It's Ghana Be a Great Two Years!: Hump Day!

Hello Everyone!

I've had a hump day shout hurray!!! I want to email you today. One year older and wiser weeee! Happy hump day, to me!

This week was so much better than last week! Everything went way better teaching wise, plus I didn't get sick or anything! So it was a great week!

There's a couple of really amazing people we met this week. We had two families as referrals and they are amazing! One is Samuel who has two sons. He is so humble and understands everything so clearly! Something funny is that we asked him what date would be good for his baptism and he said totally serious: "Well, are you around Saturday?" So me and my companion had a good laugh about that and wish that's how it worked. Then we got humbled the crud out of us when we taught another guy named Promise. His wife just passed away and he has a 9 year old, a 2 and a half year old, and a baby who is just three months old. So It was such a blessing to teach him the plan of salvation and how he could see his wife again. By the end of the lesson he was smiling :) The gospel brings so much happiness to everyone. No matter what situation you are in.

Anyways, I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful work and I know that God loves everyone who strives to follow him. At church we had a great service. One member named Sister Arthur gave a great talk on the Sacrament and how important it is for us. It really helped me because sometimes I've taken it for granted. Seeing all the other churches in Ghana made me realize that we are the only Christian church that takes it every week. So it was cool to know that we can renew our covenants not yearly or monthly, but weekly. I know that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. I love studying the atonement because it is so infinite, vast, and sacred! In Preach my Gospel it says "The more you understand the atonement, the more your desire to share the gospel will grow." What a cool promise :D

Me and some member kids, Maybelle and Mary

Anyways as we all know from the re vamped primary song I sang in the beginning, this week was my year mark/ hump day! It was such an interesting experience to think that I've been out that long! It's gone by so fast! But as I look back in my journal (I've still been able to write everyday) I've really seen how much I have changed for the better since I first got here. That mark really showed me how short mission is and how much I need to cherish it and work hard. I just can't believe it. I have also seen how much a mission can change you into the person that God wants you to be. It's even cooler to know that a mission is managed by God and his servants directly. Whereever you are called or whoever your companion is is inspired of God. I am so excited for this next year and know that there are still other things I need to learn and know, and that there are people that God has prepared for me to meet, teach, and help follow him. So I thank Heavenly Father so much for this privilege and honor.

I also celebrated by having mac and cheese with hot dogs!!! Plus I bought a magic malt (That drink we all tried before I came that tastes like raisin bran, It's super good to me now because it has more sugar here.) and Yomi Yogurt which is like real yogurt in a bottle! (picture attached) But it's kind of expensive so that's what we bought. I just remember that that day, everything worked out great. It was just a happy day. So that was a blessing.

Anyways I love you all so much and I am grateful for your emails! Have a great week especially if you are going on a cruise. *Cough Mom and Dad. :) Love you all!

Answers to questions:

I kinda got splashed with water a little bit on my birthday, but not as bad as I have gotten other people :)

So people here love to eat goats and it was a holiday a couple weeks ago so some members wanted us to butcher it for them. Then the next day they gave us Fufu and tomato goat soup :)

Twi of the Week:

By special request from Dad.

Wo Kasa Kokonsa Anah? (Wo-Cassa- Cocon-sah- Anaah?)

"Your speaking gossip or?" So I say this to people when I know they are talking to me in twi :)

Thanks again everyone!

Love, -Elder Ballard