This is honestly going to be a very short email #Officeprobs
Last week was pretty good. Nothing terrible happened, which is always pretty good :) Tuesday was our office day so that means check the supply email, get the orders down on our document, go to Cape Coast, use a lot of money to buy the supplies, go to the post office and see the incoming Dear John letters to missionaries and the oversized packages that mom's send :) Mom, I love them! When we get a package to pay the customs duty on, we call the missionary and let them know. One missionary got 2 from his mom this past week. I know this missionary very well and I told him, "Elder ____ you got a 2 packages today from your mom." His reply was, "Again?" I could not help but laugh at the tone of voice he used.
On Wednesday we had our zone conferences with President Stevenson and the Assistants, one of the reasons I was excited was free food, but the instruction given was very helpful! President Stevenson talked about weekly planning which helps me a lot because I struggle with it. What does not help is 3 hours weekly planning + 1 hour personal study+ 1 hour companionship study. Zone conferences are always good :)
Thursday was our weekly planning day! I was sitting at my desk from 8 am- 2 pm, but the planning session was a lot more productive and in depth after President helped clear it up a bit. We had 1 lesson the rest of the day with a man named Francis, whom is a shoemaker in the village. His wife and younger son, Phillip, are recent converts. We taught him about the Book of Mormon!!! It was a very good lesson. I really like teaching him because he actively participates.
Friday, office day again. I still dislike driving on the road with these crazy drivers. There are a lot of one way roads in Cape Coast and most of the time they are driving the opposite direction. Cars are parked in the worst places on the side of the road (very narrow btw). I WILL SURVIVE :P
Saturday was a very good day because we have 2 new investigators!! Derek and Micheal, one of whom was a referral from a recent convert. We had a short lesson with them but we will be going back Wednesday to continue the lesson :) We also met with Francis again and taught him the Plan of Salvation. His friend Kojo was present again at this lesson (had him a couple weeks ago). Hopefully he will come visit this Sunday #fingerscrossed.
Sunday, very nice church meeting again. I slept for an hour then went out for the rest of the day. We saw less actives mostly, which we have found more!!! One of them is 17, John Aggrey. He stopped coming to church and we have no idea why. The father talked to us and he was actually very sad. Although not a member, he wants him to go to church.
All in all missionary work is really hard, but I love it :)
"Whatever the coast of repentance, it is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness" -- D. Todd Christofferson
-- Elder Johnson
Elder and Kids
Monday, May 30, 2016
Monday, May 23, 2016
Busy & Exhausted
As I am starting to write my e-mail it's a struggle every week to think of how to start the first sentence. I want to write something really awesome so people will read my emails :P Now is the time that I should regret not really listening in English class so my emails would be a little more interesting.
1) The ward had 200 or so members and 100 of them are less active. So we have to find those less actives, which is difficult because addresses do not exist here and calling does no good. During the week we were going on a wild goose chase for less actives we felt to find. The process went this way - go to a member, member would say this other member knows where they stay, member #2 would say I know them but do not know their place, but member #3 will know, go to member #3 and they escort us to the less active. We were able to find 4 less actives this week!
2) Know all the members and where they live (again no addresses so quite hard).
3) REFERRALS REFERRALS REFERRALS
-- Elder Johnson
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| Elder Harward and I at stake conference yesterday. |
Anyway, the work in the Nkanfoa ward/ Office is moving forward! This was a hard week though. My last area was very productive with so many people that were progressing towards baptism, but members were not being very helpful (most of the ward were converts of not many years so I can understand... kinda...). In Nkanfoa there is no one to teach and really only 1 or 2 people that can help very little. So, things are quite difficult at this moment. It is like a rerun of the area I was trained in - walking around all day trying so hard to find people.
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| Our apartment entrance |
Elder Harward and I put together a battle plan to help strengthen the ward.
1) The ward had 200 or so members and 100 of them are less active. So we have to find those less actives, which is difficult because addresses do not exist here and calling does no good. During the week we were going on a wild goose chase for less actives we felt to find. The process went this way - go to a member, member would say this other member knows where they stay, member #2 would say I know them but do not know their place, but member #3 will know, go to member #3 and they escort us to the less active. We were able to find 4 less actives this week!
2) Know all the members and where they live (again no addresses so quite hard).
