2-8 May 2016

This kind of a "slow news week". Not many pictures to post.

We have figured out how to insert videos, so we added this video from the monkey sanctuary a couple of weeks ago.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  It's pretty cool to have a monkey eating out of your hand.

This is a sign we pass as we enter Accra.
I'm sure we'll never see a sign like this
in the U.S. again.

The hawkers (street vendors) stack everything.
Even to the point of stacking peanuts.  They carry these trays on their heads and reach up
and pull off a handful, put them in a bag, give it to you and make change if necessary. All without
dropping even one.

I love these orange trees.  They bloom in the spring 

after the rains start.  They last a few weeks and then

they are gone.  I think they are acacia trees.

These are pictures from a flour mill we visited here in Tema.  We see their flour bags everywhere so arranged to visit.  They introduced us to the head man who said they usually don't give tours, but would make an exception for us.  It was really informative and at the end, they gave us lots of bags of flour and this colorful fabric.  When I made the appointment to come visit, the woman asked if I could bring some of our books!  I said sure, and brought 5 Books of Mormon and some pamphlets.  She gave me her phone number and I've been in contact.  Where else but Ghana would you have someone ask you to bring church literature (once they hear you're from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and make sure you had their phone number?  It's great.

They gave us 5 bags of flour and 12 yards of fabric.  They treated us like royalty.

This is an elder from Burundi who lost both parents during
the war and was able to do all of the work for his father,
others helped do the work for his mother, and he was sealed
to his parents in the Ghana Temple.  Pretty special day.

A similar story for this elder from Sierra Leone.  Loel and I were proxy for his adopted parents and he was sealed to them.  

Mother's Day has been really fun.  So many elders and sisters have wished me a happy mother's day with handshakes and hugs.  I have loved it.  And it's been wonderful to talk to our kids and grandkids today, too, over skype and facetime.

These 5 BYU MBA students were visiting Ghana and attended church in the MTC with us today.  Here's my journal entry:

"We had 5 BYU students visiting with us today.  They were delightful to have around.  Loel and I spent quite a bit of time with them answering their questions about the MTC, our mission, the Africans, etc.  They loved our meetings.  They said, 'could we just stay here for a couple of weeks?  This is the most enjoyable meeting I have attended in years.'  They loved the spirit they felt, the singing, everything.

I took the female student with me to RS and it was a testimony meeting as it's our last week together with this group before they leave on Tuesday.  At the end of the meeting, they all come up and hug us.  This student watched as many sisters were crying, wouldn't let go as they hugged me so hard and cried, and told me how much the loved me and would miss me.  It always makes me cry, too, as I realize how big their hearts are and the capacity they have to love so quickly and completely.  It always takes me by surprise as I never feel like I've done anything that great or special.

It made me realize how much we take for granted here.  It's so easy to get caught up in the routine of what we do and lose sight of how unique and wonderful it is.  It almost takes an outsider to point out what we have here; to make me appreciate it more.  It made me want to be more grateful for these Africans, the spirit here, our mission, all of our experiences, and really make more of an effort to enjoy it.  I do enjoy it, but it's easy to get caught up in the difficulties of living in a foreign country far from home and family.  I know that when I return home, I'll look back on this as a very special and unique time and mission.  I'll think, 'Wow, that was pretty cool, all that we experienced,' especially when home might get to be a little boring or routine. So much of everything in life is in our attitudes and I want mine to be more positive and more filled with gratitude."

Two sisters I was able to be with in the temple this week.

I echo Paula's comments.  We come away from the temple asking ourselves how we came to be involved with these young people.  I get teary when I relate their stories to others (the other Senior Couples at the Area offices love the stories because they don't have this kind of contact with the missionaries), because I have been so blessed in my life and in my opportunities.  I wonder if I've squandered my opportunities.  Have I made the most of them? President Brubaker and I were talking the other day and he commented that in the final judgement we may find that the Africans may receive the greater reward because of the dignity and humility with which they accept their lot in life.  The first will be last and the last will be first.
This excerpt from my journal speaks to my feelings.

We had an Elder from Burundi sealed to his parents today.   I asked myself as we sat in the sealing room, “This Elder is from Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world. When he returns home, when will he ever have the financial capability to go to the temple? Will he ever be in a temple again – ever? If he is not sealed today, when will it happen?”  I have to say that I think the answers to these questions are, “No. No. Never.”

I'm constantly reminding myself what a privilege it is to be here and I need to cherish the opportunities I have.  And I need to be eternally grateful for the blessings I've received in my life.