joining shortly as well. Another long time member, Bro. Yehayah had come to baptize his daughter but because he is was a hero and saved a man's LIFE, dislocating his arm in the process, (long story) he could not lift his arm quiitttee up to the square. This is a church all about families brothers and sisters.

I went on exchanges three days in a row. It makes the work interesting

Even more interesting is that I saw a many roasting an ARMADILLO. How did he find an armadillo in Ghana? Absolutely no idea. I never knew those things were here. In Twi, it is called "the meat of kings" I didn't get to try any to be sure. 

Oh and the best thing about the week? Church. How many people were there? Wait for it. Wait for ittttttt. 90 PEOPLE. We started with 20 PEOPLE and this Sunday it has QUADRUPLED from our first Sunday. There wasn't even enough space in our new chapel. The Lord Hastens the work.

The Secret

Insane week. Going from two companionships, 5 missionaries to 4 companionships, 8 missionaries and just a short time made for a lot of crazy times. But from the past few days, everything should be settling down and the work will explode. We are happy to welcome Elder Degen USA, Elder Okwii Uganda and Elder Assibey Ghana to the Dunkwa District. Fastest growing District in the mission! I am so excited to work with Elder Assibey as my new companion. He has already taught me plenty things and we get along well!

The most humbling lesson I learned this week was that, the most logical thing is not always the right thing. As soon as  we heard new missionaries were coming we tried to decide which area of town would be the best place to put new missionaries. I felt certain they place we picked was the best place by means of population, density and location. Elder Assibey and I were picked to be the ones to open that new area and I felt confident it was right.

WRONG. We proselyted in that place and there was a tangible feeling that we were in the wrong place. Just a solid deep down feeling that it was not where God wanted us to be. I was so confused because it made so much sense to go there. The next few days we WALKED the whole town and finally found a large community called Sofokrom. As we walked those streets, the Lord blessed us by helping us find two long time members and serious investigators. The Spirit has comforted us to know we are in the right place.

God speaks through the heart. As much as we truly thought we were doing the right thing, God had a different plan for us. Our reason in this life is to sense God's plan for us by his Holy Ghost and humbly follow it. 

That's the secret, friends ;)

2015 Off to a Good Start

Being the first missionaries in a brand new group makes for some unusual duties. For example, this week the missionaries were in charge of the New years Party. In Ghana, EVERY church has a "watch night" on the 31st where "if you are in the church praying when the year crosses over, all your sins will be forgiven you." Churches start at 9 and go till about 7 in the morning the next day. And of course as the only true and living church of the Lord Jesus Christ OBVIOUSLY we did not do that. Got permission to close at 10. Long story, but not because of anything we did, it went terrible. But we made it up for our New Years Day party which plenty investigators came to! More than 100 people showed up.  Our 'Group' with 60 members better be a branch soon.

The best holiday gift was to see everyone mingling with the investigators and members and recent converts during the party. The best way to end this Holiday Season was about half our recent converts from while we have been hear went up to bear their testimonies of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. Even the ten year old boy, Junior, in the family we baptized stood up and boldly announced that  he knows the Book of Mormon is true. There is not much of a better Christmas gift than that. 

The time has come for Transfers and I already knew I was staying. The news was that we will be having 3 more coming splitting our threesome companionship. In our mission, oddly enough there are only about 10 missionaries actually from Ghana. I served with Elder Bannerman and few months ago and now again. Elder Tyson also from Ghana came to be with us and now Elder Assibey also from Ghana will be coming to be my companion. Three Ghanaians is not very common!! Him and I will be going to open a whole new area of town where we haven't even set foot in yet. We will find plenty plenty members! And I will be learning even more Twi!

The guy sitting next to me right now, I just found out is a member from Accra and sometimes stays in Dunkwa for business. No such things as coincidences Brothren and Sisters.