8/14/17

Okay so this week was sweet! We started out the week by sleeping in Odokor in preparation for the Meeting with Elder Renlund.  We got to Odokor at about 5 and after some directions over the phone that didn’t work to well we ended up super lost in an area we didn’t know standing for 30 minutes, but all is well. I’m alive and have a good story to tell about how we walked around for a little bit :)

But Elder Renlund was sweet and when I get the picture the mission took with him I’ll send that off to you all. His message to us was 3 things.  He said: 

1 Thank you

2 Learn that you were sent here by revelation

3 learn that your mission president was called by that same revelation

It was pretty sweet and he left us hanging for like 3 seconds.  He said “the message that I bring from the first presidency is........ (like 3 whole seconds)...... Thank you on behalf of Jesus Christ. 

I was thinking “Oh no, he knows this mission has so many disobedient missionaries, were all going to be sent home!”  (sorry mom! that didn’t happen-- maybe next time :) )

Now they do know that about half the missionaries here are disobedient, but they didn’t send us home :)

The rest of the week was great, as well.  We taught the Mensa family and a little girl joined us.  Afterward she came to us and said my mom wants to meet you so we went and "found" AN AMAZING FAMILY.  That makes 2 AMAZING FAMILIES.  Unfortunately, they didn’t come this week to the Sacrament Meeting, but they fell sick, so next week for sure! 

Also in other sad news--after 12 weeks here in Swedru, I’ve been transferred! I’m going to the BUSH! I’ll be heading out tomorrow to Asamankese 2nd Ward.  My new companion will be Elder Skog. I don’t know much about him but I’m excited to work with him. I know he is from America and I think not from Utah. :) only a few of those.

I can’t really remember what else happened but we went and painted today (or we went and had fun with paint on a wall and tried to make it look decent) :) It will be sweet when it’s done.  haha 

This is my MTC Group.  We are angelic

We had a child of record be baptized this week I have gained so much weight!

These are two girls in the Mensa family. Augustina and Vida 

I taught them how to do the cup song.  I'm sad I'm leaving them.

This inst the right date or time

This is the child of record Elvis :) He did his own tie.

This is elder Keddington.  He is a sweet guy and was the one with D&D, so now we cant play anymore because he's going home after a nice 2 years serving in Ghana.

I should stop letting him use my camera :)

This is the branch president and his family with me 

We painted today and it looked somewhat okay :) Also Elder Nabrotzky is not my companion.   Elder Muli is, but Elder Muli is training so he went to Accra yesterday and Elder Nabrotzky's companion went home, so we were left together.  Also this wall is going to be the new mission apartment (yes Chelsea just the wall--the church funds ran out :)))) but that's why we were allowed to paint it :)

Love you all!!! 

-Elder Ellsworth
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-Elder Ellsworth

8/7/17

This week was pretty funny. We started out by going to work on Tuesday with the normal stuff.  Call some people, show up and teach them and what not.  The mission is sweet!  We went to our recent converts house and we were reading the Book of Mormon with her and I was trying to explain 1st Nephi chapter 1, when my companion just yells "DONT JOKE WITH ME! And What?  Why are you looking at me?”  I look at him like, What??  Then our recent convert asks, “What are you doing?” and he points at a tree and says “SNAKE!” So, Janet, the Recent convert, runs away and I see it.  It’s a tiny (foot and a half) green snake.  Tiny little thing.  Then Janet and sister Emilia (the Branch President’s wife) come out with 2 giant sticks and are about to pounce, when I turn to Elder Muli and say “Why aren’t we doing this?”  So we go grab the sticks and I hit the snake off the tree and then Elder Muli just goes to town on the snake’s head! At first, I was like, “Okay go to town!”, but after the 5th swing I just started laughing.  It looked so funny. I picked it up after and its head was like flat Stanley, just sad. 

After that we went back to work! 

Other than that, we had a sweet week we were able to have a huge number of people to Sacrament Meeting yesterday. There was a baby blessing (they don’t happen very often here.  This one was sweet) We finished Sacrament Meeting and the hall was full.  Then 2 minutes later a tro tro pulls up and like 30 people hop out!! So, we ran and grabbed some chairs and the whole hall was full.  A normal meeting, we only fill it up maybe 1/ 4th of the way but yesterday there was 71 people by my count! Crazy! We had a lot of investigators come along with that family and it was a sweet sacrament meeting.

Not much else that I can think of happened.  We went out and did what we were supposed to--Testify of Jesus Christ and teach about how he restored his church through Joseph Smith :).

That reminds me, we went to one of our investigator’s houses and she said she saw Joseph Smith on her Facebook.  So, my companion and I said “What???”.  So, she showed it to us and it was a cool little picture saying that Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith restored His church. I had a Phone at that point and so I went to the churches page and I Saw Elder Renlund (who my whole mission will see tomorrow) so I said “this man is an apostle and we are going to see him” and I touched the phone and it was a video and I said “oh shoot!”, but she said “let’s watch it” so we watched it.  He was answering a question on prayer and it was perfect because this investigator--- every time we go there I share about prayer and everything I ever said, Elder Renlund said the same exact thing and I was like yup the church is true. She feels like she needs to wait some time before becoming a member, but a t least she understands this is the Lord’s church and it was just a sweet experience to have that unplanned lesson.

