(Written: November 4, 2013)
Looks like another week is over. 'The wheels just keep on turning'. If you want them to or not.
Monday night was sweet. We went out to work, after our pday, and as we passed a group of guys I had the impression to go back. I get those a lot, at first I would be like "ahh, dang it. why didn't you say stop? My companion doesn't like going back, haha, but after seeing the blessings of going back I am super grateful when they come. So we headed back and they had left, but we did talk to another guy there. The timing of the rest of the night went perfectly because of it though! As we kept going past Flagstaff, headed to mobile force, we contacted an entire basketball team haha. It was so sweet talking about ball and the gospel, only like 5 were serious but it was great. That is the only players for a basketball team I have met in Ghana, everyone loves football! Which I liked before I came here but now it just grows on you! :)
So we kept on going and ran into a little family. Cynthia, Eugene, and Esperanza. Pretty fancy names but everyone has a 'christian' or 'English' name. They were real sweet and we did a good job of contacting them, so they were excited for a return appointment. Then we met with Jonathan and had a solid Book of Mormon discussion. We applied scripture from 1 Nephi 2 to his life and he loved what it taught him. After the lesson we contacted an entire family from Volta region... that comes into play later. Well we did a great job contacting them and we were able to leave a Book of Mormon with them that they were reading when we passed the house to go home that night! All of this happened because we went back, we would have just missed these people if we had gone later or earlier. What a blessing that night was.
Tuesday morning was district meeting. In district meeting they do announcements, including transfer information. All morning everyone was trying to psych me out. They knew where I was going because they are office elder's and Ap's. So we finally got to the meeting and they said I would go last... at that moment I had a flashback to Christmas time, waiting for Uncle Dan to come to the door, for the pictures to be taken and to finally go downstairs after what felt like eternities as a kid :). So they brought more elders into Jamestown and Elder Nelson is staying there as a full time elder! Which is perfect, Jamestown is going to be a ward in no time! :) Elder Ballard left the zone and finally after everyone had been announced they said "Elder Van Wagoner, where do you think?" well secretly I was thinking a small place up north in the Volta region, Elder Bongomin had dropped some hints as we had looked at a map about me going to a place called.... Ho.
hmmmm
Soooo I said "I have no idea." I didn't want to jinx myself, same as when I got my call for Ghana and I would say Idaho.(which by the way would be sweet, serving in your home nation has a lot of blessings. Send me a big mac! haha Kidding though, every mission has specially designed challenges) Then elder Ballard finally said two letters "HO!" and so it was.
Yet that wasn't the best moment of the day.
We went out to teach. came to Auntie Gina's spot and met with her, she was sad to see me go, and that is when it hit me: I would be sad to say goodbye.
We did though, we left, the lesson ended and we said goodbye, honestly I don't think we will met again in this life, but I hope we do.
The day took a turn at that point, it taught me a lot.
As we worked a few lessons fell through but we were able to met Jonathan that night. WE went and fetched water with him. Then We had another really solid lesson and as the sun began to set around 5:30 as usual it lit up mobile force in the most incredible way. This time of day is usually incredible, the sun and sky and all things combine for beauty. The temperature is finally lowering and it is my favorite time each day. Now it was an orange sky, with Ghana, below. It is the light that comes before a good rain storm, but it meant more to me today.
Our lesson ended and I let him know I was leaving, he and his friend, Milicent, were sad to see it. Milicent would never sit with us but she had become our friend. We took a picture together and talked for a while, the kind of talk to laugh and not worry about what is coming, to say goodbye. We did leave though. Said goodbye, again for who knows how long.
We went to see Matilda. My first lesson, first baptism, first friend and person I cared for in Ghana. we fetched water with her and I let her know that we were coming to say goodbye. so she bagged some banku for us and got us some stew for it. I can see the moment perfectly, as we left I tried to take it in, make it so I wouldn't forget it. We talked but our ward mission leader kept calling for our next appointment, so we left.
As we biked to Bismark for one last appointment I looked back and had a thought, not sure if it is good or bad, just a thought. "it was all worth it." I had worked as hard as I knew how for these people. I had pushed through doubt and fear to talk to them. I had overcome for them.
I probably don't mean much to most of those I worked for, I will be forgotten by most, those I was fortunate enough to see baptized will remember but others won't. All of this came in one moment and I still said "it was worth it".
We made it to Bismark as the rain was pouring on us (first rain in a month) and had to walk back down the way to find our ward mission leader. We went in, soaking wet, and talked with them. the lesson was mostly in Twi, but it was good for Akua (Bismarks soon to be wife) to hear. That lesson ended, unfortunately. and before I knew it I was standing up to go. I asked if we could take a picture since I was leaving. They said they would love to, so we did. As I took my leave to go, I looked back into the room, trying to engrave it in my mind. and again outside trying to capture every detail of the night sky, the small home in the middle of more homes with the rain coming down. I wish you could all see what I see right now. Every detail is in there. As we said goodbye, I didn't want to go. How could I leave in the middle of the story. all part of missionary work. But always pray for Bismark, for Akua, for Matilda, Desmond, Linda and Laticia and so many more.
