Dear fam,
I had a whole letter typed and than it shut down on me, so I will give you a whole letter next week but I love all you letters, I am doing well and this week we have four baptisms! I am really sorry about the letter but I will reanswer all your questions next week!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Still in Ho
Dear Fam,
No surprise this week, I am still in ho. But I am a little surprised that our whole district stayed in tact. We baptized sis pat and prince, it was a wonderful baptism! We also have six scheduled baptisms in the next month. This week we hiked a mountain, it wasn't really a mountain but it is the second highest point in ghana. I can't remember the name but i'll let you know next week. As an insect lover I had loads of fun. I saw the biggest spider of my life as well as centipede and millipede and the ants were wonderful. It was such a wonderful adventure and I soaked it up as well as the opportunity because I know once I go accra I won't have the chance for such fun field trips.
The connection was very slow today so my letter will be very short but I loved you letters and I am glad the baby shower went well. Eric nice to know I am serving in Brazil! since being hear I
have served in Korea, Japan, Netherlands, and south Africa in my dreams. [Personal messages to family]. I love you and will write more next week!! Sorry its so short but I am doing great.
Love, Elder L.
No surprise this week, I am still in ho. But I am a little surprised that our whole district stayed in tact. We baptized sis pat and prince, it was a wonderful baptism! We also have six scheduled baptisms in the next month. This week we hiked a mountain, it wasn't really a mountain but it is the second highest point in ghana. I can't remember the name but i'll let you know next week. As an insect lover I had loads of fun. I saw the biggest spider of my life as well as centipede and millipede and the ants were wonderful. It was such a wonderful adventure and I soaked it up as well as the opportunity because I know once I go accra I won't have the chance for such fun field trips.
The connection was very slow today so my letter will be very short but I loved you letters and I am glad the baby shower went well. Eric nice to know I am serving in Brazil! since being hear I
have served in Korea, Japan, Netherlands, and south Africa in my dreams. [Personal messages to family]. I love you and will write more next week!! Sorry its so short but I am doing great.
Love, Elder L.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Dear Fam,
Great to hear from you all. This week we had zone conference and tomorrow we have transfers. I have already become very close with the three elders in our apartment and it would be sad to
see any of them were transferred. But such is the way of a missionaries life. At zone conference President Smith gave us "The Book of Mormon Challenge" we are to mark red every time we see the name of the lord or any of his other names, we mark green if we see any of the Christlike attributes from preach my gospel, we mark orange any time the lord speaks directly to his servants, and we mark blue for any other doctrine we see. We are to read this by dec. 14th. This
has really helped the scriptures come alive for me. I read it a few times before but I think at the pace we are reading it has really helped it stay in my mind more than those few times combined. Reading the Book of Mormon this way makes me feel like I have never read it before. Which makes it that more exciting to me. I only wish I had read it differently in my youth. Bryan my seminary teachers would often teach us not to nibble or even read but to feast on the words of
Christ. I am truly learning what it means to feast upon the words of Christ. Make sure you really try to get them to understand that. It will help them prepare so much for there missions. I love studying the scriptures and I can't get enough of it, I can't believe how much I have to learn and how much I missed in my youth but its fun to study and study time never seems long enough!
[Personal messages to siblings.] Despite my lack of understanding or teaching abilities at the moment I have been blessed to truly see the importance of planting seeds. I'll have you know that while on my bike I will hardly let a person pass without giving them the biggest smile I can and asking them how they are doing. I know that everyone is looking at me, they see my name tag and they wonder who I am or what I'm doing. Sometimes it makes me sad not being able to share the wonderful message everyone, but I know that some day they might have the chance, and when they see the other missionaries I hope they will remember me and receive the other elders.
[Personal message to family member].
This week we will watch two sessions of conference and I hope and pray that I get to see you a bunch! I can't wait to watch and hear from the prophet, apostles and seventy. [Personal messages to family members.]
