August, like much of July, has been the culmination of almost a years planning and implementing of young single adult multistake activities and young men/young women FSY's (For Strength of Youth) programs throughout the entire Africa West Area. After this week, there will have been eleven multistake activities involving approximately 7,650 young single adults and and four FSY's involving about 2,400 young men/young women. This year we and Elder and Sis. Petersen, the other missionary couple, have been quite heavily engaged in helping with the organization of these activities. However, next year the Africans are expected to basically handle them on their own. As Elder Dube told us at the beginning of our mission, "I want you to work yourself out of a job!" Thus, our emphasis has been on training the leaders in principles on how to run the programs themselves and not doing it for them. As we have worked with the wonderful people here, we have found them to be qualified, capable, and ready to take over. The Area Presidency did not replace the other missionary couple when they left in July, and their hope is NOT to replace us when we leave.
We spent the first week in August with the YM/YW at a FSY conference. The conference was held a senior high boarding school in the "mountains" about l l/2 hours north of Accra. The weather was beautiful but the youth thought it was very, very cold and many wore jackets.
A young man attending a workshop held outside on the grass. The book the young man is holding says, "Holy Bible".
Listening to the youth choir
Missionary activity where the youth divided into companionships and organized and taught a lesson from "Preach My Gospel".
Scriptures were chosen and banners were painted depicting the theme of the scripture. Cheers were also created to go with the theme and name of the group.
The kitchen staff cooked especially good food for the leaders and specifically for Elder Call and I. When they learned we liked potatoes, they made them special for us every evening meal. The last night they mashed them with butter.
The clean up crew was particularly efficient.
The last day, meeting together and wearing their FSY shirts.
Elder Call with some young men from the FSY conference
Saturday, August 16th was Africa Day. That day all in Africa were supposed to clean up or fix up. Each ward was to pick some service project to do. The bishop of the ward we attended the week before, planned to have his ward go to a special needs school called the New Horizon School. So we all put on our "Helping Hands" vests and went to work. The men worked on the grounds outside while the women scrubbed and cleaned the inside of the school.
The photo is of Sister Martins, a senior missionary from Nigeria. Her assignment is to work in the Accra Temple five days/week. She was sick for a few days several weeks ago and I tried to encourage her to stay "home" and rest, but she would have nothing to do with it. She said, "I was called to work in the Temple and that is what I'm going to do."
All dressed and ready to go to work at the New Horizon School. The senior missionary couple on the left had just been evacuated from Liberia.
There is a market down town called the Makola Market. It is a large area with hundreds of shops. There was absolutely no kind of planning when the market began because there is no rhyme or reason to the streets. For that cause, and also for the fact that the locals will charge abruni's (white people) double the price, one needs to go Makola Market with a Ghanaian.
Bernice, is a member of the Church and also owns a local shop called "Bags by Bernice". She often goes to Makola Market to buy fabric for her shop and she agreed to "guide" a group of us sister missionaries through the streets of the Market. I went basically for the experience, but of course, ended up purchasing a few things. Elder Call thinks I have tried to adopt the attitude I had when we lived in Israel, i.e. try and bless as many shop keepers as possible.
Sister Kirkham, Sister Cannon, Sister Wilde and Sister Call shopping at Makola Market.
August ended with a trip to Cape Coast to do some training. While eating at the hotel restaurant, the junior missionaries came in. They said they were looking for a place on the beach to have their zone conference. Since we knew they didn't have money to buy dinner at such an expensive hotel, we offered to pay for their dinner. I also wanted to take their picture so I could send a photo to their Moms' to let them know their sons were eating well. Also, having had missionaries myself, I know how exciting it is to get e-mails about your missionaries. When I told them I wanted to e-mail their Moms, they asked if I would send them and e-mail also; which I did.
I received an e-mail back from Elder Moleme from South Africa. I wanted to end the blog with the message he wrote to us.
"Elder and Sister Call, I am nearing my end and am still active in my Lord's harvest...He's coming soon and I am well aware that 'the laborer is worthy of his hire'...allow me to share a few thoughts on the matter:
And after this manner do I bear record: The eye has never seen nor has the ear heard...I have seen miracles. I have been a witness to this marvelous work and a wonder. No tongue can speak, neither can the heart of any man conceive...I have seen the hearts of people change, I have felt the power of the Priesthood of our God...I have beheld God moving in His majesty.
Mission is an unspeakable joy...I know that my Redeemer lives, I KNOW! God is good...always."
Yours,
Yours,
Elder Moleme
