Eating Cat In a New Area

WOW!

Hello Everyone!!! This was probably the longest week ever because so many things happened! Sorry I didn't email yesterday, all the cafes were down. Thanks for all of your emails too! 

So on Tuesday the zone leaders called and said I would be transferred a day earlier. (So on Wednesday.) So Wednesday morning I headed out for Ashaiman. I took my luggage and my washing machine (ol' bessy.) to the mission home, switched companions, and took a taxi to Ashaiman. My new companion is Elder Burns. He's my first American Companion! He is super awesome and I'm excited to work with him. It seems his other companion was really excited to go home so this area was kinda low. But I'm excited to get things up and running with him. He has been in this area for 7 and a half months so he'll probably be leaving soon ;( but I'm excited to work with him.

 When I got to the new apartment I kinda had a little culture shock again because I didn't know where I was. Then we went to the area with our bikes and I was like "Okay, I know how to do this stuff." Something about Ashaiman is that there are tons of cars and that the streets are narrow , so biking difficulty has increased two notches. But luckily Teshie was intense already so I'll be fine. Plus I know that God protects his missionaries! Ashaiman is pretty poor but there is less sand and the people here are SO nice! Man everyone in the street can just greet and smile at you! Especially members! Like I said in the heading, one member fed us cat meat two nights in a row! It was SO good! The guy seasoned it so well that it tasted like chicken! It just goes between your teeth a little more. The second time I had it I realized that I had the head :O While I was eating I noticed that I was chewing on the jaw bone of a cat! It even had teeth and everything! I'll send a picture in the next email because I was able to save the jaw bones. Anyways. Something about Ashaiman is that there are no people that speak Ga, most people speak Twi or Ewe. I didn't really know Ga much just how to greet and ask people their names and stuff. But it's fun to hear a new local dialect.

The Official Town Branch is very new, it's about 8 months old or so. So when I came they asked if I could play the keyboard for them. I was a little hesitant to play but I knew that it's what I should do. After I played the hymns; the branch president gave some remarks and said that he has been praying that this next transfer would bring someone who can play keyboard so that the branch could know how to sing hymns and so that they could be able to have a choir. When he said that, the spirit witnessed further to me that I really am the right place. There is rarely a sweeter feeling than to know that you were able to help God answer someone's prayer. I am so grateful for the piano lessons I took and for the experience I had in choir so that I can help these wonderful people praise the Lord through music. "For the song of the heart is a prayer unto me." I am so grateful that through these talents God has given me, I am able to more be an instrument in his hands.

As we end this Easter Season I'll just share a small thought. On the way to my new area, there was a windshield sticker that said "the secret to my joy is Jesus." This sticker made me realize a couple things. 1: The people of Ghana are such a christian people 2: That statement is so true. Without the atonement there would be no means to be happy. There would be no means to repent, and most of all there would be no means to have eternal life with our families. I can testify to all of you that Jesus Christ is the only person that could have given us this blessing and that he is the way, the truth and the light. I know this is true, and this is the main reason I am out here. I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your love and support.

PS: Abraham (That drunk old man who we've been teaching for

6 months) finally got baptized on Saturday! I got permission to travel there and preform the baptism! I am so grateful for that experience as well! This week was just full of surprises! I know this gospel is true!

Pics: Abraham's baptism

Me and Elder Burns (Abraham gave me this white African shirt as a gift after his baptism!)

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

-Elder Ballard

Goodbye to Teshie

Toyo teh?! Yejo Bah! Acho bo Teh? Acho Mie Elda Ballad Onu? 

Hello Everyone! I thought I would greet everyone in the very romantic language of Ga. Thank you all for your wonderful heart warming emails :') This week was super short because last week I wrote on Tuesday. But lots of things happened! Our area was doing better! We found more people to teach and everything was doing great. Then on Saturday evening  as our apartment was about to enjoy some rice with stew and plantain, BA BAM! My district leader got a call that I would be going on TRANSFER and that I needed to bear my testimony at church the next day. So that was a big hit to me. I knew I would be transferred one day but when I actually realized it would happen, I was kinda shocked. So I didn't sleep well that night. But at church it was fun to say goodbye to all the members and teach a class. Then Sunday evening I got a call from President who told me I would be going to a place called Official Town in the Ashaiman (Uh-Shaman) Zone. Which is a place that is very well known for it's dust. So it looks like I'll be wearing my glasses for a while. :)

I'll be leaving on Thursday so I'll still be able to see some of the people I know. At first I was kinda reluctant and I just didn't know what to expect. But as I sang "I'll go where you want me to go." It helped me a lot to know that I am needed there and that just like I said last time: all missionaries are directed by divine priesthood keys. So I'm excited and anxious at the same time. I know I'll love the people no matter what. :D I'll also be having my first American companion who's name is Elder Burns. So that's really exciting! Next week I'll send you pictures of my area and companion and everything else. I'm going to miss Teshie, I've spent a third of my mission here, but I know that I need to go to Official Town. I know that God loves us so much and that he wants us all to follow him. I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time and place! 

