Christmas!

Hello Everyone! 

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas! I know I did! :) 

Man it was so nice to talk to you family! It's just nice to hear voices you haven't heard forever. :) I'm glad that I never have to wait 7 months to call you guys ever again haha. 

This week was good though! It was fun to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. The usual response is "same to you!" On Christmas we had 4 families invite us over to eat. So we we're really scared. So we packed along tons of plastic bags. But luckily we didn't have to pack any! It was all just rice. So on Christmas I ate rice, rice, and rice! It's cool how you can still feel the spirit of Christmas no matter where you are! It was just weird to wear shorts! Church was fun too even though it was one hour. After it was finished everyone just waited for another hour for their rides to come. So we took lots of pictures :) 

Next week we're having a end of year party at the church so that'll be sweet! My area last year didn't have one. So it will be cool to enjoy that as my last new year in Ghana.

 In all honesty I don't really have much to say because of the call haha. But I just want to say that family is the most important thing ever and that we all need to follow the example of Jesus Christ. He's the best person to help us in any trial. I also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I can't believe it will be 2017! I love you all and I am so grateful for your awesome emails and support! 

Love you! -Elder Ballard

And look what Santa put in my invisible stocking! Oh-re-os Ohreeee-os and Root beer!

Christmas Dinner

 Then these are the elders in my apartment. Two Americans, a Nigerian, and a South African. :D

Christmas Thoughts

"Round and round the coconut tree, drinking coconuts with the family. One for you and two for me! Christmas a week away!

Wishin hopin packages to open, but we agree it's right to wait. Fufu and dressing after the blessing and there's just a night to wait! La la la la la la" 🎵🎵

Pacho afishi apa is the thing to saaay on a bright Ghanaian Christmas day... That's the African greeting we will send to you, on a land where palm trees swaaay. Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright. The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night! Pacho afishi apa is a wise waaay. To say Merry Christmas, a very merry very merry Christmas tooo yooou. (Overly loud trumpet solo.)

MERRY CHIRSTMAS CHARLIE! (Kermit's voice)

Man I'm "exceedingly astonished" that Christmas is already this Sunday! It kinda creeps up on you when it's 90 degrees outside ;) I can't believe this is my third out of 4 phone calls home too! The mother’s day one will be like "See you next month..." man that's crazy talk!

I do admit that I have really missed the traditions we have at home. But this year is way easier than last time since It's my last time I'll ever have Christmas in Africa! Our mission president said that this week we need to give Christ a gift by working extra hard this week. So I made that a goal.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love music. Whenever I'm down I always go to the piano or listen to music. One of the biggest reasons I love Christmas so much is the Christmas Music! All these songs bring the Holy Ghost so fast it's remarkable. I absolutely love the song "What shall we give?" by Mac Wilberg and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We sang it in Choir so I know the words pretty well. It also makes an excellent lullaby if you can't sleep ;) (That's by personal experience. Except I think I was exhausted anyways. But you can still try it) I would like to share the lyrics with you to ponder in this Christmas Season:

"What shall we give to the Babe in the manger, what shall we offer the child in the stall? Incense and spices and gold we've a plenty, are these the gifts for the King of us all?

"What shall we give to the boy in the temple, what shall we offer the Man by the sea? Palms at his feet and hosannas uprising, are gifts for Him who will carry the tree.

"What shall we give the Lamb who was offered, rising the third day and shedding his love? Tears for his mercy we'll weep at the manger, bathing the infant come down from above."

Here's a link to the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNHJCREmhdg

I love that song so much. It made me think of what I would do if I was able to come and see him at the manger. It also reminds me of the Light the World Initiative. What will you give him this Christmas? Will you can share something with someone, even if it's just a smile? will you read your scriptures more faithfully and sincerely? Will you pray to God in gratitude for his sacrifice and love for us? Will you forget yourself and only think about others? Will you forgive someone completely? If we do these things I know we too will "Weep at the manger."

Let us remember Jesus Christ even more this Christmas. Let us love one another. Let us give something spiritually valuable to him this year is my prayer in the name of his mighty name, even Jesus Christ Amen.

I love you all! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas! I'll TALK to you soon family! :D Also sorry for no pictures! Sleep in heavenly peace!

-Elder Keaton Ballard 

Asishi a pa

Have a holly jolly Christmas. It's the best time of the year! We both know they're won't be snow. But have a cup of cheer! Have a holly jolly Christmas, and when you walk down the street, test-ify to those you know and everyone you meet. Ho ho the mistletoe hung where you can see. Somebody waits for you. Shake her hand for me!

