Week 72

The weeks continue on without stopping!

This week has been full of early mornings and short nights.  On Tuesday, we got up at 4:30 to be gone at 6:00 to go to Asene in the Oda Zone for district council and then to inspect the Asene apartment.  The good thing is that it was our last apartment inspection!!  We inspected all the apartments in the mission during the first six months in Ghana and again during the second six months except for a few of the apartments which were given to another senior couple.  We then inspected all we were responsible for  a third time and the apartments in the Swedru and Oda Zones a fourth time during the third six months.

Asene district council with Elders Rea, Jones, Tafuna, Albrecht (in back) 

and Reidhead and Anderson (in front)

Elders Albrecht, Tafuna, Reidhead, and Anderson at Asene apartment inspection

Wednesday morning was super early, waking up at 3:30 and leaving at 5:00 to be at the mission office by 8:00 for "Springboard."  "Springboard" is for the missionaries starting their final six weeks.  President and Sister Jacobsen help the missionaries focus on finishing their mission strong and fully committed.  We and Elder and Sister Bertha were included in "Springboard" since we will be going home as well.  We are very close to several of those going home two weeks after we do.  It was quite tender seeing each one.

Sister Appia not wanting to let go from Sister Judd's hug

         Sisters Nkoma, Van der Beek, Appia, and Tanui.     Sister Tanui getting her Sister Judd hug.

             Sisters Appia and Van der Beek.                          Elders Donnahoo, Cichos, Abekah, and Kroll.

"Springboard" ended with going to the temple and enjoying an endowment session all together. 

                       Enjoying visiting outside the temple.                        Sisters Van der Beek and Tanui.

                                Sister Appia.                                       Judd's, Jacobsen's, and Bertha's.

With Sister and President Jacobsen

Front: Sisters Kpahn, Tanui, Nkoma, Van der Beek, Appia, and Windous, 

Elders Cichos, Nyenyezi, and Lukhele.

Back: Elders Ellis and Tanner, Judd's, Jacobsen's, Bertha's, and Elder Donahoo.

Thursday was the first day of zone conferences.  Instead of having three days of multi-zone conferences, President and Sister Jacobsen decided to have a separate zone conference for each zone individually so it could be more personal as they say "good-bye."  The Thursday zone conference was in Abomosu, which is a 3 1/2 to 4 hours drive.  So, it was another early morning getting up with a short night sleep.  Part of each zone conference is having the missionaries who will be going home before the next zone conference share their testimonies.  So, that included us this time and in every zone conference.  Seeing and interacting for the last time with the missionaries at each zone conference is wonderful and touches our hearts.

Greeting Elder Beresford

              Chatting with Elders Beresford and Simmons.              Arriving at Abomosu.

Elders Simmons, Hovey, Tuinakauvadra, and Roldan.   Sister Judd helping Sister Bertha with lunch.

Enjoying lunch 

Sharing our testimonies

Saying goodbye to Elders Johnbull and Ellis, and then Tuinakauvadra and Hovey. 

                                              With Elder Udy.                             With Elder Johnbull.

Abomosu Zone

Driving away!

Then, on Friday was the Ofankor zone conference with yet another early morning and sharing our testimony along with the other departing missionaries.

             Sister Tavita getting her hug.                               With Sisters Lautaimi and Tavita.

                                   With Elder Lomate.                                    With Sister Tavita.

                                 With Sister Windous.                                      With Sister Tanui.

                            With Sisters Indayi and Lesa.                         With Sister Lautaimi

                                  With Sister Kendrick.                     With Sisters Khuphe and Chigwinya.

                                    With Sister Kpahn.                                   With Elder Nzundu.

Sisters Tavita, Lesa, Windous, Tanui, and Kpahn.

With Elder Mateara.

We had four of the sisters approach us and ask Elder Judd for a priesthood blessing.  First was Sister Tavita.  She had just been transferred from Awutu Breku to a new area in the Ofankor Zone and wanted a blessing to help her with the change.  When she was in Awutu Breku, she asked for a priesthood blessing several times.  Next was Sister Lautaimi who had previously been in Awutu Breku for about six months.  She wanted a blessing of comfort and was struggling with her quiet companion.  Then Sister Kendrick asked for a blessing.  She had also previously been in Awutu Breku for six months.  She had just been transferred to a new area and was trying to adjust.  Her companion, Sister Kpahn, came with her for the blessing.  Sister Kpahn will go home this next transfer.  At "Springboard", she appeared to not be at peace about gong home.  So, after Sister Kendrick's blessing, Elder Judd asked Sister Kpahn if she would like a blessing.  She quickly said that she would.

