President And Sister Stevenson in Ghana: Takoradi Week

We spent most of the week in Takoradi as we interviewed the missionaries in the Western Region and participated in the Takoradi Stake Conference. The Scouts were again providing service as ushers and were joined by President Graham, the Temple President.

Elder Nash, a General Authority Seventy, was presiding at the conference.

He took time during the weekend to minister to individuals, especially the young people.

Elder Nash with the Stake Presidency and Stake Patricarch.

We had a nice turnout by the members.

All of the overflow areas were needed.

Elder Tetteh and President Adjei. Elder Tetteh and his wife are Church Service Missionaries and help support the Axim Branch.

I only had a few minutes to speak in conference today and during the meeting, I felt like I should tell the conversion experience of Benjamin and Akua.

Two years ago we were holding a zone conference in Takoradi and Benjamin walked into the building and asked Sister Stevenson who he should talk to about joining our church. She introduced him to Elder and Sister Julander, our senior couple serving in Takoradi at the time. Benjamin and his wife began meeting with the missionaries and attending church services. Elder Price, Elder Johnson and others taught them for three months. I was visiting with them shortly before their baptisms and asked Benjamin what possessed him to walk into the church that day. Akua laughed and told me that whenever they drove by a chapel, Benjamin would say, "That's our church!" Benjamin then told me that as he passed the stake center that day and saw cars in the parking lot, he just felt, "today is the day" and came in.

The Gospel has been a blessing in their lives and they have been a blessing in the Church. Benjamin serves in a bishopric and Akua was sustained today as a counselor in the Stake Relief Society presidency. Elder Johnson was a brand new missionary when he taught them and he became a powerful missionary partly because of his experience with them. (Elder Johnson completed his mission a few weeks ago.)

I told the conference that the Spirit of the Holy Ghost was brooding over this land and that there were thousands of people being prepared for the Gospel, just like Benjamin and Akua. Most of them are not bold enough to come to us, so we need to find them. There are 27 full-time missionaries working in the Takoradi Stake, but there are over two thousand members. Think of all the wonderful people who would come into the Church, if all of us would be a little better at opening our mouths and inviting them!

With Sister Graham, the Temple Matron.

We started the week in the Elmina Zone before heading for Takoradi.

Tuesday morning we drove out to Kissi and met with the Kissi and Komenda missionaries.

Then we invited the rest of the zone to meet us at the mission home that afternoon.