Good Girls…Good Boys…

Last Sunday, we went to two churches, and I did not see one elder! I saw four sisters at Bortianor and four sisters at a Tesano ward. These are all really good sisters, and they set a high standard in our mission. Later in the week, we saw a group of departing missionaries who were all elders. 

Tough Girls:  There are not a lot of Sisters and there are fewer from the USA.  The first USA sisters came in also 16 months ago and really raised the bar for the other sister missionaries (so I am told) and I can believe it from when Sister Bertha went on exchanges with them. And from our interactions with them at the office and Zone conferences.  They are amazing and tough young women doing the Lord’s work.  Sandy and I shouldn’t have favorites, but some really great young women remind us of our daughters who seemed to be just as hearty on their missions.

“Make them sprint!”

-when the Elders have to run to keep up with the sisters…

“I am so much grateful for _____”

-often heard on Sunday

Getting there:  The National Elections were on Saturday.  So on Sunday morning, it appeared that one candidate (out of 12) got well over 50% and there were people literally dancing in the streets on Sunday as we were driving to church.  We were also delayed by an impromptu parade going down the main road in the direction we were headed.  The pick-up at the front of the parade had a person with an “election official” vest still on…which raises questions.  It was fun to see all the people out waving flags and showing the hope of a new leader.  Go Ghana!

Bortianor Ward:  Once you get off the main road, it is a dirt road to the church. I think the church was an old house being rented for the church - that’s the way most Branches start; renting some random building until there are enough people to justify building a building.  The main room had a two-story opening and the acoustics were funky.  It never gets old to hear the Ghanaian sing loud and proud.  I like singing here more…it just doesn’t matter.

Baptism in Tesano:  The same Sunday, we saw President Jacobsen baptize the husband of one of the former sister missionaries from the Ghana Accra West Mission.  She loves her mission president and asked him to baptize her husband.  Nice guy, but spoke French so not a long conversation for me.  Many Africans really do not like the water and it takes more faith than you would think to get baptized.  I am sure he was happy to make the commitment to God, but he did not like the water and going under.  We often do things we don’t like that are good for us.  I hate shots (needles), but I get them as needed.  I gladly take my anti-malaria medicine here.

4 more Girls:  The Ward/Church we visited used to be in the West Mission and is now part of the East Mission.  The president and his wife said that it was a big hit losing that area.  The Sisters were all from Utah and Idaho and were solid!  One was originally from Ghana, taken in by a Utah family, and spoke with a slight Utah accent.  We have a few Ghanaians who were raised elsewhere who come here on a mission. One of our sisters is a Ghanadian (from Canada)

Good bye and Good luck:  We have been here long enough to care about who goes home…we are losing 7 good missionaries this week - a Magnificent 7.  Chapman - A rancher from Michigan will be going back to the ranch.  I will remember him for how hard he worked at transfers moving luggage.  Peaceful faith.  Hard worker.  Authentic.  His first flight was coming to Ghana, his second is going home.  Elder Musyoki from Kenya was the blackest of black and a special friend to Sister Bertha.  When asked who he will miss the most?  He said Sister Bertha - She is making a dent in their lives.  Elder Pausal from the Philippines had the longest trip back.  He has a 6-hour bus ride after getting to the Philippines.  He was a great trainer and a zone leader.  Philippine people (Racial profiling here!) are the happiest people!  Elder Loubanzi from the Republic of Congo (the Other Congo) always had a confident smile.  I always thought he was a band member of the Blues Brothers, but that’s just me. Elder Kamara from Liberia was only a convert for a year when he left on a mission after being Muslim all his life.  When he first got here and they said they were going to pray, he dropped to his knees and threw up his hands much to the surprise of the other missionaries.  He grew a ton and was solid.  Elder Kanga was AP when we got here and had a huge smile all the time and translated for the French speakers as needed.  He will be a leader in Cote d’Ivoire. 

Special Comp:  Elder Mengesha from Ethiopia is a favorite for me because he was my companion for a while as I was training to be a financial secretary.  I really liked him and we laughed a lot and he was patient and answered my questions.  When I got here and we worked together, he did not want to be transferred away – he thought I needed more time, but the President was right to move him back into the field to be a missionary and to let me sink or swim on my own.  At some point, usually sooner than you want, you need to just do it on your own and figure it out.  He was helpful for the first weeks when we came to Accra.  I always love seeing him at zone conferences and he will be missed.

