6 Months

As of this past Sunday, I have been in the lovely country of Ghana for 6 whole months! So much has happened in the past little bit and it has gone so fast! I have learned so much and I hope I have become a better person. One big thing I have learned is that progress can't always be seen up close. You have to step back and look at the whole picture. If I looked at the past week and try to look at what has changed, it would be tough but as I step back, Oh boy! It's like getting tan. I have gotten quite dark, not going to lie, but day by day I can't see the difference! 

This week I was getting over the sickness. I told God on Tuesday Morning that I will give my all, or at least the all that I can give, but it won't be a lot. He will have to give me some slack. Tuesday Afternoon, we had a man named Sammy who wanted a Book of Mormon and wanted to "learn all about it". He said that and I probably smirked a little bit and in my head I gave a little salute to God. Thanks Captain. I know you have got me covered! 

I love just meeting people sometimes! This week I was able meet Brother Hanson, father of Abigail Hanson who I know in America! I had a nice chat with him and snapped a picture! It just amazes me how small the world is with in the Saints.

My biggest goal this week has been working to please God. If we worry about all the people around us we will do just that, worry. And too much! I still get nervous and I still get like butterflies, but I know that God wants me to share his true gospel and there is nothing to stop me! All I can do is give my all!

D&C 4- Give my heart. my mind. my strength.

The Church is true!

Elder Riehle

Halloween

I have so many stories from this week. Ill review them all tem tem (fast fast)

On Monday, Elder Richards and I took the prophetic advice to heart and decided to plant a garden!! Only problem, this is Africa. We don't know how to garden in Africa! We got our recent convert to help us plant Cassava, pepe, avocado, onions, papaya, okra, pineapple, garden eggs (egg plant?? I think?) and tomatoes. We will enjoy... in 6 months... :/

This Thursday was Halloween! In Ghana... no one cares... We did though. We bought candy (there is no good candy here), I put a Superman shirt under my priesthood and went out! I wore a thickish shirt so no one saw it until we got to our recent convert, Ernest and I ripped it open! Then we enjoyed candy. Sort of. I know all you Americans are enjoying your Halloween candy right now. Send some to the Missionary cause in Africa!

There is a first time for everything and this week I had a first! My knees were trembling and my mouth was dry. First time having a gospel conversation with a white man!! Frightening to say the least. I dont

know what I will do when I come back. You white people are scary.This guy is a super rich guy from Britain who has rented out an old Slave Castle in Dixcove for 50 years. He goes around to the villages and sets up churches. He was VERY set in his beliefs and wasn't very nice to us... It put into perspective how Elder Frederickson's life is in England! This was the first time I have ever really had someone truly reject me. Ghanaians are too nice for that. I am so lucky to be in a place where I don't get rejected everyday.

I over stepped my racial boundaries and learned how to cut African hair! With a tiny blade.. I shaved a kids head with just a flimsy blade and it actually looked good!

This Sunday was interesting for two reasons. First, I got to finally see the Lord's chosen in General Conference! Notice that I said see.... I SAW it but for hearing.. not so much. Lets just say that

four hours of Fante talking was a wee bit long. But the spirit was nice. Second thing was an Eclipse!! Finally could check off a life long bucket list. It was a partial eclipse, no total darkness but hey, It is an Eclipse!

And then today. Oh boy. There are 3 large beaches in my area boundaries and I have now been to all of them. Butrie, Busua and Cape 3 Points. Today I went to the last, Cape 3 Points. It took about 2 hours to get there on a tiny dirt road. We got there and went to the famous light house. It wasn't all that great, but we had a good time on the rocks next to the ocean. The way out was where it got interesting. I have truly learned the lesson in Osmosis? How did I learn about the travel of water through a membrane on a mission in Africa you ask? Well. It is a lot easier to get transportation from a big town to a small town. Small to big? not so easy. We were un able to get a car back and ended up having to WALK for about 3 hours (going about 20 kilometres) and blessed to get a car for the last hour. All in all a four hour trip. We went with some guys in the branch and they repeated "a day I will never forget."

I realize that none of those stories had anything to do with the gospel and missionary work. I promise you that I AM actually working hard, not just cutting hair and going to the beach. So i'll bring it back

D&C 6:10-- We all have been given gifts. I have been so humbled and so strengthened while I have been here. I have been able to see my strengths and weaknesses like night and day. We just always have to remember that our talents come from God. So am I really good at cutting hair with a razor? Yes. Thanks God.

