I wanted to share a story with you and your family:
As we were doing some finding and contacting as one of our appointments fell through and the back-up also we stumbled across a compound with the gate open, we actually thought it was the compound of someone we had previously contacted and we wanted to follow up. Inside we met a man named Patrick. It was pretty funny as when we went in, we knocked on the door and nothing, no answer, then from around the side we saw a man peep around the corner, he saw us see him and called out "wait i'm coming!!"
So we waited.... he came back. And immediately sat down with us and motioned for us to sit too. He told us that just that morning, he had got into an argument with a close friend because he had gotten drunk. When he sobered up a little he asked himself what had he done? He then said he prayed, for the first time in a long time, that God would help him, that he wanted to stop all these bad things that he had been doing. Some few hours later we knocked on his door. He received us as servants of the Lord, as messengers coming to help him become converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
When our appointments fell through, we could have been discouraged, we could have lost hope, we could have said, well this is a great day isn't it... but instead we used that time to do some finding. It was a little slow to start with, (i think that was a little of the discouragement) but we followed the spirit, and it lead us to where we need to be.
well this week has been great!
a lot of sickness as my companion has a cold and runny tummy! for 4 days straight
i had it for one day, some super spicy rice topping!!! makes you go
that is all you need if you are blocked it will clear you in no time!!!
sorry that is kind of gross
Ghana is still hot, east africa is in a terrible drought and west africa had terrible floods!!! i will send you some pics if i have time
loveelder anderson
Saturday, November 12, 2011
KFG?
had some KFG today, and it was pretty nice!
( they usually don't fry the goat but fried goat is actually pretty good!)
they do fry a lot of chicken but!
SOOOOOO MUCH FRIED CHICKEN!!!
we ate Thai food last week and it was really nice!
i got thai green curry so that was cool and some thai fried rice which was also very nice!
well ghana is still sweet, we are still working hard and got at least another 6 weeks together!!!
i wanted to share a little experience we had this week that opened my eyes a little! This week i re-realized something. As we taught an investigator for the second time, we finished teaching about the restoration and introduced him to the Book Of Mormon. We had asked him to pray about the things that we had taught and about Joseph Smith. As we asked him if he had prayed he said that he had, and that he was still waiting for an answer. As we taught about the Book Of Mormon and why we wanted him to read it. About how he will come to know it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost if he would continue to read study and pray about it. He said to us, "I am beginning to feel that it is true"
Then we waited, we could see him thinking, then he continued "because if it wasn't true, then you wouldn't give me the opportunity or tell me to ask God for myself if it is true... You would be trying to convince me." And it made me think, how important the spirit is, we could visit someone everyday and tell them the church is true, they may even believe it, but they will not have their own spiritual witness and it will be harder for them to endure to the end. I love the way the Lord reminds us of our own personal strengths and weaknesses. Without his help we cannot succeed, even we shall not teach.
It is great to be home, but it is greater to be out here doing to lords work!
i love it
and will definantly miss doing it full time when i get home!
lots of love elder anderson
( they usually don't fry the goat but fried goat is actually pretty good!)
they do fry a lot of chicken but!
SOOOOOO MUCH FRIED CHICKEN!!!
we ate Thai food last week and it was really nice!
i got thai green curry so that was cool and some thai fried rice which was also very nice!
well ghana is still sweet, we are still working hard and got at least another 6 weeks together!!!
i wanted to share a little experience we had this week that opened my eyes a little! This week i re-realized something. As we taught an investigator for the second time, we finished teaching about the restoration and introduced him to the Book Of Mormon. We had asked him to pray about the things that we had taught and about Joseph Smith. As we asked him if he had prayed he said that he had, and that he was still waiting for an answer. As we taught about the Book Of Mormon and why we wanted him to read it. About how he will come to know it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost if he would continue to read study and pray about it. He said to us, "I am beginning to feel that it is true"
Then we waited, we could see him thinking, then he continued "because if it wasn't true, then you wouldn't give me the opportunity or tell me to ask God for myself if it is true... You would be trying to convince me." And it made me think, how important the spirit is, we could visit someone everyday and tell them the church is true, they may even believe it, but they will not have their own spiritual witness and it will be harder for them to endure to the end. I love the way the Lord reminds us of our own personal strengths and weaknesses. Without his help we cannot succeed, even we shall not teach.
It is great to be home, but it is greater to be out here doing to lords work!
i love it
and will definantly miss doing it full time when i get home!
lots of love elder anderson
Saturday, September 24, 2011
New Companion and the work is 'sweet' in Christianborg!
My new companion is really cool, His name is Elder Cserepes, (Sara-piss) from Kanab Utah... tiny tiny town, in the southern utah desert with a population of 5000!!! i couldn't even imagine! his name is from hungary and most ghanians have a really hard time saying it!
He wants to get a guitar so that will be cool for the apartment! guitar and ukulele!! Together!! hehe
In our flat it is just the 2 of us! so it makes it nice and clean!!
we have had no water since wednesday till today!!! but them the water came back on and them power went out!!!
so we just cannot win!
We had a baptism on saturday, it was someone that president and the AP's were teaching, His name is Eric.
And he is a Magistrate Judge in Ghana!!! So that was quite an experience, i had to interview him for baptism!! how crazy is that... i was his his judge! (in a way) but he is a surprisingly humble person and loves the gospel! We sang nearer my god to thee with the ukulele at the baptism, (Elder's Afu, Tuisavalalo, Thompson and I)
It was really sweet! and we sounded pretty good too!!
The work is so sweet here in Christiansborg!
The member's really helped us out this week! We received 9 referrals from members and had 6 at church on sunday!!!
which was just wonderful!
We are planning on having a baptism this saturday!
For 2 of our investigators,
Elizabeth Aryee and Dan Ossom.
