See You Soon!

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the letters, I'm excited to see all of you and talk and talk. Saturday we had the baptism of Christopher, it was wonderful! He is a completely different man now then from the first time I met him. He is so, so happy. He has entered the gate and is ready to follow the path to eternal life. He was telling us about a dream that he had, where he was running on a strait path and all of these people were trying to confuse him and hold him up but he said he didn't mind them but he just kept running. He had know idea why he was running or where but he knew he just had to keep running. Sounded a lot like Lehi's dream to me.. he later read about Lehi's dream and said he was just amazed. It was a great lesson. The ward is taking great care of him and with all of our recent converts, they have really stepped up and I'm so grateful for that. I was not able to go to the temple with Pedro, he will go either later in the week or next week, I was a bit disappointed because that would have been a great experience but its ok. I am going to see him today. I'm going to give him the general conference cd's he is doing great and I am so excited for him. I was able to go and do baptisms for the dead with a few of my recent converts on saturday and that was a wonderful experience, it was so fun to watch them look around with amazement, it was a day I will never forget. We did confirmations and then baptism. Yesterday I bore my testimony and as always I couldn't really say what was in my heart but I told them what I knew to be true and thats what counts. A few of our recent converts were able to take part during sacrament meeting and that ment a lot to me. Kelly is giving a talk in two weeks, i'll be sad to miss that and he really is going to be the Elders quorum secretary which still doesn't really make sense to me but I'm happy that it will be a great learning experience for him. I feel like some of my most recent converts have been some of the strongest of my whole mission and I'm grateful for that. Thanks for all the support you have given me throughout my mission, I could not have done it without you! I forgot my paper with my flight plans on it so I could tell you the number but I'll have Sister Barney Email it to you.

Love,

Elder Andrew K. L. 

Tonight i'm going to lean on the Tape...

Hello

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the letters. This P-day was been very busy, we had to do our usually P-day things. Washing, Cleaning ect but on top of that I had to do a few things to get ready to come home which also took some time. I also had to write my letter to President Judd and then include a short story about one of the Recent Converts from my mission. I figured I would include that in my letter today. This past week has been pretty good, Elder Rane has been working me pretty hard which I am grateful for. I have just tried to enjoy this past week and soak it all up. Christopher is really doing well, he has continued to stay clean and I'm proud of him, I'm hoping we can have his baptism on saturday but there was a little misunderstanding between the ward mission leader and the bishop that might delay it a little. If it happens after I go, its ok because I'm just happy we have been able to help get him to this point but I really am hoping everything works out. Joy came to church yesterday and Clifford came again, he has had many question regarding his ancestors and about the plan of salvation, its been a lot of fun to teach him. This past week we went teaching with the Judd's. We taught Paul, it was a powerful lesson and I had a lot of fun being with them. I think they are the best companionship in the whole mission. On thursday was my final Zone Leader Council, their we five of us there from the same MTC. Elder Afu, Anderson, Wicho, Collings and myself. We all had the opportunity to bare our testimonies, as I bore my testimony I had so many thoughts running through my head but my heart was full of Gratitude to the Lord for allowing me this opportunity to serve. Friday I'm hoping to go to the temple with Pedro Williams when he receives his endowment. I'm so excited I can't even explain it! Then on friday I'm going to go do baptism for the dead with a few of my recent converts in the Cantonments ward. I'm hoping and praying everything will work out!

Much Love,

Elder L.


Conversion Story of Pedro Patricks Williams

I remember the first time I met Pedro Williams, I had just come on transfer from Ho to Osu. Elder Chamberlain and his former companion had been teaching him for a little bit but he had a very difficult time with the Word of Wisdom. He had been trying to stop for several weeks but he was not able to give up smoking. As we taught him we helped him to see the bigger picture, we taught him that if he tried to battle his addiction alone he would lose but with the help of the Savior he could become clean. We planned with him and set goals of people and times and places he should avoid, and he stuck to it. We told him to call us before he smoked no matter what time of day, so that we could talk about it with him. He later told us that that was one of the things that gave him the most strength. He knew he was not alone, but that we were their to help him and most important he could fell the savior helping him. Pedro means so much to me because I remember at this point of my mission I was really facing some hard times even though I had adjusted to Ghana I still felt an inadequacy to do missionary work, in finding, teaching and everyday life. I was still unsure if I would have the strength to fulfill my calling as a missionary and I did not yet have it in my mind that I would be able to finish my mission. I had always planned on serving a mission since I was a little boy and I was so excited to come to Ghana but when I came it was nothing that I expected so I was struggling to say the least. But as we were teaching Pedro and I saw the changes he was making in his life, I also saw a change in me, in my attitude towards mission. After his baptism, when were in the bathroom he just kept saying how good he felt and how happy he was. His joy brought me great joy. The joy he received was because he developed faith in Jesus Christ, Repented, was Baptized and Received the Holy Ghost. When I saw his joy I knew that that is what its all about. In that moment is when I loved being a missionary, that is when I truly lost myself and got to work. I am happy to report that to this point in his life Pedro has continued on the strait and narrow path. He is now an Elder and this week he will be going to the temple to receive his endowments. I don't know of anything that could bring me more joy! Being a missionary and doing the Lords work is the greatest thing I have ever done. I would not change my mission experience for anything, I have love serving the Lord and Pray he will continue to use me to do his work throughout my life.

Hello Family

Dear Fam,

Great to hear from all of you. Sounds like everyone is enjoying the summer season and it sounds like you are all very busy as always. Today I'll have to keep it short because we are having some internet Problems and writing my letter to President Judd to a little longer than usual. This week Elder Rane and I had a lot of fun, we made some great progress with some of our investigators this week. Christopher has continued to obey the word of wisdom. He has stopped smoking for a few weeks now and told us that since he has stopped he has had more strength and his boss has noticed in increased his pay. His boss told him that if he keeps it up he will increase it again. A lot of his friends have seen the change with in him, a great missionary opportunity we are looking to take advantage of this week. Prince has traveled but we are hoping he comes back soon, he had to go and finalize some thing in the western region. But he is as sweet as ever, I just hope he comes back before I go. We are also working with a man named Joy. Joy was a referral from a member, he has a bunch of golden questions he has heard a lot about the church and it has been really fun teaching him. He was supposed to come on sunday but he was having some phone problems and we weren't able to make it happen, but his phone is working again today and we are going to see him tomorrow. Also we met a man named Clifford, he is a referal from Sister Judd, Clifford is was of the kindest and most loving Ghanians I have ever met. We could just see it in him after a few minutes, he has a daughter that is handicapped and has twins. In Ghana it is extremely difficult for a family to take care of a handicapped child because the government does not give them the support and help needed. We met him on saturday and he came on sunday. The Judds love him and they are really giving him a lot of love and support. They same way they give for all of us. For the first time my whole mission, My Mission President is coming to district meeting and then we are going proselyting tomorrow, I'm really excited and it looks like they are not letting me get off easy. ( : Kelly or recent Convert who was baptized just two weeks ago was given two callings on sunday, he will be teaching and said he is the elder quorum secretary(although I'm not sure about that one, I'm pretty sure you have to be in the elders quorum in the first place) I'm just happy the ward is giving him responsibility, he told me he is excited to learn.

Tuesday was zone conference and a lot of the instruction was on desire, and how we take our desires and turn them into our actions and who we become. I was so happy with how it went, I am really going to miss listening to President Judd and Sister Judd's Instruction. He showed us some of the past Prophets and Apostles scriptures and how they marked them it was really fun to see. On Thursday we had dinner with Elder and Sister Satati, they were so kind to have us over, they had no idea I was almost done, Sister Satati just had a feeling that she should invite us over now and i'm happy see did. We talked a lot about Grandma and Grandpa and they shared some wonderful stories and memories they had with them. I wish Grandma and you all could have been there and I couldn't help but wonder if Grandpa was there. We also talked about some of our investigators and the challenges they were facing and what we could do to help them. We talked about some of the challenges Ghana was facing and it was fun to see it as Elder Satati's sees it.. a little bit of the big picture. They shared with us stories from when they had their mission assignment and we talked about my mission. I then recounted to the Satati's the experience I had with them and Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa. He talked to me about being a 100 % missionary and told me that nothing will prepare me better for the rest of my life then a mission. I told them that I had not been a 100 %, but that I had done my best and that I felt I had done what the Lord expected of me. I told him advice had had a huge impact on my mission, that in most of my prayers I have prayed that my mission would make me what the lord wants me to be. I told them that helped me to see the big picture and that on several occasions it kept me safe from doing things that others were doing. It felt great to look him in the eye and tell him all of that. It was a powerful experience I will never forget. Thank you all for the wonderful examples you are to me!  

