The airports here are pretty strict about taking your temperature several times before you board the airplane and again when you leave the airport. It appears the United States should have been a bit more careful themselves. I suppose with the outbreak of Ebola in Dallas, Texas there will be temperature checks throughout the States as well. Our only concern is that the "world" will assume that all of West Africa poses an Ebola threat when that is simply not true.
The first week of September began with a trip to Cape Coast with Ernest and Sarah Gyampoh, our "adopted" Ghanaian children. We learned that Ernest had never been to any of the slave castles, thus we decided they both needed an "African/Church History Tour". We wanted to go before Sarah got too big with child, she is due in January, so we felt September would be perfect. We had a great two days.
Swimming at the hotel
It was only the second time Sarah had been swimming in her entire life. The first time was when she was dating Ernest. Except for fishermen, most Ghanaians do not learn to swim. In fact, they are afraid of the water, mostly due to cultural traditions.
On the balcony of the hotel
They have a crocodile pond at the hotel. When we first looked over the fence into the pond, we thought the crocodiles were fake because they were so completely still. However, as we watched there were a couple who moved and we realized they were all very much alive. They feed them chickens, but we did not stay for feeding time.
Our beautiful African lily...Sarah. We learned shortly after our trip that the baby Sarah is carrying will be a boy. As a "gift" to us, they asked Elder Call to name their first boy and me to name their first girl. The name I chose was "Ada Vilate", after my great grandmother Ada Lowe and my great, great grandfather's first wife Vilate Kimball who opened her heart to so many other wives that Heber C. Kimball was commanded to marry. One of those wives being my great, great grandmother Mary Smithies. Sarah and I were hoping for an "Ada", but it was not to be. It appears we will have another Anson in the family for the name Elder Call chose was "Anson Terry". He chose it after his great, great grandfather Anson Call and his grandmother's maiden name Ruby Terry, and of course, his first given name.
Cannons used to protect the Cape Coast Slave Castle
We also went to this "monkey farm" where a couple from Holland moved to Ghana 11 years earlier. Dennis and his wife Antoinette rescue baby wildlife and raise them until they can return them to the jungle. The local natives bring the animals to them. Most times the locals will kill the mother for food and bring the baby/babies to Dennis and Antoinette to raise. The couple pay the locals for their "trouble". If they refuse to pay, the natives kill the babies. Thus, they pay to get the babies and they pay to feed them. To help defray the cost, they created a small zoo where they keep the animals until they are adults and charge a minimal entrance fee. However, they are not able to release the monkeys for after they have been "domesticated" they are unable to survive in the jungle. If you look closely you can see a monkey on the left hand side of the picture. They keep the monkeys on long chains so they can jump around on neighboring trees. Lest you think our trip was all play and no "work" I need to relate an incident that happened. As Elder Call checked out of the hotel, the young woman at the desk pointed at his name tag and said, "I want to join your church". A young man who was also working at the desk said, "I want to join your church too". Elder Call asked them why they were interested in our church. They told him they had heard good things about our church and they liked the way we worshiped. Elder Call took down their contact information and the two missionaries, who we included in the last blog (Elder Judy and Elder Molene), are currently teaching them. There are no coincidences when you are engaged in the Lord's work!!
As further evidence that we don't just play around, the senior missionary couple, the Stokers who serve in Public Affairs, wrote up an article on the FSY's (For Strength of Youth) activities that were held this year in West Africa. The article was in the September 17, 2014 edition of the Church News. For those who missed it you can go to:
https://www.lds.org/church/news/thousands-of-africas-youth-gather-in-first-fsy-conferences?lang=eng
The previous senior missionary couple, the Petersens, spearheaded these particular FSY's. However, they went home before they took place, so we did the follow-up work. Furthermore, we will be the missionary couple spearheading these FSY's in 2015 and have already begun the training. There will be a total of 5 FSY's in West Africa next year, one in Accra West and four in Nigeria.
