This was transfer week. Among our new missionaries were four Tongan Elders and an Australian. The Pacific Islands are well represented. (I know Australia is a continent, but it looks like a very big island.)
The rest of the group includes missionaries from California, Ghana, Cote d' Ivoire, Nigeria and Liberia.
They are a very happy group.
It is a great sign that you have a good group when they start working on learning Twi (the local language) during their free time.
It is nice to have a Ghanaian to help with the pronunciation.
Dinner is always a hit.
Which they worked off with an hour of volleyball before bed.
In addition to welcoming our new missionaries, we had to say goodbye a little early to Elder Iumalo. He needed an extra day to make it home to Samoa.
Elder Iumalo saved me from a wasp when he was a new missionary. I was spending the day with him and his trainer and during companionship study a wasp was flying around the room. He whacked it with his bare hand. I am grateful.
We also welcomed home Elder Adjei who has been serving for the last two years north of us in the Ghana Kumasi mission. His home is in Praso, so it was my privilege to release him as a full-time missionary.
They will do well.
With the new missionaries settled into their areas of assignment, we then turned our attention to the 21 missionaries who were completing their service.
We are releasing 17% of our sister missionaries this transfer. They have been a blessing.
They don't always appreciate the air conditioning.
Unplanned Service.
It is a new record for missionaries on time for 6 a.m. breakfast.
There is a lot of energy on this bus.
It was Republic Day in Africa, so a few of our returned missionaries were able to join us at the temple.
Fare Well!
The "Transfers are Over" Party.
It is always "all hands on deck" during transfer week. We appreciate the great help we receive from our Senior Missionaries, Assistants and Office Elders.
We finished out the week at the Yamoransa Stake Conference. The exciting news for us was that the Mankessim 2nd Ward was divided to form the Mando Branch. We put missionaries in Mando about a year ago and the membership has grown steadily. We are hoping that Saltpond will have a branch very soon as well.
The Saturday Sessions were held at the Stake Center.
However, the building is not large enough to accommodate the Sunday crowds.
So, on Sunday, the conference was held in the New Examination Center (NEC) at the University of Cape Coast. It is a nice facility.
The Awesome Choir.
Sister Alice.
Elder and Sister Sorensen have an endless supply of interesting insects in Praso and they have shared pictures of a few of them.
We are hoping our grandson, William, will help us identify them.
