Elder Stevenson Visits and Office Life

Dear Family,

This has probably been the most interesting week of my mission. Tuesday was my last day proselyting for a while. The new Elder came to replace me Tuesday afternoon and I slept in Effiduase for the night. On Wednesday I came down with the rest of the Koforidua zone to see Elder Stevenson speak. It was really good.  Ulisses S Soares and his wife spoke, and so did Marcus B. Nash and his wife. Both President Heid and the Accra West Mission President spoke. It was a really wonderful program all together.

Accra and Accra West Mission Wide Conference

Afterwards I came back to the mission home and a whole bunch of other people were here for the program and transfers and such. It was a little stressful because everyone expected me to know what I was doing but I didn't really have any idea. So many people made office elder jokes and stuff. That night we had all the trainers and trainees sleep here in the bunkhouse and on Thursday they got them processed and assigned and sent out.

Friday everyone was tired so President gave us an Office P-day. Me and Elder Harris went and played tennis! First time in 1 year. It was a lot of fun and we will be going several times a week because the Heid's play tennis and have court time there that we can use. Then I spent the rest of the day cleaning because there was nothing else for me to do. I also went to this place called Shoprite which is just like a normal grocery store back home. I hated it. Everything was labeled and stuff and there are too many options and too many white people. I was really missing the simplicity of the life that I used to live and the lives that the Ghanaian people live. I just sat in an aisle an stared at everything for a minute. Anyways on Saturday Elder Harris and I went out and bought tennis stuff and got lost somewhere in Accra. When we got back Elder Falk and I went to Teshie to drop off some bikes for some Elders.

Sunday we went to church. My area is called Cantoments. It is a really sweet ward. We worship at the temple site. I am used to having to communicate and get to know people in Twi. Sunday people were coming to me and telling me about their trip to Salt Lake and stuff. Super awesome people though that know how the church is supposed to be run and have been members since the beginning of the church here in Ghana. It is really enjoyable though to be right by the temple and have so many great members. I bore my testimony and I realized that I have heard three apostles - David A Bednar, Ronald A Rasband, and Gary E Stevenson - all speak from that same pulpit. It is also the ward that people visit when they come to Accra and I met the Relief Society President from Oyoko there. It was really awesome to see people from old areas. Sunday I also learned how to drive stick shift. It was crazy because there are no church parking lots here. I had to drive across like the busiest, tightest road in Ghana after like 2 minutes of practice!

Questions from home:

You live in the actual mission home - with the President? How is that? Are the living conditions better than most? Yeah, so I live in the mission home with Elder Falk, who is my companion, and the 2 AP's, (Assistant to the President) Elder Harris and Elder Osei-Brobbey and President and Sister Heid. Elder Falk is cool. He lives close to us in Salt Lake so I know everywhere he is talking about back home. He was a baseball player for Olympus. Elder Harris is my good friend. We were trained by the same person. He plays tennis as well as I do and he reminds me exactly of Uncle Bart. Just this really goofy guy that is really smart and friendly. Elder Osei is a Ghanaian that is going home next transfer. He is also pretty cool.

What kinds of things are you doing? I don't know actually, this week was abnormal. Mostly I just sat around this week. I understand it like this. I do all of the mission statistics and office work. Give reimbursement. Fix problems. Run supplies. I have heard it explained like this: We are not proactive, we are reactive to all of the problems that come from running the mission.

Do you get the chance to do any teaching? This week we didn't. We have an area that we share with other Elders. Elder Falk said we will teach maybe 5 lessons a week. I think we can put in some good missionary work though.

I love you so much. I can tell whenever you email me now because I get notifications on my Iphone.