Choose tomorrow to be happy for the gifts you have.

Elder Riehle

Wow!

Wow. I am sure I have said this before but Wow! Time flies by so quick! It is probably because from dawn to dust we are busy busy busy. We walk allll day and its great! I have gone down 3 belt holes in my belt buckle! We are trying to get bikes so that we can see even MORE people in the day. That is our problem. We have so many people to see, there isn't even enough light in the week to see them all!

One of our biggest goals for the branch has been to set up a mid week! So far it has been a bit like pulling teeth... but we are on it! This week Elder Richards and I built a volleyball net! to go along with our Basketball hoop. It has been fun to see kids going and playing on our court. 

I had THE coolest thing happen yesterday. Totally fulfillment of Doctrine and Covenant prophesy. We were meeting with some guys who are in Agona for a national service requirement to graduate university. So they are very educated but also very polite. One of them is Muslim but knows the Bible very well. We were going over the Plan of Salvation. Everything we said, he really agreed with, or that's also what his religion believed except for the big separator in our doctrine. That of the Divine Ministry of the Savior Jesus Christ. Our Muslim friend, Khalid, pointed a scripture in the Bible where it says A prophet will come who will die for our sins. He read that thinking Mohammad. Then it happened. Words started coming out of my mouth that I didn't know and couldn't back up! I said that the Book of Mormon had the same prophecy in it. Shoot! I had no idea if it was or not! I started going off on this and I cant even remember the words I said. I said I would have to go and come to find it (thinking I was going to have to read 1 Nephi to Moroni) and then right then. Bam. I opened up my scripts and read 1 Nephi 10:4 "A prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews- even a Messiah or, in other words, a Savior of the World".

Had I read that scripture before? Yes. Did I know that scripture was there? No. But was I able to use it when I needed it most? Oh yes. D&C 84:85 "treasure up in your minds continually the words of life and it shall be given to you in the very hour that portion meted unto every man"

I think I just got meted.

I always loved hearing stories like that. It truly happens! 

Press forward in your faith!

Elder Riehle

Water Situation

I have been asked a few times what the water situation is. We have a HUGE tank of water that has 2500 kl in it. For that we are set. BUT, the problem is power. Ghana's power is super unreliable. So last week, every time I tried to do email, the power would go out!! But its all about Priorities. If I really wanted to email friends, I wouldn't have gone to Africa for two years. Getting my priorities straight! If I

know why I am here I have no need to fear. This past week, I had a sweet experience with a man named Henry. I met with him the first time 3ish months ago and he was very contentious. For some reason, we felt like we should call him again. This time we met him with our Elders Quorum President and it went 100% better. Having a member there was key. Henry understood so much better what we were trying to say and said something so so powerful. "If this church is true.... there is a lot of work to do." Wow. So true. If there is truth, it is going to take a LOT of work to do. I have heard that Conference was great... I haven't actually seen it yet. I had no idea it even happened till I saw it mentioned in an email! The mission will probably send it out to the branches in a few weeks... but it will be in Fante... So one day one day I will see it. Some updates on Michael Dreamson I talked about a

few weeks ago. He is officially off the wanted list from Cote D'ivoire and is going to be baptized on October 27th. This week was the one year anniversary of him meeting with the missionaries!

This week was an anniversary to something else! Saturday was the day that Alma and Amulek rent the prison walls in twain! In Alma 14:23 it says "on the twelfth day of the tenth month." October 12th!!

I found THE greatest scripture this week, for me.. maybe not so much for you.... Whenever I am feeling down, I will ask my self, "Who is a super cool missionary?" and then I will open up to Alma 32:35 and read, "Oh then, is it not Riehle (real)?" Why yes Alma. I think you are right!

Shout out to Cub Scout pack 55 from Chesapeake Virginia for having one of their t-shirts make it all the way to Africa!!

Way too much rain

This week. Oh boy. Nsu odoso. Too much rain. Technically, this right now is the "minor rainy season" but, I don't know. It rained ALOT this week. Appointments were hard to keep because if Ghanians see rain, they don't go outside... even for Church.... This week was probably the least productive week I have had on my mission thus far. Partly because of the rain and mostly because the Branch is not involved in the work at allll. We have tried everything we can. We try to set something that the branch can use, but they ignore it. As of right now we have a few things in the works. Along with our Branch mission leader (who is "very busy" all the time) we created Branch Mission Plan that is an effort for the branch to be more involved. We also have tried to set up mutual on Wednesdays with the Young Men and Young Womens president (who are both 19). This week... no one came... not even the presidents. But things are about to change!!

