May 12, 2014
I am sure we all loved talking and skyping with our cute missionaries..I also got to email back and forth this morning..he was so excited to go to the temple. I personally think we should do that every weekend!!!! One of his best buddies is in Atlanta Georgia named Jordan. Jordan met a man who had just barely come from Ghana and because he is technically on a Spanish speaking, gave the teaching over to Braydon Fowers, (our Nephew), in the same mission! "Eric" has all ready set a baptismal date. We are so excited to learn more about him and who he knows back home, and see if we can bring it around full circle. Happy Mom's day to us all. It was so great to see his face and smile..Logan even did African dances for us.. they looked a lot like the funky chicken..just sayin..
Good Morning one and all! Happy mothers day!!! What a great day, a day we get to celebrate moms! Not a whole lot of other things can compete with that. We need moms and I am so grateful for mine. Her, my grandma, and my sisters were all instrumental in helping me come on a mission and in the lives of others too. I hope all you elders had a great time talking to your families and that if you live at home with your mom you go and give her a big hug right now!!!!!
Love you mom!!! :):):)
Well today is pretty sweet, we are at the cafe early to email home so we can leave for accra in like 30 minutes! We are going to go to the Temple!! That will be tomorrow. 14 missionaries, 1 tro tro, sweet! So excited to go to the Temple again, its been like... 7 months!
The week was pretty cool. Had an interesting week as we worked. Elder Turley is doing well. Our teaching is getting more in sync and I think things are going well. The way he teaches is somehow the way I like to teach as well. Because of that we have been able to meet more people and have more effective lessons. This week we met a lot of new people but not very many who are progressing. Guess that is how it goes sometimes, this week we will be finding in different places, hopefully able to find more elect.
Those that we have been working with continue to progress and show a serious desire to change. We had a couple people attend institute on Saturday! It was pretty sweet having them there and they made comments about how 'real' the Book of Mormon was.
Nana Ama had a dream that God was punishing her, by raining rocks, right before she met the missionaries in Kpando. The Lord really is preparing people. Even in some humorous ways. She has been making friends with Adwoa and that is really good, if everyone has a fellow shipper then they stay. We were able to get a few more members to come out with us this week and that was a real blessing. We took Saviour to see Raphael. But right now he is having some difficulty accepting that there is only one true church. We may not keep seeing him much longer. Derricks wasn't at church because his class schedule on Sunday kept him at school all day. He is keeping all his other commitments though and has serious potential. Plus he is way smart! Every time we go he has the best questions, I feel like he is starting to really get it.
Had another cool lesson this week. We were discussing chastity. She said 'what I have done has ended my life.' She had a son when she was really young. Wanted to go on a be a lawyer, but wasn't able to after that. We discussed the Atonement yet she was still feeling some Godly Sorrow as she contemplated everything. You could tell she was feeling some necessary things and even some possibility that she really could be forgiven. I know she can be. I just wanted to put what I knew about forgiveness into her.
It is so real! Can you not feel it? that each day we feel the Spirit and can move on? Humans are imperfect and we can take time to forgive. God is perfect and has a humble and eternal outlook. His pride is nothing that holds Him back from forgiving the us.
The Atonement is infinite and for everyone!!! .... yet it is also very intimate and uniquely given to you. The infinite and intimate qualities are one, they cannot exist without the other.
Nephi said (2 nephi 33:10) 'if ye believe not in these words Believe in Christ...' If everything else falls and you are certain that help and forgiveness are not for you; if you begin to drag your own self down remember the words of the Living Prophets. President Uchtdorf said "Stop it!". Nephi goes on to say 'if you will believe in Christ you shall believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and they teach all men that they should do Good."
If you want to strengthen your testimony, if you want help. Reach for it. Grab the Book of Mormon and read. Take a look at Alma 36:12-21. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and allows all men to know Jesus The Christ.
Family I love you and I hope you had the best mothers day ever! I loved getting to talk to you and see everyone. You look beautiful and I sent a picture of our conversation to you. Landon the second picture reminded me of the things you made up when you were young. The old stores and stuff you would pretend to set up. I pass this everyday and get a good chuckle out of it.
Mom you mean the world to me. Thanks for being so good and kind. You are beautiful and after we hung up all the kids came to tell me how beautiful you and the family are and how they really 'liked to see them and talk to them'. Thank you for doing that :) You are the best example I have of sacrifice and devotion to her children. You and dad have always led the way for me. I hope I can build a family the way you did.
Well words in an email aren't really going to tell you how much I love you. But know that I do and I always will
From Ghana and Back and to Eternity
Elder Van Wagoner
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