Twi, Eggs and Boils....?

23 July 2012

I think i got it... it is Twi... Etisen meaning how are u? or hows it? Were the ) and the } both the back to front e?? Just makes you say the eh sound and not the e.
That is cool... did the lady show you that? I hope I don't shame myself when I speak Twi to her.

Did you know that I am the ZL over the McCarthy Hill area?? Which part….. Tell her I am staying in Awoshie... and McCarthy Hill Ward worship in the same building as us!!!

I will bring you some Golden Tree Chocolate…... but honestly I miss Cadbury….. there are no milk solids in there chocolate so it is a little chalky….... but it doesn't melt so that is a bonus!!!

I am going to get the nativity sets today…….. yay!! Hopefully they will be fantastic! And great!! i have one so I'm just going to get the others. The place is pretty close to here.

I never do understand why people do things they know are terrible for them! No one really smokes over here but they can drink like nothing else!! Even before modern alcohol they were fermenting the palm tree wine which turns out to have a really high alcohol percentage!!!

The boil was completely gone by Wednesday!! Thankfully!!!!! It popped Monday night and they are so weird!! And gross..haha

BUT I was grateful cause Thursday night was one of the coolest things I’ve seen in Ghana.

The Alex Boye concert!! It was sooooo good!! And you know….. Ghanians get really into things!! He sang a few of his original songs, then told his conversion story, sang some hymns shared his testimony and then sang "I'll believe in him" by Kenneth Cope.. Jenna sang it a while back at something and I have loved it since!! He finished with a song called "The World's Greatest" by R.Kelly but it is talking about not being ashamed of God and telling all about Him to the world and to all that ask!!!

It was so cool!! The stake centre was full!!! They had lights and a spot lights and a big sound system and they had a projector on the front lawn of the temple to play it when the hall was full and there were about 100 white people there!! That were not missionaries!! It was so weird...  haha

I am going to cut my hair tonight…… so that it will have time to grow before I get home. I am just going to trim it and not buzz it.  So hopefully I will look handsome when I get home. LOL.

While I remember can you please forward these or parts you choose to Blaze... or her mum.  They would like to know some cool stuff to..

My companion had hard boiled eggs for breakfast the other day. Elder Akak from Nigeria walks in….

“ your eating eggs”....”yeah”.... :for food???”….” umm yeah what else are they??”  (look of shock and disbelief) “For FOOD??? BY THEMSELVES!!????”  ... “haha yeah.. We don't have anything to eat them with”. It was pretty funny!! I am going to miss moments like that. I cannot wait for everyone to eat Ghana food!!! I am soooooooo excited. I am gonna make fufu and banku for you. Lite soup, groundnut soup and gari sockings…... and jollof rice and Ghana fried rice!! YAY!!!

You will love some and hate some I know!! Hehe
well that is all for this week!! No baptism but hopefully this Sunday so I will keep you posted!!!

Remember your Saviour and to smile!!  LOVE ELDER ANDERSON

More Baptisms, cyclones & soccer - it's Ghana after all

We had the confirmations for our baptism this past sunday! for gideon and charles.

This wednesday is transfer day, but no changes here then Saturday we are having a missionary devotional, president Judd is coming to
be a guest speaker.

We are going to have 4 workshops with basic questions about the church answered About The Book of Mormon, The Plan of Salvation, The mode and necessity of Baptism, and the The Nature of God, our Heavenly Father.  I think those are them

Each companionship is teaching one workshop each, Then we are going to have a Q&A time with President Judd and he will finish
off the meeting! (with a few musical items along the way!)

We have another baptism for this sunday! i will let you know about all of them after they happen

This week was pretty cool, we found some great people, We planned to go finding in a particular area, and we barley reached there when people started contacting us and coming to us to teach them!! IT WAS
REALLY COOL!

some wanted to know who we were, they have seen us around and thought us students, but why would we go down a dirt hick road???
but it was really cool. one even fed us after we taught them... and we had just met them!!!

All in all we had a pretty bomb week.

Saturday night was the UEFA football (soccer) final... so ghana went
crazy!!!  It was a good thing it didn't start till 7 and finish around 10 due to overtime and penanlities!  cause we were safe and sound in our house!

