So this week has been somehow hectic! We had a zone conference meeting that lasted almost 10 hours! (the whole day was over after that) and this past weekend we had our District Conference. They were absolutely wonderful and we were blessed to hear talks from Elder Gaye (Former Mission President in the Ghana Accra Mission), Elder Bednar as well as Pres. Uchtdorf that were broadcast to all of West Africa.
Their talks were powerful and direct. They were directed to counsel the Members of the Church to avoid following traditions that are not in harmony with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Overall it was a very powerful and effective District conference.
We are looking at opening Juapong as Branch!! Hopefully before the next year-still a lot of work to do (Confirm if the building we have selected can be 'ours', and renovation work and training) I will keep you all posted on that one as I get more information. Super Stoked :)
I know that as soon as the Church is established there many people will come and find out the truth. We are very hopeful for several people who live in Juapong who have investigated the Church.
I love you all and hope that you have the best of weeks! To those of you back at home I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy that Turkey!!
Love, Elder Green
Monday, November 24, 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Life is looking up
Hello Hello! This week has been pretty great! Elder Sadare (said Shad-AIR-e) and I get along great. He's from Nigeria, Ogun State, born January 1 1987 and he and his family joined the Church when he was eleven years old.
He and I have had a really great time together. We've been able to enjoy a good amount of success in our area despite not having a phone to use and riding our bicycles an hour and a half to Juapong haha.
We've made huge changes in our apartment and now I feel much more organized and ready to work. I am refocusing myself on my study and I am trying much harder to utilize all the time that I have.
Currently the assistant to the Mission President, Pres. Tyson, has visited Juapong-taken a report of the members who live there-and taken that report to our Mission President. Hopefully, very soon we will be able to open a branch there.
I love you all and hope that you have a great week.
-Elder Green
We've made huge changes in our apartment and now I feel much more organized and ready to work. I am refocusing myself on my study and I am trying much harder to utilize all the time that I have.
Currently the assistant to the Mission President, Pres. Tyson, has visited Juapong-taken a report of the members who live there-and taken that report to our Mission President. Hopefully, very soon we will be able to open a branch there.
I love you all and hope that you have a great week.
-Elder Green
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Change is in the air....
Hey Hey everybody,
SO big news for this upcoming week. Transfers are here any my companion and I are being split up! We've only been together for one transfer! Are you kidding me? C'mon! Well we'll still be together, my area is being split and we are receiving two additional missionaries in our Branch, making 6 in total (compared to 2 months ago when it was only 2). We are very excited for that. The work will really move along much more quickly with the additional help. What's more is that I will be opening up Juapong as a proselyting area. Due to the discovery of more members living there two weeks ago our mission President is working hard to try and open a branch there. So in a way I now have a share in responsibility in establishing the Church in this part of the world.
On Sunday we were blessed to have another investigator from Juapong visit us at the Church. His name is Godwin and his wife visited us a few weeks ago. What's more is that he rode his bicycle to the Chapel. That involves riding a distance of several miles from Juapong to the Ferry Site, where he can pay to cross and then to ride about another mile and a half to the chapel. He is in his mid to late 40's and holds a position is his current church. We were so blessed that he was willing to sacrifice so much to investigate the Church.
This week has however, been very trying on myself and my companion. Firstly, we do not want to be split up. We've synced really well with each other and we don't want to lose either part of our area. Secondly, I can testify that I have seen the Lord bearing me up and strengthening me-not by easing my load, but by putting me in situations where I have to make decisions. Where I can no longer sit on the figurative fence and watch the world go by. Where I have to choose to act or react. Choose to show Christ like love to those I come in contact with or be as the natural man. I have never felt so conflicted. But I know that as I have chosen the better portion I can bear my challenges, which will continue to come in greater magnitude, with happiness and sure knowledge that as long as I do all that I can and council with the Lord that He will never abandon me and will bear me up when I am weak.
I love you all and hope you have a great week.
