This Week Was Pretty Killer!

Man! So this week was pretty killer! Got a lot of news.

For the basic stuff, we had four baptisms this week. AA, BH,  RG, and EY. All great people!  And I am so excited to see them progress in the church and in their lives. It's something so powerful to watch! 

So for the big news this week, I have been assigned as a trainer! Holy cow, I'm jsut getting done with my own training, it's something crazy and I am hoping to be up to the cause. I'll be going to Accra tomorrow to pick him up. Sounds like it should be a productive and growing week.

To the week:(forgive me, not a lot to talk about this week, mostly routine work).

Tuesday

We went to District council, and got Elder Ojaide's hair cut, and then we went around preparing the 4 people four baptism, asking them the questions and collecting their information for the forms. 

Wednesday 
I went on exchanges in SCity with Elder Smith, and totally had a fantastic day. We went out preaching the word all over the place, and a member came with us for a chunk of the day. It also helped me realize if I'm not working, I'm starting to feel a little antsy. I just need to be out there!

Thursday
Stayed SCity again and went to Accra for trainer's council, and spent pretty much the whole day there.

Friday, We held our baptismal service and went to teach a couple of lessons with the relief society president, and then came to the chapel to prepare a presentation.

Saturday
We went to KCity for a meeting after a lesson, and then ate at the Royal Senchi buffet, and spent a good chunk of our sub! Good day.

Sunday
We had a couple of meetings after church, and set our monthly goals and things and so forth. We'll be shooting for 2 baptisms this month.

Monday
We pretty much cleaned in preparation for the new missionary and inspections.

For a spiritual thought this week,  I was thinking about the assignment as a trainer and feeling a little intimidated, when I remembered the story about the early bishop who heard a voice that said, "The strength is in me". And when I was reading in Alma 13 about foreordination, it dawned on me that this was no circumstantial situation, or assignment. Even from the foundation of the world, my calling was made secure and given as a potential to be fulfilled, if that makes sense. Everything in the service in the church is something so powerful, in the sense that God has been preparing us for the situations we are in for the longest time.

Elder Harris

A New Favorite Scripture, Acts 6:8

Forgive me please... This week I have taken no pictures... I have sinned. I will try harder to take pictures this coming week!  This week was really simple though, so the email might not be as long. 

Also, I think I have found a new favorite scripture. Acts 6:8, "8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people." Truly a divine scripture that I think even applies to my life today.

I have been making a greater effort to learn the local languages this week compared to other weeks. I have learned some basic phrases in Ewe and fewer in Twi, and the people here are always so excited when they see the Ubruni (white man) trying to speak the language. It's pretty intimidating though. It turns out, not only the verbs need to be conjugated, but ALSO THE NOUNS. Everything has conjugation in Ewe, and I think I am doomed always to only speak a few key phrases. Sigh... I can doo iit! 

This coming week we are preparing for four baptisms, and are really excited! EY, AA, BH and RG are all on their way this week!  A truly prepared and powerful bunch!

As for the week:

Tuesday

We had zone training, and we talked about having the ability to identify the spirit and being able to help our investigators and others to feel the spirit as well. We also taught SA, who is this fantastically energetic investigator with excessively large amounts of excitement and energy. We are hoping that she is one of these truly prepared people! Praying for some good happenings here! Then we saw EY, and pretty much removed any doubts we had about him. 

Wednesday

Oatmeal for breakfast, and I don't think I'll continue to buy cinnamon. It's not exactly very potent here. Spent the rest of my subsistence on food, of course, and even got some milk powder. I'll see how it tastes and works. Is it truly worth it? Hmmm! Well, today, we also taught 7 lessons, most of which were very basic. We even found another person who we think will have great potential in the future! Look for SA in further emails.

Thursday

Aaand the rest of the week passed really quickly and I think I am out of time to email, so I will finish with the spiritual thought! Another reason to forgive me!!

For a spiritual thought this week I think something that has really struck me is the power that comes from a pure and basic testimony. As long as a testimony on something is acquired, knowledge and guidance for it will follow. I have watched the recent converts grow in their ability to bear testimony in the simply truths of the gospel, and I have been able to watch it bless and change their lives in so many ways.

