A Room With a View

We spent most of last week in London staying in a flat with this great view. I love flowers in windows, which are a common site along the streets in London. We stayed with the Public Affairs couple who we met in the MTC, The Buckles. They were very generous in letting us stay in their spare bedroom and even more they went out with us every night for dinner and shows. Some of you I know are going "How come they could leave their mission and go to London!". No we did not go AWOL. It was a condition of our acceptance that we seek a medical check-up for my pacemaker every six months in either Johannesburg, London, or Frankfurt. Sometimes pacemakers are worth it! We enjoyed being able to walk the streets, go to shows, eat outside at night, drink tap water, ride busses and walk through parks. It was a wonderful time, much of it due to the Buckles. Oh and by the way my pacemaker is doing just fine.

We enjoyed reading the names of shops along our bus route. These names are almost as good as the sayings on the back of tro-tros in Africa - some of you will say even better! Here is a list of some that we saw:
The Goat in Boots (a pub)
Snapdragon (furniture store)
Night Owls - Langerie
Blue Bubble - a laundry
Wheatsheaf - a tavern
Blooming Marvelous - a maternity store
The Parson's Nose - a butcher shop
Fast Flowers - a silk flower shop
The Hummingbird Bakery
Nuts About Life - (didn't catch what this was)
Fishmongers - fish market
Still Too Few - Antique dishes and decoration

While there we visited Portabella Road in London - I believe it was mentioned in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" and maybe also in "Nottinghill". It's an interesting street with lots of little shops that sell their wears outside as well as inside.

For you scrabble fans I had to take this picture.


Pizza Anyone!


We arrived back in Accra on Sunday night, rested and anxious to get back to being missionaries. London was fun but Accra is satisfying.

Shopping in Ghana

Just to give you a flavor of everyday life here in Ghana. Many shops are outside under an umbrella or out in the open. You can buy just about anything in these shops as you will see by the pictures. We visit the fruit and vegtable market at least once a week.

Bananas are sold everywhere, but this store has by far the best tasting bananas anywhere in Accra.

The T-Shirt Store - We drive by it every week but haven't stopped to purchase yet.

Anyone need a broom, mop, or a dustpan? This is the place!

Soft drinks for Sale

Welcome to the Cell Phone Store


Well the one thing you can say for them - Overhead is minimal.

PEF Gives Hope to the Hopeless

In our church we have a program called PEF: Perpetual Education Fund. President Hinckley initiated this program about 8 years ago. Members donate funds that can be used by return missionaries in foreign countries to pay for their education. After graduation they are required to begin paying back the monies: hence perpetual. It is a wonderful program that allows the poor to rise up from their poverty and have the ability to make a living.

This last week a young women in Ghana completed her education in cake decorating. On July 12, 2008, the Hutchcraft School held its graduation celebration at the Ghana International Trade Fair Center, Accra Ghana. Among the six graduates was Sister Debbie Dodoo Acheampong.

At the Hutchcraft School the students learn cake decorating and catering. The speciality of the school is creating elaborate flowers which looking very realistic are yet are edible.

Debbie was so grateful to the church for lending her the funds to acquire a skill that would provide her with a living that for her senior project she made a cake in the shape of the Ghana Temple. After graduation she gave the cake to the Temple workers and employees of the Area Office.


With her new skills she plans to start a catering business from her home. These new skills will allow her to generate funds for her family and yet be able to stay home to care for them.

Surprise at the End of The Day!

I was working on google earth mapping a stake when I heard Elder Shipley cutting cardboard. I thought, "What is he cutting?!"I turned around and he pulled this out of the box! He quietly did all this on his own. I suppose it was his turn to open a package - most of the others were for me for Mother's Day.

Scott and Melissa, Preston, David, Sam and Sarah must have had fun making this sign. It was SO MUCH FUN for us to read it and think about you making it....I remember when we used make these signs for our kids. But best of all for me were the pictures. Just darling pictures of the family. I cried...oh how I miss all of you. But I quickly recovered and starting taping them to the chair rail that surrounds my desk. I love to be surrounded by my grandchildren's pictures. THANKS Scott and Melissa, Preston and David, Sam and Sarah. It was a wonderful Surprise.

For those of you who cannot read the small print it says: Dear Mama and Papa, We think you 2 Musketeers are Extra Sweet. You have always been Mounds of fun and Big LifeSavers. Our hearts burst with Joy when we think of you! Hugs and Kisses! Scott, Melissa, Preston, David, Sam and Sarah

We Love Reading African Window Stickers!

"Christ in the Vessel; I Fear no Storm" - the most creative

This Sunday in Accra

Worth of a Soul and Christ in Red Robes by Liz Lemon Swindle

Today we visited Dansoman Ward. We were so impressed with this ward. It was fast and testimony meeting. The bishop asked everyone to give a generous fast offering and pray for the Liberian refuges in Budaburam Camp who are returning home to Liberia after several years of living in Ghana.

