Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey everyone!  This week was a rather eventful week.  On Tuesday we had interviews with our mission president.  I was a little nervous as I had to give an instruction along with Sister Stevenson and the Assistants.  But it went all good.  I had a good interview and I was able to talk to him about quite a bit.  He a kind of gave me false hope that I would be here for Christmas though.  I found out on Saturday that I will be leaving Kojokrom to go Green Hill, an area in Cape Coast.  I am pretty sad that I won't get to spend Christmas here in Kojokrom, but I guess it had to happen since I have been here for almost ten months.  I am going to be with an Elder Barlow.  I hear that he is one of the missionaries that came from Sierra Leon when they were evacuated due to ebola.  But I am excitted.  I will be in the same district as Nkanfoa, so I will get to go on splits to my old area... I am excited for that.  But yeah... we went to stake conference yesterday in Takoradi.  There were quite a few people there and the little bit that I heard was really good.  I had to sit outside since there wasn't enough room inside but it was a broadcast for all of Africa.  But what I got from it was quite a bit of change needs to happen with the people here especially with the cultural things such as a bride price, and the way they do their weddings and funerals. They were pretty much told to stop all of it.  They talked about how we must all change from our cultures to the gospel culture.  The culture of Christ is what we must have, there is no other alternative. But yeah... that was sweet.  It was kind of sad that I wasn't really able to say goodbye to a lot of the people since many didn't come. But I still have one last day here.  Well... I love you all.  Life is great!  I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving this week!  Take
care!

Elder Walston

Ghanaian Greetings

Hello all!  Hope that the week went well for you all.  It was a wonderful week here in Kojokrom.  We got fed quite a bit this week and that was really nice.  We got fed fufu a few times, rice balls, banku.  It was pretty nice.  But yeah.  This week I went on splits with Elder Pearmain in my area.  That was fun.  We were blessed with a pretty good day.  But yeah... the highlight of my week was yesterday, my birthday.  Two of the members, Gloria and Julie, made doughnuts for everyone at church for my birthday and stuff.  I was fun to be able to be here in Kojokrom for my birthday.  I also had someone make me a photo album and bead tie.  It was way cool.  Then today we went to the Julanders and watched 17 Miracles.  Powerful movie that I would suggest everyone to see.  It was way good.  People have been treating me well.

This past week I have been studding about Diligence and being consecrated to the Lord.  One thing is that we must put everything on the alter of sacrifice.  We must do all that we can.  A story I like is that of Roger Bannister.  He was the first one to break the four minute mile.  But he had to be diligent leaving everything he had to accomplish the task at hand.  That is at times, what we all must do.

Well, I love you all!

Elder Walston

My companion elder Pearmain and I.... left overs of fufu and goat (I ate the eye ball and head) and rice balls and the presents a member gave me for my birthday:

It's getting hot again... :)

Good afternoon everyone!  This week was a very good week here in Kojokrom.  We enjoyed life this week.  Elder Mafundityala and I have been trying to push this area a bit.  We really tried to push the members this week and I feel that it is working out.  Each and every day is a new adventure.  I was able to go on splits with Elder Odongo this week.  We went into his area and that was fun to be able to go to a different area.  We then were blessed to get to go and do baptismal interviews for our sisters in East Tanokrom.  That was fun.  Sorry... I am out of time.... I lost track of time.  I love you all though and I hope that you have a great week!

With Love and Care,

Elder Walston

P.S.  My African Shirt I just got with my companion.

 

November has come!

Hey everyone!  This week was pretty good.  We were able to do a bit of work and at the same time have a bit of fun.  This Wednesday we received another instruction from the Julanders about goals and making plans that will help us for the future.  They also talked about not building too much stress or trying to become perfect.  Elder Julander said that sometimes, "We just need to let it go."  None of us are perfect so we shouldn't bring ourselves down because we aren't.  Rather just do our best and know that we have done all the Lord expects of us.

Then on Friday, we had a little Halloween feast... meaning I tried to make brownies and since we don't have an oven I tried to bake them on the stove.  We mostly just had brownie batter.  But then one of the elder bought Fan Ice and Fanta and we had fanta floats.  It was pretty good and fun.  Nice to be able to enjoy a little bit after we came back.  

Then on Saturday we were supposed to have a football match with the Young Men, but not enough people showed up and no one had a ball!  Things here are very disorganized and that is kind of frustrating.  But I guess that is what we are here to help fix.

Then yesterday we were able to finally watch General Conference!  I was way excited for that.  It was powerful and I can't wait to get the Liahona to be able to read the rest of the talks.  I was only able to watch a session and a half, as we got there an hour late (we were told the wrong time).  But it was sweet!

