This week was filled with some incredible experiences. Thursday Elder Bednar was in town. Unfortunately we did not have a mission conference with him. He did have a member fireside though. We were invited to go as long as we had an investigator or recent convert with us. The plan was to meet one of our recent converts at the chapel at 3:00 where there would be a van to take to the ward in Accra. (The fireside was at the stake center next to the temple)
So we start the day off teaching. We have an appointment at 1:00. We are teaching 2 friends whose names are M_____ and G_____. We start talking and Elder Ojaide keeps talking. There were many times I felt the lesson could have ended but Elder Ojaide likes to talk long. It took forever and now we are going to miss the bus to go see Elder Bednar. We get on our bikes and I say, "We need to get to the chapel now." He says he wants to go back to the apartment and shower to look good for Elder Bednar. I told him we weren't going to see him because we were going to miss the bus. He insists that we wont miss it. On our way home we run into the recent convert that said he would go to the fireside and we find out he can't go anymore. So we start to go home and Elder Ojaide is still planning to take a shower, and go to the chapel, and find some investigator that will go with us even though it is now past the time we were to meet. We get home and he jumps in the shower. I am super frustrated because we wont get to see Elder Bednar and Elder Ojaide wants me to find someone to take so we can go. Everyone else in the Zone seems to have ample investigators that want to go but we cant find any. In my frustration and anger I kneel down to say a prayer. As I get up from my prayer I flip open the area book and call the first person I see, which was a recent convert named Ben that we have never contacted. I called him and he said he was in Accra close to the Chapel and he would love to go and we should meet him there. It was incredible. One in a million chance. Incredible to see prayers answered. We rush over to the Church where, of course, the bus has left. We found this guy at the church who was also going to the fireside and he helped us find our way there via packed trotro. We got there and Ben actually showed up!
It was incredible to listen to Elder Bednar. He did a Q and A the entire time and it was so cool. One 9 year old asked how he could better prepare to serve a mission. Elder Bednar called him up to the podium and had some of the mission presidents say different things like read the Book of Mormon. Elder Bednar gave the last answer and said, "The best thing you can do to prepare for your mission is to keep that smile on your face." I loved that answer and it was so true. During Elder Bednar's last testimony the rain starts to come down like I have never seen it before. The meeting was so cool. We eventually found our ward's van and crammed into it. There were like 30 soaking wet people in a van made for 15. It was an incredible experience.
On Saturday we attended a baptism in the morning. We got there and I was asked to be the witness which I thought was really cool. I felt honored to be asked to do it. Later that night the Sister missionaries who serve in our ward also had a baptism. When we get there they asked me to do the baptism. So I got to baptize two people. It was really a privilege to get to do it. The hardest part was figuring out how to say their names correctly. It was incredible to see the smile on their faces as I baptized them. I also realized how incredible it is to hold the priesthood power of God to perform such a sacred and important ordinance.
Funny story of the week: Lasagna is both Elder Johnson's and my favorite food. One night we just started talking about Costco lasagna and describing it and how much we missed it. We were both in tears by the end of it because we miss it so much. Not much variety in flavor of food here. I miss cheese and meat so much. The food here is really spicy and I cry every time I eat a spicy meal. Swallow foods are still not easy to keep from unswallowing. Its not really all that bad though. I get by with bread.
I love you all so much. I hope you had a happy Halloween. I missed it here. Have a good week.
Love,
Elder Shelton
I got an email and picture this week from a mom of a missionary in Ghana. She was with her family in Ghana to pick up her son from his mission. While out and about touring the area they came across some missionaries. She said, "I couldn't help but take a picture of these two awesome Missionaries doing the work of the Lord. Hey moms… They are doing fantastic! And, the new one is adjusting well." It was a fun email to get, especially since Brigham hasn't sent a picture since he's been out in the field.
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