3) REFERRALS REFERRALS REFERRALS
Tuesday is for office duties. It consists of driving into Cape Coast, going to the post office to get the missionaries mail and buying supplies. When we got back to the mission home I told Elder Reyes, Elder Jager, and Elder Griffin how much I do not like driving in Ghana. It is just a free for all on the road.. Now I know why Elder Harward wants me to drive. It's nerve wracking.
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| Our apartment |
Wednesday was the first annual less active member goose chase. Quite tiring but well worth it.
Thursday Elder Harward went to Takoradi to get his ID card renewed with others that came in his group. I spent the day on exchanges in the office. It was nice because there were plenty of things to do. Lets just say the supply office side needs a little help with organization and other stuff. I spent the day checking the orders from the apartment leaders and then packing the stuff they ordered.
Friday in the office.. AGAIN. It's only supposed to really be on Tuesday and Friday unless something happens. Elder Harward and I have been thinking of way's to make the supply office more efficient. One idea that came to pass is an order list for us to go buy things. This way we will not have too much of anything and it will save money that we are given.
Thursday Elder Harward went to Takoradi to get his ID card renewed with others that came in his group. I spent the day on exchanges in the office. It was nice because there were plenty of things to do. Lets just say the supply office side needs a little help with organization and other stuff. I spent the day checking the orders from the apartment leaders and then packing the stuff they ordered.
Friday in the office.. AGAIN. It's only supposed to really be on Tuesday and Friday unless something happens. Elder Harward and I have been thinking of way's to make the supply office more efficient. One idea that came to pass is an order list for us to go buy things. This way we will not have too much of anything and it will save money that we are given.
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| The list that I made (4 pages long of things we supply) (Ps thank you chickfila) |
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| Our kitchen |
Saturday we spent at stake conference! It was a wonderful session because President Stevenson and Sister Stevenson along with Elder Stanfill (a seventy that is now an Africa west area counselor) are awesome speakers. We spent the evening in our area.
Sunday back to the stake center! Cape Coast stake was split and now there is a Yamoransa stake. I spent 1 week in Cape Coast stake and they kick me out... darn.
All in all it was a good week. The office and the Nkanfoa area keep my companion and I very busy and very exhausted :) Though we had a total of one whole lesson all week... :/
Sunday back to the stake center! Cape Coast stake was split and now there is a Yamoransa stake. I spent 1 week in Cape Coast stake and they kick me out... darn.
All in all it was a good week. The office and the Nkanfoa area keep my companion and I very busy and very exhausted :) Though we had a total of one whole lesson all week... :/
-- Elder Johnson
Monday, May 16, 2016
Nkanfoa
Hello all!!!
For the first time on my mission I have fast internet connection because we use the computers in the office, and do not have to pay money to use the computers #WINNING
Elder Harward and I will be working really hard to find more people to teach. The area is kind of dead right now due to some reasons that will not be made known... but the area has a lot of potential and I am excited to be apart of the work in Nkonfoa. Side note... the chapel is not a normal chapel, it's a small concrete 2 story building. We will be going to the Bishop's house tonight to talk with him on how we can build the ward even more.
The kind of cool story of the week: Elder Harward thankfully has a list (I love list's) of the ward members with the less actives marked. There are PLENTY of less actives in the ward so we will be working with them for sure. One less active is Brother Hanson, whom is a old pioneer of the church here in Ghana. Late last year he was fired from a job that had to do with the church, and he took it the wrong way. He has not been to church since that time because he is angry with those that fired him. Since Wednesday we have gone by his house (wood shack.. but house) and leave pamphlets in his door. On Saturday he rode up to me and the ward mission leader (Elder Harward was on the phone) and got soooo mad at me saying "the pamphlets are for investigators and I am not an investigator, I am a High Priest and I have plenty of books!"....along with other rude things. He just rode away without letting me speak. Since my companion and I fear no man we went back to his house yesterday after church so we could give him a pamphlet that the church just sent out. This time he was outside. I started speaking and he ignored me like we were not there. That went on for sometime and then, while Elder Harward was talking, he looked up and got SUPER angry with us. He told us the same things like the day before. What really hurt my companion and I is when he said he wants to go to hell, not the celestial kingdom and it's not our problem. More things were said, but it really just blew my mind on how an endowed member can just turn like that.
I am alive. Breathing. Getting fat. The usual.
PS.. I get to drive for the first time today in 10 months.. wish me luck!