Hello everyone! Merry Christmas! Or as the Ghanaians say it: Asishi a pa!

This week was Ghana's presidential election. So we had to stay inside for a day just in case :) They also changed their government's political party and president so it's just like US! When they heard that the president they wanted won, they ran around blowing these stupid plastic Moroni trumpets which was super annoying. I was reading my scriptures in the apartment at the time it happened, and it got to the point where I lashed out and yelled "Shut up" to the trumpets not the people. But it's not my country where there's a law against disturbing the peace so what can you do besides rant? Anyways it made things interesting.

This week we were also able to go out with more members! It was super fun! One of them is our branch missionary who is preparing to go on a mission in February! (picture attached, he's in the bow tie.) So it made the work go well. Elder Joseph is a good teacher, he's still just trying to realize that he's in a different country and not in his own :) But we're really having fun and loving the work! Our teaching pool in the area is doing way better now which makes things less stressful. On Saturday we are going to my last mission Christmas conference so we'll have lots of fun there.

On Sunday we sang Silent Night as our opening song and the spirit was so strong! It's so amazing that the whole world can unite at one time of the year and sing that song together in so many languages. It's so wonderful to know that every Christian is focused on Christ. Even nonbelievers are aware of it. I love that Light the World video, it made me so happy. That's what we're trying to do more is just more service. The gospel is so true and I know that Christ was born of the virgin Mary and that he was laid in a manger. I know that because God loves us he sent his son. I am so excited to celebrate his coming in a couple weeks. This gospel is true! If you are following it I know you'll be happy and that you will fell God's love for you!

Thanks again everyone! :D Have a wonderful week!

-Elder Ballard

Service and New Ties

Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

Yesterday we traveled to Accra for my companion's doctor's appointment so I get to email today!

I'm glad that everyone is doing well. It's so ironic that my furnace at my home in America broke so you're all freezing, while I'm trying to cool off with fans here in West Africa! Man I can't wait to be cold again. I can't believe it's almost December and that I have like 7 months left. That means if I was female of the species I would be going home next month! Lucky for me I have more time to enjoy and keep serving! 

This week was a good one! Our mission is focusing on service so that's what we did and some miracles followed! 

The miracle which really amazed me happened with a girl named Mavis. Or her Ghanaian name is Obaa Yaa. She sells purses, bags, and sandals in a shed in the quieter part of the market. We are also teaching her friend Asaneth who sells white shirts (you can probably tell how we met her). So once we were going to see Asaneth but she wasn't there. So we started talking to Mavis who liked how we could speak a little Twi and stuff but would never let us teach her. So we just sat in front of her shop talking to her. Then God gave us the opportunity and caused the sky to start raining. (It came out of no where!) So immediately she said we could come inside the little tin roof shed. As we came in we helped her put in the bags. I was tall enough to grab the bags hanging from the ceiling while my companion put all the flip flops in a bag. Finally when we were all done we sat down with her and just kept talking about which Ghanaian food we like and stuff. Then I knew it was time, and so I looked at my companion and I said "So, Elder Joseph, why do you think there are so many churches today?" and then with a little smile he said "You know companion, It could be caused by a lot of things. I don't really know. Maybe it's because of money, or ... I don't know." Then I turned to Mavis and asked her "What do you think?" and she said she couldn't tell. Then we were able to teach her about the apostasy by acting like I was the one with the question. So by the end I said "Okay thanks so much, It was a question I was thinking about." After that lesson, she acted different. When the rain stopped (right as our lesson was done) she said "Well okay, thank you guys for your support and your message."

We were able to come back a couple days later and teach her and Asaneth together about the Book of Mormon. When we gave Asaneth one she said "Wait, it's for me? For free?" and me and my companion both looked at each other and said "Of course!" and she was so surprised and happy. Then Mavis was checking something in her shop and she heard that we gave Asaneth one so she rushed out and said "Meh Pe Book! Meh pe book!" (I need the book! I need the book!) so thank goodness we had two Books of Mormon with us that day! It was so cool that they accepted it so willingly. We hope that they will be able to visit the church this week.

This experience really showed me how much power service has. Without it Mavis wouldn't even want to talk to us. The cool thing too is that when we gave her the pamphlet she didn't read it. But when we gave her the Book of Mormon she said (I'll use a Ghanaian accent) "For dis one deah (there) I'll read." So I really know that service brings joy to the person who serves and the person served too. I hope we can "light the world" with Christlike service, especially in this wonderful season :) I love you all so much and hope that you will all have a great week! 

Twi of the week:

Afishi Apa! Ah Fee Comentoo yeh! "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Pictures: I got some new ties from a Ghanaian return missionary! We also ate joaloff rice this week! 

