Hey family!! Mom, Dad and Colby, I
sure miss you guys a ton!! I think of you all every single day and always
pray for you. I can’t believe school is starting up again. This time last
year I was preparing to leave and now in just about a year I will be preparing
to come home. It truly has taught me how fast time flies and how you just
have to enjoy every single day and take life day by day. It sounded like
you all had a great week. The ride to Jack Pot is such a beautiful ride.
I can’t wait to do that again. I think the next day after I get
home we are just going to get in the jeep, get some dews, some weiners...fufu
and go to the hills haha. This Ebola thing has died down a little bit, I
told everyone that the end of last month would determine how it would go.
There are actually bill boards here that say stop Ebola so that is good
they are really keeping the public aware. I am safe and doing well.
Everything is just about normal.
So I have to take it day by day as I
write an email because if not I have realized that it’s all sketchy and doesn't have flow. Tuesday was a weird day. We had a great District Council
meeting, the spirit was really strong. Well we were going to go to this restaurant
called Zoo Zoo's and get a cheeseburger and then it started to rain. Well
we stayed at the church and played table tennis for a couple hours which has
been keeping us really busy haha, and then it died up so went there. Well
we got our cheeseburger and it started to rain again and it rained all day.
As we were leaving the restaurant though there is a big hill and there
was a lot of cars that had stalled and people were pushing them up this hill
really close to our Chapel. So we all started pushing cars up this hill it was
a lot of fun. Well in Ghana you can drive however you like it seems haha
so at the top of the hill at this traffic light it was really congested and
everyone was trying to go, it was bad. Well we were pushing a car and I
got a little riled up haha and decided to start directing traffic. Well I
walked out there, insulted a couple people, got some others laughing and then
literally directed traffic at this intersection. It was so dang funny, I
would tell them to stop, they would stop, tell others to go, they would go.
People were recording me on the streets so don’t be surprised if this
ends up on youtube...a white boy/missionary, directing traffic in Africa haha
Jensen recorded it but the file is corrupt. Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday were normal days. We contacted some really sweet people though
that I am excited to teach. We contacted a very wealthy woman who had
just given birth and is at home. She is so kind her name is B.
She invited us in and we really just clicked. We introduced the
Restoration and really got her thinking about her family and other things.
We planted a very deep seed and as we were leaving she wanted us to come
back the next day and asked us to write down the quotations we used in the
Bible. As well we have a recent convert who wants her sister to be
baptized. So we taught her this week and she came to church as well.
Her name is M and she loves the church. She is going to be
baptized on the 20th my one year mark. We as well got some referrals from
a member in London and we taught their whole family. They seem to love
the message but they didn't come to church, I was sad for them but we will
still work with them.
The highlight of my week though had
to have been Saturday. A, T, and Al all were baptized and
then confirmed the following day. They looked so dang Beautiful in the baptismal
clothing and in the water. The members did a great job and we had a great
turn out. All the girls were just shining with the spirit. It was
such a rewarding experience. I had the opportunity to Baptize A she
was just glowing, she looked so pretty. When we finished the baptisms
A told me "wow that was nice" It made me really happy then when I
talked to T she said I just feel relieved and no stress. I was so
happy for them. It was like a double bonus as well, because their father
is less active and he came to watch them get baptized, his first time in the
church for 20 years. He was actually a seminary teacher and a young men
president. Well our second counselor was actually taught by him, and a
person he was baptized with was there as well so they just reminisced about old
times and it was really good for Brother S. As well we asked him to
bear his testimony for his daughter and he gave such a great testimony on how
he knows the church is true and to not be like him but to not worry because he
will come back soon. It was a very special day. After that we got
transfer news and my companion Elder Luvhengo is going to my birthplace...Oda.
He is super excited and I will be getting Elder Bangi from Uganda.
I am excited to serve with Bangi we will do work in this area.
Everything is great family. I
am doing really well. I am happy and moving forward small small every
single day. I love your letters and emails thank you so much for sending them.
I always love hand written letters too;) wink wink nod nod haha:)
Truly though I am so thankful for my family, I have been blessed with such
great parents, and a little brother. I love you three so much and can’t
wait to see you again. I am so thankful for my family; Heavenly Father
has really blessed us!!
I love you guys so much!!
Elder Duke