However!!! saturday Ghana had the craziest storm since ive been here felt like a catergory 2 cyclone or something!!!!  then light went off and stayed off until late sunday afternoon!!!  so lots of generators going to be able to watch the game!!!  It knocked over bill boards, moved the traffic lights and brought down a bunch of power lines!!!

crazy times!!  signs of something right!!! hehe
But we are all safe!
love elder Anderson

SOON to be the FINAL phone call home

i cannot believe that in 3 weeks i will make my final phone call home and that just 3months after that phone call i will be home again!!!!
I can imagine things are going to be pretty crazy when i get back!!!  i bit of a shock actually but still i can't wait!! As much as i don't want to leave Ghana, and finishing doing this work, i have accepted that there is a time and a season to everything!!
love elder anderson

a Hot Easter in Ghana

9th April 2012

Ghana has been soooo HOT this past week it is ridiculous!!

Easter has come and gone here in Ghana and it is an amazing holiday here!!
Commercialization has not really happened for easter yet. (It has for christmas and now the young generation focus more on santa and presents)  But Easter is still mostly pure!
I have never seen Accra Shut down like i did this easter i would guess more than 90% of the population was at church on friday and yesterday!   It was really amazing! I have not seen one easter bunny or one easter egg and it is actually really nice.  Eater is a time for families and remembering Jesus Christ.  Today being easter Monday most families are making the most of the last public holiday by going to the beach, nearly everyone in Accra goes, they say that they go to be close to Jesus, as he walked on the water, i am sure there will be places where loud music, boozing and dancing is happening but i know there are some places where there will be singing and praising and hallelujah's to the almighty God.

There is a member in our area who gave us a referral (his neighbour) so we went to see them, and i tell you that climbing mt warning was easy compared to the hill we climb to get to where they stay!!! and they climb up and down everyday!!! sometimes more that once!!!!! IT WAS CRAZY, about a 30-40 min walk (there is a car that takes you half way, but it is difficult to get and there is no set time when it comes!!!) 
But what makes it worse is that it doesn't look steep or tall!! you look up and you can't see anything higher but it just keeps going up and up and up!!

But it was worth it!  We have been teaching a sister and a brother (not the same family) and they are just soaking up the gospel and the Book of Mormon in particular.  When Elder Holland came he focused on the Ghana Accra Mission becoming a Book Of Mormon Mission and we have really been doing that, using the Book Of Mormon more in our contacting, teaching and studies. It is the main source for teaching the restored gospel, it is the foundation of everything, and needs to be the keystone of our testimony.
As we have been teaching this to our investigators it has really helped them to come closer to our Saviour and has really helped them receive their witness that the Church is true!!

I will be getting a new companion on Wednesday, fresh from the MTC again, so i am looking forward to training again, but it is going to be tough, as i will still be ZL as well.

Hope everything is great over where you are as i don't know if your home yet....

But lots of love from elder A Anderson!

Finally Rain

Hey hey!!!

Well it has finally rained here!!! it has been a good 2 months since in rained and everything was sooo dry and dusty!!! But with rain comes the inevitable LIGHT OFF!!!!
It has been ridiculous!!! The light has been off for about a total of 18 hours just in the past week!!!   (if not more!!!)

We had a baptism on sunday, it was really really nice, the ward relief society also had they anniversary so we got cake and all sorts of goodies!!! It was almost like refreshments at a baptism! hehe..  but not quite.  Our bishops wife makes and decoates cakes and she made 3 big cakes for the ward! it was really cool with the Relief society emblem and charity never faileth  and what not.. we also all got pens with Relief Society Anniversary engraved in them!!! 
We baptized Mary-ann and Helga Smith, daughters of a member from a different stake and Dorcas Owusuwaah, who is the niece of the stake president, It was really nice! we had it after church so a lot of members were able to come!

http://maps.google.com.gh/maps?q=odorkor+ghana&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl
if you zoom in on P.A Gaisie Estates you will see my new chapel....
and in the top corner you will see odorgonor gas petrol station that is across the road from our apartment!!!!  so you can see where i am!  
If you zoom in, follow the road down a little and you will see a construction with no roof and then a house next to it... that is our place!  it is like a u... almost 

Well ghana is still being sweet to me and i have a few months left to really work hard!!

I know that there are a lot of unanswered questions!! but thanks for keeping me updated!!!
promise more next week when i get you email from home!

hehe
Elder Anderson!