Much Love,

Elder L.

Hello

Dear Fam,

This past week we were blessed to have the baptisms of Pat, Kelly and Gabriel. I am so excited about these recent converts, I know that all of them have truly been converted. They don't believe the church is just nice or that it is a good church but they know it is true. They all had things come up on the day of their baptism Kelly was supposed to go to Tamale for work, Pat was had a graduation and Kelly also had work. But all of them did what was right and made the write choice. I was so happy about that. The baptism started pretty late but I was very happy with the attendance of the baptism there was a lot of support and they had a good welcome into the ward. Yesterday to my surprise we were asked to join the circle for the confirmation. I was privileged to perform the first confirmation of my mission and it was a sweet and humbling experience. I was even more amazed when Spencer and Kristin and their family walked in to church, I couldn't believe it, I was thinking about how it might happen during the week but I kind of forgot about it Sunday morning. It was one of the longest sacrament meetings of my mission because I was bouncing up and down inside because I couldn't wait to talk to them!! I was so excited to see them and I wish we could have had longer to talk but they were on their way to Kumasi. They all looked great and they give me a wonderful care package, it was so nice of them and I couldn't give them enough thanks. I wasn't expecting it and I was just happy enough to see them!

We have been working with some wonderful people and the Lord continues to bless us though our finding efforts and though member referrals. One of these investigators is Prince, he is very smart and is planing to go to Russia in the coming months for school. He told us that one of his class mates was a member and because of his example he could see something was different about the boy and that he wanted to be like him. He loves reading and its really fun to teach him because he wants to learn everything. He is keeping all his commitments and is progressing very well towards his baptism. Christopher is another one of our investigators that is really doing well he has had some challenges he is overcoming but he has come the past two weeks and he came to the concert. We have a member that is from a place close to his home town. In our efforts with Paul(the man who read the Book of Mormon) we decided that we are going to focus more on the things he hasn't heard before. He wasn't sure about the Pre-earth life and and the spirit world and the three kingdoms. So we had a nice lesson on all of those things but for him he is pretty stubborn sometimes when he is learning things that are new to him but and he sometimes will try and use a scripture to contradict what we have said. But as the lesson went on and as we were teaching about the spirit world I felt that we should also talk about baptisms for the dead. So we had him read the scripture that talks about baptism for the dead. He was so amazed he had to read it twice and when he looked up at us and his face seemed to say what? What a great teaching opportunity we had. We started talking about temples we are going to take him and Temple magazine tomorrow and have a lesson on the temple. I am very excited.

Much Love,

Elder L.

Hello!

Dear Fam,

This past week has been a very good one, yesterday we were blessed to have twelve investigators come to church. We have really been trying to work hard, smart and pure as President Judd likes to say. As we have done this the Lord has been blessing us. A few of these investigators are having some challenges that we are helping them overcome such as chasity and word of wisdom concerns but Elder Rane and I feel that they want to change and receive the blessings of the fullness of the gospel. This week Paul, one of our investigators finished reading the Book of Mormon this past week! But he still feels he has not received an answer. On Saturday we taught him the importance of coming to church and coming consistently. I think he took that to heart because he hadn't come for a few weeks but he came yesterday and he came very early. I believed that if anyone read the Book of Mormon all the way though they would be converted but for him he focuses too much on what his mind is telling him and does not listen to his hart. Thursday evening will be a concert held by Alex Boye! I am really excited for it and we are really hoping he can come because I know that the spirit in that meeting will be powerful and that it can have an effect on Paul. We are also hoping that some of are other investigators can come, it will be a great evening. 

This week we are planning on the baptism of three of our candidates. Pat, Kelly and Gabriel. Pat and Kelly live on your street, for a while they were a little shaky because they heard some bad things about the church. To help them we focused on the commitments and taught them to find out for them selves what is true. They took that to heart and because more serious about getting an answer to the prayers and now they both know the church is true. The rest of the family is still a little hesitant but their attitude towards us has changed a lot and I believe its because they have seen a change in their family members and they see how happy they are with the truths they have learned.

Yesterday I saw Donald, my jaw dropped when I saw him and it took me a few seconds to realize that Donald my cousin who I have know for years and years was standing right in front of me. Not because I didn't recognize him but because I would have never guessed I would have seen any family members on my mission. haha as soon as I realized it I gave him a big hug and we talked for a few minutes but then I had to go teach investigators class and he stayed for the next sacrament meeting. I wanted to meet him and talk to him for a few minutes after church but I couldn't find him I felt bad I didn't talk to him longer but at the same time I think that is something that should probably be approved by President Judd so its ok for now. He looked great and I don't remembering him being that tall! It was funny to recall how we visited him on his mission and now he visited me on mine. Thanks for all the letters, prayers and love. I have the greatest family in the world!

Much Love,

Elder L.

Hello from Cantonments!

Dear Fam,

This past week has been great, I have a new companion named Elder Rane, he is from Alabama. He was just trained and he has been out for 3 months. He is sweet and I am so happy to have him here, we have been working our socks off. In my last interview with President Judd we talk about making this last transfer my best one. I told him that was the biggest desire of my heart and thats why he sent me Elder Rane. He went to BYU for a year and now his parents are living in Provo. We are having a blast and I can't believe how things are just flying by. This past week I got a call from David the Delta Pilot asking if there was anything I wanted to send with him. I told him I didn't and I tried to thank him over the phone for all packages he brought for free but after I hung up the phone I felt terrible and I called sister barney back to see if he was still at the mission home so I could thank him in person but he had already left. But Heavenly Father answered my prayer yesterday when he walked into church and I was able to sit by him in priesthood and talk to him after church. I got a picture with him out side the temple and its hard to believe that two years ago we sat next to each other in the temple and that is how all of this started. I know Heavenly Father was watching out for me and I don't believe it was by accident we sat next to each other those packages really helped me while I was facing some of those early struggles of my mission.  

Yesterday after church we went to go and see on of our investigators named Gabriel. Gabriel was had been taught by missionaries for the last several months, he has been off and on, with church attendance and reading the scriptures. A few weeks ago he was saying he wasn't sure if it was true and we told him that if he was more consistent and more serious about things he would receive his answer. Yesterday he said that as he was sitting in Elders Quorum a it just hit him and he felt something he could not deny. He knew it was all true and he knew he need to be baptized and we gave him a date for the 21st of July. That was a powerful lesson and the spirit was there as he talked about the truths he had received. We had another wonderful lesson with a sister we had sat down with for the first time this week. We were teaching her and we teaching her from lesson one we just started crying, at first I thought she was crying because of the things we teaching her. I soon realized that she was crying because she had been facing so many challenges. I felt how much God loved her and we told her that God loves her and that he sent us there to help her. It was a very sweet experience and the love I felt for her as I was testifying to her of Gods love almost surprised me. It was a great reminder that God loves all of his children equally and perfectly. I feel my mission has helped me to love people so much more than before and to be more charitable. But I know from the lesson that I can feel that way about everyone all the time. I take courage knowing that Elder Holland Cries at night because he wants to be more like the Savior. That is how I want to be. Kelly and Pat are also preparing for the 21st and are doing well, they also had a few challenges keeping some commitments consistently but now they are solid. David and Norah met again with the Bishop and are working towards their marriage. I don't know if I will still be around but I know that David, Norah, Perpetual and Wilson will all join the Church when every thing is worked out. At first they were coming with a member and last two weeks the member hasn't been able to come but they continue to come and it is fun to see the whole family file in together. We also met a Efo and Rose last week, they are the neighbors to Kelly and Pat. We haven't really been able to teach them to much but it been great to see people flock together and its fun to see investigators act like members. Its because of Kelly and Pat that Efo and Rose came to church. I'll keep you posted on how everyone continues to progress, Elder Rane and I are really excited for this transfer, it is going to be a great one.

Love, Elder L.

