Uneventful Week Feb 26, 2018

Well not much has happened this week. It was just kind of a slow week. We’re having trouble finding serious investigators but when we do find a serious investagator they are really good. So quality over quantity I guess. But that’s just how tarkwa is. Litis was confirmed and given the priesthood this week. It was Piutau that ordained him to the priesthood and he said the prayer wrong but our branch pres insisted that it was right so we let it go. Well the district pres was there and he took Piutau out and gave him fire for saying it wrong and we had to do it again and Piutau was really embarrassed but he got it right. We also have another inv. named Comfort who should be able to be baptized as soon as she can get out of work on Sunday. It’s the same with another one named Georgina. They're trying but they have to work on sunday beacause their bosses are both Seventh Day Adventists so they think the Sabbath is Saturday not Sunday. But yea other than that I’m doing great. 

Litis Baptism Feb. 19, 2018

We had a baptism this week for Litis. We were worried cause when we came to institute on Friday our water pump for the church got stolen and so we didn't think we could fill up the font, but we had water delivered in a truck so we still had a baptism. Piutau performed the baptism cause it was his first convert. It was super sweet and Litis will be a strong member. On saturday when we came to chapel cleaning we noticed water was leaking out of the bottom of the building. We opened it up and there was about 2 inches of water on the ground. The members had left the taps on when there was no water and as soon as the water came everything was running. So we had to push a lot of water out of the chapel. It took over an hour but we got it all out. Other than that it's been going good.

My Companion's Birthday Feb. 12, 2018

Well, it's been another week of sweating and teaching here in Ghana. It was Elder Piutaus b-day yesterday but since it was Sunday we're going to celebrate it today. We did get a cake from one of the members and it was super good. Whenever its someone's birthday everybody else soaks them with water. So with the help of the members that brought the cake we soaked him with water and covered him with bluing which is a laundry whitening like a safe bleach that is a blue powder, mixed with a food called garri which is shaved cassava bits soaked in water.  Were going to a mexican resturaunt today to buy a wrap, it's super good but its also super expensive or else we would eat there more. We're also preparing a man named Litis for baptism this week. He's a super sweet guy and loves the church, he's made it everyweek since he started being taught and he comes to chapel cleaning every week too, he also wants to serve a mission. It's always nice to see someone like that joining the church. Other then that I'm doing good and still loving the work. 

Elder Piutau and Me-

he is from Tonga and is one of the coolest guys I've ever met

 Some members made Elder Piutau a cake and it was so good but nothing like cake in America, different ingredients.

 Happy Birthday Piutau!

Pictures of my apartment in my new area Tarkwa-

Mom, it looks a little rough but it's really not that bad. ;)

Transfer to new area- Brenu-Akyirium Feb. 4, 2018

Well it was transfer week and I was getting ready to get in a tro to go to Cape Coast when I got a call from the assistants saying not to go to Cape because I'm just going to a nearby town that I can take a taxi to. I stayed in the the same zone, Tarkwa zone. I wasn't sure what to think about that but my new area is in the city of Tarkwa and it is super nice. Tarkwa is a gold mining town and everybody is rich and it's a super nice town so going from a village to that is a big change. My new area is Brenu akyirim 2 ( Brenacheem) and my new comp is Elder Puitau from Tonga and he's one of the coolest guys I've ever met. He came out 1 transfer behind me so it was kind of surprising that I was a Senior comp already. I cant believe it but I've been out for 5 months and it feels like 1. Mission time really does fly by. But yea everythings going good. 

Leaving Axim Jan. 29, 2018

Well, another good week but sadly the time has come for me to leave Axim. We had a pretty successful week and even though it’s soo blazing hot that even the ghanians are starting to complain I am truly enjoying it. We had a missionary fireside to help promote members helping the missionaries and we were expecting about 150-200 people so we made 200 takeaways of rice.  It was looking really good but when the time came we had about 26 total. So we had about 174 extra packs so we the missionaries have been eating alot of reheated rice lately. Our district and the neighboring district, Esiama, roasted a pig today to celebrate me and one of their members, Elder Hamilton, leaving. There’s a Tongan in their district and he slow roasted it over a fire. It was sooo good. I’m sad to leave Axim tomorrow but I’m ready to go to a new area and meet some new people. 

This is a hat that my 3 year old brother, Cooper sent to me from home!  He's very proud that he thinks he sent me something that I definitely need here! ;)

 this is Sister Beatrice that has fed us so well all the months I have been in Axim.
 I will miss her good food!

All the Elders in my apartment

Beautiful scenery in Axim

Plantain Farm Jan. 22, 2018

 Another good week here in Ghana. It's been pretty cool but the last few days is been so hot that I have to wring my shirt out when we finish the day. We're going into February which is the hottest month of the year. Everything's been going great and we've been staying busy. We got to go to one of our member's farms on Saturday and we weeded and prepared a pretty big area for planting plantain trees. Other than that it's been pretty normal.   

 Me and Elder Phiri on the plantain farm

 Elder Lenge and Elder Tambia

Our Church building

Elder Lenge

President Monson will be missed Jan. 8, 2018

Well, this week went pretty good. Me and Elder Phiri are getting along great and doing lots of work. I was very sad to hear that President Monson passed on but I know he's doing lots of work in the Spirit World. He's been an amazing prophet, a great man, and an inspiration to many including me. He will be missed. 
We've had a kid named Mosiah from our branch proselyting with us all week. He has just recived his mission call to Nigeria and is super exited. He's a super cool guy and loves to do missionary work and it's great to work with him. We're so close to splitting our branch but we can't get enough of the less actives to come so that's been a hard battle.  Other than that it's been about the same.

 Elder Tambia, Elder Lenge, and me. Elder Phiri (my comp.) is the one taking the picture.  Some things about Elder Phiri- He's from Zimbabwe, he's 21 years old, he and his mom have been members their whole life, he plays cricket, plans to go to college when he gets off his mission, and he's a super cool guy.

This is our little friend Courage wearing Elder Phiri's sunglasses.