O family, I love you all very much. This week was full of learning, I think it's safe to say that every week is, yet this one had more than usual.
I have one more transfer here in Tema. The biggest change was the Elder Pesamino finished his mission today and should be on a plane about to take off from the Kotoka airport. I'll miss that guy, we learned a lot together. Grateful to learn more with Elder Beckett and to have more time to serve the people here I love so much. People like Benjamin, Ronald, Adwoa and the rest. We try everyweek to improve, so at least there is the peace that comes from trying.
We had some entertaining experiences, ever contacted by offering to make smoothies? One lady was saying no and we said well can we serve you today? Could we cook? and she said no, as everyone does to 'men of God''. So we offered to make American Smoothies and she was like... well okay! Handed us 50 cedis and told us to go and come. That was random time, but the family likes us now. Too bad the dad is certain we ''are all worshiping one God''. Maybe the son could be good though!
It was a humbling week for a lot of reasons. There will always be more to learn and to figure out, even if your mission is in the latter end. Many people had a great fear of our message this week and especially about the Book of Mormon. We saw a lot of people ignorantly deny the truthfulness of any book outside of the bible. We tried all the means and methods we could think of: testimonies, Bible scriptures to back it up, Book of Mormon scriptures to back it up, reasoning, inviting, trying to help them see the blessings. Only in a few cases did we see a positive acceptance, felt something like I imagine the Elders in the states have to face hahaha, but still I'm sure their own is more difficult. One that really was hard to swallow was a wonderful woman named Mary Ama. She was showing incredible progress and we were excited to meet. She told us that she prayed and then told us that God said Joseph never saw him and the Book was not from Him. We tried all we could, Elder Beckett even sang a verse of a hymn. We walked out and it was pretty emotional. What else could we do?
The moment that hit the most was after a disagreement in our apartment. It wasn't a big thing, but nobody handled it well, just an issue about others not doing dishes. I'll give you the story when I get home, but later as we talked with President during the week he heard about it and asked ''sure what you did made sense, but would Christ have done it like that? you ever hear' WWJD?'' That really is what it is all about, loving others as he does. As he offered himself in ''the courts on high''. He really cares.
On the bright side, which is ALWAYS bigger than the downs, Benjamin has a strong desire for baptism, Adwoa is over coming fears a step at a time and Ronald wants to be baptized. We met some people who look ready to find more, one is named Beatrice and, although we haven't had some big spiritual moment with her, she continues to read and try to find more. I'm so grateful to be here one more transfer. There is so much to learn with Elder Beckett and there is so much I want to help people here to do. Sure the area is not just booming with success, but these people are just as precious as the ones in areas where the ''success'' is coming. I feel a great love for them and find it very natural to pray for my investigators all the time. At least there is the peace of knowing we are really trying.
I love you all from Ghana and bAck and to Eternity!
Elder Van Wagoner
p.s. I love being a missionary!
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