November 2013 in Ghana

Another amazing month has flown by in Accra, Ghana.  So much has happened and in many ways it feels like we have been here for much longer than three months.

To begin with, we have an additional assignment in West Africa.  Elder Dube, from the Area Presidency, asked how we could take the "Come, Follow Me" training to the whole Africa West Area.  We recommended that since the other missionary couple was already traveling to other countries in West Africa to do training with young single adults, that we split the area and train in both the YSA and the YM/YW  "Come, Follow Me" programs.  Elder Call and I had already been doing both trainings in Ghana, so we knew it was possible.  Elder Dube consulted with the other members of the Area Presidency, we visited with the other missionary couple and the Africa West Area is now split between the two couples.  This means that we will not only be traveling throughout Ghana, but we will also be going to Sierra Leone and Nigeria.  Since Nigeria is not a safe place for "white" people to visit at this time, we will have to be picked up at the airport and escorted to our hotel.  We were told by the other missionary couple who have been going to Nigeria, that while we are there, we can not even go out and buy food; the Nigerian saints have to buy it and bring it to us.  I now more clearly understand why prayers are offered in temples throughout the world for the safety of  the missionaries.    I think we are going to need those prayers.  However, it also makes me realize the importance of the message on the trainings that we bring.  The brethren are concerned with ALL the youth of the Church. Inspired programs have been put into place, but there are areas where internet access is limited.  Thus, missionary couples are needed to train in these programs.  In fact, when Bro. Gibbons came to Ghana from Salt Lake he said, "There are three reasons why the Church was able to lower the missionary age for young men; they are 'Duty to God', 'For The Strength of Youth' and 'Come, Follow Me'".  Thus, Elder Call and I feel privileged to carry the training we have been doing even further than we had been before. 

Besides our training, we continue to have amazing experiences in Ghana.  The following picture is the son and family of the "Joseph Smith of Ghana" whose name was Billy Johnson.  Billy Johnson is the Ghanaian who was given a copy of the Book of Mormon from a friend, was converted by reading the book and then waited 14 years for the missionaries from the Church to come to Ghana.  He said that before the Mormon missionaries came he had many other people of other religions trying to get him to join their church.  They told him that our church would never accept blacks because they were not allowed to have the  priesthood.  However, Billy Johnson, though discouragaed at times, never waivered.  In fact, he tells how Joseph Smith himself came to him in a vision and told him to be patient, help would come.  Then in June of 1978, Spencer W. Kimball received the revelation that all worthy male members could receive the priesthood and shortly thereafter, missionaries were sent to Ghana.  The first person to be baptized was the friend, Dr. Mensah, who gave Billy Johnson the Book of Mormon to read, and then Billy Johnson was the second person in the whole country of Ghana to receive the ordinance of baptism.   The son in the picture, whose wife and children are also in the picture, is named Brigham Young Johnson.  He looks much like his father and was just a small boy when his father was baptized.  His father passed away about 1 year ago; I would have loved to have met him. 

This beautiful couple is Doris and Larry Kitson-Mills.  Doris joined the Church about 1 1/2 years ago.  After she joined, she met and fell in love with Larry.  They got married civily first because a temple marriage is not recognized in Ghana, so now they wanted to be sealed in the temple.  Elder Call and I had gotten to know Larry as we worked together on the multistake activity for the Accra West Area.  One day after negotiating a facility to hold our activity, Larry said, "Would you two be the witnesses at our sealing".  We said, "Of course, we would love to!"  Larry's parents live several hours away, so it would be difficult for them to come and Doris is the only member of the church in her family.  One day, after "work", we picked them up, since they don't have a car and came to the temple where they were sealed.  It was such a sweet experience.  Doris just glowed, she could not stop smiling.  After the sealing and as we were walking down the hall to the dressing room, she raised her fists in the air and quietly, but enthusiastically said, "Yes"!  After the sealing we took them out to dinner at an Italian restaurant and then drove them to their home.   We had a lovely conversation and a great time.  During the course of the evening Doris said, "This is like a second marriage, and the second one is better than the first." 

 

I felt I wanted to share a couple of cultural things in Ghana.  The first picture is not exactly cultural, but just a typical picture of the markets in Ghana.  In front of many homes on the streets in Ghana are shops of some sort.  The white table in the background is used to display their wares.  However, as you  notice, there is nothing there currently.  The significance of this picture is that the shops are closed--it's the Sabbath Day.  The States could learn alot from the faithful people in Ghana. 

 

There are two small videos I wanted to include.  The Ghanaian people are famous for their hand painted beads.  We went to a "bead factory", where everything is done by hand.  Old bottles are collected, the glass is broken into small pieces, melted in small wood burning ovens and then poured into clay molds and formed into beads.  The beads are then hand painted and sold to customers throughout the world. 

 

 

 



 The second video shows the making of ancient and ceremonial shirts for men of Ghana.  These shirts used to be only worn for special occasions but now you see them more often.  (Watch in the video for a shot of Elder Call).  Sometimes they will embroider African symbols on the shirts.  Elder Call bought one with the symbol of the omniscience of God on the back.  We sometimes hear how someone has your back--Elder Call commented that his shirt represents that "God has his back".

 

 

 

Besides our training, one of the most enjoyable things we have been able to do is share the Gospel with some of the wonderful people we have met in Ghana, mostly as we have been shopping.  One of these people is a young man by the name of George Cudjoe.  He is the manager of a shop here that sells Ghanaian handicrafts.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and would drop back to his shop to see how he was doing.  Each time we went, he had read in the Book of Mormon and had questions for us.  After a few weeks, we decided it was time for the missionaries to take over.  George was very receptive to their message and has accepted to be baptized in January.  There is still much the missionaries need to teach him and George needs to come to church for at least 3 times.  He wants to come, but he has to open the shop on Sunday.  If the owner is there, he can leave, but if not, he can't.  We are praying that he will get to come to church soon.  I feel like the Spirit definitely did the converting, we played such a small part.  He has been looking for a church, but has not been baptized yet.  When the missionaries asked him if he wanted to be baptized I worried what George would say.  But he said, "I have been thinking about that, and yes, I want to be baptized". 

 Elder Coleman, Elder Call, and Elder Johnson--the missionaries teaching George Cudjoe.

 

With the holidays upon us, it's not quite the same as being "home".  However, I don't want you to think that we are suffering by any means.  For Thanksgiving we got together with the other missionaries and had a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner with ALL the trimmings.  The turkey cost quite a bit to purchase here in Ghana, and sweet potatoes were a challenge to find, but we had it all.  I found some canned pumpkin and had also been able to purchase some shortening, which is very difficult to find here.  So I volunteered to make two pumpkin pies.  Fortunately, there was even some left over that Elder Call and I took home and rationed out for several meals. 

For a Christmas Devotional, we had a lovely program with talks and congregational and choir singing.  Then afterwards we had a lovely dinner.  It was the first time, to my knowledge, that I have eaten goat meat and it wasn't too bad. 

 



 Since we will not be blogging until after Christmas, we will take this time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  We joy in the opportunity to serve Him on a full-time basis whose birth we celebrate at this time of year.  Serving a mission has exceded any expectations we have had.  As I listened to the all African choir singing the songs of Christmas with such enthusiasm and zeal, I had the thought, "You are going to miss this when you leave Ghana".  We are grateful to be able to serve in Ghana, but more importantly we are grateful for the knowledge we share of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Christ indeed was born in a stable long ago and died that we might live.  To this we testify!!

MERRY CHIRSTMAS

 

Love,

Elder and Sister Call