They are such great people!
When we met Dan, he had heard of Jesus Christ but had never gone to church, never read from the bible and only know what he heard on the streets!!
It is so great to be able to teach his the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then how is was restored in the latter days through a prophet called of God! He is very excited for his baptism!
He wants to get a guitar so that will be cool for the apartment! guitar and ukulele!! Together!! hehe
In our flat it is just the 2 of us! so it makes it nice and clean!!
we have had no water since wednesday till today!!! but them the water came back on and them power went out!!!
so we just cannot win!
We had a baptism on saturday, it was someone that president and the AP's were teaching, His name is Eric.
And he is a Magistrate Judge in Ghana!!! So that was quite an experience, i had to interview him for baptism!! how crazy is that... i was his his judge! (in a way) but he is a surprisingly humble person and loves the gospel! We sang nearer my god to thee with the ukulele at the baptism, (Elder's Afu, Tuisavalalo, Thompson and I)
It was really sweet! and we sounded pretty good too!!
The work is so sweet here in Christiansborg!
The member's really helped us out this week! We received 9 referrals from members and had 6 at church on sunday!!!
which was just wonderful!
We are planning on having a baptism this saturday!
For 2 of our investigators,
Elizabeth Aryee and Dan Ossom.
They are such great people!
When we met Dan, he had heard of Jesus Christ but had never gone to church, never read from the bible and only know what he heard on the streets!!
It is so great to be able to teach his the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then how is was restored in the latter days through a prophet called of God! He is very excited for his baptism!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Transferred Again!!!
So a little piece of interesting news for you.
No more Kasoa..... NOW its Christiansborg!
Yep! I got Transferred, Again...
This was the first transfer that Pres Judd and he made A LOT of changes.
So i am now in Christansborg. Back into the centre/heart of Accra, with the busiest street, the most white people and a KFC (yes a real one) that opens on Saturday!!!! (super excitement on my face!!!)
I am in the same district i was in when i was in the Office.
My Ward is nice, the members are cool and surprisingly the work is still sweet!! But then again that comes down to individual perception and desire... But so far I'm loving it!
Christiansborg one of the oldest wards in Accra and one of the oldest chapels.
It is very strange.
You walk straight into the chapel, and then the classrooms come off all the sides of the chapel. The Bishop's and Clerks office's are in a separate building across from the main chapel as well as our small (but nice) apartment.
BUT!!! The whole chapel, including our apartment has..... A/C
and they use it every Sunday! They kind of need it in the main chapel as there are only windows at one end!
It doesn't look like a typical chapel but it is still nice. We are about a 5 minute bike ride from the mission home and temple, both however are in another missionaries area.
If you find a map of Accra look for OSU, ACCRA and the chapel and apartment are on 17th Lane off Oxford street.
http://maps.google.com.gh/maps?q=osu+accra&oe=utf-8&rls=com.yahoo:en-US:official&client=firefox&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0xfdf907a07106513:0x4c5d573d71893771,Osu,+Accra&gl=gh&ei=buc_TueZEoib-gaQ--CmAg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA
it has a dark red roof.
It is still a little cool here in Accra, thankfully, and i am right on the beach.. about a 5 minute ride from out apartment as you can see on the map.
One of our investigators lives pretty much beachside... in the least beach side property i ever did see!
It is fun to be back in Accra but i miss Kasoa, and I'm now on to companion # 7 and area 5 and i'm not even one year on mission!!! anyone would think im a problem missionary.
But i guess i went to Kasoa for a purpose and fufilled it!!! and now i'm here in christiansborg for the same reason.
I'm still DL and now have the office elders and Jamestown, my former area in my district!!
Also we will be coming to the cafe a little earlier as well!
The lady, Mummy Hammond, who is on the cover of the Ghana Ensign, that wayne showed me is now in my ward, and we are going to her house for FHE tonight, so that will be fun, with our district and the AP's. Both her and her daughter play the piano really well, and they take turns playing.
Hey so i heard something about julia gillard and some new tax that is going to make flights more expensive...???
or something like that.. but then again, i have no idea!
life is fun, the work is sweet and the field is surprisingly white and ready.
the people are everywhere. you just have to find them!
Let me know when the other letters arrive, they get more and more interesting!
:)
Love Elder Anderson
No more Kasoa..... NOW its Christiansborg!
Yep! I got Transferred, Again...
This was the first transfer that Pres Judd and he made A LOT of changes.
So i am now in Christansborg. Back into the centre/heart of Accra, with the busiest street, the most white people and a KFC (yes a real one) that opens on Saturday!!!! (super excitement on my face!!!)
I am in the same district i was in when i was in the Office.
My Ward is nice, the members are cool and surprisingly the work is still sweet!! But then again that comes down to individual perception and desire... But so far I'm loving it!
Christiansborg one of the oldest wards in Accra and one of the oldest chapels.
It is very strange.
You walk straight into the chapel, and then the classrooms come off all the sides of the chapel. The Bishop's and Clerks office's are in a separate building across from the main chapel as well as our small (but nice) apartment.
BUT!!! The whole chapel, including our apartment has..... A/C
and they use it every Sunday! They kind of need it in the main chapel as there are only windows at one end!
It doesn't look like a typical chapel but it is still nice. We are about a 5 minute bike ride from the mission home and temple, both however are in another missionaries area.
If you find a map of Accra look for OSU, ACCRA and the chapel and apartment are on 17th Lane off Oxford street.
http://maps.google.com.gh/maps?q=osu+accra&oe=utf-8&rls=com.yahoo:en-US:official&client=firefox&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0xfdf907a07106513:0x4c5d573d71893771,Osu,+Accra&gl=gh&ei=buc_TueZEoib-gaQ--CmAg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA
it has a dark red roof.
