We are missionaries

By Greg:

 

We have had quite the week.  We left Accra on Monday for a week in Cape Coast.  We had some business there and we had been invited to spend Thanksgiving with President and Sister Shulz (they invited us clear last May when they learned we were coming to Ghana).  It was a wonderful week.

We did some tourist things that we will blog about tomorrow, or later, but tonight we want to tell about our missionary experiences.

Our friend Paul has now had three lessons and is preparing to be baptized on the 15^th of December.  That is too long for him, but we are trying to slow him down.  The Elders taught him a lesson on Wednesday while we were gone, and we were with them tonight and taught him again.

Elder, Joyce, Greg, Agnes, Rebecca, Elder

 

While in Cape Coast I got a message from the Elders in our Ofankor Ward telling us that they had a baptism scheduled for Saturday and the lady wanted me to baptize her.  I had met her in church but we were not involved in teaching her.  I was more than willing.

 

We called Paul and the Elders teaching him and invited them to the baptism.  It was a very special event.  It turned out that there were three sisters wanting baptism, and I baptized them all; one girl and her mother and also her friend.  The water was surprisingly cold and green (I came right home and took a shower) and the font is outside, but they were so happy to be baptized and a lot of the ward showed up.  All the bishopric were there and a lot of young women to support these girls.

 

Paul was very impressed.  As we drove him to his Tro-tro stop he said, “So when do I get baptism?”  We told him to be patience that he is scheduled for the 15^th.  Not soon enough.

 

His is a remarkable story and it is very evident that God is active in these people’s lives.

 

Last Sunday most of us Senior Missionaries went to a faith and peace concert at the local Poly Tech College.  It is located right next to one of our Stake Centers and they invited “The leaders of the Latter-day Saints” to come, so we all did.  It was very interesting.  They are so into Peace right now with the election just around the corner.  Everyone is proclaiming peace.  The theme of this concert was “Ghana, God is with us yet!”  We were introduced as special guests.  She referred to us as angels.  We were the only whites there.  I am going to try to post a video clip we made of the choir, drums and dancers.  We are trying to be friendly to Ghana.

 

While in Cape Coast I gave the Elders the names of a couple of men we have met on the street here in Accra who are from Cape Coast.  They called them and perhaps something will come of that too.

 

For the boys I am posting this, which is not really missionary stuff, but maybe missionaries eat this.  This is called a grass-cutter.  It is about the size of a big muskrat.  They stretch it out, smoke it and then eat it.  They do not gut it first, so all the inners are still there.  Pretty tasty, eh?

 

Well, we hope all had a good thanksgiving.  We are now gearing up for Christmas.  Apparently they do lights here on Temple Square.  This is at the local store.  They have artificial Christmas trees for sale as well.

 




 

By Debi:

We have had such an amazing week.  We met Paul one week ago today and today we took him to a baptism and he is learning and studying and is so excited about the gospel. 

 

It was so amazing to see Greg all dressed in white standing in a baptismal font outside of the church.  The sisters where so nervous but before the service started Greg took each one aside and explained how he was going to hold their hands and he instructed them on what they needed to do.  He also comforted them that they were going to be all right and he would take good care of them.  It was very sweet.  We bought them a picture of the Ghana Temple and Greg signed the back with the date and his name so they could always remember who baptized them. I am very proud of Greg.  He truly is an amazing missionary. 

 

I was also so impressed with the meeting before the baptism.  One of the missionaries spoke and one of the counselors in the Bishopric spoke.  The Ward Mission Leader also bore his testimony at the end.  These men were so good and gave such touching messages.  The great part is that each of them talked about when they found the church and were baptized.  One of the speakers talked about the trials that will come.  He said that friends, family and neighbors will try to get them to leave the church.  He then bore such a beautiful and powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and that this is the only true church on the face of the earth.  Nothing else matters! 


 

We also had such a great time in Cape Coast.  Thanksgiving was so nice and I didn’t get too homesick.  We made it through our first really big holiday.  We were with people who we would consider as family and definitely friends.  We feel very blessed to have so many people around us that we love so much.

 

 

Tomorrow we will post some more pictures from our week and give details about the places we visited.