Afishi Apa!

Hello everyone! Ete sen? Afishi apa! (How are you? Merry Christmas!!!)

This week was seriously the fastest week of my mission! It was so great and I had many adventures!

At the start of the week, we went to find new people and there were some neat experiences that happened. We were walking in between compounds of houses and we saw this one lady who couldn't speak English, only Ga. We greeted her and kept walking, then as we walked she called for us to come back. We hesitated, but walked back to her. When we got there she called to someone in the house. Then a young man in his twenties came out and greeted us. His name is Gershon. (It was the Lady's grandson) We introduced ourselves and he said "Oh yeah I know what you are, my best friend is on a mission in Benin." So that was a great start. This week we were able to teach him about the Restoration. It was so powerful to teach him because we could relate to his friend teaching the same thing. We were able to say "This is ours and your friend's message to the world, that Christ's true church is once again restored on the earth." It was just a really good lesson. I am so glad that we went back for that lady and that God can direct us. The other experience was right after we taught Gershon. We walked by the side of a busy road full of shops and we passed and greeted this one lady (Everyone has to greet each other in Ghana.) and kept walking, as we kept walking I felt like we should go back, but I told myself, "Oh we'll stop next time." then we kept walking and I kept feeling like we should go back. So I told my companion that we should go back and see her. When we got to her she immediately let us sit down and teach. Her name was Patience. I have never had an experience like that before. God can truly lead you to do things if you put his trust in him. I don't know if Gershon or Patience will be baptized or anything, but I do know that God wanted us to see them and to help them feel the spirit. Maybe our job was to just lay a foundation for future missionaries or something like that, but I know that it was the spirit who helped guide us. That day really helped me feel that "This is why I'm here." and helped me to realize that if you devote all of your time to the Lord you really can become an instrument in God's hands. Success as a missionary doesn't depend on baptisms or people to teach, but it depends on your commitment to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel. (which comes with baptism and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost.). So that is my missionary thought of the week.

Wow I can't believe that it is already Christmas this week! The weather doesn't change here so time just goes so fast! I have really been thinking about what makes Christmas more special than any other holiday. Is it the food? Traditions? Movies? Lights? Presents? We all know that the main focus of Christmas is Christ, and his birth. But during the past few weeks I was able to ponder a little bit about why Christ's birth was so important. Our mission president said that " realize that the love that we have for our dear families, friends, companions, members, and investigators comes from the Savior, who started as the Christ child whom we adore.  Fill your life with goodness and obedience and turning your hearts to the service of others." This really hit me hard. The biggest thing that makes Christmas special is it brings two of the most sacred things together. Which are Family, and Christ. I am so excited for the opportunity to call home this week so that I to can come and be a part of the coming together of family! I think that is the reason the Lord has allowed his missionaries to call home. So that we call fully feel the Christmas spirit. That is my Christmas thought of today.

This week we went to a tailor to fix my companions pants that tore. After she was done I said "Afishi Apa!" (Merry Christmas!) and she was like "Oh for me, I am a Jehovah's Witness and so I don't really know what to say to that." So me and my companion just said "Okay, have a good day." It just made me so sad to think that a Christian religion thinks a holiday about Christ is considered an Idol! It made me so grateful for the gospel we have. Our message is a message of hope and love and it is so perfect. I know it is true and we are so blessed to have it.

Here’s the non-serious part of the letter. This week I had lots of fun quoting the Grinch and Home Alone with other American missionaries. Saying things like "MAX! Fetch me my sedative! Or "Maybe Christmas...Doesn't come from a store!" Or "Keep yer change you filthy animal." or "You know how to knock phlegm wad?" and many more. :)

One more crazy experience. People here for Christmas light off fireworks. So at night I was biking down a sandy hill and saw these guys running away from the road as I kept riding a giant firecracker blew up a foot away from my bike tire! So my ear rang for a while and I couldn't hear for a little. The guys said "Hey America! Sorry-o!"

Well, Thank you all for your emails and love! I am so grateful to be here and to experience Christmas in a whole different world! I hear people here just make lots of food for Christmas and invite whoever passes to come and enjoy. So I think I'll be well fed this week. Family, I am so excited to talk to you and hear your voices. I'm sure I sound very different than I used to. :) So I'll talk to you soon! I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas! Thanks again for all of your prayers and support towards me and all the missionaries!

Talk to you soon!

-Elder Ballard

Snails and Christmas preparation

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

This week went by faster than Bunny after a bath! December always flies by! Especially when your on a mission! Something I noticed is that I have been a missionary for 5 months already :O I can't believe that! When I first came, I was like "fetch, two years?" but now I have really seen that I need to cherish every moment of my mission! It goes by way to fast! I am so excited that next week I get to call!!! We got our little sim card things already so I put it under my Christmas tree along with the Christmas packages that have been staring at me for a month. People here don't really even open presents on Christmas, the main thing they do is just save up enough money to make as much food as possible. (mostly fufu) 

This week was good! We had a zone conference which was fun! We also took two investigators to the temple site for a Christmas program! They even had a couple Christmas lights there and a nativity! (Not as good as Salt Lake but it was still nice.) Another fun thing I did was eat some sea food things with Kwame! They're kinda like little sea snails that you use tooth picks to get out of the shells! (Picture attached.) Kwame just bought a whole bag for me and said "I need the shells, so could you eat as much as you can?" I was a little hesitant but I helped him. They tasted pretty good. Elder Tawodzera refused to take them though. I am so glad that Mom always told me to eat my food even if I didn't like it. It helped prepare me so much for my mission! 

Teaching wise, this week was a little tough, everyone traveled or wasn't at home, but this week we will try to find more people and keep working hard! My companion is doing really well as my son. He rides his bike like a intermediate rider now! He only has trouble with sand and with lots of traffic. This week we were riding with lots of slow moving cars and he slowed down too much and fell sideways. He would have fell in a really deep gutter, but there was 5ft squared wooden pallet that was over right where he fell. He always has had a good attitude when he falls which is good of him. Whenever we mess up, it's okay to laugh (as long as nothing is broken.) and then move on. 

I laughed at myself a lot this week which is always good. Once as I was biking through sand and palm trees, I was singing the lyrics "Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright, the sun all through the day and all the stars at night" from "Melekelekemaka" So that applied to me very literally. Also I was playing out keyboard in our apartment and one of the set songs on it was "O Christmas Tree." so as it played I sang the version on house guest. "Shoobie doobie doobie wabbie do". The thing about quoting movies is that no one who is African knows them, so I thought I would share some of my fun "American Moments" with you. 

One more sweet thing that happened this week was when me and my companion were just walking and this little girl with short hair and earrings just came up and held my hand while we were walking, I looked at her but she didn't even seem like she cared. Then I asked her her name and where she was going. She said her name was Sarah and that she was going home. Kids here are so adorable and I'm not even annoyed when they yell "Obrunie!" all day. I just love being here and I know God knew it was the best place for me. 

Well Christmas is almost here and it's so exciting! I know that this Christmas will be different than others I've had, but I know that I am in the right place. Something my mission president said is that "All the love we feel towards our family, friends, and loved ones comes from the Savior." which is so true. What a joy it is to celebrate the birth of our redeemer and our Lord. I can testify with everything I have that Christ lives and that he loves us. He knows every single bad feeling that we've felt. He knows how to help us. He has given all mankind his light and the knowledge of good and evil. It is only upon Christ that we can be saved. So as this Christmas season keeps moving forward, let's always remember him and try to make everyday to be like Christmas. I know these things are true and I say them in his name Jesus Christ Amen.

PS Congrats Grandma and Grandpa for your mission call! I am so excited for you!!! I'm glad the Salt Lake trip went well! Man, I wish I could have been there to see Dad as a chaperon. :D 

Pictures: Me and Kwame eating "Sea food"

Me with my Christmas tree! Sorry I couldn't get a dark picture, It wouldn't show up.

Thanks again for all of your emails! Merry Christmas Everyone! 

Love ,

-Elder Ballard 

Hello Everyone!!! I am overflowing with gratitude for all the emails received this week! Thank you all so very much! It really does mean so much to me!

This week was way awesome!

This is a picture of a top view of my area! In hamatan it is really foggy! 

First off, teaching was doing great! We started working with more members which helps so much because they can help translate what we are saying really well so they understand! Usually members are always like, "Oh, who will watch the shop?" or "I'm feeling tired." :P We also got two more people to commit to baptism! So things are going great. On Friday, me and my companion were walking outside to buy bread. Then all of a sudden my lips and face just get super dry! I looked at my companion as he slowly stroked his lips and said. "Hamatan...". Hamatan means "dry season." and so we've been hearing about it a lot and it finally came. It actually feels more like home because it is always cloudy which is a blessing, but it's just dry. So I kind of like it just for the no sun aspect of it. I just carry my sunscreen-chap stick with me all the time now. (Thanks Mom!) :)

Something that I really felt this week was love for the people of Ghana. I am sure that every missionary develops love for the people he serves. But for me, I think I am just lucky! These people are the most Christ-like people I've ever seen. This week were teaching a man who has never seen us before. He gave the closing prayer, and in that prayer he said "Father guide them, that they may be under your protection, that they may find those people who have open hearts and who will listen." as I was sitting there, I just felt the spirit so strongly and I felt my love for these people grow.

Another experience I had was when we were biking in a busy rode and I stopped right In front of a taxi driver who just waited for me and smiled. I told my companion: "This would never happen in America." People hear are just born with kindness towards others! Except for that racist Jafar guy who I met a couple weeks ago. I am just so grateful to be among a people who will say when you introduce yourselves. "I can't let the word of God pass buy, so come and sit." It just blows my mind! Anyways, I'll stop boasting :D

This week was also stake conference! Kwame, and Steven Aqua were sustained to have the Melchezidek  Priesthood which made me happy. :D I just love seeing people change their lives for the better so fast! The stake choir was so beautiful! African voices have a special spirit to them. I am so grateful for the chance I have to be here and to help those around me!

This week I also went with Elder Obiarinze to Accra, but as we were waiting for a  tro tro it started raining so much! Good thing I took my umbrella! (thanks Mom!) But the rain was so much that it blew into the back of my pants! Anyways, instead of waiting for a tro tro we just took a taxi. As we were driving, there were times we had to drive through what looked like a river. Sometimes I could feel the water rushing beneath the floor of the car. So that was another great adventure! :D

Then today we went to the beach again! We came and ate fried rice with chicken and drank Fanta and Sprite out of glass bottles (which is normal here! It's nice!).

So this week was a great week, but I still had some personal struggles. But I know that we can only benefit from trials if we deal with it in the right way. If we curse God for our trials, then we won't be blessed. But if we trust in the Lord with all our heart and  acknowledge him in all our ways then I know he will direct our paths. (See Proverbs 3:5-6) I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary, I know I am in the right place. I am so grateful for all the support everyone has given me. I can't express how thankful I am for the prayers and thoughts towards me! I know that if we can submit to God's will and the trials he sees fit to afflict upon us, that we can put off the natural man and become such a better person that we were before. (See Mosiah 3:19) I love this gospel with all my heart and I am so grateful for the blessing God has given me!

Thanks again for all of your emails! It made me so happy. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Me at the beach doing a "hang loose". It's just for fun.

Culture Corner: Here around Christmas they light off fireworks! So that has been kinda fun! (I haven't done it myself or anything so ya know.)

Have a wonderful week and Merry Christmas!

-Elder Ballard

                                            Me and my wonderful Elders in the priesthood.