Elder Beckett

August 11, 2014

Hey everyone! How's the day? I heard about the family reunion, that sounds like such a fun time! Let me know how it goes and plan one for next year haha! I heard that Landon is arranging hymns again and he played for 10th ward. You should send those to me sometime! Everyone is telling me that it is the greatest thing ever!

Big news came to me this week. I got a call from the zone leaders at 11:30 one night. They said 'a bombing happened in Accra and we are all leaving.' I freaked out at first, definitely don't want to leave Ghana. Then they told me they were joking and that actually we would have two new elders come to Achimota area. Two elders evacuated from Liberia!

Next day we went out to work and as we were teaching this sweet guy we contacted, named Charles, the a.p's. called. "Has president called you yet?" "No but I heard about the new elders in Achimota." "ya, but two new elders are coming to Kwabenya, is your apartment ready for four?" ............... (nope not at all) "yaaaa, sure!"

Rushed home and set up a bed and re-organized the apartment. Found out the bed is broken and we can only sleep someone in the bottom bunk, ya Ghana stuff isn't exactly solid. We finished up what we could and went out to teach more. That night we met up with the two new elders. Elder Beckett and Elder Henrie get out looking pretty shell shocked.

As soon as I saw Elder Beckett I knew he was going to be my new companion. Nobody knew so we had to call President, I was right.

Super short time with Elder Peterson, but I will still be living with him, so that will be cool.

These two  elders got moved from Sierra Leone and sent up to Portugal and then to London, then finally back to Ghana. They have had some big adjustments to make very quickly, and I am proud of how good they have handled it. You think leaving an area is hard? Try theirs out, they left a mission behind. Praying that we never, ever, ever have to do the same.

It was very obvious that the cultures of our two missions were very different. Both serious and hard working, but focuses and strengths in different areas. So, this is perfect! We get to learn from and incorporate the best parts of 3 missions together now!

These times have built up, even firmer, my testimony of praying with faith. I have truly desired to improve who I am as a missionary. I have been working hard and doing all I can, but I felt like there was more. I didn't cause ebola to spread, but God did allow this very special answer to my prayers. 

I am excited to work with the new elders and learn all that I can from them. They have a lot we can apply to our mission and we are seeing the blessings already. In my heart I can feel the importance of what is happening right now, maybe it is hard to see the massive impact of it from across the sea. But God answers prayers.

1 Nephi 2:16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and BEHOLD he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

The love of God is something dimensions and universe's beyond what we can comprehend, at our present state, however that portion that we have (in our comparatively sub-atomic particle level), can be shared with others to the exaltation of all those who will allow it entrance into, and the enhancement of their very character.

Pray unto the father, with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love.

Please keep Sierra Leone, Liberia and GHANA in your prayers. Pray for these new elders and those that have been moved outside of Africa especially.

This is the work of God and I am so happy to be a part of it. I love you all from Ghana and back and to eternity. God Loves YOU :)

Elder Van Wagoner