We are sorry for being so late in doing our last blog post for our mission. The last two and a half weeks on our mission were crazy busy. We then left Ghana on June 25th and arrived in Salt Lake City on the afternoon of June 26th. This was followed by spending time with family including doing baptisms and confirmations in the temple with some of our grandchildren and doing sealings in the temple with some of our family, renting and moving into an apartment in Orem, going to Coalville for doctor appointments and spending the night and visiting with Elder Judd's sister (Shanna), meeting with Elder and Sister Burtenshaw (who are on their way to Ghana to replace us), spending time with the Klundt's from our Tennessee mission, visiting and spending time with lots of family, and just plain going and doing. We needed to just stop and take time to do this last blog post to let you know that we are home and to express our deep appreciation for your prayers and support.
As indicated above, the last two and a half weeks of our mission were very busy. The individual zone conferences continued with Swedru (June 10), Winneba (June 11), Kasoa (June 12), and Oda/Asamankese (June 13). Since Elder and Sister Bertha are going home the same day as us and the Jacobsen's, they and we continued to bear our departing testimonies in each zone conference. Here are pictures from these four zone conferences.
Sharing our testimonies The Swedru Zone
Some of the Swedru elders Making a "Welcome" sign for the incoming
President and Sister Campbell.
Winneba Zone elders gathering for zone conference. Sharing our testimonies in Winneba.
Sister Sam Sisters Sam, Nipepe, Asamoah, Bertha, Jacobsen, Judd,
Masango, and Tu'angalu.
Winneba Zone
Sharing testimonies in Kasoa Zone. Missionaries visiting before zone conference.
Kasoa Zone Kasoa Zone sisters
Sisters Bibomba, Marufu, Naigaga, Van der Beek, Visiting with Sisters Nkoma and Van der Beek.
Nkoma, (in front) Malama, and Najjuka.
Sisters Van der Beek, Nkoma, and Naigaga. Sister Marufu getting her Sister Judd hug!
Sharing testimonies in Oda/Asamankese Zones
Oda/Asamankese Zones
Elder Cichos Visiting with Elder Simbahon
Elders Mpangala, Lekeyi, and Simbahon. Visiting with Elder Cichos.
Sisters Jacobsen, Judd, and Bertha in front of the cinnamon tree at Oda.
On Sunday, June 15, we made our last trip to the Swedru Stake for Gospel Literacy. We met Brother Tetteh and then dropped off some Gospel Literacy books to the Aboso Ward Gospel Literacy teacher and then went to Kuntenase to visit the Gospel Literacy class there.
The Gospel Literacy class in Kuntenase.
Kuntenase Branch members
Elder Judd needed to use the "wash room." This is it!!
There was a torrential downpour the night before going to Kuntenase. On the way to Swedru and Kuntenase on Sunday morning, we encountered two places where the water was over the road. It was a little interesting getting through, but we made it. Luckily, the water had receded by the time we drove back home.
Later in the afternoon, we taught temple preparation to the Awutu Breku Branch clerk.
On Monday, we went into Accra to the temple grounds for Sister Jacobsen to take pictures of us for our 50th wedding anniversary and then spent the night with the Jacobsen's.
Tuesday was the last zone conference with the Kaneshie Zone.
Sharing testimonies in the Kaneshie Zone. Gifty (Patrick's wife).
KFC lunch! President Jacobsen teaching and testifying.
With Sister Jonqueiro. With our dear friends Gifty and Patrick.
Our very dear Sister Appia. Elders Cid and Razafimbelo
Elders Abekah and Kroll (A.P.'s) The senior couples.
The sisters in the Kaneshie Zone. The Kaneshie Zone.
On the way home from the Kaneshie Zone Conference, we stopped and bought our last flat of eggs from the shop near our apartment.
Our egg lady.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent sorting through our apartment to pack items to go with the Jacobsen's in their container shipping their belongings back to Utah and to begin packing our suitcases. On Thursday, we also drove 40 minutes to Bontrase to teach the temple preparation to Hagar Mensah who is the branch Young Women president.
Hagar and her daughter. Hagar, her mother, and her daughter.
Thursday evening was a sweet and tearful "devotional" at the Awutu Breku Branch where members shared their thoughts and feelings in saying "good-bye" to us. We have grown to love these amazing and faithful saints in the branch.
Branch members at the "devotional."
Abraham and Rihana. Sister Judd saying goodbye to a little friend.