Elder Shelton

A Phone Call Home

Great view of Oyoko

Last week's hike to Boti Falls

Editor's Note: We received a phone call early last Friday morning from Brigham. I didn't answer the phone in time as it roused me from a deep sleep. The caller ID said "Ghana" and I got a little excited and a little freaked out. I imagined Brigham possibly being reassigned to the Liberia or Sierra Leone Mission - it has happened to a few other elders as they have reopened those missions. Mike started googling Ghana news outlets to see if there had been any political unrest or natural disasters. After a few minutes when we didn't get another call I figured out how to call the number back. Brigham answered and immediately said, "Mom, I'm ok, I'm ok." and then we were disconnected. We finally were able to connect with him after calling again and he apologized for the early hour. We spoke for maybe three minutes when he said he was getting a call from his District Leaders and needed to answer their call. The phone call ended with a quick "I love you." and then he was gone. Read on to find out why he was allowed to make this unusual call home.

- Brigham's Mom

Dear Family,

Resident of  Boti Falls

It has been a really great week here. I had a mission standard week to finish off my time in Oyoko and hand it off to the next person. I guess I should explain about my assignment and the phone call. On Thursday President Heid called me to ask if I could help one of Oyoko's perspective missionaries to fill out his online application. We planned to go to the internet cafe on Friday evening to help him. I had some questions so I decided to give President Heid a call and clarify what action I should take. We sorted everything out and then he asked, "Elder, do you have an international driving permit?" I explained to him that I was working on getting mine renewed. He said, "Why don't you go ahead and call your mom and tell her to expedite that immediately." I asked, "You want me to call my mom?" He said, "Yeah, why don't you go ahead and give her a call, you'll be working with me in the office so this will be your last week in Oyoko." I was shocked and excited and didn't really know what was going on. I immediately called you because that is what President asked me to do. I was so excited I didn't really think about what time it was there. I knew right when you didn't answer that it was like 4 in the morning and that I had just scared you to death. Anyways, I am glad it all worked out.

In the mission, the President has 2 office Elders. They stay at the mission home with the AP's. "They are President Heid's personal ministers to do whatever the Lord needs them whether it's preparing audio visual materials or buying frying pans or transporting missionaries all over creation." (written by a former Office Elder) My companion will be Elder Falk who is a really cool guy. He went to Olympus high school and played pitcher for their baseball team.

Over the river and through the woods
to the Teye Family's House we go.

The Teye Family

I am very sad to leave Oyoko. There are so many things I will miss about being here. I have seen so much progress in this area. I heard many things about Oyoko as I came here.  I am convinced that no area is "bad". Rather an area is what you make of it. I am confident that I worked my hardest while I was up here. I don't know how much of a difference that will make to the branch or the people here, but I know it has made a difference for me. I will be sad to leave many great investigators, members, recent converts, and my companion. God placed me under the stewardship of this area, and it will be sad to pass it along. I know the Lord will take care of the area and help it to continue to progress.

Elder Shelton and Godfred

Mom's Questions:
Is Elder Robertson staying in Oyoko? Yes.

Do you have time to tell the story about the new drunk guy you've been teaching? His name is Godfred Oware. I told you the story about how we met him. He has traveled all over Africa. He has been under a drinking addiction since he was in high school and he is 43 now. We taught him about baptism and he was so grateful that he hadn't died so that he could be baptized now. He has read like the entire gospel principles book and definitely knows more than all the members now. Super cool guy.

Recent Convert

 With Oyoko Branch Relief Society Presidency

Anyways. I love you all. I will email you next week from my new home.    
   -Elder Shelton

What African Kids Do During a Rain Storm

Interpreting Dreams

Dear Family,

This week was a fantastic week. It is funny some of the things that you mentioned mom in your letter. You mentioned dreams.  We have this woman that is the daughter of a local pastor. She is 30 years old. This week she was telling us about this dream she had about 5 years ago. It took her like 30 minutes to tell but I will tell the short version. She told that in the dream there were some people that were trying to keep her locked up. It was the people that were close to her and familiar that were trying to keep her locked up. She said that she saw 2 white people dressed like missionaries. She wrote down there names. She said the 2 white people were fighting and fighting to free her and to help her. She talked about angels being with the white people trying to unlock her and free her. Eventually they were able to free her and heal her from this sickness that she was having.

