Feeling obolo

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your emails, love, kindness, and joy towards me! It is so weird that it is November! I remember like yesterday that it was August! The weather here is always the same so maybe that is why :) It's fun to talk to Africans about snow! I just try to explain that it's "fluffy ice that falls on the ground." ha ha. 

This week was cool! My companion is very good at his bike now! I was really worried from last week with hitting the old lady and what not. But he's really getting the hang of it. Although, yesterday he fell in the gutter with his bike, it was even his birthday! But It all happens to us at least once and we had a good attitude. When it happened he was even smiling! Those who knew me when I was home (Which is hopefully all of you) know that I don't really get angry... I most often just get sad if something is wrong or I just move on haha. So when I saw that half of his leg was in sewage I just said. "Welp, let's go home and change." and so we went back and everything was fine afterwards. At church we had a new investigator come which was really exciting! We also are having another baptism next week! Her name is Ramma and she's 15 so she reminds me of Shandee! So after church we went to Mama Mensie's, (who i'll send a picture of in a separate email) who is the sweet old lady who always feeds us. She gave us a bowl of fu fu the size of my head. Then when we were finished she added more! Then we finished and she said to me "Drink the soup!" so then i really felt like I was going to die. After that we went and visited Kwame. On the way we saw another recent convert so we said he should come. When we came he said "hey, I made rice for you!" At this point I almost I almost fainted. It was such a blessing to have the other recent convert there to help us eat. Afterwards I felt Obolo (fat). But It was a great memory. I remember that I didn't eat anything else that night. 

This week I had the opportunity to finish the Book of Mormon for the second time! I have prayed about it and I know for a fact that it is true! Being a missionary, I have finally seen how vital the Book of Mormon is to our salvation! It helps us know about the Restoration, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Plan of Salvation! The Book of Mormon truly is another witness that Jesus is the Christ and that God loves us! This week I went on an exchange with Elder Conduanne because our companions were both sick. When we were proselyting we came across a family sitting on the side of the road. When we were introducing ourselves and talking about what we believe they asked us some other questions where we said to ourselves "Fetch, these are Jehovah's Witnesses." I don't know if Aust and Redge ever ran into any of these guys but I think they came about just to make missionary work more of a challenge. But don't get me wrong, they are very devoted, and nice people. They are just a little confused. So everything for them stems off of the Fall of Adam and Eve. They think it was a horrible mistake and that we would all be in the garden right now. So it really tested our testimonies to tell them what we knew to be true. They also believe when we die that is the end, unless your one of the chosen people who will be resurrected. Anyways I'm not bashing on their belief or anything like that, all I am doing is saying that I am so grateful for the knowledge we have and the truth that we have and enjoy! I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon in my life and I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet! I invite all men and women everywhere to read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon. If they do these things with a sincere heart and real intent God will give you a witness of it's truthfulness! I know these things are true! One lesson this week was very special to me, we taught a man named Ben who is a youth leader in his church. We talked more about the Plan of Salvation especially about Adam and Eve. Last week we had a similar lesson but it was more of a bash. This time we really tried to listen and be calm. As we taught, we really tried to explain to him the big picture about the fall and why it was important. When the lesson was done, I forgot everything that I said, and I knew that the spirit was there. Sometimes as people we rely on our own knowledge to much. We need to give ourselves up so that God can work through us. I know that Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy. I also want to testify again that the Book of Mormon is true and that I cannot deny it.

Culture Corner:

Women tie their babies to their backs with a thin blanket. I love African children so much. 

I love you all and I feel your prayers! Thanks for all of your support! Just know I am doing fine and am praying for you! 

Love, Elder Ballard

These are Mama Mensie's grandchildren The light little girl is probably the cutest little girl I have ever seen in Africa :) 

My companion finally can ride a bike!  He has shown me that you can learn anything at all if you put effort and interest into it! 

Na. She's so adorable!

Ramma, who will be baptized this week!

Mama Mensie is like our mission grandma! She cooks for us every Sunday and is so sweet! 

This is our apartment! Elder Obiarinze from Nigeria (the light short one.) Elder Conduanne from Mozambique (Dark buff one.) Elder Tawodzera from Zimbabwe (Short dark one) and Me (yeah) So each of us have different accents to understand! I love our apartment so much! 

Have a great week!