I want to wish everyone a happy Easter! Let's make it a day not all about marshmallow bunnies and chocolate eggs. But let's try to remember Christ's ultimate sacrifice towards us. He was sacrificed for every bad feeling, guilt, heart break, sorrow, sickness, annoyance, offense, pain, grief, and sin! (See Alma 7:11-12) Most importantly he broke the bands of death so that we can be resurrected and return back to our loving Heavenly Father. Without Jesus Christ's Atonement. Repentance would be impossible, therefore we could not progress, we could not become clean again. That's why Jesus Christ is often called by the titles "Savior, Redeemer," or "Messiah." Of all the things I testify as a missionary or as a member of Christ's church, this is the most important: That Jesus Christ is the Savior. Let us remember that without him, there is absolutely no way. For he said "I am the way, the truth, and the light." I know this is true. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and a great week! I love you so much! 

-Elder Ballard

PS Happy Birthday Shandee!!! I can't believe you'll be sixteen this week! O_O Also To my nephew Tristan!!! He's gonna be one! (He'll be two when I'll come back?!) 

Pictures: 

This is Na. One of the cutest African girls I have ever seen :) 

Love ya most! 

Some of Mama Mercy's grand kids!

Na and Blessing

I said goodbye to Rama and Shiva. (I helped teach and baptize Rama.) 

Meeting Elder Rasband!

Hello Everyone!!! 

Thank you all so much for your wonderful emails! I appreciate it so much! 

It's a Tuesday which means that this week will go even faster than normal! This week was one of the most enlightening weeks of my life! I was able to shake the hand and listen to Elder Ronald A. Rasband! It was an experience I will never forget. Everything he said felt as though it was directed strait to me! What joy I felt to be able to sit a couple of feet away from an apostle and listen to his counsel! 

He talked about many things but I'll mention somethings that he said that really hit me. At one point he talked about how as missionaries we are all called and assigned directly through priesthood keys. He compared it to a funnel. At the top of the funnel is the prophet, who holds the keys to call someone as a missionary, then it goes to an apostle who has the keys to assign the missionary to a mission, then it goes to the mission president who holds the keys to assign you to your area and companion. Then he said "All of you are absolutely and unequivocally called to serve in this mission by revelation." So I took comfort to know that my area and my companion are exactly where I need to be and who I need to be with. Then he talked about how every Thursday the prophet and the apostles pray in the temple together and how President Monson is the one who assigns someone to pray. After the prayer he asked all of them "Brethren, where have you come from, and where you are going this week?" Then when it got to Elder Rasband he said "I'm headed to Nigeria and Ghana." then the first thing President Monson said was "Tell them I love them." Something I learned on that day is that the leaders of the church, especially the Quorum of the Twelve and First Presidency love not only members, but all people with perfect love. Another thing Elder Rasband said is that the more we learn about our Master, the more we will be able to love him. So as we keep learning about Christ we will be able to love him more. The last thing I'll mention was really interesting. When we were about to end with the closing hymn, Elder Rasband stopped the intro and asked "Is it okay if we sing 'More Holiness Give Me?'" After he said that I was determined to look at the words of the hymn. As we sang, I saw so many things that related exactly to what I need to do better. It was a testimony to me that we truly have living prophets and apostles on the earth. I know so much that this is true. 

When Elder Rasband was called, I knew that he would be a great apostle. But it was when I listened to him and pondered on his words that I received my own witness that he is indeed an apostle of the Lord. I know these things are so true! I can't deny them. I know this is Christ's church upon the earth again. I know that the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven have been restored and that they are only in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for it his church. 

So those were my spiritual thoughts of that day. I was also able to see my good friend Elder Bennett Roberts at the meeting! It was so awesome to be able to talk to him for a half hour or so and see how he's doing and speak some twi with him ;) During the meeting I was also able to sit two people away from Elder Ryan Barr who I met briefly before coming! (He is in the Plano Ward.) So Yesterday was a day never to be forgotten! When I got back to the apartment I had to just start writing in my journal because I had so many things going through my mind! Anyways I'll never forget that day.]