Hello

Dear Fam,

Happy Birthday to Bryan and Shalissa last week, I hope you both had a great one!  This past week has been a pretty good, on Saturday we had the baptism of Eunice, she is a very good girl and her Uncle Derrick has been a great help all along the way, she is very bright and I am confident that as her Uncle Continues to help her and with the desire she already has she will continue to grow in the gospel and become a great member as an adult. Aurel the other young man we were hoping to baptize was getting some pressure from his family not to be baptized. They are all Catholics and they don't know a lot about the family. Aurel is living with one of his best friends away from his family, if it were not like that we would love to also teach his family and help them understand the importance of the things we have been teaching him. In our lesson with him we read with him Mathew 10 which teaches that anyone that loves his family more than the savior is not worthy of the Kingdom. Then we committed him to pray about it and we told him that we would be praying for him. I know the Lord with give him the strength to do the right thing. This week we met a man named Eric, Eric is half Ghanaian and half British. We were contacting in an apartment building and he was on the top floor, the lights were off and it felt a little strange, when we contacted him he invited us in without saying a word and that was even more strange. But as we started talking to him he opened right up and told us what he knew about the church and how he has done a little bit of work for the church in Dansuman. He an elect man and i am glad we found him and that we didn't just decide not to contact because their was no light. Kelly and Pat came to church again after not being able to come for like two weeks because kelly has been sick, but he is still preparing and working towards his baptism. Gabriel, has been been taught by missionaries for a long time and even elder wicho has been working with him for several months but he has had a hard time keeping the commandments and coming to church on a regular basis. But he has been keeping his commitments and has been coming a few weeks in a row so we feel that he is really serious about it now and so we are hoping he can be ready for this month. As we were teaching David and Norah this past week, we found that they have a concern that needs to be resolved and it may take some time, which was very sad, but they are willing to overcome it because they recognize this is something they need to have in their lives. Despite knowing they will have to wait a little bit they still came to church with their family yesterday and they still have that excitement about the gospel and the church so that is a very good sign.    

One of my spiritual experiences was in the temple this week. Sadly we were not able to go do baptism with the ward and that will take place when the temple opens again after the cleaning. But on Thursday night it started to pour right after a lesson and we pretty close to the temple so we rushed there to seek protection from the rain. As we waited for the rain to stop I was amazed at the detail and the designs in the temple and that was just in small room between the entrance and the desk. Even in that small room I could feel the power in the temple. This week I read a quote from President Hinkley that says nothing ensures proper living more than regular temple attendance. I could feel that in the temple. Also as I was there the temple worker at the desk was a dear friend of Joseph William Billy Johnson who was first Pioneer to help the gospel come to Ghana. I cannot remember the mans name but I wrote it down, but this man was converted even before the church came to Ghana and it was wonderful to talk to him for just a few moments about what things were like at those times and how far the church has come since then. As I talked to this wonderful man, I thought of some of my recent converts and hoped that they would be as faithful as this great man has been.
        
Love, Elder L.

Hello!

Dear Fam,

Thank you for all the wonderful letters you sent me this week, it sounds like you had a lot of fun last week and that you are all doing wonderful things back home. Each week as I read your letters I can tell that each one of you is incredibly busy and I don't know how you do it. But I want to be like it of you and I always feel blessed by the wonderful example you are in my life. 

This week we are planning on the baptisms of two of our candidates. Aurel and Eunice, I am excited for both of them, Aurel has been reading from the french Book of Mormon we gave him and I can see that he has really felt for himself that the Truth has been Restored and that he has found it. He is excited about the gospel and it has been fun working with him and with a member that speaks french to help him. Eunice, live with her Uncle who is a member, she likes going to young women and is excited for her baptism. I have been pretty impressed by the ward members in this ward. They referred a great family to us a few weeks ago, David(Father) Norah(Mother) and Perpetual and Wilson the kids. They speak small English but some great members have been helping them and they have be coming to church and enjoy it. I'll keep you posted on their progress. Also we are working with a man named Kelly, Kelly has many friends that are members and the girl he is planning to marry is also a member. So all of them were encouraging him to look into the church and that is when we contacted his house and he was surprised and it made him really think why God kept sending people to come and talk to him about the church. So when we came he took it pretty seriously and last week we gave him a date for the 21st of July.   

Yesterday I met Elder and Sister Wood, they are finishing up their 6th mission on Saturday. They are from Idaho and their family knows some of Grandma or Grandpa L's family in Rupert Idaho. It was a fun connection, she knew who I was right away and said she knew Grandpa because he and I believe Grandma L. went to visit their mission in the West Indies. I thought the was fun so I went to go and talk to Elder Wood about it. He told me all about each of their missions and he told me that President Faust and Grandpa set him a part as a Mission President. Its a small world and I am grateful that I was able to meet them and here about those experiences right before they went home. I consider it a tender mercy of the Lord. This coming Saturday after the baptism we will go and do baptisms for the dead with some the ward and I am really hoping that Alex or Joseph are able to come because I that would be a wonderful experience. The temple will close for a month after Saturday, so I'm happy we could work this in!                

Much Love,

Elder L.

Hello Everyone!

Dear Family,

It was great to hear from you all! This week a lot of great things have been happening. Going to Osu was like going down memory lane.. I have really missed that place. I wasn't able to see everyone because we also had some appointments to go to for the current Elders their but it was so good see some of my recent converts. I saw Rose and Julianna and their kids.. that is one of the pictures I sent. Vic Kotey, Pedro, Stanly Hammond, and Francis. It was such a fun day! For the most part most of my recent converts are doing pretty well over there but there are also a few the are struggling. But now the missionaries that are over there know where a few of them are and will be able to visit them from time to time. And hopefully I can go on one more split while I am out here. I wish I could go to all my former areas. The Temple Trip and Interviews were great. Every time I go to the Temple I always think of when I received my own endowment and I think of the sealings we did as a family. Those two times are unforgettable memories. In my interview with President Judd we talked finishing strong, we talked about some goals I had, the zone and I was able to ask him a few questions I had.

Our investigators are doing well although not as many came to church as we were hoping. Okey is really having a hard time with his work schedule. His employers are from a different country and are not Christian. They only pay their employees on sunday and they said anyone that wants to go to church can go, "Jesus will pay you" but we won't. It has been really hard on him, we read in Mosiah 24 with him that the Lord will make his burdens seem light and we told him to read Nephi 3:7 everyday. He is a great man and I know that the lord will make a way and will make his burdens seem light. We have been teaching a young man named Aurel, he is also from Benin. He is also working here for a while and he was a referral from a member named Godslave. We have been teaching him, he can read english perfectly he understands it but for him to speak back can sometimes be a bit difficult. He is progressing well and is excited for his baptism at the end of the month. The family that came to church last week heard a lot of the lies about the church this week which has not been fun but we are working with that, I think it has really affected two of the family members. James and Gloria but for Pat and Kelly they are strong and they understand that we should ask God and not man. We feel if we can help them gain a testimony we will then be able to help Gloria and James. We'll see what happens their, I be sure to keep you posted.

I actually sent some pictures this week, as you can see. Sorry its been so long this cafe isn't much better than the old one but I think it will be okay so enjoy. Love you all!

-Elder L.

Hello Family

Dear Fam,

This week has been wonderful, the work is going very well and we have seen some wonderful things happening in the lives of some of our investigators. [Personal messages to family.] On Saturday we were blessed to have the Baptisms of two wonderful brothers, Joseph and Alex. I learned that Alex was taught by missionaries over a year ago and was preparing for his baptism but he traveled so it didn't work out but as he came back he started going to church again we taught him everything and it was amazing how many of the things he could still remember. So he was especially excited because he had been waiting a while for this day and I could just see it in him. Yesterday we had a wonderful day at church, Paul came to church again, the first time he came he was very confused and was not sure about things but as he came yesterday he was very active in the meetings he seemed very happy and he I felt like he was just soaking it all up. Also Okey the man from Benin, he also came. He is a sweet man and I just love him because despite many trials he is facing he sees the big picture. He is a man of faith. He just moved to Ghana and so he didn't know where the Temple was, we tried to explain it to him but it didn't help to much. So he decided to just start asking people where the church was and when sacrament meeting was half way over he walked in wearing his work boots, shorts and a t-shirt because thats all he had but to me he looked as good as everyone else and I know he did in the eyes of God. We also have been teaching a wonderful family, we met them two weeks ago and they live on the same road as the mission home. When we went there at first they were very hesitant to listen with us, they had heard all rumors: Blood, Spirits ect. But as we took the time to answer their questions and showed we cared they opened up to us and the whole family has now joined in. Part of the family came to church yesterday and some of them are still being a little stubborn but for a man named Kelly and a sister named Pat they loved church they are reading from the Book of Mormon. I am praying and we are working so that the rest of the family can feel the same as Kelly and Pat. Lots of wonderful things are happening here in Cantonments and I'm doing my best to make every day count. This week were are going to the Temple and are having our interviews I'm excited because its always a spiritual feast. This week I am also going on a split to Osu and I'm excited to do some work there once again especially to visit some recent converts, to encourage them to keep the faith and stay true to the covenants they have made.

Much Love,

Elder L.

