Man Eating Fish

This was transfer week.  Elder Warner was assigned to be an Assistant to the President, replacing Elder Ameyaw.  Elder Ameyaw has been a great help to me.  He will be serving in Kissi this transfer.

Our twelve new missionaries arrived in the early afternoon on Tuesday.

After a light lunch, Elder and Sister Durrant helped them with some paperwork and welcome materials.

After some instruction and interviews, we enjoyed a nice dinner together.

Rise Up, Servants of God!

Adjusting to Missionary Life.

You will serve right here, in Assin Foso Stake.

Goodbye for now, MTC friends.

Seven sisters and five Elders.  These missionaries come from Nigeria, Ghana, the United States, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Soon after the new missionaries leave the mission home, the returning missionaries arrive.

There were just two missionaries going home this time.

 

We departed from the fufu tradition in favor of Talapia and Banku.

Because the temple was closed for annual maintenance, we were not able to attend an Endowment session with these missionaries.  It did allow us to have a leisurely breakfast before leaving for Accra.

Normally, breakfast is at 6 a.m. and consists of dry cereal and fruit.  The ham and eggs didn't make up for missing the temple, but we managed some smiles.

Elder Blay had served for several months as an Assistant.  He finished his mission in Kissi.

We had to stop at the Area Office to pick up passports, so we were able to take pictures at the temple, even though it was closed.

"And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice." 

(Alma 13:25)

Sister Stevenson and I normally say goodbye to the missionaries at the temple, but since we were the only ones accompanying them, we completed the whole deal by getting KFC on the way to the airport.  There are not many American food franchises in Ghana.  I think KFC Ghana has spiced up Colonel Sanders' recipe a bit, but they do a good job. 

Straw-Colored Fruit Bats in the center of Accra

Stellaluna! (Say it with the voice, kids.)

On Saturday, we met with the missionaries serving in the Cape Coast Zone for their personal interviews.

This transfer, we are having the missionaries arrive for interviews by district.  While I meet with them individually, Sister Stevenson is helping them with health training.

Among other things, they are reviewing the proper care of the water filters and stress reduction techniques. 

 

Everyone likes the stress reduction.

On Sunday, we were in the Abura 2nd Ward for Sacrament Meeting.

The Sister Missionaries introduced us to one of their investigators who will be baptized after church services.

Thus ended the first transfer of 2017.

Man eating fish.