It's Ghana Be a Great Two Years!

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!