Happy Birthday MOM!!!

(12/15/14)

I was debating on putting the same amount of exclamations marks as mom's age. But I don't think that 29 marks will fit in the subject line haha get it mom? :)

Sorry that I have not been sending pics. Like we are really struggling to find a cafe that can handle it, sometimes the light off comes and we can't even go to the cafe that could send it anyways haha So this week i hope you enjoy my typical coke on Christmas, too bad mom doesn't even like coke that much haha and then we found Santa a little lost and not looking like himself all that much haha

I hope that you have some sweet plans to celebrate moms birthday everybody (hint hint do something awesome because I love her haha) I heard you made some stuff on the big green egg, way to go dad! I love how our family is, it really is something special. One of my greatest motivators on mission is to think about how our family is, I want everyone to have that same family love and joy. Not easy to make in Ghana, but it will happen one day. The other great motivator is to imagine if dad was my companion. I know that he would want to push the extra step and battle the rain and the clock. So each day I try to do just that :) I still have no idea what I am doing, but you know, God does. And we are called of Him.

Hearing about sav's surgery was so sweet. President Heid sent me some text about it. But I'll send the pics of the message later. It was so sweet to hear that she was good. I knew that she would be since the day I was set apart. Sav I love you like like a fanti loves fufu! (that is a lot by the way)

Well I got like two minutes left, the cafe isn't exactly breaking any speed records haha but I'll share one or two things.

We have been planning a baptism for Corney, it will have to be on the 27th, but we are really praying for this one. The interview should be Sunday after church. The lessons we have with him bring a lot of hope, he really understands somethings that are not understood by most Ghanaians. He is someone I feel could really make a great difference for others in the Gospel. The type of guy I can see getting married in the temple and being a bishop. He is really trying! Keep on praying for him!

We have been facing a lot of anti-Christmas stuff lately. Been trying to help people feel the Christmas spirit and it really has been able to bring a lot of great conversations, just asking people how they plan to celebrate Christmas and what Christmas means to them. In our apartment we have a goal to share about christmas each day and to read a story of Christ in the Scirptures each night of December, so sweet!! Give it a try!

One man we met, Charles, asked us what the role of our living apostles were. We had a brief lesson and planned to come back the next day. When we met, he was getting somethings and proving stubborn on others. Had a really powerful discussion on the restoration. He was coming back to us saying that God had to call Joseph Smith because Christ didn't finish his mission. It provided such a wonderful opportunity to testify of the fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ, not everyday that we get such a great chance. As we talked the Spirit was so strong as we introduced the Book of Mormon to answer his concerns, to let him know that Jesus is the Christ who completed all and the Joseph didn't take away from that, but helped us all to find that. I told him 'you will have to humble yourself, pray for things and consider things you have never considered before to find the truth'. You could see the Spirit bear witness and the power of that lesson was so sweet. Testified and you knew he felt it. Such a good end to a week.

Well I got to go! I love you all from Ghana and Back and To Eternity!!

Elder Van Wagoner

p.s. happy birthday mom!!!!