Next Testimonies were given of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. One talked about watching one of his children misbehave and all it took was his mother's eye to correct his way. He spoke of how the eye can commnunicate to us. Then compared that to God watching over us with His eyes. When we do wrong things, the Lord sees us with his eyes and he reaches out and corrects us by placing people in our path that bring us back to Him. Another bore testimony of family, its blessing and responsibility. He said I am young and many of you would say of me, "Why is it that you are married?" He bore testimony of the importance of family of a wife that kindly tells him when he needs to improve his actions; of the joy of children, and of the knowledge he has that it is his responsiblity to bring his family back to God. Yet another bore testimony of the power of the scriptures and the importance of reading them and pondering on them. He testified that when we ponder on the words of God we get more revelation, more dreams, and more direction in our lives. A special testimony that Heavenly Father knows each one of us and answers our prayers was given by one of the sisters in the ward. She told of her 98 year old father getting food poisoning and ending up in the hospital in a comma. She went to the temple and poured out her heart to Heavenly Father asking him to postpone his death as the family did not have the funds for a funeral-to just give her a little more time. (Funerals in Africa are like weddings in America - very expensive) When she arrived home she was called to the hospital. She found her father awake. He said, "The strangest thing happened to me. I found myself standing next to you in your temple.(He is not a member but had been through the temple during the open house 4 years ago) You were crying. The next thing I knew a tall man dressed in white stood next to me. He said to me , "I have answered her prayers. You may now go back." He said he woke up in the hospital and asked "What am I doing here?" He was healed and was sent home. Her prayers were answered in a miraculous way.

Sunday school was on Zeezrom in the Book of Alma, chapter 12. The object was to teach us that there is more than one witness to truth. In the wards of this stake Sunday School class is taught to families: children and their parents all learn together. The teacher started by saying "How many of you would believe me if I told you I had a half eaten chicken bone in my pocket?" (Ghanaians eat the bones as well as the meat) Not many people believed him. So he had a member of the class come up and without any of us seeing he showed him whether he was telling the truth. That person testified that indeed the teacher had a chicken bone in his pocket. Then he asked "How many of you believe I indeed have a chicken bone in my pocket? Most everyone raised their hands. Principle taught: There was more than one witness.

In Timothy and in the Book or Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants we learn that there are always 2-3 witnesses to every truth. The Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price all are witnesses of Christ. As we have experiences with the Holy Ghost we too become witnesses of Christ.

Back to Alma 12: Zeezrom was leading the people astray with great twists of doctrine. Alma, being a prophet, could read his thoughts and caught him in his lies. I realized after reading this story that each of us will have 3 witnesses to what we have become when we stand before Christ: 1. Our Words 2. Our Actions 3. Our Thoughts. Christ will look at all of them. We cannot fool Christ with words and actions that do not match our thoughts, or thoughts that do no match our words and actions. He knows everything. Our challenge in life is to get our thoughts, actions and words to be in unity with Christ and Heavenly Father: to become one with them, to become like them in humility, integrity, love for others, etc.

Zeezrom trembled when he realized Alma could read his thoughts. He knew he was caught in a lie. There are lessons to learn from Alma. For try as he might Zeezrom in trying to confound Alma with his smooth and intellectual words that twisted the doctrines of Christ, could not. Why? Because Alma knew his scriptures. He studied them. He pondered them. They had become knowledge to him.

Some great lessons for all of us. Again I love Sundays among the Saints in Africa!!!

Temple Visits

Weekly we get wards or branches visiting the temple. They come with their families, or the young men and women come. Not unlike at home. Often they come in buses. They stay for a night in the Ancilary Building or sometimes for a week. Temple workers come from far away - 5 hour drives are not uncommon and stay for a several days each week. They love the temple.
Those from Liberia are assisted by church funds (this is how some of your donations are spent) to come for their first time. This week we have a group of 36 or so saints from Liberia who are visiting the temple. It took them 5 days to get here by bus. It will take them 5 days to return home. They will be here at the temple for 1 week. For them it is a huge commitment.

Packing Up - Going Home.

"Safe Journey": The Word of God

I have come to love the word of God in my lifetime. My scripture study lately has brought me to understand in greater depth the importance of the Word of God. How powerful the Word is. I have found 15 blessings we receive from reading the Word of God. I am sure there are more.

1. Genealogy of our forefathers
2. Knowledge of the mysteries of God
3. Increases our memory
4. Convinces man of the errors of his way.
5. Brings us to a knowledge of God.
6. Teaches us of the incorrect paths others have trod.
7. Brings us to repentence.
8. Causes us to rejoice in Jesus Christ our Redeemer
9. Allows us to see examples of His Power
10. Teaches us what is True.
11. Teaches us the Commandments God gives to man.
12. Brings to light works of darkness. (that we might recognize them and avoid them)
13. Teaches us that God's words are fulfilled.
14. Teaches us what the future holds
15. Teaches us how to Come Unto Him

All of this and we are so often lax at reading every day. How can we possibly NOT pick up our scriptures to guide us each day.

Scriptures, the Word of God, are filled with Light. Without the scriptures we walk in the dark. It is by this small and simple thing that the Lord is able to guide our lives. When we are indifferent to reading our scriptures we wander off the straight and narrow path. Marvelous works in our life cease. We get off course and we experience affictions we would have avoided had we stayed on course each day. Alma gives us a type of this when describing the use of the Liahona. He said when they forgot to exercise their faith they did not progress in their journey. It is the same with us. The days we do not pick up our scriptures, we do not progress in our journey toward God.

Our journey in life is to "Come Unto Him". I am learning and trying harder each day to keep my feet on the path. I challenge our children, our grandchildren, and our friends to experiment on this idea. Read the scriptures every day without fail for one month. Pick one subject to learn more about (prayer, faith, Christ, God, repentence, commandments - whatever you want) and write down or underline everything you learn about that subject. At the end of the month ask yourself if you feel you have walked closer to God. I can promise you that you will say "Yes". If you want a good read in the Scriptures on this subject turn to Alma 32 and Alma 37 in the Book of Mormon. It is an inspiring journey! In Africa when someone is traveling it is common to say "Safe Journey". As you travel THIS path I can promise you a "Safe Journey".