Picture Perfect

Dear Family,

AMANDA!!!! You have a solo in the musical?!!!!!!!!!! That's exciting, and I know you will do well. When Dad heard I got a solo part in Madrigals my junior year at O'Fallon, he said: "A solo?, You mean so-low no one can hear you?!!! I'm sure he got that from Grandma June. haha I love ya sis and hope your week goes well.

Ten less active members attended Church this Sunday! Man it was sweet. There are also 5 investigators in our Branch. The investigator class went well... Sunday school was picture perfect. The whole branch leadership was on fire this week. Everyone fellowshiped those who attended just like it should be done. It's amazing how smoothly a Branch or Ward works when we are doing things how the Lord has told us to do them. Before Church, we had coordination meeting with our Branch Mission Leader and Branch Missionary. Three of the people we talked about in that meeting came to church this week. My heart was full of gratitude and I can't wait to see what the Branch will do with our missionary efforts. The Church is true. God is real, and the work will go on.

Love Elder Hair

Going About Doing Good

Dear Fam,

What a week this has been! We have been traveling around with the mission president to different Zones in the mission for specialized training and interviews. Elder Adams and I have been sharing a few stories to help our mission focus on, "Going About Doing Good." One from Elder M. Russell Ballard, about a young prospector trying to make his fortune in the California Gold Rush, and how the Savior taught us to go about performing small acts of service for those around us. Not only performing them, but making it instinctive and without hesitation. We then shared a story about an RM named Richard who went back to a small Island named Roatan with his buddy, and how they learned something they or I will never forget. "What we do for ourselves alone dies with us, what we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." We ended the training with a question to wrap it all together. "What determines the success of a missionary and his/her mission?" Some responded; "how obedient he is," "how humble he has become," "how much he has learned about the gospel..." Then we shared with them the Mission President's answer who said, "the way to determine your success as a missionary, is by HOW MUCH MORE YOU HAVE BECOME LIKE THE SAVIOR! We bore simple testimony, and closed.

Wednesday, on our way back from Swedru, I got out of the car after sleeping small, and my chest was hurting really bad. I didn't know what it was, but it hurt. Sis Shulz called the Area West Doc who suggested it might just be constipation. I said OK and took the gas-x and some other pill that I can’t pronounce. In the back of my mind though, I was thinking, if this is constipation then I've never felt it before. This was painful, even more than when I tore my ACL, because it was just so annoying. I couldn't lay down, sit down, breath, sneeze, or do anything, because it would hurt my chest. That night I woke up many times and eventually I just couldn't sleep, it was so painful. Sis Shulz called the doc again and told him about my breathing. He thinks I may have an inflammation of the lungs called Pleurisy. I had to stay in the apartment for a day, while E. Adams and another Elder taught our lessons. I took some Ibuprofen and felt better on Friday. We then went to Assin Fosu to do more interviews. I felt fine the whole day and came home and slept like a baby until about 5am when I woke up to another very similar pain in my chest. I need to take my medicine consistently for 10 days. We had to travel to Kumasi this morning, after a terrible day yesterday, and now I'm all drugged up, so I don't feel the same pain. All in all, I'm fine. I think... haha I love messin with you Mom. Anyway I'm keeping to the Docs orders and I'm sure it will be gone before you know it.

I know that my work is not finished and without the Lord nothing is possible. I have had a lot of time to just think. It is amazing how much more than just a testimony and gospel knowledge you gain on a mission.

Thank you for that quote by Pres Monson. I've had a lot of really good convos with President and the couples on what is most important for all of us now as missionaries, and even some thoughts about the future.

I love you guys. The Lord is with us. Amanda, once again, you top all of us boys with beauty and talent.

Love,

Elder Hair

Sweet Opportunity!

Dear Fam,

Elder Adams and I really enjoy every minute of this work. Often it feels overwhelming but amazing at the same time. I learn so much from the office couple and Pres and Sis Shulz. They are truly teaching us how to be better missionaries and better people in the future.

A man named Adzia Mensah, who Elder Adams and Elder Tadeo baptized about 8 months ago, is very active in the Church and in the community. He is like the right hand man to the Chief of his area in Cape Coast.

When there is a problem, people go to him, and if he is not able to resolve it, they take it to the chief, which they say doesn't happen very often. The people love and respect Bro Mensah. He has a great wife and 5 children, ages 2-23. They are a sweet family, BUT only Bro Mensah is a member. Sweet opportunity..... I think so!!!!!!!!! We have begun teaching the 21, 19, and 14 year old. The 7 year old comes to church with Bro Mensah every week. We're improving our relationship with his family and I know they will be baptized soon. Bro Mensah has been to the temple, and knows the church is true. They will make a powerful family in this area that loves the Lord and this restored gospel.

We are now busy with some specialized training for each zone, focusing on Area Books, accountability, and going about doing good. The President is really stressing accountability to Heavenly Father in our prayers, to our companions in comp study, and to ourselves every minute of the day. This is something that I am really going to try and implement in my life. If we as missionaries are heading back to our apartment for the day, but have not talked to enough people, then we need to go for a little bit longer. In companionship study, we need to pray for our investigators by name, and specifically discuss ways to help each one.

I love you guys!

Elder Hair

P.S. MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I never doubted that you could win an award like that.

AMANDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your the greatest, keep me posted.

Kia kaha

Hello Everyone,This week went really well. On Monday we had the ward New Years Party at a nice beach here in Cape Coast. We enjoyed some food and played a little football and Frisbee on the beach, but NO swimming!

On Tuesday we had another great Zone Council meeting with all of the ZL's in the mission. We are continuing to implement what we call GC's (Gospel Conversations), and it has been incredible the feedback we are getting from the missionaries. We are encouraged to take the time to just speak to people on a friendly basis, and ask them how their everyday lives are going. Then we tactfully start a gospel discussion. It's working well. Sis Shulz also spoke to the missionaries about a campaign/competition to get the missionaries to eat more healthy foods (with prizes of course).On Wed, we traveled to Sunyani to return three sets of Zone Leaders to their areas up north. We teamed up with missionaries in Kumasi and Obuasi, then traveled back the following morning after a night on the hard floor.

I'm studying again the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants for my personal study and I have really gotten into it. Church on Sunday went well. I didn't understand a word that was said. (haha) After church we went to visit many people with our ward mission leader. It was a long day, but a great day. We realized Sunday morning that we hadn't bought any food for that day, so two weeks in a row we would be fasting. We had no food in the apartment and then recognized how so many Ghanaians around us must feel every day. Instead of living their lives in peace, they live from meal to meal. I am grateful for the experience.

Our ward mission leader has been going through a bit of a struggle and I want to share something I learned from him. Jessie is a taxi driver in Cape Coast and a return missionary from the Accra Mission. He is probably one of the most humble people that I have ever met. Right now, his taxi is not running and all of the money that he had saved up, has been put towards that taxi to try and fix the mysterious problem. After numerous mechanics, he still can't figure out what is wrong. He is broke, but works harder than anyone I know at his calling. He deserves all of the blessings that he needs to get over this trial. On top of that, he had to come home three months early due to an unexpected injury. He doesn't know how it happened, but his knee, back, and arm on his right left side give him a lot of pain. After all of that, he MAKES time to do home teaching. After all of that, he MAKES time to be the most devoted member to his calling in the stake. And after all of that, he MAKES time to listen to the prophets by still being a missionary even after serving a faithful mission. I don't know what kind of heart he's got in that body of his, but I want mine to grow to be like his.

For us as missionaries, if we are not working hard and MAKING the time to do all of the little things, then we will not return with honor to our families, homes, and our God who gave us life. "Kia kaha," FOREVER STRONG! That is our mission motto.

I love the things that I am able to learn and I can't wait to be able to serve in the temple when I get home. I want to be able to learn as much as I can. We have a prophet today and he leads us in the direction that we need to go. I am so thankful for that knowledge and also the knowledge of our Savior and His infinite Atonement. The Lord loves me and knows me. I love Him and am coming to know Him even more every day. This is His church, and His Gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love Elder Hair

Life is Wonderful

Life in the mission field is wonderful and has been exciting this past week. We have been working with some less actives, and trying to help two new missionaries in our branch find their way around the area. E. Adams and I are on the road 2-3 days out of the week, so two new missionaries are now working with us to really help our local branch flourish.

We went to Accra on Tues morning with Pres Shulz and his wife and had a chance to get an A&W Rootbeer! It has been as long time! We spent the night at the MTC and then took the new missionaries the next morning back to Cape Coast. I drove the mission van which is like a tro tro, but a lot nicer. The traffic was terrible, but I'm getting better on the clutch.

The rest of the week went well and we had some pretty good lessons. Elder Adams goes home in 5 weeks yet he's still pushing me. I have always admired him as a missionary and wished from the day we met, a week after I got here, that I could be companions with him. It will be sad to see him go. There are so many things I will have to learn to fill his shoes. Pres Shulz has a lot of trust in him and I hope that I too can continue to gain that needed trust while I am serving with him.Our church is like a mirror. When the apostasy came, it broke into a thousand different pieces and now we have thousands of different churches. All have parts of the truth where they are able to see part of themselves, but not the whole thing. They can feel the spirit, but not the full power of it, they can see God's hand in their lives, but not forever..... This church is true, we have the full spirit and Gospel. If not led astray, will be able to receive the eternal blessings that everyone so desperately searches for. The Lord will continue to bless us as we continue to give him the chance.

I have learned that there are times when you need to be outspoken. As missionaries, we must re-focus and remember why we gave two years of our life and money to serve. This is a two year, fully devoted service to the Lord and his teachings/Atonement. Shame on anyone who may think he can mock the Atonement of the Lord and Savior by not working as hard as he can while on their mission. When missionaries have a rule that they have a hard time with, they work on it, and if they mess up along the way, they must work on it again.

Thank you for your support!

Love,

Elder Osajefo Akwesi Enwii