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.

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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

Temple Trip

 Dear Wonderful People,

Once again thanks for your grand emails! They made me so happy. This week went by like a roman candle under a lawnmower!

The highlight of this week was that on Tuesday I got a call from our Mission President inviting us to come down to Accra and go to the Temple a couple times!!! I was so happy! It was a wonderful trip as well. I think the Lord really knows when we need his help. When I went to the temple, all my stress, doubts, and fears were swept away and I really felt like I was in God's presence. I am so grateful that there is a temple (a very beautiful one at that) in our mission boundaries and that I get the opportunity in a good while to come and partake of the blessings there. The temple is one of the things that really strengthens my testimony of the restoration of the gospel. The comfort that comes with the knowledge that I can be with my family forever is something that I really know to be true, and something I am really grateful for. That truth is the reason missionaries are out in the long run. We aren't out for baptisms, we're out for eternal families. I also love the quote that says:

"A full time missionary is someone who leaves their family for a time, so that other families can be together for time and eternity."

I love this gospel so much.

Other than that, our proselyting went okay, lots of people traveled and things. But on Sunday a less active named Derek came to church who hasn't come in three months! So I was super happy about that because he's the one who goes out with us to teach. I was giving an improv-talk during sacrament when I saw him :) He's such a cool guy and I'm glad to see him come back. I just hope he keeps coming :P Also this week is Elder Kamanda's last week in Suhum and I'll miss him. He's been a really cool guy and he's shown me an example of what a committed, faithful, missionary should be. He's the only member in his family, but since he's been on mission, his family has been investigating the church so I'm sure everything will go well because of that sacrifice :) So I'll miss him.

I am so grateful for all of you and your love. Thanks for always being there (even though you’re on another continent) and for the prayers on my behalf. I've felt them so much. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love, Elder Ballard IV

Twi of the Week:

Meh Ka Twi Ka-kra ka-kra (Meh, Kah, Chree, ca craw ca craw)

I speak twi small small (or a little bit)

Love ya! Have a great week!

Twi Book of Mormon!

I ran into Sister Thatcher, who's been writing my mom, at the temple

Elder Kamanda leaves this week

Jehovah Witness Friends

Hello!!! I hope everyone is doing great! I know I am! This week went by fast too, plus a whole month already passed again. Now I'm like 15 months or something! That's just weird. :O But this week went pretty smoothly! 

Something interesting that happened was that the Jehovah's Witnesses invited us to discuss with them so we said yes! We biked to this guys house and had a discussion with him and his wife. His name is Boaz and his wife is Naomi. :) They were the nicest Jehovah's Witnesses ever! Usually they just want to bible bash and tell us that we shouldn't add to the bible and other yak. But these people were so nice! They even fed us fried yam and shito! (Sheet-o) Which was amazing! They basically told us about their church (but they don't ever use the word church, they use "congregation") and it was pretty interesting! They also do something like FHE and home teaching which is cool. But as we listened he also said so many good things about our church like "I love how your organization is centered on families, and missionary work, and how it's organized!" In our mind we were like "That's because it was organized by Jesus Christ" but we didn't think it would be smart to tell him that :) So anyways it was a great visit and I can honestly say I have really good friends who are JWs. So yeah we're even learning with them tomorrow. How cool would that be if they caught on to the truth? ;)

The other highlight of the week was that I had the opportunity to dedicate a home this week! It was an awesome experience! The home was mostly just cement and wooden boards for the ceiling so it wasn't very close to be finished. But after I said the prayer, I can honestly say that I felt the Spirit come, and when he came it felt as though I was in my own house at home. I'm just so grateful for the blessings God gives to us all the time! 

This week's letter is short but hopefully sweet. :) But I just want to bear my testimony that we are all in the right place and that God loves us so much. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the true doctrine it contains. I know that this is Jesus Christ's church and that the people in the church aren't perfect, but the gospel in the church is. These things I share with all of you in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.                       Love you all! Have a great week! 

Our District (The Squad). This was the second take of the picture, because the first one I was the only one smiling. :D I look so weird when I have a serious face. 

More "Bush" Pictures!

Fun with sheets:

                                                                  Finally, after almost four months, the needed package came! 

Conference Wisdom!

Hey Everyone! Ete sen? Be be ah boco ana?

Thanks so much for your lovely emails! I'm so grateful! I love seeing how happy everyone is especially from conference! I was able to watch the morning session of Saturday and Sunday, just not live or anything :) but I got to watch some and it was amazing! I'm so grateful for prophets and apostles! One talk I just wanted to emphasize was from a seventy (sorry I forgot names.) and he talked about how the Latin root for "disciple" was discipline  which really means "To learn". Then the meaning of "chasten" means "to purify" which was very interesting. Sometimes God has to chasten us (especially after we sin) so that 1. we will learn and 2. we will be purified to perfection :) That talk really touched me to know that guilt and godly sorrow are literally ways to help us learn and be pure. If we didn't have those things we'd keep sinning! Someone also said "Guilt is to the spirit as pain is to the body." which is so true. That was a really interesting talk. Another one I liked was from Grandpa M. Russell Ballard (He's not really my grandpa, 1000 people on my mission have asked me if he is though) where he asked the people leaving the church "To whom shall ye go?" it really made a good point. Some things in the church whether it be policies, doctrines, or teachings might confuse us. But he said that "Just because something isn't understood by you, doesn't mean it's not understandable." I loved that. I've seen a couple of excommunicated members here and their reasons of leaving usually have to do with either sustaining our leaders, or being offended by someone. So it's so important that we always sustain our leaders and love everyone!

The last one I wanted to talk about is Elder Russel M. Nelson's talk about joy. Man I loved that one so much. All of us are literally made to have joy. Whether in hard times or not! I've had so many experiences of that on my mission! Whether it's falling off my bike, having 10 failed appointments in a row, or having a baptism or a good lesson! The thing that has made me most happy is to laugh at everything. But use that counsel wisely. I once laughed at a lady who asked if I wanted intestines in my soup, but she was serious, so it wasn't a good time. :)

In closing I was just happy to see the Prophet Thomas S. Monson talk about the Plan of Salvation. I loved how he said it's familiar to all men because it's true. It's as simple as that! I'm so grateful for that plan so that I can be with my family and loved ones forever. The Plan of Salvation really gives me so much comfort, hope, vision, and trust in God. I don't know what I would do without it. I know so much that these things are true! I can't wait to get the Liahona here so I can read all the talks that were spoken. I know more than ever that these things are true and I can't deny it. This mission has really chastened (purified) me and it has shown me such vision of what life really is about. I am in debt to the Lord for the things I have seen and heard. I am so glad I still have 9 months left to serve and I know that the Lord will lead me safely home.

Thanks again for your wonderful emails! As far as this week goes temporally, it was good! I'm still seeing my area and meeting new people! So nothing to complain about! I'm strong (well... you know what I mean.) healthy and happy! I love this work and I feel so honored to have had this gospel in my life. I'd love to testify all these things to everyone in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

The sky, it's raining more often now!

Twi of the week! 

I think I'm repeating words now... but I'm not sure. :D

Yen Ko Asore (Yen Koh Uh-Soar-ey) "Let's go to church!"

My companion and a Ghanaian pizza! I'm enjoying-o! (Ghanaian English)

Love ya all! Keep being you!

-Elder Keat Ballard