Hello

Dear Family,

Thanks for all the letters, it sounds like everyone is doing well. I'm getting used to Cantonments and I'm getting to know the members and I have seen that we have some great investigators. We are working with some great people and have been blessed to find some more. Paul and Okey are two men we have been blessed to find but I'll tell you about them later. We will have the baptism of a man named Alex and maybe Nani and Micheal. Alex is good and ready to go but the others still need to be interviewed. Alex is going to a University and will graduate next year, he is very smart and he knows the gospel has been restored. I am hoping we will be able to work with the rest of the family but we'll see how it goes. For Nani and Micheal they are best friends and they are living on the Burma military camp, I don't know too much about them but they are fine men hopefully things work out for Saturday, thats what I'm praying for. Now to Paul, he is the one I wrote about last week, he lives by the mission home. Last week we left him a Book of Mormon and told him to just start from the beginning continue to read. On our return appointment he said was talking about how he Moroni visited Joseph Smith and I was really impressed because he showed us he had really been reading. Then he asked why one of the Prophets said goodbye when he finished his book and why a few men that were not righteous wrote in the Book of Mormon (Book of Omni) and he went on to ask about King Benjamin and King Mosiah! I have never had a investigator read like that. After that lesson I was just bouncing the rest of the night. Later in the week we met a man named Okey, Okey moved to our area a few weeks ago from Benin for work. He told us he had prayed and dreamed that he should come to Accra. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and left him a copy. The next visit he told us he had always wondered about infant baptism and as he was flipping through the Book of Mormon he opened to Moroni 8. What are the odds... but I believe and know that is was not by chance. I have experienced that a few times, where I turn right to where the Lord wants me to. He asked us why it doesn't talk about that in the Bible. The perfect question! He is very interested in the Church because he has already seen for himself the Power of the Book of Mormon, and now he wants to know more.

I was grateful for the opportunity to fast, since coming a mission I have learned the true importance of fasting. I know that it is an opportunity to help us put off the natural man and come closer to the Savior. It gives us spiritual strength and it is a way we can have the powers of Heaven come down and help us and help others. As I have studied the scriptures one of my favorite ways to read the scriptures is to turn to the topical guide and and to just look up a key word like faith or diligence. Yesterday I did that and as I was studying about fasting. Fasting is part of the reason the Sons of Mosiah and Alma the Younger had the spirit to teach. As I continued to read I went to Doctrine and Covenants 59:13-14. Here the Lord teaches us the fasting brings us fullness of Joy. In verse 14 the Lord refers to fasting as rejoicing. I can't say I have thought about it that way before but I know that it a true principle and I am grateful for the opportunity to fast. So next time we fast remember to rejoice while you fast. Love you all!    

-Elder L.

Cantoments!

Dear Family,

Good Morning! It seems that I have been transferred once again, this time to Cantoments. Cantoments is quite the area, because its the biggest one in the mission. I don't really know if it is the biggest but if I combine, Ho, Osu, Buduburam and Adenta it might be bigger than all of them combined. But just as those areas there are some places we don't work in because it is full of businesses, the airport and some other places. The Temple is in our Area and I have heard that most of the time the Bishop helps recent converts to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead shortly after they are baptized. I really hope that is true because usually the mission lets missionaries attended the Temple when their recent converts go for the
first time. We attended church in the same compound as the Temple, so its fun to always be around the temple. Yesterday I was impressed with the ward, there are some wonderful people in our ward such as Elder and Sister Satati, Callister, Dickson and the Temple President. I saw Sister Satati and Elder Dickson yesterday everyone else was gone on assignments. I am really excited to be here and I know this is a wonderful ward that can help recent converts endure to the end so I know great things are ahead.

I'm now in the same zone as Osu so yesterday we went to Osu to go do some interviews, we got there a while after church closed but I was still able to have a nice reunion with some of the ward members and I saw Pedro Williams. Pedro is doing so well, he was baptized a little more than a year ago(hard to believe) he told me he is going to receive his Endowments in a few weeks. We don't know the date yet but I'll talk to President Judd to see if I can go! That would be amazing!

My new companion is Elder Wicho, he is from Zimbabwe and we are from the same MTC. So I have known him for a while. He has been here for 7 transfers and this is now his 8th in Cantoments... he is a
warrior! He is a master of finding families and we are teaching some wonderful people that I am really excited about. During the day we spend a lot of the time in Burma Camp, and A-wack Camps. Burma Camp is a military camp and A-wack is for the police. Dad, I have thought a lot about your stories from your mission when you worked on the Military Base in Germany and that has been fun to think about this
week. In the evenings we are working in Neighborhoods by the Mission Home and Temple because that is where the Big Gates are. There are some extremely well of areas in Cantoments and the only time to talk
to those people is when they are home in the evenings. I have met a lot of people this week and I'm trying to put the names with the faces but I will have make sure I write more about our investigators next week.

I had a fun Birthday, thanks for the Birthday wishes and Mom and Dad thank you for the package. I really appreciated it. It was fun to have a little piece of home for my birthday! It was great to hear about RBL's I know they will be wonderful, I'm especially excited for Robbie, he will have some great experiences. Thanks for all the love and Prayers. Know you are always in my Prayers.

Love, Elder L.

Hello

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the birthday wishes! I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well back home, today I will have to be very fast the light has been off because of a bad storm and we need to go do an interview in a few min. Last week we had the baptism of Sister Esther she will be a great member and will really help the ward, her family is all members and I remember the first time we met her she said she didn't like how she and her sister were not together. The good news is that now they are together. Mom and Dad I'll get the package this week  thank you very much! Also I would love if you could make it out to Roberts homecoming I know you are busy with Choir and Stake business but if you can make it give him a hug for me. This week is transfers I'll find out tonight if i'm staying or going, most likely if I stay here this transfer I'll stay here until I finish. I'm sorry I didn't have time to write more but please tell Mathew [last name] I am super excited for him and he will be a wonderful missionary. Love you All!

-Elder L.

Hello

Dear Fam,

It was great to hear from you yesterday! Happy mothers day to everyone that I did not get to wish it to yesterday. I was so happy to talk to you, and Nate and Eric I'm sorry we couldn't talk but we do that in the coming months but I won't worry about that now. Elder Haggard and I had a great week, the best one yet. We have been blessed with some wonderful people. Sister Mary, Irene and Emmanuel are still doing great. We have found a few more people this week and we are hoping for more to come next but a few things kept them from coming. I don't have so much time so sorry It is very short today but I am alive and well and I can't believe that was our last phone call. Hard to believe how time flys. Elder Haggard and I have been working very hard to lead by example, it feels great and we are having so much fun, almost to much fun. sometimes we don't know if we are working and then we look back at the week and we realize what we have accomplished and it feels good. That is how it is supposed to be! So we are trying to help the zone catch the same fire so we are excited to see the improvements and see the blessing that come in the zone! Don't get me wrong the zone is doing well but there is always room for improvement. Love you all!

-Elder L.

Hello!

Dear Fam,

It sounds like a lot of wonderful things are happening back home, [personal messages to family]. I'm looking looking forward to calling on sunday, I think I'll call around 7 or 8 my time, or is there a better time that would work for you?

This past week have been blessed to see some miracles happen in the lives of our investigators. We had our best week at church that we have had in a long time and a lot of that was because we have really tried to improve our work with members. Its not that we are having many member present lessons but our referrals have improved and we had some members pick up our investigators for church. One of these investigators is named Esther, Esther is the sister of a member, she had come to church a few times a long time ago but we have been teaching her for a few weeks. she had been doing very well and excepted everything we taught until we came to the word of wisdom. She does not see why we need to stay away from tea, so as we read from the Book of Mormon and elaborated on it we could see a change in her attitude towards it. We read the scripture you shared with us at the zone conference 1 Nephi 18:2 to teach her the lords way is different than our way and then we shared Alma 32 with her and invited her to experiment upon the word. She then accepted the invitation. The feeling in the room during that lesson was powerful and that it was testifying to her that what we were sharing was true. I know the Book of Mormon answers the question of the soul and that is a powerful tool to help our investigators feel the spirit. We also had Mary Offori come to church with her friend Irene as well as wisdom. We have been working with mary a few weeks and we were so happy to see her come this week she really liked church which was a little surprising because we watched General conference don't get me wrong I love conference but for our investigators it is hard from them to hear some of the english. She really liked it and I enjoyed teaching her that the foundation in Christ's church today is the same as it was long ago. Mary is a very elect women and we feel that when she follows what she knows is true the rest of the family will follow. Wisdom is very receptive to our message as well, for him he loves reading and asking questions, he has come the last two weeks and we are really excited about the progress he is making.