Huge Area

It has been so so hot here in Ghana, my new area is HUGE!!! and like i said the members are really nice..  The bishop lives about a 30min drive away from the chapel, so we don't really get the opportunity to go to his house very often.  But his family are really nice!!  We went for ward clean up on saturday and it was really great to get to know some of the members!!  One lady came up to me and said.. "i know you! from Koforidua! its me Sis Quashie, i moved here a year ago after my husband died!!!"  I remembered her too!!! i was pretty amazed she remembered me actually! 

Another funny thing is the stake president that used to live in the USA moved back to ghana just over a year ago..
and there 2nd week back in ghana he picked up my companion and me (elder evensen when i was in buduburam) and took us to one of our meetings, as the car we took changed its destination while we were on it!!! so it dropped us else where and lucky they were going to the area office or we would've been late!!!   They also remember that! it is such a small world! hehe!  when we went to visit them last week sister badoo made us pizza.... if that answers the question about the western food!! they also like Ghanaian food!

The members are great, the ward is also nice and i am back in accra...
the stake conference where they will make the 4 stakes here in accra into 6 will be next month and they are have a combined 4 stakes, stake conference!!!! HOW HUGE WILL THAT BE!!! the venue is yet to be announced!  that is a lot of people!!  but it is evidence that the church is growing here in ghana!!

the mission is also hope that by next year the oldest district in the church will become a stake!!!  that will be an exciting day!!! it is the place in ghana called Abomosu where the church was officially started!! the oldest meetinghouse is there and they are still a district mainly due to language concerns! BUT hopefully by this time next year!!!!

Thanks for the photos they are really cool!!!  think about some cool ghana stuff that you want... besides a monkey and a black baby as i don't know how possible t those 2 will be to get thru customs!! super excited to eat some mcdonalds!!!

Lots of love Elder Anderson!!!

So much for not getting transferred!!! ZONE LEADER!! :)

First, this is the worst keyboard i have ever typed on in my entire life.  The buttons don't push, they are stiff and some don't work at all!!!

But some exciting news.. you can see a photo of me on the church website!! cool huh!
The one from elder holland's visit are up at  
http://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-holland-tells-ghanaian-saints-to-be-their-best/photo-gallery?lang=eng
i am right in the middle of the group photo

OH!!! and i almost forgot, but i did get transferred after all!
I also received a new calling as a Zone Leader of the McCarthy Hill Zone... So Buduburam and Kasoa is now in my zone again.
My new companion is Elder Seroka from South Africa, and he is one transfer older than me but is going a transfer early.. so he will go home in just  over 10 weeks!!! how crazy is that!! then i will be left with just 12 weeks till i am home!!  then only 7 weeks till conference!!! wow this is going fast!

It was sad to leave elder john but i know he is in good hands with Elder Hanks from my mtc..  yep the one that made the billionaire mission call video.. he is still around! lol

My new ward is rich.. never have i seen so many cars in the chapel parking lot... more than full!!!  Dr. Kissi who was one of the first members when the church officailly came here almost 30 years ago is in my ward with his whole family, they are really cool and love the missionaries and go to the usa nearly every conference. He has a hospital here called the deseret hospital and did my first check up in ghana while i was still in the mtc!! but he doesn't remember me!

The ward is so wonderful with referrals too!! bringing in their friends to the gospel, they really have a desire to serve!!!  The stake conference where they are creating the new stakes is in a months time to so that is pretty crazy, the current stake pres is also in our ward, and he is really cool, his children grew up in the usa and they moved back to ghana to help the church grow about 3 years ago!  i wonder if he will stay as the new stake pres!

i love this work!!!

Love elder anderson!!!

Light out in Ghana and No Fear of Getting transferred?

Well, not too much this week.

The link today is very very slow!!
they are having a nationwide problem they say!

Everything is so great! Transfers are this wednesday but no fear of
leaving mid training so ho for at least another 6 weeks!

i do love ghana, but i am excited to be home. and though i will miss
it sometime i plan to come and visit one day in the future!!!

Well like a said the network is down and i dont know if i will even be
able to send this before the light goes off!!

last night ALL of GHANA had light off!!
no power for about 4 hours!!!! in all of GHANA!!!

THAT IS CRAZY!!!
they had a problem at the power station!

Lesson I Learnt Hiking

I wanted to share an insight or experience that i felt as we hiked to
the top of the Wli water falls here in Ghana's beautiful Volta region.

The path to the lower falls, was flat, it was a little windy with
about 8 bridges, but a flat walk the whole way.  The reward a
spectacular waterfall about 40m high.