As I was reading the Book of Mormon this week there was a scripture that stood out to me.  Moroni 9:6.  An amazing scripture.  We all need to labor diligently.  Do all that we can to help bring others to righteousness.  Missionary work is a divine work, a work for everyone.

Well, I love you all!!!

Elder Walston

Look what Elder Walston found! BYU in Ghana!

Happy Halloween

Hello everyone! How are you all?  I hope life is going as wonderful as it is here.  This week not too much interesting happened all that much... I think I need to start writing the events of the day in my planner because I can never remember the exciting things of the week to tell you.  But this week we went to an investigator to teach and she was beginning to pound fufu.  So I pounded for her, got like ten blisters on my hands while doing it though.  But she insisted that we eat.  It was way good.  Some of the best palm nut soup that I have had.  I have decided that I will have to get a pistol and mortar so that I will be able to make fufu when I come home for all of you. :)

Today we had a District Activity and we went to the Julanders and watched "The Best Two Years."  It is a lot funnier once you have been on mission and experienced the situations that they go through.  And then she made us cinnamon rolls.  I haven't had anything like those in a long time.  It was really nice.  

Other than that, not too much happened other than just sweet good days proselyting with my companion.  We are pushing forward and hoping that the work will continue to push forward.  I am excited for this coming week as we will finally get to watch general conference.  I have been able to watch a few talks but I am excited to see more although we will only get to see two sessions most likely. 

I have almost finished with the Book of Mormon this week.  I only have two chapters left.  Before hand I had been reading the Doctrine and Covenants and the New Testament.  But I decided I wanted to start reading the Book of Mormon again.  When I read it I just feel a different spirit.  The others are great and they definitely invite the spirit, but I just feel better as I have been reading the Book of Mormon each day, something that we testify about each and every day.  It is something that I encourage everyone to do.  Read the book each and every day.  It holds the fullness of the everlasting gospel and it is the keystone of our religion.  It is so important.

Well, I love you all!  Have a great week!!!

Elder Walston

 

Hello!

Hey everyone!  How are you?  This past week has been pretty good.  We were blessed by many things this week.  Each and every day is a blessing.  We are all truly blessed each and every day.  Sometime we just have to look at the blessings that the Lord provides us with.  The Lord loves each of us and will provide us all with the help that we need.

The most interesting thing that happened this week is that I got to deal with someone who had been involved with polygamy.  It is a practice that takes place here every now and again but mostly by the chiefs.  For them, they have to have special permission to be baptized. That was an interesting experience. 

Today we had a Zone Activity and went to the beach and played some rugby and had some fried rice.  It was pretty good the only downer was that it was raining pretty hard.  But it was fun nonetheless.  We enjoyed.  There are two really really good rugby players in our zone.  One played for the US National team and I believe the other might have played for South Africa's.  It is a very fun sport and I hope that I am not too sore tomorrow.

One thing that I have been studding these last few days is about the Book of Mormon and the importance of it.  It is really, along with the spirit, the most important thing that can build each of our testimonies.  It will truly bring us closer to Christ, I can testify of it.  It is there to help us so we should use it!

Well, I am sorry that it is so short today, but I am short of words.  Love you all!

Elder Walston

From Ghana to You

Hey everyone!!  This week has been good, but not too much really happened.  Just a lot of missionary work.  You know, the amazing work that I have been sent here to Ghana to do.  This week we have been focusing on finding and teaching a lot of new investigators.  I am still not completely sure how things will work out for all of them, but I hope that they will for the best.  We have been helped a lot this week by one of our members, Gloria.  One cool thing about her, is that last April we were talking to her about the Book of Mormon and found out that she has never read it all the way through.  She is 17 and we challenged her to and helped her to start reading it.  she finished it yesterday.  It is cool to see the change in her and it was neat to see her be able to read it in its entirety.  This last week we had a sweet instruction from our senior couple, Elder Julander.  He taught us about finding out our governing values.  Who we truly are and let those things drive us and push us onward.  It was a very sweet instruction but I guess I have been in Kojokrom too long because this is the second time he has given this instruction since I have been here.  I really picked up a lot.  Something that I have realized is that we need to apply the things that we learn.  So many times we hear things and think that this is great, I need to work on it, but so many times we don't actually but in the time to work on it.  When we do, that is when we see the improvement in our lives.  Something that we need to work on each and every day.  Continual progression.

Well,  I love you all so much!  I hope that you all have a wonderful week!

Elder Walston