It is still a little cool here in Accra, thankfully, and i am right on the beach.. about a 5 minute ride from out apartment as you can see on the map.
One of our investigators lives pretty much beachside... in the least beach side property i ever did see!
It is fun to be back in Accra but i miss Kasoa, and I'm now on to companion # 7 and area 5 and i'm not even one year on mission!!! anyone would think im a problem missionary.
But i guess i went to Kasoa for a purpose and fufilled it!!! and now i'm here in christiansborg for the same reason.
I'm still DL and now have the office elders and Jamestown, my former area in my district!!
Also we will be coming to the cafe a little earlier as well!
The lady, Mummy Hammond, who is on the cover of the Ghana Ensign, that wayne showed me is now in my ward, and we are going to her house for FHE tonight, so that will be fun, with our district and the AP's. Both her and her daughter play the piano really well, and they take turns playing.
Hey so i heard something about julia gillard and some new tax that is going to make flights more expensive...???
or something like that.. but then again, i have no idea!
life is fun, the work is sweet and the field is surprisingly white and ready.
the people are everywhere. you just have to find them!
Let me know when the other letters arrive, they get more and more interesting!
:)
Love Elder Anderson
Sunday, July 17, 2011
New Area and New Mission President
Ghana is sweet as usual!!! yesterday at chuch I met the new mission president, he came out to do some interviews for us! he is really cool. his wife too is really nice and i can tell that the mission is going to have some changes!!! He has a degree in counselling Psychology and Ancient Scripture! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
The ward is doing well... however ghanians are scared of rain!!! and yesterday it rained from 7-8-15 (on sunday) and as a result we have only 56 people at sacrament meeting!!!! pretty poor effort!! they are just scared it will come back... that is down alot from last weeks 120!! the ward its self has 400 members just 120 active and 9 full tithe paying priesthood holders!!!
We are suriving this rainy season... i put mud flaps on my bike... best invention ever!! and they water we have here turns yours shirts yellow!!! no matter how much soap or bleach i use they still retain a yellow tinge.... i think it is because the water we use comes from a lake.... the lakes and oceans here are just not the nicest in the world..... at all.. but we manage!
this morning we (all 4 of us) spring cleaned our apartment (it was raining out so we couldnt do anything else and had already washed) so that was exciting and it is now clean and ready for the inspection which is sure to come!!! we made a roster to keep it clean so hopefully that works!
i don't know what type of okra you had but the way they have it here is not the nicest... its not bad but it just makes the stew like gooey and sticky and stringy!!!! and you eat it with your hands to it is just awkward!!!! and not fun at all!!!
its cooling down here as well mostly due to the rain which has come upon us but its nice at night... i hardly use my fan and its great...
There are so many wonderful experiences that i have had and so many amazing stories.
We were recently teaching a husband and wife who because they was not married correctly were kept from their baptism. However for more than 3 months they continued to come to church while they saved money to do their marriage. Traditional marriage in Ghana is very costly in excess of often more than $400 (that is for the bride price) then the actually ceremony where 100's of people come for the free food!
At this point in time the church was not able to perform the civil marriage and although it was possible to get a civil marriage through the government in included numerous trip to their office in accra, a small fee (less than $50) and a waiting period before you have the ceremony and celebration.
This faithful couple and their young child of 6 years worked all day 6 days a week to save for the marriage. They didn't miss a sunday, they paid their tithes and fast offering's weekly and they fasted. They continued to bring their friends to the church, many of whom were baptized shortly after thru their example and fellowship. After continuing for more than 3 months, the Sister was distraught, she desperately wanted to be baptized, she blamed God and the church for not allowing her to be baptized and on several occasions told us to "just baptize us, you know we have a testimony." She was about to give up, she was discouraged and didn't what to do. In a FHE we taught about God's time and the need for paitence, and i believe it really helped her. They knew they had righteous desires and that God would make it possible for them to be married.
Just 2 weeks after this, a mini-miracle occurred and the stake, the ward was in was granted permission by the government to perform civil marriages. (In Ghana, a building in which a civil marriage is performed must be registered by the government)
This meaning that they could now be married for free in the chapel not to far from their meetinghouse.
They were the first couple to be married after the permission was granted and on that same day they were baptized. It was a marvelous day. I had been transfered the week before and was not able to attend the baptism, but i hear that the spirit was in attendance and the joy they shared with the ward was wonderful.
They are both strong and active in the church, and when i saw them last week, he told me that it is never to early to start preparing Davie, their son for a mission.
I know the church is true, and that we are on the Lord's errand, he will bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. I am so grateful for the opportunity and privilege i have to be his servant here in the Ghana Accra Mission.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Runny Tummies, Light Out and being eaten by Mosquitos once again
I gave some sausages to the new missionary in our district. He liked them but got a runny tummy the next day!!! I think my stomach has become an iron cage since I've been here!!! lol
We had light off again today... 3 times... it comes... i log on, start to write... and then off again....... on/off/on/off/on but no bother its a part of life! i didnt even remember it was the 4th of july!!!! no party herebut the 1st of july is ghana independance day so big holiday here!!!!
Apples did write me a letter.and the MTC president told me about how he got sick in the mtc.... a record for non Africans actually!!! and i met that other aussie that went home... he was my companion for a day before his plane left for melbourne! In his mtc 6 people got malaria, 4 got swine flu, 3 had some other disease and 10 got some other African influenza. And yes there are now 2 more aussies here in accra!!! that one from melbourne and now one from perth.... (actually philipeeno) elder nicomedes.