That evening, the four sisters next door came over.  We weren't quite certain why they did and what they wanted.  But, it soon came out that all four of them also wanted priesthood blessings!  Sister Masango was not feeling well.  She also had had a bad dream the night before and had fallen out of bed.  She was afraid that some unknown "force" had pushed her out of bed.  This caused the other three to become unsettled as well.  Elder Judd had dedicated their apartment a month or so prior and had commanded any evil influences to leave the apartment.  We assured the sisters that this was still in effect for their apartment.  Elder Judd then gave each of them a priesthood blessing of comfort and direction and healing in the case of Sister Masango.  So, it was a busy day for Elder Judd giving eight priesthood blessings.   

After four very early mornings, Saturday was a nice reprieve.  However, it didn't seen to matter because we still woke up earlier than normal even without an alarm.  We were able to catch up some things around the house and started sorting through and deciding what to put in Jacobsen's shipping container rather than fitting it in our suitcases.  Saturday afternoon, we went with Sisters Nipepe and Asamoah to teach and visit.

Over the last 7 months, Sister Judd has kept Helena, the seamstress in our branch, very busy.  Helena's sewing is excellent quality.  Helena has made an estimated 40 dresses for our daughters, granddaughters, and Sister Judd.  In addition, Sister Judd had her make 20 to 25 aprons from the material left over from the dresses.  We have one suitcase totally full of dresses and aprons!  Somehow, we failed to get a picture of Sister Judd and Helena.  Ooops!!

We did however, get pictures of Helena with her Fufu machine.  Fufu is a dough made from cassava.  Normally, Fufu is made by pounding again and again the cut up cassava chunks using a large stick with a rounded end.  It is hard work.  Helena has a Fufu machine with an auger that does the same thing as pounding.  She drops the cut up cassava in the hopper and lets the auger do the work.  She then puts the dough back through a second and even third time to get the same results as pounding.

Sunday we went to church meetings in our Awutu Breku Branch.  We met with Brother Osei, the counselor in the branch presidency over Gospel Literacy, to try and get a class or classes started in our branch before we leave.  The Winneba Stake Gospel Literacy Specialist was supposed to meet with us also, but he received an assignment at the last minute to help with some training in the Dabanyin Branch.  So we waited a long time for him to finish that and come to Awutu Breku so he could meet and get acquainted with Brother Osei since he will be working with Brother Osei to follow up on the Gospel Literacy classes after we leave.  We also met with the branch president to update him on those he asked us to teach the temple preparation lessons to, visit with him about Gospel Literacy, and discuss with him some other items we have been helping with.  

In last week's blog post we mentioned about sharing the "Family Proclamation" with two families who are new members of the Church.  At Church on Sunday, Elder Judd asks William if he had been able to read the "Family Proclamation."  He said that he had and that they were going to read it together as a family on Sunday evening.  Such joy to hear this!!   

Sunday evening was also the mission Zoom call where the A.P.'s and Jacobsen's review and report on the key indicators for May.  The sisters came over early because they had asked us about transfiguration and translation on Saturday.  So, we explained what each is and the difference between them.

Sisters Masango, Nipepe, Asamoah, and Tu'angalu learning about transfiguration and translation

And then our family Zoom was at 9:30 p.m. Sunday evening.  For a rare occasion, we were able to stay connected for the entire Zoom call.  Such a blessing!

In Bethany's ward, the Primary did an activity called "Chalk the Walk."  In this, the children use chalk to draw a picture on the Church sidewalk depicting an event from their Family History.  Here is what Judd, Noelle, and Faith (with Bethany's help) drew:

It is a story about Elder Judd's grandfather and great-uncle dealing with a bear that was trying to eat their sheep while in the mountains on the summer range.  They treed the bear and built a fire under the tree to keep the bear in the tree while Elder Judd's grandfather rode his horse to the store to purchase bullets so they could shoot the bear and protect the sheep.

Being here in Ghana has helped us to appreciate the blessing of written and documented information that is available in order to learn of our Family History and prepare names so that deceased ancestors can receive the ordinances of the temple for their salvation and exaltation.  In Africa, there is no written history.  Everything is oral and dates do not seem to be important.  They know what day of the week they were born because it is often part of their name, but have a hard time remembering the year they were born.  It is extremely challenging in Africa to do Family History in order to provide the saving ordinances of the temple for those who have passed on.  We have encouraged our branch members that we have helped with Family History to ask their oldest living family members about the history of their family and then to record it because families and knowing about their ancestors is important for the familial connection as well as for providing for the ordinances in the temple.

We are blessed to be serving here in Ghana.  It has been a growing, challenging, and life changing experience.  Even with all of that, we have never doubted and have continued to feel at peace that being here and doing what we are doing is what the Lord would have us do.  God is good!  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28).

Love,

Sister and Elder Judd