This week we will have two baptisms. Prince(15 year old boy) and a women named Pat. I love this work, I am still trying to adjust but I constantly trying to forget myself and go to work and also remember that I am living my dream. I love you all and am grateful for your love and prayers!!
Love,
Elder L.
Great to hear from you all. This week we had zone conference and tomorrow we have transfers. I have already become very close with the three elders in our apartment and it would be sad to
see any of them were transferred. But such is the way of a missionaries life. At zone conference President Smith gave us "The Book of Mormon Challenge" we are to mark red every time we see the name of the lord or any of his other names, we mark green if we see any of the Christlike attributes from preach my gospel, we mark orange any time the lord speaks directly to his servants, and we mark blue for any other doctrine we see. We are to read this by dec. 14th. This
has really helped the scriptures come alive for me. I read it a few times before but I think at the pace we are reading it has really helped it stay in my mind more than those few times combined. Reading the Book of Mormon this way makes me feel like I have never read it before. Which makes it that more exciting to me. I only wish I had read it differently in my youth. Bryan my seminary teachers would often teach us not to nibble or even read but to feast on the words of
Christ. I am truly learning what it means to feast upon the words of Christ. Make sure you really try to get them to understand that. It will help them prepare so much for there missions. I love studying the scriptures and I can't get enough of it, I can't believe how much I have to learn and how much I missed in my youth but its fun to study and study time never seems long enough!
[Personal messages to siblings.] Despite my lack of understanding or teaching abilities at the moment I have been blessed to truly see the importance of planting seeds. I'll have you know that while on my bike I will hardly let a person pass without giving them the biggest smile I can and asking them how they are doing. I know that everyone is looking at me, they see my name tag and they wonder who I am or what I'm doing. Sometimes it makes me sad not being able to share the wonderful message everyone, but I know that some day they might have the chance, and when they see the other missionaries I hope they will remember me and receive the other elders.
[Personal message to family member].
This week we will watch two sessions of conference and I hope and pray that I get to see you a bunch! I can't wait to watch and hear from the prophet, apostles and seventy. [Personal messages to family members.]
This week we will have two baptisms. Prince(15 year old boy) and a women named Pat. I love this work, I am still trying to adjust but I constantly trying to forget myself and go to work and also remember that I am living my dream. I love you all and am grateful for your love and prayers!!
Love,
Elder L.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sweet is the Work
Dear Fam,
Like always receiving you letters strengthens me like always. I am glad to hear many wonderful things from conference, I am sure it was wonderful! This week I couldn't help but think how much I had taken conference for granted for most of my life. We will be watching it in the next few weeks and I can't wait to see it. This week was great, I feel like I can finally start to see some improvements with myself which is great but it sure feels like it took a while. This week I really tried to push my companion for obedience, it was really scary because I feel like I know nothing still and it was odd the thought came into my mind that it was like me telling Matt what to do which kind of made me laugh. I still continue to push, it is kind of frustrating at times and it is exactly like elder satiti said it would be but I continue to do my best and do what I can.
I feel like I live in america at times, in the past weeks I have noticed so many things from american culture: Obama Everything: Shirts, Crackers, posters, underware...you name it obama has it. The music, I thought once I left home all worldly music would be left behind.. they love american music over here, I wake up almost every morning to it because the person next door loves it. Clothes: I have seen so many sports jersy from nba, nfl and many colleges. The people are so musical, some of the people hear really have a hard time with sacrament meeting becasue it they think it is boring. Almost all the other churches here in ghana have changed their meetings so they will be musical and attract people to come! It is amazing to see all these people changing from church to church looking for what they like and what fits them best, it is humbling to know I am a missionary for a church with a living prophet! This was on my mind for much of the week. All of these people are trying to get closer to god and I am carrying a message of the truth with me. This week, I saw witnessed as we introduced a Book of Mormon to two sisters. We were discussing it with them and I kept noticing one reading from the intro and looking of in the distance, the spirit really hit me that the Book of Mormon can and will change lives! Even though I don't know as many scriptures as I wish, I love it and I know it can bless people and help them with all of there problems.
