Tired---but it's worth it.

Dear Family,

The baptisms this week went wonderfully. It was a great experience for P and F who entered the waters of baptism with more then one friend waiting to help them change into dry clothing. It's been our goal as a companionship to make sure that our investigators have friends in the Church. It has been easy for us to accomplish that goal when all of the people we have been teaching have come from our branch members. We are even having another baptism next week. The Buokrom Branch is seeing what obedience and hard work can bring to missionary work.

I have become very grateful over the past two years for the country we live in. God has really blessed us with a lot and we REALLY need to be more grateful. Gratitude is a Christlike attribute I want to develop.  I love this gospel very much and know that we can be blessed as we simply live it in our lives.  I am determined to be not just a hearer of the word, but also a doer. 

We are so tired every night, but when I roll into bed its worth it.

Love,

Elder Hair

 

New Comp

Hey everyone,

My new companion and I had a great first week. With the members still working as if they were all on missions themselves, Elder Kakowa and I are working harder than ever to make sure that we have enough time to meet with everyone. I know... that's quite a problem we have; too many investigators and not enough time to see them all!

We have 8 great people scheduled to be baptized on the 24th which will be a good way to end out the month. Two of them have even given us referrals which are wonderful adds to our already busy schedule.

Elder Kakowa is from Zimbabwe, and is an amazing missionary. I'm honestly not even training Elder Kakowa... He came pre-trained!!! He comes from a family of 6 with 2 younger brothers and a younger sister. He is the oldest and leading the way as the first in the family to serve a mission. His family are all members and he was born into the church. He is a great example to me and is ready to be a keeper of the rules. I could not have asked for anything more as we try to bring more souls unto Christ in the next 8 weeks or so.

On my birthday Pres and Sis Shulz sent me this really nice text:

"Dear Elder Hair, we knew that you were special cuz you share the same birthday with our youngest son! Happy birthday to you! We hope you have a wonderful day! We sure do miss seeing you down here! We love you. Pres and Sis Shulz."

I sure did learn a lot from both of them and I know that you are happy to know that I have been in good hands these past two years with 3 wonderful mission presidents and two different missions. I was truly called to the Ghana Cape Coast Mission/Ghana Kumasi Mission for a reason and I was called at this time to meet with these people. It was a privilege to be a district leader and it was a great opportunity to be an Assistant, but it has been a true HONOR to be a trainer and teacher of two wonderful missionaries who worked hard to respect the name of Jesus Christ and his marvelous work. 

Thank you all for being a strength to me when I needed it most. I know that I will be eternally grateful for that in the future. My mission has gone the way it has, not because of just one thing, but because of many small and simple things which have helped me to be an obedient missionary. Pres Packer said; "I am a keeper of the rules, revelation depends on it." I have tried to live by that and that is where I have received my greatest joy.

I  love you all!

Elder Hair

Blessings

Hey Everyone,

We had a wonderful baptism on the 27th of May, and all four are being fellowshiped by loving, caring branch members. We also have another four maybe even five on the 10th. There is a young teacher named Prince who is preparing to further his education at the university, and also a mother and two of her kids, which will add to the relief society and primary/young women. It is fun to see people get as excited about the gospel as we missionaries do. As Elder Fawole begins his last week in the field, there is a lot of reminiscing going on about the past and what he will remember to focus on for the future. He talks about how much he has learned, and pleads everyday that he might find the best path to take when he lands back in Nigeria.

Yesterday after church, we went with our branch president to the hospital to visit the husband of the relief society president who has been bed ridden for more then 5 months.

 

As we entered D-1 wing of the hospital, I felt naucious as the terrible aroma burned our nose hairs. Men and women, once strong, now looked small and weak due to a variety of illnesses. Bro Darko has lost over 100 pounds from TB. When we walked up to his mattress lying on the floor, we felt a sense of peace as we saw his loving wife feeding him Banku and groundnut soup. He smiled with the little strength he had as we stood at the end of his bed, motioning to him with our fists held tight in a ball like a coach would do when his player scored an amazing goal. He motioned back as well. We waited until he finished eating before we gave him a blessing. Afterward, I felt as if a part of my strength was taken from me and given to this good brother. I hope to have that feeling again someday. E. Fawole and I had been fasting that day and believe as Priesthood holders, we had been blessed to offer that service. They have been sealed as husband and wife and hope for a bright future, no matter what. It was quite an experience for me, and I'm grateful for it.

Thank you for your support and prayers. I continue to learn new things each and everyday and love applying what I learn. I hope all is well back home.

Love,

Elder Hair