Kasoa is great.. i'm loving it back to knowing what it feels like to get eaten by mosiquiitoes (still sickness free) not that i would tell you even if i did get sick but anyway... lol it is the rainy season so the weather is actually somehow nice at the moment... the mail is very slow (maybe every 3 weeks if were lucky)
i actually think that the bishop likes me... he was sick on saturday so we went to visit him and see if there was anything we could do, and he invited us to stay for dinner (we had banku and okra stew with tiny little fish... it was pretty nice! but my companion said they have been plenty times before around dinner time and they never invited them to stay!!! so its a start!
First week in Kasoa
This week we have been very very busy proclaiming the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ..
Last week i found nutella at the supermarket before i was transfered... and it cost me an arm and a leg but i could not resist!!!
I am mission (missing) the washing machine and oven very much but suprisnly not the A/c and the car.... i like the bike and it has been pretty cool from the plenty rain lately!
So the dirty drain water (people do EVERYTHING in the gutters here) was mixing with the water flowing and it was nasty!) But all our neighbours houses were flooded and water came right up to our door, but then continued to flow. There were cars almost half under (they moved them) and it was really bad. It started at this lady's shop accross from our apartment, that we went to buy food from and it was flooded, so we helped empty the water, then saw the houses in the compound behind. I have never seen so much water in one place!
So all afternoon we went and helped our neighbours take the water out of their houses. It was no small job that is for sure!!! we worked about 3 hours over their and managed to get all the water out of about 10, 2 room houses!!! It was fun, you could tell that the people were grateful and kind of amazed that 2 christian whites and a black would come and help them.. They are all muslim, the area we stay in Kasoa is right next to a Mosque so there are alot of muslims around.
Last week i found nutella at the supermarket before i was transfered... and it cost me an arm and a leg but i could not resist!!!
I am mission (missing) the washing machine and oven very much but suprisnly not the A/c and the car.... i like the bike and it has been pretty cool from the plenty rain lately!
We had some very bad flash flooding this morning!! It almost entered our apartment.
At about 5am till 7am the loudest most heavy rain i have ever heard and we stay down stairs of a 2 story building!!! When we came out in the morning the rain had finished but how it was flowing down towards the ocean!. and it ghana the drainage is all open, and all over flowing!
At about 5am till 7am the loudest most heavy rain i have ever heard and we stay down stairs of a 2 story building!!! When we came out in the morning the rain had finished but how it was flowing down towards the ocean!. and it ghana the drainage is all open, and all over flowing!
So the dirty drain water (people do EVERYTHING in the gutters here) was mixing with the water flowing and it was nasty!) But all our neighbours houses were flooded and water came right up to our door, but then continued to flow. There were cars almost half under (they moved them) and it was really bad. It started at this lady's shop accross from our apartment, that we went to buy food from and it was flooded, so we helped empty the water, then saw the houses in the compound behind. I have never seen so much water in one place!
So all afternoon we went and helped our neighbours take the water out of their houses. It was no small job that is for sure!!! we worked about 3 hours over their and managed to get all the water out of about 10, 2 room houses!!! It was fun, you could tell that the people were grateful and kind of amazed that 2 christian whites and a black would come and help them.. They are all muslim, the area we stay in Kasoa is right next to a Mosque so there are alot of muslims around.
But is was really nice. And it felt really good to give service! (it makes me wonder what it would have been like back in Jan/Feb for you guys!
So i am in a different Ward, Different chapel, but the same Mission District as buduburam!
It is the Kasoa 2 Ward, and the members are very strange, they don't really like missionaries... it is very strange, and the Bishop (who you would like to be in your pocket if possible) really is not too cooperative... Talking to my companion apprantly the missionaries that were here in the past completely lost his trust and he has been sour ever since. and my companion in Elder Makandangwe from Zimbabwe, he is 3 months on missoin and just finished training. But he is a really cool guy, he was the ward mission leader back home and tries really really hard, it is great! Just what i need coming out of the office! It feels good to come home tried from working all day rather than driving around all day! and i said before i dont really miss the A/C as it is not too hot at the moment and most nights i want to turn my fan off, but it is keeping the mosquitos off so i just hide under the sheet! it gets quite cool, espically when the rain is happening!
Well i hope you are all doing great!
Keep smiling and remember that i love you!
Love Elder Anderson
So i am in a different Ward, Different chapel, but the same Mission District as buduburam!
It is the Kasoa 2 Ward, and the members are very strange, they don't really like missionaries... it is very strange, and the Bishop (who you would like to be in your pocket if possible) really is not too cooperative... Talking to my companion apprantly the missionaries that were here in the past completely lost his trust and he has been sour ever since. and my companion in Elder Makandangwe from Zimbabwe, he is 3 months on missoin and just finished training. But he is a really cool guy, he was the ward mission leader back home and tries really really hard, it is great! Just what i need coming out of the office! It feels good to come home tried from working all day rather than driving around all day! and i said before i dont really miss the A/C as it is not too hot at the moment and most nights i want to turn my fan off, but it is keeping the mosquitos off so i just hide under the sheet! it gets quite cool, espically when the rain is happening!
Well i hope you are all doing great!
Keep smiling and remember that i love you!
Love Elder Anderson
Transferred to KASOA 22/06/2011
im being transfered back to Kasoa.... which is in the same district as Buduburam to be the district leader. which is exciting as i will get to go to buduburam again!!! so how exciting is that!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Mission President getting ready to go home
10 months! WOW HOW TIME FLIES!
But soon i will be back in the field and regular with my comings and goings on pdays once again. so no need to stress.
We are teaching a guy's wife and kids at the moment, ne joined the church in italy where he is working. and he came home to take his family to church so they are all be baptized and eventually sealed together! It's funny cause he has to come home to his african country of ghana to go to the temple!!
SEE not everything is better in europe!
It was your friend carol that sent me the stamps and also my uncle in provo sent a couple first class ones and she sent me the 98 ones. which are better cause i have to use 3 first class ones or just one 98 one, so that is good!
