Hey family! We are able to email today "by His
grace" as we say in Ghana. I sure love this place and will have a
hard time leaving it. It sounded like you all had a great week. Cami is
so dang funny, reading dad's email and mom's email this week made me laugh and
really miss her. It was good to get a good laugh though. I can’t
believe the weather is changing already, it seems too early. I am
grateful that you all had great weeks, that you are all happy and safe and
doing well.
This week was a great week for Elder Nyampong and me. We really had a great week and really felt the hand of the Lord as we went throughout the day. The Asuom branch is really struggling, to be honest it is on the verge of collapsing, we are trying our best and coming up with ideas from the Lord on how to change it but the members aren't willing to put in their parts to change it and it is really affecting us all. Pray for this branch oooooo. We have been working with a couple people who are really progressing. We have a man whose name is S. He is such a great man that I will never forget. He is so determined to change his life and has so much faith in Jesus Christ. He knows that this gospel is his only way to have true happiness. It’s funny though because he speaks Ghanaian pigeon English so when I try to speak to him we have a good laugh because I can only hear the pigeon but to speak it dea is not easy haha. Also we have an older women whose name is E. She has been coming to church and is such a sweet lady. She doesn’t speak a lick of English so my companion does all the teaching and I just laugh and draw pictures as he teaches on a small white board we have. We invited her to pray to know if the church was true and the following lesson she told us that she as she was praying saw Joseph Smith when he saw the light and knew it was an answer to her prayer. Well we went there Sunday and she told us that her friend had told her that the church was not true. My companion did a great job by saying who are you going to listen to God or your friend? She responded with of course God and then she came to church so it was sweet. We have a few other people that we are working with that are being very stubborn and aren't being honest with us. I tell you what though this Church is so dang true. You know I was just discussing with my companion the culture in Ghana and the mindset with members with the topic of going on mission. Here in Ghana and I think it is safe to say in West Africa, the culture in the Church is if you are a man worthy of age to serve a mission basically you have to go. Their mentality is if you don’t serve you bring dishonor upon your families head and upon your own head. You know I don’t know if this right because it may force people to go when they don’t want to but I also agree with it because not only does that aspect of their mentality make sense I think we miss out on so many blessings into our lives and miss out on such a wonderful learning experience that you can only learn on a mission. A mission is so important, it truly is a university of life, it teaches you so much about the gospel of Jesus Christ and truly helps you develop a sure foundation that will carry you the rest of your life. I was once participating in a family home evening in Kaneshie with members and with a group of young single adults. We were celebrating the departure of a leaving sister missionary. It was so cool to be in this single room with so many wonderful people strong in the faith. Well as we were closing they asked each of us in attendance to give the future sister missionary some words of advice. Well it went through about 9 of us then it was the turn of a young 9 year old girl. She said 5 simple words that changed my life. She said "go and come with honor." I thought of such a powerful statement by such a young girl that is the mentality that each of us should have. I think this is what God and Jesus said to us as we left their presence to gain a body and be tested I imagine God saying "Taylor Go and Come with honor my son." I will forever live my life so when I stand before that Judgement seat of God he will say "well done thou good and faithful servant." My family the church is true, prepare yourself in whatever way imaginable to magnify our callings, go on a mission or do what you know the Lord expects of you at this time. I love you all very much and miss you like crazy!! I will see you in 4 months!!!:)
Elder Carson
This week was a great week for Elder Nyampong and me. We really had a great week and really felt the hand of the Lord as we went throughout the day. The Asuom branch is really struggling, to be honest it is on the verge of collapsing, we are trying our best and coming up with ideas from the Lord on how to change it but the members aren't willing to put in their parts to change it and it is really affecting us all. Pray for this branch oooooo. We have been working with a couple people who are really progressing. We have a man whose name is S. He is such a great man that I will never forget. He is so determined to change his life and has so much faith in Jesus Christ. He knows that this gospel is his only way to have true happiness. It’s funny though because he speaks Ghanaian pigeon English so when I try to speak to him we have a good laugh because I can only hear the pigeon but to speak it dea is not easy haha. Also we have an older women whose name is E. She has been coming to church and is such a sweet lady. She doesn’t speak a lick of English so my companion does all the teaching and I just laugh and draw pictures as he teaches on a small white board we have. We invited her to pray to know if the church was true and the following lesson she told us that she as she was praying saw Joseph Smith when he saw the light and knew it was an answer to her prayer. Well we went there Sunday and she told us that her friend had told her that the church was not true. My companion did a great job by saying who are you going to listen to God or your friend? She responded with of course God and then she came to church so it was sweet. We have a few other people that we are working with that are being very stubborn and aren't being honest with us. I tell you what though this Church is so dang true. You know I was just discussing with my companion the culture in Ghana and the mindset with members with the topic of going on mission. Here in Ghana and I think it is safe to say in West Africa, the culture in the Church is if you are a man worthy of age to serve a mission basically you have to go. Their mentality is if you don’t serve you bring dishonor upon your families head and upon your own head. You know I don’t know if this right because it may force people to go when they don’t want to but I also agree with it because not only does that aspect of their mentality make sense I think we miss out on so many blessings into our lives and miss out on such a wonderful learning experience that you can only learn on a mission. A mission is so important, it truly is a university of life, it teaches you so much about the gospel of Jesus Christ and truly helps you develop a sure foundation that will carry you the rest of your life. I was once participating in a family home evening in Kaneshie with members and with a group of young single adults. We were celebrating the departure of a leaving sister missionary. It was so cool to be in this single room with so many wonderful people strong in the faith. Well as we were closing they asked each of us in attendance to give the future sister missionary some words of advice. Well it went through about 9 of us then it was the turn of a young 9 year old girl. She said 5 simple words that changed my life. She said "go and come with honor." I thought of such a powerful statement by such a young girl that is the mentality that each of us should have. I think this is what God and Jesus said to us as we left their presence to gain a body and be tested I imagine God saying "Taylor Go and Come with honor my son." I will forever live my life so when I stand before that Judgement seat of God he will say "well done thou good and faithful servant." My family the church is true, prepare yourself in whatever way imaginable to magnify our callings, go on a mission or do what you know the Lord expects of you at this time. I love you all very much and miss you like crazy!! I will see you in 4 months!!!:)
Elder Carson
