A New Companion

Yo! Toyoteh!

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for your emails! I can't imagine doing missionary work without so much support :)

This week has been super stressful, but has been really fun and I have learned so much!

My new companion's name is Elder Towodzera! (You guessed it mom! He's African) He is from Zimbabwe. Out of all the 24 Americans I got one of the 4 Africans that came! So he is a pretty cool guy, he just needs to learn that a mission isn't about him :) He thought Ghana would be the same as Zimbabwe but he was really wrong haha I guess I had more preparation that way because I knew that Ghana was super different. The day before his mission was when he started packing in a rush and he forgot lots of things, like black socks... Haha also when we got to the apartment I found out that he doesn't know how to ride a bike.. :O

So this week I was really stressed but everything is okay, being senior companion is so much fun! You actually feel like you know what you’re doing, and you know the area! So that has been fun. Also he is 23 years old. But I’m pretty taller than him so I can still intimidate him a little ;) just kidding. Something I know I will have to learn while training is discipline. At home when the little boys were fighting, I would just call mom or wait for Dad to enter the room. But I can't do that now. I have to be the Dad! It is so cool to see how many things a mission prepares you for! I've only been out three months but I have learned so much! Especially looking at my new companion, I remember how the food was hard to eat and that it was hot. But now that I am comfortable, I just laugh at so many things! The Portuguese speaker in apartment Elder Conduanne is hilarious! Same with our new district leader who is Nigerian! I'm the second tallest person in the apartment so I feel even older! :D

But yeah, we had two baptisms this week! Kwame, (the photo I sent last time) and Abigeal! (a 14 year old girl.) It was really cool! But I decided not to bring my baptismal clothes this time which was a mistake because the ones they give you are basically just like a sheet cut in the shape of a shirt and pants. Plus it was just like a huge V-neck. So I was trying to cover myself during the first of the service. It was pretty funny though :) I am just so grateful that I can be in a place where everyone believes in God! People's prayers here humble the crud out of you! You just hear them sometimes thank God that they woke up this morning, or that they have another day to live. They even pray that God will protect us the missionaries and to guide us, even if they aren't really interested! I just am falling in love with the people more and more every day! If everyone believes in God then there is hardly any crime or fights! That is how Ghana is! It is just amazing.

I also had goat meat this week which was actually really good! It tastes like beef and chicken at once or something! Another hilarious experience was when I was ordering fufu and the lady who was getting the meat just asked me, "Do you like intestines?" and I about laughed my head off but I didn't, and I was just thinking like "where am I?" haha Missions are such adventures!  We were teaching one lady about the book of Mormon and when we were done she just asked us "So, is it true?" I almost laughed and told her how she could know. It was just funny that she would ask such a blatant question! Then she asked "But, how do you know it is true?" then I told her that it's teachings have blessed my life. Then she said "Like what?" (This lady asks a lot of questions.) Then I showed her in Moroni where it condemns about infant baptism and I got to talk about Carver which is always really special to me.

Sorry last crazy experience. I met my first insane guy this week! He came up to us and said "hey, I know your church! Do you know Jesus Christ in the book of Mormon? That's me but you just can't see it yet!" Then he pointed to a tree and said "Do you see that tree? It is a tree of life! When Adam and eve ate it it was nice, but for this one it is different." Then he opened a garbage bag full of leaves and gave us some and said "The garden of Eden is just over there." as he pointed behind "So what I am doing is I go around and plant these seeds of the tree of life so everyone in the world can live forever!" After that we said thankyou and walked away.

Ah, Such good memories are happening here :D I know this gospel is true and that God qualifies who he calls! I know that if we follow his commandments we will be blessed. I know that if we give everything to God, God will give everything to us.

Answers to questions: Aust: So they do have a lot of different kinds of cloth here, if you saw the blue tie I wore, that is one of them. But yeah they do like classic African designs on their clothes.

I love you so much everyone! Thanks so much for your support! I can't believe Teag already has braces! I'll be praying for Baden!