Mom, Please pray for Mary, Fransisca, Eugene, Regina, Juliet, Promise and Rose. Thank you so much for the Care Package! I don't think an elder has ever recieved one so big before! I put the Family picture up and look at it all the time. I am saving the chips and salsa for a rainy day...(you know what I mean) but I have been passing out some treats and the kids love them and I have enjoyed some aswell. Please thank the man from delta and remind me of his name! I can't thank him enough. I wouldn't send him anything this next time but maybe for christmas. I worry about what President Smith and the Elders so wait I wouldn't send anything with him this time. The stuff you sent for my legs have really helped and today I found two shin braces that some of the kids used for track, they were for cedi (like 3 dollors) it made my day and are also helping me. I feel so loved and cannot believe how much you have helped me!! Also thanks for the tips from brother botts book and all the other mail you sent. I can't wait to see conference and tell the whole branch thats my mom right there.
I am happy to hear that you are all doing great. I am so happy to hear that temples will be built in Portual and Indiana. Both mean a lot to me! Please continue to update me and I hope to be able to answer more questions next week. [Personal messages to family.] I love you all and always pray for you!
Love, Elder Andrew L.
Like always receiving you letters strengthens me like always. I am glad to hear many wonderful things from conference, I am sure it was wonderful! This week I couldn't help but think how much I had taken conference for granted for most of my life. We will be watching it in the next few weeks and I can't wait to see it. This week was great, I feel like I can finally start to see some improvements with myself which is great but it sure feels like it took a while. This week I really tried to push my companion for obedience, it was really scary because I feel like I know nothing still and it was odd the thought came into my mind that it was like me telling Matt what to do which kind of made me laugh. I still continue to push, it is kind of frustrating at times and it is exactly like elder satiti said it would be but I continue to do my best and do what I can.
I feel like I live in america at times, in the past weeks I have noticed so many things from american culture: Obama Everything: Shirts, Crackers, posters, underware...you name it obama has it. The music, I thought once I left home all worldly music would be left behind.. they love american music over here, I wake up almost every morning to it because the person next door loves it. Clothes: I have seen so many sports jersy from nba, nfl and many colleges. The people are so musical, some of the people hear really have a hard time with sacrament meeting becasue it they think it is boring. Almost all the other churches here in ghana have changed their meetings so they will be musical and attract people to come! It is amazing to see all these people changing from church to church looking for what they like and what fits them best, it is humbling to know I am a missionary for a church with a living prophet! This was on my mind for much of the week. All of these people are trying to get closer to god and I am carrying a message of the truth with me. This week, I saw witnessed as we introduced a Book of Mormon to two sisters. We were discussing it with them and I kept noticing one reading from the intro and looking of in the distance, the spirit really hit me that the Book of Mormon can and will change lives! Even though I don't know as many scriptures as I wish, I love it and I know it can bless people and help them with all of there problems.
Mom, Please pray for Mary, Fransisca, Eugene, Regina, Juliet, Promise and Rose. Thank you so much for the Care Package! I don't think an elder has ever recieved one so big before! I put the Family picture up and look at it all the time. I am saving the chips and salsa for a rainy day...(you know what I mean) but I have been passing out some treats and the kids love them and I have enjoyed some aswell. Please thank the man from delta and remind me of his name! I can't thank him enough. I wouldn't send him anything this next time but maybe for christmas. I worry about what President Smith and the Elders so wait I wouldn't send anything with him this time. The stuff you sent for my legs have really helped and today I found two shin braces that some of the kids used for track, they were for cedi (like 3 dollors) it made my day and are also helping me. I feel so loved and cannot believe how much you have helped me!! Also thanks for the tips from brother botts book and all the other mail you sent. I can't wait to see conference and tell the whole branch thats my mom right there.