The rest of the week was good! We were able to find some people and just help others to progress. We weren't able to have anyone at church but we are hoping that this week will be the week that they will choose for themselves to come. I always say this but I love Ghanaian people. If you were an out going person, you could walk down a street and gain like twenty friends who would be able to joke with you and maybe even give you food. I just love this place and I know that I have been called here by someone with divine authority. 

It's so nice to hear about how all of you are doing! Keep doing great things and the Lord will bless you! As Preach My Gospel says:"discouragement will weaken your faith. If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit...When you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself. You can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working through you." 

I know this is true. I love you all so much and am so grateful for your support! I know that if you will not be discouraged with the present, that you will have a richer more satisfying future. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

-Elder Ballard 

 

Elder Barr from our stake

friend Bennett Roberts

Companion's sunglasses and hat I found in the compound 

It rained a ton, but nothing was going to stop us from seeing Elder Rasband!

Rain Clouds

Hi Ho! Elder Ballard Here!!!

Someone just told me that I'm a third of the way done with my mission so I gave them a really surprised look! I seriously can't believe how time flies! That's a big piece of the pie! It's crazy just because I've still been in the same area so it feels like I just came here! Man, time flies when your biking in 95 degree weather! Thanks so much for all of your emails!

This week was pretty decent, we got the most member present lessons we've ever had so that was great. We just need to be able to find more serious people who will progress, so hopefully we can do that this week! Also this week we we're rained on twice, which is always a fun experience so I'll tell one of them in a story form:

Me and my companion biked down to this "Chop Bar" (that's what they call a place to eat fufu or banku) and after eating a delicious bowl of Fufu with palm nut soup and tuna, we were biking back when we saw these huge black clouds. These clouds aren't like normal ones where you’re like "Oh, it might rain in an hour." But these ones were moving super fast and swirling around each other. It always looks weird though because on the other side of the sky it's clear as a bell. So after a quick utterance of the word "Fetch" (which is commonly used in all English speaking missions), we took refuge in our bishop’s house. I have never seen clouds like this in my life! They were swirling around and swelling just like in a movie! So right when we were in the house it started pouring. After the rain everything was muddy but the weather was cool which is nice. So after it let up, me and Elder Tawodzera merrily went on our way to proselyte.

This week was different than last week, but it was still good. It's just hard sometimes when people aren't around or they traveled etc. But we were able to see Evans again who is super interested! After coming to see he was busy for like 6 times he finally gave us some time to teach him. His friend even wanted to sit and listen. So we had Evans explain to his friend about the restoration and about Joseph Smith. He did really good and we helped him where he needed it. Once they were both caught up, we introduced the Book of Mormon. When I pulled it out Evans said "Wow!" Sometimes it's kinda difficult to explain the Book of Mormon to people but I really felt the spirit in that lesson. Everything we said made total sense and he and his friend understood. When we gave it to him he was super excited and said "I need to be serious with this book and pray!" So we hope that we will be able to see him this week more than just once.

I just love being a missionary so much! Seeing that a third has already passed kinda shows me that I need to put every second I have into the work! I'm just so grateful to be out here and to be with the lovely people of Ghana. I really am so used to it here and feel like, as Dad said, a "Vanilla African" :) I love the food the people, the place, and especially the gospel! I can testify that I know this church is true! I know that God loves us so much and that he knows our weaknesses! My trainer Elder Ajayi gave me a call this week and shared a scripture with me that really helped me. It's Doctrine and Covenants 123:17 it says: "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

I know these things are true and I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

Elder Ballard

Pictorials:

Rain clouds

Me and My Comp. Poor little tike.

a praying mantis

A plate of rice at a restaurant so it was really expensive but it had tons of chicken so it was worth it!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Hello Everyone!!! 

First off thanks for the amazing emails! I made the guy next to me look at me because of laughing so much! It's so awesome to hear from all of you and just see how great life is! This week was kind of different but it was just really happy! 

Our area has been a little harder to get people to come on Sunday since church is at eight and that our area is the farthest from the chapel. But we have still been having really happy attitudes which makes all the difference! One day we had like ten failed appointments but me and my companion we're just laughing at how ridiculous it was. I really believe that a good attitude is the most vital motivation more anything! I also believe a bad attitude is the thing that will totally stop progress in anything. If you have ever worked with someone with a bad attitude, you can really see that they're getting no where. It's just awful to see someone tear down someone else's happiness. Or as Elder Holland said "Downing a quart of pickle juice every time someone has a happy moment." Truly a good  attitude is the seed of progress. If something bad happens and you can laugh about it, chances are you'll be less stressed and still have a good day. That's something that I have learned from my Dad. If my Dad dropped something he'd just bust out laughing and make everyone else laugh. That is another thing about having a good attitude is that you get to benefit others and help them progress in what they're doing. On the other hand, when you have a bad attitude, you hinder others to progress. That is my lesson today to all of you, have a good attitude, things will work out, things won't be hard forever. Plus always remember that "There are things you can learn in a storm that you could have never learned when the weather was calm." So that was the lesson I learned this week. Have a good attitude and be happy :D 

