President and Sister Shulz

Family,

Things have been a little bit crazy lately, but my Patriarchal Blessing has become one of my best friends in the mission and I have been able to find solace in it.

Pres and Sis Shulz are amazing and I know that we will be very good friends. During our first meeting, he stressed the importance of getting a good education after the mission, and that he will be helping us to be the best missionaries we can be so that we will be eager to study hard to get the best grades we can and be able to get good jobs to provide for our family. He is a very funny guy, not as serious as Pres Sabey. I honestly feel that I came to GCC just at the right time. I learned so many great things from Pres Sabey in the first year, and will learn many more great things from Pres Shulz during the second year. Important things that I need to learn to be able to have the eternal progression necessary to live with God again. He told us that the training he got in the MTC was much different than it has ever been. The First Presidency and 12 Apostles want to strangle the necks of some return missionaries because of their almost immediate less activity after their mission.

This past year has gone by so fast and I know that the next will be even faster. My new companion is Elder Saili. He is from American Samoa. He's about as tall as me, just a little bit stronger if you know what I mean!

Our new area is almost a Branch and it is similar to my last area, just much bigger and we actually have members. The Stake Pres visited last Sunday to call a group leader in our unit. We had about 35 people there, but we are still missing about five families from the big Ward that is part of our boundaries. Those families don't want to leave their old Ward and many of them have not been released yet, even though they have been asked to come to our Branch. It has caused a little confusion. In order to make a Branch we need GPS coordinates of the boundaries and of every member's home, because addresses are nonexistent. It will not be an easy task, but I know we can get it done. Although the apartment is twice as big as my old one (which might seem hard to believe), we have not had running water, and I have had to open my mosquito net for the first time on my mission. The voltage coming into our apartment has blown a lot of fuses for the lights and two fans, so we haven't had power for three nights now. When we did have power, I slept better than I have on my whole mission because of the net. I think it is because I feel more secure, and it's like I'm camping!

This new area has not been easy, because like the last area, I don't know anyone and neither does my companion. I don't think the Lord wants me to rest on my mission. And that's just fine, because I always said I wanted a difficult mission. I have been truly blessed and I am thankful for what the Lord has done for the Hair family. I love this work more than anything in the whole world and I can't wait to see how the work in this area will go. I never thought that I would serve in Kumasi, but here I am and it is huge. I really miss Fiapre, and I will miss those people that I got really close to like Sis Afia and her family. I will never forget her. This work is not easy not only physically, but emotionally, and I may never see many of these people again in my short life.

I know now more than I have ever known that this Church is true. We met with two young men last night and taught them the ten commandments. It amazes me how many Latter-day Saint hating people there are. It is also amazing at how much time people spend trying to poke at the "Mormons." A member brought us a book that a friend gave him that was 40 pages long full of anti-mormon stuff. It is amazing at how much time people waste persecuting the church. I know this Church is the Lords Church on the earth and we will be blessed as we keep His commandments.

I love you all. Thank you so much for everything!