Dear Fam,

I was happy to hear that all has gone well with the Blessings of [nephews] and also that the moves have been successful. I too could be moving this week with transfers but kind of have the feeling it won't happen this transfer. Anyways the great news out hear is that we had two baptisms this week. We did not quite make our goal but we were more than happy to have be baptized before the end of the Transfer because this has been the most difficult one yet. We baptized a man named Bernard and his son Francis. We helped Bernard overcome a Word of Wisdom Problem, there is such a great joy in sharing the gospel with someone and helping people enter the waters of Baptism but I personally think the greatest joy of all is when you help someone who has lost control because of an addiction. Dad as I get to play a part in helping someone overcome an addiction I always think of your stories of Drug court and how all the charges a dropped. I love nothing more then seeing some of these peoples "charges dropped" of sin as you put it. Bernard and his son stay like half a block from the church so I am hoping they will always come to church and endure to the end. They are now the closest members to the church which is kind of fun, I also had a baptism of a family in Ho that lived just right next to the church which goes to show you can find anyone, anywhere. We have are baptisms at the Stake Center which is in the same compound as the the Temple, when we finished the baptism we came out and I couldn't believe my eyes... Ho Branch was going to the temple.(So thats the picture I have with all those people) I love those members and it was nice to have a quick chat with them and to hear how some of the Recent Converts were doing. One of the members there was Pat, Pat is probably one of the strongest of all the Recent Converts in Ho... She was actually the first person/lesson I taught as a full time missionary, which is kind of fun. (She is the one in the picture of just me and her) Mom, I gave her one of those posters you sent me of the Accra Temple and she said she put it up on her wall. I know I wrote to you all about my efforts in helping my recent converts endure to the end, seeing her at the temple has given me that much more motivation!

I Love You all and I am doing well here in Osu, know that I pray for you all everyday!

-Elder Andrew K. L.

Dear Fam,

I'm glad to hear all the moves are going well and that so many people have been helping you to move. But I know how you feel moving all the time because its not always easy living out of a suitcase and know that you could be asked to move at anytime. (If you know what I mean.) I hate to admit it but I love the sports updates and I was feeling the March Madness today so I made my comp play some basketball with me.(PIG) we stacked a chair and washing bucket on top of a generator. Our basketball was a flat soccer ball, but I managed it and had a great time.

This week neither of our candidates were baptized again, I'm not going to lie the last few weeks have been pretty rough... This transfer has been empty which is not very common at all out here, you wouldn't believe how many of the sad things our investigators told us or happened in their lives and prevented them from being baptized. From Wow ,Chasity and two families not allowing their family members to be baptized. As my companion and I were wallowing in our afflictions and self pity the hymn came to my mind, "Count Your Many Blessing" As I thought about all the blessings in my life I couldn't help but be happy. Especially with my knowledge of the Restored Gospel and my family, I couldn't help but wonder why I have received so many of the wonderful blessing that I have. Seeing this blessings I have in my life and seeing the lack of some of these blessings in the lives of my investigators gives me more of the motivation to help these people. We have a few people that consistently come to church and they are slowly but surely progressing towards baptism. No worries the work is picking up in these parts and we are very hopful for next month.

Love, Elder L.

Go to Heaven

Dear Fam, This week we had zone conference and I think I learned the most important lesson that has done wonders for my teaching ability. That has be changed by "going to heaven". I remember I told you about the five step teaching process. It all begins with asking inspired Q's, this week we watched a DVD and it was of a mission president helping his missionaries to ask inspired Q's. And he taught his missionaries that its ok to have pauses when they were trying to be directed by the spirit. So from friday going I thought of "going to heaven" and I was amazed at the Q's I asked, the spirit I felt and honestly it just made things amazing. I have to go, but we are hoping for two baptism this week and we are slowly starting to build things back up again. Next month is looking pretty good. Mom and Dad I am excited about the house and mom I got the package about three weeks ago so thank you so much. I have accidentally left it out of my letters. I love and pray for you all!

Love, Elder L.

Dear Family,

Great to hear all the good news. Especally about Nate and Shalissa, I am so happy to hear about baby number 6!!! I always love a great series that goes to game 7 (unless one of the teams is the Lakers or the Celtics, in that case I always want the other team to win in 4 games.) I am grateful that our wonderful family keeps growing and growing, I love you all! I want to wish you all a happy Independence day as of yesterday. Yesterday Ghana turned 54. (27 in mom years) ( :

Bryan tell C. I was very happy to get his letter last week! Same goes for your kids Nate, I really enjoyed that. Please tell J. that I saw some baboons once when we were traveling from Ho to Accra. There were about five of them that crossed the Road.

