Trip to Kumasi

Kumasi is a rather larage city in the mid-northern part of Ghanna. It has a population of around 4 million people. We have one Stake in Kumasi and I was asked to meet the Stake President and help him map out his wards and then to help him map out some divisions of wards he was considering...all done on Google Earth. We agreed to drive up on Sunday and stay overnight at a hotel and drive back on Monday. I woke up on Saturday morning and said to Elder Shipley, Do you realize we just agreed to drive the equivalent of a trip from Farmington to St. George and back!!!

It's a two lane highway most of the way. It reminded me of our trips to the beach when I was a small child. Along the road were broken down cars, buses and trucks left for who knows how many months or years. Their sites were telling as you saw the glass all over and the windows all knocked out and in some cases you could tell they had caught on fire. We could only imagine the fate of those who were in them.




We passed through villages that sold bread in front of every home, another that sold palm oil - tables set up all along the highway with their little jugs of oil, and another that sold hand carved bowls and sticks that looked like canes that were for grinding casava root into a powder that is used to make a sort of dumpling ball called fufu that is served with a soup. We haven't yet been brave enough to try fufu. But, we have heard plenty about it - it is a staple food here in Ghana. We also passed many trucks that just seemed to be loaded to the hilt and some busses.

We stopped halfway up in Nkawkaw (pronounced EnCocoa) to attend church. The church was located at the end of a long up-hill one-lane dirt road that dead ended at the rented church. You have to realize that dirt roads are filled with ruts washed into the roads by rain, and pot holes that can swallow your entire tire. We shook hands with all the members as they arrived. These people really had to want to come to church - it was located in such a difficult place.

We were told that a few weeks earlier one older lady who had no income wanted so badly to come to church, but it costs her 2 Cedis (about 2 dollars) to take a taxi there and back, and she was much too old to work. She made it a matter of prayer. Saturday she was in the market area and as she looked down she say a Cedi on the ground. She quickly leaned over and picked it up, to discover there were 2 Cedis, just what she needed to go to church! This is a great illustration of how Heavenly Father knows each one of us and how he answers our prayers.

This story illustrates the very problem we as an Area are trying to correct. Currently and in the past the people have had to come to the church. Some walking for miles. Others using their precious cedis to take their family in a taxi to church when they can hardly afford to put food on their tables. We are trying to correct this problem by bringing The Church to the people, r This was why I was sent to Kumasi - to help them tighten up boundaries, split wards and create others and branches of the church so that the church is within walking distance of the people. Google Earth has allowed us to see where the people live, and to see where our buildings are located. Until now we have never known where one building was in relationship to another and never have we been able to locate where the members lived. It has been a great blessing to the church in Africa and only the future will tell if the direction we are pursuing is correct...but we feel the spirit telling us this is the direction we are to pursue.

We left Kumasi with Elder and Sister Burgess who had completed their mission and were on their way to Accra to board their return flight home. On our way back we stopped to visit a senior missionary couple who live in Nkawkaw, The Mathesons. They are a great couple that work with the people, the missionaries and the local leaders. This is a missionary assignment that we would enjoy, but our current assignment is to work in the office, assisting the Area Presidency. Other couples here have missionary assignments to help with welfare projects like helping schools, digging wells, helping with the medical needs of the people. Our grandchildren think only of proselyting missions - where you are teaching the gospel. I hope they can understand that there are many types of missionaries. All are needed to do the work of the Lord. Together we all work to make God's work a marvelous work and a wonder.

Elder and Sister Shipley, Sister Matheson, Sister and Elder Burgess

Gone Batiking!

One Monday a few weeks ago, I stole away and went batiking with 3 other senior missionaries.
Our task: to make a tablecloth. We choose the colors we wanted in our tablecloth. I choose brown and rose pink. The owner stirred up the die and put my cloth into it. We did the rose pink first. It was placed in a die that turned the material green, but when it was put on the lawn to dry it immediately began turning pink! (In this picture the material was died dark blue and turned emerald green.) Next we choose our stamps which were dipped in wax and then pressed on the material. I had my own clothes on then Elder Shipley's dishwashing shirt which had many bleach spots on it already. So when you look at my picture you might think I've gained a whole lot of weight. All those shirts just make me look huge. The guy offered to stamp my tablecloth - but I was there for the experience. It took me about 3 times of stamping before I got the right pressure. After the stamping it was dying time again - this time he mixed up black and dyed the pink material in the black solution. Again it was placed on the lawn and I watched the black turn brown. Where the wax stamps hit the material that area stayed pink. I had so much fun. It was a nice break from all the work.

Elder Shipley at Work

Elder Shipley and I have desks in the same room. I'm sitting at my desk taking his picture! We really enjoy working together. I know, I know: Some of you thought we would never survive! He is the people person, I am the detail person. Together we make a good team.

