It's Ghana Be a Great Two Years!: Transfer Time

Hey Everyone!!! Thanks so much for your wonderful emails! I cried a little! (figure of speech) ;) I'm just so grateful for all your loving words and support towards me and every missionary! If you want blessings write a missionary today! This week was cool and really crazy! I'll start from the beginning. (a very good place to start)

So I forgot to tell you last week that me and my comp actually worked out every day. Like we had a legit work out plan! Another elder in the apartment was a body builder before his mission so he prescribed me a work out plan. The biggest reason is to get rid of my "banku belly" but It's been really good. Those of you who know me really well know that I am not one to simply tear my muscles apart at will. But last week went really well except the fact that my body was stiffer than the Lamanite's necks at their time of disbelief. Every day when we came out of the apartment, especially after leg day, me and my companion looked like two old men. You might as well call us senior missionaries. Then on Sunday we had to bike to church and we were both making sounds of wounded gazelles. Our legs were literally not working. It's kind of that feeling of pain that makes you laugh and cry at the same time. So it was a memory for sure! I hope I can continue to work out though, I've seen a difference so I'll keep trying, even if I feel like a sheet of peppermint bark.

The reason I say "I hope" is because there's another announcement... I'm being TRANSFERRED again! So i'll be going out pretty far to a place called Suhum! (Fam, you can look at my mission map.) It's out in the "Bush" kind of! So I'll be able to send pictures of trees and stuff! So I'm excited to show next week! They also speak Twi there which is good, they also love Fufu as well so I think I'll enjoy! I'm also not a district leader anymore so I'll be able to concentrate all my energy on the area! I'm really excited, but I'm going to miss branch so bad! I have gotten close to almost all the members here and they are some of the nicest people ever! I had them write their contact and stuff in my mission "yearbook"/journal so I can stay in contact with them. :) On Sunday I also had a talk, so I planned to tell everyone that I was being transferred at the end of the talk. The funny thing was, write when I was going to tell them the news the power turned off. So the lights switched off and the 20 ceiling fans in the chapel slowly stopped spinning. SO I continued quoting scriptures till a member went out and turned on the generator. Then when the power turned on I was able to tell everyone. The biggest thing the members asked me was "Who's going to play the keyboard for us??" Man it was tough to say goodbye.
The thing that touched me the most was I was called to the primary when church was almost done. When I got there all the kids had written a thank you card for me :') Then they all yelled at once in their cute accents. "DANK YOU ELDA BALLAD!!!" I wish SO bad I got it on video! My heart melted a couple times and I was kind of teary inside. I was so grateful the primary teacher had them do that because I'll keep those letters forever. Some simply just said "Elder Ballard, I love you so much. Thank you." or another one was "Elder Ballard, you are the most best missionary in the world. I hope you will live carefully and I know God will bless you as you are going." Man I'll miss these kids!

My companion will be training so I'm excited for him! He's stressed like I was when I was three months out. But I know he'll do great. This area is a great area to train someone.

I'm going to miss Official Town, It's been so fun and there has been so many people ready for the gospel. I was actually really sad when I found out that I'm leaving. But when I played the keyboard in our apartment and sang "I'll go where I want you to go." It really helped me know that God needs me in Suhum and that he has a work for me to do there. I know God qualifies who he calls and that he knows where his missionaries need to be. Some times God's plan for us is different than our own plan. But I know that if we keep the commandments and covenants we've made that he will help us know where we need to go. Then it's our duty to answer "I'll go where you want me to go Dear Lord. I'll say what you want me to say, I'll be what you want me to be."

I am so grateful for this mission and the experiences I receive each day. I know this gospel is so true and that we are on the right path. :) I love you all and I'm so grateful for your support. The Lord is on our side and he is the head of this church.

Farewell Official Town, On to Suhum!

Twi of the Week!

Ochina Why? (Oh Cheen Uh why) "Tomorrow okay?"

PS Elder Stevensen (The Apostle!!!) is coming to talk to us this week! The Accra West Mission is coming too so I'll see Elder Bennett Roberts Again! Woot!

Love you all and talk to you next week! ;D

-Elder Ballard