Elder Green
SO big news for this upcoming week. Transfers are here any my companion and I are being split up! We've only been together for one transfer! Are you kidding me? C'mon! Well we'll still be together, my area is being split and we are receiving two additional missionaries in our Branch, making 6 in total (compared to 2 months ago when it was only 2). We are very excited for that. The work will really move along much more quickly with the additional help. What's more is that I will be opening up Juapong as a proselyting area. Due to the discovery of more members living there two weeks ago our mission President is working hard to try and open a branch there. So in a way I now have a share in responsibility in establishing the Church in this part of the world.
On Sunday we were blessed to have another investigator from Juapong visit us at the Church. His name is Godwin and his wife visited us a few weeks ago. What's more is that he rode his bicycle to the Chapel. That involves riding a distance of several miles from Juapong to the Ferry Site, where he can pay to cross and then to ride about another mile and a half to the chapel. He is in his mid to late 40's and holds a position is his current church. We were so blessed that he was willing to sacrifice so much to investigate the Church.
This week has however, been very trying on myself and my companion. Firstly, we do not want to be split up. We've synced really well with each other and we don't want to lose either part of our area. Secondly, I can testify that I have seen the Lord bearing me up and strengthening me-not by easing my load, but by putting me in situations where I have to make decisions. Where I can no longer sit on the figurative fence and watch the world go by. Where I have to choose to act or react. Choose to show Christ like love to those I come in contact with or be as the natural man. I have never felt so conflicted. But I know that as I have chosen the better portion I can bear my challenges, which will continue to come in greater magnitude, with happiness and sure knowledge that as long as I do all that I can and council with the Lord that He will never abandon me and will bear me up when I am weak.
I love you all and hope you have a great week.
Elder Green
Monday, November 3, 2014
He is doing what the Lord would have him do!
Hey it's been awhile, sorry for the long week of silence. Honestly I just wasn't in the mood to write last week. I'll make up for it though.
This week we had something very exciting take place:
On Tuesday (one of the days we normally go to Juapong) our District Council Meeting went longer than it typically does. That being said Elder Bautner and I decided to take an early lunch in Kpong-that way we can use as much time as possible in Juapong. As we were on our way to our first appointment we could tell that there was something 'different in the air.' As we drew closer to the Volta Star Textile Factory the sky was filled with the smoke of burning tires. The work force was protesting against the management for lack of pay. As we stood there watching the scene unravel I sensed the presence of a young man right next me. He was speaking in Ewe and I wasn't paying him any attention because I wanted to see what was happening at the Factory. Again, he persisted to gain my attention, this time however I felt a strong impression to listen to him.
He was speaking French, and he mentioned 'Church'. I turned to him and asked him in French if he knew the Book of Mormon. He confirmed by responding that he also knew le Doctrine et Alliances (D&C). To confirm if I heard him right I asked if he also knew le Perle de Gran Prix (PofGP). At this he became very excited and myself and my companion couldn't believe what we were actually hearing. "Did a member of the Church just find us?", "Are any members of his family a part of our Church as well" we wondered to ourselves as he led us through some narrow bush paths to his home.
Once we arrived he ran inside his home and brought out stacks of Church material-all in French. We had hardly began to look at the books when two women came walking along the path. At first glance the thought came to my mind that these two women are members-obviously related to this young man whom we just met. They walked straight to us and almost laughing they asked us "Since when did you come here?" There big, warm smiles assured us that they were also members of the Church. They sat down with us and I felt so overwhelmed with joy that all I could do was place my hand over my mouth, smile, laugh, and thank God for allowing us to meet. They rehearsed how they joined the Church in 2012 in Osu and Aladjo and had both recently moved to Juapong. They both felt very discouraged because they looked and looked but couldn't find the Church anywhere. They only prayed that the Church would find them.
Now, this young man who we met joined the Church this past June, along with his whole family in Lome, Togo. He was leaving the very next day to Ho for school. The two women who were passing on the path had never scene the boy until that day. These two Sisters, their Mother and two of their Children are also members of the Church. On Friday we took one of the Members from Juapong to meet them-on Sunday one of the Sisters was able to come to Church.