The Beautiful Children of Ghana

The one thing any Obruni notices right off when they come to Africa are the beautiful children. They are so happy and melt your heart. I am often greeted with handshakes - I think they think it is something to tell their friends that they shook the hand of an Obruni!

Frogs in a Pot

There were once some frogs sitting in a pot of water. What they were not aware of is that the pot was on the stove and the burner had been turned on. They gleefully swam around not noticing that the water was getting warmer and warmer. By the time the water was boiling it was too late. They were cooked.

I think there are many people sitting in a pot of water. We've been warmed up little by little over a long period of time to the point of acceptance of that warm water, and now the pot is beginning to boil.

What am I rambling on about. Today we heard the news of California's same sex marriage law. Forty-five years ago when I was a teenager gay marriage was unheard of...the idea was alarming and rejected by nearly everyone. We were in swimming in cold water and enjoying it. I remember going to the first movie that even suggested such a relationship when I was about 14 or 15. It was shocking. Little by little the media through books, movies, magazine and news articles has turned up the heat to where many do not notice that the water is getting warmer. Non acceptance has moved to acceptance. Most would never have jumped into this pot of boiling water thirty to forty years ago. Today many have been warmed up to acceptance. Evil has become good and good has become evil as Isaiah prophesied thousands of years ago!

To me it is about accepting God or rejecting God. Man did not make the laws of marriage between a man and a women. It was instituted by God. It is central to His plan for exaltation. By altering His plan we are rejecting Him, denying His existance, denying His power, His godhood. It was exactly what Satan did. He rejected God's plan. God's had planed for a Savior to redeem us from the fall if we would repent. Satan felt he had a better way - He rejected the Father's plan - a plan that has existed for eternity. He had the audacity to propose his own plan, as if he were greater than God. All mankind would receive exaltation because man would not have the ability to choose and Satan would receive the glory instead of our Heavenly Father. Satan, partially because of rejection by God, has an objective to destroy God's plan. He will fail. Nothing can stop God's plan from going forward. Man may think they can go against God's laws but in time God's judgements will fall upon the unrighteous and the rigtheous of the world will press forward to complete His work. This I know. This is confirmed by prophets of old and prophets upon the earth today. If you are in the pot, jump out!

Elder and Sister Shipley

Well here we are. Jess, our daughter-in-law suggested that we put a picture of us on the blog. We are standing in front of New Town Ward. This is a leased building that works quite well for this ward. Every Sunday Elder Shipley and I visit a different ward. We are trying to get a feel for what the Saints are like here in Africa. To sense their needs, their strengths, and their weaknesses.

We arrived about a half hour before church was to begin. About 15 minutes before beginning, the chorister got up and started directing us all in hymn singing. The room was about half full. We find this quite common here. It actually sets the tone quite well for Sacrament Meeting. These people sing very well. Often acapella as few know how to play the piano.

Today was Father's Day here in Africa. The Primary Children took the first half of the meeting singing songs to their fathers and giving talks about their fathers. It was nice and in Priesthood Meeting the primary brought envelopes in for each of the men with whistle lollypops....Cool...I hadn't seen whistle pops in 20 years!!! The father's liked it a lot.

I went to literacy class where people who do not know how to read, write, speak, or understand English have a class to teach them. One of my new assignments is the Area Literacy Committee. It was a chance to see how the program is working. Usually the class is almost all women. Many of the men have been to school and so know how to read and write English. The women were often kept at home to help with raising the children, cooking meals, etc. and have little education. I had a great time. There were two women from Togo who spoke French and had come for the first time. The rest of the class was already able to read English..in fact one of the Sisters there read from the Scriptures in English to begin the class. It was a rather long scripture and I was impressed she could do it. There were about 8 in the class. While the teacher was helping others I helped with the two women from Togo. It was a fun experience. I just love to teach. I spent time helping them learn the alphabet, learn their names in English, and find words like I, me, of, and it in the hymnal. Another sister was working in "Ye Shall Have My Words", a church published textbook for those who can speak English but may not know how to read or write. So one on one I helped a sister learn to understand words she read...like "Diligently" from, "Seek me diligently". It was fun to discuss with her. She had great interpretations, I simply added to her understanding. Oh how I love to teach.

This afternoon I helped one of the missionaries learn to blog.

It's been a welcome quiet day. I love the peace of Sundays.

Miracle in Cape Coast!