Goodbye! I luffs you all! God loves you more!

Mawu ne yirow! (God bless you!)

Elder Harris

From the B's -- August 21.

We brought Elder Harris and Elder Ojaide an American lunch.  Elder Harris is doing great and of course had a big smile on his face as always:). He said he is healthy and doing good.

Scoopin' Out Gutters

Hello everyone! It's fantastic to be able to email you yet again! 

This week was pretty fantastic, we were able to teach a lot, and found a couple of hopefully golden investigators who I think might be able to make it all the way. We also had the All Africa Service Project here in Juapong and cleaned out the gutters on the side of the main road in the town. It was quite a sight to see a couple hundred Africans all working hard with their "Helping Hands" vests. It was a fantastic time.

Also, I've had a spontaneous rekindling of my musical desires. President Heid makes sure we keep a piano in every apartment, and I have this randomly strong desire to pick up the piano again. Hopefully by the power of some miracle I can come home with some moderate ability to play the piano, haha. It's frustrating, and yet intriguing at the same time. 

We also made red oil rice for the first time this week. I think I'm getting a demented view of African cooking though. Elder Ojaide seasons everything exactly the same, with differing core ingredients. It turns out well every time, and somehow different, and I've learned from him, but I'm not sure if it always works like this, haha. 

So now for the week:

Tuesday

We had district council, and I gave the spiritual thought on Alma 5. It's all about our abilities to have a mighty change of heart. Having that mighty change of heart is what delivered the people of Alma from the bands of death. In the words of a guy in my college ward, "There is no repentance without change, and there is no true change without repentance." Then we had a couple lessons, and it turns out one of my investigators, E, had a dream where people in white were asking her about the Book of Mormon, over and over. It is so important, and we talked about how we would be "judged out of the books of life" as it says in the scriptures. Then we taught SA, the most ergetic lady I've ever met in my life it seems. She's great, and totally keeps commitments and seems to really understand and be willing to make changes. Then we saw Emmanuel Attiah, who read almost the whole book of First Nephi in just a few days. We gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon Stories later in the week to help him understand what he read.

Wednesday

We started off and went to see P, and his sister C walked in and talked about a dream she'd had with all of these people dressed in white holding the Book of Mormon and telling her to read from it. She'd had this dream right after she had prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true, and she thinks it is now, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Unfortunately we still did not see her at church. Then we taught a couple more people, and saw this guy from Benin who is pretty educated and even had really intellectual conversations with us. He cannot get past the apostasy though, and we are really hoping and praying for him.

Thursday

This was pretty much a day to talk about the All Africa Service Project and help set it up. We also went to cafe for an assignment on the internet as well. Then we went out and taught B, and it seems he is steadily progressing to baptism this month! I made bread and egg as well! Actually not bad, and felt pretty dang filling!

Friday

We went out and taught E and her Sister M, and even they both say the Book of Mormon is true! And we are hoping to continue with them and to help them to get the spiritual witness as well. Then we saw an investigator progressing to baptism, and went contacting a while to warn people about the large event happening in the next couple of days. Then we saw someone we haven't seen in a while and are hoping to help her continue progressing again, and she might actually have the potential to now as well!

Saturday

The big fire day! Totally crazy! All of the members came from all over for the Service Project! We spent the morning cleaning the gutters in the city, and even a few of the missionaries came as well! It was pretty great! Got a lot of referrals and a few contacts and did some good work! Than we went out and were able to teach a couple of lessons, and even EA! Who came to church the next day! Totally killer! I love this guy!

Sunday

Church was great! I came with a talk prepared and learned, I had prepared for the wrong topic, so was writing during sacrament, and got to speak for like 13 minutes, haha. Then we went out to teach a few people after church and so forth.

Monday

Today, so far all that has happened is basketball as a zone! Pretty fun! Also some frisbee and a meatcake! Rockin' it!

For today, I'm running out of time, so I'll give a quick spiritual thought. The Book of Mormon is so powerful. This week, as I've watched investigators keep commitments and read in the Book of Mormon consistently, I've watched as the stories and principles have changed their lives and helped them progress. It's fantastic, and can happen for all of us!