-Elder Ballard

Last week as Trainee

Hello Everyone!

This week was super challenging but I have learned so much! This week was the last week with Elder Ajayi and I am going to miss him so much! He has taught me so many things and I owe him everything I am as a missionary! But it is exciting that I will get a new companion this week! I'm going to learn so much from training! Anyways, I really felt all of your prayers this week, I was super stressed about learning everything about training and my bike broke in the middle of the road and other crazy things :) But I know that Christ has felt my stress, and my grief. I know that God works in mysterious ways and that he wants us to learn by challenges sometimes! This week, there were some people who insulted me and made fun of me but it was in their native language so I never knew until after. So whenever they did I would just smile and say "good afternoon!" :D so I think that's a good attitude to have in our lives. When people are angry, just listen, then be nice and smile! I'm sorry if this letter is more random than usual :) At church we had 5 investigators show up, which was great! Elder Ajayi bore his testimony and it was just a good Sunday! One of these pictures is of me and Elder Ajayi, then the other is me and Kwame (Quamie) who is getting baptized next week! 

Thank you everyone for all of your letters and support, they mean so much to me and they keep me rejuvenated to serve even harder! Hopefully next week I will have more to write about! One cool thing that happened is that it rained like 15 inches in one day. But the cooler thing is that we helped a little kid cross a canal that was more full because of the rain! He went up to the stepping stones carrying his back pack and umbrella and started to cry. We carried him across and we felt like heroes :D. I love not only being a servant to God, but being a servant to others! I am coming to love the Ghanaian people so much! They are so nice and loving. I love the food too! It will be fun to make fun of my companion this week when he tries to eat the food! just kidding :) I love this gospel so much! It is the only way to be happy. The only way! Missionary work could not function without the help of the Lord. There would be no success without the Lord! I know indeed that Christ not only suffered for our sins, but he suffered for our feelings of stress, grief, heartbreak, and self disappointment! I know that God loves us! He knows what is best for us! All we have to do is follow him! :) In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

By the way I received all of the fam's FHE letters to me and they made my day! Letters are so great because you don't get them on Monday so it's like a reminder that someone is always there! :D

Questions answered:

There is more black missionaries than white, (but it is pretty close and it changes. sometimes.)

No the malaria medicine hasn't given me problems. :)

I don't know what the mosquito nets are made out of!

It is probably like 95 degrees all the time but I have gotten used to it.

I do talk slow and accented with T’s when I teach lessons :)

I haven't gotten an accent, I just use a different vocabulary.

Culture: The hardest culture shock for me was to see that Moms usually beat their children to obey. It's really hard to not stop them sometimes, but maybe that is why everyone is so nice because they listen to their moms? I'm not sure. But most of the time members don't beat their children :D

I love you Family! Keep doing great things! :D Pacho Byo!

Conference!

Pacho Eti Sen!

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for your support and love! I have really felt your prayers this week and I love you all so much. I have so many things to write about so hopefully It makes sense!

This week I took lead, at least for the first few days. It was really hard because whenever i taught i felt like i was being observed and i couldn't be free with teaching. So i kept getting nervous and messing up which was hard on me. I feel like my trainer is like Dad, i want to make him proud! But whenever i tried to do my best i just messed up. But it was really good and i learned a lot! Sorry that i haven't got a picture of sister Grace yet! She got confirmed yesterday and it was a neat experience!

So during the week i got a phone call from the APs... and I got called...  As... *Drum Roll* A Trainer!!!

