One very nice thing about being a missionary in a place like Ghana is that the people are open to discussions about religion. Almost all of the taxis or tro-tros will have some religious saying printed on the window (which is a good thing since it's a tough world out there). The businesses also often have faith-based names like "The Holy Ghost Laundry". It's probably not terribly appropriate, but their hearts are in the right place.
This week we started our quarterly personal interviews with each missionary. We have 190 missionaries now and so it will take several weeks to get around to everyone. I'm doing them a district per day, which usually involves 6 to 8 missionaries. The interviews have been a lot more fun this time because these are now people that I know and have had experiences with. My first round was just days after arriving in Ghana. While I am interviewing, the rest of the district is participating in training.
In the afternoons following the interviews, we are meeting with the zone and district leadership to assess the efficiency of each companionship area boundary -- looking for ways to cut down on travel time, etc. We are also conducting follow-up training for any new missionaries in the district and their trainers. If we are staying overnight in the area, we will go out and teach with a companionship.
Elder Rowe leading the Mpintsin District.
The Mpintsin District
The Nketsiakrom District
Teaching with Elder Odongo and Elder Pearmain.
On Saturday, we had the Priesthood Leadership Training for the four mission branches located near Cape Coast. Just about everyone had to travel about an hour by tro-tro to get there, so I was very pleased with the turn out. These men are so anxious to magnify their callings in the Gospel. It is a pleasure to serve with them.
We end about 1 p.m. so we feed them before we send them back into the world. Theresa made fufu with goat meat. It was a real hit.
On Sunday, I attended the Daboasi Branch (Sister Stevenson was a little under the weather -- she is doing better now). This branch meets in a school building. It rained during most of the meetings, so we enjoyed a cool breeze through the glass-less windows.
After the meeting, the branch leaders took me out to a property that the Church had purchased earlier in the year for a new chapel. It is a nice parcel on top of a hill. It will be beautiful.
Right now, missionaries only visit the town once a week. I promised that I would do my best to get a companionship out there full time. We've got to fill up that new building, right?
DATE NIGHT:
Walking on the beach below the castle then dinner at the Castle Restaurant.
CREATURE OF THE WEEK:
I give up. There are no creatures in Ghana. Sorry William.
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