As for us the missionary work is still progressing!! Our investigators are doing well, still having issues coming to church, but for that one i don't know that is can be resolved right now, we have to teach them, express our love and sincerity in care and help them understant the importance of coming to church and partaking of the sacrament! Teach for understanding, these people are all individuals with different levels of education and understanding, each is very very different. Nearly all have a religous background, there are alot of areas with very high concentrations of Muslims, it is not always east but the Lords has promised us blessings when we serve him Faithfully.
I have learnt so much from President Smith, and it is very sad to see him leaving. They send all their things home tomorrow in a shipping container, just leaving behind the bare essentials, nearly everything stays in the mission home for the next president. I am excited to See president Judd come, and so see the changes he will make, the things that he will keep the same and as we continue to grow and learn from him, what type of mission presient he will be. Change is scary but exciting at the same time.
There is a white coulple in our branch called Elder and Sister Brown from Utah who are serving a Welfare Mission (they go home the 2nd week of July). Well they feed the missionaries on the 2nd sunday of every month!! So sunday was a good day! we went and sister brown prepared us pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravey and mixed vegies. chocolate cake and milk and jelly!!! it was strange.. but tasted sooo good! It was nice to have a meal from back home again.
But i still like ghana food, which i know i will miss when i come home. But don't worry i am going to prepare fufu and light soup with goat (not really with chicken) when i come home so you can all try some! It will be great! and everyone will probably get runny tummy! and then REALLY know how i felt!!!! lol
Elder Anderson!
Ghana has very cheep? (cheap) ties
Hey, so we just got back from FHE with some ward members, im not sure if i told you this, but remember that ensign that Wayne showed me of ghana that he found just before i left? well she is in my ward!! and we go to her house every monday night for FHE and a FM (free meal) which are really good!!!!
pretty crazy actually.
cause that same Ensign (well liahona here but the same covers) was in my new apartment and i was like hey wayne my blah blah showed me this blah blah and they were like well your gonna meet her tonight!!!! i was like NOOOO WAY!!!!
so that was cool!! and crazy that he showed me it right before i left and i met her and ate at her house!!!!
and i just got my hair cut again! and i actually like it.
it has some shape... (as i went to th barber and didnt di it myself)
I am a pretty amazing uke player!
i have a pretty shiny red one. and it is very nice! :D
i have enveloped addressed and stamps on them i just need to fill them with letters and send them!!! the time!!! is just not there!
rainy season is eye... (or air-yeah) meaning fine... or okay. it still hasnt really gotten into it too much.
today being P.Day we went to the market and got some ties...
you can get some really nice ties (called jatala) for 2.50 very cheep!!! and you can wash them and iron them and every thing!!! they are sweet!! We had to get some for sister smith as she gives one to each missionary on their birthdays! so we went to picked out some nice ones for her! it was pretty fun. we spend some time looking at the wood carvings and paintings and beads!! im going to spend tooooo much money!!! not good at all!!!! but there is really some cool stuff here!
The christmas presents might actually come on time this year!!
Lots of Love
Elder Anderson!!!!!!!!!
May 25 2011 Rainy Season
well just a short one today...as time is precious
but know that i love you, and the work is sweet and i have a cold, again from sleeping in the a/c and it is great!!!!
but the rainy season has started here so it is getting small cooler and killing our numbers.
like investigators that come to church because they walk and it rains so much!!!!
so were in for an interersting couple of weeks!
and a new mission president so even more interesting!!!!!!!
wow!
May 19 - Blessed to be free of Maleria, Cholera, Typhoid....
so im still in the office. just some small longer. but that means i get to stay in Jamestown which is great as it is a cool branch! my new companion is Elder Speirs. from Idaho. he is cool. he was trained by my former companion elder chimuka and was the one who replaced me in Effiduase! that that is kind of cool!!!
we know all the same people pretty much!
that place is cool! and now we drive we can go visit sometimes! it is great aswell cause he can drive too!! so its not all on me!! great right! alot less stress and i get to rest aswell!
We are doing great in our area. the people are really responsive and it is great!
our branch mission leader has started being a little more proactive aswell which is great.. really getting into his calling!
They are still struggling to come to church. (inverstigatiors and members alike) but we are working on them! they will have no troubles in no time! just need to build their faith, and teach them about how the lord sees the sacrifices that they are making! (espically when it comes to church atendance and partaking of the sacrament!)
I feel this is very short (and also late) but i know that it lets you know that i am safe, not sick and doing great! (my companion has been in ghana for almost 6 months and he has already typhiod and malaria!!!!) wow i am lucky to only have had a cold and some food poisioning!!!!
and in the big cholora outbreack they just had here in ghana and nothing!!!
not one missionary got cholora!!! the lord truly looks out for us!!!
April 27th From the Office
This week has been pretty cool.
We had our stake conference on sunday, which was great! Really great messages for the people here, The theme was "Becoming true followers of Jesus Christ". President Smith spoke and the temple president and the stake president and the stake patricah. The Stake choir that sang was the best african choir that i have ever heard. They sang come thou fount of every blessing as prelude and it was so amazing. I wish i had my camera and was allowed to flim inside the chapel. It was so great!! President Smith has a talk that he kind of gives everywhere. It goes something like this.
"When i first opened my mission call and saw that i was coming to ghana was i scared. i didnt know what to expect. I heard so many different experiences about ghana from alot of different people and was unsure what i would get once i arrived. When we drove through ghana for the first time, i was shocked, I streets are dirty, there is trash everywhere, the people here do not have nice houses or nice cars and there are no supermarkets like we have in the US... I began to feel very sorry for the people here in ghana!
