5/29/17

Swedru 4th branch is my new area. There are about 41 people registered as either members or children of record in this branch. On Sunday we had about 23 people there, including the branch presidency and the Missionaries. :) So WE win!  We have a higher percentage of active members than most of the wards or branches in the world...more than 50% attendance!!!!!

I'm so excited to be working in this branch!  I'm literally with the Pioneers of the church. I get to partake of the sacrament with Pioneers!

My companion is Elder Bakam.  He is from Ghana, so he speaks all the local languages; Gah, Fanti Twi, Ashanti Twi, and Ewe (Eway).  Some more, too, but those are all I can think of right now. :)  He does a lot of the teaching, since the  area is somewhat "bushy".   Our area consists of 2 villages about a mile apart from one another (it's really small). Some people can speak English, while others cannot speak any English.  Hence my companion is a Ghanaian.

We live in a 6 man apartment (really nice place). A lot bigger than my last place and 4 more people than I'm used to in my apartments (I've only been in 2 man apartments).  Our apartment is about half a mile away from our area and the road, even though it's paved, still has a bunch of friendly speed checkers and Missionary trippers (pot holes).   It's sweet!

This week was a good, good week.  OH!   I forgot the Branch President's daughter told her friend about me, but she forgot my name.  So my new name is Elder Software. I love Ghana.

I took a few pictures this week.  None of me. I'm gaining a lot of weight, so I'll save you all the horror :).   I'll send some of me and my companion this week.

This is the best apartment ever!  It always has milk, cheese and butter in the fridge.  I wish it was real.  I miss milk!

I forgot why I took a picture of this.

It rained and this is the gutter.  It rains hard here.

First time I've ever seen one of these lamps before. Welcome to the village.

I walked on this with my bicycle!   Are you proud of me mom???

The door to our apartment.

This symbol means "Only God".   It's everywhere here, even on my door.

It's a really cool door.

​This is the branch picture when it was first created.  I think 5-6 months ago.  It's the same size for a lot of different reasons. The biggest one is the chapel is about a mile away from everyone and it costs 160 cedi a person by taxi to come that far so no investigator can make it, because no one can afford it. We will be getting a building in our area (hopefully next week--we get the keys to it) and we can start to grow the church with our super serious investigators.

I've seen like 7 white people here in my area, but I'm always way to afraid to contact them.  I'll let you know how it goes throughout the weeks, but white people are scary!

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Love you all,

-Elder Ellsworth