Week 66 Kumasi

This was just about the best week of my mission so far! We had a mission tour this week with Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Quorum of the Seventy.  It was just absolutely amazing!  But before I get going about that, my companion and I had a pretty busy week as well!

  

This week Elder Buhler and I had two baptisms. I wrote about Otuo last week.  He was able to be baptized yesterday. We had a man named Joseph Awuah baptized as well. I came to meet him in this area and I did not know his story about how he was introduced to the church until I was with my district leader filling out a baptismal record. I asked him what first made him come to the Church? He told me he found a Pamphlet! So I had him explain the story to me.  He told me that he was just walking down the street and found and old, beat up pamphlet on the ground! It was about the Restoration.  He told me he read and followed the council in the pamphlet about praying to know the truth! He said that he got his answer right away. He came to the church and loved it and has never stopped!  Every week he brings a huge briefcase to church with only his pamphlets and his one Book of Mormon. When he told me that I was just in shock.  He showed me the old pamphlet and it had the names of missionaries from a completely different area on it! Kinda crazy!  The whole time we taught him I never knew! But yeah both baptisms were performed early Sunday Morning! 

Me, Joseph, Bother Otuo and Elder Buhler

Now, to the Mission tour.......... I have no Idea where to start!!! Elder Nash is just amazing! I guess the main topics he talked about were Integrity, Teaching, and Repentance!  He is a MASTER at teaching. He just breaks everything down so well. He knows the scriptures like the back of his hand and quotes them frequently. I was seriously amazed. His example just wants me to be able to teach like him!  He told us stories from when he was a missionary too.  Most of his side topics were the ones that really touched me and stood out to me!

One scripture he used that I really loved was Alma 36:24-27;

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God.

27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.

Elder Nash said, "One day I hope I can be able to say something like this!"  He was just absolutely amazing, man!

My Companion and I with Elder Nash

Well, we also went out in the BUSH this week.  We went to a town called Bibiani, way out in the western region! I've now hit 7 of the 10 regions in Ghana!

On the Exchange in Bibiani.  We are riding in something called a "yellow yellow." It's a cross between a golf cart and a taxi!

I said goodbye to Elder Mbithi this week.  He will finish his mission in a few weeks and return to his home land of Kenya.  He said that he is happy to be going home but will miss the mission life and a soldier remains a soldier even after he removes his uniform.  What a wonderful missionary and great friend!

Me with Elder Mbithi in my first area! Til we meet again, Brother!

Yeah, this week was just really amazing!

Elder Turner

Week 65 Kumasi National

Well folks, after 15 months of not playing golf, I pegged it up today at The Royal Golf Club in Kumasi. Man was it ROYAL and surprisingly not that bad. I've played worse before in my life. It was cool.  I hit my driver nice but my irons were chunky so... life is good. I had a caddy named MOSES!  But he didn't really speak like Moses. On the first hole I hit my driver.  I just piped it and Moses says, "THATS A GOSH DANG PRO SHOT!!!!"  Hahaha!  But he didn’t say gosh or dang.  

My Caddy, Moses!

Me and Elder Buhler

Elder Dearing was part of our threesome.  He and his wife go home soon.

Hole 18

18 Green

We had a lot going on this week. My companion and I found ourselves traveling a little bit for some meetings for a stake conference. Stake conference was cool! They had a lot of people rolling in. Also we were really only having enough time for the people that we were able to set appointments with.  We weren’t able to get much finding in. With the little that we had, we were able to teach a lot of people and help them. 

We have a man named Otou that we are teaching. He is amazing.  He is an older man with a family.  Everything that we teach him he applies and just loves it. He has been coming to church and progressing towards baptism. Last week though we told him that a Prophet has said if we read the Book of Mormon everyday our life will be better.  This week we went to go visit him and he literally told me everything there is to know about Nephi! hahah he loves Nephi! I asked him how he knew so much and he told us that he read the first 17 chapters in one week! Whoa! Like in Ghana that’s a miracle for real!  Usually people will read the 15 verses we give them, but 17 chapters?!!!  We were just like, “Dang, why?”  He said his life is better because of what we told him the previous week. WOW!!  So Otou is progressing towards baptism.  We also have another man named Joseph who is also right there with him! 

This week coming up we have Elder Nash of the Quorum of the Seventy coming to our mission for some meetings. I guess I get to conduct the mission tour!! YIKES! Anyone got any good welcoming jokes??  Elder Buhler and I are rolling to Bekwai this week in the western region of our zone so that should be dope as well. 

It was a great week overall.  I hope everything is going well for you people!!!