Love you all! 

-Elder Ballard 

New Ghanaian ties

Christmas decor

Ghanaian turkeys!

Joaloff rice

My Thanksgiving meal

Thanksgiving

Hey Everyone!!! 

I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving week! I know I did! :D Thanks for all your warm emails! 

This week my companion went on an exchange to Accra so I was with Elder Roberts for two days! Then on Thursday I was determined to make my taste buds cry with happiness. So I splurged and bought a half of a chicken! Then I took out my dehydrated mashed potatoes, gravy, and chili! Let me tell you it was so fetching good! Me and Elder Roberts were so thankful! It's crazy that this is also my last Thanksgiving in Ghana as well! I'm glad I could make it memorable and festive :) 

As far as the rest of the week went, it went pretty good! I wish more lessons happened but it was still good. The highlight of the week for me personally other than Thanksgiving was Sunday! I guess it always is but this one was special!

We have been going to the district center these past few weeks so we haven't taken the sacrament for that long! So this Sunday was so wonderful. When I took the sacrament I really did feel a peace come over me. I know that the sacrament is so important. Also Christiana was confirmed! So I also got to see her take the sacrament her first time and smile (She said she didn't want to take it until she's baptized.) so it was wonderful to see her smile and be happy. Our mission is also focusing on service so we've been trying to serve everyone we see. I got to wash a member's dishes and fan their charcoal stove for them! I also got to fan for an investigator but it was by force because she didn't want me too. She wouldn't even let me put peanuts in a bag for her! Anyways I love doing service so much! Especially when it involves food...;)

This week it's a short letter with no pictures... So sorry for that. It's the cafe I'm in so yeah. Next week I'll make sure to send you great pictures.

Well everyone, I want you to know that God loves all of you. I want to tell you that I know that the sacrament is so important for us and that it really makes us clean again! I really felt that this week. I know that this gospel is true and that this is really Christ's church on earth. I love you all so much! On to December! 

Love you! 

-Elder Ballard 

A Baptism!

Hello Everyone! I love you! Okay, that about covers it. Have a good week! Just kidding.

Man this week was a cup of sunshine and a half! (Literally! It's super hot!) at the first of the week I was kinda sad and stressed, but In the end I was so happy and relieved! After like 2 years of being taught CHRISTIANA GOT BAPTIZED! It was so awesome! Nothing makes a missionary happier than a baptism of someone who you've been teaching for months! (Well, the exception of a sealing. But still!) Man when she got in the water I (quietly) high fived the missionaries around me because I couldn't hold it in. It was also super cool since we combined our branches together and had a combined baptism of 6 people! So it was just a great Sunday. Before the baptism we watched the Africa West Area broadcast which was sweet! Elder Dube (who was baptized by my mission president ((supposedly?)) spoke about replacing our father's traditions with gospel traditions. Then Elder Gary E. Stevenson spoke (I shook his hand before!) about how "True happiness doesn't come from circumstance, but by righteousness." so that really touched me to hear, because that's exactly how the saints here in West Africa are. They hardly have temporal things but they are leading in spiritual things! It was so cool to feel like I'm a part of them since I've lived like an African for so long. 

Other than that, my week was pretty normal :) Baptism kind of recharges your spiritual battery to find more people. Which I seriously needed! Everyday on mission my testimony has been strengthened! It's such a wonderful feeling! I am so happy to be a part of the building up of the kingdom. 

I just want to testify that this... is indeed... The Church of Jesus Christ. I know it, and I can now say that I can't deny it. 

I am so excited to call you guys next month! Plus happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I just want to tell you several things that I'm grateful for since I'm in Africa right now:

I am grateful for: Snow, grass, carpet, cheese, boneless meat, clothes dryer, Walmart, family, Doritos, bacon, potatoes, paved roads, constant electricity, and The Book of Mormon. Just to name a couple. :) Thanks so much for your love and care towards me! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving week and may us all be grateful for what we have. I think I'll try and make a special dinner on Thursday :) 

Love you! 

Twi of the Month"

Ko Fa Turkey No Bra me di

"Go take turkey and bring it back so I can eat it"

-Elder Ballard 

Zone Conference

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well! It was nice to hear from some of you!

