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...
Monday, August 13, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, July 30, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, July 23, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, July 16, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, July 9, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, July 2, 2012
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.
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.
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