She told us that when she first met us she kept looking at our name tags over and over again. She recognized them before. It is why she talked to us in the first place. She eventually realized that the symbol she saw on our name tags was the same symbol that she had seen 5 years earlier in her dream. We had been teaching her earlier about how there is only 1 true church. She was super confused by that. I think the dream helped her to understand a little more. She is still really confused by what the dream means. It is funny because to Elder Robertson and I it couldn't be more obvious. Her whole life she has lived under this blanket of false doctrine. It is not easy to uncover. But God truly can send dreams to help people understand.

In other news the drunk guy we found last week is progressing very well and came to church and has stopped drinking. Pretty incredible story he has that I will have to tell you some other time.

Today we had a zone activity and we went to a place called Boti Falls. It is actually just over the mountain from the Oyoko apartment. It was actually this huge waterfall and it was really cool.

I love you all.
Elder Shelton

"My hand is in the Lords work."

Dear Family,

I have to say that this was a truly unique and wonderful week. There were many events and experiences to remember and I would like to share a few. The first happened on Tuesday. There is this family in our branch and some of the children are not baptized. They have been coming on and off and until Sunday I didn't know the children weren't baptized, so we scheduled for Tuesday to come and visit them. He said his house was difficult to find so he sent his boy to come pick us up on the main road. He started leading the way from Jumapo down into these smaller villages on the outside of town. I thought we would be stopping at one of these small houses on the outskirts of Jumapo. I guess I was wrong because after about 1 hour we had climbed up to where this family stays. We had to cross rivers and streams and swamps and we walked through a rice field. We got up into the cocoa trees and there were many huge beautiful trees. As you might expect they live in a very humble circumstance. We started teaching the children and it was a great experience to see these children so excited to learn. We committed the whole family to come to church on Sunday and sit next to each other. They must walk 2 hours to get to church. As we were starting church they were all there sitting together. They also came to our baptism on Saturday. It is truly an incredible act of faith for them every week to come but they are there with no complaints. It is wonderful to see that the gospel can even touch and bless families that live in such a remote area of the world. They are a great example to me.

Elder Robertson, Festus, Isaac, Elder Shelton

Our baptisms on Saturday went great. It was truly a joy to see both of them come so far and to see all of the blessings that have come to them in their lives. As you remember Isaac was a drunk that has had his life completely changed by the gospel. Festus is 14 years old and is a really funny kid with a lot of energy. He pretty much just was invited by someone at church and came and then we started teaching him. We are planning on him going out with us and working this week.

That same Saturday night we were trying to find one of our investigators and we only found the brother in the house. We started talking to him a bit and behind us we heard this voice that I couldn't discern very well. We turned around to see this man who was sitting on some dark steps at the opposite house. Immediately the spirit hit me like a hammer and I knew that God wanted us to come in contact with this man. He saw that we hadn't understood him and he again asked for our contact. We went over to him and started talking with him. He expressed that he was a drunk and he couldn't stop drinking although he had the desire. We sat down with him and started to talk about Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us so that we could change. He was in tears. I have never seen a Ghanaian cry before. He kept saying, "I am trying, I am trying, but I just can't stop." We spent some more time with him teaching him about Jesus Christ. He was so grateful for us and our desire to help him. As we were leaving he said, "I think this will be my last day drinking." I told him I thought it would be too. It was an incredible experience for me because I had just seen the journey of a man in a similar situation be baptized. I could see how much agony he was in, but I also knew with an absolute a surety that he could be changed by Jesus Christ and his gospel. After this experience I realized that it isn't me who should have the influence on these people. As we were coming home that night I said, "The Lord's hand is really in our work." then I recognized that more accurately, "My hand is in the Lord's work." I know that it was God that put that man there to talk to us. I don't know what will happen with him, but I can only hope and pray that he will be able to feel the influence of not me, but the Lord in his life.

I love you so much. You are always in my prayers.

