Happy Easter,
Well sorry about the email last week I can see that you guys aren't too happy about that. I wrote a really long email last week but it didn't get through to you, sorry about that I will make sure that this weeks gets sent to you.
Well this week was pretty dang awesome. We had 10 missionaries go home and only 2 new missionaries come in. On Monday we had the 10 missionaries going home come to the mission home and we weighed their luggage, had a big dinner, had a testimony meeting, and then they each had their final interview with President Sabey. We got to bed early because we had to wake up at 3 am and then be leaving the mission home by 4 am to get to the temple in time for us to do a session and then get to the airport. So Elder Mackay drove the whole way to Accra, I still don't have my license. You have never driven in traffic until you have driven in Accra, it is insane!!! I am not as excited to drive anymore after seeing how crazy it was. Eventually we got to the temple around 8 in the morning and we were able to get into the 8:30 session. Man was it sweet to be back in the temple. It had been so long. It was amazing how much I have learned about the temple during my mission, more than I had realized. It was a really sweet feeling being at the temple and I can't wait until next transfer to go again. Now I probably had one of the sweetest if not the sweetest day of my mission at the temple on Monday. As I was walking out of the changing room of the temple I passed Bro. and Sis. Mackay, Bro Pratt, Bro. Nyan and a whole bunch of other people from Moree Ward. It was crazy I hadn't seen them in forever. The Moree Ward was on a temple trip. Bro. Pratt told me in the temple as we were talking that some of my recent-converts were at the temple with them too and that he wanted to take us to go and see them. They were all sitting in the waiting room of the temple getting ready to head to the baptistry. I opened the door to the waiting room and saw 6 of my recent-converts from Moree all sitting there. It was so awesome, I don't think I have ever seen anything sweeter than that. It was such a cool thing to see how so many of the people that I taught in Moree are still going strong and are at the temple. We weren't in any rush to get to the airport or anything because people weren't leaving for a while so I was able to spend time with them and talk. I hope you haven't forgotten Andrew Aikins already. He was there and I talked to him for a long time. He is currently dating a girl from Moree who is a strong member and they are planning on getting sealed early next year. I saw the both of them at the temple. I still can't get over how FREAKIN sweet that day was. But it still wasn't over. After the temple we left with everyone and went to a nice restaurant to eat lunch and then we headed to the MTC to stay for the night before sending the missionaries off in the morning and picking up the 2 greenies. Somewhere along the way we lost 3 of the missionaries going home because they lived in Ghana so we released them that night, and the rest of us stayed at the MTC. Oh, yeah, as we were driving from the temple to the airport we realized that we were driving the complete opposite direction of where we were going and we were somehow lost in Accra, not a good place to be lost. But don't worry with our super navigation skills and a giant 5 ft map we found our way to the MTC after some time. I got to see President and Sister Froerer, the MTC president and talk with them for a while which was really sweet. I was only the 2nd group they had in the MTC so they were excited to see me and see how the mission was going. Temple, MTC, Froerers, and good food made for one heck of a day!
Wednesday morning we went and dropped everyone at either the airport to go home or the temple. We sent home 2 Ivorians as well, Elder Yapo and Elder Vanie. The Borders were still closed to Ivory Coast so we left the 2 Elders with the big group of Ivorians who were stuck at the temple. Many Ivorians have been stranded at the temple because the borders were closed when they came for their temple trip about a month ago or so. The temple is a great place of refuge though. They left on Thursday with the big group of Ivorians from the temple to try and get back over the border, and I am still yet to hear whether they made it back safely. After we finished everything in Accra we drove back home and got the new missionaries oriented and sent to their various areas. Elder Brown in from Ghana and Sister Chivenge is from Zimbabwe. They are both really sweet. So the rest of Wednesday we helped with transfers making sure that everyone who was transferred got on the right bus and made it to wherever they were transferred. So that is how a normal transfer usually goes. It's a 3 day event for us, but man was it sweet. As for the rest of the week it was a pretty normal week. We spent time in the office with the Saunders doing small paper and computer stuff like checking baptism records and following up on records that we haven't received. Our truck had another problem again and so we took it to the shop again to get fixed. I am so glad that I am not driving yet because the truck keeps on breaking down. It makes it look like it's all Elder Mackays fault because I don't have a license haha. I am just hoping that he gets everything fixed and ready for me by the time I drive so that I don't have any problems with it haha. I tried to go and get my license this week but the man wouldn't allow me to get a license because I am white. Yeah, he was very racist, so we have to go to Takoradi and try and get me a license there because the people in Cape Coast won't give me one. We also became professional movers this week and moved out an entire apartment for a few days and transported it to another apartment.