One of the reasons we are relieved the Ebola virus has been contained in Nigeria, is the necessity we have of traveling there to do training for their upcoming FSY's. One of those trainings took place in September. We flew into Benin City, Nigeria; a city whose population we were informed was 2 or 3 million.
Classrooms at Helena's Secondary Girls School in Nigeria
As part of our training for FSY's, we try and visit the facilities that the local leaders are considering holding the event. Thus, after training at a chapel in Benin, we got into a van and drove 2 hours north/west to this all girl's secondary school. It was pretty typical of schools here in West Africa, only a little worse. I was grateful the Area 70's wife, Sister Akinbo also came along, for when we saw the absence of bathroom facilities, we both gave a "thumbs down". Sister Akinbo emphatically said to her husband, "My girls are not staying here".
However, while at the school I learned a very interesting local tradition. According to their custom, whenever a young person meets an older person, they fall to their knees. I learned of this custom first hand for as we approached these young women they all dropped to their knees. When I asked what they were doing, I was told they were showing respect for us as their elders. I was also informed that the boys, according to custom, prostrate themselves on the ground when they meet an elderly person. I was rather glad it was an all girl's school. Having someone fall to their knees as you approach is uncomfortable enough without having them prostrate themselves on the ground. The reeds in the hand of the girl on the left, is a typical broom found in West Africa. They sweep bending over, thus the girls were cleaning when we met them.
Towards, the end of the month we learned that a "Dave Watson" was coming over to Nigeria and Ghana to do some training in creating and using the Church website. Our curiosity was immediately piqued for we knew of a Dave Watson who worked for the Church and was Dad's 2nd Counselor when he was the bishop of the Crescent 14th Ward in Sandy, Utah. Sure enough, it was the same Dave Watson! We invited him over for dinner and spent some time reminiscing and "catching up" on the status of our families. (I took a picture but for some reason it did not download on my computer).
One of the "sad" things that we are beginning to experience is the return of other senior missionaries to their homes. This will particularly affect us more and more because we signed up for a 23 month mission and most senior missionaries only serve for 18 months. One of these dear couples that are leaving soon are Elder and Sister Assard. Sister Assard is German and married a man from Cote d'Ivoire, which speak French. She was introduced to the church by her sister and readily joined. However, it was before all worthy males could hold the priesthood and when she learned her husband could not participate fully in all the ordinances she embarrasingly tells how she became less active. Then in 1978 her sister called her with the news of the blacks receiving the priesthood. Sister Assard felt she better get back to church because the church was going on with out her. She did return and her husband joined shortly thereafter. Elder Assard became a great leader in Cote d'Ivoire being the first stake president and then a patriarch. The Assards were called to a temple mission in Ghana. Sister Assard knew German and French but could speak very little English, but she went to work to learn. The Sister senior missionaries have scripture study every Monday morning for an hour. We take turns teaching the class. I often sit by Sister Assard because we both like to sit close to the front. One day during scripture study she turned to me and said, "My mouth can not say what my heart is speaking". I will miss her sweet spirit. 
This last picture is of a senior missionary, Elder Parke. He and his wife were called as missionaries to work in the temple. They both speak French, so they are very useful when we get patrons who come from the neighboring French speaking countries of Togo, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). They were visiting a ward when it was split and a new branch was created. Everything happened as usual except they noticed the new branch president had no use of his legs and walked on his hands. Elder Parke wondered how that branch president was going to be able to conduct the church meetings. As an engineer he pondered on a solution to the problem. With the Lord's help, he came up with an idea to build some steps with a movable pad. The branch president could climb up the steps, push over the pad, and then sit on the pad to conduct meetings. When the branch president was finished, the pad could be pushed back so others could stand at the pulpit. He presented the idea to the stake president and the special stand was built to sit next to the podium.
Shortly after it was finished, we attended one of the meetings in that branch. We were amazed at the agility and ease with which the branch president slipped off his chair and climbed up to the pulpit. It was another testimony to me that God is ever aware of His children. Not only is He aware of His children, but He will provide a way for them to accomplish the thing He has asked them to do. We just need to "go" and "do".