Elder Shelton

Service Project

Dear Family,

This week was a normal week. We were able to find 3 part member families that we want to teach. As I have said before families are not easy to find in Oyoko. I hope that I can make some difference in these families lives and bring them closer together. I know how much the gospel blesses families. When you do find a family here it is super hard to schedule them to all be together because no one has a schedule. But I am optimistic about putting in some good work with these families.

We did do a service project. It was an all African service project. We went to the Oyoko Library which was a huge mess with a bunch of old dusty books thrown all over the place. We dusted and cleaned everything up on the inside and out. It was a little bit of a disaster. We had children climbing to the top of bookshelves throwing books off and having illiterate people try to organize books putting them in upside down or backwards. But it was really fun and we had a great turnout. I will show you some pictures.

Isaac and Festus' baptisms are this week. I am super excited to baptize them. They are both truly converted.

Anyways, love you all.
Elder Shelton

Okoyo LDS Branch

Festus

Investigators Progressing Well

Dear Family,

Sounds like you are having too much fun at home. I have only seen 1 person watching the Olympics here. Soccer is still the thing that people are watching.

The investigators are progressing well. Brother Isaac will be baptized soon. What a joy it has been teaching him. When we first found him he was abandoned by everyone and drunk. Now when we go there he is with his 3 children and they are all making dinner together. This week he told us of some of the blessings in his life. He said that his friend came over and saw that he has stopped drinking and he gave him two huge contracts to build some story buildings in Koforidua. When we met him we boldly promised him that if he stopped drinking that the Lord would bless him. He has stopped and the Lord has blessed him in more ways than he can think of. I have confidence in promising anyone blessings because I can see so easily how their lives will be effected by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Many people are always asking for money.  I wish they could see how much more joining the church would bless them than me giving them money.  It seems like while I have been out here my vision of the world and God's plan for us has deepened so much. I can see the cause and effect of the gospel so easily now.

We are also planning on baptizing this boy named Festus. He is smart and is progressing well and has a desire to learn. It really excites him to be a part of the church and to be able to hold the priesthood.

Gabriel is doing wonderfully. He is the deacons quorum president and is passing the sacrament. He says he feels shy to do it. I guess that is one of the blessings of the church. You learn to do hard things.

Constance has still traveled. She was going to get baptized and then she went to her home for a while and her family saw her reading the Book of Mormon and said that there was no way they would allow her to be baptized. We hope that she comes back soon because she still has a great desire to be baptized.

I love you so much.

Elder Shelton

Catching Up . . .

Brigham's Apartment Complex

Editors Note:

I have gotten behind on Brigham's blog

so there are three weeks of posts this time.

July 25th -
This week seemed to be a spiritual week for me.  At many times the spirit spoke to me and reassured my testimony.  I would like to tell you about one experience. Many times I have had the thought come to my head, "What good are you really doing? Do you really have an influence? Are people really changing or are they just hearing?" I know all the answers to these questions and I know it is Satan that puts them in my head.  This week I was able to get reassurance.

We were teaching our investigator named Isaac Adu.  He was the alcoholic when we found him.  We gave him a Book of Mormon and I am not sure he has put it down since.  His change has been incredible. This week he was asking about the plan of salvation and we were talking about life after death. He asked several good questions that we were able to help him understand.  Then he asked, "So if I make it to Paradise, will I be able to see you guys again and say that these are the men who taught me the gospel?"  I nearly started to cry because I had a sure knowledge of how to answer his question and because the thought of seeing him in Paradise touched me.  I remembered how great shall be our joy if we bring but one soul unto Him.  It was a wonderful experience for me that gave me much reassurance and hope.  I am grateful for experiences like these that make me realize how much the Lord is in my life watching out for me.


August 1st -
This week was a really rainy week and we had to battle to rain and mud. I have been in Oyoko for 3 transfers now. 1 with Elder Robertson. I am staying here for at least another transfer. I hope to stay here for some time still. I am really happy here. Although there are always disappointments I am really happy here and really excited about the future in Oyoko. The other day I realized how happy I am and how happy my mission has been. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in all of the busyness and commotion and not take time to count your blessings. I realized how truly wonderful of an experience this is an that I still have much happiness and memories ahead.