Speaking of happiness, this week when we went to my chapel one day, and one of our members brought a trumpet and let me play it! (picture attached) I also got a video of me playing "Oh my Father" which sounded really nice in the chapel. It was really weird to play an instrument that I only played at home! After I played I looked up from the music and realized once again that I'm indeed in Ghana! I seriously am still realizing that I'm in Africa. Time is such a funny thing! 

Elder Nybo is our new apartment member like I told you all last week. It has been fun helping him get through the trials that I once went through when I first came. It still feels like yesterday that I came! Maybe because I'm still in my first area I don't know. But anyways he's doing great and will be a great missionary as he grows.

Also four of the Elders in our district are being transferred and being replaced by sisters so that's crazy. (picture attached) All of them came to Teshie after me so I've known them all for a while. So that's how mission life is! 

Solomon, a recent convert, got the priesthood this week.

In closing I just want to give thanks to all of you. As a missionary, the love you have for your family and friends multiplies by about 56 so I can't even tell you all how much I love you. I love this gospel and know that it's true. I know that following it is the only way we can be happy. I know that we all can be happy, as long as we are willing to try to have a better attitude. I know that the Plan of Salvation is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I am so grateful for all of you and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Kokonte (It's like Fu fu but tastes a tiny bit different. There was so much though! it was the biggest bowl I've ever seen! Plus they put pieces of beef on top.)

-Elder Ballard 

Public Dove Toilets

Hello Everyone!!! 

Thanks for the couple of emails! They mean more than cheddar cheese to me! (Which is saying a lot especially while being in West Africa.) This week was as Dad always says. "Hotter than a fire cracker on the Fourth of July." Man the sun embraced us so much this week! People say February is one of the hottest months here! But thank goodness that there is chilled water everywhere and that we don't have to wear suits! I'm pretty sure if we did we'd get cooked.

Anyways, this week went by way fast as does every week, but we were able to find and talk to lots of people! We met this one guy named Evans and he was super interested in the gospel. I haven't ever seen anyone who has understood the apostasy and the restoration so well. When we were done teaching about the apostasy, he said "Well how was the church restored? Can you please tell me? I really want to find the true church!" So without hesitation we taught him about Joseph Smith. As we read the first vision he kept saying "Wow, wow." So we are really excited about him and hope to see him progress. We also taught a couple of teenage guys named Jacob and Daniel. We gave a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to Daniel, but found out that Jacob read it and was super interested about it! So we're excited about following up with them. We are just trying to be patient with our other investigators and help them chose for themselves to accept the gospel. Just as God had to wait for Adam and Eve to choose to partake the fruit. I just love missionary work so much. 

We also went out again with Johanna and saw a family who's Mom couldn't speak English which was interesting. But every time I meet a new person from Ghana I just love the people more! The children were able to translate to the Mom and help here out. She said some funny things, like when I said I was from America she said in Ga "Hey my brother lives there! Do you know him?" So that was hilarious :) People here are just so funny, loving and great. This was a great week where we worked hard and found new people. It just feels great to work hard and know that your helping God's work go forward. 

The new Missionary in our apartment's named Elder Nybo he's from Utah which was weird because I've been with all Africans for 4 months. He's a really chill guy and hasn't been home sick at all which is impressive. It's really fun to make friends all the time and meet new people. 

I just want you all to know that this gospel is true and that it is the only way that we can become happy. I know that the Plan of Salvation is real. I know that God knows and loves us so much. I know that each one of us is a child of God no matter what color or back ground, he loves us all the same. We have so many things to be grateful for. I know that I am in the right place and that if we all pray to know how we can become better, God will answer us and help us know where we need to be and what we need to do. Jesus Christ really did pay for every single bad thing that hits us in this life. I know that these things are true, just keep doing what you know to be right and everything will work out if you trust in God! I love you all so much and I'm excited to continue to work hard! 

-Elder Ballard

P.S. here are some funny things that happened this week.

Me and my companion saw a hardware store and wanted to get a nail so I could hang up my amazing calendar my family gave me. So when we went up to the guy, my companion said "How many nails for I cedi?" and the guy said "well for us we don't count them...but weigh them." so that was funny to think about someone counting out fifty nails one by one to give to someone :D Then we asked him for a single nail, and he snickered and just handed us one. 

