Transfer to Oyoko!

Dear Family,

Get ready for a long letter. This week was really crazy. It has been really long.

On Monday we had our Elders in the Kitchen activity. It was really a lot of fun. It really opened my eyes though to how food here is prepared. Really not safe at all and with a lot of oil. We probably used 1.5 litres of oil for a stew that would feed 16. The food was really good though.

Tuesday was strange as well because transfers came early. Our small apartment had to host 2 other Elders for the night and I ended up sleeping on the floor in the main room. It wasn't good because Elder Buys had to sleep out there as well so we talked for a long time.

The rest of the week was pretty normal until Friday. Our investigators were progressing and I really felt like they would come to church. We have 4 people with baptismal dates in April and I believe that at least one or two will go through.

On Friday we were out proselyting and at about 12:00 we get a call from Elder Buys. I am in the middle of talking to this woman but I can hear Elder Johnson talking on the phone. We it was finished he told me that I was going on emergency transfer to Oyoko and I was leaving on Saturday morning. It really surprised me because I thought that all of the transfers were over. I was a little stressed about how fast I was leaving and sad that I would have to say goodbye to so many people. Elder Buys called us back after an hour and told us that the office Elders were coming right then to pick me up. So we went home immediately and started to pack. It was crazy and it all hit me so fast.

The office Elders were soon there and took me to one of the missionary apartments downtown because the mission home and bunkhouse are being renovated. It was really hard for me to sleep because I had no fan and I was still trying to process what happened. I should let you know that what also added to the craziness is that Oyoko is in the Bush. Like really in the Bush. It is a small village in Eastern region and there are only a few areas that are more bushy than Oyoko.

The next morning the office Elders took me to the temple. Unfortunately I didn't get to do a session. I just helped with confirmations. The Koforidua branch was there though and so the Senior couple from Koforidua district (my district now) was down to help with them there.  Afterwards the Senior couple (the Taylors) drove me to the mission home and president Heid informed me that the Elder I was exchanging spots with wanted to go home so he moved him to the city. Then the Taylors drove me up to my area. The drive was beautiful.

We headed straight north from Accra and reached these mountains. As you are going up you can look out onto the city. It was really cool. It took us some time to get through the mountains. There are little villages there. The descent off the mountain reminded me of going through Logan Canyon except it was a lot more bushy and green and there were small structures with naked kids running around. There were people selling snails the size of softballs. The Taylors were super nice. I was with 2 other Elders that had come down and they both fell asleep so I talked with the Taylors as we were coming up and they were telling me about all of the things we were passing. When we finally got into Koforidua we dropped off the other Elders but my companion wouldn't pick up his phone so we went to the Taylors apartment. Koforidua reminded me a lot of a farm town. There are just a bunch of small towns as you are driving up the road.

Eventually we got a hold of my companion and they took me to an appointment that he was in with the Zone Leaders at their branch presidents house. Right when we got there it rained cats and dogs and I got soaked. We eventually made it home that night. We stay in a 2 man apartment that is huge and pretty nice.

My new companions name is Elder Okorie from Nigeria. It will be interesting to be his junior companion. He works with the members a lot and I think it will be good. The area is just one main road that goes through it and then just trails and forest the rest of the area. I am excited to be in the bush.

Other news: They are trying to make Koforidua into a Stake so yesterday Elder Okorie got a call about more transfers. Sisters will be moving up here into a branch called Effiduase. That is where the Zone Leaders used to stay so they will move in with us which I was actually happy about. I will be with 3 Africans so I will get acclimated quickly. Someone I was actually really excited to serve around, Elder Whiting, is being transferred away and that was a disappointment. But some really good sisters I came to know are moving into Effiduase so that will be good. Most of the Zone are Africans and they have been here for some time so it might be hard to easily and quickly fit in here.

Anyways, It was a good week full of changes and surprises. I think I will be here for a long time and I am excited to put some work in here.

I love you so much.
Elder Shelton