No 5 years later that has compleltly turned around. I no longer feel sorry for the people of ghana, It is the people of the USA that i feel sorry for. Here you have a nation that depends on God, you are a God fearing people and because of that he blesses the people here. You are a very humble and loving people. That is something that the people in the USA are not, slowing they are slipping away from God and from the truth, they are moving more and more towards the worldly things. In the Book of Mormon teaches us that when the greater part of the people turn away from God that his spirit will cease to be with them, sure enough we see that happening in the US.
But not here in ghana. This country will continue to grow strong as you focus of the Saviour and continue to follow his example."
I played american football yesterday and im so SORE!!!! gosh who would have thunk that playing football for 3 hours after doing 0 physical exercise in 8 months would make you sore!!! (if you knew this please dont tell me how stupid i am!!) but is was great fun and Elder Tui is teaching me how to play the Uke so i am becoming quite the PRO!! i will be able to play with Kody when i get back and get a uke of my own!
(i did get a cheep crappy one here but i will dash it to someone when i leave!)
Driving is still fun. Almost crashed about 100 times into silly taxi drivers who dont look or have any idea who is supposed to have the right of way and want to cut in front of you when there is a 3 inch gap between you and the car in front!!! IT IS MADDNESS!!!!!
I'm getting well acquainted with the hospital staff at the C&J hospital that we take all the missionaries too, had a few to many missionaries in there this last 2 weeks!! mostly malaria and food poisoning! but one is have serious chest pains and they dont know what is wrong so hope he will be okay! he is a cool Ghanaian from Cape Coast Named Elder Cobbinah. he came just before me!
this email is kind of all over the place sorry about that but, just so many great things have happened! EXCEPT this silly computer is saying that my camera is a unreconizable USB device!!!! SAD HUH!
so im going to find a card reader so i can continue to upload my pictures. and if tha fails i will use the nice printer attached to Sis Barneys computer.
(dont know if i told you about them) Elder and Sister Barney the office couple form Arizona. They are really nice. and like to talk!!!
Saturday night it rained soooo crazy we were in an investigators house and were stuck there for about 2 hours!!!! it was fun but! then all the roads in our area Jamestown were flooded i almost drove the car into a gutter but a nice man on the road side guided me through it! so lucky!!! but that ment no one out selling!!!! and no bananas for sunday night banana cake!!!
lucky Elder and Sister Barney dashed us from Pineapples so i made a Pineapple Upside Down Cake and some Anzac biscuits and they were amazing!!!!! i will put up a picture, they both turned out great!! they didnt even last until this morning!!!
Another great week! lots to do and still having a great time in the GAM!!!!!
Ghana Accra Mission!
Lots of Love
Elder A. Anderson
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
GREAT NEWS FOR GHANA.... Testimony building experience for many
We have had some great news here!
The court case for the 2 elders in prision (Elder Keeng from botswana and Elder Omale from Nigeria)
finally happened on thursday. It has been put off and postponed about 6 times as the judge just didnt show up. Last week was supposed to be the final final appeal date but the judge never came!
But finally this thursday they were their waiting for the judge. She walked in, said appeal granted, charges dismised, you are free to go and walked out.
President was over the moon... I think he was staring to worry that it might not be cleared up by the time he leaves in 2 and a half months time. It was an amazing experience for me. Today president went to pick them up from the prision and tomorrow they are going home. One only had 4 weeks left on him mission and has spend nearly a whole year extra in ghana. he will finally be able to go home to his family. the other is going to sierra leone to finish his mission with Apples! he has 10 months remaining.
We had a dinner for them tonight and a testimony meeting. There was not a dry eye in the room, the spirit was so strong, and even now i have a lump in my throat. We sang "God be with you till we meet again" as the closing song. It was such a perfect choice for the occation espically after everything that has happened. The second verse really choked me, "When life's perils thick confound you; put his arms unfailing round you." It helped us all realize that although the times tought Heavenly Father was always there keeping them safe with his unfailing arms around them! Listening to their testimonies was a experience in its self.
finally happened on thursday. It has been put off and postponed about 6 times as the judge just didnt show up. Last week was supposed to be the final final appeal date but the judge never came!
But finally this thursday they were their waiting for the judge. She walked in, said appeal granted, charges dismised, you are free to go and walked out.
President was over the moon... I think he was staring to worry that it might not be cleared up by the time he leaves in 2 and a half months time. It was an amazing experience for me. Today president went to pick them up from the prision and tomorrow they are going home. One only had 4 weeks left on him mission and has spend nearly a whole year extra in ghana. he will finally be able to go home to his family. the other is going to sierra leone to finish his mission with Apples! he has 10 months remaining.
We had a dinner for them tonight and a testimony meeting. There was not a dry eye in the room, the spirit was so strong, and even now i have a lump in my throat. We sang "God be with you till we meet again" as the closing song. It was such a perfect choice for the occation espically after everything that has happened. The second verse really choked me, "When life's perils thick confound you; put his arms unfailing round you." It helped us all realize that although the times tought Heavenly Father was always there keeping them safe with his unfailing arms around them! Listening to their testimonies was a experience in its self.
Even after all the things that have happened to them, their faith in the Lord is unwavering. Their testimony is stronger than ever, President said that in reminded him of the sons of mosiah in the Book of Mormon, wrongly accused and thrown into prision. But the Lord did not forget them, he continued to strive with them. and eventually the walls of the prision came down and they walked free.
from the we learn that the lord will not desert those who remain loyal and faithful to him. We always knew that they would come free, it was just a matter of when. And now that day is here and it was truly a enlighting, testimony building, faith promoting experience. and i think heavenly father put me here in the office so that i might be able to witness it. He knows what we need.
We also had the interviews for all the mission this week.
so every day was pretty hectic had to organise food for all the missionaries! about 40 everyday!
but thursdays interviews were all cancelled because of the trial and part of fridays so they continue again this thurday!!! wheww the work is never over!