Two weeks ago Elder Nelson was visiting the West Africa Area. He was sent to the Cape Coast Stake Conference to select a new Stake President. While in Cape Coast he stayed at the Cape Coast Mission Home. This home is nestled in a small valley against a hillside. When he completed his work Elder Nelson left for Accra. Thirty minutes later lightning struck the Cape Coast Mission Home taking out 5 computers, all the phone lines, and the electricty. It is believed that the internet tower behind them drew the lightning. Just days before one of the workers there suggested they might want to put a lighning rod on top of the home because of the location of the internet tower. Last week Pres. Dil, President of the Cape Coast Mission, was in our office and he told up the rest of the story. He was in the laundry room attending to the wash when he stepped out to make a phone call. Thirty seconds later the lightning struck the laundry room putting a big hole in the floor and burning the machines. Had he been in the laundry room when the lightning struck he would have been toast! Co-incidence or tender mercy of the Lord!

This is Africa...You've Gotta Love It!

African's are creative. They have little but they make what they have work!


An African Walkman/Ipod


A Pick-up Truck


The Hot Water System


The Ambulance - Hope its not a Heart Attack!


Painting the Pool


Well it get's good gas mileage!


Good thing you have that Toyota Cowrolla!


Just Hitchin a ride! One day I saw a longhorn cow stuffed in the back seat of a car!


Africans tell it like it is!

Adenta Stake Conference.

Sunday, May 25th, we attended Stake Conference in Adenta Stake. We went with Elder and Sister Hill. They are in charge of security for the Africa West Area. We arrived an hour early and got to sit in the 5th row. They announced in the meeting that there were 1735 people in attendance. They came in buses, they came in tro-tros, they came in taxis, they walked, and some who have truly prospered came in cars.

The Stake President is John Koranteng. When we pulled him up on the CDOL (Church Directory of Leaders-a SLC Church database with limited access) the first week in May we noticed his photograph was a picture of an Obruni! (a white man) He came into our office a week or so ago and we showed it to him. He said some Obruni Stake President is really going to be surprised when he sees a Ghanaian man for his picture!!

This man is young – I would guess in his 30’s, but he is amazing in his knowledge and faith in the gospel. I was so impressed with his talk today. He was very inspired and knew how to relate his thoughts in parables the people could understand. As he told his parrables he also lead us on a journey through the scriptures to establish his point.

He spoke of being a light and of being salt. Salt can chemically change so easily. He spoke of obedience as the key to keeping our salt in the form of salt, not chlorine or some other solution. He talked about driving to work in the morning early at 4am and finding the dawn getting more bright to the point lights were not needed to see and what a relief that is. That this is what we are like when we are being obedient. We can see with assurance that as we increase in light, we can see our way in difficult situations, and we will be at peace. With each act of obedience we move further into the light. He then compared driving at dawn to driving at dusk as the sun goes down and it gets darker…that is the way our life is with each act of disobedience…our light gets darker and we cannot see our way. We become filled with fear and worry and have more trials than there should have been.

He related a story of men traveling: men who were told to fill their bags with pebbles. Some filled them with large ones, some with medium sized pebbles, and some with very small pebbles. When they got to the end of their journey they opened their bags to find their stones had turned into pearls and jewels. Those who put large pebbles or stones in their bags were filled with riches. Those who choose medium stones or pebbles were delighted when they opened their bags, but wished they had put large pebbles in their bags. Those who put small pebbles in their bags had very small pearls and jewels.

We choose likewise how we will embrace the gospel. Will we just show up at church on Sundays for the appearance? Will we occasionally open the Book of Mormon to read? Will we serve others? Will we be determined to make temple covenants with the Lord after baptism? Will we pray with our hearts morning and night or will we say the same thing (I call them celing prayers)? Will we read our scriptures every day? Will we study the scriptures or will our scriptures sit on the shelf and get covered with dust? Will we strive to live according to the words of our Prophets so that we can have the spirit in our lives, or will we selectively choose to do things we agree with, or choose activities that will take the spirit away? Will we listen and obey the Holy Ghost? Will we seek to improve ourselves through repentence? Each day we make chooses that determine whether our bags are filled with small, medium, or large pebbles. At the end of our journey, Christ will fill our bags with jewels according to the stones we chose to carry. He quoted Mosiah 2:20-22: When we keep his commandments all he desires is to bless us and prosper us.

President Koranteng spoke of standing in Holy Places and said it takes practice to Stand in Holy Places. He said we must FIND holiness. He spoke of obedience turning into sacrifice when we say “not my will be done but let thy will be done.” Sacrifice is when we follow God or the spirit even when it makes little sense to the way we reason things. When we do His will He strengthens us.

“Being in the Kingdom", he said, "is like climbing the stairs." Sometimes you get tired. Sometimes it gets hard to keep climbing. You want to just stop for a while. Some want to give up, but when you keep going through sacrifice, the Lord strengthens you to climb the stairs.

Again the spirit bore testimony to me that the gospel in its fulness is restored. That the spirit works in the lives of people all over the world.