A killer week in Kojokrom!

Hello all!  This last week was pretty sweet!  It started off by going down to Sekondi and meeting with Elder Vinson of the Seventy... he is the First Counselor in the Africa West Area Presidency.  It was sweet and he talked about so much sweet and interesting stuff.  One thing that really hit me is that he talked about acting and not being acted upon or acting upon someone else.  We must do all we can to be and act our best, but we should not force others to do things or make things a certain way.  We also should not do things because we feel like we 'have to' but rather because of a sincere desire.  He covered so many things and it just made everything click together... it was powerful to hear him speak.

After that we had a pretty good week proselyting... we have two sweet investigators, Julie and Stephen.  Julie is actually a Nigerian but she is a powerful person.  They are so accepting and it is inspiring to see people hear a message and be completely willing to change their lives on the message that they hear from just young missionaries such as myself.

Then Saturday was a busy day... we actually fed by members all three meals of the day which was sweet!  But in the morning we went and weeded an area of land that some members are going to build their house... that was way fun but weeding with a cutlass destroys your hands... I think I ended up with six blisters on the palm of my hand... Africans are tough and sweet people... I think next week they might let us go with them and we will make cement blocks to build the house with.  But yep!  Then I was also able to finish the Book of Mormon again... sweet stuff.  Then that night we received  transfer news.... and I will be staying here in Kojokrom and Elder Moffitt will be leaving and Elder McKeon will be coming to be my new companion... excited to be able to be with Elder McKeon again... that will be a ton of fun.

But overall this week was pretty good... been able to work with the members more and more as that is one thing that Elder Vinson stressed... we cannot do the work without the help of the members around us.  Each of us need to be missionaries, and as we have been told, every member a missionary!  

I love you all!  Keep safe and take care!!

Elder Walston

Kojokrom!

Weeding

It rained a lot...

 

Just another good old week...

Hello!  This week has just been a good week here in Kojokrom... doing a lot of work and we are starting to have a little bit of success... We are working with some sweet individuals... I am excited for what we can do in this area... If we stay together it will be sweet!  The place died off a little bit but I am sure that things are going to start picking up more and more!  But this last Monday we had FHE at a member's house this last week... they fed us a Ton of fufu... it was pretty good I have to say... we have been having a lot of fufu and banku this last week... there is a pretty good chop bar in town... nicest one that I have seen in Ghana.  But I can't really complain about anything... except we haven't had power Saturday and Sunday... but that is just Ghana for you.  I am excited for this week as we have a mission tour with Elder Vinson of the Seventy... that should be fun and spiritually uplifting to be able to learn a little bit more about the gospel.  I have definitely realized that being out in the middle of Africa, just teaching the gospel to those around us makes me stronger in every aspect of my being.  Sorry I don't have much to say today, but I don't feel like too much has happened this week.  I guess today was an entertaining day as we came to the Takoradi stake center and played some soccer... I have realized that I have absolutely no energy at all... it has been way too long since I have ran or played or anything like it... but it was fun to be able to get together and play some games.

So this week I read a talk that was given at General Conference in Oct. 2012... 'Converted unto the Lord'... it is a sweet talk that talks about how we must have both testimony and conversion... that without a testimony conversion is impossible and with only a testimony, we might falter.  From what I understand, if we build our testimony and then truly do all that the Lord asks, putting in all our heart, might, mind and strength, then we will be truly converted.  But not just converted to this or that, but converted unto our Lord.  We must build up our testimonies and then act upon them... action... such an important part of our lives... if we put in the action, then we will truly succeed and be blessed for all that we have done.

I love you all!  Keep safe and enjoy the good old USA!

Elder Walston

 

Just chillin' in Kojokrom

Hey everyone!  Hope life back home is all cool.:)  It is pretty sweet here... Kojokrom is an area that is a little different because it is city but then it is also the village at the same time... I guess there are just different parts of our area that are totally different to each other, but it is sweet.  The power has been pretty bad though here... keeps going off, but that is just a part of Ghana.  Kojokrom is split into two areas and I think that we area more along the outskirts of the town and the more villagey side of things.  Right now there aren't very many people who we have been teaching but that is something that we are working on!  Elder Moffitt is a sweet guy... he is from South Jordan, Utah... at least I think that is the part of Utah he is from... at least that area.  But yeah... he has been out for 9 months.  This week has just been rather busy going out and trying to see people... we have been seeing a lot of recent converts and less actives and trying to help them.  But yeah... we have one member that always helps us, Brother Arhin who is 68 years old!  He is such a sweet guys but he sure does like to talk a LOT... sweet guys though.  The ward here is nice... still trying to get to know them better but it is cool.  The biggest ward that I have been in I think. They speak quite a bit of Fante here but they also speak a lot of English... pretty nice.

Life is good... recently I have been reading the war chapters in Alma.  I think one interesting thing about it is that Moroni prepares and fortifies all their cities and helps them to be safe from all the Lamanites.  The Lamanites were still able to overtake a few of their cities but because of their fortifications they were protected so much more.  Likewise, we need to strengthen ourselves with the light and gospel of Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean that we will not have 'losses' in our lives or hard times that we have to deal with, but we need to be ready for the best.  When we fortify ourselves, we will be able to face the challenges that we have at hand to the best of our capabilities and we will be able to know that we did our best.  

I love you all and take the best of care!

Elder Walston

Us in our area!