President keeps us pretty busy and Elder and Sister Barney (the office couple)
It makes me excited to think that this missin doesnt have to be my last!
well other than that this week should be slightly less hectic and hopefully less busy!
lots of love
Elder Anderson
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Office Missionary, Driving in Accra and not winning the spelling bee
unfortuntly my shirts are not getting cleaner, the collars are just too dirty for the washing machine to get clean!!
it is pretty cool that i will be seeing the inner workings of the mission and learing how it all works. sad part is that i don't get to teach as much with all the office and running around work.
My money situation is fine. We get money from the mission and most of the time is does just fine for me and my companion too.
btw his name is Elder George Macauley from nigeria, Akwa ibom (ar-cry-bull) state, it is next to cross river state which is where elder takon my trainer is from! Small world! and he sends his grettings to you all.
Still only attend the temple every 6 months. no special visits. all the new missionaries go when they are in the mtc so when we pick them up they are all ready to go into the field and start working!
Having the car is somewhat of a new experience because there are so many opportunities lost now.
and the area we proclyte in the some how far from the mission home and ghana is lacking on 2 things when it come to roads.
1. drivers with common road courtesy and
2. parking places!
it makes it difficult to drive (all the cars parked willie-nillie all over the road) and finding a place we can leave it! I'm in a place called james town, so you can look it up. They donot however have a chapel and meet at the temple site. It is just a little branch and we are here to help it grow..
The biggest problem we face is getting our investigators (and members) to come to church, they all complain about the distance and money for transport and many other things!
We had 49 at church on sunday and 4 investigators! thats a pretty big change from 180 attendence at buduburam and 18 investigators!
Other than that the office is pretty sweet, sister smith made brownines for us today as is was sister Barney's (the office coupe) birthday.
We gave her a hand fan (like the poly ones) that was in my package from liz and blaze which arrived today!
She loved it, she was even talking about how much she was wanting one to take to church (as none of the chapels here have a/c) and how every time she saw one they were in a hurry and couldnt stop, or that she saw them with a street hawker but the traffic was moving and they couldnt stop!!
(people here LOVE to honk their horns! it drives me insane!!!!!!!) they also love to cut in any which way they feel like it! it is terribly annoying!!!
but i'm still enjoying and still get to teach most afternoons and evenings so that is great!
I love you lots and lots
Elder Anderson
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
TRANSFERRED TO THE OFFICE :)
President came out on sunday to buduburam to do abortion interviews for us.
(He has to interview all of our candidates that have had/or partisipated in an abortion before) Which sadly is about 50% + of our candiates.
any way he came to us after and told me that he wanted to talk to me, and told me that i am going to be the new office elder, which means i have to DRIVE... in ghana on the wrong side of the road!!!!! in the wrong side of the car with the crazy taxi drivers all around!!!! and what makes it even better is that i have to drive a massise bus!
also i have a car (only 2 companionships in the whole mission have cars and im going to have one for 2 transfers!) and a washing machine, an oven and AIR-CON
so i short one today as time is of the essence but i will write again maybe tomorrow or wednesdays!
P.S i think we are going to the MTC tomorrow so i will probs be able to see apples!
maybe!
P.P.S
I just checked the mail room and i got a letters! what is with everyone sending me envelopes????????? hehe but i actually think i know the answers to that!!!!
another bonus! i can send letters straight after i write them and i will not have to wait long long long times for my ones to get to me!!! as i an the one going to the post office to collect them!!! :) yay!
love you all
ELDER ANDERSON
TUESDAY 22nd MARCH 2011
SO... Hey! Had a great week! Got a package but cannot pick it up till that meeting on wednesday which is exciting. It is from the states and that is all i know. So fingers crossed STAMPS of my very own! which will be wonderful!!
So i had nearly forgotten about all those holidays we have in Australia, there are plenty coming up in April, Easter and Anzac day! But no rest over here i have to think of how i will work Anzac Day into my normal schedule, but it is on a monday so it should be fine!
Saw someone selling an Iphone today! THE fake-est thing i have ever touched! TERRIBLE really but looked sooooo real. until you turn the screen on. Pretty funny actually. that is something that is easy to come by here knock-offs but i kinda like it cause they are pretty cheep so no need to pay plenty for the things that i need like sunnies. got a pair of ray bans for 2cedis!!! BARGIN!!! sure they actually say roybon but no one can tell! :)
Making me very excited about this tyedying!!! did you take any photos or am i going to have to wait until next week and see for myself!
who knows!
Your new TV sounds super sweet!!! question but.... is it 3D??? that may be the future of everything 3D!!!! hehe but what would i know right!
Other than transfers next week nothing really interesting has happened! We are teaching some sweet families who are really into the gospel.
This "lady apostle" /actor/song composer/church founder/bible historian/mormon hater tried to finish Elder Evensen and myself in her branch building. It was kind of sad actually but we humbly bore our testimonies gave her a palmflet and left her to her ranting.
what can you do? some people really don't like the church and it all stems from lack of knlowedge. they just believe anything people say especially when it comes to the church and Joseph Smith i have heard some weird and wacky things!!! To the west africans to call on saint means like to call a demon or demon worship, you can imagine how confusing that can be to explain! but there are some simple scriptures that explain saints as those followers of Christ. Also Mormon and Mammon, confusion. But just in another days work!
Every mission has their own challenges and highlights! just have to focus on the good!
Other than that our week was pretty normal! and by normal i mean Excellent.
We had ward conference and an attendance of 185!!! normally 140. (helped alot by our 18 investigators that we had at church!!!) the members here are sooooo great at giving the missionaries referrals! its amazing!
Love you guys lots and hope this week brings more excitments for the both of us!!
lots of love
Elder Anderson!