Georgina and Brother Yamoah. Cristabel, Georgina, Joycelyn, and Joseph (in front).
Lizzy, Georgina, and Joycelyn. Dorcas and her children.
Jennifer and Mary did not want Sister Judd to leave!!
Christabel, Catherine, Jennifer, and Jerry. Christabel wanting one more hug!
At various times on Friday (June 20), Saturday, and Sunday, we visited and said some personal good-bye's to members of the branch we have become especially close to.
Lizzy and John
Helena and John
The branch gave us a large picture on a board of us pointing to Ghana in the MTC. It was way too large to fit in a suitcase or take home. We gave it to Rihana and Abraham, who were totally thrilled to have it. They are going to hang it in their bedroom to always remember us!!
Martha and Kwame
Morgan, Rose, and Princess
Nevis
When we went to see Nevis, she was doing her wash and cooking dinner.
Cooking dinner. Some outside and some in the cook shed.
Inside Nevis' cook shed ("kitchen").
There were more good-byes at church on Sunday.
David Harrison
Kojo Shamgar Brother Yamoah and Richard
Rena Ernestina
Helena
Our good friend, Isaac.
Evans Lizzy
Jennifer, Jerry, and Catherine.
Daniel asked Elder Judd to help him give his daughter, Vicentia, a blessing to help her with her school exams. Elder Judd reviewed with him how to perform the blessing. Daniel them gave a father's blessing to Vicentia in Twi.
Daniel and Vicentia
Charity
The Fort and Georgina Acolatse Family.
Rihana Austine
Sisters Masango, Tu'angalu, Asamoah, and Nipepe
On Sunday afternoon, we went to teach and visit for the last time with Helena and Rockson.
Our last coconut water.
Rockson being taught.
Rockson and Helena's daughters.
We then went to visit William and Esther. Esther had badly hurt her leg. They were baptized about 8 months ago, and William had recently received the Melchizedek Priesthood. Elder Judd taught him about priesthood ordinances, including giving a blessing of healing. Elder Judd gave William his bottle of consecrated oil to keep. Elder Judd then anointed Esther, and William sealed the anointing and pronounced a priesthood blessing of healing on Esther. It was amazing!!
William and Esther.
On Monday, we went into Accra to the mission office to have a final staff meeting, final interviews with President Jacobsen, departing dinner with all the senior couples and the Jacobsen's, and have a departing devotional for us, Elder and Sister Bertha, and President and Sister Jacobsen.
Senior missionaries and Ebenezer in staff meeting, and senior missionaries and Patrick at dinner.
Receiving our banners and mission completion letter from President Jacobsen.
Judd's, Jacobsen's, and Bertha's. All the senior couples.
Senior couples along with Elders Abekah and Kroll.
Tuesday was the final packing and getting the apartment ready for Elder and Sister Burtenshaw to come two weeks after we leave. And Wednesday, June 25th was driving to Accra one last time and going to the airport to fly home.
Saying goodbye to Sisters Asamoah, Nipepe, Masango, and Tu'angalu.
"Hoorah for Israel!!"
Sisters Asamoah, Masango, Nipepe, and Tu'angalu left and then came back to say goodbye a second time!
Final departure from our apartment.
Layover in Amsterdam.
We all flew to Amsterdam together. Then, Bertha's flew to San Diego and Jacobsen's and us to Salt Lake.
Arriving in Salt Lake City!!
Hugs, hugs and more hugs!!
Excited to see Nana! Emily FaceTiming with Allison, Stephen, Melissa, and Sara.
Emily and boys, Bethany and her family, Laura and her family, and Katie and Monroe.
Good to be home!!!
We would again like to thank each one of you for your support and prayers. We would like to share just a few of the many lessons we have learned in the past 18 months on our mission. First, we don't have to know or do everything perfectly to serve the Lord. We just have to be willing to get up and do our best, and He will magnify our efforts to accomplish His will. As we are willing to humbly turn our will over to Him, we can truly be instruments in His hands. Second, no matter our circumstances, we can always be "so much grateful." Third, as we serve others we can see the Lord's tender mercies and miracles and recognize how He is in the details of the details of our lives. And finally, living the two great commandments--to love God and to love our neighbor--is a defining characteristic of disciples of Jesus Christ. When we love God first and also love others, everything in our lives moves into its proper place.
We have loved serving the beautiful people of Ghana and are trusting that the Lord will guide us as we move forward in our next adventures.
We love you all,
Elder Frank and Sister Ginny Judd
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Still our heros.
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