About 500m from the lower falls a side path branching nearly vertical
upwards and over what appears to be a never ending mountain.  But we
felt it was worth it. We arrived at the beginning of the track and our
guide handed us each a hiking stick to help us on the journey.  As we
hiked up the near vertical track we came to know that there were
pieces of path that were easy to navigate, some were not as steep as
they appeared, and it even changed from uphill to downhill at some
places.  As we came closer to the upper falls, we came to a very
narrow path with a cliff-like drop off on one side.  Our guide
cautioned us that we should rely heavily on the support of the hiking
stick as to not over balance over this next section.  We continued
having what i could describe as big heads thinking that we could do it
without the support.  However it came to a point where that support
was vital and without it we would have certainty fallen over the steep
side. While it was there to support and strengthen me throughout the
whole hike, there were times that without it we could have easily
fallen.

In life we hike up and down emotional, physical and spiritual
mountains everyday.  But we are not alone.  We also have a guide and
we have that hiking pole to support and strengthen us at all times,
always ready to take the weight that we cannot bear.  As i thought
about the guides we have and the pillar of support given it prompted
me to think of who these people are in our lives.  Our parents, church
leaders, the Prophet and Apostles, the scriptures and so many more.
That hiking pole, is the Atonement.  Jesus Christ suffered the peins,
griefs and sorrow of the world, he is our rock, ready to support us
through any trial we find ourselves inflicted with.

My Question is do we follow these guides and use this support as much
as we should?  Or are there are times when we with "big heads" feel
ourselves strong enough to endure without the needed support.

However we know that there are time's of narrow track in our lives,
times when storms threaten to swallow us up that we must lean upon
that rock, hold on tight! So he may carry us through the storm an
safely back to the shore. We need to build ourselves upon that rock
the rock of our salvation who is Christ.  For it is "a foundation
whereon if men build, they cannot fall."

The reward?

A most amazing sight.  Breathtaking 60m waterfall, with wildlife and
scenery most serene and peaceful.

Our reward in life.
Eternal Life ... Exhaltation ... To live forever with our Families.

I love you all so much.
Thank you for your support as i am here in Ghana.
I know i am where i need to be and that i am in the service of my
Father In Heaven as a representative of his Son Jesus Christ to
declare repentance and Baptism to the

The most wonderful birthday of my life!!

i do not think i will have any problem eating McDonalds on the way home!! so we can definantly stop there for some Big Mac's and Chicken nuggets!!! hehe!!!

For you information I had almost the most wonderful Birthday of my life!! Thanks for the present!!! it was great!  You spoil me!!!!!  but i found some nutella here in HO!!! it was 18cedis for the small jar but i slurged and got me a little birthday treat!!!

In the Morning of my birthday, Elder and Sister Lyon picked us up bright and early at 6am.  She made muffins and some caramel chocolate toffee over crackers that you put in the fridge i think she called in sal-teen toffee.. but it was really good!!!!! and some fresh fruit! they sang happy birthday to me too!!!

and the day was just amazing!!  On the way home we stopped for gelato at the only gelato shop in all of ghana, in accra and it was so great!! what an awesome birthday treat!! Sister Patience also made us some really nice Fufu when we got home to Ho at about 7pm with chicken lite soup!! (i will have to learn how to make it so i can prepare you some!!! but maybe we will just eat it with spoons and maybe some dipping bread!!)

(but i already told you all of this!!!!) hehe just some more details!!

Before the meeting with Elder Snow and Elder Holland we waited on the steps of the temple (in the sun mind you) for about 45minutes, but no one cared as it was so exciting!!!

Then they came and we took the picture and then we went to the stake centre for the meeting.

Elder and Sister Curtis, Elder and Sister Dickson, Elder and Sister Snow and Elder and Sister Holland all spoke to us!! IT WAS AMAZING!

Just breifly,

Sister Curtis spoke about how we are all servants of the Lord and about Alma 16:16

Elder Curtis spoke about how the "sacred choir of the Apostle" is back on the earth once again!!! and what a privilege is is to be lead and guided by them today!

Sister Dickson talked about moses 7:62, how we must seek and share truth.

Elder Dickson told of the importance of Revelation, and how we would cease to be a church if we stopped receiving revelation. and to be teachable.