Then one lesson we were teaching two ladies under a tree. But we soon found out that this wasn't an ordinary tree, but was a public toilet for all the doves in the area. So as my companion was trying to explain the atonement, there was a little drizzle of "chocolate syrup." that hit his shoulder, then after a short time later another one hit the other side of his shirt. By the end of the lesson he moved his seat away. At the end of the lesson we invited one of the sisters to pray. As she was praying I suddenly felt a something hit me square in the neck. So I was grateful my shirt was okay. So next time we teach there we'll try to do it somewhere else :) 

The final experience is about that old man who we've been trying to baptize for four months. He now says he wants to get baptized on Easter... Silly man. Anyways after church we saw him checking the list for his home teaching partner. So we laughed pretty hard at that. 

Anyways I love you all so much and hope you have a great week! The picture is of us with Solomon (a recent convert that my trainer baptized,) and Johanna (The member who has been working with us a lot.) 

Until Next Week! 

Red Red and The Iron Rod

Hello Hello!!!

Thanks Fam and friend for your awesome emails! I love hearing about things from you and about how you're doing! This week was pretty different! It went by faster than a macaroni salad at a family reunion! I always say this but time is really messed up on mission. 

So another transfer went by without a change which is fine with me! I get to spend a third of my mission in Teshie which is my first area! So I know that I'll have tons of memories from here. Elder Conduanhe (the Portuguese speaker) is being transferred :( He has been such a great example to me and has made me laugh my head off so many times! If you saw that video of us releasing a dove, it was him who laughed his head off at the end :) I'll miss him so much! So a new missionary will be moving into our apartment and be trained there just like I was! So it will fun to meet him tomorrow.  

This week I didn't really cook much, because that volcano stew I made is still in the fridge. :D It's way better now that Elder Obiarinze mixed his stew with mine. But it's still freaking hot and makes my nose run. Darn those peppers. I did make really nice french toast and stirfry though. Also an investigator gave us something called Red Red. It's one of my favorite foods here! It's beans mixed with plantains,(giant sweet bananas.) tomato stew, oil, and something called garry (Gaw-ree) which is dried cassava. If you even remember what cassava is... But man it's so good! The picture is attached. So nice! 

Anyways enough about food! This week was really unique! The zone conference was really awesome with Elder and Sister Vinson! I learned so much! It's really cool to listen to a general authority! Plus the day after the zone conference our apartment was chosen out of the whole mission to host them for a study. So we got to have scripture study with a general authority! It was a really neat experience, and I learned so much. 

This week teaching wise was a little rough because of all the activities we had, but this week we are really going to focus on finding serious people because most of our investigators will just agree with everything and want to be baptized but then they won't even come to church. Silly Geese :P Anyways this week will be sweet to just stay focused and work our tails off. I found that it really helps to set goals and to always focus on them, because it motivates you to achieve your goal. 

So this week was pretty normal other than that, my companion is a champ on his bike now, it is crazy to think that a couple months ago he couldn't even walk the bike to the door. He also got glasses this week and looks like a stud cake. It'll be cool to stay with him for 6 months because he's my "Son". Once you stay with your companion for a couple months you become friends no matter how different you are. It's such a cool experience to meet so many people from different countries and to see how they live and what they eat and everything. 

Something I learned this week was kind of small but interesting. I was singing "hold to the rod, the Iron Rod." and I thought "why is it iron? Why isn't it gold or something. It is the word of God after all." As I studied I realized that the word of God isn't just the scriptures but it's from our prophets and our teachers and leaders at church. Iron isn't a very flashy or valuable metal, so it kind of reminded me that the word of God is humble and strong, and it's only purpose is for us to return back to God and to feel his love forever. Gold on the other hand is valuable and flashy, but it is very weak. So it shows that the word of God isn't of the world but it is strong and straightforward. We should stop worrying about what the world sees as valuable and start seeing what God sees as valuable. I know that if we listen to God and follow his words, we can be "lead." strait to eternal life.

I hope this thought makes sense and isn't too deep. I just love thinking of symbols and how they fit with things. I am so grateful for this time to learn and to teach the gospel! I can testify that it is true! 

I love you all! Thanks so much for your support!

-Elder Ballard

Pics

We went to the beach again today, so this is me saying goodbye to Elder Conduanhe. I'll miss him!

Me and Elder Tawodzera eating Red Red. :D 

Thanks again! Talk to you next week! 

Thanks again! Talk to you next week!