A VISIT FROM AN AREA SEVENTY

This week we had an area Seventy visit the mission and all 170 missionaries were able to come together to meet at the Temple grounds in the stake center for a day of meetings.  It was nice to see all of them at once…..usually we hold 3 separate multi-zone conferences.  Elder Ojediran, 1^st Counselor in the West Africa Area Presidency, presided and he is a very good speaker and teacher.  It was a nice conference.  You can see from the pictures below we were able to get everyone at the steps of the Temple for a picture.

The rest of the week was business as usual.  We welcomed three new missionaries because the Ghana MTC presidency didn’t think these Elders needed to stay any longer because they new their English well.  They were supposed to come to our Mission in December. The MTC is full and at compacity, and they needed the room.  So we picked them up early, gave them some orientation, had them meet their new Trainers, and off they went.  Next week will be the largest transfer we have had since we got here. There are 22 missionaries going home and 28 missionaries arriving.  All of that happens on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Going and Coming.  We will be making a lot of trips to the airport.  We will also be doing some orientation and the same thing we have done multiple times before, but this time the size of the group is almost overwhelming.  It will be fun…..but we will be glad to have it over.  We have been anticipating this “huge” transfer for a couple of months.  Think about what the Mission Leaders and the AP’s have to do with regard to matching up all the companionships and figuring out what areas to send the new missionaries to…..and who their Trainers will be…..and how to give the new missionaries some comfort and get them excited about being here in Ghana.  Because of the over-capacity MTC, 16 missionaries from the US were supposed to be here for a few weeks and they ended up spending a week at home and a week in the Provo MTC.  They will have quite the awakening once they get here to Ghana.  We like them to spend a few weeks here in the MTC before they go out into the field.  But Salt Lake had different plans.  It is rather amazing that so many young people worldwide are putting in their papers to volunteer to serve missions.  They give up 18-24 months of their lives to do something that will change them forever.  I personally think that is pretty awesome and I think these young people are pretty awesome. 

We did something different yesterday.  We drove about 3 hours north to a place called the Volta Region and visited a place called Aqua Safari Resort. We then got on a boat and went down a river towards the ocean and saw some amazing homes…..it is one of the nicest resort areas in West Africa.  Some of the homes we saw, which people can rent for vacations, were pretty amazing.  The purpose of our trip was not only see a part of Ghana we did not know existed, but to also visit a some islands where a returned Senior missionary decided to create something that would provide electricity for the people on these islands.  He invented the electric generating Merry-Go-Round, with the help of the BYU engineering department. You can see a video below.  They have also created “swings” that also generate electricity.  The idea is that the kids will play on the merry-go-rounds and the swings and charge up the batteries so that the kids can read and study at night.  It was very inspiring and very creative.  We had lots of fun and it was nice to do something different on our P-day with a group of other senior missionaries serving in our Area Offices and other missions.

I love the fact that good people come up with great ideas to serve others and help those less fortunate.  Every day we have the power to make someone’s life a little better…..and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to do so. Making someone’s life better maybe begins with empathy – seeing people not just as they appear, but as they feel inside. When we choose compassion over judgment and include generosity, we create moments that remind others they matter.  And the beautiful truth is…..when we lift someone else up, we rise a little higher ourselves.  That is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. That is why I am trying to live a better life and follow the example of our Savior.....it just makes me feel a whole lot better each and every day.

https://youtu.be/YGUv58ECSmM?si=8RR_Lw_wPsD8b7ow

https://youtu.be/aJG54tFcJyw?si=C-XtdFmUQ-aS2UJo

If you cannot open the above links, go to YouTube and search for the "History of Empower Playgrounds". It is worth watching the 3-4 minute video.

The Atlantic Ocean.....We are a long way from home.

The whole mission together at once....about 170 missionaries. Great day.

Gathering at the Temple.....they enjoyed this very much.....to see old friends and companions.

Sister Archibald and Sister Nipepe. Along with Sister Khuphe and Sister Langi.

More of the same.

Elder Bey's birthday. He has an engineering degree he received in China before his mission. He is now one of our AP's. Great guy.

This woman was a missionary with President and Sister Riding as her mission leaders. She loved to see their pictures when I showed them to her. She is faithful and has 3 children.

This little girl followed me around. They like their pictures being taken and then to see themselves.

This is the little girl's mom.....serving as a counselor in the Relief Society.

Elder Ojediran, 1st Counselor in the Africa West Presidency and member of the Quorum of Seventy. He is a great speaker and teacher. It was a good day.

The missionaries going home stood in front and bore their testimonies to the whole group.

The "Haka" dance.....famous at BYU football games. They are not supposed to do this.

Lots of mouths to feed. But we did it. Thankful for Kentucky Fried Chicken. They love it.

The leaders gathering for training.

They hang around my desk thinking maybe they will get me to give them some money. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. But they like to get any inside scoop they can.

Sister Campbell took this picture.....maybe she thought I was undercover CIA or something looking over the gathering with all the people and trying to maintain order.

I love pictures of missionaries doing what they do....out in their surroundings.

President Campbell and a group of solid missionaries.

Sister Nipepe and Sister Masango. Matching ties for the group on the right.

Sister Langi from Provo. The family on the right are living very dangerously. Can't even imagine what would happen if he got in a wreck or some car hit him.

On the way to the Aqua Safari Region. It was nice to see the more rural countryside.

Small village after small village.

Riding on a boat to get to the Islands where the merry-go-rounds are located.

Very large and expensive homes on this river.

It was a nice resort and a place in Ghana we did not know existed.

The children with one of their merry-go-rounds. 70 have been placed on the islands.

It is amazing how they power up the generator that provides the light they need for their school.

Inside one of their school rooms telling us how everything works.

I played some music so they would dance.

Children love being children and they are so happy even with no material things in their lives. They just figure out how to do things that are fun and they don't know any difference.....because they are children and they are naturally happy.

Jill finally trying some coconut milk. It's okay, but were not really crazy about it.