Dear Fam,

It has been a pretty eventful week out here in Buduburam. We had the baptism of Victor, I am really happy for him! He brought his wife to the baptism and we hope to start working with her this week. On friday we will be having the baptism of Irene (15), Emmanuel (16) and Napoleon (35)... yes, Napoleon. Irene is a really smart girl, she has a lot of fellowshippers and friends in the church. He family is really cool and we have tried to work with them but the parents are always on the move. Emmanuel is in a similar situation, I'm really impressed with the youth of this ward, they are all a bunch missionaries and they bring their friends to church. Napoleon is a barber, he is a really funny guy and my favorite thing about him is just the way he talks. I still have fun just listening to the Liberians talk to one another. Then on the 27th we are hoping to baptize "Mama Bee" and her three daughters; Annie (12) Graceful (11) and Gracious (11). They are an amazing family and all the girls are so smart. Sadly her husband left her when she was pregnant with the twins and went to the states. We are also working with some other great people. I'll send some pics next week.

We had a mission tour with Elder Curtis this week, I learned so many wonderful things during the meeting but the most powerful thing I took away from the meeting came from Sis Judd. She said most problems we face in life are because forget the things we should remember and remembering what we should forget... Powerful and true! I didn't really do anything for my 1/2 mark. It just enjoyed thinking about memories of the past year. I can't believe its been a year, time is a pretty crazy thing it goes by in the blink of any eye. As I have faced ups and downs I have always remembered opening my call, going to the temple right before my setting apart and my setting apart. Those moments are so very special to me. I'm glad to hear you are all doing well. I'm so grateful for all you love and support and examples!

Love, Elder L.

I've been transfered to LIBERIA!!!!

Dear Fam, things are pretty crazy here in Liberia, its very different than Ghana. Ok, I haven't been transferred to Liberia but I hope the email heading surprised you. I was transferred back to the bush, to a place called Buduburam. Buduburam is a Liberian refugee camp, I am really, really excited to be here. Almost everyone we teach is Liberian, the refugee camp is Huge. I have already learned a ton about Liberian history. They had a civil war in 1990 and in the following years thousands of Liberians came to Ghana. They all want to go home now but these people have nothing. Because of all the hardships these people have faced they are so humble and ready for the gospel. I have found that every person has their story from the war and listening to them really helps me feel what they have been going through. All I can say is I have learned that I have absolutely nothing to complain about because I have faced nothing even close to what they have been though. I'm trying to learn their pigeon. Its technically English but I have no idea what people are saying haha kind of funny but I know it will come with time. They sound like someone from the south mixed with some pro athlete that you can barely understand because they are just mumbling plus they take out some of the words.

My new companion is Elder S. from American Fark. He has been trained for one transfer so I finish his training which I am excited for. He his a great guy and a super hard worker. I miss leader Milio but its fun to have someone to relate to a little more. He was in the marching band at BYU. I'll send you some pictures of Buduburam next week, it a really interesting place the work here is really blooming here. People on the camp don't have a lot to do so a bunch of them just show up to church. Yesterday we had 5 people we had never taught before just showed up because they had a friend invite them and they were curious. We have the baptism of a man named Victor Nyepong. He is very excited for his baptism and so are we! People here are just amazing! We have a mission tour on wed. and Elder Curtis is coming so i'm looking forward to that. Have a wonderful week and you are all in my thoughts and prayers

-Elder L.

Dear Fam, sorry that I don't have any pictures once again. The connection was kind of slow so I send them next week. Samuel Hagan was baptized, I am very happy for him, he is a great man and has a desire to learn. The attendance was a little higher this week, but it still has a way to go. Mom, thanks for all the stuff you sent for Recent Converts and Investigators. I have not yet given those things out but I will this week and I'm looking forward to it. I will also check to see if Daniel has a CD player. I have probably listened to all the conference talks at least twice. There are some powerful talks and conference will never be the same for me after mission. I remember
growing up sometimes thinking it lasted too long (to be honest) Since coming on mission and after hearing them all, I couldn't get enough. I thought this is all we get for the next six months? I know we also have the scriptures and an almost unlimited amount of church materials, but conference is just something special!

Anyways, back to Daniel. We started teaching two of his grandchildren. They are supper smart and we gave them both dates for the 20th of Aug. They are excited and looking forward to their baptisms. This week we went to Francisca's. She was baptized a few weeks after I came to Osu. She used to be very big into running, we got talking a bit about it and then I asked her if she knew Leonard Miles Mills? She did, and it was kind of fun to make that connection. She said that he used to train in the Accra Sports Stadium which is in our area. I have to run but Mom and Dad, I want to wish you a happy 35th anniversary! It looked like you had a great time in Cali.

Love you all!

-Elder Andrew K. L.

Dear Fam,

Thanks for all the great letters, it sounds like you are all very busy and [personal messages to family members]. First I want to start this letter by telling you a story I forgot to tell you last week. The night before Daniel was baptized he met with President Judd, who said the nicest things about him. Then President Judd asked us to wait for a few minutes. He came back out and said he was looking for a note from Elder and Sister G. He couldn't find it but said gave me a hug that he said was from them. It was just a little tender mercy from the Lord. Also from zone conference one other thing I really loved was we learned about "every encounter should be an uplifting experience." We practiced being uplifting and kind to everyone we meet so that more people will be able to recognize us as servants of the lord.

