January 2014 in Ghana

Cape Coast shore line 

We ended 2013 in Ghana with a second visit to Cape Coast to do some training.  Cape Coast is an area in Ghana which is, as its name implies, on the coast.  It is a beautiful area and we love going there.  It was the first capital city of Ghana before the capital city was moved to Accra.  The main industry, as you may guess, is fishing.  The fishermen row out in the early morning in boats they have made themselves.  They stay out on the ocean all day, taking no food or water and return in the late afternoon dragging their nets full of fish.  It is hard work and their muscles show it.  You will notice a representation of an American flag on one of the homes.  Ghanaians generally like Americans and especially now since we have a black president.  There are about as many pictures of Obama here as there are in the States.

A bay along the coast line of Cape Coast

 Elder Call next to some smaller fish that have been laid out on a rack to dry.

 

There are some resorts along the beach where you can go swimming.  We have not taken that opportunity...yet.  About as far as we have ventured into the ocean is up to our calves.



When we arrived in Ghana we decided we wanted to do some missionary work.  Since we only live around members of the Church, the only association we have with non-members is when we go shopping.  While we were shopping one day we met a young man named George Cudjoe, who was the manager of a shop with African artifacts.  He was reading the Bible and we asked if he would like another book to read about Christ.  He said he would, and thus we gave him a Book of Mormon.  We came back to visit him a few times and each time he had read more of the Book of Mormon.  After a few visits, we referred him to the missionaries who began teaching him the lessons.  In January he came to church for the first time.  He is scheduled to get baptized February 22, 2014 by "his Dad" Elder Call.

 This is a picture of Sister Call and George on his first day attending church. 

 

There was one sad thing that happened in January.  Our office initially was on the 1st floor and we had really learned to love the people we worked with on that floor.  One day the Director of Temporal Affairs came to our office and asked if we would move to the 3rd floor.  He said it had a "real" window. (Our office only had a window which I had drawn on the whiteboard.)  Well...what does one say to the DTA?  We said a sad "goodbye" to our friends on the 1st floor and moved upstairs.  However, besides a real window there is one more positive aspect of the move; more exercise, since I am reluctant to ride the elevator because of the frequent power outages.

     Kofi Bolley, in charge of  cars, and Elder Call

Awo Otchere in the translation department

Daniel, over purchasing and Bishop Ghartey, over distribution 

 

The new office with a real window

 

 

As mentioned before, we live in the ancillary building on the grounds with the Temple and a stake center.  There is a Ghanaian brother, Bro. Baidoo, who is in charge of taking care of the building.  He has three wonderful children.  Sometimes they sit at the front desk to help him out and Elder Call and I have made good friends with the two youngest, one is a boy and one a girl.  As we visited with them, we learned they both wanted to serve missions.  They submitted their papers at different times, but got their calls to serve in the same mission and to enter the MTC here in Ghana on the same day.  There names are Phildellia and Kobbie.  When they went through the temple to receive their endowments, they asked if we would go with them.  It was an honor to be with them.  Afterwards we took them out to lunch. They both left for the MTC  Feb. 7, 2014 to serve in the Nigeria, Enugu Mission.  We will miss them.



Eating lunch with Kobbie, Phildellia and Ernest - our Ghanaian "son".

 

The most exciting thing that happened in Ghana in January was that we had a visit from an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Elder Bednar and his wife and also Elder Clayton and his wife came to West Africa.  They visited other countries in Africa, but in West Africa they visited Ghana, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.  It was exciting times around here.  They arrived Sunday night, January 26, 2014 in Ghana.  There was a meeting that was open to anyone who wanted to attend on Tuesday night at the stake center here by the temple.  The stake center was packed.  People were standing on the sides and in the back.  There were also many that were unable to get in the building at all and just stood outside.  It was estimated that around 2,000 people were in attendance.  Then on Thursday morning there was a meeting with Elder Bednar for all missionaries - including senior missionaries. 

 

 

 Probably one of the most exciting things for us sister senior missionaries was that Sister Bednar and Sister Clayton spent about an hour with us on Monday morning.  Every Monday morning we meet as senior sister missionaries for a scripture study.  Since Sister Bednar and Sister Clayton were here, the Area President's wife, Sister Curtis, invited them to our scripture study.  I was actually scheduled to give the lesson on Matthew chapter 4...however..I willingly gave up my time to be able to hear from Sister Bednar and Sister Clayton.  The Bednars have stayed in our home a couple of times when we lived in Boise so it was so good to see Susan Bednar again and visit with her.  She is such a humble and kind person.  Since Matthew chapter 4 speaks of the calling of Christ's apostles, Sister Curtis asked Sister Bednar to share the experience when her husband was called as an apostle and the feelings she had.  It was such a sweet and tender meeting; we all shed a few tears.    

 

That probably is the synopsis for January.  I know I didn't say much about our training which is really what we spend most of our time doing.  We go to the stakes/districts in Ghana to do training for "Come, Follow Me" and train leaders and youth in the stake young single adult programs.  In addition we help coordinating councils organize multistake activities.   Then...there is our Institute class...what a joy it is for us to teach the wonderful young adults here.  I suppose the sweetest compliment we received was from a young man here who said, "Sister Call, you and Elder Call make the young single adults smile".  What more can we ask for. :) We have also begun traveling outside of Ghana, but we didn't begin that until February - so keep posted for February's Blog.   

 

Our mission is more wonderful than we ever could have dreamed it would be.  We love the work, we love this Church and we love the Lord!