I loved conference, it was wonderful and as I listen to our leaders I know they are called of God. I loved Elder Hollands talk and Elder Christoffersons talk but my favorite part was seeing mom. Mom, I don't know if there has ever been a conference where you have had so much Camera time! I'm proud of you! I was able to point you out to a few of my investigators which was fun.

Last week we had Zone Conference and Zone Leader Council. Zone Conference was great we learned a lot about the Book of Mormon, how we can better use it and how we can bring about full conversion in the lives of our investigators. President Judd knows a lot about the scriptures, he is a wonderful teacher and will always tell us something that blows our minds and then he will come back to what he is saying like it is no big deal. He told us that there have been 2,900 and something changes to the Book of Mormon. All of them have been periods or commas or spelling as spelling changes over time. He told us that he has looked at every single change when he served on the Sunday school general presidency. When he said this it hit me that I want to become that familiar with the scriptures, now obviously I wont be able to remember all the periods and commas but I hope you get what I'm trying to say... if we know the Scriptures very, very well, it will truly bless our lives. I know this can not come in one day but is a life long pursuit but it will come as we study the scriptures every day! I love you all and look forward to talking to you on sunday!

-Elder L.

Hello!

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the letters and support, sounds like everyone is doing well and enjoying spring. Its been raining over here a little this weeks so I have also been enjoying good weather! I'm also excited about the wonderful news of Michelle and Matt! Congrats! Yesterday we had the Baptism of Emmanuel Kwesi Mensah, it was the first time I have had a baptism on sunday on my mission, for one or two reasons we had to move it back a day but I'm glad it was on sunday because the attendance was so much better and he felt very welcomed. This week we did our best to thrust in our sickle with all our might and we were able to find some wonderful people. We are teaching the Offori family; Mary, Kwesi, Akose and Emma. They are really excited about the gospel and want to know the truth. This past week we have been trying to teach more about the importance of desire, because on Monday we had a mission tour with Elder Callister, Elder Evans, Elder Satati, Elder Curtis and Elder Dickson. Elder Evans taught us that without a true desire some could never get the answer. I feel like focusing more on having the desire to find the truth has really helped our investigators, they see the importance and more of the purpose. Thinking back on it, I have been so blessed to learn from so many wonderful General Authorities and two great mission Presidents, it has really blessed my life. I know that they are called by God, and that God can speak to us through them. I had something that had been on my mind for a few days and I was not sure how to go about it, but as Elder Curtis spoke to us something he said really touched me and as I followed what he taught it has blessed my life and it will bless the lives of others.

On Tues we went around with the Bishop and visited some recent converts and less active members. Elder Haggard and I wanted to do some more work in this area because we know it will greatly help the ward and also it is a great way to find people to teach. We are hoping to get from the ward clerk a list of all the part member families in the ward and we will go from there. I think it will really help us to find those the lord has prepared.

I thought I would also take just a minute and tell you a little bit about Elder Haggard, he is from Chicago, but his family is moving to North Dakota before he comes home. He is going to go to BYU-I after his mission. I can already see that he is going to be my favorite companion, I have had some wonderful companions but Elder Haggard is really pushes me to be my very best. I know that he is the right companion for me at the right time for me. Love you all!

-Elder L.

Hello

Dear Fam,

This week was transfers, my new companions name is Elder Haggard. He is was one of the district leaders in our zone the past transfers but I am supper excited to work with him, he loves to be obedient, work hard and he is just a fun guy so I'm really excited to work with him. We have a lot of work ahead of us, we have made some goals of what we can do to really help our area and the ward improve. I feel like over the past few weeks things have been going down hill a bit but I am looking forward to improving things. This past week, we felt like we were always running... actually we went running a few times in the morning and if feels great. But we just gave it all we had and I have just been feeling great inside all week. This coming week some more exciting things will happen in Accra from the 4 stakes they are going to split them and make 6 stakes. We will have a huge meeting at the Ghana International Conference Center. Also some other sweet news is that Eugene, the first recent convert of my mission received his endowment on saturday. I talked to a senior couple who is serving in Ho and I over heard them saying that 3 people from the Ho branch were going to the Temple on saturday so I asked the names and I was so happy to hear that he is doing so well. I continue to be grateful that the members in Ghana have a temple so close to them and I pray that more of the people I was blessed to meet and teach will go to the Temple.

On Friday night we were knocking doors around 8:30, no one was interested but we kept doing it until one boy let us in and took us to his Grandfather. His name is Peter Fojo, he used to teach philosophy at the University of Ghana but is now retired. We met with him and his Grandson and he was very receptive we are going back this evening and he said the rest of the family will join us. I remember at ZLC we talked a lot about working to find the elect and to find families. That is what we are now focusing on as a mission. That day, I felt a peace in my heart that great things were ahead, the experience we had last week reconfirmed the feelings I felt that day and we are driven and motivated to continue to do all we to make the work move forward. Finding these people is what will really bless the ward we are serving in and all the wards and stakes in Ghana. The Church needs more people that can lead, that can help teach and add strength. We are praying that we can find those the lord has prepared and President Judd always says I know we can be lead to more "Elder Satatis'" if we will earn the lord trust. Thank you all for your love and prayers, I'm sorry that I didn't have time to respond to your letters and questions but they were wonderful and I will keep sprinting to the end. Love you all!

-Elder L.

Hello!

Dear Fam,

I hope that everyone had a happy Easter yesterday! I'm grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and for his atoning sacrifice. I know he live and that because he lives, we too shall live again. This past week Elder Jones was called to train, he will open Dodowa(a new area) and I am really excited for him. I'm really going to miss him! Because he is training he had to go to Trainers Council and I was able to go to the Temple. I was so excited when President Judd called him because I knew that would mean I could go to the Temple. It was a wonderful session and I love the feeling I get every time I go to the Temple, I know its the Lords house. When we went to the temple we were about an hour and a half early for our session. I'm glad that instead of sitting in the waiting room they put us to work. They didn't really put us to work, but they were a little undermanned that morning so I got to work as a temple worker for about an hour. I sat a the desk putting the names on the screen for the baptisms. As I had this fun experience to things came to my mind. First as I was looking at the names, birthday, death date and birthplace I really felt the importance of doing the work for those that past away. I have done baptisms many times but this particular visit helped me to really see the importance of redeeming the dead. The other thought I had was how much I love the temple and how wonderful it would be to be a temple worker one day. I don't really know how that works... If its a calling or if you can voluntary? But needless to say it would be fun and I look forward to going to the regularly! Mom and Dad I know that you dedication to going the temple and prayers every week has blessed me so much as I have been serving! I don't know of any other way you could show your love more.             
This week we had a very spiritual lesson with one of our investigators named Thomas, Thomas has been a bit stubborn a has been putting up a wall lately. But as we read from the Book of Mormon with him, his heart was touched. I feel like many times in missionary work the people we teach see it as simply leaving their church and coming to ours. In this lesson with him we told him not to worry about any churches but to worry about finding the truth. Because the truth will set us free, he agreed that the truth would help him and we taught him that only the truth is what will help you to gain salvation. The spirit was very strong during the lesson and I know it touched him. The following morning I was reading in Jacob 4, I have read this chapter many times but it has never stuck out to me, and I can't say that I knew what it talked about but since my personal study it has become one of my favorite chapters. The reason why is because the same truths we taught the night before were in its verses (I believe verse 20 if you read around there you will find it) and the words which were said that brought the spirit into the room we also in the scripture. The spirit touched me again and taught me the importance of the truths we taught the night before, which is that the spirit will teach us of truth. All the things it teaches us are for our profit and that all of these things will help us to gain salvation. The lesson I learned is that nothing is more important than having the spirit to guide us because the spirit truly is our guide back to our Heavenly Father. 

I'll find out tonight or tomorrow morning who my new companion is so I'll let you know next week but we will have a lot ahead of us, so please pray that we will find some people whom the Lord has prepared, because we are going to be doing a lot of finding over the next weeks. I'm excited and looking forward to it, I love talking to people about the gospel and I love being a missionary and representing the Lord. Thanks for all the love and prayers!

Love, Elder L.

P.S. Before I forget, I learned this week that they will be closing down the Buduburam camp. The UN is going to fly everyone home and give them 400 dollars. I talked Elder Anderson at ZLC, he served there in the past and Buduburam is in his zone now. He was able to visit a few weeks ago, he said all the Liberian members are really excited. I remember some of those people have been away from home longer than I have been alive. I am so happy for them I know most of them will go back to Monrovia and I hope and pray that when they do they can find the Church! The people in the camp were as wonderful as any people I have ever met, they were so accepting, kind, and humble. I feel so blessed that I was able to serve among them.