I am happy to hear that you are all doing great. I am so happy to hear that temples will be built in Portual and Indiana. Both mean a lot to me! Please continue to update me and I hope to be able to answer more questions next week. [Personal messages to family.] I love you all and always pray for you!
Love, Elder Andrew L.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Teaching for Understanding
Hello Family,
Thanks again for all of the letters and prayers. I am doing better and better every day, line upon line precept! In todays letter I would love to start by sharing a quick story. I taught a boy named Mawuniga this week, I taught him will my
companion interview someone else. I taught him about the sacrament, he barely speaks english but the mission rule is if they want to learn and are trying to learn english they can be baptized. Anyways i was teaching him and I felt like I was doing a really good job to teach about the symbolism simply, so he could understand. I Didn't really ask him questions to see if he understood because it is hard for him to explain things in english, so when my companion came back he asked him what is learned in his language. He responded that we take the sacrament to pray for people that had their hands cutoff. It was funny at the moment but it has taught me to teach for understanding and to
work on my Ghanaian-English. I can understand almost anyone easily now but I still confuse people all the time. I am very good at speaking slowly but I have to work not saying "R's" which is hard. So my name
is "Elda L."
[Personal message to family member.]
You can pray for Sister Rose and her three children as well as her husband Emmanuel. Emmanuel is less active and we want to activate him so he can baptize the rest of his family. Also Pray for brother Promise, he is the boy from
takala I told you about. He is amazing and I mean AMAZING! Yesterday he biked an hour to get to church. His bike broke half way to church and he kept saying the Devil can't win! Please pray for him to continue to be strong! I don't think you need to send me with much from sister dunn: maybe just a treat or two would be nice, what I would really like is one of the pictures that dad and I drew when I was like 6. He promised when i would served a mission he would send them to me. Don't send them all, just one! I can't wait for all conference, all of Ho knows your in the Choir! You could also send the requirements for the tab choir, it is my companions dream, Just like it was yours!
Dad, to answer some of your questions, we live in a place called housing Junction I am not really sure how to describe it to you are give you any landmarks either. But I will try to figure it out this week. You would be happy to know the home of the person we first baptized has the Marlboro Man Painted on the wall right outside the
door! Another thing you won't believe is......... I found a store that has Black Current Jam!! It cost a bit but I don't care at all! It has helped me feel at home, I have never eaten so much bread in one week in my life! This week ten kids followed me for like a block because like always i'm white. Its a parade everywhere I go, just like andrew warren said it would be.
[Personal messages to family.]
I hope all is well, I am praying for you and I can always fill your prayers!
Love, Elder L.
Thanks again for all of the letters and prayers. I am doing better and better every day, line upon line precept! In todays letter I would love to start by sharing a quick story. I taught a boy named Mawuniga this week, I taught him will my
companion interview someone else. I taught him about the sacrament, he barely speaks english but the mission rule is if they want to learn and are trying to learn english they can be baptized. Anyways i was teaching him and I felt like I was doing a really good job to teach about the symbolism simply, so he could understand. I Didn't really ask him questions to see if he understood because it is hard for him to explain things in english, so when my companion came back he asked him what is learned in his language. He responded that we take the sacrament to pray for people that had their hands cutoff. It was funny at the moment but it has taught me to teach for understanding and to
work on my Ghanaian-English. I can understand almost anyone easily now but I still confuse people all the time. I am very good at speaking slowly but I have to work not saying "R's" which is hard. So my name
is "Elda L."
[Personal message to family member.]
You can pray for Sister Rose and her three children as well as her husband Emmanuel. Emmanuel is less active and we want to activate him so he can baptize the rest of his family. Also Pray for brother Promise, he is the boy from
takala I told you about. He is amazing and I mean AMAZING! Yesterday he biked an hour to get to church. His bike broke half way to church and he kept saying the Devil can't win! Please pray for him to continue to be strong! I don't think you need to send me with much from sister dunn: maybe just a treat or two would be nice, what I would really like is one of the pictures that dad and I drew when I was like 6. He promised when i would served a mission he would send them to me. Don't send them all, just one! I can't wait for all conference, all of Ho knows your in the Choir! You could also send the requirements for the tab choir, it is my companions dream, Just like it was yours!