So I will finish my training this week and at the same time get a trainee to train! When i first got the call i was so scared and felt incapable. I've only been out for three months and i barely know everything about my area. But on Tuesday there was a training meeting that really helped me. President Heid said that God trust us very much to call us as trainers. Then as I watched the new apostles testimonies of Sunday, they all talked about how they felt incapable. Then they said that "God qualifies those who he calls." and so all of their testimonies helped me so much. I am also excited to get to know them better! they seem really awesome, I called that Elder Rasband would be called, but you know. :)

Conference helped me so much, one of my favorite talks was Elder Holland's about mothers and how he compared mothers to the Savior. It made me miss Mom dang bad, but it was really great. :) Also i think that once you go on a mission, the spirit testifies to you so strongly, and you become more emotional. When that primary children choir sang I could barely hold back the tears! Primary hymns have always been in a soft part of my heart. Now whenever I start singing "Love is spoken here." I can't finish it because I get choked up when i sing "I see my mother kneeling, with my family each day, I hear the words she whispers, as she bows her head to pray. Her plea to the father, quiets all my fears, and i am thankful, love is spoken here." Man, I'm tearing up just typing it! Haha I also felt goosebumps when the Tabernacle Choir sang The Spirit of God.  Going on a mission has made me appreciate so many things. Every time I see conference my testimony is reaffirmed that God calls prophets, seers, and revelators. I love and sustain President Thomas S. Monson and the Quorum of the Twelve. I know that God qualifies those he calls. I know that God Loves us and wants us to be happy, and the only way to be happy is to follow him and keep his commandments. I know that prayer is true. I know that missionary work wouldn't function unless it was directed by God. I love this Church and Gospel. I know that we aren't lost, we are in the right place. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Culture Corner: People here love social media, they all have really nice phones but really small houses. It's crazy to see someone who doesn't have a toilet but has an iphone 6!

I hope Tanner is doing okay! That's tough about the pick up!

I love you all! Thanks for all of your emails and support!

Pacho Byo!

-Elder Ballard

New Fans!

Hello Everyone!

This week was longer than usual it felt like, but I learned so much!

So I only have two more weeks of training! Then I will be expected to do everything by myself! So that's crazy and exciting. I was wondering what were Dad, Redge, and Austin's experiences with training and taking charge in their areas and what not :) But this week, I will be doing all the planning, leading in the lessons, and everything else! So it's stressful but I know I will learn so much!

Grace's baptism went really great! After a whole year of investigating the church she finally took that leap of faith! I really hope that I will be able to see their sealing next year! I would be so grateful. We have another baptism in two weeks, then another the week after that! The people here are so prepared for the gospel it's crazy! I am so grateful for my companion and for his patience with me! He helps me learn so much. We also had one investigator named Ben who is crazy good with the bible and who loved the church! So hopefully he will keep progressing!

As for your questions about conference, since I’m by the capital city, on Sunday we will drive after church to the stake center in Accra and watch it so I will be able to which is great! As a missionary you get twice as excited for conference as you do at home! It was sad that Elder Scott passed away. It's crazy that they will announce three new apostles this week! But yes I will be going to conference during the evening. Which I’m very grateful for :D

We had a surprise last Monday when Elder Morris who is the other white guy in our apartment, got called as an office elder. So now Elder Conduanne lives with us! He is from Mozambique and speaks Portuguese! He is the first person from that country to come to the Ghana Accra mission which is sweet. He is also 25 which is Redge's age so that was weird at first but he is awesome. He's been out for 4 months but is great at English for not knowing it before! So now I am the only white man in the apartment!

Another surprise that happened this week was that the mission gave us full size rechargeable fans that are controlled from a remote! So even when the power is out we can sleep fine! SUCH a blessing! So that baby battery fan I brought will be nice to just set on by desk :)

I heard lots of American music this week for some reason, I heard one from the guy who sings "I don't know much" which made me laugh. I also heard the Hercules song "I won't say I’m in love." and "Eternal Flame." I also heard country music which made me a little homesick for some reason! But it was good!

