Week 31

 Well, August 2024 is past and we move on!  This week has been very full as you will see.  

Allison, John, Taylor, and Nathan (Autumn is on her mission in California) are coming to visit us here in Ghana during Thanksgiving week in November.  So on Monday morning, we tried to have a Zoom call with the tour guide who will help with their visit to finalize the plans.  As usual, the internet was spotty.   We ended up trying to do it by phone.  Between the poor connection and trying to understand his Ghanaian, it was a bit challenging.  However, we were able to get things arranged.  

Monday afternoon, we went to visit with Brother Acolatse about Gospel Literacy classes in the Awutu Breku Branch.  He is the branch Sunday School president and is over Gospel Literacy in the branch.  There have been two Gospel Literacy classes--a class using Book 2 and one using Book 5.  Both classes have been held very inconsistently since we have been here and hardly at all lately.  We wanted to visit with Brother Acolatse about our concerns.  He had a good discussion, and he planned to discuss with the branch president.

Since we had referenced and will continue to reference Gospel Literacy in our blog posts, it may be helpful to understand a little more about it. 

Overview:  The Gospel Literacy program helps members learn how to read, write, and fully engage in gospel learning.  Literacy limitations vary from members who have never attended school to leaders who struggle to understand the language of scriptures, conference talks, lesson manuals, and handbook instructions.  The Gospel Literacy curriculum addresses these literacy needs.  Classes are held every week during the second hour of Sunday meetings.

The curriculum uses six levels of workbooks focused on spiritual and literacy instruction: 

My Gospel Literacy ABCs (ABC Book)--Discuss gospel topics and learn the letters and sounds of the alphabet. 

Learn My Words (Book 1)--Learn to read simple sentences and discover messages of Jesus Christ in the scriptures.

Live My Words (Book 2)--Learn words and phrases from the scriptures for living and teaching His gospel in the home.

Remember Me (Book 3)--Read and understand the sacrament prayers, hymns, and scriptures to follow Jesus Christ.

Testify of Me (Book 4)--Learn to teach and testify of Christ.  Prepare to make and keep temple covenants.

Feed My Sheep (Book 5)--Develop confidence and skills to prepare for, accept, and fulfill Church callings.

 

Tuesday was missionary district council day.  We drove to Asamankese and attended the Kade district council.

Elders Petersen, Weeks, Chicaba, Rondon, Elisaia, and Loubandzi

And then, Tuesday afternoon we had the regular every other week Gospel Literacy Zoom call with all the senior missionary couples involved with Gospel Literacy in West Africa.

Wednesday was a long day with apartment inspections in the Oda Zone.  The day began by leaving our apartment at 6:00 a.m. and driving 2 3/4 hours north and starting at Manso.

Elders Abekah and Gbedema at Manso

Elders Tingey and Simbahon at Asene.  Elder Tingey was in training when we did the last inspection at this apartment in March.  He is in his fifth transfer in Asene which means he has been there for over 6 months.

Elders Hill, Anderson, Lukhele, and Saye at Oda.              Helping us take boxes to the truck.

We ended the inspections at Achiase with Elders Lusk and Heerdink.  We always text the missionaries a few days ahead to let them know we are coming and what time to expect us.  When we texted, they texted back and told us that Elder Lusk was sick with COVID.  So we texted Elder Divis (mission medical adviser) to find out more.  He texted back that he thought it was COVID, but if not it was something else contagious and suggested that we not go there.  Well, it is hard to think about driving 3 1/2 hours, not be able to do an apartment inspection, and find a time later to drive that far for one inspection.  So, we determined that we would take masks, distance from the missionaries, and do a minimal inspection.  When we got there, Sister Judd sat on a chair outside to do what she could of her part of the inspection routine.  The missionaries pretty much stayed outside at a distance.  Elder Judd went in the apartment, changed their water filter, checked the smoke detector, fixed a broken door, and looked around to see if there was anything that needed to be included on the inspection report.

Elders Heerdink and Lusk at Achiase

We then drove the 3 1/2 hours back home and arrived there around 6:00 p.m.

The trash man came Thursday morning early to haul off what we brought back from apartment inspections the last two weeks along with the trash accumulation from ours and the sisters' apartment.  Thursday afternoon, we went with Austin and Sisters Kendrick and Marufu to teach lessons in Ojobi.