Sister Snow spoke about Genesis 45:25, and to not fall by the wayside.. to be true and pure, to live and learn the doctrines of the gospel and keep our covenants.

I also felt impressed with the doctrine of enduring to the end as it applies to our investigators, that we should also support them so they to do not fall by the wayside!

Elder Snow also talked about being teachable, meaning that you apply what you learn, not just listen and take notes!  He spoke on Knowing our privileges as missionaries and members of the church, to not leave any cards on the table to have no regrets.  He also shared a poem, called myself "I do not want to sit at the setting sun, and regret the things i've done" i also added or what i haven't done. He told us to EXPECT miracles!! be ambassadors for Christ at all times and all things and in all places (Mosiah 18) 

Sister Holland is just an amazing woman! She spoke about Joel in the Old testament, about his prophesying about the last days, but that we need not fear as the SPIRIT is promised that the word of Truth will go forth, she also touched on us not living below our privileges, it reminds me of Elder Uctdorf's talk about the man on the cruise ship!  That we in our day will dream dreams and see visions!

He testimony was so powerful, that her husband is an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ a special witness of him here, and a member of that "Sacred Choir of Apostles"  It was heart warming and was the first time i almost cried.  She told how her husband does dream dreams and receive visions.

Elder Holland is even more grand than his wife. He is so humble and just emanates the qualities of Christ we are all chasing! He talked on the grand "Tradition of Mission"

That missionaries are the most recognized symbol of the church today.  "So many not of our Faith wonder how the heck we do it! How do we get young men and women to do the things they do as missionaries!"  He talked about the mission standards how they are hard in today's world and then reminded us that we are not of this world, we are the Youth of a noble birthright and can do it!  We as missionaries and members of the church cannot compromise the name of the church, we do not have the right to do that!

When we go home, we must declare what a mission should be, what it can be and represent the best of mission forever!!! THIS IS OUR LIFE..  There is no going back to the 'real' world, this is the REAL WORLD!!! our life forever more, to be a missionary, we never ever stop being missionaries!  We have to do it right, build it right "pull your socks up to your armpits, cowboy up, be big people!!!! We never have an opportunity like this again"

He spoke on becoming a Book of Mormon mission, it is a miracle maker!  As you will read in president's email, we have more than doubled the number of Book Of Mormons we have been using in the past 6 months!! HOW GREAT IS THAT! the word is getting out there and working the hearts of Ghanaian's all over Ghana!

We are privileged to see the Church being born here in Ghana.  With the creation of the new mission, the new district that Ho will soon be apart of, we can see it! The church is flourishing here in Ghana and it is just amazing!!! and I am here to see it!

Finally he said, that he understands missionary work/the work of salvation is not easy, BECAUSE salvation is not easy!

It was a life changing experience, it was a perception changing experience and it really helped me to receive more direction and to what i will do after mission.... continue to be a missionary, even after i die.

I wanted to share a mini miracle we experienced on Saturday, a physical one but a miracle none the less.

At our Baptismal service, we were able to have 3 investigators attend, the service was very nice and the spirit was present.  The speaker was talking and afterwards we would proceed to the font outside.  Outside the wind started to howl, the sky went dark and the rain that had be daunting all day was about to pour down.

Our candidate leaned over and asked me if they would go out to do the baptism if it started raining, i responded with a smile and said "Everything will work out."  As the speaker finished and everyone got up to go to the font, the wind stopped, the rain held off and we were able to proceed with the baptism.  As the last candidate was exiting the font, a small wind started again and by the time they had reached the pathway rain started to fall very heavy.

I know that Heavenly Father was watching over, that he knew they were prepared and provided the weather to allow for the baptism to come on.

It may have been a small thing, but it is by small things that great things are brought to pass.

It is so great to know we are engaged in the work of the Lord.

I love you all so much and hope you continue to be missionaries!!
LOVE ELDER ANDERSON!

New Companion, growth in Ho

As promised this weeks email i devoted as much time as possible to help keeping you up to date with everything that has happened this past few weeks!!

They have been quite a Hectic few!!

I got a new companion, Elder John, and yes he is my second new missionary.

However Elder Imende got transferred to Kasoa, and Elder Fairbourn from Utah came to replace him, so still 2 whites in the apartment! But it is a little spot the white person!

The other Elder Anderson went to a place called Tantra Hills in northern Accra.

We received some great, fantastic news on Sunday!!!!  President Judd got a letter from the 1st presidency informing him of 2 new stakes and 1 new district being created in the mission area!!