New Missionaries arrive:  Always good to see how much they grow after a few transfers, but I saw some trepidation and tentativeness in this group.  I translate all my presentations into French (DRC & Cote d’Ivoire), Portuguese (Mozambique), and Tongan (not this transfer).   Getting used to it and I like talking at the desk with the missionaries as they add up the cost of their travel.  Round trip the apartment might go as high as 4 or 5 dollars…have to think in Ghanaian money and not do the conversion.

Favorites:  Are the girls/sisters my favorites, yes, and for good reason.  They come on a mission without the expectation of going.  They choose to come.  Guys choose, but there is also an expectation for all able-body young men to serve.  I really respect the marine and the guy here from the Naval Academy.  After serving the Lord, they will continue to serve their country. 

Young women who choose to go when they could do other things have strong faith and I really do have favorites because both my daughters served missions and when I help our sisters here I think I am repaying a karma-tic debit from some senior missionary that was nice to my daughters.  I am also excited about the coming of my daughter Mo for Christmas.  Grateful for all the women around me that I love.  My Mom and the Moms of my grands and for my sons for picking strong women of faith.

Reminders:  When we were reviewing the mission work, one of the successful ways we are getting people to come to church is to remind them that they said they will come.  We are helping them to make and keep commitments.  I have to do the same thing with the Area Finance, sometimes people forget and need the reminder.  Some kids have mothers that give them reminders and here, I am getting really good at giving reminders to people that need to approve checks for me.  I am empathetic when I realize they cover a lot of ground in auditing and managing ALL of Western Africa.  But, my business at my mission really is my priority.

“…being bold, but not too overbearing; don’t miss opportunities to share your testimony.”

-Sister D.

“…they came to us when they were ready…”

-Dabanyin Elders had 7 baptisms, Mateara and Erikson

“…the Gospel brought such a light into their little home…”

-Sister D and Bibomba about a family baptized

“What are you learning from the Book of Mormon this week?”

-Sister J asks this all the time…

What I learned this week:  the Book of Mormon is focused on the Gospel for Jesus Christ.  Before Jesus came, there were prophesies that were used to teach us what was going to happen (Old Testament and first part of the Book of Mormon), and then He came and he taught us the higher laws - what he taught in Israel and when he visited the Americas.  I am in Second Nephi again and there is a lot of Isaiah (same as the Old Testament). Those are words that need to be read over and over and the nuggets come out, little by little…I keep digging for the nuggets.  If you keep in the scriptures, you will learn…dig dig dig…

“…take heed, and be quiet: fear not, neither be faint-hearted…” 

2 Nephi 17:4

Go the Extra Mile:  Saturday, election day.  I went for a walk.  Then some random person was walking next to me and she had a lot of bags.  I asked if I could carry one.  When I got to my turn, I asked if she was going to the Tro station a couple blocks away.  I adjusted my route to carry her bag a little farther.  What would Jesus teach?  Go a little more, share the gospel along the way.  She then took my number by taking a picture of the back of my phone.  She got home to Tema and called the wrong number and got President and told him thank you for carrying the bag…”hey, did you carry a pink bag for someone?”…Funny day.

Favorite quote of the week:

“Now the answer to the question – How do you tell if it’s the Holy Ghost or just me?  Answer, quit worrying about it, quit fussing, quit stewing, quit analyzing, quit worrying about it.  Press forward with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ: be a good boy - be a good girl - and honor your covenants, keep your commandments and I promise you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that your steps will be guided as you open your mouth it will be filled; you will be in the right place at the right time and in the most instances you’ll have no idea why or how you got there, so quit worrying about it…it mattereth not… The Lord is going to get you where you need to do any action, start, move your feet…”

-Elder Bednar to Missionaries

Looking forward to Christmas.  It’s hot and humid - 32 Celsius/90 Fahrenheit.  When missionaries come into the office, they say it’s too cold.  Enjoy the season; be kind to someone.

Elder Bertha