So I guess I should clarify...No one in Ghana has any idea who Jimmer is haha. I was completely joking about that. But that's so tight they are doing so well- hopefully they finish the season on a run, lock in a number 2 (dare I say 1???) seed and run deep in the tourney. I'm sure 60% of the people at the TCU game will be BYU fans, so that will be sweet. Enjoy it while it lasts! And YES! I have to participate in the March Madness! I will figure out a cool way to make picks without having any knowledge. Something Ghanaian style.
I got two packages today from Grandma H, but still not any of the latest ones from you. Maybe I will get them tomorrow at zone conference, usually they will save my mail to give there bc its the easiest. Elder Nzuki got his package from Grandma H, he's never tried most of the American snacks before, so he's excited for that. (side note for everyone who sends packages-you can LOAD up the flat-rate envelopes. Weight doesn't matter, there is no duty at all. Cram them completely full, when you think it's full, cram more! You should see how much people fit in those things :)
Also, send pictures of everyone- family, friend, the ward, whoever and whatever, from whenever. Tons and tons! The first thing all missionaries do when they go on splits is ask to see pictures, so I need more haha.
Alrighty, so now the weekly report from the field! The biggest news in Ghana Cape Coast Mission is that...We found a place that sells authentic, legit, true-blue OREOS!!!! No joke. Elder Bunker and Elder Alba found a place is Mankessim that sells them, so they supply our district with Oreos now haha. And they are cheap! 2 cedis for a whole container with like 24 Oreos! Somehow a lady gets them from her Bro that lives in Chicago that works for Nabisco. It's awesome. So...anyway, on to important stuff.
It's always hard to get going on Tuesday after a P-day. At the end of our companion study, Elder Nzuki chose to sing hymn 342. But if you look in the hymnbook there is no 342! It's our GCCM mission hymn. It's to the tune of "Adam-ondi-ahman". The first verse is the same as the first verse of the real song (Adam-ondi-Ahman). Here are the rest of the words:
verse 2: The field is white in Ghana's land/we fill our high commission. We're leading families hand in hand, to follow the Savior's holy plan/in Ghana Cape Coast Mission.
verse 3: We're teaching those the Lord has shown/they're those with ears to listen. They're future leaders who we know/will help the church to greatly grow/in Ghana Cape Coast Mission.
verse 4: Our lives a light in unity/in us lies no division. We're rooted like the might oak tree/in faith, obedience, charity/in Ghana Cape Coast Mission.
I'm really glad he chose it, singing that song is awesome. We usually sing it at zone conference (President has to fight tears every time we sing it...heck I do to). But it always helps me to get more excited, enthused, to be here in Ghana, in Moree to be serving here. I think of families I have helped to follow the Plan of Salvation, to make it to the temple and be faithful forever. I think of guys who are going to be future leaders- bishops, presidents, who knows- here in Ghana. And I think of just how awesome this place is! Sure there are difficulties, it's not perfect by any means, but it's awesome. Ghana is da best.
So we sang that song at District meeting too, district meeting was good on Tuesday.
I was having some serious digestive issues last week....the diet here is just not too exciting! I did make an awesome stew last week though, if I may say so myself. The staple of our diet is tomato stew. We put it on rice or noodles, and eat it pretty much every day. I must say, I'm starting to like most of the stuff I hated growing up. I loaded up my stew with fat chunks of onion, green peppers, and even carrots. I even found some cucumbers and threw them in (oh yeah, send me the recipe for that delicious cucumber salad, I think we might have all of the stuff for it here). And then I got a nice can of corned beef and added that to the stew, so I made a delicious meat sauce, and enjoyed it with spaghetti all week. Onions and Peppers? YES! Haha those are like my favorite now.
Wednesday was good. We have a new investigator that is so tight. His name is Solomon, we contacted him a couple of weeks ago. He is about 21 and speaks English pretty well. He is already almost in 2 Nephi and came to church on Sunday, even bringing two friends. He is the man. He has already come to translate for us in lessons, and he knows so much already. He is a stud! He has committed for baptism on the 5 March.
Thursday was pretty good too. In the morning, the power was out, so we couldn't iron our shirts. We had a cool thing happen Thursday night. President has been emphasizing lately to proselyte the full 9 hours every day. In Moree, because we travel away from the apartment, we proselyte for 9 hours straight, from 9:30 am-6:30 PM, not taking any breaks for lunch or dinner. Thursday our last appointment for the day, at 6 PM, failed. We were right by the taxi station to go back to Yamoransa, so we were tempted just to head back to Yamoransa right then (it was about 6:10). We were about to go, but instead decided just to go see if a guy we hadn't seen in a long time was home. He was there, and we set an appointment for tonight (it is with Francis and his wife). I hadn't seen him in probably 2 months, he was just never home. And then, on top of that, we ran into one of our recent converts, Bernard, who we hadn't seen in two weeks. So it was sweet, the day had been slow, it would have been easy to head home early, but I'm glad we stayed for the full 9 hours, it made the day worth it. Finding Francis and Bernard were probably two of the most important things we needed to do, and it didn't happen til we showed a little extra faith!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I hope you guys had awesome days. I thought of you on both days! I went on an exchange with Elder Mortensen, and we sang "You've had a birthday, shout hooray" for our closing hymn to companion study for you Mom! So I hope that made your birthday in 2011 extra sweet! and Happy Birthday to Sammy! Hope you are enjoying Disneyworld and that your baptism goes sweet! Send me some pictures of that!
I think I am getting fat. This is not good! Just kidding, I'm not really, but every time after I eat fried rice and chicken (the most delicious thing ever), I look in the mirror and my belly is quite large. But it always goes down after like 30 minutes. It just makes me scared at first. I don't know how in the world I could get fat here...I honestly must lose 2 pounds in sweat every day.
Saturday, we had another Movie Fireside for the ward. This one was even better! We watched the Joseph Smith movie (the one at the JS Memorial building at temple square) with them. The movie is awwwwwwwwwwwesome. And the best was that Brother Frank translated for it. He is the most awesome guy ever He works at the MTC, but he comes back to Cape Coast every 3 weeks, he lives in Moree. He went on his mission to Cote d'Ivoire, so he speaks French, and he speaks perfect English. He is THE MAN. His life is the church, seriously. He was the best translator for the movie ever, and like 40 people came so it was perfect. About 10 recent converts, so it was exactly what we wanted again! Very very cool.
Me and Elder Nzuki taught institute Sunday night; they do it by ward here since it is hard to travel to the institute building in Ola (the University of Cape Coast is in Ola). Andrew came and a few other guys, it was fun. The institute teachers in Moree moved a few weeks ago, and they haven't found anyone to replace her, so me and Elder Nzuki just took over.
So, other than that...life is good in Ghana. We had a FanIce party for Valentine's day with CC and Abura zones, it was fun. Tomorrow we have zone conference, we are combining with Swedru so I will get to see my boyz Elder Keller and Elder Bahme for the first time since they got transferred in October. I'll also get to see my MT Elder Rosquist, I'm excited to see him too, he's so tight. I hope Hayden killed the ACT. (Give me some golf news! Elder Alba's parents sent him a little advertisement of the latest Taylormade driver today...it was sweeeet to see).
Well, I love you guys. A lot. I'm so happy everything is going so great for you back home. I can tell life is good for everybody. I know it's not easy, but that doesn't mean it's not good! Man mission is crazy, but I love it. Time is not even real right now. I love you! Each and everyone of you! Love you, thanks for the pics, I'm sure the packages will be here soon (I'll pray for tomorrow :))
Me do mo paapaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaapaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Opanyin Brown
Accra Time
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