One more funny experience. We were at a members house whose name is Sheeva teaching her sister whose name is Ramma. We love to sing hymns during our lessons so we thought it would be fun to sing one at the end just for fun. When we sang it was so off key I started laughing and couldn't stop. In fact I laughed till I cried which doesn't happen often!  Good thing they are our friends and laughed with me, otherwise I would have gotten yelled at. I don't know why off tune singing makes me laugh, but I should probably control that urge :)

I learned so much this week and I’m both nervous and excited for this week as I take charge of everything. But I know this is what I am supposed to be doing and that missionary work is so divine. I love having the opportunity to study scriptures for an hour a day at least! I know so much that this church is true and that it blesses families. So don't worry about me, I am doing fine! I am learning every day, eating authentic food, riding bikes, and teaching the gospel! I love this work so much, I can't wait till the time I can be used to everything missionary work wise, and just work and work! Thank you all for your great emails and love, I feel your prayers and am glad you are all doing well :)

Answers to question: So I am not in the bush, I am in the Greater Accra region which means I am close to the city so I have power quite a bit especially since we live by a hospital! So yes, my fridge does work, we don't really store fruits or anything though because they would spoil if the power came off. :)

Culture Fact: People don't think some of the swear words we know are swear words. But they consider the word "nonsense" offensive which was funny to me :)

Have a great week everyone! I love you all. The church is so true and it is growing everywhere!

love -Elder Ballard

Hello Everyone!!!

First off, thank you all so much for your emails! They lighten my load and make me want to serve! This week was a little longer than the others but great things happened! This week we got to go to Accra with Sister Grace for her special interview with the mission president. After the interview she wanted to be baptized! After many many missionaries teaching her and many prayers from her husband she finally wants to take that step and be baptized. Me and my companion were so happy for her. Grace and her husband Bismark were the first family that I met when I came, they welcomed me with open arms and are so nice to me. Bismark even gets to do the baptism which is so sweet. The baptism is on a Sunday so that all the members in the ward can come and see it. Whenever we see Bismark he is always just smiling when we say the word "temple". He wants more than anything to be sealed to his family for eternity. This event really made me reflect on how blessed I am to be sealed to my family and to be able to be sealed to my future wife someday! Missionary work isn't just for baptisms, they are just the beginning! Missionary work is for eternal marriages and families! I thought about how happy I would be to spend eternity with the family, cracking jokes, laughing at all the memories we've had, and enjoying each other’s company. That would truly be heaven for me, with my own children as well as my wife, my parents, and my brothers and sisters. I want to have that blessing more than anything in the world. But as a missionary, I get to make those blessings that I am striving for possible for others! I am just a man, but because I am set apart for the work, The Spirit can work through me if I am worthy to touch others to come unto Christ. No other time in my life will be like this! No other time will I be biking down the streets of Ghana finding people to teach. That is the thing that I use to fight off homesickness is that this is a once in a life time thing, and that only a select few in the entire world have this opportunity. I am truly grateful that I can sacrifice my time and talents to serve! I love this gospel so much, and I know without a single trace of doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and if I know that, I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet, and if I know that then I know that, Christ and God appeared to him and that Christ's original church is on the earth today, which means there is a true living prophet today named Thomas S. Monson. Everything in the gospel is connected and it can't be broken again, that is the amazing thing is that God has promised that this is the last dispensation and that his word will never be taken off the earth again. Knowing that the gospel can only move forward gives me so much courage! I also have so much comfort that several of my friends are out on missions right now, what a blessing it is to have such good friends and examples! I love this gospel with all my heart and I cannot deny that it is true. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

So my pictures for today is of me with Steven Acwaah who just got baptized on Saturday! When he has his glasses on and when he smiles he reminds me of the Japanese soldier on Gilligan's Island.

Also when we went with sister Grace to Accra I got to see the temple at night so I got a couple of great shots! We are planning on her baptism next week, then another one next week, so we need to find more people for October!

Culture Fact: People post funeral posters of the person that died on the front of their houses so others know that someone passed away in their family. They have different sayings depending on the age etc. If they are young it can say "Gone to soon!" or "What a Shock!" others if they are old it can say "Called to Rest" or if they were a pastor or something it is usually a huge sign with their picture that says "Called to Glory!" which is kinda funny.

Also I forgot to tell you that I have tasted Cow's head, Rabbit head, Goat meat, and probably some other things. Once when I had fish in my soup I found the fishes heart, but I couldn't bring myself to eat it...