Love you all,
Elder Johnson
For the first time on my mission I have fast internet connection because we use the computers in the office, and do not have to pay money to use the computers #WINNING
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| Patriarch.. He wrote Spencer W. Kimball and pretty much brought the church to Ghana. |
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| I was the only one from the Fosu squad leaving... -_- |
So my new area is flippin sweet! The name of the area is Nkanfoa. My #5 companion is Elder Harward from West valley, Utah. Too many people from Utah in this mission and only 3 from Colorado -_- Elder Harward came the month before me to Ghana. That makes 3 of my companions being from his MTC group #WHATAWOW #KUMKUMBAGYA. He has been in this area since January so we may only serve together for 6 weeks but we are praying that we will serve together longer because we clicked really well from the start.
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| My companion (Elder Harward) and I looking good |
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| Some of my old investigators.. not old as in age but old as in my last area |
Cape Coast is a lot bigger and busier then Assin Fosu, which is a shock to the system for me. Thankfully we are 10 minutes outside of Cape Coast and only drive into Cape Coast on Tuesday and Friday to buy supplies and get the mail. BTW when I came to this area I thought that I would be in the office everyday then go and teach at nights buuutttttt that is the Office and Financial Secretaries (Elder Reyes/Jager, Elder Griffin). Elder Harward and I go out everyday except Tuesday and Friday so we can fill supply orders and get these Dear John letters out to them missionaries!
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| The mission office |
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| More old investigators.. not old as in age but old as in my last area |
Elder Harward and I will be working really hard to find more people to teach. The area is kind of dead right now due to some reasons that will not be made known... but the area has a lot of potential and I am excited to be apart of the work in Nkonfoa. Side note... the chapel is not a normal chapel, it's a small concrete 2 story building. We will be going to the Bishop's house tonight to talk with him on how we can build the ward even more.
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| Elder Harward worked so hard he fell asleep on the floor... |
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| Brother Ofori (2nd counselor on the left... Brother Kelley on the right (2nd counselor) sadly the Bishop had work things so he could not be at church |
The kind of cool story of the week: Elder Harward thankfully has a list (I love list's) of the ward members with the less actives marked. There are PLENTY of less actives in the ward so we will be working with them for sure. One less active is Brother Hanson, whom is a old pioneer of the church here in Ghana. Late last year he was fired from a job that had to do with the church, and he took it the wrong way. He has not been to church since that time because he is angry with those that fired him. Since Wednesday we have gone by his house (wood shack.. but house) and leave pamphlets in his door. On Saturday he rode up to me and the ward mission leader (Elder Harward was on the phone) and got soooo mad at me saying "the pamphlets are for investigators and I am not an investigator, I am a High Priest and I have plenty of books!"....along with other rude things. He just rode away without letting me speak. Since my companion and I fear no man we went back to his house yesterday after church so we could give him a pamphlet that the church just sent out. This time he was outside. I started speaking and he ignored me like we were not there. That went on for sometime and then, while Elder Harward was talking, he looked up and got SUPER angry with us. He told us the same things like the day before. What really hurt my companion and I is when he said he wants to go to hell, not the celestial kingdom and it's not our problem. More things were said, but it really just blew my mind on how an endowed member can just turn like that.
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| A bamboo tree |
I am alive. Breathing. Getting fat. The usual.
PS.. I get to drive for the first time today in 10 months.. wish me luck!
Love you all,
Elder Johnson
Monday, May 9, 2016
Impressions
Yes, Elder Johnson will be leaving Assin Fosu and heading to the mission office. I did not know how I felt about it when I got the news, but now I am excited to go. To be honest, the main reason is because we get to drive a car. Hopefully driving is like riding a bike...
Honestly I do not remember anything that happened last week. After being out for this long I would have thought my memory would be better.
THURSDAY: Elder Rothlisberger and I went on an exchange together while my companion went with Elder Havea. We had a great day together.
The grossest part was the naked homeless lady.
The funniest part was Elder R got gum on his bum in two places after sitting on a chair. We went to a lady's shop that we call mom (she gives us water when we pass by and some suckers) and got the gum off. Shortly after we visited 2 potential investigators that gave us mangos. The way they eat it here is biting the top off and squeezing the juice. Elder R got exploded mango juice on his white shirt so we went back to the apartment to change his shirt.
The best part was teaching the Restoration to a older lady named Georgina. She has been coming to church for sometime now. On our visit a week before we only got part way through when Elder Maumau and I stopped from an impression we had at the same time. So, when Elder R and I went on Thursday we retaught it with our Elders Quorum President that lives in the same compound. It was the best flowing and spiritual lesson I have been in for a long time.
