Spiritually Edified

Hello!

Well, I am on way earlier then usual due to my companion wanting to email early in the morning. Yes I did pull the "it will be 2 am in America and will probably not have an email from them" card but did not help. We do have some things to accomplish before our transfer day tomorrow so emailing early might be okay.  I will be emailing early like this for awhile so writing an email Sunday night would be good :) (Especially mom and pops over there so I can hear from them)

This past week was really good but looking back was a little long. Elder Tugume and I killed it on hours and lessons. I love the feeling knowing I did what I could instead of being sad knowing I did nothing. On Tuesday it was Sister Smart's birthday (Liberian) and Elder Tugume and I saw she was a little down the week prior. So the idea came to buy her a cake so we talked to Sister Annan who makes good cakes and set it up. Sister Smart and all the Sisters were really happy and excited. #browniepointsforthezoneleaders

Wednesday I finally remembered to send off my Mom's Christmas present so that was good. My favorite lesson on Wednesday was with a guy we are teaching named Emmanuel. May have mentioned him in the past but he is from Nigeria and is here in Ghana playing football (soccer) while being a tailor for extra work. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and out of the many times I have taught the Plan of Salvation on my mission, this time was my favorite. Emmanuel loved when we discussed about Adam/Eve and the Fall. Thursday, Elder Garry, the Assistant, came to be with us on exchange. We originally planned to have it on Friday but that was the trainer meeting day so he came a day earlier. Thursday was a solid day of lessons and contacting. To top it all off, Elder Garry had promised us weeks prior that he would buy us ice cream and Elder Tugumes favorite thing is Ice cream. So he would not let Elder Garry forget. We stopped at a fueling station (driving 30 minutes to get Elder Ameyaw who was with the other zone leaders) went in and Elder Garry bought a big container of ice cream and mini Oreos. The three of us took that container down in 10 minutes. There are nice things in Ghana food wise but really really expensive. 

Selfie - Ghana Style

Thursday evening Elder Hughes, Woyesa, and Rothlisberger came from Tarkwa to stay the night to travel to Cape coast for the training meeting on Friday. Friday morning we left the apartment by 8 am to take them to the station. From there Elder Tugume and I started to proselyte by 9. We met with a lady name Theresa whom the past missionaries and we have taught on and off. She has not come to church yet. When we met with her on Friday we opened the floor for her to ask us questions and my did she have quite a few. The misconceptions people hear and believe about our church is disappointing.... if you have questions go to church and see for yourself. The Tarkwa missionaries came back late so they could not travel back to their areas. Last minute decided all of us to head to the Atlantic hotel for dinner (fancy fancy). On Saturday we had the baptism for Frieda!!!! After the baptism we were invited to a wedding at the stake center for a member. Frieda invited our district (10 missionaries) to come to her room for lunch. At 5pm we went to a baptism for the Tanokrom sisters. After that headed to the Atlantic again with some members of the zone. 

Frieda and her sister Charolette

Sunday was really really awesome. Best testimony meeting I have been in on my mission. Talk about being spiritually edified. After that had a meeting with our ward mission leader and a investigator (Praise) and her date, Stanley. That meeting went south real quick. After we went with our ward mission leader to visit Frieda and had a nice talk. After went to Grace and her husband Francis house to eat dinner. Rice ball, groundnut soup, fish, and cow stomach... yummy. 

The birds that check me out while I am working out in the morning

Lunch at the Atlantic

FOLLOWING THOUGHT TAKEN FROM PRESIDENT STEVENSON EMAIL TO THE MISSIONARIES TODAY:

"As the final part of the creation of the Earth, Adam and Eve, our first parents, were placed in the Garden of Eden. They had been spirit children of Heavenly Father just like us. God commanded Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the Earth. He also commanded them that they should not eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God gave Adam and Eve their agency to choose. They could choose to stay in the Garden of Eden, but because of their innocent condition, would not have children. Or, they could choose to partake of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and be cast out of the garden and become subject to physical and spiritual death and pain, but also the joy of children and family." (2 NE 2: 22-25)

"Satan did not understand the mind of God and tempted Adam and Eve to partake of the fruit. His motive was to bring death and pain into the world. However, by partaking of the fruit, Adam and Eve made it possible for each of us to come to the Earth and fulfill God’s great Plan of Salvation. Their choice was a blessing to each of us. We reverence Adam and Eve for being willing to make that choice."  Love you all,   Elder Johnson