Teaching David (sitting between Austin and Elder Judd)

Teaching Martha, Vivian, and Claudia

While we were teaching Marth, Vivian, and Claudia, Elder Judd noticed that the neighbor's child was taking a bath so he discreetly snuck a picture.  Since most of the houses where we serve to not have indoor bathroom facilities, the common way for children to bath is outside standing in a container with water in it.  Brushing teeth is also done outside.

Sister Judd found a friend who wanted to hold her hand and walk with her from teaching Martha back to where the truck was parked.

Thursday evening we went to the Gospel Principles class the branch holds every Thursday evening to help members better understand the doctrines and principles of the gospel.  While we were there, Elder Judd got a call from Sister Jacobsen saying that Elder Lusk had gotten worse.  She asked us if we would go back to Achiase and get Elders Lusk and Heerdink and take them to Accra for Elder Lusk to go to the hospital.  So, Friday morning we left at 6:00 a.m. again to drive the 3 1/2 hours back to Achiase and then drive the 4 1/2 hours to Accra to the hospital. 

He had not been feeling well for several weeks.  He would feel better and then get bad again, repeating that cycle over and over.  He had been tested for malaria, but the tests had been negative.  As it turned out, Elder Lusk had a "complicated malaria" which is nearly impossible to detect that sits quietly in the liver with symptoms clinically.  By Sunday, he had became incoherent and had a temperature of 105.  President and Sister Jacobsen skipped going to the Swedru Stake Conference in order to be with Elder Lusk.  We got a text from Sister Jacobsen late Sunday night letting us know that he had "turned the corner" with his fever down, was coherent, and was eating and drinking.  All the missionaries had included him in their fasting and prayers and the result was an Accra West Mission miracle.  Sister Jacobsen expressed that our going and getting him may very well have saved his life.  What a blessing to be able to serve here in Ghana! 

President and Sister Jacobsen love their missionaries!!

We stayed in Accra with the Jacobsen's Friday night after a nice dinner at a Japanese/Chinese restaurant with President and Sister Jacobsen and Elder and Sister Bertha.

On the way home again on Saturday, we stopped at the West Hills Mall to do shopping.  After we got home, we were able to get a load of laundry done, get some lunch, wash all the fresh foods (potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, grapes, cucumbers, pineapple, etc.) and eggs in Clorox water, and clean the house up a bit.  We then went with Sisters Van der Beek and Tanui to teach some of their investigators.

Apparently, each community has a "festival" during this time of year.  We wrote in the blog a couple of weeks ago about our experience with the festival in Swedru.  It is festival time in Awutu Breku now.  It is basically a time to party, drink, and make lots of noise.  So, we have had loud music from various bars blaring until 3:00 in the morning the last few nights.  We were told that tomorrow (Monday) will be when most of the festival activities happen.

Here are some pictures from this week:

Young girl with her stuffed toy on her back

Neighbor kids at the Oda apartment inspection

A door being transported on a motorbike.  Yes, there is a driver in front of the door!

On the way to Oda, we stopped to stretch our legs and saw this trail coming from the bush and steps built into the concrete roadside.  From the wood pieces scattered around, it is a place where they bring bundled fire wood out of the bush.

Our address plaque on the outside of our compound wall.  The bottom numbers are the GPS location.

Elder Habumugisha was a missionary in the Accra West Mission from Rwanda who returned home to Rwanda about three months ago following his mission.  He was an amazing and effective missionary and is a faithful and dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ.  He was the only member of the Church in his family. After going home, he baptized five people he was teaching online.   Two weeks ago, he baptized nine of his own family--his mother, eldest brother, uncles, and cousins.

Elder Habumugisha on the left and his family

Elder Habumugisha's story growing up is one of immense challenges and things that happened to him which no one should have to endure.  Yet, through the gospel and his turning whole heartedly to Jesus Christ as his Savior and Redeemer and His Atonement, he overcame all of that to become a faithful and committed disciple of the Savior who is full of joy and shares that with all around him.  

Sister Linda S. Reeves testified: “I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, … so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, ‘Was that all that was required?’ … What will it matter … what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials … qualify us for eternal life … in the kingdom of God?” ("Worthy of Our Promised Blessings," Ensign, Nov. 2015, 11)

And our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, shared that “[Our] eternal life is dependent upon [our] faith in [Christ] and in His Atonement.”  ("Think Celestial!," October 2023 General Conference) 

That is the example of Elder Habumugisha.  It is also our testimony and witness as well!

We love you!!

Love, 

Sister and Elder Judd