This week was one of those crazy awesome fast weird weeks. So I'm excited to tell you all about it! I'll try to at least, my back space key is broken off and resembles a mini mechanical bull so we'll see how it goes :D 

First off on Tuesday we had a multi-zone zone conference which was amazing! Our mission president spoke along with his wife, plus the assistants! I also got to see some of my friends who I haven't seen in a while! We learned so many good things and we prepared fun skits again! So we did a fun one from the book of Joshua. Can you guess what I did? Yep I played the keyboard with Skyrim music again. I think we got the most laughs out of them which means we're pretty okay. ;) I love zone conferences! (pictures attached) 

The other fun thing we had was district conference! It was so fun to hear tons of people singing hymns again! Especially when they're all African! But the coolest thing is that Christiana came with Ebeneezer to both sessions! (Saturday and Sunday) Then we taught her on Sunday evening and it went so well! At the first of the lesson we all shared what we learned from conference. When Christiana shared hers she said "When I was at the conference I was just thinking 'Why haven't I been baptized yet? Why am I waiting?' It was like I was lost. I was even wondering if I could be baptized right after the meeting." 

We could just see how much she has changed and that she's finally been converted. It's amazing what can happen to someone if they go to a place where the spirit is. That's the happiest moment of being a missionary is seeing your labor producing fruit. After that we talked about the Sacrament and she totally understood it. The J-Dubs told her that only certain people can take the sacrament once a year. So we cleared up that lie of Satan :) I am so grateful that we can do something every week to help us to always remember Jesus Christ! I need to be better at not taking the sacrament for granted. Christiana will be baptized this week! So I'll send the pictures next week. 

I am so grateful to be here. My companion is getting used to the food and stuff really well. He's even speaking a little twi! I just know that God is so wonderful. One little adorable member baby named Rosemary has a Twi name which is Nyame Dea which means "God is good." I know that is true. I know that If we obey the commandments of God that we be happy. I can promise you that by experience.

I love you all so much and I can't believe November is half over! What the wacka?

Love you all! I hope all these pictures come through! Have a great week!

-Elder Keaton Ballard 

This is AFRICA!

Good Morning America! (It's 5:30 pm here) Thank you so so so much for all of your emails! they melted my heart a couple times in a good way! It's so good to hear from all of you and to know that you are doing great and that God loves you as much (if not more) than I do! 

 

We have soccer jerseys but we don't play...

Banku and groundnut soup- (an investigator fed us! Such nice people!)

This week was a super cool one! At least the end of it. At the beginning of the week it was a little slow because we kinda just talked to people and didn't really get many lessons. But the good thing is that we were able to show Christiana the Restoration video! You'd think that a regular missionary would just bring his handy-dandy-ipad (not notebook) to show it to someone. Well as we always say in this mission "This is AFRICA!" So we hauled our bulky DVD player along with my speaker to her place. It turned out really good! Except there's a church right in their compound that loves to scream I mean, worship with unknown tongues! For example yelling: "Habababababababa harrharhahabababa" over and over. Silly Geese. :D But I think while we were watching they were just giving a sermon while yelling our Savior's name into the mike as loud as they could, so it wasn't too bad. Bless their hearts :) But it really turned out good. Christiana was able to understand more about the translation of the Book of Mormon. During the lesson one of their friends Anthony (who won't even touch the Book of Mormon) came so we said "Fetch! (with ruff ruffman)" in our heads. But again it went really well. After the whole discussion my very well experienced companion invited her to be baptized perfectly, and she accepted! So she'll be baptized on the 19th of this month so we're super excited for her, I think she's finally seeing the truth and the fruits of this church and how it can bless her :)

At the end of the week we had a wonderful surprise! Our branch president handed us a stack of little papers which were referrals from members! He asked all the members to write down someone who they can show us to and they all did! Plus, get this, Christiana showed us three people! She's already like a missionary! It was so cool to see! We are also going to another area which is far from our main area to teach with our branch clerk! So in other words the work is moving forward in Suhum! I'm excited to see how this week will turn out! We also have a Zone conference this week which is exciting as well! 

This week was a huge testimony to me that God's work will never stop, there's no possible way it can stop. In these days we have been promised that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will never be lost again! What a comfort to know! I am so grateful for the gospel and for all the happiness it brings! The church is true and the book is blue! (at least the version we give out) Thanks so much for all your emails again! For those of you who are going through trials, God loves you even if you don't think so. Jesus Christ has felt what you are feeling. I can testify that in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

.

Love you all! Have a great week! 

 

-Elder Keaton Ballard 

Training Again

BOO!