That’s about it for this week

 See, it looks funny!

Snakes home??

African Suburbs

There is a pig in there, somewhere

7/31/17

This week was sweet! We started the week by going to Kasoa on Tuesday for a multi zone conference.  We were taught good things.  I can’t remember everything, but the missionaries were 30 minutes early and so we just started to sing hymns and it sounded really good.   (Sorry Dad, I didn’t conduct with two hands like you always want me to, but you couldn’t see it anyway.) That was a sweet moment.

We went out with 2 members this week and it was sweet.  One of them was the AP in a Nigeria mission so he was just going and going and going and we were getting really tired by the end of the night.  That’s not good, but it’s what happened.  The only bad thing is he wore his tag the whole day.  Not sure if that’s good. :)

We Were able to teach so many new people!  We were able to teach 2 families.  One has 5 children (2 are under 7).   We haven't met the father yet.  The other family is a mom and 2 children (also haven't met the father), but it’s all good.  The mom of 2 is my new “wife” (for the record I said we can be friends but she insisted).

A funny thing is people here expect white people to be so much older than we are.  When I ask everyone how old I am, they say maybe 21 or 25 or 31 and I say I’m 19 and they flip out!  It’s so funny. 

I’ve been so tired! Mainly because I’m a bad missionary and go to bed after 10:30 because either I’m talking or writing in my journal or showering because we get back at 9:30 and have no time.  This week I’m going to bed right on time or earlier! 

I can’t remember any funny things all I know is I lost my pillow case in the wash (that’s a feat in and of itself--loosing something the way we wash?!?) but I started using a shirt as my pillowcase and it is a super comfy shirt so it’s sweet

That’s about it I think

7/24/17

There was a huge dog!  It didn’t do anything but it scared me so bad! It’s on this 2-story thing and it sees us at like 7 at night, which is pitch black here because the sun goes down around 5:45.  It just starts barking and comes to this gate thing from the second story and it looks like it’s about to jump the gate and kill us or try to kill us.   It scared me really badly.  Nothing happened, but there was a dog!

Other than that, it was a pretty normal week. The only other thing that was weird was we were robbed. Someone came during a time when all 6 of the missionaries were out and stole a bunch of things.  Luckily, I’m poor and didn’t have anything he wanted so I didn’t get anything taken.  I had to spend that whole day waiting around for the door lock to be replaced.  I got to read the Liahona, so it wasn't too bad :)

But the best thing that happened was Kwesi Donkoh (the one who was baptized last week) was able to bless the sacrament!! It was so cool! It just reminded me of Brother JamesCourie when he was able to bless the sacrament and just how Brother McCook was so touched by it.  I truly know that is of our God and it’s so special to see and be a part of all of it.   :) 

Read The Book of Mormon!   It’s such a great book!!

love you all

-Elder Ellsworth

 Companions: Elders Ellsworth and Muli.  Elder Muli is from Kenya.

 These are 2 of the 6 in the apartment 

 My desk is not THAT bad

 This thing was Huge!!!

Welcome to Africa

7/17/17

The work is great and my companion is sweet.  We have power problems all the time, but that’s normal for Ghana.  I keep thinking about home and I got to tell you, America is so weird! Like you have personal cars and you can drink water from wherever and you go to a big store to buy eggs and there is no trash on the ground. You're living in the Celestial Kingdom! Some Missionaries spent the night in the mission home and the Elder from Africa was just so taken back by how the mission home was.  He told his companion (who told me what he said) it was the Celestial Kingdom.  Now, I hope it’s better than that! Not saying the home is bad, but--I mean the Celestial Kingdom is with Heavenly Father!  So, yea, I feel okay saying that.   

This week was sweet! We were able to go and work every day.  Our least productive days were Saturday and Sunday.  We were just so tired that we fell asleep for an hour or so when we came back for lunch. But on Saturday Kwesi, Eva Donkoh and Janet Niako were able to come into the waters of Baptism and yesterday they received the Holy Ghost and, truly, a forgiveness of all of their repented sins. The Church is true because it makes sense like every other truth.  The best one I can think of is 2+2.  We all know it equals 4 and this is a truth.  Same with the Gospel.  Now, I used to always say “I” have found this church to be true--somehow meaning that it is only a truth for me, but that's not true.  It’s a truth for everyone and that's what makes a truth a true truth.  If 2 +2 only equaled 4 for people over 53 years old then it wouldn't be a true truth, would it? Now some people won’t accept it as a truth that I’m 6'1" but (I hope I did that right.  I don’t want to be six inches, one foot) my brothers will never say I’m 6'1", for whatever reason.  That doesn't mean I’m not 6'1”, just because some people say I’m not.

I don’t really have a point to telling that, I just thought of it an I needed to fill space.  I feel like people don’t even read these, they just look at the pictures.  (I do that all the time.)

We started teaching 6 new people! One of them is 9 years old but she is smarter than me! It’s crazy the difference in education in some families here.  Hopefully they can accept this truth and act on it well.