The 4 stakes in Accra are becoming 6 and Ho will now be apart of a District!!!
the Kpong Ghana District.  With Kpong Branch (which will probably be split) the Senchi branch and the Ho branch which president also said, should be split before the end of the year!!!

The vision is the same a stake of Zion right here in Ho.

They looked at land again yesterday for a Stake centre, not just a meetinghouse. It is 2.8acres!  The other plot of land is just under an acre, but they are 4 parcels next to each other and the 4th person changed his mind and is not sure if he wants to sell!

so we are all praying that his heart will be softened!

I am still the DL up here in Ho, the new zone (Koforidua Zone) covers quite a large area, but it only comprises of 2 districts and 6 companionship's and 2 senior couples.

Just have to travel 2.5 hours to reach meetings!! but it is better than 3.5/4 to accra!!!

at least to Koforidua there is no traffic!  Keeping the district motivated is not an easy task! missionary work is demanding! i always try to be a good example and offer encouragement and support!

The Mission tour that i was telling you about with Elder Sitati from the area presidency was really great!!

They discussed about striving for further light and knowledge and following paths and light and righteousness and avoid darkness.  Light and Dark are always paired, we know that there must needs be an opposition in all things.  In Moroni 7:19 it talks about being the children of Christ by walking in that light, and by following light in brings more light!

He said, "When we go against the light of Christ, it brings imperfection, godly sorrow, and a desire to rid ourselves of imperfection, therefore having the light returned to us.  However, failure to repent leaves us vulnerable to Satan and to sin as our definition between light and dark is diminished."

He re-issued the challenge to be 100% missionaries for the next 6 months and try and see how the blessing will.

In D&C 76:5-10  It talks about obedience and how we can be lifted up thru following that light which is good and right!

Sister Judd also gave us three simple rules to live by.

1.  Obey commandments

2.  Work and Work Hard

3.  Have FUN!!!

Then on Saturday we went to the new zone, district leaders council.  So much instruction, it went or about 4 hours!

Elder Speirs instructed on being more pure, aiming for that light!

Elder Afu instructed on leadership skills and how Satan uses counterfiets to trick us into doing things we think are right and are very close to truths but a just barly twisted. Like using flattery instead of praise, or criticism instead of instruction or reprove. 

Elder Lyon (Couple) on family history in missionary work

Elder Baker (couple) on effective meetings
Sister Baker (couple) on getting converts to the temple

Elder Nembaware on covenants and 

Me on using the Book of Mormon more effectively! 

I recently gave an instruction at a meeting we had about the choice to be obedient and it went something like this!

I love how the gospel applies on so many levels.

We need to exercise faith in being obedient and repent of any previous disobedience and keep our covenants and the commandments, then we can receive an increase of the Holy Ghost.  thus being able to teach with more power and authority. 

Elder Holland said, "Authority comes from our ordination, the power come from obedience and worthiness"

"When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power!"

You know working hard is now always easy, there are so many times and different situations that can bring you down!

My new companion is doing great! He is very humble, and has a strong desire to help the people of Ghana!

I love Ghana, I love the People, I am scared that in just over 6 months i will be coming home to a polar opposite of the life i am used to here in Ghana.

Some will be a nice and welcomed change, but many will be hard to re-adjust to! just as adjusting when i got here was Hard!!

Lots of Love
Elder Anderson!

New area and already baptisms

I think i have a new faviourite, Cadbury Mint Bubbly!!!! they were in the faviourites box and were just great!!!!!!

We have recently been teaching a family.  Bro Gabriel, His sister Patience, his wife Forstina and their children, Aseye, Shepherd and precious.

They also have children 7, 5, 3, and 1 years!
Patience also has a 3 year old.

But they all stay in the same house.

Gabriel has been coming to church since July. But had a sever problem with the word of wisdom, which has been preventing him from being baptized!  His sister and oldest daughter shepherd were baptized in September and on Christmas day he was baptized having been freed by the gift of repentance,
Similarly a week later his wife too Forstina was also baptized.

My second Monday here, the Lyons gave us a FHE lesson manual to give to them, so we decided we would go their to show them how to hold a family home evening.  It was wonderful, my companion and i taught the 1st lesson in the manual about families are strengthening them and helping them grow and one day going to the temple to be sealed.
It was just wonderful, you would feel the love.  We enjoyed some pineapple together afterward and made assignments for the following week , the week before Christmas.

