Knock A Third Time

Teaching

Baptisms!

Sleeping on the pillowcase Savanah sewed him!

Grocery shopping in style

(Written: September 30, 2013)

This week went by somehow fast. Days feel like weeks, weeks feel like days... somehow haha but it taught me a lot. each week teaches me a lot. First I have to say, Savanah congratulations! I have been praying all week about your blessing and I am so proud of you and know you have great things in store. You should know that you are serving a mission, you keep me going out here. To everyone reading this, keep trusting in God, I think he knows a little better than we do. :)

Well on monday after emails I was grumpy because the email wasn't working well. So we went off biking to linda and laticia. As we got there I was sitting in a very humid, very warm room, no light, just a small tv from the early 90's maybe late 80's with the volume low to light the room. The little siblings were watching one of the awful ghana movies that look like some one took a phone camera and made a video that is full length haha. so there i sat teacing a lesson in the dark, in a tiny room in a lowly place called nima. The lesson went well and I felt a great peace as i have come to love those girls and really just want them to come unto Christ. We left and rode in the rain to desmonds place and taught him with the rain coming and the mosquiots buzzing (repelent is usless i am finding out, but hey we have the doxy and that works enough) but I felt real good about my efforts that day and we taught desmond about 1 nephi chapter 5. He was concerened about his muslim wife and staying with her. most muslims can't stay with christians, that just doesn't work here. So we taught him about lehi explaining his testimony to help his wife and encourage him to follow the example he was to her. That was eye opening and helped me realized all i can teach out of the Book of Mormon. We rode home in the rain. I love the rain.

Tuesday most of our lessons fell through but we met a few people and we had red red, which i love. finally that night we met linda and laticia again and taught the law of chastity. i felt the spirit testify through me of the love that Heavenly Father has for them and his desire to protect his small girls. It is so important to defend virtue.

Thursday we met a man named bismark who lives in luga. i was tired and frustrated but knew i had to keep pressing on. so finally we met him after being lost forever, and it was so sweet, great lesson on the restoration. I love teaching the restoration, like what an incredible message.

Friday we knocked doors in mobile force and met faustina and taught her about the book of mormon and it was just solid how she saw it could bless her. as we help others liken the scriptures instead of just trying to give them a book it makes such a big difference, only thing is most don't want "another bible". so the rest of the day was a tough, we went to find this guy named richie we got referred to us. he gave us bad directions that took us to ridge hospital than all the way back up to a place near nima. which was like 1 and half hours of biking. the lesson wasn't that great and i was sooo tired. we tried to find some other people but couldn't. so we went ended handed back for some small dinner at the apartment. I just lied in the living room listening to a church talk and eating my rice, when i decided. man two years from now i want to look back at today and be happy. so we went to marcus and taught him about the still small voice in 3 nephi 11 and 1 kings 19. as we spoke about finding answers i felt a still small voice, pleased that i was working so hard. we then went for desmond to help him understand the priesthood, a nice reminder of what power we hold. we also saw matilda and she had a headache so i gave her some of the meds in my backpack mom sent me.. oddly enough that was the first the bottle has been opened. I have been placed to not have headaches out here, some things i have to repent of, frequently, like not being grateful for things like that. each of us has so many anonymous acts of kindness performed by the savior daily, that we wouldn't know of otherwise, the world tragedy's show us that.

saturday we had a lot of trouble finding anyone who cared to listen, we knocked a bunch talked a bunch but just not a lot of success, we went to met a lady named juliana who was referred to us by elder and sister avery. we couldn't find her and couldn't call because we were out of credits on our phone, so i said lets go eat. we got back and ate and called but when we went back she wasn't there. so we left for kanda. However, there was a great moment when we went out to see a man named paul and he wasn't there. As we stood in the dark night in Kanda, I felt very tired. Unfortunately i was being whiney. So as I stood looking out at the view, I decided to go knock some doors, just do anything to stop thinking about home and get back to work. As we went from top to bottom we came to one door where I knocked. The lady gave us a straight up no. which i have never seen before. we call it being 'American'd' because it is a true rejection not the ghana rejection which is like "o i'm coming, then you never see them come or i'll surprise you, then they never do haha. but I was struck dumb it seemed and didn't say what I wanted. So I said "no regrets!" and went to knock again. We left her a pamphlet and I gave a small testimony of the love of God for her, saying how important she was to him that I knock again.

She left us and I felt like I was doing good, we made it to the bottom step and I heard 

"knock a third time". 

so clear and distinct was the still small voice. the same i had been teaching about to marcus last night. I wrote a note and left it for her, but knew that wasnt enough. So I went to get two oranges oranges from miriam, but she said, take three it is a sign of love.  and so we went to deliver them and another note for her. We arrived and found the first note gone, we knocked and no answer came. I waited and waited, we heard her shuffling inside, but she didn't come. so why then is this important, why the title of my email?

Since not much progress has been made with her. But I "knocked the third time". I gave it my all when it was tough, when we faced rejections all day and things were going wrong left and right. each of us can "knock a third time" in life. sometimes the night will be dark and things will just be straight up hard. there is no two ways about it. But please knock a third time, when the spirit calls, answer. I felt such a love and peace. I felt the gratitude of God as I stood alone in the middle of a dark African night. That night I stood taller than any night so far on my mission, because a still small voice urged me on. God is waiting to bless us, we only need to knock a third time.  that may mean going the extra mile to help someone, or giving a smile to a lonely person when we arent feeling to good. but remember: it is the moments when we are most tired that we must push on. the time when you feel broken, alone, forgotten, and beaten upon the rocky shore. Knock a third time. when we make a habit of doing so we will be in the habit of overcoming the trials that will come. go take a look at 1 peter 5 and helaman 5: 12

sunday was a great day with the baptism of linda and laticia, I felt strongly the satisfaction of the Heavens. and also that night as we planned our month for october I felt to pray about our goals. as we did my companion Elder Udofia and I saw very clearly the plans God intended us to lay. It was modern day personal revelation. what an incredible experience, light really cleaves to light, the more you follow the promptings of the spirit, the more you will receive them. it is simple logic.

This week taught me a lot. But I love my family and am so grateful for them. today we talked about how my parents met and about the example my father was to me. not being showy about his wisdom but truly helping me to grow. i am so grateful for you dad and for my family who has raised me right, each member of our family has changed my life and I owe it to you to even be here. :)

I heard country music and thought of you guys. there is a station called V.o.a. or voice of america and i just heard it for the first time and loved it, man i like country music now. mission really changes people. i even like fufu now too... say what? hey if anyone wants to send the best two years soundtrack and such that would be great :)

does uncle max ever read these? I was just thinking about him the other day, can somebody let him know that I love him and I know that Heavenly Father does too. But I got to go so just remember the church is true! I hope i can get a copy of ryans talk maybe soon, but im praying everyday for you all and love you so much :) have a great day and a great week!!