April 2015 in Ghana

Another month zoomed by in Africa and we are now counting our departure time in weeks instead of months.  I am beginning to understand why Ammon and the sons of Mosiah served a 14 year mission.  It is hard to leave those you have grown to love.  However, we do have an incentive for returning home that those Book of Mormon missionaries did not have... amazing, wonderful, and talented children AND grand children.

Speaking of the Book of Mormon, I thought I would include a picture of one of the best signs we have seen on a car's back window. It is a common practice here in Ghana to post a sign on your back car window. This particular car was in the parking lot on the temple grounds.  We saw it one day and have never seen it again, but decided the sign was a definite favorite of ours.
Easter in Ghana is a pretty big holiday.  Most people have work off the Friday before Easter Sunday and also the Monday after Easter.  The Monday following Easter is called "Picnic Monday", sooo, we decided we would do just that.  However, not wanting to celebrate alone, we invited Rebecca and Matthew to go with us to Boti Falls.  It was about a 2 /12 hour drive north of Accra.

There was a reason we chose the particular couple we did for the picnic. They had gotten engaged to be married, but due to various "challenges", including the bride price, were delaying making a decision for the date of the wedding.  We wanted to have some time together to encourage them to "take that leap of faith" and commit to a marriage date.  We are happy to report...it worked! :) They will be getting married in the Accra, Ghana Temple the day before we leave to go home i.e., on Saturday, June 20, 2015.






We ate our lunch to some African music and while we ate we noticed a young boy "dancing" to the music.  I suggested to Rebecca and Matthew that they go dance.  Matthew declined, but Rebecca got Elder Call to join her and then Elder Call was able to get the young boy to join them.  I was fortunate to get the whole thing on video.  Enjoy!

We walked the short distance to the Falls,waded in the water, and just enjoyed our visit there.

We didn't feel any of our grandchildren would ever be able to visit us in Ghana.  But in April, it just so happened that we got a visit from Flat Rebekah Pickering.  Many are probably aware of the book "Flat Stanley" where an accident occurs and the boy Stanley is smashed so flat that he can fit into an envelope and travel to many places around the world.  In keeping with the story in the book, our grand daughter, Rebekah, made a replica of herself and sent it to Ghana for some "adventures".  We spent a Saturday showing Flat Rebekah around Accra and thought you all may enjoy some of the places we were able to visit.

The city of Accra is not far from the Atlantic Ocean, so we took Flat Rebekah for a visit.  Except for fishermen, most Ghanaians do not know how to swim.  However, the day we visited was very hot and there were some children playing in the ocean waves.

We buy most of our produce at an outside market.  We felt Flat Rebekah would enjoy seeing the many, delicious fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Ghana.

Funerals are a big all day "celebration" in Ghana.  Formerly, caskets were carved to represent the occupation of the deceased.  There is a museum in Accra where some old coffins and other artifacts are on display. Since we couldn't take pictures inside the museum, we took one of Rebekah at the entrance. We had a great day with Rebekah and then put her in an envelope and sent her back to Kansas.


Though our mission may seem more "play" than "work", it really is not the case. Besides the regular training for YM/YW, YSA and Literacy, every Sunday Elder Call and I continue to visit different wards/branches to train and teach "on site".  Since beginning the Literacy training, during the first hour of the three hour block, I attend the Literacy Class and Elder Call goes to the youth Sunday School Class. Then the second hour I attend the Young Women's Class and he attends the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum.

 This is a picture of a Literacy Class I visited who had no teacher. I said, "OK, I will be the teacher".  There was a Gospel Principles book on the table, I picked it up, turned to a picture of Adam and Eve, and began teaching a lesson about Adam and Eve using the Gospel Literacy techniques.  I feel it actually went pretty well.  I often wonder if the skills I am learning in Adult Literacy will be helpful in the future.

An Aaronic Priesthood Quorum visited by Elder Call.  The Bishop is in the back and center of the picture.  Elder Call taught the lesson that day on the order of the Aaronic Priesthood.  The Bishop who had been in the church for 6 years said he learned more about the Priesthood in the 1/2 hour with Elder Call, than he had learned in the previous 6 years.

In April we also went on an "outing" with Ernest, Sarah, and baby Anson.  Ernest had mentioned to us that one day he would like to "take us" to his ancestral home, so one weekend in April we took about a 2 hour drive to the city of Lartey.  Ernest's Grandfather was the Presbyterian Minister in the area so we visited the site of the church.

After visiting a few other sites and meeting relatives and other people who knew Ernest's grandfather, who we learned was a powerful preacher, we drove to a hotel for a late lunch and swim. 

Now, we are sure you must be convinced our mission is more play than work.  To try and convince you otherwise, we need to relate that we also traveled to Nigeria for two weekends in April to do training for both FSY's that will occur in Benin City.  

For this FSY training we divided into two different groups.  Elder Call took all those involved with logistics and I took all those involved with teaching the young men/young women.  The main objective of an FSY is "to provide a climate of personal revelation where the youth and young single adult leaders can be strengthened in their efforts to come unto Christ."  As I pondered on what and how to help the counselors achieve that goal, I felt inspired to come up with something I call "The High Five".  I took the teaching principles used in the Literacy and "Come, Follow Me" training and came up with 5 principles of teaching. They are Read, Explain, Discuss, Share and Act, or the acronym "REDSA".  I have the counselors/teachers write one of the 5 letters on a finger of their hand.  Then I explain it, model it, and then have them practice it.  

A picture taken while I was helping the Young Single Adults practice REDSA to one another.  

After explaining REDSA, I tell them there is one last principle to ensure there will be a "climate of revelation".  I hold up my hand and ask them what letter the thumb and pointer finger represent. They easily identify it as the letter "L".  I then inform them that the final principle of teaching to ensure the Spirit will be present is Love. 

A Young Single Adult explaining the principles of REDSA.

Elder Call and I both felt the training in Nigeria went well, but it was not without its challenges.  The airlines here are extremely unreliable.  The first trip we spent a total of 20 hours in airport terminals.  We think we hold the record,  The next closest is Elder Vinson with a total of 18 hours.

I plan for the airport delays so I generally sit down with a good book.  However, Elder Call often wanders around visiting with whomever he finds to talk to.  This picture was taken at the Lagos airport by another senior missionary that we just  happened to be traveling with. When he sent it he entitled it, "Where's Waldo?"  If you have trouble locating the "pink head and white shirt",  look to the center left of the picture.

April also brought an "old" Olympus High School friend to Ghana.  Elder David F. Evans, the Executive Director of the Missionary Department, came for a visit to Ghana and brought with him my high school friend, Mary Shephard Evans.  Mary had e-mailed beforehand to inform me she was coming. Then, the morning they arrived we received an e-mail from the Area Executive office informing us there was going to be a change in the Africa West Area Presidency.  We were sad when we learned that Elder Dube, who we work with, had received a different assignment and would be moving to Salt Lake.  However, our sorrow was short lived when we read that David F. Evans was going to take his place!!  Our only sadness now is that we leave Ghana shortly before the Evans arrive.  

The gratitude we feel for having the privilege of serving a mission in Ghana is difficult to express. We love the Lord and we know He placed us here in Ghana, for which we will ever be grateful.  As Brother Edwuzie, who was the 4th person baptized in Ghana, always says, "Everything works out perfectly because the Church is true."  We add our testimony to his...The Church indeed Is True!