April 2018
General Conference today, we
traveled to Kasoa Stake center to view conference. We were able to see the
Saturday afternoon session and the Saturday priesthood session. To our
pleasure, we listened to Pres. Nelson as he introduced the “new” ministering
approach to home teaching. We also learned about the “elders” quorum being
composed of both elders and high priests. We can read the other conference
reports as they come to us on-line or in the Liahona.
Wednesday we had our first
district meeting with our new district leader, Elder Staples. We were busy in
transfers on Tuesday. I had to portage beds, missionaries, bicycles, literature
and packages to Ashtown, Buduburam, Breku, Bawjisae and Kasoa. It was a very
busy day for me.
Friday we began our day visiting
the sister missionaries in Kasoa 5 and replacing may of their lights in and
outside the apartment.
Now for the big occasion this
week. Saturday began at 7:00am as we traveled to GMAD to have our vehicle decorated
for the wedding of Abu and Anita. The wedding was scheduled to be held at Kasoa
stake center at 10:00am. Well we waited for the bride to be made up at GMAD
until 12:00. By the time we drove her to the wedding it was nearly 1:00pm.
After the wedding we drove the groom and bride back to GMAD for a grand
reception. Tired we arrived home to have 7 kids over to play soccer while we
took a nap.
The real reason we needed rest
was the fact it started to rain at 5:00am. The first rain for months! It was a
hard rain for one hour. It was most appreciated and an answer to prayers.
As we entered April it seems so
sudden and now it is half way through the month and I have not realized two
weeks have passed into this transfer. There has been a lot of talk about the
two major policy changes made at conference. Our new prophet, President Nelson is a shaker
and a mover at 93 years of age.
This week following conference we
visited Aboso (not in our assigned area) to do a special interview with a
sixty-two year old lady. She had nine children and two husbands of which both
had expired. The sisters of Aboso were teaching her needed a special interview
due to a mistake she had made in her youth. The atonement can cover so much of
what we do wrong with true repentance.
Our Sunday meeting was the
regular sacrament with primary for Sister Russell following then I joined in as
the teacher of the Teachers for the last hour. It is not so difficult now since
I no longer have the Priests and Deacons.
Monday Sister Russell and I took
Eric from GMAD to shop at the West Hills Mall. He is the crippled boy in a
wheelchair who is incontinent. We endured the smell and glad to have him with
us. He is sponsored by the Woods from New Zealand, former missionaries here in
Ghana.
This week we traveled to Accra to
exchange bicycles and pick up supplies from the mission office. We also went to
the pharmacy, then picked up two bicycles before heading to the mission office.
After saying hello to Bill and Binki we traveled home. The next day we began
our deliveries after our district meeting. Elder Staples, the new district
leader is outstanding.
The weekend has been spent
hosting the mission president (Simpson) and his wife while he interviews his
missionaries in Winneba stake. Sister Simpson road along as we attended to
business. Each evening we played cards to relax and enjoy their company. He is a busy man and had to deal with the
Lord’s army, right or wrong. He was heavy hearted having to send an elder home
early for breaking the rules.
This weekend Bishop Eggan from
Tema arrived to tell us the builders will be here Monday to finish work on the
house next to our living quarters. The foundation is in place and now we are
surrounded with all kinds of building materials ready to start the work. Bishop
estimated about two months to completion! We shall see!
The birthday party dominated this
week. Since we have been caught up following the visit of our mission president
and the missionaries are settled following the transfer, the last few days have
been quiet. We did take the Breku missionaries to visit a family we invited to
learn about the gospel. Following the direction we prayed for on Sunday,
President Sacatey visited with our missionaries in our home pleading for more
families to be brought into the branch. That was Sunday. Then on Wednesday we
had the birthday party for Samuel Buffo. He turned 11 years old. I ordered a
cake to be made by Rose (the home econ teacher at Winton School). The family of
Samuel came to the party. Samuel cooked sausages on the cook pot and I grilled
chicken on the BarBQ pit. Dawn and Georgina made rice and pineapple. With the
building crew, missionaries and family members we had over 20 people here. We
gave Samuel his own Book of Mormon and exercise books in math and science. All
in all it was a very busy and exciting time.
This week began with a busy
Sunday as usual. I have the Teachers quorum third hour each Sunday. Monday we
had the Shepherds family over for dinner. I picked them up at GMAD where they
are staying for several months. Cody his wife, Rachel and four children are
here on an extended stay. They need our help in shopping and transportation.
They are struggling since the children do not like the food they are serving at
the orphanage.
We spent the day in Kasoa at the
multi-zone conference. It is always good to hear the president instruct us. He
wants the missionaries to include temple preparation following baptism for all
the new converts.
We took Cody and his family to
the West Hills Mall today. Sister Russell got her hair cut by Rich the stylist.
She asked about coloring her hair and he said they did but had only one color.
“What might that be”, said she? He responds, “Black”.
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| Painting Gloryham School |
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| Samual's birthday cake |
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| Kite time |
Obiya and family
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| New home construction |