Our entire morning was disturbed. We were not on time, we did things in a different order, almost everything about our morning was different from our normal routine. I know that God was leading us and placed these different obstacles in our way so that we would meet these 'lost sheep'. Currently the young man is no longer in Juapong and his family has gone back to Togo (I'll have to double check, but i believe they said they would leave in a weeks time)
This week has been very good. We are also seeing a lot of progress in a few individuals that we are teaching near the Chapel. A man named Matthew who was formerly a heavy drunk is making leaps and bounds of progress. As he says he is 'Forcing himself to stop'. The biggest difference I've seen in him is that 'Light' has returned to his eyes. He looks and acts happier.
I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve and I pray that we will all listen to the 'Still Small Voice" that guides us and protects us. Let us be worthy to receive these promptings from the Spirit. I love you all and wish you a wonderful week.
Elder Green
This week we had something very exciting take place:
On Tuesday (one of the days we normally go to Juapong) our District Council Meeting went longer than it typically does. That being said Elder Bautner and I decided to take an early lunch in Kpong-that way we can use as much time as possible in Juapong. As we were on our way to our first appointment we could tell that there was something 'different in the air.' As we drew closer to the Volta Star Textile Factory the sky was filled with the smoke of burning tires. The work force was protesting against the management for lack of pay. As we stood there watching the scene unravel I sensed the presence of a young man right next me. He was speaking in Ewe and I wasn't paying him any attention because I wanted to see what was happening at the Factory. Again, he persisted to gain my attention, this time however I felt a strong impression to listen to him.
He was speaking French, and he mentioned 'Church'. I turned to him and asked him in French if he knew the Book of Mormon. He confirmed by responding that he also knew le Doctrine et Alliances (D&C). To confirm if I heard him right I asked if he also knew le Perle de Gran Prix (PofGP). At this he became very excited and myself and my companion couldn't believe what we were actually hearing. "Did a member of the Church just find us?", "Are any members of his family a part of our Church as well" we wondered to ourselves as he led us through some narrow bush paths to his home.
Once we arrived he ran inside his home and brought out stacks of Church material-all in French. We had hardly began to look at the books when two women came walking along the path. At first glance the thought came to my mind that these two women are members-obviously related to this young man whom we just met. They walked straight to us and almost laughing they asked us "Since when did you come here?" There big, warm smiles assured us that they were also members of the Church. They sat down with us and I felt so overwhelmed with joy that all I could do was place my hand over my mouth, smile, laugh, and thank God for allowing us to meet. They rehearsed how they joined the Church in 2012 in Osu and Aladjo and had both recently moved to Juapong. They both felt very discouraged because they looked and looked but couldn't find the Church anywhere. They only prayed that the Church would find them.
Now, this young man who we met joined the Church this past June, along with his whole family in Lome, Togo. He was leaving the very next day to Ho for school. The two women who were passing on the path had never scene the boy until that day. These two Sisters, their Mother and two of their Children are also members of the Church. On Friday we took one of the Members from Juapong to meet them-on Sunday one of the Sisters was able to come to Church.
Our entire morning was disturbed. We were not on time, we did things in a different order, almost everything about our morning was different from our normal routine. I know that God was leading us and placed these different obstacles in our way so that we would meet these 'lost sheep'. Currently the young man is no longer in Juapong and his family has gone back to Togo (I'll have to double check, but i believe they said they would leave in a weeks time)
This week has been very good. We are also seeing a lot of progress in a few individuals that we are teaching near the Chapel. A man named Matthew who was formerly a heavy drunk is making leaps and bounds of progress. As he says he is 'Forcing himself to stop'. The biggest difference I've seen in him is that 'Light' has returned to his eyes. He looks and acts happier.
I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve and I pray that we will all listen to the 'Still Small Voice" that guides us and protects us. Let us be worthy to receive these promptings from the Spirit. I love you all and wish you a wonderful week.
Elder Green
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| Picture from Atimpoku, overlooking the Volta River |
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| At the docks on our way to Akwamufie (The Royal City of the Akwamu Kingdom) |
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| First arrival at Akwamufie |
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| Kings Palace in Akwamufie. We had the chance to tour but my camera ran out of memory and I couldn't take any pics :( |
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| Myself and Gattion Attah. This is the boy who approached me at the factory protest and let us to meet the other members of the Church |
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| Woman preparing Grass Cutter at our favorite chop bar in Jupong. Grass Cutter is a delicacy among the Ghanian Diet |
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