Elder Turner

After a nice big FM!

Hole 6

Week 64 Transferssssss

Touchdown in Kumasi!  This was a crazy week.  I feel like I just finished a month of my mission within one week!  We had so much going on! 

Saying Goodbye to President Gakpo and Michael

Elder Morisho

The Missionaries Leaving Tamale

Well, ya.... Transfers happened.  I left Tamale on Tuesday.  It was not easy! The only thing I honestly hate about missions is leaving an area.  Even when you feel you are just ready to get out, its still super hard.  So yeah, leaving Tamale was not an easy thing!  But we came down to Kumasi and everything went smoothly.  Wednesday is when the transfers started going down.  I showed up to the stake center where it was happening and someone just handed me the transfer sheets for the entire mission and told me to get people to where they needed to go. I just said "WOW!"..... Wednesday felt like 4 days!! Hahaha! Lo and behold, I found myself in a zone called ASOUYEBOA (pronounced ah-see-you-bwah).  I’m still serving as a ZL. 

Kumasi

Elder Buhler and I

My new companion is named Elder Buhler from Herriman, Utah.  He’s a cool guy and a super hard worker, which I'm happy about.

This will be a good area judging by with how our 4-day week went.  On Thursday we went out to proselyte…. ON BIKES!!!!!!!!!! Riding bikes in Africa is CRAY!  Our area is massive so we gotta use them.  The roads are eroded away with rocky ruts like cliffs.  I'm in pain right now hahah!  But we got right to work. We just went to see all of the progressing investigators in the area and found a lot of new ones. We were able to find 8 new investigators in the 4 days we had to work this week. Surprisingly, all of them understood English, which is amazing in Kumasi.  Most everyone speaks mainly Twi.  We also had 7 people come to church. So our area is progressing nicely. The members of the Abuakwa Ward are sooooo awesome.  We had like 85 people at sacrament. That's the most I've seen at church since the MTC.  Hahahah!  Everything here is going well in Abuakwa!!

This week I was able to read in Jacob. I love Jacob so much. Chapter 4 is nice. I just love when Jacob says:

"Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, But to take counsel from his hand, For behold ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works"

Don't just tell him what He’s not doing for you, maybe ask him for what you are doing wrong??? OR maybe what you need to do to receive a certain blessing?? 

Anyway people, life is going well in Kumasi. Just living it here.

Elder Turner 
  

Week 63 Tamale

What a busy week here in Tamale! So much was just going on this week. There wasn't a time where we weren't doing something. 

The first thing we did was travel to Kumasi for MLC.  That was pretty sweet!  We were in the middle of our meetings and I saw twin sisters from my first area (Techiman) walk in, the Andohs.  They both have received mission calls to the USA, one to Alabama, the other to Georgia.  They were getting set apart as missionaries that day!! I got to assist in the setting aparts! It was amazing! haha! I loved it so much!

With Elder Mbithi in the Mission Home

Elder Banta is going HOME!

We learned a lot at MLC this week. I'd say most of my learning came from General conference! So amazing!  I was able to watch the first three sessions only because of the time change. How about 2 hour church?  That is a revelation for Ghana for sure.  Not only because of the sacrifice of 3 hours for the people here, but the chance they get to strengthen their homes! They need it and everyone needs it! 

I'd say the talks that touched my heart the most personally were M. Joseph Brough, Dieter F. Utchdrof, and of course, President Nelson’s. That’s just the first three sessions. I didn't get to watch the final. I'm sure there was some there. Oh and also Jeffrey R Holland’s as well. 

I can say so many things that came to my mind. Here are just a few.

·      We can do hard things.

·      Always be ready to do the will of the Lord. 

·      If you are holding a grudge, do something about it. 

·      Always remember you are a representative of Jesus Christ.

·      Remember what faith can do, even if its a little bit!

·      There is always hope. 

·      Christ is always there watching. 

·      Live a gospel centered life. 

·      Get on and Stay on the covenant path. 

·      Believe, Love, Do.

·      Always be a peace maker.

·      Always look to help someone. 

That is just some!

I'm also getting transferred.  I can't believe I am leaving Tamale.  I feel like I just got here, it’s so crazy.  I'll miss the people is Tamale.  I Love them!  I'm thankful for my time in Tamale. I don't know where I'm going for certain.  All I know is that I will still be serving as a ZL.  It will most likely be in KUMASI. Finally going to the city, maybe.

Well that’s my week!  Keep going over and over the conference talks!  You'll continue to learn from them!! 

ELDER TURNER