Sprinkling vs. Immersion

We celebrated Sister Stevenson's birthday this week with cake and dinner and a new dress.  We opted out of the soaking that she helped line up for me on my birthday since she paid a heavy price for her conspiracy.  

Instead, I just dribbled a few drops of water on her from a sachet and we called it good.  Sister Izidor and Sister Hanlon share the same birthday, so we celebrated with them.

We finished up the missionary interviews this week with the Takoradi and Cape Coast Zones.  Twenty-two interviews each day.  

Cape Coast Zone

The Takoradi Zone

 

 

This was also our week for Mission Leadership Council.

 We discussed:

1.  Helping missionaries learn to budget so they don't starve the last week of the month.
2.  Zone Conference structure for May-June.
3.  Principles of leading through councils.
4.  Helping missionaries finish their missions with honor.

The Sisters in the Mission Leadership Council.

Birthday Sisters.

Each zone accounts for its petty cash fund after the MLC with the Office Elders.

On Friday, we invited 17 new missionary trainers to the mission home for orientation.  Next week is Transfer Week, and we will be getting a large group.  The next three transfers will be very large with 35% of the missionaries turning over.  It will give many of the younger missionaries opportunities for leadership.  

The Trainers

Saturday and Sunday, I presided at the Daboase Branch Conference.  

Training for the Branch Council on Saturday.

Worship services on Sunday...

Saturday night we peeked in on the Transfer Transportation Planning meeting.  All under control.

And, of course, breakfast in bed for Mothers' Day!

CREATURE OF THE WEEK:

This nest of spiders was above the Deacons during Sacrament Meeting.  There were three or four good sized ones in there and I was a little distracted making sure they stayed put (the spiders, not the Deacons).

TREE OF THE WEEK:

Sister Stevenson loves these threes.  The leaves are huge!

I wonder what this tree was thinking when it started to grow sideways.

Bridges

The missionaries in Dunkwa told us that there was a short-cut between Praso and Dunkwa that would save us 30 minutes each way and that the road was smoother.  The Hanlons and the Miles had tried it out and said it also bypassed some water hazards.  In passing, they also mentioned two bridges that looked a little dicey.  No kidding.

After a visual inspection, and with the reassurance that the couple missionaries had negotiated it safely a few days earlier, we ventured forth.  As Sister Stevenson and I drove over, the Assistants sent this text:  "That was intense.  I think you nearly fell through."  Apparently, it wasn't so intense that they wouldn't follow us.  There were two like this and we crossed them coming and going.

I gained a new appreciation for the one-lane Praso Bridge over the River Pra -- which we still have to cross regularly.

It was all worth it though, because we had a very nice day in Dunkwa with the missionaries.

This week, we were in Swedru, Praso, Dunkwa and Kojokrom for missionary interviews -- so we pretty much drove the mission.

Swedru and Odoben Districts (of the Winneba Zone)

The Praso District (Praso Zone)

The Dunkwa District (Praso Zone)

The Kojokrom Zone -- I released missionaries from Daboasi and Agona both before and after interviewing this group, so it was a long, nice day.

Friday night we stayed with the Julanders and took the opportunity to go to our favorite restaurant (now simply called "Bombay")

Sister Stevenson even likes the sink in the washroom.

On Saturday, Elder Julander and I led some priesthood leadership training for the five mission branches in the Western Region.  We had actually planned this for a month ago, but a few days before the training, we became aware that it was a holiday and the public transportation would not be running until about 10 a.m.  So, we decided to postpone the meeting for a month.  Unfortunately, I now know that the first Saturday of every month is some kind of holiday -- so this was the group we had a 10 a.m.  The people are too nice to tell you that you have just moved the meeting from one holiday to another.

It got better once the tros started running and we ended up with a good group.

Elders Tobler and Mocke serve in Chapel Hill and helped us set up the room.

CREATURE OF THE WEEK;

The Weaver -- we ran into these birds and their very cool nests all over this week.

 

TREE OF THE WEEK;

The Oil Palm: