MI FAMILIA, (oh...wrong country and mission, dang it)

My week was awesome and it came and went really fast. I guess thats what happens when we stay busy and on top of things. Tuesday was zone conference which was great. President is always really good at motivating us and making us feel more confident in what we are doing. He told a few stories and one was about him on his mission in England where they went contacting and he was 3 months out just called to train (sound familiar?). He said they ran into a minister of a church and he wanted to disturb some missionaries from the LDS church so he called them into his house to have a "lesson." As they taught the first discussion he showed them plenty of scriptures that disproved their lesson and asked the missionaries...well what about that?  And they said...well we don"t know about that but what we do know is Joseph Smith is a true prophet and if you asked God you could know too. The guy would say ok...and then they'd continue the lesson and he'd stop them with more scriptures. They answered the same way...we dont know about that but what we do know is....   And it took 2 hours to barely make it through the first lesson. They were walking out and he asked them, well are you coming back? President Sabey was shocked and answered...well do you want us to come back? And he said ya that would be good so they booked an appointment and the next time the same thing happened. After some time it came to a fast sunday where the recent convert (the same minister who bothered them with scriptures) bore his testimony saying how he got sick and tired of the missionaries not having answers to questions but they would always say.."Well we don't know, but what we DO know is that JS is a true prophet and you can know that too if you would ask him." And they guy said he finally did what they asked him to do and that was to ask God. So he did and was converted.  Well to make a long story short, President related it to us new missionaries (more then half of the two zones in Kumasi). He told us that even though we don't know very much, we know enough. It was a powerful zone conference and all of us felt way more confident about our efforts especially with intelligent pastors that talk to us (there are plenty of them here).

Well fo the rest of the week we worked hard and taught a lot of less actives and recent converts and some members that we could probably still classify as recent converts since they still don't really know how to be members. It was awesome to see them all at church and they even brought their referrals with them which was awesome! Peter is a member referral that should be baptized with Nicholas (the little boy from the part-member family) in a few weeks to complete the mission goal! YA!  It is an awesome feeling to come to the close of a mission goal, especially cuz they aren't easy! Elder Clements is doing great!

Tell Bishop its been 5 and a half months without hearing from him and he's asking me for letters to the ward?? haha, he can take it so let him have it for me. I even emailed him. Oh well, ill write one anyways lol.

Today was pretty cool...So ghana is split up into regions and the biggest region is the Ashante region, the TWI speakers. We are in the heart of the region in Kumasi and so today for our zone activity we went to the Ashante's main palace called the Menshya palace (pronounced men-sha). Its where the Ashante King lives and conducts his business haha. We got a tour through the museum that told us all about the history of the Ashante people and their traditions. They didn't allow pictures inside but as you know....I'm such an honest missionary and I snuck a few shots. Ill send them to you soon. It was a good change for once by going somewhere instead of just washing and cleaning and cafe on a p-day.  You guys are lucky it rained...its still dry season and we haven't had rain in a few months. Its very dusty and everyone seems to be getting a cold or something. I'm going strong again and its much better to go to work then sit and be miserable. I'm now at an internet cafe at the huge stadium, its much faster and better quality. There is a game going on outside and we didn't have to pay because we are missionaries lol. Its sweet. you can hear all of the people yelling and screaming. Yesterday was crazy!! It was the African cup quarter finals and Ghana was playing so everything in this country comes to a stop til they are done. If they win you hear screaming and pots and pans and whistles and if they lose then people don't want to talk and they wont eat or drink anything...they sure are passionate about their football. Its awesome since i love the sport too. Members always invite us over to watch the games...I don't think they know too much about the rules haha. Its a good thing that members care about us though cuz this ward used to be anti-missionaries since there were some bad things that happened in this ward including Elders and some members. So its going good now :D

I sure am loving missionary work and doing just fine. Everyone thinks that Elder Akoki and I both could be leaving Asokwa or even Kumasi... who knows?  I don't think so but you never know with President and the Lord.  All things will be made known in due time. hahaha remember that phrase? 

Well i love you all so much and hope you are writing me letters cuz i wrote all of you letters! I love you and miss you so much but its ok cuz its for both my progression, yours and the people we both are serving. I am grateful for you guys and your love and support. I know the Lord is blessing us both so much. Keep up the work even though its not easy, its worth every single bit of it.

Love Elder Lehr

PS: I heard some African Elders made a BAT STEW and ate it... Sis. Sabey rolled her eyes and put her hand in her face hahaha. It was funny and gross lol. I'm glad I'm not in that apartment.

FAMILY!

This week was pretty crazy. Monday was transfer news and not one person in our zone came or went. Its mostly because of the mission goal coming to an end at the end of this transfer (February 28th). Elder Clements and I should be finished with it and baptizing that referral in the next few weeks. Im excited and so is the referral! He's a 9 year old boy in a part member family and the mom told us she wants him baptized now that they are becoming active in church again. Its amazing how the Lord works to bless these people and to help them progress. Its a huge help to that family to have this boy baptized. It will be exciting for the whole family and they will become active again. :D 

Saturday was pretty crazy... the one thing that sticks out is that a random guy who seemed crazy came walking up as we were teaching that 9 year old boy nicholas. He sat right down next to us and started rambling about crazy things. One thing i remember is that he touch mine and elder clements hands, said a prayer and then after told us that we now have the power to defeat mesquitoes and dont need to use our nets hahaha. The man knew a lot about joseph smith and the church. He quoted from DnC and Moroni and elder clements and i did little talking until we finally decided it was time to leave and he started walking with us. So we went quickly to the main road and hopped in a car as he was telling us, "I bless you great angels of the Lord." Once the door of the tro tro closed i said it pretty loud but i said, "That man is crazy." I had to say it... The whole tro tro hears rumors about our church as it is so i had to clarify to all of them that we had no affiliation with him hahaha. Everyone in the car was busting out laughing when i said it. It was an experience... Elder Clements and I seem to be having bad luck with crazy people just finding us hahaha.

Yesterday we had a powerful lesson with a guy named peter. He is very humble and has a neighbor who referred him to us. The members name is richard and he is powerful! After we were done teaching he invited peter to keeping studying and praying diligently, to come to church early and regularly, and to be baptized!! :D  Member present lessons are the best way to go! Elder Clements and i had a good laugh as we walked back home after that. We were shocked since the member didnt go on a mission, has been a member for barely 5 years and doesnt own a copy of preach my gospel. Its like he know what preach my gospel was all about without even opening a copy up. We sure loved it. Later last night we had 2 more referrals to go see. Remember sister Yaa who just baptized in November? Well she took us to two more referalls. One lady was named matilda and said she loved how our church went when she came a few weeks ago and she asked what she needed to do to be baptized, so we are working on that lol. We then went to sister Yaa's best friends house, Serwa. Serwa took all the lessons with Yaa but didnt get baptized because her husband is "stubborn." We were able to get inside their home and just visit and laugh with them. He asked a lot of questions about the church and we answered them, pretty simple ones. Then he asked where abouts the church was and yada yada yada. Then he said that he and his wife will come to church. Whether he is serious or not, it made Serwa and sis. Yaa very happy!! And they thanked us so much. All they could talk about was to be married in the temple....wow! So soon and they talk about the blessings of the temple! :D  It was a great night! We came home and ate good!! We cooked a big thing of rice mixed with a tomato stew we made earlier in the week (you cant just go and buy ragu!!) and fried up some plantains (which look like bananas and when they are fried, they taste really sweet!). We enjoyed our sunday!!

This next week will fly by so much faster then last week! We have zone conference tomorrow (the 2 Kumasi zones, Bantama and Dichemso, Im in Dichemso). I love zone conferences, they are always so uplifting! And we get fed!! :D  Thats always a missionaries favorite part. One of the Elders jokingly told president that if we didnt get fed, we wouldnt come to zone conference hahaha. Presidents awesome, of course he had some kind of response to defeat the Elder, It is his profession, a lawyer. Haha. Then on Thursday we'll have district meeting then on friday we'll have splits with the zone leaders.

Well I love you guys so much and hope you are enjoying the cold weather! Last night we all got woken up to phone calls telling us that their was a ghana radio station telling everyone about an earthquake that was predicted. There has rarely been an earthquake in west africa so everyone was freaking out, calling the bishop and us to ask what they should do hahaha. We told some of them, "well lets hope you dont die cuz you didnt come to church today." Elder Akoki has no mercy for people who lie and tell us they will come to church hahaha. Its ok, we are good friends with those people so it wasnt too offensive, just funny.

I want you guys to know how happy i am to be serving the Lord full-time. I am learning so much about myself, the gospel and a very different people here in ghana. It is getting easier to have patience and show love especially to those in my apartment. Whether we are compadable or not, its getting easier to just relax and let things go. I wish i could of been like this in my own family, it would of made things so much easier and happier. A few days will be my 5 month and before this transfer ends, itll be 6 months...crazy how fast things go when i am doing the Lords work.

Love, Elder Lehr

PS: Happy Birthday Bug! I didnt forget...i wrote a letter haha. I hope you enjoyed your 14th birthday. (add sarcasm here).


THIS IS AN EMAIL FROM ELDER AKOKI (he is in Elder Lehr's apartment...he's in the picture at the very top of the blog):

Hello,
This is Elder Akoki. I was planning to send you this message to thank you but, I failed. I am very sorry, you have to understand its not my fault, it is just in us. (El Lehr might explain)
I am very grateful for your gift, I was so happy to receive, once again THANKS!
A LOT. I really enjoyed the candys. I was talking with one missionnary and He asked me how is it to be only with White Missionnaries and I told him that I am now a sweet missionnary, It was a way to tell Him that I eat so much sweet food. Evrything is SWEET in the Appart. Lets talk about you son. When He came he seemed very troublesome to me, I didnt know him very well. But up to now He has changed a lot, right now He is learning the doctrine of THE STONY GROUND (He will explain to you) HE is a cool guy, you should not worry, Iam taking care of him. I make sure evryday that He wakes up at 6.am, He takes his bath, He takes his Breakfast and his doxy and go out and feed the SHEEPS; in one word He is in good hands. And also He told me that He is really getting to understand the Book of Mormon, it is POWERFUL. He is POWERFUL. Thanks a lot and May God bless you and your Family. Bye