November 14, 2011

Maaaaaaaakyi. Ette sen?? Menim se eyie paa owo me fie nne, me do afa no paa!!! Anyway, I hope everything is going along great today. The work is moving along, had another crazy week.
So the week was crazy, but a lot of good things happened. Went down to Kumasi Tuesday morning (rode on the tro tro there by myself, it was scary!! jk of course, I am a big man now...) and met up with the other zone leaders there to ride down to Cape with the Assistants (Elder Adams is still an assistant). It was sweet being able to ride in the nice mission van with all of the guys - Elder Adams, Elder Alba, Elder Kouakou, Elder Briggs, Elder Tadeo, and Elder Clements. We got to Cape in the evening and had dinner there. Oh yeah! We pass by Moree Junction on the way to the mission home, so when we were like 100 yards from it, I mentioned to Elder Adams I hadn't seen the Moree chapel yet, and so he turned down Moree Junction so I could see the chapel! It was SO legit! The chapel is amazing. It is literally the first thing you see when you get to Moree, and the steeple just dominates that entire view... it is awesome, so so awesome. I can't believe that chapel is finished. The first chapel I helped build! It was so cool I got to see it.

So then we had zone leader council in the morning. It was really good. President is truly an inspired man. Over the last few months, the three main things I had personally been thinking I needed to work on to be more effective were (a) using Preach My Gospel a lot more and a lot better (b) how I used p-days, and (c) my appearance. Those three topics were three of the main things discussed, so it seems like that’s what the Lord needs for the mission as a whole.

Didn't get back to Sunyani until like 11 PM... it was terrible. We took an old rickety tro tro - probably meant for like 15 people, had probably 22 or so on it - from Kumasi to Sunyani. And then early the next day had to take care of some issues... being a zone leader is... well... fun. Went on splits to Estates the first day we were back. Elder Mathemba is tight. He is from Zimbabwe, we had a fun day of teaching together. Taught a sweet family. They were baptized a few weeks ago. We taught them about temples and eternal marriage, they had already learned a lot about it, when I asked them if they would prepare themselves to go to the temple to receive their endowments and be sealed as a family, the father said "Elder, you don't understand, it’s not a question of if we want to go, just of when! I am ready to go this very second! And you better believe next October I am going to be there the first day I can!" It was pretty tight. We don't baptize a lot of people we contact here, but this family was an old-fashioned tracting contact, so it’s cool to see the fruits of that work. Elder Mathemba and his trainer, Elder Vancherie, knocked on their door in August.

Found out my new companion on Saturday. My new companion is... Elder Speechly. I have probably mentioned him before, we knew each other pretty well in Cape. He is so tight and so funny, the next few months are going to be a blast. He goes home in February, so I will probably be his last companion. He is from Ogden I think. He is a funny funny guy... hopefully he will keep me lightened up! He has served in Sunyani before, so he is happy to come back I think. Elder Mapanje is going to Obuasi, a new area south of Kumasi. He will be opening up the area with the guy he is training and another companionship. He is excited, but sad to leave Sunyani. Been here 11 months. He gave a talk in Sacrament yesterday, pretty sweet.

As for other transfer news.... Elder Hernandez is going to Bantama to be a zone leader. Sounds like Elder Nzuki is finally leaving Moree, off to Swedru to be a zone leader there. Elder Rosquist is training AGAIN (3 times!!). Not much else really... well I guess there was a TON else - 31 new missionaries are coming on Wednesday - but since I am in Sunyani, no one knows me anymore and I don't know anyone else! So, I just stay here in my little corner of the mission and have the fun I can.

Welp, all is cool here. I got a bunch of mail when we went to Cape. Packages from you guys and G&G Brown, as well as letters from you guys, letters from both Gma H and G&G Brown, and some other peeps. Thanks everybody for sending me stuff, it makes everything cool! Our baptism on Saturday should go on as planned. Most excited for Femi, he is solid! Brought two friends to church on Sunday and gave the opening prayer to Elder's Quorum.

So, there is the report from Sunyani! Me and Elder Speechly have our work cut out for us! It’s gonna be fun. I started by saying how crazy the work is - and it is! - but this is the best work there is. It’s not easy koraaaaaaaa, but I love it. The reason is very very simple. Me and Elder Nathan were talking about the reason for a mission once... and I told him I knew exactly what it was. And I think I do. I told him to go look for it, bc it was described perfectly in a scripture. After one lesson where I read the scripture, he found it. And of course you know the scripture! It’s hanging on the wall at the church with my picture next to it! I love you guys, you are the best, and I know why I am doing all of this, thanks for helping me figure it out.

-Elder Brown