FRIDAY: Zone service project out in the bush!!!! We got up nice and early to travel to Elder Plumb and Manyayi's area to take part in a project. The project was cutting bamboo, making a fence with it, and planting corn (old fashioned way like in the restoration video lol). My comp and I were in charge of cutting bamboo and carrying it on our shoulders 10 minutes to the land. Bamboo is really long and heavy...
SATURDAY: Had some really good lessons!!! In the evening we gathered as a zone to eat dinner and receive transfer news.
Honestly I do not remember anything that happened last week. After being out for this long I would have thought my memory would be better.
THURSDAY: Elder Rothlisberger and I went on an exchange together while my companion went with Elder Havea. We had a great day together.
The grossest part was the naked homeless lady.
The funniest part was Elder R got gum on his bum in two places after sitting on a chair. We went to a lady's shop that we call mom (she gives us water when we pass by and some suckers) and got the gum off. Shortly after we visited 2 potential investigators that gave us mangos. The way they eat it here is biting the top off and squeezing the juice. Elder R got exploded mango juice on his white shirt so we went back to the apartment to change his shirt.
The best part was teaching the Restoration to a older lady named Georgina. She has been coming to church for sometime now. On our visit a week before we only got part way through when Elder Maumau and I stopped from an impression we had at the same time. So, when Elder R and I went on Thursday we retaught it with our Elders Quorum President that lives in the same compound. It was the best flowing and spiritual lesson I have been in for a long time.
FRIDAY: Zone service project out in the bush!!!! We got up nice and early to travel to Elder Plumb and Manyayi's area to take part in a project. The project was cutting bamboo, making a fence with it, and planting corn (old fashioned way like in the restoration video lol). My comp and I were in charge of cutting bamboo and carrying it on our shoulders 10 minutes to the land. Bamboo is really long and heavy...
SATURDAY: Had some really good lessons!!! In the evening we gathered as a zone to eat dinner and receive transfer news.
SUNDAY: Had to say goodbye to the members in the ward :( Was invited up to bear my testimony to the ward, which I love to do. After church we had a great lesson with Georgina. This time we watched the Restoration at Brother Egyir's house. The spirit was for sure there!!! The Restoration video is a great resource here. The best part..... SKYPE'D MY FAMILY :) :)
MONDAY: Washing my clothes and starting to pack. For dinner I drank 3 Cokes and a Fanta... my excuse is a celebration for my last pday in Fosu :P
I love you all and hope all is well in America. Ghana rules. Mission rules. And am very excited to embark on the office experience!
Elder Johnson
MONDAY: Washing my clothes and starting to pack. For dinner I drank 3 Cokes and a Fanta... my excuse is a celebration for my last pday in Fosu :P
I love you all and hope all is well in America. Ghana rules. Mission rules. And am very excited to embark on the office experience!
Elder Johnson
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
But I Enjoy Doing the Lord's Work Anyway!
What up AMERICA!!!!
May 3rd... school is almost out and summer is around the corner. But for myself the work is still going on!!!!
MONDAY: The usual washing by hand, french toast making, emailing day!!
TUESDAY: We had our weekly district meeting at 10:30. Our district leader, Elder Havea, asked me to give the instruction for the meeting. I had a great time preparing for what needed to be talked about. The answer I got was our gospel conversations on the street!! In this mission we keep track of how many gospel conversations we have. I got many compliments, so I think I did pretty good. It was probably the candy I bought to give when questions were answered :) The rest of the day nothing happened. No lessons :(
WEDNESDAY: We had 3 lessons throughout the day. My favorite part was that our salon lady friends made us some Kokonte!!! We saw our recent convert Samuel with his brother who returned from his mission in South Africa some months ago. We read in the Book of Mormon to help that desire grow to read it on his own. The main lesson was about the Plan of Salvation. Elder Maumau and I asked the question of "Where did we come from, why are we here, and where are we going?". Then asking the question we turned to the scriptures. (Alma 13:1-4... Alma 34:31-35... Alma 42:2-10... Moroni 10:34.)
THURSDAY: Was a total bust. We had our weekly planning feeling great and then the rain started to pour down. Little to say we were in the apartment all day. Luckily we had food to survive ;). What made it worse was the electricity was off from Wednesday 11pm to Friday 3pm.