Adenta Weekly

Dear Fam,

It sounds like everyone is doing well and enjoyed conference! Its crazy that this is the last one I'll miss.. I don't know where the time has gone. I'm excited to hear it and have enjoyed reading some conference talks this past week. I am happy about the Wild Cats making it to the Championship! Bryan I'm still the proud owner of the do you believe in miracles shirt from when they beat LSU. A fun part of my week was the visit from Bishop Bench yesterday, he came and dropped off the package, thank you, thank you! The cookies were amazing and I think I know that I more than enough treats to last me the rest of my mission. We were able to talk for a good hour or so before church started, he had a lot of questions about Ghana, the work in Ghana and we were able to talk to him about his mission a little. He came to Investigators class and then we sat with him in Priesthood. By the way church was a little interesting yesterday, there were three baby blessing and many non members came to support their families. We had people shouting amen, hallelujah! During sacrament meeting and in investigators class some of the people got very upset about the message of the restoration and said that this is not the only true church, after that meeting they just left right after huffing a puffing all the way home. We get that all the time like I'm sure everywhere else in the world but usually not during church so it made church a little more interesting yesterday.

On Saturday we had the baptism of Abraham and then he was confirmed on yesterday. Prince was not baptized, he has had some second thoughts but we'll continue to work with him and see what we can do to help him. Abraham was very excited for his baptism and it was a wonderful service, we joined with the West Adenta ward and a few children of Record were also baptized. While we were preparing for the baptism I observed the bishops daughter playing with a baby named Kofi. I noticed that as Kofi was sitting on her lap she was playing with a toy and with her friend but everything seemed to be fine. Thinking back on it I should have just told her to put the baby down or that she should be more careful but I didn't, but I had the impression that I should go right in front of her immediately. I didn't want to pick him up because we are not supposed to as missionaries but right after I got in front of her, Kofi lost his balance and I was so grateful I was there to catch him or he probably would have hit his head on the tile. I'm grateful for the promptings of the Holy Spirit to teach us of truth and protect us from spiritual and physical danger. I am so grateful for all of your encouragement and prayers, I know that the prayers of the righteous bring about much good. As I thought back on this experience from Saturday I thought of several experiences from my mission where I didn't know why I did what I did but it always proved to help me avoid a situation that could have been dangerous.
The last thing I wanted to mention was Michelle talked about how President Monson blessed all the people in the conference center or all the membership of the whole church? Elder Holland did the same thing for all that attended the fireside a few months ago and it was one of the most powerful experiences from my mission! President Judd also taught us that as missionaries we can also bless those who receive us. I can't remember the scripture in D&C but he taught us that instead of praying for them to receive an answer we can bless them to receive that answer. As we did this we could fill the spirit come into some of our investigators homes and I know it had a powerful impact on them. I know that the Church is true and that the Priesthood is the Power of God given to man. I'll let you know the scripture next week but I just thought I would share that with you guys. Thanks for all the love and prayers! Love you tons

-Elder L.

The Latest from the Adenta Weekly

Dear Fam,

Great to hear from all of you, thanks for the letters but I didn't hear anything about March madness which is for the best... my only question is Indiana, Kentucky or Ohio State still in it? Anyways we had a good week, Elder Jones and I have been struggling to find so people but things pick up a little last week and especially this week. We are planing on two baptism on sat. Abraham and Prince, Abraham is a cool story. He has had it pretty hard, both of his parents passed away when he was young, so he has been living with his Ant ever since. A few months a go he started coming to church, but his Ant doesn't like the church and told him that he can't go back if he wants to live with them any more. He stopped coming to church but started coming to Institute with his friends. He has been doing that for some time and than his Ant found out and kicked him out of the house so... he moved in with his three friends that are members. He is so eager to be baptized and learn more about the gospel its contagious. Prince was a referral from the Elders Quorum President. He lives with his wife and she is expecting in a few months. She just came for the first time last week, and he is looking forward to his baptism and he is happy that his wife is taking interest. Hopefully she continues and is baptized and than ultimately they can be sealed on day!

As for my personal study this week, it was very good.. I have been starting the Book of Mormon again and I'm always so impressed with Nephi, if I learn one thing from him, its to keep the commandments. He mentions that we should be diligent in keeping the commandments dozens of times. I was also touched by some Articles from General conference this week, it was from the April 2010 conference.. President Eyering spoke of acting with all diligence. Its become one of my favorite talks, I have read it many times on my mission. Its directed to the Aaronic Priesthood but the Principle taught in it are inspiring. I would encourage all of you to read it in your free time. He says when ever fills he has finished a big assignment or task and his body is begging for a rest he will think of the Savior. After Christ suffered and died for us he could have taken a rest and deserved a rest more than any of us but instead of resting he was teaching the spirits in spirit prison! When he thinks of this he feels a rallying cry within himself and it helps President Eyering to do all he can to serve the Lord. For me I have been far from serving a perfect mission, Christ is the only one who has but I have thought of this talk uncountable times throughout my mission and it has helped me stir a rallying cry within my self. I also love this talk because he teaches a great way for us to fulfill our Priesthood duty/church callings. 1) Read and Ponder the scriptures 2) Pray to know the Nature of God 3) Plead that the spirit will guide you what to do 4) Promise to obey 5) Plan to act on it 6) do it 7) thank your Heavenly Father. Mom, thanks for sending the last conference addition... You will all have to tell me about which talks you like the most! And make sure to take notes, so you can tell me what you liked!

I love you all and pray for you always!

-Elder L.

Dear fam,

As always I'm glad to hear from you all, it sounds like everyone is doing well. I'm glade to hear about the cougars in the first round but sad to here they were not as fortunate in the second. Like Nate, I believe the Hoosiers will win it all this year, although I don't know anything about this years season I hope they do it.  Anyways, I'm sorry but todays letter will be short, it took some time  to write president Judd today so I just have a few mins to write you. This week we had a wonderful zone interview with President, I always  look forward to my interviews it just feel great to talk one on one with President. On wed I went to Nsawam for a split, it was a lot of fun, it is a really cool area and its a lot more like the bush than adenta so it was fun to have that feeling again, I got some great pictures of it. This week we felt blessed to have several investigators come to church, this had slowed down for a while so we are happy to see things are picking back up, I believe it because we have changed the way we are using the Book of Mormon. Thanks for all the love and prayers, please pray for alice, abraham, christina!

Love, Elder L.

Hello

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the letters and prayers and love, this week we have continued to use the Book of Mormon all we could, we continued to be blessed by the Lord to find wonderful people, President Judd is always focusing that we do our best to find the elect! The church is doing well out here and is growing very fast, but the church needs more leaders! So that is what we have set out to do, we are still talking to everyone, because the gospel is for everyone! (I'm sorry if I have talked about this over the past few weeks, but President Judd has got it going though all over our minds) This week we contacted a man named Kissi. When we contacted him and introduced ourselves and he also introduced himself as "Elder Kissi" we were kind of afraid that he was a pastor.. not that we are afraid to teach pastors but you can imagine how most feel when they see the missionaries trying to take missionaries away from their church. But when we sat down with him, he had heard a lot about the Book of Mormon (almost everyone in Ghana has heard the Book of Mormon is a book of magic, its evil and that Mormons drink blood) We really has to talk about those misconceptions with almost every investigator. Anyways we had a wonderful lesson with him and were able to show him that it is truly another Testament of Jesus Christ. We had that same experience with a few more people this week. I have learned that not only are some kept from the truth because they know not where to find it... and because Satan is working hard to tell lies that make people afraid of the church. I know that this is the Lords work, and that there is a lot more than just harvesting, but by also planting seeds and that comes from showing people what we really believe. I just remembered one last thing I wanted to tell you, Joyce who was baptized a few weeks ago and went to the Temple this past week to do baptisms! She loved it, and can't wait to go again, it made me so happy to see her happy and thats why I love the gospel, its here to bless people and make them happy! Love you all and thanks for all you do!

-Elder L.

