The Music of the Gospel

5/18/2015

Dear family! the cafe is struggling and won't load names of contacts.
So hopefully this one reaches ash and jordan and if possible the
elders.

We are late today, had a zone activity that was good but went over
time. We make burgers for the whole zone! Found a great place called
max mart in the industrial part of tema.. seriously most random place
to put a store of that caliber hahah. They had patties and some great
things to throw on, made it for half the price of what the zone
members would have paid for a half as nice burger at the restaurants!

We had a good week of trying and making new efforts. We are getting a
lot more creative than I can remember being before and I love teaching
about family history these days. At the core of what we are doing is
bringing families to the foundation of Christ. As I studied this week
it seemed like family history work was jumping out at me, they make so
many references of it and it is just as both Luke and Malachi put it,
that without this work we are cut from the root and we lose so many
blessings (luke 3:7-9 and malachi 4) the Book of Mormon and the
Doctrine and Covenants are full of the 'intent' (jarom 1:11) for
family history work and it is so sweet!

We have been able to find a couple of people this week that have some
potential and we have also made some great plans with members this
week. We are trying all we can, so any ideas or suggestions would be
soooo appreciated. One guy, named John, is interesting, a bit socially
awkward, but so are a lot of people. We met him after a row of funny
meetings with a couple drunk people and some... disturbed?
individuals. He is reading though and seems ready to listen! Bro
Yeboah-Aferi has been opening up a bit, a first he seemed pretty
unconcerned with our invitation, but we were so bold it kind of
shocked him and he started to pay attention. He had a mild stroke and
is having a lot of difficulty getting out of the house for more than a
few times a week. We are looking for someone with a car who can drive
him to the chapel. Still we are excited to work with them and looking
to help their families. His wife though, is not speaking too much
English, so it's kind of a challenge. Teaching families is sometimes
really stressful, but it is the best thing ever!

We got to see general conference, two sessions on Sunday!!!! They were
so good and really I was just overwhelmed with gratitude and guidance
from start to finish. Truly good and without guile was so powerful and
humbling (we had a 3 hour discussion on it at the house last night)
and also I loved the one about 'hearing the music of the gospel'. We
were looking at all the ways we are just dancing and not even looking
for the music. We can teach, work and even serve with all the right
steps and moves, but what truly helps people to dance is the music.
They may be awkward and incapable at first, but so are all of us. That
is what the Atonement of Jesus Christ was all about. Which person are
you going to help hear the music this week?

I loved the sessions we heard so much! We have living Prophets and
Apostles who hold the Authority of God and direct His work on the
earth. I know this is true. As we sang the hymns and saw the group of
people standing and singing in sign language it brought the sweetest
tears to my eyes. They can hear the music of the gospel. Can you?

i love you all from Ghana and back and to Eternity. I invite everyone
to stop and think for a moment....... do I hear the music of the
Gospel? Now what will you do?

Elder Van Wagoner