Dad, to answer some of your questions, we live in a place called housing Junction I am not really sure how to describe it to you are give you any landmarks either. But I will try to figure it out this week. You would be happy to know the home of the person we first baptized has the Marlboro Man Painted on the wall right outside the
door! Another thing you won't believe is......... I found a store that has Black Current Jam!! It cost a bit but I don't care at all! It has helped me feel at home, I have never eaten so much bread in one week in my life! This week ten kids followed me for like a block because like always i'm white. Its a parade everywhere I go, just like andrew warren said it would be.
[Personal messages to family.]
I hope all is well, I am praying for you and I can always fill your prayers!
Love, Elder L.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Week 2 in Ho
Dear Fam,
I wish I could take several hours and write you all personally but I don't have enough time to write you all. I wrote mom and dad letters and gave them many of the details from this week, so have them forward their letters and this one as well! I am so greatful for all of your prayers, fasting & letters, they have really strengthened me. I was so pumped and ready to be invincible, teaching with power, talking to everyone, and just being a great missionary. I knew it would be hard, but I thought because of my excitement to be here I would not be affected. haha I don't know anything, about what it would be like, how to teach, scriptures, names, faces, the area. Its been good for me though, I have been humbled like I have never been before in my life. [Personal information.] Right now I don't talk a lot because I am still not great at teaching but I am still serving my purpose despite this because everyone wants to talk to me, and if they talk to me I am still able to plant seeds even though sometime I feel like I don't know whats going on.
Your letters have really, really helped. Its great to hear all of your updates! [Direct messages to siblings.] I love you all so Much, I am greatful to have such a wonderful family that can help lift their baby brother when he needs them most! Next week I will do a better job in my letter and hopeful I will be able to write you all personal letters, I will also write more about what its like and whats going on but I thought I would tell you I will live, I will learn, I will love it! I know these experiences will eventually help me teach, because people here are so humble so I will be better because I have been humbled. I love you all, I know the lord wants me here and he will not put anything in my way I cannot handle!
Love, Elder Andrew L.
[Editor's note: Andrew had sent a previous letter that he asked not to have put on the blog.]
I wish I could take several hours and write you all personally but I don't have enough time to write you all. I wrote mom and dad letters and gave them many of the details from this week, so have them forward their letters and this one as well! I am so greatful for all of your prayers, fasting & letters, they have really strengthened me. I was so pumped and ready to be invincible, teaching with power, talking to everyone, and just being a great missionary. I knew it would be hard, but I thought because of my excitement to be here I would not be affected. haha I don't know anything, about what it would be like, how to teach, scriptures, names, faces, the area. Its been good for me though, I have been humbled like I have never been before in my life. [Personal information.] Right now I don't talk a lot because I am still not great at teaching but I am still serving my purpose despite this because everyone wants to talk to me, and if they talk to me I am still able to plant seeds even though sometime I feel like I don't know whats going on.
Your letters have really, really helped. Its great to hear all of your updates! [Direct messages to siblings.] I love you all so Much, I am greatful to have such a wonderful family that can help lift their baby brother when he needs them most! Next week I will do a better job in my letter and hopeful I will be able to write you all personal letters, I will also write more about what its like and whats going on but I thought I would tell you I will live, I will learn, I will love it! I know these experiences will eventually help me teach, because people here are so humble so I will be better because I have been humbled. I love you all, I know the lord wants me here and he will not put anything in my way I cannot handle!
Love, Elder Andrew L.
[Editor's note: Andrew had sent a previous letter that he asked not to have put on the blog.]
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