Not all Scripture is of equal value . . .Presiden Benson

Dear Fam,

[Personal messages to family.] This week we had transfers, all six of us are staying the same in the apartment. Elder Jones is strong, he has been here for six transfers now! The longest I have ever been in one are is 5. What about on your missions, what was the longest you were in an area for? This week we have continued to focus on it, I have felt that our lessons have been more spiritual, at Zone Leader Council on Thursday President Judd gave us all a copy of the book called "a witness and a warning" its by President Benson and its all about the Book of Mormon. Its a great book, I feel it will help me a lot in my studies of the Book of Mormon. Right now we are teaching some wonderful people but because of some trials in their life, it has really been hard on them, I know that the Book of Mormon answers the questions of the soul. President Judd told us that as great as the pamphlets and preach my gospel are, one day they will all change, but the Book of Mormon will never change. It will be the tool that gathers Israel. It has been a really great week and I'm looking forward to the next one as we continue to use the Book of Mormon all we can. Mom, do you have any update on the Ho family? How are they doing? I'm grateful for the great missionary family I come from! I love and pray for you all everyday

-Elder L.

Hello Family!

Dear Fam,

Sorry this is so late and I'm sorry that i will need to make it short today. The light has been going on and off for a few days so I just want you all to know everything is great in this part of the world. In Elder Hollands visit to us he challenged President Judd to make this a Book of Mormon mission, so Elder Jones and I did all we could to change and improve the way we used the Book of Mormon. We felt like it made a big difference, it really is the greatest tool we have as missionaries. The early missionaries we using them and teaching with them before the church was organized! This week I really enjoyed my studies, I was reading in Alma about Moroni, one great lesson I learned from Moroni was the way he made his preparations for war he made his weakest fortifications his strongest. It reminded me that our weaknesses can become our strengths Ether 12:27 and that we must always, always put on the whole armor of God. If we do this it  will bless our live a lot.

This week we found a lot of cool people and we received some great referrals. The work is going a long great and I feel like Elder Jones and I have grow a lot, wed is transfers so we'll see what happens he has been here for 5 transfers. If someone came to me and was an African that would make me and five Africans. That would be fun! Things are going well in this part of the vineyard, sorry it so short this week I'll make sure it is nice and long next week! Love you all!

-Elder L.

More fun from Adenta

Dear Fam,

[Personal messages to family.] This week continued to be as great as it started from last monday. So here is a funny story for you, so last monday, after we got back kind of late from our visit with Elder Holland we went to the apartment and found out that we are out of water like we usually are (don't worry mom we always have enough water to drink) we just didn't have water to clean and wash and because it was late we decided we would call a water truck the next day. So when the next day came I only had shirt left and it was my least favorite shirt but it was clean so I wore it, I bought it at the market and its a terrible shirt b but sometimes I where it when I need to. After we proselyted for like an hour I got a call from one of President Judd's counselors: President Labinjo. He told me he needed one white elder and one black elder, but he didn't tell us why. So were hurried back to the apartment as fast as we could, one the way over there he explained that as part of Elder Snows call of being the new church historian two camera men came over one the trip. They filmed Elder Hollands talk to us the day before, as part of there trip they wanted to record some of the great conversion stories of some of the great church leaders from Ghana. So he tells the story of his conversion, and Elder Akak and I are teaching his family. It should be on Lds.org in a few weeks along with Elder Hollands devotional with us. Its just a fun little experience I wanted to share with you guys, I also have a lot more respect for the missionaries who were filmed for the preach my gospel dvd's. Its a lot scarier teaching when the camera is on you haha.

On weds we took some of our Investigators and a recent convert to Elder Hollands devotional, we got there early and were able to get our investigators seated on the fifth row right in the middle and then we went and sat in the back. They loved it and felt said they felt something as he spoke. One of our investigators Osei asked for a baptismal date after the meeting was over. After the meeting I was able to see a few of my recent converts that are still going strong which I am really happy about but we couldn't stay long and talk which was kind of disappointing. One thing that I thought was so powerful was Elder Holland was pretty emotional when he said how much he loved Ghana and he said of all the places in the world he could be right at that moment he said there was no where he would rather be. It hit me powerfully! I thought of different things that I could be doing with my life that might be good and memorable but the is no where or anything I would rather be doing than serving the Lord in Ghana. I try not to be one that thinks about time but I just hit my 18th month mark and I feel that I have more than enough juice than I need to finish the last lap strong. Left... Right... Left... Right (only dad will get that). Mom I'll let you know when I get the package, not yet but thanks for sending it. Love you all

-Elder L.

I don't even know where to start. . .

Dear Fam,

This week has been one of the best and most wonderful weeks of my entire mission! This week we had the baptism of Irene, Samira, Ishmael and Joyce. It was a wonderful baptism and they were all very excited for their baptism. I Especially Joyce, she has been waiting for months for her baptism and the bishop has taken notice of the special person she is. Most of the time we have to work to help get recent converts a calling, and when he met with her he just told us "we need to get her a calling right away. The work continues to move forward with our other investigators and we continue to look for more that are looking for the truth.

On Thursday we found out that Ghana will be opening its third Mission, the Ghana Kumasi Mission!! We had known that it was going to happen soon but we were not sure on the date. It will open on July 1st 2012. At that point I will have one transfer left, I don't think it will shake up the Accra mission too bad, but it is going to be so fun to see what happens around here. The excitement is really something. Elder Holland told us the story about how he was with President Hinkley when he announced that the second temple in Africa would be built in Ghana. He said none of the Ghanaians knew it was coming and that when he announced it, Elder Holland just started balling, he said it was one of his most wonderful, church assignments he has ever had. When he told us that story I thought of the church video I watched again and again and again on the revelation on the priesthood. This is what it is all about, building the Lords Church. The Priesthood, Temples, branches and Missions being opened and Elder Holland taught us its all about us and how we serve our missions. I took a whole bunch of notes and I can tell you a little bit more about it next week but it was a spiritual feast! Elder Curtis, Elder Dixon, Elder Snow, Elder Holland and their wifes all addressed us. One of the greatest things I took from our meeting was when Sister Holland told us that Elder Holland is up many nights praying and weeping because he wants to be more like the Savior. If an Apostle of the lord feels like that then I think we can all look at our lives and improve on those things and also make our prayers more meaningful. Thanks for all the love and prayers!

Love, Elder L.

Great Things in Adenta

Dear Fam,

This week has been a good one, we had ZLC and I always enjoy those meetings. We talked about some areas that will open up this transfer, so that was fun. Then we talked about some of the strengths and weaknesses of the mission. It was also announced that we will have a meeting with Elder Holland next Monday. I'm very excited about that, Elder Snow will also be coming with him. On the 15th will be a meeting with Elder Holland for members and investigators. We are planing on taking some of our investigators and recent converts and I am going to have my eye open for some of my recent converts from Ho, Osu, and Buduburam there. I heard that those wards and branches are coming as well so I can hardly wait. This Saturday we will have four baptisms; Irene, Joyce, Semira and Ishmael. Yesterday Joyce got up and bore her testimony of the restored gospel and how blessed she felt to have found the truth. Its times like these that make missionary work so worth it! We also found some wonderful people this week, Alice, Daniel and Julianna are doing well, we have seen so many wonderful blessings lately and I love the ward we are working in. This week we had a funny experience this week, Elder Jones got some pop rocks and it was one of the funniest things to see some of the ward members eating the pop rocks, it was really an experience for them. haha I think it was last week Bryan was asking me some cultural things I will bring home with me... In Ghana you should never pass people by without greeting them so I think I'll keep that going. I think I'll stop calling every one mommy or daddy haha I'm just used to doing everything with my right hand now... except writing. Mom, happy birthday! Turning 29 that great, i'll catch up to you before you know it! Thanks for all you do for me and for all of us, you are the best! Thanks for all the love and prayers!

Love,

-Elder L.

Dear Fam,

It was great to hear all the news back home. [Personal messages to family]. I'm sorry this letter is so late, so I'll keep it short. This week we had some wonderful lessons with our investigators. Richard and Bright had their baptisms and we were very happy for them. Richard over came some WOW problems so it was great to see the happiness in him. This week we had a mission tour with Elder Satati, he is a powerful man, and he is doing a great work. I he talked so much about how he loved is wife, and how he learned to express his love to her. He said he is now trying to teach that to his fellow Africans. I reminded me of our last moments with Grandpa when Elder Satati told us he learned that from Grandpa. After the meeting we had a surprise interview with him and with President Judd. The first thing he asked me was how is your Grandmother doing? It helped break the ice a little. By the way I would love to get grandma's address. Then with President Judd, it was a great interview, we just talked about the zone, the mission about everything. It lasted forever and I loved it. Everything is going well, we are hoping to have four baptisms on the 11th. Today President Judd told us that two more stakes and one more district are being opened in our mission boundaries. I'm not sure about Ghana Cape coast but its growing. I'm happy about the district because it means that Ho is finally in a district, it has always been under the mission which makes it kind of difficult. This work is true, its the lords work and I love it! I'm sorry I didn't have time to answer you questions today but I will make sure I answer them next time! Much Love,

-Elder L.   

