Solomon and Temi

Hey Everyone!!!

Thanks for your wonderful emails! This week was really cool and it went by super fast! I guess when you’re in the second week of a new area things start to pick up!

The highlight of the course of this week was of course the baptism of our dear brother Solomon! :) It was cool, I didn't even help much in his progress to conversion but I did teach him chastity so hey! (Michael B) So I guess that counts for something! He's an awesome guy and it was so good to welcome him to the branch :) I love baptisms no matter where they are. I'm so grateful that I'm in a place where it's more common. But everywhere will have its time, that's something that I believe!

Chapel in Suhum

Also me and Elder Roberts (the American elder in my apartment) broke out the glow sticks Mom sent me. He even had a couple as well so we made cool pictures, videos and just laughed our heads off. That's something I love about life is that there's always time to squeeze in a laugh or two somewhere. :D Nothing feels better after working hard than laughing, unless you did like ab workouts or something. You get the point. ;]

Other than that it was just a good week of talking to people and teaching them! Sometimes when we are contacting we find guys walking around with wheel barrows full of coconuts to sell so we buy a couple. They have a machete so they cut the top off so you can drink the water inside, then you give it back to them and they cut it in half so you can eat the flesh inside! Man it's so good. Plus it's only 1 cedi (25 cents)! Also one lesson we went to was really interesting. We came to meet this guy in a random church building and he let us inside. Then we came in and saw this big circle of people with bibles out. So we're like "Okay this will be cool" so we went had a bible discussion on the Holy Ghost. It was weird cause everyone had a different view, but it was a cool lesson. At the end we found out that the guy leading was a Jehovah's Witness. So we were surprised. He was a super nice guy though and we're good friends with him. It was just an interesting experience because sometimes when he taught a principle I could feel that it wasn't completely true. But other times I could feel peace of what he was saying. So it's cool how the Spirit can help us know what is truth. I really know what a stupor of thought is like and what a clear mind is like. The Holy Ghost is such a wonderful gift to us. I'm so grateful to have it.

 One guy stopped us while we were on our bikes and asked us where our church was. His name was Temi and he's from Nigeria. He said he read some pamphlets but he doesn't understand how our church is the only true church. So we were able to teach him at the chapel. He even came to church which was great! (picture attached.)

Something cool is that this branch is full of old members who know tons of hymns so I'm learning more hymns that I haven't played before. But something awesome that they like to do here is that right before the last verse the keyboardist played the last two lines before they sing the last verse. It's so cool! It was hard for me at first cause I didn't get it, but I love the effect it has; it's like the last verse is the finale! It's so cool how God is able to prepare you for things. In my first area I didn't have to play. Then my second I played limited hymns, now I'm ready to be better and play whatever songs they assign me. I love how God gives you tasks that you can always handle with his help.

Also some crazy news is that Elder Kamanda will be transferred next month and I'll be training. Again!!! So I'll have another son! It will be exactly one year since I trained Tawodzera so I guess October is training season. I'm sure he'll be African as well so it will be another cool experience!

Anyways that's about all! I love you all so much and I hope you have a good week!

Pics:

Temi at church

and Solomon's baptism!

Twi of the week!

Wyardey Paa "You've done very well"

Love you tons!

-Elder Ballard

Ghanaian pizza (with carrots!)