A new year approaches

Hey Everyone! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas... it sure was great being able to talk to you all! Best Chrsitmas present that I could of had! :) It feels kind of weird because I feel like I told you everything already. But Chrsitmas was good and nice since the Shulz's let me Skype you all. Christmas day was sweet.... service at Cape Coast Castle cleaning windows, sweeping, and moping and what not.... it was sure fun... The windows where nasty though... I don't think that they had been cleaned in many years. I feel that is was worth it more because it showed the people there that we truly care about Ghana and Cape Coast... I didn't feel that the castle seemed a whole lot cleaner, but they now know that we care about this place and that is what really matters. Then we got to watch 17 miracles... sweet movie! Then I got to talk to you all! Sweet Christmas day.... the rest of the week was okay. As I told you last week I have a new companion, Elder Merrill. This are going okay. It is sure different, but I guess that I am used to change right now as I have had pretty much six companions in the last five transfers.... oh well. The people are still the greatest thing and I really can't complain... just have to keep working hard! I have been reading a talk about missionary work and it was talking about how charity is the most important part of the missionary. If you don't learn to love the work and the people then you will go and return in vain. 1 Corinthians (I believe chapter 13 or so) talks about it. You have to have that love to truly make an impact on yourself and on the people. Love and charity are two of the best attributes that one can have, so we better develop them! I love you all and I hope that you all have a happy new year! Elder Walston

Elder Walston in Cape Coast

Jeffrey

Elder Walston and Jeffery

The trio

Eating ampesi,

Service project

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? I hope that you have a great Christmas Eve and a Wonderful Christmas tomorrow! It is weird to be in a different climate, with different people on this awesome holiday but it is really cool. This week has been really awesome and packed. We have been able to do a lot of service this week and that has been probably the best part of this week. Last Wednesday we went to one of our members home, the Arthur's, and since we had extra supplies at the apartment where we were able to paint their house for them. As it can be common to have writing above the door of a house they said that we could write something on their home... so now it says House of Mormons... It looks way sweet! I will send you a picture soon. But yeah... they feed us some ampesi afterwards and that was way good! :) Then we also had our Christmas part on Saturday... that was a blast and everyone sure enjoyed it! There was a TON of food and we had quite a bit of leftovers so they gave that to older people in the ward.... Way sweet.... lots of people dancing, playing games and just having a good time. So yesterday was transfer day and I have yet another companion.... his name is Elder Merrill and he is from West Jordan, Utah. It was weird to see Elder Cavaness leave and Elder McKeon is now training a Tongan in our apartment. It is cool though... weird but cool. So my little uplifting thought for this week has come as I was finishing the Book of Mormon this week... I was reading the end of Moroni and it continually emphasizes Faith, Hope, and Charity. They all must exist in us to truly do our best and become like Christ. We each have our own opportunities to choose whether or not we want to develop the Christ-like attributes. If we do then we will be able to live happier lives and enter into the Kingdom of God and receive that ultimate happiness of eternal life. I love you all so so much and I am really excited to be able to talk to you guys tomorrow! I love you all and hope that you have a Merry Christmas! Just know that you have an Elder out here in Ghana who loves each and everyone of you! Elder Trevor Walston

Time is Flying By

Hey all!! This week was pretty packed of fun.  We had our Mission Christmas devotional last Friday and that was way fun.  We sung a lot of Christmas songs, had some powerful instruction, and then we got to watch the movie Forever Strong as that is our motto of our mission right now.  That was cool but also way different to see a movie.  The Motto of Forever Strong and Kia Kaha is so awesome as we must always do OUR best... be the strongest missionary that I can be, be the strongest follower of Christ that we can be, and simply do OUR best.  We must focus on being our best selves.  Then we will be Forever Strong and everything else will start to come into place and we will be truly happy!  But yeah... so we also had a huge lunch full of rice! Sooo good!  Then we had a talent show and that was cool!  Fun time being able to see all the missionaries in this mission.... some of them I had never seen before.