The Adenta Weekly

Thanks for all the updates, it sounds like every one is doing well for the most part. I hope that Nate's family gets better, that doesn't sound fun. This week was transfers and our apartment had a lot of changes. Elder Mutuku from Kenya is training Elder Joseph from Nigeria. Elder Akak from Nigeria is training Elder Egerie from Nigeria. Elder Jones and I are staying the same this transfer. He is a great guy and we love working together so it should be another fun transfer. This week we have a mission tour with Elder Satati on weds. Then on Saturday we will have the baptism of Bright and Richard. They were both interviewed yesterday and they are excited for their baptism. We also had our best sacrament attendance since the time I came, so i'm pretty happy about that. On friday we had our monthly meeting with the District Leaders. I can't remember if I told you guys the story that President Judd told us when he sat in a council with the Presidency of the seventy and the Twelve apostles. (Its really fun to learn from a mission President who has had so much interaction with the brethren.) Anyways in the story he told us, we learned about the importance of councils. So this time instead of having the normal old instruction we did our best to make it into a council. There were still some things we needed to get up their and say but for the most part we talked about our strengths and our weaknesses. The best part is their was one Elder that has been worried about his new duties but we were all able to share experiences. We felt the meeting was much more beneficial then our past ones.

We are really looking forward to upcoming month, we are hoping it will be a great one so well keep our fingers crossed. Thanks for all the love and prayers, It has really helped me. This past transfer wasn't the easiest one. I've had to stick up a lot for whats right and for doing what we should because with 6 six elders in one apartment things can get pretty crazy sometimes. I love having fun, but sometimes my fun comes from being that Elder that doesn't want to have fun..(If you know what I mean) Things should improve anyways with two new missionaries in the apartment. As always I'm doing my best to make sure there are no empty chairs at the table! Love you all

-Elder L.

P.S. In the Cafe today someone was listening to the NBA highlights, I guess Jimmer Dropped 22 points. Not too bad for a rookie

Hello From Adenta

Dear Fam,

This week was another great one! Nate I loved what you said about the fire in your bones, I find that almost each morning I feel that and I always think its a great day to be a missionary. Dad let me answer your question before I forget.. I would say about 70 to 60 percent of our investigators are from contacting the other 30 to 40 percent or referrals. Almost a 100 percent of the people we taught were from contacts, I'm not sure but I think only 2 or 3 of the people we baptized there were contacts, the rest were all referrals. I really think that might have been the best area in the world for missionary work. I miss all those people! But I hear that they are doing really well and they had a ward temple trip a few weeks ago so I hope some were able to go!

We had some more crazy news in the mission this week.... so the mission was supposed to get 12 missionaries on weds. Instead the mission will get 29 missionaries!! I don't know if you have heard the news about Nigeria, but from what I've heard that place is getting a little out of hand so they can't send those other 17 missionaries back to Nigeria until it calms down. I bet it will just be for a few weeks, but it will be crazy to see how everything works out. All the missionaries are excited about it and I think it will be good for the mission but we are also praying every thing gets worked out in Nigeria in the next six weeks because in the following transfer 22 more missionaries are coming. If not the mission would have 51 new missionaries... sweet is the work!

This week Elder Jones and I have seen some great progress in some of our investigators. Bro Richard continues to do well and he is keeping all of his commitments, and has put his word of wisdom problems behind him. We are hoping and praying for his baptism to take place on the 28th. We are also working with a Bro named Bright, Bright has consistently been coming to church and been keeping all of his commitments. We weren't able to see Irene this week, she traveled but we are scheduled to see her this week. She has several concerns but we have worked to resolve many of them, she is an honest seeker of the truth and so I feel very good about her. Those are the ones that can be difficult to teach but once they know its true they are solid. We have a few other people that are progressing well and many others we are trying to help progress, but all is well in our neck of the woods.

This week in my personal study I was reading in Mosiah. I cant remember the verse but as I was reading I wished I could serve with the Sons of Mosiah. It said they trembled at the thought of someone not receiving the gospel and being damned to an everlasting torment. Thats Powerful! I know if we all worked to be like that we would be amazed at the opportunities we would have to share the gospel. Love you all!

-Elder L.

P.S. I feel really bad about the pictures but the computers at this cafe are full of viruses and earlier on in my mission I lost some of my pictures because of the virus so well look for a new cafe

Hello From Adenta

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the letters, it sounds like everyone is doing well but busy getting back to the normal schedule. This week we have received many blessings. Are teaching pool has finally picked up and we are really started to make some progress with some investigators. Once again, we are working with part member families, I LOVE to work with part members. Every time I go to a new area I try to find the part member families and to work with them. Many of the families are part member so it makes it easy. We are working with a investigator who lives with our ward mission leader and one that lives with our bishop. So they have wonderful fellow shippers. We are hoping to have a few baptisms on the 28th of January which I am very happy about. When I came the are was a little down, we had a few great people but its taken until now to get the pool to where I like it to be. This week has just been great, most of them are on mission but this one in particular, there are 6 elders in the apartment, which is fun but sometimes things can get a little out of hand. I have been trying to work hard and just go the extra mile and I have just had a sweet out pouring of the spirit this week. Last week we had another council meeting, get this.... when President Judd came to Ghana, he asked the brethren for 12 extra missionaries. He told us that he felt pretty good that they would except it because the mission is doing very well. Well at the meeting he told us that the Brethren not only agreed but instead of adding 12 elders they are going to add 28!! Thats a whole zone. Only a few areas have opened up so far but he told us that in the next transfer or two the new areas are going to explode. Their are going to be almost 160 missionaries which is huge. Anyways, I love this work and it has been and will be so fun to see what continues to happen in Ghana. Thanks for all the love and prayers.

Love, Elder L.

Happy New Year

Dear Fam,

Happy New Year! It sure sounded like everyone had a happy New Year. I'm excited about this year and I have tried hard to set some goals to help make me a better missionary and to ultimately help prepare me to become the person my Heavenly Father wants me to be. Last week we went to a ward party, it was really fun and some of our recent converts were able to come, it was really sweet. In PEC we helped the ward come up with the ward mission plan. This ward is the first ward I have been that does PEC every week which is great. The church is growing really well here but you can tell its new here (which isn't bad) it just takes time to get things refined. Anyways, the bishop here is amazing. He has been a member for only two years; every now and then he still gets a few things mixed up. But his willingness to serve, learn and follow the spirit is why it is so great to serve with Bishop Felix. The same is with all of us. In this New Year I feel recommitted to serve the best I can and to continue to learn the language of the spirit. In my blessing the most common word or counsel is that I should learn!
 

This past week has been a little rough, we haven't been able to spend as much time as I would like and we have really been trying to build our teaching pool. Its just been hard to make return appointments with people, but will keep our chins up and keep pushing along. We are working with one sister named Irene; she is 19 and is the niece to the Bishop that was released about a week before I got here. Irene told us that she has been going to about 5 churches and has been baptized twice. She says the Bible is so confusing and she just doesn't know what to do. So we taught her about the restoration and committed her to read and pray about it. She seems pretty cool and will just work and pray and hope that everything works out. We have a few more people but we have a ways to go with them so I'll keep you posted. Keep Irene, Catharine, Richard and Emmanuel in your prayers.
 

Now here is a fun little story for you guys, last week after Christmas Conference we were putting up chairs before a stake had their Christmas party. I had the pleasant surprise of seeing a few of the members from Osu branch! Then I saw Pedro Williams Patricks from Nigeria! He was one of our recent converts when I was in Osu. The missionaries had started teaching him before I got their but he had a really long way to go to overcome some word of wisdom things. It took us a few months for him to work things out but he finally did it. He is doing so well, he has a calling (I can't remember what it is) he loves institute and he has received the Higher Priesthood. I can wait for when he goes to the temple! Then I talked to one of the Elders serving in Ho. He was telling me that many of the people were still active and doing great. Including the Amagaie Family that Elder Frimpong and I worked with. The first recent convert of my mission was Eugene Sougbe, he is in the young men’s presidency, president of institute and received the Higher Priesthood and is also preparing to go to the temple. I didn't mean to go on like that but it all just hit me and it felt amazing. I hadn't heard from our about these guys in forever so I feel very blessed and I pray they can continue to go in the direction they are going. I know the church is true and that this is the Lords work, I know this is the best work. I can't even explain how happy all that great news made me feel and my prayer is that we can continue to find those looking for the truth. I love you all!

-Elder L.

 P.S. I couldn't find the cord for the camera.. don't worry I know I have it, I just need to find it