Don't worry it's just me :) I hope I didn't scare you. Except sometimes I scare Ghanaian children because of my fair complexion so I guess it would be understandable. HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone! Can you guess what I dressed up as? That's right! Elder M. Russel Ballard!! Just kidding. I did dress up like Elder Ballard though, I even got an official tag and everything! ;)

Thanks so much for your wonderful emails! Man Natalee, your costume of being a pregnant cow was perfect! Holy "cow!" ;) also everyone else's costumes were awesome as well! I hope you all are enjoying the holiday, I celebrated by buying some pringles and mountain dew! Which is really something rare here so yeah, we'll also go for some Ghanaian pizza as well, so it will be a great day :)

Elder Joseph and Me

This week was crazy, stressful, awesome, and happy! In other words, I started training! The coolest thing is that I lucked out with the best trainee ever!!! He's from Nigeria (just like my mission father, so I guess it skips a generation) and his name is Elder Joseph. Elder Joseph is 25, and had something happen to him as a kid. At a church activity when he was about seven, he was playing soccer and the ball went across the road. He received it, but on the way back he was hit by a car that was speeding past. The car destroyed his right eye, and cut his right leg in half. He was supposed to die. But through a miracle, he was able to survive, and not only did he survive, but he can walk and run like any other person. In the pictures you can still see his eye that was ruined, but if you just look at his left eye you become used to it very fast :) He is the most humble, caring guy ever because he knows that God kept him alive for a reason and that part of it was to serve a mission. Man I'm so lucky to train him.

We had a decent week! Except our baptism was postponed because the Jehovah's Witnesses have printed out stuff about out church (not true stuff if I might add) and have given it to Christiana to "enlighten" her about the church. Bless their hearts. So it was kind of hard to deal with that but it all came down to telling her to ask God and to read the Book of Mormon. So we'll try and get her to commit to a date this week so she'll be ready.

Other than that, I'm doing great. We'll keep working hard. I can't believe it's already November though, that means Christmas is right around the corner, and that 2017 is on the patio. Fetch! Anyways I know that God sends who he needs to send at his appointed time. I know that God loves us so much. This week I kinda missed home a little bit, but it just made me be grateful for my life even more. I know this gospel is true and that this church is the only right place to be.

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Me and my mission posterity! (Elder Tawodzera is training too! So I'm a mission grandpa!) 

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

-Elder Ballard

Me and this member child who was squeezing my face named Lynette :)

 

October Sunrise

 

Fufu and Handshakes

Hello Everyone! Thanks so so much for all your emails! It means a ton and a half! 

This week was pretty sweet, but sad at the same time. The reason it's sad is that Elder Kamanda is leaving! Man he's been such a sweet companion! I've loved all my comps so far and I hope it stays that way! :P But Elder Kamanda has been such an example to me. He's the only member in his family, and they didn't  want to go on a mission, but he still went and I know that God will bless him for it. The other crazy thing that happened because of that is that we got invited to eat fufu like 5 times this week. On Sunday we ate two whole meals of Fufu within a 3 hour period. I thought I was going to pop! If someone feeds you fufu, it means that they love you because it takes like an hour and a half (if not more) to prepare it! It's really good, it's just when you eat excessive amounts of food that you have to swallow whole, your body tries to reject it :) Anyways tons of people loved Kamanda. I wish that I had that good of relationships with members in my first area, he has done really well. 

Ebeneezer and Christiana

Other than that we worked hard and are preparing for a baptism next week! Her name is Christiana (the light skinned girl in the picture) and her business partner (and special someone) ;) is a member! So after some years of missionary discussions she's finally ready to be baptized. Her Dad is a pastor and her Mom and brother are Jehovah's witnesses. So her story was kind of like Joseph Smith's. She was one of the people who invited us to make fufu and so she taught me how to turn it while it's being pounded! I'll make sure to send a video sometime. It's really cool and fun to do. The other fun thing about fufu is that everyone eats from one bowl and enjoys together! 

Fufu Party

So tomorrow I'll be receiving my new trainee (son) which is kinda crazy but exciting at the same time. My other son is also training so I'll be a mission grandpa! :D It's also cool that I trained last year at this time. So I guess October is training season for me. I am excited though. It won't be easy but I know that I'll grow close to him no matter who he is or where he is from. I do know that God qualifies who he calls so I feel confident. I know that this church is true and that God loves us individually and that he knows our names. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. :) 

I love all of you so much and I can't believe time is flying how it is. Seems like yesterday I was falling off my bike and not understanding people's accent! I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be in Ghana. Whenever two African kids look up at me and smile and laugh I savor it :) I'm going to miss these people so bad. They don't have everything they want physically, but they have everything that they need which is humility, God, and their families. :D I love these people so much. Anyways I guess every missionary is like that to the people he is called to serve. I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week!  Love you! -Elder Ballard 

the Suhum Branch Presidency

This is how we shake hands in Africa! I love it