August 18, 2014
I am just about out of time. I got an incredible email, that I forwarded to you, from a recent convert and was trying to get a reply out to her. This week was great though!
Just got a sweet email from one of the people I got to teach up in Ho. Her name is Nana Ama, she was telling me about how she had met a man who was trying to tell her the church was worshiping spirits. She taught him the things that she knew and then invited him to church. The man came! He is trying know to stop drinking and the missionaries are teaching him there in Kpando! So sweet to see the progress, I would love to say that it was all me that brought her to the church, but it was definitely all the work of God. We were just lucky enough to get to teach her. I feel some sort of joy that I have only felt a few times. It comes when months later I hear of someone I got to teach, and they are just solid. A feeling like 'you have made a difference.'
We had an interesting week in our area. Didn't get to be in the area as much, got to go and do interviews and we had zone meeting as well. Still I got to learn a lot this week. We have been trying our possible best to teach families. Able to meet one great couple, James and Sheida. Both really educated and I think that they have some potential. We have been trying to teach more people, and less lessons. Sometimes, especially in Ghana, it is easy to just focus on the apostasy and restoration, everyone has concerns about that. We have made it a focus to look more into what people need to hear then, then tie it into the Restoration. Had one person ask us 'why do you focus so much on going to the temple, and why is that something you both care so much about?' Never had that before! So excited!
One man called us over, I knew the place was sometimes used as a church. I also knew this man had some connection with the leadership of the church, turns out he is one of the lead pastors. He wanted to know why we were passing each day and what made our church different. Obviously the first thing that popped into my head was 'Priesthood, we have the Priesthood'. He had a bible sitting on his lap, my mind flashed to how Elder Beckett is smart enough to carry around the 'Temples' magazine. Seeing that he was ready to bash we started to talk about temples with him instead. Totally took him by surprise as Elder Beckett pulled out the magazine and we showed him the pictures as we explained how 'one thing that made us different was the temple'. He was stunned by the temples and really loved it. There was no bashing, no loss of the Spirit and he accepted the invitation to read and pray about it.
Not sure if this man is ready to progress because of the church he is helping to lead, yet at least we planted some seeds and actually brought the Spirit into the lesson instead of the typical 'pastor bible bash'. We can and always win everyone of those, you learn a lot of scriptures that pretty much undeniably prove the Church correct, that isn't what Christ would do though. Now this approach, It allowed us to teach about the restoration from a different angle. To allow him to act and find if we had the authority to build temples, do temple work, and if it was given to Joseph Smith, instead of us trying to prove the Priesthood.
I have been praying for help to be more loving when people want to bash. Sometimes I get tired of it and want to start showing them all the places the bible is translated incorrectly and how it doesn't prove them right, (don't do that). My prayer was answered that day, and everyday.
Elder Beckett and I are doing well. He is a true humble follower of Christ and has good intentions. I am grateful to be his companion and learn from him. I admire the spirit that he has. Elder Peterson and Elder Henrie are diligent and obedient, I have been very impressed. The elders in Achimota are also working hard. I look forward to whatever work lies ahead for us.
I really love getting to serve here. A prophecy of President Judd has been fulfilled. About 11 months ago I had an interview with President. I was trying my best, but still having a tough time. I walk in and the first thing he says is "elder, may I prophesy: one day you won't ever want to leave." He was completely and totally correct.
We are so blessed to be serving here in Ghana. God loves us.
Just got a sweet email from one of the people I got to teach up in Ho. Her name is Nana Ama, she was telling me about how she had met a man who was trying to tell her the church was worshiping spirits. She taught him the things that she knew and then invited him to church. The man came! He is trying know to stop drinking and the missionaries are teaching him there in Kpando! So sweet to see the progress, I would love to say that it was all me that brought her to the church, but it was definitely all the work of God. We were just lucky enough to get to teach her. I feel some sort of joy that I have only felt a few times. It comes when months later I hear of someone I got to teach, and they are just solid. A feeling like 'you have made a difference.'
We had an interesting week in our area. Didn't get to be in the area as much, got to go and do interviews and we had zone meeting as well. Still I got to learn a lot this week. We have been trying our possible best to teach families. Able to meet one great couple, James and Sheida. Both really educated and I think that they have some potential. We have been trying to teach more people, and less lessons. Sometimes, especially in Ghana, it is easy to just focus on the apostasy and restoration, everyone has concerns about that. We have made it a focus to look more into what people need to hear then, then tie it into the Restoration. Had one person ask us 'why do you focus so much on going to the temple, and why is that something you both care so much about?' Never had that before! So excited!
One man called us over, I knew the place was sometimes used as a church. I also knew this man had some connection with the leadership of the church, turns out he is one of the lead pastors. He wanted to know why we were passing each day and what made our church different. Obviously the first thing that popped into my head was 'Priesthood, we have the Priesthood'. He had a bible sitting on his lap, my mind flashed to how Elder Beckett is smart enough to carry around the 'Temples' magazine. Seeing that he was ready to bash we started to talk about temples with him instead. Totally took him by surprise as Elder Beckett pulled out the magazine and we showed him the pictures as we explained how 'one thing that made us different was the temple'. He was stunned by the temples and really loved it. There was no bashing, no loss of the Spirit and he accepted the invitation to read and pray about it.
Not sure if this man is ready to progress because of the church he is helping to lead, yet at least we planted some seeds and actually brought the Spirit into the lesson instead of the typical 'pastor bible bash'. We can and always win everyone of those, you learn a lot of scriptures that pretty much undeniably prove the Church correct, that isn't what Christ would do though. Now this approach, It allowed us to teach about the restoration from a different angle. To allow him to act and find if we had the authority to build temples, do temple work, and if it was given to Joseph Smith, instead of us trying to prove the Priesthood.
I have been praying for help to be more loving when people want to bash. Sometimes I get tired of it and want to start showing them all the places the bible is translated incorrectly and how it doesn't prove them right, (don't do that). My prayer was answered that day, and everyday.
Elder Beckett and I are doing well. He is a true humble follower of Christ and has good intentions. I am grateful to be his companion and learn from him. I admire the spirit that he has. Elder Peterson and Elder Henrie are diligent and obedient, I have been very impressed. The elders in Achimota are also working hard. I look forward to whatever work lies ahead for us.
I really love getting to serve here. A prophecy of President Judd has been fulfilled. About 11 months ago I had an interview with President. I was trying my best, but still having a tough time. I walk in and the first thing he says is "elder, may I prophesy: one day you won't ever want to leave." He was completely and totally correct.
We are so blessed to be serving here in Ghana. God loves us.
keep on smiling and lift where you stand. The Lord has said to the prophet Joshua "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee". and to the Prophet Alma "I will go with thee, and deliver this people out of bondage" (Mosiah 24:17)
Elder Van Wagoner
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