Dear Family,                                                                                                                                           April 14, 2014

 
Well last week was pretty fun and crazy. Every week is, that's how I like it. Keep me busy teaching the gospel. Tuesday we went to the Abomosu Zone Training. That was a ton of fun. We found out that they have a Twi hymn book that they are learning some of the hymns from. It's not complete but it was about 50 hymns in it. We are doing Easter caroling in the mission to help strengthen the members and less actives. I found it and was excited because we can sing to people in their language and it would be so much more effective. We sang I Know that My Redeemer lives in Twi. It sounded so good. I got the music for it so we can sing it. I was really glad I taught myself how to read Twi a while back. It was really cool. I wish that I had recorded it but the camera was in the car and I was too lazy to go and get it. Pretty much everybody speaks English here. Every once in a while you get somebody who doesn't but most people do. They all understand Twi though. Abomosu was super nice. It's cool there all day and the air is so fresh. Smelled just like Idaho. Accra is a little stinky.  Abomosu is where a ton of gold mines are so I got some cool pictures of those. A lot of dusty roads and jungle though. We did see a lot of boats on the way back. They cut down trees and turn them into dug outs boats they are about 6 or 7 feet across and 50 feet long. They are huge! Big trucks just carry them down to the ocean. Those were scary. They are just sitting on the back of this truck with a few small ties holding them down. Crazy. Tomorrow I'm going back to Oda to deliver some supplies.

 

Saturday we did have the baptism.  It was really nice. Actually it was the best baptism of my mission. A ton of members came, the bishop was there, and it was very spiritual. They are doing really well.

This month President Hill challenged us all to focus on PMG (Preach My Gospel, handbook for missionaries) chapter 6, to pick one of Christ’s attribute and focus on developing that one. It reminded me of Elder Bednar when he came in January. He told us how he doesn't try to master teaching techniques but that he tries to care and love the people he is talking to and then the spirit does the rest. So with that I decided to study about faith and how can I increase my faith. It’s pretty cool how faith works. Basically I learned that Heavenly Father is ready and just waiting for us to act on our faith first. Pretty cool stuff.

We had a really fantastic Sunday too. Saturday night my companion was doing some "3 minute phone call sermons." We were doing that with all the names in our phone sharing a small thought with them about the gospel and ask to meet them. We did that because we had no idea who any of the people are. Nobody wanted us to come. But while my companion was doing that, I hate sitting around, so I jumped out of the car and started contacting people and talking with them for the last hour of the day. I love contacting after 8pm. That's just when things get exciting. One guy I talked to didn't seem serious at all and I didn't even write down his name or anything but I invited him to church, gave him a pass along card and moved on. Sunday morning he called and was at church. Who knew? He asked some pretty good questions in investigators class. We had another man we contacted and taught him during the week come to church too. He called said he was walking to the church but couldn't find the place so we left PEC and went to find him. Got him to Church alright. Then another investigator brought her 16 year old daughter with her to church.  I love teaching people. We are really blessed in this area. I'd be interested to see what we could do full time proselyting here.
 
Probably have more to say that I forgot about but the electricity just went off and I am on battery right now and I don't know how long that will last so love you all. Nice work Dad and Matthew. I won't even recognize the houses when I get back!

 

Love,

 

Elder Clark