The animals I have seen that are cool are: tons of Lizards, Fruit Bats, Huge frogs, and huge rats that they call "Grass cutters"

One more thing. Our fire alarm went off and wouldn't turn off so we wrapped it in a blanket and put it in the fridge. When we came home it was still going so we called a senior couple who told us to put it in water. So when we did the sound it made sounded like a siren that died so we laughed pretty hard. I love you family and friends! Keep doing great things whether you’re at collage or High School or Home! Love You!

-Elder Ballard

A great week..and PICTURES!

Hello Everyone!! Thank you for all of your emails and love!

This week was so great!!! First off we went to a zone conference so i got to see the Ghana MTC and all of my MTC buddies which was great! Secondly i got two packages from home!!! Thank you so much for everything you sent! I was so happy to get those flip flops and many other things back! (haha) So i hope you enjoy the pictures! Nothing makes a missionaries day than to get a package or letters!

When you guys were talking about the reunion I automatically thought of the time where Redge accidentally flinged a bee into Austin's neck! It made me laugh so hard!

On a mission it's really weird sometimes because it feels like you are all of a sudden living in a whole different life but still have distant memories of home. :) I love hearing from all of you, and enjoy hearing your experiences and insights! It helps me a lot!

Anyways we are having another baptism on Saturday! His name is Steven and his story is very sweet. We were on our bikes and he came up to us and stopped us and said that "something touched his heart" to talk to us. From our first visit he came to church every Sunday! It is so cool that God prepares people to receive the gospel so plainly sometimes! He is a really humble guy and is excited to get baptized. We also have another investigator, whose name is Grace. She has been through "centuries" of missionaries but said that she will still listen to us. She has done some serious sins that she needs to have an interview with the mission president this week. We hope that she will soften her heart and listen to the spirit. If you put her in your prayers that would be so helpful! It rained for the first time I've been here this week and holy cow does it rain! Luckily we were inside when it happened but afterwards we had to bike where there were huge puddles and lots of mud. It has been such an adventure! I love serving a mission so much! There are so many people looking for this gospel and I get to be a part of  sharing it to them! :D Something I realized this week is that the gospel truly is "Everlasting." Just like you said in your email Mom, that the gospel has so many layers to it! You can study the gospel for your whole life and still can't learn everything about the gospel! This gospel is truly everlasting and eternal.

Sorry for the short letter today, but I hope you enjoy the random pictures! I just want all of you to know that serving a mission has been one of the best decisions I have made in my life, I didn't ever think I could grow and learn so much. I didn't realize that I could gain so much spiritual strength and knowledge in such a short time. I hope you know, that I know, that this church is true, and that we are so privileged to have it in our lives! We need to do everything we can to share it! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Culture Fact: People here call people "Fat" to describe someone all the time without taking offense! People just say "oh yeah that fat man, I remember him!"

Comments to emails:

Shand: I'm glad you are taking care of my Wii U and that you are having fun with it :) It is so cool you are doing Choir!

Redge: What?!? That is so cool you got a job there Redge! Congrats! What a cool Picture!

Nat: Thanks for the email sis! That is so fun about your Native American night! Glad you are having fun :)

Dad: I love moody meadows! I miss those days of teacher quorum campouts.

Thanks so much everyone! Just know that I am fine and trying to work hard! Have a great week!!!

 -Elder Ballard

Obed's baptism

Me and Elder Sewell at a zone conference! We were in the same economics class a couple of months ago! It's crazy!

Us while we were unknowingly getting robbed!

This is fufu with groundnut soup! My favorite!

A family that we always go to for dinner on Sundays, The Grandma in the middle is a member and is the one who cooks for us. We just call her "Mama Mensie" Because she's like our mom!

This is me with my MTC companion! He got so burnt cause he's a red head!

Trying to balance a huge bowl of fish on my head!

Accra Temple!

Then here's a soccer pose picture with me and my new Jersey!

Purple Chickens

Hello Everyone!!! Thanks so much for your amazing emails and words of love and support! It means so much to me, and helps me keep going!

