Phone Call from the Mission President

Elder Omini (from Nigeria) and I have been assigned to open one of the new areas in Sunyani. I could not believe it when President Sabey called to talk to me. He told me we will be opening a new branch and holding Sacrament Meeting in our apartment. We will be contacting and working with the few members already in our new branch boundaries. Since we can't give out callings, we will just be giving out small assignments like washing the Sacrament cloth, passing out the hymn books, and greeting at the door. I am excited for the unknown, but I am scared at the same time. I know that this is a serious and amazing calling from the Lord and that He will be with us every step of the way. It will take me approximately 7 hours to get to Sunyani. We will be the farthest missionaries north in the mission, and there will be just the two of us in the apartment.

Last week, we gave an investigator the assignment to read 1 Nephi and told him we would come back this week to go over it with him. When we started the lesson, he opened a notebook to a page and a half of notes he had taken about his reading assignment. Our faces got really excited as he proceeded, without us asking him, to read through his notes of how he understood what he had read. Those are the experiences that get me excited about the work.

Many of the people here do not mind praying even on the first visit. Though not members of the Church, they were taught how to pray. During their prayers, they often say, "let us not be just the hearers of the word but also the doers." It blows my mind how prepared the people of Ghana are to hear our message.

Amanda, tears came to my eyes as I read what Steven sent. I hope that he will one day be a member of this true Church. Please tell him that I love him, and am thinking about him as I teach "his people" here in Africa...haha.

On Wednesday, we had apartment checks by the Mission President and his wife. During the checks, President Sabey did something that apparently he has never done before. He checked our area books. When he finished, he looked at us and said, "these two books are the best that I have seen. Keep up the good work Elders." Obedience leads to more blessings than you will have room enough to receive.

President Uchtdorf's talk on Pride in the Priesthood session is my favorite talk so far. Please read it again. In fact, all of Priesthood session was probably the best I have heard. (Even though as a YM I was asleep for many of the Priesthood talks, hahaha)

This week we had a funeral for one of our recent converts who died at age 70. Bart Plange was baptized only 3 months ago. We were asked to help set up tents and chairs for the funeral. The family was very grateful. They even offered us some very "expensive" alcohol to drink after we were done. We laughed and told them that we did not drink. A traditional funeral begins on Friday when they have the wake, Saturday where they have the burial, and Sunday where people come and give food/drinks/money and so on and pay their respects. On Thursday however, they bring the body and lay it on a mat in the house with a cloth over the face and private parts to "sleep" one last night in the family house. Elder Jepson and I were asked to go inside to grab some things. When we walked in, there he was laying on the floor... a dead man...the first dead person I've seen. Wow, was that an experience. We went back that night, and the body was dressed up like a king, sitting in a chair next to a bed, with white powder on his face. It was one of the strangest things I have ever been a part of.

The Lord continues to bless me! Keep up the good work Mom and Dad. You are still young and have a lot to do.

Love,

Elder Hair

P.S. Elder Leko is going to Cape Coast to be a Zone Leader