I cannot complain. The branch is not helping much, but the Three Amigos are doing just fine. Elder Riehle, Elder Richards and Elder Heavenly Father. We have 5 people with dates for the next few weeks, so we will be busy busy.

A big thank you to Leslie Green! I love the package you sent me! 

D&C 50:24 LIGHT

"That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."

Fun Little Stories

I went on splits last week with Elder Moore from York (the Old one in England) and he asked me what my favorite part of my mission is. I thought about and I said that it was just waking up in the morning!! Everyday has something new in store! I have realized that I have only been talking about one thing every week so here are some fun little stories. 

The work in Agona... wow. Feel free to send any free time of yours in the mail. We need it so bad! There is not enough time in the day to see the people we need to see! Like Ammon says, "I do not boast in my own strength, but I boast in my God" so that is what I will do. Wow! God is awesome! He is blessing this place so much! Elder Richards and I sat down and wrote down all the people who will be baptized in the next few months and we counted 15. And those are only the solid ones. I boast in my God for the success he is providing in little Agona Nkwanta.

I never knew people could resort to violence over the Book of Mormon!! We were outside the branch Quorum President just chatting. People come up to us all the time thinking that because we were white we have mon-ay and to that we say saw-ray. They come to THE worst people to ask for money from, volunteer missionaries. But this time was no different, while we were chatting and lady came up and got into my son's face and not very nice way, asked for money, in which we always take the opportunity it to say. "We don't have money to give but what we have is better than money, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We would love to set a ti--" but this time we were cut off and she saw a Book of Mormon in my hand and she said "give me Bible". And STILL trying to turn this in to a positive conversation, I said "This is a book like the bible. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jes--" She cut me off again and said "I don't care, just give it!" And then she latched onto my arm and was trying to rip it off! The "it" in this situation being my arm! For about 30 seconds it was my arm vs crazy Fante woman and it wasn't going well. (But to make sure you know, in this battle, my arm was definitely the Nephites.) She was still fighting for it, so as a representative of Jesus Christ I felt it was best just to let go. When I did, She took the book, placed it... down her shirt... and laid on the ground. It was at this point where the Quorum president decided to intervene and get it back. 

I met a man this week name Zion Ellis who is 100% Rasta! His dreads are 4 feet long and he is suuuper hippieish. He is new to the town and needs a friend so we happily obliged. He invited us to sleep over at his vegetarian tree house restaurant of which we had to respectfully decline. maybe in 2 years! 

A recent convert, Robert about 25 years old, asked me where babies came from.... That is NOT in the missionary handbook.

Last week was me being her for 4 months. Wow. Blessings are coming about as much as it is raining, which is really hard, everyday. 

Psalms 133:1 Unity is pleasant

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Elder Riehle

Crazy Week

What a crazy week! It was chock full of preparing for the baptism this sunday (September 8th). Once again it was in our river! :) We did a lot of preparing but it was tough! There are a lot of details to work out... such as Baptismal clothes.. Which I didn't think of till Sunday morning and we had to take the 45 minute tro tro ride to the Stake centre during church! Oops.. The Baptism on Sunday was awesome. Three new members of our little branch! We even saw a snake this week haha But, The greatest experience happened on Wednesday and today. Wednesday was a Combined Zone meeting and a bunch of missionaries were there. One of the companionships brought a set apart Elder who is going to Nigeria. After the meeting the Elder told us how his father lived in Dixcove which is in our area and we have to go see him! What an amazing referral. A missionary son wanting to bring his father n the Gospel. Dixcove is a little bit away and we cant justify our proselyting time to go out there so we went today! P-Day! I have been to Dixcove before with Elder Harris and went to the Fort there (which we had to pay 5 cedis to get in) and the beach. This man, Robert Mensah, the Elder's Father is one of the villages most respected men and is the care keeper of the Fort! Recently though he got in an accident and his right leg is broken. But this man had some of the strongest faith I have seen in a Ghanaian (which is saying a lot). His son gave him a bible and a triple as a parting gift that he has been studying everyday. So basically we meet a man who already has a love for the Book of Mormon and wants to know what his son is going to Nigeria to teach! Hello open door! I had a vision (more like a thought hah) while we were talking to him and I saw him as a powerful member someday! The Lord is providing!

D&C 19:23 The recipe for Peace!

(Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.)