Monday, November 25, 2013

A Week of Thanksgiving in Ghana

This week has been a slow week, a week of challenges, yet a very rewarding week that was very fun.  This last Thursday we had interviews with President Shulz and that was fun.  I always enjoy being able to talk with him and being able to be spiritually fed.  Yep!  I was also able to get myself a sweet kente tie made for me... I wore it yesterday and got more compliments on it that I think I have ever had on anything before. People can see that I now becoming a true Ghanaian... I now have a Nigerian tie and a Ghanaian tie!  Yep!
Yesterday we had stake conference here in Cape Coast... so many people and Latter-day Saints were there it was crazzy.  I had to stand the entire time because they did not have enough room in any of the rooms or in the chapel to fit everyone... there was probably around 2000 maybe 2500 people there.  It was sweet as they focused on missionary work so much.  They pointed out how the members need to help out the missionaries to help the work progress.  It is so true.  Without the members help our work will go in vain.  They are the ones who can truly help this church grow.
But anyway... today was way sweet!  We had a Thanksgiving feast with most of our Zone, the APs and President and Sister Shulz at our apartment today!  We got some chicken and fried it up all good and we got some mashed potato mixes (from home) and enjoyed ourselves a nice little feast with each other.  It was rather fun and enjoyable just to have the missionaries come over to our apartment and enjoy some.  It was also nice to be able to have President and Sister Shulz enjoy at our place as well.
So my thoughts for this week is that we must put in our effort.  To make ourselves, others, and the gospel grow, we must be willing to put in the effort necessary or else all will go in vain.  In my mind, everything goes back to Diligence and Hard Work.  They are two of the main components if one wants to accomplish anything... if we forget them then all else will fail.  We have to be willing to do the things necessary to help us and make us grow stronger.  You put in that hard work and then everything will follow.
Well I love you all!  I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!!  Take care!
Elder Trevor Walston


Monday, November 18, 2013

No longer a teenager

Hey guys!  How is back home?  Thanks for all the letters, emails, birthday wishes, and everything else.  This week has been pretty sweet, crazy, and hectic. It was weird to get another new companion and kind of sad to say goodbye to Elder Adams but I got my new companion Elder Holt this last Wednesday and so now in the office and my companion knows nothing about it so I have kind of been in charge and that can make it very very stressful but it is good.  I love my area and it makes me happy to be able to go out and teach.  Last Saturday we went out and proselyted until about 1:00 when we came back for lunch.  I have to say that Elder McKeon and Elder Cavaness are way sweet and awesome.  When we got back to the apartment  they hung a little banner and had balloons that said 'Happy freaking birthday bro/elder Walston'... way sweet and nice of them.  Then we fried some chicken and enjoyed that way.  That definitely helped my day but just being able to go out and have one of the more productive days of this week made it pretty good and pretty awesome.  Yesterday was also the primary progam at church and that was way cute and awesome... cool to hear these little Ghanaian kids sing... oh and Africans sing loud and proud.... they never really have anyone playing music but you can sure hear them sing.. it is pretty powerful.  I have definitely felt the spirit with me this last week.  It is amazing to see how mission has strengthened me so far and helped me become a better person.  I just love the people here... they are so nice, charitable, friendly, and they love to talk about religion and God.
So my little spiritual thought today is something that I have always loved from Preach My Gospel..... it is a quote from Ezra Taft Benson I believe and it talks about how the key to missionary work is work.  You simply have to work and push forward.  If you don't put in the effort or really try to do your best and make the changes that you have to in your life, God will not be there to help you in the times that you need him most.  Diligence is key to everything.  We must stay strong... forever strong.  If we do not do this and if we don't want to work hard every day, then you are taking away blessings from yourself that you could have received...  I signed up for this so I better do the best job that I can! :)
So I love all you guys back home!  I hope all is going well and that you are enjoying good old America.  Love you and take care!
Elder Trevor Walston

Monday, November 11, 2013

Getting Yet Another Companion

Hey Guys!! Nice to hear from!  This week has been pretty crazy and pretty sweet!  We are getting some pretty powerful investigators and the Ghanaian people are just awesome.  They are also willing to listen to what you have to say... sometimes the challenge here is deciding who is serious and who is just meeting with you just to talk to you, but I am loving it.  Elder Caveness came back this last week and so these last few days it has just been Elder Adams and me.
So Elder Adams is leaving me in the office to go to Odoben and I will be getting an Elder Holt... I don't really know all that much about my new companion besides that he has only been on mission for three months and that he is American.  It will be a blast here in Nkanfoa!  Elder McKeon and Elder Caveness are staying in the apartment so it shall be fun!
This last week I went on splits with our District leader and that was pretty fun... he is a sweet and powerful guy... makes me hope that I will able to help myself become more spiritual and be able to do work here in Ghana!  The other elders also had two baptisms this last week and that was cool to be able to see.
We definitely have some crazy sweet investigators... we had one feed us fufu yesterday... some of the best fufu that I have had.... it was really good and really nice of them.  I aslo had a chicken foot and cow stomach this week... they were not too bad... the chicken foot was really boney and the stomach was really chewy but not too bad.  We have an investigator who we started teaching this week and he has already given us referrals and he he brought a friend of his to church with him yesterday  It is way sweet to see people who have been prepared for this gospel and just be able to help them see the truth.  The work is surely an awesome and amazing work.  You just have to push forward and not be afraid to to speak, to share a message about the gospel and then you are golden!  Yep... missionary work can be grueling work but it is one that will always be worth it!
Ghana is so stinkin' sweet... I love everything here!  I hope the States are treating you all well!  Thanks for all the letters and all the love and support!
Your Ghanaian missionary,
Elder Trevor Walston

Monday, November 4, 2013

Hello from Ghana!

Hey everyone!  How is everything going?  It is kind of weird to think that it is getting to be winter there and that it is just getting warmer and hotter and humid here, but I think I am finally starting to get used to the weather here... we got to watch both afternoon sessions of General Conference yesterday!  That was pretty sweet... the bishop let us watch it in his office in English while  everyone else watched it in the chapel in Fante.  So the bishop has AC in his office and I was FREEZING the entire time... I actually like the heat... the only time it really bothers me is when the sun is scorching down on me... but yeah... conference was pretty sweet from the two session that I was able to watch... I have to say it was kind of weird to see that many white people but I love the messages!  And we were able to get two investigators to come to church and see conference!  First time since I have been in this area that anyone has come... but then again when I came there was only one investigator.  This last week was pretty good... we taught and taught and taught some more.  This week was AWESOME!  It is weird that I am almost done with a transfer here in Nkanfoa... and Elder Caveness is coming back this Friday so only four more days of a threesome and then back to just Elder Adams and me.
So... one thing that I have realized this week is that there are miracles that are happening in every aspect of our lives... we just have to open our eyes to them and pay attention.  As long as we are being diligent and doing all that we should be, we will be blessed in many different ways.  In District Meeting this last week we were challenged to, at the end of the day, to just take one moment to take a look at the day and see all the blessings that the Lord has provided us with... it really is amazing to see how the Lord really has a hand in everything that we are doing.  Yep!
Yep.. so I love you all!  Take care!
Your Ghanaian Missionary,
Elder Trevor Walston