Sunday was sweet. We went over to the Saunders to eat diner, they invited us over for enchiladas and ice cream. Man was it powerful, I haven't eatin anything like that in so long!! The whole food thing is becoming a bit of a problem though. I eat so much good food now that I have gained about 10 lbs back since becoming an assistant. I am a little worried about what I might look in the next few months haha. I do love the Saunders so much, they are so cool to be around and to learn from, plus they take dang good care of us.
Well it was a super sweet but crazy fast week. Where does the time go??? Well I will finish my email a little later and add some other things you want to know about because I need to give Sister Saunders her computer back. But that was about the whole of the weeks events. Sweet right???
Love Elder Adams
Oh yeah as for the two missioanries in Accra, they were released. The appeal was overturned. As for how much pres Sabey had in that I don't really know to be honest, but I do know that he was involved. He was always telling us how the evidence they had against them was basically nothing and what they could do to prove the case in their favor. And so I think he kinda helped them see those things and then eventually the judge agreed I guess. I am not a man of law though, so don't ask me. All I know is that that is so sweet to hear that they have been released. They have been in our prayers for so long. The Lord really does hear our prayers. Oh and I found my chip today with all of the pictures and I am going to burn a disc tonight I think. It should be on your doorstep in a matter of just a few weeks. I think there is a little more than 250 pictures or so, not a whole lot but that's all I have taken. Okay love you, bye bye.
Okay I'm back. Well maybe I will just take a minute to answer a few of your questions. We live at the mission home with the Sabey’s. We have our own little apartment that is across the yard from the Main mission home where the Sabey’s stay, but in the same compound. That way they still have their privacy. In the compound there is the mission home, our apartment, the office, and then a big drive way for us to park our cars and then a big lawn kind of like ours at home. It's a nice place. I am going in tomorrow to get my license in Takoradi. We are going on splits there Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week, and then out to Swedru for splits on Friday (about 2 hour drive from Takoradi) then we should be back at the mission home by late Friday evening. So I am excited to learn how to drive a stick just so that when I get home I will be able to drive any car. I have been practicing a little bit and I got it down, I just have to get to where I am smooth and comfortable with it. Right now President Sabey is in Nigeria for a mission president training seminar and so he will be gone all week. So, it’s just us and the Saunders for the week. Umm what else can I tell you. Our schedule is a lot different than a normal missionary in that we often leave the apartment by 7 in the morning and get back as late as 11 in the evening depending on what we are doing that day. For a normal missionary you leave the apartment at 10 and come back by 9. It’s kind of like we just have a check list and when we finish everything that needs to be done that day then we go to our area and proselyte. I love being an assistant because we have such ample opportunity to learn from and watch the Sabey’s and the Saunders, not to mention all of the great experiences and everything else that comes with the assignment. But part of me really misses being able to have all day in your area to teach and be with your investigators and members. I miss teaching more than anything right now. I never realized how much I loved teaching until now. It really has become my favorite part of missionary work I love it so much. Two of my investigators from Atonsu were baptized this last week which was sweet. The powerful woman in the wheelchair, Anita, was baptized. Man I miss her so much she is one of my favorite investigators ever. I also think I miss Atonsu more than any of my areas so far. That place is so awesome.
Well, as for President Sabey, he goes home in 3 months or so and we get a new mission president, President Shulz. From what I have gathered I will be here for when he comes if nothing changes and will be smack dab in the middle of a new mission pres, new office couple, and really just new everything because the Saunders are going home just after the Sabey’s and another couple the Lambs go home the end of May. So it is going to be sad to see them go, especially the Sabey’s, but sweet to see how the transition is made with a new mission president and also to get to know President Shulz. It’s going to be an exciting time for sure. Right now I just want to learn as much as I can from the Sabey’s before they go and build a good relationship with them , they are such awesome people. The mission is also expanding and we are going to have 164 missionaries in our mission soon too, I think, they want it to get more missionaries because we are opening so many new places and going to new cities. I can't think of a more exciting mission to be in right now than this mission. I freakin Love it!!!!!!!!!
Well I hope that is a better update on everything. Sorry it took so long. I am just glad I am across the world so you can't yell at me to much, because I know you want to haha. Well I love you guys and I love hearing from you ever week, it is definitely a highlight. Well its getting late now and I better run, we still got a few things to do before the day is over. I love you and you’re always in my prayers. Keep moving forward and do your best, that's all the Lord asks from us. Take care and God bless the Adams family!!!!
LOVE ELDER ADAMS
Accra Time