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.

Boxing Day Baptism

A Crazy busy week preparing for the first group Party, Christmas day and our second baptism. Alot of our time was chopped with interviews and setting up for the party. The member who was asked to be in charge of the Christmas Eve party is a GIANT policeman who has been a member for about 7 years named Patrick. To show how massive this guy is he said while our planning, 'Even when I sleep I think about gyming.'  He uses his bigness to get things done and the party was a sucess. We watched some of the new church videos on Christmas. OUR CHURCH IS SO GOOD AT VIDEOS. If you havent seen them yet, watch them. and then #SharetheGift. The Church is going serious online. 

And thanks to the fam for sending sweet decorations. Our drinking bar we are meeting in for a chapel was transformed into a Christmas wonderland!

Christmas is only good when you are with people. Seeing smiles and love is better than any gift. There is a family, the Essiens,  who is having serious financial issues and Christmas morning we invited ourselves over with wrapped presents and food, and pumpkin pie (thanks for this one too!) and a Christmas tree. The father said it was the best Christmas his family had ever had. That is what Christmas is alll about.

Friday, the 26th, Boxing Day, was our baptism. Another 7 prepared souls. In one transfer, we almost doubled the members of our group. We now have a whopping 39 members and an average of 60 attendance every Sunday!! Today, the couple missionaries came and we settled everything it will take to become a branch. They say by the beginning of 2015, our chapel should be finished, we will be a branch and even next week, 3 more missionaries will be coming making 8! Any more and we will be our own zone! The Lord has prepared this place for his work to flourish. 

During the time we were able to proselyte this week, it hit me how important the sacrament was. We invited a great investigator to come to church this week and she said that her church was having a a special program this week. I said, "Wow! We will be having a special program this week too! We will be partaking of the sacred emblems of Jesus Christ and renewing our covenants with God! You should come!" 

She did come and wants to be baptized next month. Thats the Lord's work, Brethren.

Have a Happy New Year!

Languages

First off, Happy Birthday to the Pops! I will still love you no matter what colour your hair becomes. Age is not a punishment but an excuse for a new hair style! Love you Dad! 

This week was made interesting with the introduction of Elder Tyson into the companionship. Now I am not just serving with one Ghanaian but now two! I try to speak the language and conform to the culture, but when you put two life-long Ghana language speakers together, they might as well be speaking Chinese. I have no idea what these guys are saying some times. 

I say Chinese because that is a typical way in the English language to say someone is speaking gibberish. God blessed us this week to have us find a new strong member. We met her in Dunkwa town and she said she works for a mining business in a few towns over. We were impressed that she is a Togolese living in Ghana and is fluent in French, English, Twi, Ewe and 9 other Togo languages. Imagine our COMPLETE SHOCK when a Chinese man walks up and talks to her AND SHE TALKS BACK. This member is A FLUENT CHINESE TRANSLATOR. Saying that our minds were blown is an understatement. She learned Chinese in only one year and specially requested to go through the temple in complete Mandrin. We have now found our in on preaching the gospel to the Chinese peoples. Have I ever tried to share the gospel to a Chinese man? Yes. Do they just stare at me in confusion? Yes. Usually I just give them a Jesus picture and walk away. Seed. Planted.

A few weeks ago, I received a referral from none other than my Stake in America! This week we successfully contacted her! Madam Alice Brown has been waiting for the church to come for getting to 30 years. She is very involved in her church but is happy to hear that her church is here. She has a granddaughter, Benedicta who is very interested and we will be following up on. Madam Alice knows all the original pioneers and even has the old old version of the Book of Mormon with Angel Moroni on the blue back ground. We will be working on her and will let you know!

Working seriously for our baptism on the 27th of this month.

Elder Riehle

Lots of work

We counted our members in our group about 50. We have 16 dates for people in the next 2 months. So we are hoping for about 60 members by January. A 60 member group is just two massive. Our poor group leader is feeling it. The duty of the group leader is basically to be in charge of everything. And with so many people.... it is not easy. The Missionaries are counselors for now and on Sunday him and I personally went through all the members and extended callings to them. It was a position I have never been in before. We prayed for revelation before we started and it was uncanny how revelation works. No fires or visions but there were times both of us knew with out a doubt that this person needed this calling. God's Hand is in the work. This is his only living church.

I had an State-side mission experience. Flat out rejection is not all that common. We found the sister of the Bishop in Mpinstin ward. She is the only one in her family who is not a member. When we asked if her and her husband would visit church, her large-in-stature/bellied husband said "NO WAY" later we asked again and same answer. That doesn't happen very often. Have we given up? HA! no. 

A random kid walked up to me and gave me a genuine American Dollar. I gave him a Cedi for exchange. His life was made and I was 30 cents poorer.

Like I said before. There is so much work to do and time is going by so fast!

Full of the Spirit. . . . and Food

It has been a big blessing to have been the first missionaries in a town that has been waiting to have the church in their town for many years. How else do members show appreciation to missionaries? Food. Lots and lots of Food. And it is not like in the VA, where they have a website scheduling months in advance. No, this is a, sit down, shut up, and chop or I won't talk to you again. Best thing to do is... just that. Endure. So, with that being said,  We have been fed forcibly everyday for the past 2 weeks with a record breaking 5 in one day. It is not really easy, brothers and sisters. With that being said.... I am on a fruit-only diet. 

This week had two very large events. The first, and American Thanksgiving and Second, the monumental first Baptism done by the correct authority in Dunkwa-on-Offin, Ghana. Life is good.

So for the first. There are some white mans I think I have mentioned who live near to us who are members from Utah. They are the big bosses of their Gold company and were not going to stay for the Thanksgiving. Something came up and they all had to stay. Lucky for them, their cook is a member who was trained to be a cook by americans. WOW. See real Thanksgiving. Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, string beans, dinner roles, gravey, and heavens, everything that is Thanksgiving. To add to the lot, I went early and made the classic apple pie for the feast. In our pleasent conversations over the table, which I have never ever had before, First time. (Ghana culture is to never eat with a guest) we discussed that we were probably the only missionaries in West Africa to have feasted as such. Blessings. See Blessings. 

Other notable firsts. First time eating with my left hand and first time using a fork and knife combo. 

Baptism. First one. It was defintely a celebration. We had 7 lovely sons and daughters enter into the waters of salvation. MAny were spouses of long time members and some were ones God has prepared. President Stevenson made the 5 hour terrible road trip for the event and it all went very well. These are the first of many for this area. In our talk to President, he said as soon as we have become a branch, they will work on us being a district on our own as soon as possible.

We will be having another baptism  on 20 Dec and another in begining of January. More on that later.