This week I gained a greater respect and love for the Ghanaian people. After a disappointing day where we only had two lessons we tried to go visit one of the less actives in our branch. Unfortunately he wasn't there but we met his daughter Sister Faustina Mensah who recently returned home from her mission. She informed us that her sister died the night before in her sleep and Sister Faustina was sleeping right next to her. Sister Faustina seemed to be o.k. and you could tell that she was still happy for everything she had and everything she knows about life after death. It really opened my eyes. I had just been complaining that I only had two lessons and feeling sorry for myself but one of our branch members just lost her sister. It really made me think about how much these people suffer and how little they complain and just takes it as it comes.

Then a few days later we invited Isaac Adu to a mid-week activity. He lives about a 30 minute walk from the chapel so we decided to walk the distance with him as he has been doing every Sunday. About half way through I started thinking about how long of a walk it was and how I was getting soaked by the rain. Again I caught myself complaining. I realized that this man walks this distance every Sunday and doesn't complain at all. He is as happy as can be that he is at church. It is the life he lives everyday and here I was feeling sorry for myself. It really gave me a greater love for him and the sacrifice that all of the Ghanaian people go through. Sometimes I forget how much I am asking these people to do for the gospel. I am touched by how much they will do and go through for their Savior Jesus Christ and not complain one bit. They truly love the Lord.

August 8th -

This week was a normal week. We were able to find a lot of new investigators that seem like they will progress well. This week I was reminded about a line in Preach My Gospel that says that the Lord will lead you to those that are prepared or He will lead them to you. My first day in Oyoko, about 5 months ago, 3 women kind of jokingly called us over and started asking us some questions. There were 2 that were more loud and 1 that was in the background a bit. The 2 that were more talkative let us know that they lived in Koforidua and the shy one stayed in our area. Luckily we got all of their contacts and we began teaching the more reserved woman named Constance. She has really progressed and has a baptismal date for the end of the month although she has traveled. I was surprised that she has progressed so well and has gained her own testimony because of the weirdness of the initial contact. It didn't seem like she would progress. I know the Lord prompted her friends to call us over.

Then the other day we were in Jumapo, the town next to Oyoko, and we saw the other 2 friends, more accurately they saw us. They told us they have now moved to Jumapo and they said we could meet with them. It turns out that they happen to be incredible investigators that are progressing rapidly and they have had so many of their questions of the soul answered by the gospel. It was like the gospel was the perfect missing puzzle piece in their life. 

Apartment Bedroom

It is incredible how the Lord provides opportunities for those who are held from the truth only because they know not where to find it. The way we found these 3 investigators was a bit out of the ordinary. I know that the Lord provided a way for them to have the truth in their life and fill that hole of doubt and confusion in their lives. It was a testimony that this work is not mine. It is the Lord's. If we are doing all we can do the Lord will lead those people right into our paths.

Love,

Elder Shelton

Apartment Kitchen

Isaac the Miracle

Dear Family,

This week was crazy. Elder Buys and Krofuah moved out so it was only me and Elder Robertson. We taught 30 lessons this week and had a mission standard week. We were very effective and didn't have any distractions. We gave this guy named Isaac a book of Mormon last week. He was a drunk. Ever since he touched the book he won't let it go. He came to church and hasn't had a sip of alcohol. He still has a long way to go but it was a miracle that was incredible to see.

Other than that a pretty normal week. Today Elder Robertson and I just decided to hike the mountain that is near us. We got to the top and found a legit village with mud huts and stuff. Somebody up there just took us around to see all of the cool things. I love that about the Ghanaian people. If you want to make them happy let them serve you. They guy just dropped everything and took us all over and then asked for our phone number afterwards. He was so happy to see us. It was a pretty cool adventure.