Sorry my letter is unorganized but I figured I would talk about my P-days. We are not allowed to play sports. Too many missionaries have been injured. Which is Ok with me me because we have a Ping-Pong table in our compound. We wash/clean the apartment and then go to the cafe. I have noticed my P-days change dramatically with my companions and Areas. In Ho we would usually go on some adventure but here in Osu we do more relaxing, and hang around the apartment.

I'm doing great, please pray that we can find more people looking for the gospel. Our teaching pool is slowly going down and we are doing all we can to bring it back up. Mom and Dad, know I am praying for the H. family and I am excited about the new house. I love you all and I will send you a longer letter next week along with a few more pictures! I tried this week but it didn't work out.

Love, Elder L.

Great Week From Osu

Dear Fam,

I am happy to hear all the great news from home, especially about the babies and the new homes. Mom and Dad, I still can't deiced if I want my room painted Blue and White or Red, Yellow, Black and Green. Let me know when I have to deiced by. The house is in the [specific neighborhood]? I didn't recognize the area from the picture. This week as you know Elder Oaks came and addressed us. It was great to meet him and hear from him, it wasn't originally planed so he only spoke for 30min. I really enjoyed things he shared with us and I forgot to bring my notes so I will share more next week but he didn't really say anything that blew me away, I'm not sure what I was expecting but he just shared a few scriptures, and spoke about a few points from PMG. I enjoyed the most when he spoke about caring the spirit with us and told us that the most learned and convincing men could not convert one tenth of what a humble, unlearned servant of the lord that carries the spirit with him. If I learned one thing from Elder Oaks it was the importance of carrying the spirit with me, not because of what he said but by his example. When he walked in the room the spirit flooded in with him, there was a wonderful peace over all the room, and I know that if I can carry that same spirit with me more people will want to hear about the gospel and more people will be baptized. That has been my focus in everything I do over the past week and even though many things didn't work out this week I have been happier this week than many of are past weeks when we had great success.

This week both are candidate were not able to be baptized. One couldn't get of work and the others sisters are preventing her from being baptized even though she wants to be, it breaks my heart how many people we have had lined up but circumstances prevent so many people from being baptized. But you can be sure that Elder L. will be carrying the spirit with him more this week than I did last week and that I will continue being happier and happier.

Love, Elder L.

A Week of Great News!!

Dear Fam,

I had a nice long letter once again but the internet froze and I forgot to save because the auto save usually works so sorry about that. Please know I am doing very well and I am especially happy to hear that the house has been sold! Answer to Pray. Please congratulate Ben and Spencer for me, they will both be wonderful missionaries. We found out on Sat. that Elder Oaks will in fact speak to us tomorrow, so I am very excited about that. I heard about President Judd, I was signed up for his class last year but things didn't work out. I wanted to take from him because his son was my favorite seminary teacher in 9th grade, I have always considered him my favorite teach of all of them. I got to run but know I will answer all you questions next week. Please pray for Unis and Earnestina, we are hoping they will be baptized on sat.

Love, Elder L.

Short and Sweet

Dear Fam,

Great to hear from you all as always! This week we had four baptisms(Pedro, Rose, Godwin and Comfort) are other two were ready but for one reason or another we had to move them to the 26th. The people I have met since I have been here are amazing especially Pedro! That guy has seriously changed his life around and when I heard him say the things he has come to know are true it really moved me and made me so grateful to help people change their lives.

In Preach my Gospel it goes talks about our purpose as a missionary, and it lists of several things that are part of our mission. But President Smith has reduced everything to Baptize and Help people endure to the end. I have really been blessed to have almost every single on of my Recent converts stay active(to my knowledge) but I have really been thinking how I can do more. I know that everything points to the temple and it is only though the temple that my recent converts can enjoy all the blessings that God wishes to bless them with. So I noticed in the distribution center they sell the Liahona for 30 peswas(=20 cents) So I decided that I will buy the special edition one on the Temple for all of my recent converts. Yesterday I gave two away to Francisca and Pedro and tonight we will give one to Juliana and Rose and all their kids. It has [Personal messages to family.]

Love, Elder L.