Ghana Spread the Word!: 4/17/17

So, it’s been a week and we are back again. This week was good. We spent a lot more time going out and working than last week. Unfortunately, we only had one of our investigators come to church. But that guy has a cool story! His name is Isaac and he is now staying with a member in our ward because the member was at work and wanted to buy a coconut (they sell coconuts in wheel barrels. I’ll take a picture one day) but she called this guy over and he starts to chop it up with a cutlass(a sword (a machete)) like they normally do, but he messed up and cut his hand! He had no money to go to the hospital so the sister, with her boss, paid for him to get cleaned up. Then the member went to go take him to his family, but it turns out they all have passed away except for his super old grandfather, so she took him in with what little she had and now he stays with them and comes to church every week. :) He also doesn't speak English so we need a translator to teach him, but we are going to start to send him to the gospel literature class. It’s just a cool story of how he became an investigator and hopefully a member all because the members here love to help and their influence and means help others to receive this great blessing of the gospel.

I was reading today in Alma 59 and I love the chapter heading because it brings me peace to know that we can still all be as captain Moroni :) hopefully you understand what I’m saying.

My thought for the week is that this church is literally separate from the world because we follow God's Prophet. We do not do what the world does. It’s very apparent here in Ghana, just by the way church services go. In other churches they sing, they dance, and many speak in tongues. (they yell random things I don’t understand that isn’t Twi). This is bold and Imp NOT saying these churches are bad. They all (most all) want to follow Jesus Christ and want to be saved. What I’m saying is this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church. The only true church! The one that is like the Church at the time when Christ first established His church. It has a true and living prophet that leads and guides us. We are Very separate from the world. I’m spending 2 years of my life (my "prime life" as some would say it) away from home and away from school and away from the worlds standard of fun so I can come and share with people the message of The Restored Gospel. I know it’s true and I know it’s good.

Funny story time. We were teaching someone on Saturday as usual at a bar. that’s where she works--don’t worry we know the word of wisdom and we follow it. But there was this other man sitting at a table and he talked with the investigator (she owns the bar) and he bought us malts (nonalcoholic barley drink) (beer with no alcohol) and then he came over and sat in on the lesson and so we started and he stops us and says "I’m a member but I’m apostate". So at this point elder Lundquist looks over and sees an empty bottle of Club (Beer with the alcohol) so were like well he’s drunk (it’s a big bottle) but, it turns out he was baptized in 1997 and he said "I need to be redeemed" so I look at him and say "here is a simple way for you to be redeemed. Come to church and partake of the sacrament worthily". Update for yesterday he didn’t come. But its okay because by the end of the lesson he thought we were filming him! He was thoroughly convinced that my broken watch that I keep as a reminder of mom and dad was a hidden camera. This guy--I just felt for him and I really wanted him to come back and be "redeemed". I’m just not good at telling stories but oh well.

This week was great Hope you all had a Happy Easter!

-Elder Ellsworth