So i had nearly forgotten about all those holidays we have in Australia, there are plenty coming up in April, Easter and Anzac day! But no rest over here i have to think of how i will work Anzac Day into my normal schedule, but it is on a monday so it should be fine!
Saw someone selling an Iphone today! THE fake-est thing i have ever touched! TERRIBLE really but looked sooooo real. until you turn the screen on. Pretty funny actually. that is something that is easy to come by here knock-offs but i kinda like it cause they are pretty cheep so no need to pay plenty for the things that i need like sunnies. got a pair of ray bans for 2cedis!!! BARGIN!!! sure they actually say roybon but no one can tell! :)
Making me very excited about this tyedying!!! did you take any photos or am i going to have to wait until next week and see for myself!
who knows!
Your new TV sounds super sweet!!! question but.... is it 3D??? that may be the future of everything 3D!!!! hehe but what would i know right!
Other than transfers next week nothing really interesting has happened! We are teaching some sweet families who are really into the gospel.
This "lady apostle" /actor/song composer/church founder/bible historian/mormon hater tried to finish Elder Evensen and myself in her branch building. It was kind of sad actually but we humbly bore our testimonies gave her a palmflet and left her to her ranting.
what can you do? some people really don't like the church and it all stems from lack of knlowedge. they just believe anything people say especially when it comes to the church and Joseph Smith i have heard some weird and wacky things!!! To the west africans to call on saint means like to call a demon or demon worship, you can imagine how confusing that can be to explain! but there are some simple scriptures that explain saints as those followers of Christ. Also Mormon and Mammon, confusion. But just in another days work!
Every mission has their own challenges and highlights! just have to focus on the good!
Other than that our week was pretty normal! and by normal i mean Excellent.
We had ward conference and an attendance of 185!!! normally 140. (helped alot by our 18 investigators that we had at church!!!) the members here are sooooo great at giving the missionaries referrals! its amazing!
Love you guys lots and hope this week brings more excitments for the both of us!!
lots of love
Elder Anderson!
TO THE BEACH....
GOOD MORNING
It has been a great couple of weeks... we have been working really hard and the results (as almost always from hard work) have been great!!! :)
Did you get my letters as i sent more!!!!?!!!?
its terrible that it takes soooo long!
We have Zone conference tomorrow so hopefully more letters and a package.... maybe.... but better new i will be able to send the letters i have here! isnt that exciting!!! i think it is!
So yesterday we went to a really nice beach! It is called Winneba Beach. It is about a 15 min drive from the chapel. One of the members took us and i put up some photos on facebook from the trip there are more to come! but that is a start it was really good fun!!! (what wasn't fun was washing our clothes! :(..... never is really) but just something we have to do!!!!
Hope your all having a great time!! Back with the rain as i hear it!!
Hope Blaze is loving her new sweet car!! Sometimes i feel like im learing to speak english all over again and then you see a white person and it is akward to talk to them cause you don't talk normal anymore and it is just weird!
Anyway that is my news for the week!!! hope we have another great week this week!
Love Elder Anderson!!!
TUESDAY 1ST MARCH 2011
So my week to has been pretty uneventful.... BUT the highlight as usual was a baptism!!! Bro Charles Desuah and Sis Yah Bleshue!!
Great to teach, so into the gospel, and so excited to learn more, and strive to live by the commandments, many they were already living!
That is one really great thing about the huge emphasis of Christianity here, MOST people have high moral standards!
MOST.... i say that cause nearly woman/girl you see is pregnant.... or has a child....
but other than that most are good.... well at least the ones that show interest in the church are good :)
Can't believe apples will be here so soon!!! its crazy!
I probs will not be able to see him as it is on the other side of Accra and its not really allowed to go and see people! espically as im pretty far..... that one hour was a little wrong more like 2 if there is no traffic... which is pretty much never!!!!
So who knows!
Aiight!!! now to the exciting part!!! My Encounter with ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS!!!
It was a great meeting. We were to gather at the temple site at 8am We were running a little late due to traffic so we arrived at about 8:20 (lucky the meeting started an hour late!!) We then mingled together as missionaries i was able to talk to Elder Thom, which was cool. Has a very thick accent so that was nice to hear for a change!
Then President Smith arrived at about 10 to 9 and said Elder Oaks was running a little late!!!
So we read our scriptures and what not...
Then the call came that he was almost here so we all went out side and lined up to shake his hand.. He stood and the chapel doors with his wife and President Cardon (Area president) and his wife and shook all of our hands as we entered the chapel and greeted us all! it was pretty amazing. (yes, he really is balded!) The meeting started at 10 and finished at 11.
We listened to the testimonies from President and Sis Smith, President and Sis Cardon and then Elder and Sis Oaks.
It was so nice, Elder Oaks gave some wonderful counsels that i noted down very well i think! and forgot my notebook today!
But the part that stuck in my mind the most is the reason he changed his mind and the last minute to come and address us.
As you know (at least i think you know) there are 2 of the Elders in this mission in prison for false accusations of rape. President Cardon, Said that while he was in the temple, a heavenly messenger came to him and told him that they were innocent and that the time is soon at hand that they will be released"
Elder Oaks continued to tell us about how every thursday the 12 meet together and discuss any issues that the church is facing all over the world and how they can address them. He told of how President Faust would always say.....
"Brethren, i think we need some spiritual help with this one."
He then offered a wonderful prayer, asking for the spiritual help in the situation that we have here. I felt the spirit so strong, nearly everyone's eyes were wet. I know they will be alright now. Just like Ammon and his brethren from the Book of Mormon, The Lord is capable of bringing down the walls of prisons!
It was truly an amazing experience!!! that i will not forget!
Well that is all from me for now!!! hope you are all well and will talk again next week!!!
Love Elder Anderson
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