Week 33

 After the busy week we had last week, we thought things would slow down a bit.  But, it was not to be!

Whenever we can, we try to make Mondays the day we visit and help with members in our branch here in Awutu Breku.  On Monday, we visited with a couple in the branch.  Dorcas has been a member for two years, and Daniel was baptized about two months ago.  Sister Judd visited with Dorcas, and Elder Judd visited with Daniel.  Then, Elder Judd gave each of them a priesthood blessing to help with some things they are struggling with.

In the evening we helped a different Daniel give his daughter a father's blessing.  This Daniel has two daughters and two sons.  Daniel and the youngest son, Kelvin, are very active, and Kelvin is a counselor in the deacon's quorum.  The other children had not been coming to church.  About three weeks ago, the oldest daughter, Christabel, came to church with her dad and brother.  Sister Kendrick talked with her and found out that she is in her final year of high school and was worried about her exams.  Sister Kendrick talked with her about getting a father's blessing which was something new to her.  Elder Judd talked with Daniel and made arrangements to assist Daniel in him giving Christabel a father's blessing.  Daniel had never done anything like this before.  So, Monday evening the sister missionaries, Daniel, and we met Christabel at her boarding school.  Elder Judd explained to Christabel what a father's blessing is and explained to Daniel how to give a father's blessing.  Daniel pronounced the blessing in Twi.  We could not understand what was said, but the Spirit was present and we could see the effect on Daniel and Christabel.

                Christabel and Daniel                          Sister Judd, the missionaries, Daniel, and Christabel

For district council on Tuesday, we drove 3 1/2 hours to Asuom in the Abomosu Zone.

Elders Parker, Uele, Yabana, Flomo, Alimon, and Osio

Apartment inspections this week were in the Kasoa Zone.  On the way to the first apartment, we were stopped at a police checkpoint which is fairly common.  Usually they just ask where we are coming from and where we are going.  This time, the policeman asked to see Elder Judd's drivers license.  We handed him a copy of Elder Judd's international driving permit.  He studied it quite a while like he was trying to figure out what it was.  Elder Judd realized that he probably had not seen one before, so he explained that it was an international driving permit.  The policeman then started asking how we like Ghana and then said that he wanted to go to the United States.  He told us that he wanted us to take him back to the United States when we go.  He then asked for Elder Judd's phone number and gave us his number.  We left and thought nothing more of it until that evening when we got the following text.  "Good evening man of God.  Please this is Gilbert the police man.  Hope you people had a wonderful day.  Just checking on you and mommy."  It seems we have a new friend now!

Elders Mboya and Laulu in Papase

Sisters Wilde and Tuman in Adom Estate

Elders Chiwaye and Otshudi in Kasoa 2

Elders Tannahill, Reidhead, Goffi, and Fainga'anuku in Kasoa 5

Note how proud Elder Reidhead is of the cookies Sister Judd gives to the missionaries at apartment inspection!

(Note:  Sister Judd is wearing a different outfit because these missionaries went to the temple on Wednesday, so we did this inspection on Friday morning.)

On Thursday afternoon, we went with Sisters Kendrick and Marufu to teach and visit.

Teaching Abraham in his shop.  Whenever the Sisters give him a pamphlet about what they will teach in the next lesson, he reads it thoroughly including the accompanying scriptures, understands what he has read, and tells the Sisters exactly what is in the pamphlet!

 

Teaching Moses in his house with a neighbor boy listening in.

Moses and his wife

We then visited Morgan and Rose Arhin.  They have been members of the Church for many years, but most of their family are not members. 

Their granddaughter, Princess, was immediately attracted to Sister Judd and stayed by her the entire time we were there!!

                  Rose and Morgan                               Sisters Kendrick and Marufu and Rose and Morgan

The branch has a Gospel Principles class each Thursday evening.  We found out on Tuesday that Elder Judd was to teach about the priesthood on Thursday evening.  The Gospel Principles book was written many years ago and seemed to not cover the topic on the priesthood very well.  So, Elder Judd used the General Handbook as the source and prepared a handout quoting the Handbook to use for the discussion.  The power had gone off about 3:00 p.m. and was still off when the class was to start.  So, we used a flashlight, our emergency lantern, and cell phone lights to see for the class.  The power came on about 15 minutes after we started the class which was a blessing.  These wonderful branch members are so eager to learn and understand the doctrines and principles of the gospel!

On Friday, we went to the West Hills Mall to do our shopping.  At a store called Melcom, you have to show the receipt to a store employee as you leave and he stamps it.  The week before when we were leaving the store, an employee named Fredrick saw our name tags and said, "I want to join your church and go on a mission."  We asked him where he lived, and he said "Kasoa."  So we got his phone number and gave it to the Kasoa Zone leaders.  They called him, found out where he lives in Kasoa, and gave his contact information to the sister missionaries in Kasoa.  So, as we were leaving the store on Friday, we saw him again, and he happily told us that he was going to be meeting with the missionaries!

Last Sunday when we were in the Dabanyin Branch for Gospel Literacy, the teacher, Brother Andoh, told us that there are a set of twins and their sisters he would like us to talk to.  We made arrangements to stop on our way home from the adult session of stake conference which was Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to noon.  We stopped at his house, and he took us to visit with the oldest of the sisters named Jane.  We found out that she had been taught by the missionaries earlier this year and had attended church but had stopped going.  She had several questions that we were able to answer to her satisfaction.  We asked her how she felt when she had been at church and she said "good."  We talked about the Book of Mormon, and she said that she had felt good when she read it.  We invited her to read in 3 Nephi 11 about the Savior appearing to the people in America, to ponder what we had discussed with her, and to pray and ask God if it is true.  She accepted the invitation.  We exchanged phone numbers, and she will call us if she wants to ask us more questions or learn more.  We also invited her to go to church again.   The last question she asked us was, "Do you believe in miracles?"  We exclaimed, "Yes!!"  Sister Judd shared with her that we feel like Brother Andoh asking us to visit with her and our spending time with her answering her questions was a miracle.  

A little boy and girl across the street when we were talking with Jane.  They were interested in these strange looking, old "oburonis" (white foreigners) and waived at us. 

Here are a couple of interesting sights we saw:

Definitely an "OSHA" approved way to be transported on a front end loader going down the highway!

Loading a truck to new heights, and even having a guy on top to hold it all on!

It is Monday morning.  We did not have time to finish the blog on Sunday because it was a very full day.  We will include that in the blog for week 34.

For district council discussion this week, President and Sister Jacobsen asked the missionaries to study and discuss President Nelson's talk on "Overcome the World and Find Rest."  In it he says:

"Now, how does overcoming the world bless our lives? The answer is clear: entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier. Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power."

"I reaffirm a profound teaching of President Ezra Taft Benson: 'Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, … lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace.'"

We bear our witness of the truth in these promises of President Nelson and President Benson.  We have seen and experienced it!

We love you!

Love,

Sister and Elder Judd