On Saturday we will have the baptism of Samuel Hagan (54). He is doing wonderful. He is one of those people that recognized us as servants of the lord and asked us, "What do you guys do?" I'm really looking forward to Saturday. Today I am on a split with Elder Orchard, we played Bball! it felt so, so good to play ball. A first it was terrible but I was able to get the stroke back a little and I'm looking forward to play at the mission home next week!

Mom and Dad thank you for the packages. I received both of them and I can't wait to listen to the Conference talks tonight! I also look forward to passing out the things you sent to the Recent converts and investigators. I appreciate that very much! I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip in California. Thank you for all the love, and prayers! I pray every night and thank my Father In Heaven for the wonderful family I have.

Love,

Elder L.

Dear Fam, Its been a great week! Saturday was the Baptism of Daniel Annan. He was so excited to be baptized he showed up at the temple an hour and a half early, and waited in the temple waiting room. He doesn't have a phone so we looked everywhere for him and the temple was the last place I would have thought. No ward members came besides the ward mission leader and a member that works at the temple and the Assistants. The broke my heart especially because I think Daniel is one of the most wonderful people I have worked with on my mission. I can't even explain how frustrated I was with the ward. But when the Baptism began I think it was one of the sweetest and most beautiful baptisms I have experienced. Before I knew it I was silently weeping of Joy, I am far from a perfect missionary but as I watched Daniel be baptized and I saw how happy he was I knew that the Lord was happy with me and that this was one of the people he put in my path! How Blessed am I!

President and Sister Judd are amazing people! I think this zone conference was my favorite meeting so far on my mission. The spirit was very strong in the meeting and I could just see it in the lives of them both. They are both very down to earth, and they take their time waiting for spiritual direction. I forgot to bring my notes, there are so many things I wanted to share that I learned but I tell you a little be more about it next week. The greatest thing I learned from Zone Conference was President Judd Showed us a little notebook he had, where he writes down every spiritual prompting he receives. He didn't challenge us to do the same or anything like it but when he held it up I knew I had to do the same. The next day I went a bought a pocket sized notebook and have been writing the promptings I have been receiving down. When we listen, hear and then do I have learned that the heavens open. This is a habit I am really trying to form because I know it will bless me all throughout my life. President Judd called it "Learning the Language of the Spirit" I can feel with in myself the Desire and Joy of Learning this language more and more.

Hello Family

Dear Fam,

Sounds like you are having a blast at the family reunion. I love and miss you all and I miss playing with all the kids, I don't even think I'll recognize the family when I get back. I'm especially interested in this duck race... which duck won? I hope it was the missionary duck... Anyways continue to have a great time and be careful on the Slide!

This week was a little slow for us, but still a great week. I continue to be so impressed with Daniel, his diligence, his obedience and his willingness to change his life and follow Christ. He will have one more interview with President Judd tomorrow and I can't wait for President to meet him. We started teaching a man this week named Samuel Hagan. Samuel is just one of those guys that recognized us as servants of the Lord. He contacted us and even came to Church before we had time to sit down and teach him. He had some word of wisdom issues but he really wants to stop. We are hoping he will be prepared for the 30th. He is also married and has 5 kids but they all go to The Church of Christ but we would love to teach them as well, so we'll see what happens. The last person i'll tell you about is Fred, Fred has been a little stubborn but we have really been working with a great fellow-shipper and we were so happy to see him a church yesterday and we are also hoping he will be baptized on the 30th. Other People you can keep in your prayers please is Elizabeth, Shadrack, Ani and Dorthy.

Tomorrow is Zone Conference and I will finally meet President Judd. I have heard so many great things about him and I will surely tell you about him next week. Have a wonderful week and know you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Love, Elder L.

Daniel Annan - Had his interview yesterday and he is correct!
His baptism is on sat

Fred - He is 17. He came to church yesterday for the first time
and we went to go play football at the beach today... we are hoping a
praying he will be baptized on the 30th

Dear fam, I'm happy to hear all is well in your busy lives and I know you'll all have fun spending some family time together. Still haven't met Pres Judd but the things I hear about him are great! Today I was supposed to play basketball/any sport for the first time in almost a year but things didn't work out, but he did tell the Assistants and Office Elders he was going to shoot around with them so he sounds like my kind of guy. We have zone conference on the 12th and I am counting down the days... We had a pretty good week, their isn't too much I can say on it. Daniel will have his baptism interview on sunday he has been keeping the word of wisdom still and he got a Gospel Principles from a ward member and was about half way though it in a few days! Please also keep Fred, Samuel, Shadrack, Ester and Pascal in your prayers. As I was thinking about it during the week I thought it might be a good idea if I send you pictures of more of our investigators. I think it will be fun it you know more about the people Elder Mlilo and I are working with. I will also do a better job of telling you about them in my letters(starting from next week). Also please Pray for Elder Mlilo, he has a tooth that is giving him some serious pains, and
i'm pretty sure it will need to come out but i'm no dentist. I hope you all have a wonderful fourth of July! I have because its been cloudy!

Love, Elder L.