FRIDAY: We received and invite and permission from the zone leaders to go out to the bush with Elder Plumb and Elder Manyayi to go and farm. Elder Maumau and I left at 6am to travel the 20 minutes to go there. It was a great day!!! We farmed for coco (used to make chocolate, sadly I cant bring coco home since it is illegal) and weeded the plot of land. I cut my hand with the cutlass but its ok, I have more chest hair from that happening. Got home around 6pm, got some dinner and took showers because we were stinky!!!
SATURDAY: There were 2 big funerals for members in our stake so we had no help. Plus other funerals around so no one is ever home on Saturday. Luckily one of our recent converts, Lawrencia, was at home and we helped here prepare some food for HOURS. We left to go teach one lesson in the afternoon, then went back to the compound to chop.
SUNDAY: Church at 11:30- 2:30. Went back to the apartment to drop our stuff and out we went!! I t was a decision to see 7 people who did not come to church. Less actives, investigators, and recent converts. Most were not around, did not want to give us time, or drunk -_-. But I enjoy doing the Lords work anyway!!
Yesterday was a holiday. It's called May Day. No one goes to work or school... too many weird holidays. Everything was closed so we could not email or anything yesterday. But we were informed on Sunday of an activity happening in a few wards - a health walk and then food and games at the chapel. Walk started at 6am then went back to the church, small snacks, then played volleyball for quite some time. In the afternoon some missionaries came together and we watched a couple films. The RM and singles ward. Honestly, do not think that was approved.. made us all talk about how great it will be to be married hahaha. One day!!!
Im giving them... HEAVEN
-- Elder Johnson
May 3rd... school is almost out and summer is around the corner. But for myself the work is still going on!!!!
MONDAY: The usual washing by hand, french toast making, emailing day!!
TUESDAY: We had our weekly district meeting at 10:30. Our district leader, Elder Havea, asked me to give the instruction for the meeting. I had a great time preparing for what needed to be talked about. The answer I got was our gospel conversations on the street!! In this mission we keep track of how many gospel conversations we have. I got many compliments, so I think I did pretty good. It was probably the candy I bought to give when questions were answered :) The rest of the day nothing happened. No lessons :(
WEDNESDAY: We had 3 lessons throughout the day. My favorite part was that our salon lady friends made us some Kokonte!!! We saw our recent convert Samuel with his brother who returned from his mission in South Africa some months ago. We read in the Book of Mormon to help that desire grow to read it on his own. The main lesson was about the Plan of Salvation. Elder Maumau and I asked the question of "Where did we come from, why are we here, and where are we going?". Then asking the question we turned to the scriptures. (Alma 13:1-4... Alma 34:31-35... Alma 42:2-10... Moroni 10:34.)
THURSDAY: Was a total bust. We had our weekly planning feeling great and then the rain started to pour down. Little to say we were in the apartment all day. Luckily we had food to survive ;). What made it worse was the electricity was off from Wednesday 11pm to Friday 3pm.
FRIDAY: We received and invite and permission from the zone leaders to go out to the bush with Elder Plumb and Elder Manyayi to go and farm. Elder Maumau and I left at 6am to travel the 20 minutes to go there. It was a great day!!! We farmed for coco (used to make chocolate, sadly I cant bring coco home since it is illegal) and weeded the plot of land. I cut my hand with the cutlass but its ok, I have more chest hair from that happening. Got home around 6pm, got some dinner and took showers because we were stinky!!!
SATURDAY: There were 2 big funerals for members in our stake so we had no help. Plus other funerals around so no one is ever home on Saturday. Luckily one of our recent converts, Lawrencia, was at home and we helped here prepare some food for HOURS. We left to go teach one lesson in the afternoon, then went back to the compound to chop.
SUNDAY: Church at 11:30- 2:30. Went back to the apartment to drop our stuff and out we went!! I t was a decision to see 7 people who did not come to church. Less actives, investigators, and recent converts. Most were not around, did not want to give us time, or drunk -_-. But I enjoy doing the Lords work anyway!!
Yesterday was a holiday. It's called May Day. No one goes to work or school... too many weird holidays. Everything was closed so we could not email or anything yesterday. But we were informed on Sunday of an activity happening in a few wards - a health walk and then food and games at the chapel. Walk started at 6am then went back to the church, small snacks, then played volleyball for quite some time. In the afternoon some missionaries came together and we watched a couple films. The RM and singles ward. Honestly, do not think that was approved.. made us all talk about how great it will be to be married hahaha. One day!!!
Im giving them... HEAVEN
-- Elder Johnson
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