View of our area

Train tracks got flooded

Me and a Monkey!

A view from our apartment

 

An unexpected move...

Hey everyone!  How you all doing?  Ghana is wonderful as ever!  I have still have been without running water this last week.... makes things fun and interesting.  But last week was a lot of proselyting and and working with the members... we went to Winneba last Friday for interviews with President Shulz... that was okay, but I think after the interviews he got the feeling that Elder Assibey and I needed to split... so Saturday we went to Odoben for a baptism of the other elders in our area and after that when we got home I got a call from President Shulz... he told me that I was going to be transfered today to be with Elder Moffitt in Kojokrom, which is right next to Takoradi... so today so far I have been on the road making my way all the way across the mission from Asikuma to Kojokrom... it was really sad to leave the area so soon but that is what president thinks will be best so I will respect that.  Sometimes things are done for certain reasons that we don't know why but we have to do our best and do all that we are asked.  This was surprising and sad to move so soon especially as I was just getting to know everyone but I know that it will be for the best.  The Lord knows what is best for each and every one of us... he will help us, guide us, and put us in the situations that we need to be in... I hope that all of you have a wonderful week!  I love you all!

Elder Walston

Favorite Picture :)

Pounding Fufu

Two favorite members from Nkanfoa, Mary & Monica.

Relief Society President, Auntie Beatrice from Asikuma.

An interesting week in Asikuma

Hey everyone!  Hope all is well!  This week has been rather interesting to put it... the city shut off water for half the town last Tuesday... so we have had no water in the wells near our house and no water at our house... makes taking a shower, washing dishes, washing clothes, and using the bathroom all a little bit more difficult.  We have been using water sachets and fetching all the water we can carry from a well, which takes like 5 minutes to walk to... fun stuff. :)  But other than that, this week has just been full of going out trying to find more people to teach... lots of contacting... but it has been fun, but also challenging that we don't have too many people to teach but all is well!  It is nice to have a companion that can speak the Twi but that also makes it hard because there are then a lot of time that I don't know what is going on or being said... going from the Fante back to the Twi is rather confusing... since Fante is a little different I say things differently and people don't understand me and the fact that I can only understand parts of what they say... just got to refresh myself I guess!

One thing that I have noticed is that when talking to others about the church, is that when you just don't worry about things and just listen to what you think you should say, you are usually listening to the Spirit and that things just go better.  You just have to do your best do what you think and the Lord will be there to help you with everything else.  Things are always easy, but it isn't supposed to be that way.  We are sent here to have challenges so that we will grow and learn... so that we may become better people.

I love you all and stay strong!

Elder Trevor Walston

Off into Asikuma

Hey everyone!  How is it going?  Sad for the news that I received this week, but just know that I love you tons Ryan and Katie! You are two amazing people that I love.  You are forever in my prayers.

But this last week has been rather interesting… I ate cat with a TON of fufu this last week as a last dinner from the Appiah's… then I had to leave Nkanfoa… that was really sad and hard… I will truly miss that place…. I do miss that place but now I am in Asikuma!  Last Wednesday I took a trotro up to Asikuma and met the Elder I am training up here already as the Ivie's took him up here.  His name is Elder Assibey and he is from Kumasi, Ghana… he is a sweet guy and his native language is the Twi so that is nice but hard at the same time… Cool to know what everyone is saying, but I feel bad making him translate for me whenever I want to say stuff to and teach the people.  But this area is pretty nice… it is a pretty big town… at least the biggest one that I have been in.  The church has only been in Asikuma for six months now so it is very small but there is great potential for it to grow… we have pretty much just been contacting people this last week and trying to teach people… it has been fun.  Asikuma is definitely a lot hotter… doesn't have any sea breeze or anything to cool us off.  

 

Yesterday we went to Winneba as Swedru District was made into a stake… that was really cool… Elder Dube was the presiding authority there.  That was sweet!  Fun to see the church grow here in Ghana.

 

So… life is good… you just have to put all your trust in the Lord.  He trusts each and everyone of us and puts the challenges that we each face in front of us because he knows that we can handle them.  He trusts us and wants us to do our best but he knows that it isn't always easy.  

I love you all so much!  Take care!

Your Ghanaian missionary,

Elder Walston

 

Cat & Fufu

Eating cat

New Companions

Asikuma

 

Off on a new adventure...

Hey everyone!  How are you all this week?  I have been pretty good.  This Tuesday I got a call from President Shulz telling me that I am going to train these next two transfers.  That will be fun.  Then we received transfer news on Saturday and all I know is that I will be opening a new area, Asikuma, and I think that I will be with an African, but they won't tell me my companion until Wednesday.  I am sure that it will be great however... I am excited... it should be good!  Not much other than finding out that I am leaving really happened this week.  It is always sad to say goodbye to all those that you have met and love so much but I know that I am now needed in a different place! 

So tonight, since I am leaving, a member promised to make me some fufu tonight. :)  And she is killing two cats to eat with it!  They promised me a cat before I left so I will have that wonderful opportunity before I leave... I hear from most people that it tastes pretty good.

I want to share small about faith... one thing that I realized that when one has true faith, they will be faithful to the things in which they believe.  I took that and said that if I have faith in Jesus Christ, then I should likewise be faithful to everything that he has asked us to do.  We aren't supposed to be perfect people, but when we have faith, it has to be followed by action or our faith is in vain.

I love you all!! Have a wonderful week!

Elder Walston