Love you guys! 

The church is true, the book is blue!

Elder Harris

Accidentally left the keys in the door all day!

A basketball picture from the zone activity.

A package from home!

These Boys Know Missionaries are Awesome!

Photo from the Elder's in Ghana Facebook Page

A Mighty Change of Heart

It was a pretty good week. Seems like everything is goin' pretty well! We are getting closer to our goal for baptisms this month and making progression with people we thought progress would stop, as well watched a couple we had hopes for freeze permanently it seems. But all in all, it has been a good week! We had pizza today, and had a blast of a time! Aside from that I'm running out of time, it seems I have not managed emails well this week. 

Tuesday

Had pancakes for breakfast, actually made chocolate pancakes! I am a genius! And a smoothie with frozen pineapple, mangos and bananas. Man, I'm a genius, have I said that yet? Anyways, we had district meeting and Elder Ojaide and I taught a discussion on teaching in unity. Then we went out to teach a few people, including C, who was accepting everything like crazy, and then explained to his buddy how God and Christ were one, but separate better than most members could, haha.

Wednesday

Ate pancakes for breakfast again, had a branch presidency meeting, and had a good day. We mostly taught recent converts on monday, and then committed B to a baptismal date on the 23rd, and we think he'll actually keep this one!!

Thursday

Had oatmeal for breakfast, and even put cinnamon in it. Good day. We went to another city to see S, and hoped to commit her to a baptismal date, and ended up abandoning hope with her completely, as it seems this small branch isn't as much fun as her other ward. Sad day. Then we saw L, who still refuses to believe in any revelation of any sort, so I think we will no longer see her, and can only pray. Then we taught Doctrinal Class, and then P came in and we had a lesson with her, and are hoping to help her along to her baptism on the 23rd.

Friday

Made even BETTER chocolate pancakes. I really am a genius. Well, we met with C agian, and it looks like he won't be in town for a few months, so we're hoping to pick it up when he gets back. Then we saw a few other people and are hoping to add some names to our long term investigator list!

Saturday

Had another branch meeting, and then saw P and tried to help advance her again, and are really hoping to help her move along. Then we saw another recent convert. Not much to report for the day.

Sunday

President Heid visited the our Branch! He came and talked for a bit, and it seems that we are also going to prepare more for the All Africa service project in our area. Then we went out and taught a couple member present lessons to people we really hope have potential. We committed R to a baptism on the 23rd! I believe in this guy!

Monday

Today, the big thing was we went out for pizza! Totally killer. Not dominoes, but still worth it.

For a spiritual thought this time I've been thinking a lot about change. In Alma 5, he talks about keeping in remembrance of their fathers who were in the bands of death and the chains of hell, and he asks how they were loosed and freed. The answer, mentioned 3 times in the next 3 verses and a fourth time later in the chapter is a mighty change of heart. In the same way, in our work, we need to have a mighty change of heart, directed to God. We love and serve Him with all of our hearts, might, minds and strength and in return He will change us to become more like His son. As we change these bands will loose their grip, having fewer sins and infirmities and bumps to grasp along the way. While we can't make it all the way, every time we repent the barbs and bumps on these changes, they lose their grip, and even the devil is bound in the same way he will be in the millenium, by the righteousness of the saints.

Love yall! You're the best!

Elder Harris

An Email From the B's!

We are grateful for the B's, a missionary couple, who check on Elder Harris.  They bring him wonderful things to eat and always send pictures home to Elder Harris's family.  We love this missionary couple!

From the B's:
We passed through today and dropped off an American lunch to Elder Harris and Elder Ojiade:). Thought you'd enjoy some pictures of them walking down their road and the 2 of them together. I also took some pictures from a couple weeks ago when we were passing through their town and who did we see right in front of us on their bikes? Our cute elders! We didn't have any sandwiches, but we had just come from the American store in Accra, so we broke open the container of Oreos and had them help themselves!

When we asked Elder Harris today how he's doing and how his area is, he says "so awesome!". What a great missionary he is:)