Purple Chickens

Hello Everyone!!! Thanks so much for your amazing emails and words of love and support! It means so much to me, and helps me keep going!

Wow! Another month went by like Bunny after a bath! It seemed like yesterday I just got here! I am getting more and more used to everything! Another transfer of missionaries came this past week so it was nice to be able to encourage them and feel like I am experienced! (not really but hey!) Ghana is finally not so foreign to me anymore! I am starting to love the people more and more! I still can't get over how nice people are here! I almost hit this guy with my front bike tire, so I said "sorry-o" he just turned to me, smiled, patted me on the back, and said "you are quite fine!" and strolled off! I wish everyone was like that!

So this week was really fun but challenging! One night the mosquitoes were awful! there was like a cloud of them swarming me while we were teaching a less active. I clapped my hands once and I killed three of them at once! It was crazy! Anyways a random thing I saw was a purple tinted chicken with chicks that were bright purple! They looked like real life peeps! I guess they actually have purple chickens here, I wasn't expecting to see that on my mission!

I also had a great experience this week. The thing that I have a testimony on more than ever is the Book of Mormon. We taught this man whose name is Ben, he is from the church of Pentecost and knows the bible more than I know how to play banjo! (which isn't a lot, but let’s continue.) So we contacted him and taught him about prophets and the apostasy, then the next day we taught him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. When we showed him the Book of Mormon he said "not to reject the church or anything, but I believe the bible is the only thing that can help us return to God because it is used globally." So everything we tried to teach him about it he didn't really want a part of it. But when we had him read part of Moroni 10 I could just feel of the truthfulness pouring out of the book through the Spirit. After he read he paused. Then he looked at us and said "Okay, I will read it." We also showed him a video of Elder Holland testifying about it so that probably helped too. (I recorded a video of him on my camera) But man, as I have studied the Book of Mormon every day, it has become so "Delicious" to me! I love studying it so much! It literally has the fullness of the gospel inside it! It explains the restoration, the plan of salvation, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the commandments we need to follow to return to God! Not only has this helped me understand the gospel more, but it has testified to me more than every that Joseph Smith was indeed called of God! That he truly was a prophet, seer, and revelator in the Latter Days! I knew the Book of Mormon is true, but now I cannot deny it's truthfulness!

I know this Church is true and that I am where God wants me to be. Going on a mission has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but these things am learning and being truly converted to are worth more than anything in the world. As I have been teaching the gospel to people in a way that they can understand, it has helped me realize that my mission will prepare me to teach my children the gospel in a way that will make it stay with them. I am not only going on a mission for the people in Ghana, but I am also going so that my "children will know to what source they can find the remission of their sins." I love this gospel and I love this work! This gospel is so perfect because it is full of beauty, order, love, and it makes sense! I love being a missionary and want to try my hardest to cherish every moment! I know these things are true and I can't deny them.

Cultural Corner: So since I missed last week I will tell two

There are women who carry tons of stuff on their heads to sell. I once saw a lady with a whole cooler on her head! One man had a whole burn barrel on his head he was taking somewhere! I just don't get how they can balance so well! The people who sell things on their heads often go on highways when there is traffic. They walk in between cars seeing if anyone wants their wares.

People here always make kissy sounds or say "Ssssss" really loud to get people's attention, so that's pretty fun :)

Questions answered!

Aust: the security here is like that in Brazil like you said! Broken glass, iron spikes, and electric fences! Our windows all have iron bars around them, when they robbed us they went to our window that only has one set of bars. They somehow cut the bar right off, cut the screen and entered! it was crazy! That Heroes map you sent made me have so many childhood memories! I loved that thing!

Dad: Oh yeah I forgot to tell you that I bought that elder's mini washing machine! It was only 75$! So when it washes my clothes I clean the apartment to get double the work done! I also felt bad having it while the other Elders wash, so I make them breakfast and other things! :) But when I train I will wash by hand so he will know how.

Shand: That picture cracked me up! I keep forgetting that I once had an iPhone and stuff hah :)

Well family and friends, I love you all! Have a great week! Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Ballard