3-9 October 2016

This guy is carrying quite a few empty oil containers on his head.
These yellow five gallon containers are everywhere. The brand name is
Frytol and you see it everywhere.

I went on a tro tro ride this week.  These are the main form of transportation around Ghana.  I was the only white person on the crowded van,  It was kind of old, junky, and beat up - this is the seat in front of me.  

These two teachers were with me.  Brother Sahoui and Brother Amoah, who I call Solomon.  They explained everything and paid my ticket.  Our ride costs $.25 each.

Getting out of the tro tro at the market, where we
transferred to a taxi to get to their home.

Inside the taxi - they told me to sit in front, which I did, alongside the driver.  I immediately put on my seat belt and they all burst out laughing.  "Sister Tibbitts, no one puts on seat belts here!"  I noticed the driver then putting on his seat belt.  They told me it was only because I had put mine on.  

We got out and walked a ways to the
building where they live.  It was
partially finished, as are many buildings
here.  

They got the biggest kick out of me taking
so many pictures.  They were laughing
so hard.  I made Brother Sahoui sit next
to their little cooking stove, with their pans
next to him in the middle of their room,
maybe 10' by 10'.

This is their mattress on the floor with their bags
of rice next to it and the little cook stove.  Their
bathroom is down the hall.  No furniture.  They
pay about $20 a month, which they share, for this
room and they do their laundry by hand.  They work
long hours at the MTC, often double shifts, 6 days
a week and so don't spend much time in their room.
They're saving money for school.  We had the best
time together.  I told them I felt like a photo
journalist doing a story on the day in the life of an
MTC teacher.  They loved it. 

I give a health talk each intake, usually twice, along with Solomon, a teacher,
whose translating for me into French.  Most of our group is English this time, which makes it a lot easier for Loel and I.  In my talk I talk about the importance of drinking lots of water, getting exercise, when they can come see me for health issues, how they have to take their Doxy to prevent malaria,  how I need to see each one individually, check their immunization records, let them know which shots they need, how I need to measure them for garments (Loel does the elders, I do sisters), etc.  

Brother Adjai, one of our teachers, wanted a picture of with my Kente dress and Loel's Kente tie.  

These are the senior missionaries who often come to help us with family history on the day of intake.  They often have a captive audience with missionaries waiting to be interviewed.  The missionaries love it.  We also have Aba make us a lunch afterwards - she does such a good job; we love her!

Aba's husband surprised her with flowers and a
cake at the MTC during lunch.  She was so surprised
and started to cry.  She shared with ALL the missionaries
and us.  

I told James he made some nice points with this surprise.

This is Vesse, our administrative assistant
He does EVERYTHING needed at the MTC.
He's playing the happy birthday song here
for Aba.

These elders were out during sports time when it started to pour.  Many of them just kept on playing.  We love it when it rains as it cools everything down, but we don't like driving when it rains - too many accidents.

These are the nice zone leaders in the Ghana Accra Mission, who we shared a car with.  The African elder is from Burkina Faso.  In that whole country, which is north of Ghana, there were about 6 members when he got baptized, but they are ex-patriots.  He got baptized in Benin while in college.  He goes home in two weeks and hopes he can find some members there to attend church with.

This is Elder and Sister Steven Erastus Snow, the Church Historian, who came for a devotional here at the MTC along with two of the Area Presidency and their wives.  He's a relative of mine - we either share the same great grandfather or great great grandfather, Erastus Beman Snow.  He was very nice and we had fun figuring out our family connections.  We both used to visit Uncle Harold together when younger in St. George, which is where he was raised. He's 4 years older than me.  He gave a great talk to the missionaries on recording their stories, since they are the pioneers in the church in Africa.  We all had lunch together afterwards.
Loel was asked a lot of questions by the Area Presidency about his family history work with the missionaries and helping them do their temple work, etc.  He was able to tell some inspiring stories.  They both want to be a part of some of these sealings - in fact Pres Vinson put it on his calendar to be the sealer next week for two elders who can be sealed to their
deceased parents..