21-27 November 2016

Lots of hats on this street hawker.  We can always tell when we're coming into a traffic jam - the street hawkers swarm around the cars.

This is a 60 mile per hour road. When there's a traffic
jam, the hawkers appear from no where.  They are
annoying, but you have to admire their
industriousness in an attempt to make some
kind of a living.

These little three wheel motorcycle trucks are
loaded beyond what is believable (or safe).

This is the teacher who used to work at the MTC
and the girl we met together at the temple.  They're
dating now and doing really well!  I got her phone
number for him as I could tell he was interested.
She's a returned missionary who served in
Uganda.  A really sweet girl.  

Sis Anderson took me with her to get a pedicure.

After a long day at the temple, we had lunch at
a favorite Turkish restaurant.  This was a great
meal with lots of different things we all shared.

This was my Thanksgiving dinner - a
beef mango salad.

I had to do something fun on Thanksgiving
so we set up a lunch at a nice restaurant in
Accra with the Websters and Elder Peine.  No turkey, gravy, or pie for us!  Just the beef mango salad above. 

We took these two favorite teachers out to lunch as a thank you for always helping me with immunizations.  We had a delightful time visiting about all of their funny missionary stories in the classes they teach.

I was trying to capture some of this market
we went to, but mainly how hot it was.  Don't
I look hot?  

A family history Sunday.

Elder Spackman's always so great to come and help the French missionaries.  His mission is in the temple for 2 years.  He's a former stake president, but doesn't mind a bit helping with family history.

Sister Stutz helping Elder Lino, from Tonga.

Wisdom, the wood carver, finally finished our Ebony nativity for us - it took many months to finally get it!  But we love it.  Behind it are some colorful baskets we bought.

Even though the market we went to
was very hot, we still bought some cool
African things - a painting that will
go in our living room at home.

Another cool bead necklace I
couldn't resist.

A pretty flat basket I had to have.

A very unique nativity from Mali made out of
soapstone.

It's very different being in Africa over the holidays.  There's a few Christmas decorations up in stores and restaurants visited by Americans and Europeans, but it mostly doesn't feel too much like Christmas (it's kind of hot).  The Africans we've talked to don't do too much for Christmas - not usually a tree or gifts, just a family dinner on Christmas day.  I'm hoping we can really take advantage of less commercialism this year and feel the spiritual meaning of Christmas more.  I love all the Christmas things at home, but I'm looking forward to a simple one here with the missionaries.