Again the spirit was there and the whole family enjoyed a wonderful evening!
Then the following week boxing day, we took our christmas present one of the FHE charts from my package and it was just overwhelming.  We also gave those book of Mormon for toddlers to precious and Aseye and they just loved them!!!!  After explaining how to use the chart, they all wrote their names on one of the sticks and arranged who is doing what for that day.  And hung it in their room where everyone that enters can see it!

A similar event occurred with another family we have been working with.  The wife is a Less-active recent convert and the husband was baptized also on Christmas day.
He was in prison for almost a year (during that time the wife Doris was baptized)
For drug dealing and abuse.  He had a big struggle to give it up.
But every time we go to visit them, they pull out the FHE chart and we begin with an opening song, prayer, scripture before we share our message. It is a really nice atmosphere.  She has been coming to church for the past 3 weeks strong with her newly baptized husband and their 3 children.
The oldest of which will be baptized this coming Saturday!
He was at boarding school when she joined the church and when he returned Doris was becoming less-active.  However when she was baptized, she took her husband Mike a copy of the book of Mormon and D&C.  He is very smart. He read and understood most of it while he was still in prison and as you can say received his conversion.  It wasn't very hard teaching him as he already had a testimony of the keystone of our religion.
Even the prison staff saw a change, and he was released 6 months early without parole or anything.
They continue to grow and strengthen and right now we are helping them set goals so in a year from now they can be sealed together in the Temple.
WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO HAVE A TEMPLE SO CLOSE!!!!

At our Christmas conference President admonished us to Work harder, smarter and to be more pure. that we may magnify our priesthood and be an ensign to the nation of Ghana.
He quoted Boyd K. Packer when he said "Your authority comes through your ordination [or setting apart]; your power comes through obedience and worthiness"

It was really great instruction, then Elder Curtis of the 70 spoke about the effects of this life namely Physical death and spiritual death and suffering/hurting.
He talked about the 3 pillars of eternity, Creation, Fall, Atonement.
How the atonement covers the fall and counters and effects of physical death by resurrection.
It reminded of a lesson that we had with one investigator Hasia.  She is a Muslim so we had to get permission before teaching her.
Her main and first concern about christinaty is "how does a God that loves us, allow so much suffering!!" and "Does he even really love us?"
A very common question.  However as we continued to teach her about the plan of salvation and the 3 pillars of eternity it just hit her.
As my companion and i bore testimony that our saviour died for us, he suffered for us, even though we are in this fallen state, he lifts us so, to make us at one with god again.
She started to cry.  She expressed the feeling of love she felt in her heart, and knew it was the love of Jesus Christ, She could not deny that feeling.  She told us that now she knows that God and Jesus Christ really do love us and are their for us.  It was a testimony builder for both me companion, myself and Hasia.

Recently the Area president came to Ho to look at land for a chapel.
(He commented it was a little small as they want to build a stake centre)
but i think they will go ahead and build a smaller one first and continue looking for another place to build the stake centre.
He said as he was up on the hill around Ho he saw a vision, of multiple wards and stakes of Zion here in Ho.
It was really inspiring and really helped the members, i have never heard them sing as loud as they did that day, truly singing a prayer unto their father in heaven!  He admonished them to be more unified, talked about how Satan would try them, to bring divisions among the branch to bring them to destruction! But they must not let contention come among them!!!  It was wonderful!

News years eve here was a little bit of a crazy day!
People setting off fireworks, gun shots, shouting, chanting, marching and everyone went to church for the year changeover!!!!  It was really cool, while everyone at home was partying, here, they went to church and prayed for the new year to come!
I had a little stout of upset tummy on new years ever and new years day but by the end of church is was all fine! and no runny tummy or vomiting with this one so no need to fear!

We received a bit of praise and thanks for the Branch  council last Sunday.
It started with the relief society president, the one we helped prepare all the food for the christmas party with, (facebook picture) lady in green and black when i was holding the baby.  She said that in her 2 years in the branch, that we are the best missionaries she has even seen, (the 4 of us).  After which the 1st councilor in the branch presidency added his own thanks then every one of the members in the branch council thanked us for the great work we are doing!

Ghana is great.
Ho is wonderful.  We are working really hard right now to build out teaching pool and really find those people that are "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it"

I have been collecting some favourite quotes from people here in Ghana and wanted to share a couple they are pretty funny!

"The government is my very close friend.... is name is Kofi" Drunk on street.
Upon enter the compound we are teaching, and seeing us he stops, takes a second looks and exclaims "JOSEPH SMITH.. IS A PROPHET OF GOD!!!!! ....... I love the Book of Nephi" (pronounced nef-fi) Then points at me and asked "Are you Joseph Smith???" Drunk Man.

The closing prayer of the Christmas Day Baptism, "Dear Heavenly Father, Happy Birthday Jesus"  Sister Mary
Our recent convert talking about the new year church meeting in her old church.

"We go church all night... we go fight for Jesus into the new year.. We dey fight Jesus... I mean We dey fight for Jesus!"  Sister Antoinette

Well another week has come and gone!!!

Lots of love Elder A. Anderson!!!!
and its only 7 months and 6 days!!!!!!!!!!!!
no need to make it longer than it is!!!

ELDER ANDERSON IS COMING HOME THIS YEAR!!!

Morning!!!

There was so much wonderful stuff in there! It was great!
There was only 2 pairs of socks and my mum said there was more than that,
I wrote everything on down as i pulled it out so i will sent it next week as i forgot this week! 

I was able to skype, they figured it all out on the ipad so that was cool as i got a walking tour of the house!!! 

It was really great!!!

Not much to say. but i did post a bunch of pictures from christmas and a picture is worth 1000 words!!! so hehe they are pretty funny!!

Piece of exciting news!!! Elder Holland and Elder Snow (from presidency of the Seventy) are coming to visit the mission in february!!! so that is very exciting!!!! pretty chill!!!!! gonna be really really cool!!!! I am so excited!!!

I AM COMING HOME THIS YEAR!!!!

Lots of love elder Anderson!

Merry Christmas

 just wanted to send a quick one to say Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!!

No package yet, but i spoke to Bro Nicolas in the Area Office Mail Room and he is going to track it down for me!  SO hopefully by friday, when we go to Accra for the Christmas Conference, Testimony Meeting talent show and Pancake Breakfast at the mission home!!! CHRISTMAS IS SWEET!!!!

We are also having a "White Christmas" This year
Hopefully with 4 people being Baptized on christmas day...
get it "white christmas" cause they will all be dressed in white!!!!
hehe

But it will be great!!!!!

Merry Christmas and email you next week with the pictures from the conference!!!

Another new Area HO

This week was very wonderful, i had a little stout of runny tummy on wednesday, but that was all okay.   I packed up and moved on from OSU and the Christiansborg ward, it was honestly a little sad to move, but that is the work i guess!!!!

So i am now in an area called HO, it is the capital of the Volta Region, so basically i am teaching a whole different group of people.  The people of the Volta are Ewe, (Air-vways) and that is the language the speak, it is very different!

The City of Ho is pretty small, reminds me a lot of Koforidua, but a little better laid out, it was planned by the germans during colonial/slave trade times, and is very close to the Togo Border.

My new companion is Elder Anderson from Twin Falls, Idaho.
It is pretty funny when we introduce ourselves! Nearly everyone has to take a second look!
Especially the Branch members.

The Ho branch is a lone branch on its own, and it comes directly under the mission, the goal is to make a district up here in the very near future, there are some little towns with members in them all around Ho, but first we have to strengthen the members to make sure they will be able to have a functioning district.   The chapel also is a small rented building the 170 people that come to church on Sundays, don't even have room to fit in the chapel!!!   They have got a piece of land that the church is in the final stages of purchasing so hopefully by this time next year they will have their own church owned chapel to worship in!!  I know the members are super excited about getting a chapel.

There are also some couples up here, Elder and Sister Lyon from Arizona, they are also really nice and so generous, it is strange to have people just buys some food, or invite you for something...  I know how much the missionaries at home are enjoying!! hehe

So my apartment was absolutey horrible, we spend nearly all morning cleaning it!!
Sister Lyon took all our curtains to wash them in her washing machine, so we cleaned all the window, they were that black with dust that you couldn't even see out of them!!!  Elder Anderson and I also re arranged our room to make it more function-able.  Elder Makandangwe, my companion from Kasoa is also in the same apartment!!

There are also some really cool waterfalls around here and also a monkey sanctury, so we are going to see if the couples will take us up there one P.Day, so hopefully some really cool pictures to come!!!!