Wow! Another month went by like Bunny after a bath! It seemed like yesterday I just got here! I am getting more and more used to everything! Another transfer of missionaries came this past week so it was nice to be able to encourage them and feel like I am experienced! (not really but hey!) Ghana is finally not so foreign to me anymore! I am starting to love the people more and more! I still can't get over how nice people are here! I almost hit this guy with my front bike tire, so I said "sorry-o" he just turned to me, smiled, patted me on the back, and said "you are quite fine!" and strolled off! I wish everyone was like that!

So this week was really fun but challenging! One night the mosquitoes were awful! there was like a cloud of them swarming me while we were teaching a less active. I clapped my hands once and I killed three of them at once! It was crazy! Anyways a random thing I saw was a purple tinted chicken with chicks that were bright purple! They looked like real life peeps! I guess they actually have purple chickens here, I wasn't expecting to see that on my mission!

I also had a great experience this week. The thing that I have a testimony on more than ever is the Book of Mormon. We taught this man whose name is Ben, he is from the church of Pentecost and knows the bible more than I know how to play banjo! (which isn't a lot, but let’s continue.) So we contacted him and taught him about prophets and the apostasy, then the next day we taught him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. When we showed him the Book of Mormon he said "not to reject the church or anything, but I believe the bible is the only thing that can help us return to God because it is used globally." So everything we tried to teach him about it he didn't really want a part of it. But when we had him read part of Moroni 10 I could just feel of the truthfulness pouring out of the book through the Spirit. After he read he paused. Then he looked at us and said "Okay, I will read it." We also showed him a video of Elder Holland testifying about it so that probably helped too. (I recorded a video of him on my camera) But man, as I have studied the Book of Mormon every day, it has become so "Delicious" to me! I love studying it so much! It literally has the fullness of the gospel inside it! It explains the restoration, the plan of salvation, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the commandments we need to follow to return to God! Not only has this helped me understand the gospel more, but it has testified to me more than every that Joseph Smith was indeed called of God! That he truly was a prophet, seer, and revelator in the Latter Days! I knew the Book of Mormon is true, but now I cannot deny it's truthfulness!

I know this Church is true and that I am where God wants me to be. Going on a mission has been the hardest thing I have ever done, but these things am learning and being truly converted to are worth more than anything in the world. As I have been teaching the gospel to people in a way that they can understand, it has helped me realize that my mission will prepare me to teach my children the gospel in a way that will make it stay with them. I am not only going on a mission for the people in Ghana, but I am also going so that my "children will know to what source they can find the remission of their sins." I love this gospel and I love this work! This gospel is so perfect because it is full of beauty, order, love, and it makes sense! I love being a missionary and want to try my hardest to cherish every moment! I know these things are true and I can't deny them.

Cultural Corner: So since I missed last week I will tell two

There are women who carry tons of stuff on their heads to sell. I once saw a lady with a whole cooler on her head! One man had a whole burn barrel on his head he was taking somewhere! I just don't get how they can balance so well! The people who sell things on their heads often go on highways when there is traffic. They walk in between cars seeing if anyone wants their wares.

People here always make kissy sounds or say "Ssssss" really loud to get people's attention, so that's pretty fun :)

Questions answered!

Aust: the security here is like that in Brazil like you said! Broken glass, iron spikes, and electric fences! Our windows all have iron bars around them, when they robbed us they went to our window that only has one set of bars. They somehow cut the bar right off, cut the screen and entered! it was crazy! That Heroes map you sent made me have so many childhood memories! I loved that thing!

Dad: Oh yeah I forgot to tell you that I bought that elder's mini washing machine! It was only 75$! So when it washes my clothes I clean the apartment to get double the work done! I also felt bad having it while the other Elders wash, so I make them breakfast and other things! :) But when I train I will wash by hand so he will know how.

Shand: That picture cracked me up! I keep forgetting that I once had an iPhone and stuff hah :)

Well family and friends, I love you all! Have a great week! Hurrah for Israel!

-Elder Ballard