Other than that, we kind of just worked and did normal stuff and what not

7/10/17

 IT rained so bad! Elder Muli was just going for it and got stuck about halfway through! I WAS DYING it was so funny!

 I fell... don't talk and drive 

SO Good Morning! (technically afternoon) This week was Great!  It started on Tuesday with transfers! My companion came around 5 pm, so we didn’t do much that day, just took a taxi out to our area and introduced him to the first counselor in the Branch Presidency.  That was pretty fun.  The other 2 companionships in my apartment called and said we need the keys!!!!! so we had to hurry up and eat hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot food and then run back to a taxi (not really.  It’s too hot to run even at 9 at night) but it’s fun and I’m having a great time!

I taught the Deacons quorum (really all the young men--they are just all deacons).  We were going over the Duty to God booklet and I turned into Brothers McCook, Woolfe, and Silver just pleading with these young men to complete this book!!! We did the first thing right then and there and it was sweet.  I learned a bunch, even going back over the Deacons’ things, I still loved it all.  So please go back and do it all over again! Especially if you haven’t done it before--do it!  I was so happy I could stand there and say I did this and I know it will bring you closer to the Savoir than you've ever been before! 

What else?   OHHHHH!  I fell off my bike yesterday!!! It was a pleasant experience--got some sweet scars and My shirt didn’t even rip!!!!! I was so happy.  It was a brand-new shirt, too!  I would have cried kind of, or at least I can’t let you all know I would have. :)

We had an amazing sacrament meeting on Sunday.  Four of our investigators were able to attend.  Not as many as the past 2 weeks, but I was so happy for those who came! I didn’t understand what they were saying but just that they came and were in that environment will help them so much this week! It is so sweet.

I’ve noticed that as I teach people, our main focus of the restoration is about the priesthood and I was kind of alarmed by that.  Not that that’s a bad focus, but after a while it kind of just gets shoved aside.   Just having these people understand what the Priesthood is and that it’s good and they understand.  It’s not the message of the restoration of the Priesthood, but of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I understand to teach people and not just lessons, but I feel as though I need to still have the lesson be taught to the people how best they understand it.  It is so true.  We have the Priesthood. It has been restored through Joseph Smith! It’s true, it’s true and if it’s true, what else matters right? See teachings of the presidents Gordon B. Hinkley pg 144-145. Truly our faith needs to be like this wonderful example. We teach the restoration like that so I’m just reading PMG again to see what points I really need to make. 

UMMMMM--I’m alive, my hair is getting long and I’m having a sweet time.  In my apartment, yesterday, after proselyting we came back and played a little D&D (dungeons and dragons) It’s pretty fun, I do have to say. :) Now that I think about it, it may be not Sunday appropriate--but any other day would be fine :)

Love you all.  Keep praying and be happy and full of hope (good hope, don’t hope for bad things) as it says in Ether 12:4--hope is the anchor of faith. (correct me if that wrong) :) But it makes sense.  What we hope for will be leading us to what we do and what we do shows our faith. Faith without works is dead, also it can be said, faith without action is just a belief

LOVE ya tons!

7/3/17

I hate typing!

Writing these things are hard! haha 

This week was good!  I really don’t remember much, but the one thing I can remember is we have 5 investigators who all know what we teach is true (The Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, the Church) they all understand it fully, but one thing or another holds them back from accepting baptism into His (the Lord’s) church. It is sweet.  We can teach for understanding about the truth :).

Yesterday we got a call from one of my favorite investigators.  Her name is Sarah and she has 4 year old twin boys who are adorable and hilarious.  She called us and told my companion that we were confusing her!  She was able to come to church last Sunday and yesterday she went back to her church and said that she didn’t feel good at all and so she told us we were confusing her!  So I was happy! We told her we’re here to teach about the truth and the spirit testifies of that truth and not to worry, because we will come and explain it all. But yeah, it’s really fun to be here and to help these people in this way!

Other than that, I saw some horses on the 10-minute bike ride/commute to my area on (I think) Saturday.  That same day saw some pigs.  It’s pretty fun…it’s like I’m in a zoo!   Also, don’t be fooled!  Those are about the wildest animals I see here in Ghana.  It is Africa but it’s a City, too. 

Transfer news came and my companion is leaving me which is scary because he is Ghanaian so he speaks the local languages that all our investigators speak.  Well, some speak English, but a lot more (than ¾) only speak Twi and my new companion is from Kenya so he doesn't speak Twi fluently.  Our branch, as you know, is small and the members are busy so I’ll grow close to the Lord and the Spirit this transfer. But I’m excited.  I was scared and a little annoyed but, I know this is a divine assignment and therefore I can do it, so I will do it! 

Okay so last week my SD card got a virus so I couldn’t send pictures, but this week I fixed it! Okay so the computer fixed it but still! I’m not sad no more!

 All the investigators who came to church, plus my companion and Jonathan-a member we are going to start asking for a lot of help 

fun day at the beach

Always one in an area. Okay I’m stretching for a Pokémon picture, but I needed one!  

Have a sweet 4th of July!

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-Elder Ellsworth