Today we played some soccer with four other zones in this mission way fun!  Nice to get back and play some football.  But yeah... mission life is good!  It was cool to see as our ward mission leader go on his mission to Nigeria... he is in the MTC right now.  Missions are great... they are one of the best ways that you can serve the Lord, but in actuality, I am helping myself become a better person.  I have grown thanks to the Lord, but I have so much more room to improve... that is why we must lean on the Lord!  Put all our trust in him!

Well... I kind of ran out of time, But I love you all!  Take care!

Elder Walston

The Christmas Holidays Begin

Hey everyone!  Hope you all are enjoying this time of the year where it is just getting hotter and hotter.... well I guess for you colder and colder ;)  Hope everything is well and this Holiday season is a great one for all!  So Ghana has been sweet... we have been pretty busy in the office trying to get everything taken care of as missionaries are getting Christmas packages, preparing for the Christmas devotional and the fact that I am the only office elder right now.... can be a little stressful at times but I am figuring things out :)  But it has been fun and interesting being in a threesome again but this time I am 'that' third companion... it is way fun though... Elder Cavaness and Elder McKeon are sweet elders.  This week we took a little adventure and went to Forth Ridge which is like a 45 minute walk... it is in our proselyting area and we had a refferal from the bishop of the Moree Ward.  The man we taught over there was very nice... and it was also the richest person in Ghana that I have ever been at their house and taught.  We actually sat on chairs around a table... he heard about the church about 12 years ago and wanted to join but then he moved to Tamale, which is northern Ghana, and the church hasn't there yet.  Now that he is back down here he wants to join the church and hopefully we can help him be converted unto the Lord! 

So a scripture that I really like that I have read recently read is D&C 11:21... it says that must first know the things that we teach before we teach them.  We must be converted unto the Lord before we can truly convert others... we can't convert others beyond our own conversion.  It is so important to have a testimony for ourselves.  As we help our knowledge grow, then we will be able to help others come closer to God.

So I love you all!  And take care!!

Elder Trevor Walston

An interesting week.

Hey everyone!  How are you all?  I hope everything is going well.  So this week was rather hectic and crazy.  Looks like I am going to be in another threesome for the next three weeks, as Elder Holt went home today.  I will be with Elder McKeon and Elder Cavaness for the next little bit and when I am in the office I will just hang out with the office couple, the Crittendens.  So last Wednesday we went on splits with the Zone Leaders where one went with each companionship so Elder Holt and I were with Elder James.  That was a pretty fun day... enjoyed some hamburgers and whatnot.  It was fun... we have a really sweet Zone right now... and come to think of it, it is also a really white Zone... only three Africans.  But yeah... Saturday and Sunday where the interesting days.  Saturday we where at the mission home most of the day.  The Shulz's actually called us over and we had dinner with them... we had their leftover Thanksgiving dinner and it was sooo good!  Oh yeah... we didn't really do anything for Thanksgiving, just a complete side note.  But while we were at dinner they talked about stuff and talked about how he needed to go home, so they tried to get him out on Sunday but that didn't work so he ended up leaving today.  But then they pretty much asked for us just to spend the day Sunday at their house so we helped Sister Shulz put up her Christmas tree witch was awesome to get in the Christmas spirit!  We also made cupcakes and watched a session of the last General Conference, one that I hadn't seen yet.  It was a pretty sweet day for me at least... not really productive but I have to say that the Shulz are awesome people.... very nice and caring for their missionaries.

So I just want to say that the Lord knows what he is doing to each and everyone of us and he has a plan for us.  He knows our limits and will push them, but when we endure those trials it will make us a stronger and better people.  The Lord is here for us.  Without trials we would not grow.  No pain, no gain.  The Lord only puts the hard times in front of us to make a stronger and better people.  He truly wants the best for us, and I have seen that many different times here in Ghana.  I am so blessed for the trials I suffer even though I may not enjoy them at the time, I know that they are good for me.  Ghana is a wonderful place and I am so happy to be blessed enough to be here! 
Hope everyone enjoys this Christmas season as we are about to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Redeemer.  Love you all and take care!

Elder Trevor Walston

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

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