Might Be Time To Fumigate...

Sister Stevenson has been saying that it is time to fumigate the house again.  I think she may be right.

We continued our missionary interviews / district meetings this week.  We met with the Winneba District and the Swedru District on Tuesday in Winneba.

Sister Stevenson's team won the Jeopardy review game. 

Winneba District

Swedru District

After the interviews, I was invited to meet with an investigator that two of the sisters were teaching. He is a student at the university and had walked into the Church on his own and began meeting with the missionaries.  He is very sharp and soon agreed to be baptized.  However, just before his scheduled baptism, he told the sisters that he needed to postpone.  He didn't give a reason, so they rescheduled it for this week.  During the week, he again said he needed to wait.  The sisters didn't know what was troubling him, so they asked if I would meet with him.  He was a little nervous about that, but agreed to come.

As we visited, he told me that his mother had passed away a few months ago.  Because of his loss, his roommates encouraged him to go to church and asked him which church he would attend.  He said the first thing that came to his mind was "Latter-day Saints."  He said things don't happen by accident, so he went to the Church and met the missionaries.  He soon developed a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Restored Gospel and wanted to be baptized.  However, when his father learned of his plans, he told him that if he joined the Church, he would no longer support him in school. That was what caused the doubt that prompted him to delay his baptism.  

I agreed that he had a difficult decision to make.  I told him that I have known people facing that same issue that have said to their family, "I love you and respect you, but I have to follow what I believe God wants me to do.  I hope you will understand how I feel."  I said that for some, the family eventually came to respect that decision, but for others, the family never did speak to them again.  

I also told him that others have waited to be baptized in hopes that the family would eventually soften and support the baptism.  I could not tell him what to do, but I encouraged him to spend some time fasting and praying to know what God would have him do.  I offered that the sisters and I would join him in his fast.  He smiled and said, "I have already decided what to do.  I will be baptized on Sunday." 

I love it when faith that I see in others, helps my faith to grow. 

On Thursday, we hosted Shama, Akrofuom, Asikuma and Odoben Districts at the Mission Home.  Sister Stevenson makes cake and ice cream for them when they travel to us.

Akrofuom District (plus Elder Kenyah on the right, who joined us from the Botswana/Namibia Mission last week.  He is serving in Telecom.)

Shama District

Odoben District

Asikuma District

On Wednesday, we held our monthly Mission Leadership Council meeting.

We are implementing a number of administrative changes that will allow more time for the zone leaders to minister.  Hopefully, this will be the last time we see them pouring over a ton of travel and utility receipts from their petty cash fund.

And, the last time they have to carry supplies for the apartments on their laps as they travel home from the council meeting in a trotro.

I was able to conduct a few baptismal interviews this week.  On Friday, I drove out to Kissi and interviewed a nice young mother.  Her husband's family are members of the Church.  She is ready to be baptized and we hope that the husband will follow shortly.

   

The Kissi Elders with the branch president and one of his counselors.

Then, on Saturday, I made the 7 hour round trip to Tarkwa to meet with five people preparing for baptism.  I met with the parents in two young families and a wonderful sister in her early twenties. All very sharp and excited about the Gospel.  I'm very grateful for the growth we are seeing in Tarkwa.  It was certainly worth the drive.

Six of the eight missionaries in Tarkwa.

On Sunday, we attended Church services in Moree.  In Ghana, most members of the Church don't have access to watch General Conference on the internet, so about a month later, we get dvd's with a couple of sessions and we watch that during church.  That's what we did today.

  

Waiting for the technology in Moree.

ANOTHER BUG: