March 2019

1 July 2018

Today we are half way through the mission. Also, I was able to talk to Julia through Skype. She is struggling with heart compensation and atrial fibrillation. Aging rapidly, she is slow to get around and still has much of her mind. We see she has lost weight and is very weak.

Our fast and testimony meeting was rather exciting with 60 some young people from GMAD. The chapel is filled with new recruits at the orphanage. We have talked with the branch president about what can be done because we have no room for investigators.

Our family from Senya continues to come to our meetings. It is quite remarkable because they live so far away. We also went to Fetteh last week and taught lessons to two contacts. There is one member living in Fetteh and we talked with her on the cell phone. We needed a member who is a contact. Just before we departed a man approached me introducing himself as a member from Cape Coast but his father lives in Fetteh. We hope a group would be started there soon.

Just a note as to what we did today. Sister Russell and I spent the day in Accra at the mission office. We got started on publishing the Accra Ghana West Mission cook book. We nearly assembled sixty copies. The goal is 200 so we have a ways to go. The next multi-zone conference is on the 17^th of this month. We hope to have them completed by then.

There is life after the recipe book! We hosted the Wood family while they were here visiting Eric. We have assisted them with Eric by taking him to the Winneba hospital .

When we went to the chapel on Saturday to clean there were three rooms at the chapel flooded due to an overflow on the toilet. It took 4 of us an hour scooping the water off the floor of three classrooms.

We had the missionaries over for Sunday meal. We try to rotate the missionaries between Breku and Buduburam. Since it was the 4^th of July we spent time talking about our freedom and independence. Several of the African missionaries told about their countries independence.

On the 10^th of July we took the Ballsteadts and Sister Simpson to dinner at the Cantonments Chinese restaurant. The food was delicious and we wanted to treat the office help since we had used their facilities for the cook book.

Each month I am privileged to escort Sister Russell and Sister Acoletche while they minister to sisters in our branch. Cecilia and her three boys live in Ojobi not far from Breku. They are anticipation a move into our town. We travel to Bontrose and south Breku to visit sisters in our branch.

We escorted Sister Acoletche and Sister Sacketi to the Accra temple. We did sealings before the session. There were 40 people in the sealing room and they had provided their family names. The sealer spoke in English and French when appropriate to those family members at the alter.

As always we deliver supplies and pick up spoiled bikes and fans to our missionaries.

I did a special interview to Jacob in Winneba. Pres. Simpson askes me to preform interviews for the candidate have had serious sin. Nearly all the interviews are associated with abortion. It is so common for women to have an abortion when not married and not able to care for young babies.

Brother and Sister Hill visited us and we spent time at the beach. While we were there I helped the local fishermen pull in a large net. I worked for 45 minutes and the buoys were still a long ways away. Everything is done by hand here. The Hills stayed overnight and we had a wonderful time with them.

We have had a multi-zone conference here in Kasoa. Sunday we had branch conference with visiting stake officers. The chapel was completely filled but mainly with children from GMAD. Pres. Simons attended the Teachers Quorum meeting. We had a great time.

Water Woes! Sunday we came home to a water spray behind the house from a broken water pipe. The poly tank was empties (13,000 liters) again. I was disturbed and Monday I replaced any of the inferior water PVC pipe with quality pipe. This is about the fourth time we have had pipes broke.

Sister Belinda was finally baptized after months of disputes over whether they were married legally. After evidence was presented to allow her to be baptized, they were relieved.

We have started apartment inspections again before the 6 week transfer. There was a twist to apartment cleaning since Pres. Simpson sent out instructions to all missionaries of “Deep Cleaning Monday”. He presented an extensive list of things to clean including windows, cabinets, interior and exterior apartment structures. Sister Russell and I assisted the Awutu Breku elders in cleaning for several hours on Monday.

We are finding about half the mission apartments are being cleaned thoroughly.

Today we treated the Winneba elders to dinner at Connie’s. The 8 of enjoyed our meal while our vehicle was being washed across the street. Oh Happy Day.