Week 71

Where the two previous weeks were quite busy, this week has been quieter.  However, that is just the quiet before the storm as the next 2 1/2 weeks will be very busy!

This week included teaching a temple preparation lesson to a sister preparing to receive her endowment in the temple, missionary transfers, departing missionaries, haircuts, an apartment inspection, teaching with the missionaries next door, doing miscellaneous missionary responsibilities, and some unexpected but much appreciated uncommitted time.

The big event this week was transfers and departing missionaries.  Transfers were Tuesday.  Sisters Najjuka and Tavita from next door were transferred to other assigned areas.  We took them and their luggage into Accra for them to rendezvous with their new companions and travel to their new areas.  

We had the missionaries over for Sunday dinner before transfers on Tuesday

Sisters Tu'angalu, Najjuka (transferred), Tavita (transferred), and Nipepe

Sister Masango was transferred to Awutu Breku to be companion with Sister Tu'angalu, and Sister Asamoah was transferred to Awutu Breku to be companion with Sister Nipepe.  An interesting side note is that Sister Asamoah is Ghanaian and is serving in the Accra West Mission while waiting for her visa to go to the Botswana Namibia Mission, and our granddaughter, Alessia (Bethany's daughter), has received her mission call to the Botswana Namibia Mission. 

Sisters Asamoah and Masango on the Tro-tro.    Sisters Asamoah, Nipepe, Masango, and Tu'angalu

It is amazing how efficiently transfers happens with all the luggage, coordination of Tro-tro's and travel, figuring out logistics to get missionaries shifted around, and have it all happen basically in a half day. 

Unloading and reloading luggage and people at the Odorkor Chapel.

Unloading the incoming and reloading the outgoing at the mission office.

Our dear Sister Kendrick

              Group picture while waiting for the Tro-tro            Elder Bertha, President Jacobsen, and Patrick

We had made an appointment for haircuts at noon after the transfer shuffle.  We were told about a lady, Antoinette, in Accra who has been trained in cutting and caring for white peoples hair.  She does the hair and haircuts for most of the missionary couples in the Area Office and in the missions in and near Accra.  We started going to her 3 or 4 months ago.  It has been a great blessing for Sister Judd since she had been trying to cut her own hair from the beginning of our mission.  Luckily, Allison was able to help her with a haircut when she came to visit at Thanksgiving.

Antoinette and us with new haircuts

Tuesday evening was departing missionaries dinner and devotional.  Wednesday morning was our airport run to the airport to take Sister Matondo.  We were also supposed to take Elder Kaufusi to the airport, but that changed and so we were able to finish what we needed to do in Accra early and head for home doing shopping on the way.

Departing missionaries with the senior couples

Sisters Judd, Kaaen, Matondo, Jacobsen, and Bertha

Senior couples with the Jacobsen's

With Elder Kaufusi before leaving for Australia

Thursday was our regular day to go with Sisters Tu'angalu and Masango to teach and visit.  However, Sister Tu'angalu had badly hurt her foot and was not able to go out.  We also had a temple preparation lesson scheduled with Jennifer Bortey.  However, Jennifer did not show up, and she has changed her phone number (which happens often!!) so we could not contact her.   

But that was all good because at around 9:00 a.m. our power became totally unstable so the voltage would fluctuate from very low to 225 to nothing to whatever.  We started the generator, but the power from the generator did not come into the house for some unknown reason.  We contacted Isaac.  He arranged for an electrician to come to see what the problem was.  He also arranged for the generator service man to come and see why the generator power was not coming into the house.  After checking everything they all could come up with, they finally discovered around 6:30 p.m. that there had been a short for some unknown reason with the house service wire where it connects to the Electricity Company of Ghana main line.  The short had damaged the main house breaker in the electric panel rather than tripping it off.  Then the problem was finding a main breaker at a shop that was still open.  After some frantic phone calls Isaac and the electrician found one in a shop in Kasoa and then hired a motorbike to purchase it and rush it here to our house.  To make a long story short, we were totally without power from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. which made for a long but typical Ghanaian day!

On Friday morning, we inspected the Sisters' apartment next door.

Sisters Tu'angalu, Asamoah, Masango, and Nipepe after apartment inspection.

Sister Tu'angalu's foot was feeling better by Saturday, we went with her and Sister Masango to visit and teach.  We taught Prescilla about where we came from before this life and why we are here on earth from the plan of salvation.  Then we visited with Patmos (a recent convert) and Rose for a little bit.  After that, we visited and shared a message with Vivian and Claudia (recent converts), their mother (Martha), a neighbor, and some neighbor kids.  

   Martha, her daughter in front, and neighbor kids.       

Martha walking Sister Judd back to the truck.

We enjoyed being in our Awutu Breku Branch on Sunday.  We have been in other wards and branches with Gospel Literacy so much in the last couple of months that we have missed being in Awutu Breku.  After meetings, Jennifer Pobee and Mary approached Sister Judd and said they wanted her to bring them some of chocolate cookies like they made at our place for the YSA activity a while back and some of her homemade bread!

Jennifer and Mary asking Sister Judd for cookies and bread.

Later in the afternoon on Sunday, we also helped two recently baptized families create Church accounts so they can do family history and enter it in FamilySearch and have full access to the Member Tools app and the Church web site. 

                               Sister Judd helping John and Lizzy set up their Church accounts.

After we finished helping John and Lizzy with their Church accounts, we gave them copies of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" and explained that it contains the Church's doctrine on the family.  We also gave them a copy of the old "Family Guidebook."  Elder Judd explained to John about priesthood ordinances and blessings and suggested that he study that section in preparation for when he receives the Melchizedek Priesthood.  Lizzy then asked Elder Judd if he would give their entire family priesthood blessings because they have all been sick and are struggling to get well.  So, Elder Judd gave a priesthood blessing to each, one by one.  It seemed to really have an impact on them, especially John.

Later, we visited William and Esther and their family to help William and Esther set up their Church accounts.  We also gave them copies of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" and the "Family Guidebook" and explained about them.  

Sister Judd showing Victor, David, and Blessing their family's information in FamilySearch.

These two families are amazing.  All the members of both families who are 8 years old and older have been baptized.  They are committed and have totally grasped the gospel and are striving to live it.  It was a real joy to help them.

Pictures of interest:

The water truck broke down after entering our compound.  It took them several hours to get the part and repairmen to come and fix it before they could unload the water.

Cattle transport!

New trash man after he is loaded and ready to leave.

Here are some reminder thoughts on personal revelation from President Nelson in his 2018 April General Conference talk after becoming president of the church: 

"I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that 'if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.'”

"Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work."

"To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you."

"I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation."

"Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. Let this Easter Sunday be a defining moment in your life. Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly."

May the we each strive to "stretch beyond [our] current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation."

Love,

Sister and Elder Judd