We said good bye to bro Ebenezar our ward mission leader and left for home. As we passed Miraim, she was pretty unhappy about me leaving, I wish we could have spent the night. I am so grateful for a lady who would dash us oranges and try to help on hard days, I don't have words enough for what these people deserve.
as we got back and began packing I wished that I would have felt that way the whole time. The concern and love and realizing that it did in fact one day end.
I had a lot of challenges in cantonments, but I loved what it taught me. and I loved those people, even though it was hard.
Elder Nelson and I talked that night in the apartment. As we talked it came to us leaving. How the priorities change, the moments you cherish are not what you think, how this is everything you could never expect, because you just wouldn't know without it.
It wasn't the baptismal days, though they are incredible, but the moments of "it was worth it." The days when you could look back, knowing you had done all. There is a lot more I wish I could explain, many of the people older than me have probably already realized these things but those who will follow this may surprise you. The 'best days' on mission come and go,those baptismal dates, the success, even the struggle everyone hears about. However, The precious moments are more valuable than gold (1 peter 1:7). They make the struggle worth it. they are the days that will mean more than any other to you. I hope that everyone can have that. I do know that I am hoping you will have to work for it, but I am hoping you learn from it. That you get done knowing you have done all. and have the precious moments. The came after the fire.
The next morning we finished packing and got ready to go. I saw a lot of my mission buddies at the mission home as many of us got ready to go somewhere new. I said goodbye to Elder Nelson and Elder Lloyd, Elder Chaffetz and Elder Bongomin. Pretty tough saying goodbye to Elder Nelson. He helped me more than I can give him credit. He is more like a brother to me. But he will be a hero in Jamestown.
We headed to the area offices and got ready for the tro tro ride north. Elder Udofia is training so I met him and his new son/ my brother, as they call it in the field. But we said goodbye. I am very grateful for my time with Elder Udofia, he was a great companion, willing to help and work as hard as I wanted. He is a great missionary and I am lucky I had time with him.
The Kpong zone (my zone) got on a tro tro by Jamestown and started to head out, took us an hour to get out of Accra/ my area so i took a nice slow trip down memory lane, crammed in the back left corner of a burning hot tro tro. The ride began at about 5 and we didn't make it till about 11. traffic was insane and the roads are not highways here. I thought I was going to die. But finally we made it. I remember laughing at 9:34 exactly, because I looked at the watch Jordan gave me and thought "hmm, i bet Landon just got back home and is maybe relaxing on a couch, he has no idea where I am.... wait... I don't either" haha it was somehow funny in that moment, but a lot funnier now.
We got back and just crashed. The next morning we went out to work. My new comp is elder Jones, the Kpong (you say it like pong) zone leader. He is a cool guy from Alaska.
As we went out I realized I was the furthest away area I could be from cantonments, literally as far as possible from it. Then I realized how different it was too. like a different country. This area is the place that looks like the African jungle you all imagine i am in. Huge trees, bridges over small rivers, just crazy. It is super green and it rains more here. but it is sweet! there is a mountain range here (not really mountains, more like hills) and one mountain that stands out like a green pride rock in the distance that we are going to climb in a week or two.
The place is way more quiet and peaceful, the language is ewe, and if you come to Ghana, go to HO!
As we sat in church, watching a session of conference(which was awesome to finally see!) I had the thought I was standing in HOly places haha. so here i am... living in Ho. Washing my clothes in a bucket and such. it is not just straight up bush though, we have a shopping area and the city part of ho, our proselyting area is just the more outskirts area.
Well it has been a big change but a cool one. We saw elder Vinson speak in conference, he was in my old ward and we talked each Sunday, that man has scriptural knowledge like you can't believe!
I want to leave you with an invitation, yes you, whoever you are, wherever you are, reading this. Be a member missionary. The only difference between me and you is I wear a name tag and do this 24/7. You have the same gospel message. as you become truly converted to it you will desire to share it more and more. Talk to people, referrer people to the missionaries, ask people if they want to learn more. teach them about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It doesn't have to be big and perfect. Just be you, talk a bit about it, share just small and invite them to learn more, or come to church. Really if you want to make a difference in this world, this is where it starts. don't let moments become what if moments. at very worst they are I tried moments and Heavenly Father is so incredibly grateful you are trying to bring back another one of his children to him.
I love you family, more than words. I pray each and everyday for you, hard. I am doing well :)
love you from Ghana and back and to eternity
Elder Logan Gerret Van Wagoner
No comments:
Post a Comment