Questions: 

Note - The past couple of weeks I have been reading a book about modern day 

Ghanain tribal king so a lot of my questions came from the reading. -Brigham's Mom

• Is there a king of Okoyo? A Chief
• Are the people really spiritualistic about their ancestors and believe that the ancestor spirits come and direct their lives, or tell them what king to choose?  Yep
• Do they have elaborate, expensive funerals that last for days that they can't really afford?  Hahahahah. I have had to pull out Matthew 8:22 a couple times
  . It happens every week.
• Do they believe in witches and cursings?  Yep. Creates a big problem with the Book of Mormon.
• Do they believe in pouring libations (liquor) daily on their doorsteps to appease their ancestors?  Sometimes
•  What do Ghanaians think about the temple?  It is pretty normal to them. Never had a problem explaining the temple. Baptisms for the dead is the main reason why Bro. Gyasi got baptized.
• Can you buy Kente cloth and is it really expensive?  Remember Isaac? He does kente. It is like 20 cedis for a piece the size of a scarf and 200 for like blanket size. It is really cool though. I want to take a picture of him doing it.
• Tell me more about Gabriel.  Gabriel is the sweetest boy. Really quiet and soft spoken. Not easily influenced by the world. Content with himself.
• Does he live with this family and why is he taking care of their little girls?  He is house help for his Aunt's family. His aunt is always at work. His biological mother and the girls mother are sisters.
•  Tell me a miracle that happened this week and something you did to serve someone.  Isaac was a miracle. We pushed a car all the way up this huge hill. We are planning on reorganizing the Oyoko Library though.

Anyways, love you all.
Elder Shelton

Gabriel's Baptism

Dear Family,

Gabriel's Baptism

We had a baptism Sunday. His name is Gabriel and is 14 years old. He is staying with members but he is a really smart kid and it has been great working with him and listening to him absorb the gospel.The baptism went great, although neither the father or mother was there. Gabriel is such a good kid. He is pretty much the house help for a man named Cowbell in our branch. The boy takes care of the 3 young girls. He cooks, cleans, washes, and does almost everything else in the house. He is taking his Book of Mormon story book to school and reading it to all of his friends. He is quiet and calm, which is amazing considering the 3 small girls he has to take care of. He will make a great father one day. It was wonderful to see him be baptized and I know he has a bright future ahead.

We are also working with a woman named Constance. She is 22 years old and has had a really difficult life but is still positive. She is here for school. Cape Coast University has a distance learning program they hold at Omess on the weekends She will be baptized probably next month but it is a joy teaching her because all of the lessons with her are so spiritual. We taught her about the Atonement and about eternal families this week. Both of them were just incredible lessons because she has had a rough past and has lost both of her parents. She is traveling but when she comes back I hope we will baptize her.

Questions from home:

• How are the people that you have been baptized while you've been there doing? Some have traveled. As is always the case Satan is working on them hard but they are doing well.
• Are they coming to church still? Sometimes.
• How is your Twi coming along. Kakrakakra. If people are talking to me I usually understand it.
• Is it still the rainy season? Yep 

Anyways, other than that we had a fun zone activity today and played soccer and ping pong and just had fun talking together. It seems like because Elder Robertson is fresh from the U.S. he is reminding me a lot of home so my mind has been thinking about you all this week. Again, I can't describe how grateful I am to be a member of a family.

Love,

Elder Shelton

Making Banku

New Companion /Trainee

Dear Family,

This week was really crazy. We went down to Accra on Tuesday to pick up my trainee. His name is Elder Robertson from Memphis Tennessee. He is a big guy but really cool. He reminds me a lot of Josh in the way he speaks and carries himself. He is a ready to go and do work. It was a really exhausting week. I am still trying to find out how to run everything and manage being senior companion and still think about how I can help Elder Robertson.

We are working to get this family called the Sarpongs baptized as well as a girl named Constance and a small boy named Gabriel. They are all really cool and I think that all of their baptisms will go through.

Today we bought a rabbit and killed it and cooked it up to go into some Fufu. It was really good and a fun little adventure.

Anyways, not much to report on today. I want to start a project where I make a list and write about some of my heroes here. I hope to write to you about some people that have made a big impact on me.

I hope all is well back home. You are always in my prayers.

Love,

Elder Shelton