Well this is the last email from my mission. I will get on the plane home tomorrow. It has been sort of a weird time as I am sad and happy at the same time. It is a big schizophrenic last couple of weeks (kinda like the guy on Alfred Hitchcock' Psycho)(NO MOTHER NO! Reeeh reeeeh reeeh shreeking violins) I am happy to meet my family at home and spend time with them, have hot showers, hostess products and Harry Potter movies (preferably at the same time) and killer guitar shredding; however I am saddened because I am leaving my people here, the kindness of the Ghanaian people will be something I deeply miss and how loving they are.
It all kind of hit me after my last baptism on Friday. We went to the apartment after and realized that was the last one on my mission and I was sad. It has been an emotional week. I am not a long goodbye person really, as some know, and I took as many phone numbers and emails as I could. I will be sure to write some messages to as many as I can. I will forever love the West African people. They are definitely a 'happy people' and are very blessed.
The week started off good. I went on splits to Mamponsem on the beach. I went on splits with Elder Moa from Tonga. We went to an investigators house who accepted to read the Book of Mormon. She even pretended she was a member the other day when a man saw the missionaries leave her house and approached her. He asked, "are you going to that church?" She replied that she was a member. The man started to then tell her all these rumors about the church, lies really from some anti mormon literature. She thought it was interesting that there is so much persecution on the church so she is going to investigate the church to see what all the fuss is about. She is not one to listen to the crowd but will see for herself. Her son on the other hand is a different story. He approached me and asked me why Joseph Smith was a polygamist and all that type of stuff. He even said that the Book of Mormon is false because of some other stuff he heard.
We asked the boy if he has read the Book of Mormon, he said yes. We asked him if he had prayed and asked if it was true. He said yes and he received no answer. We then asked him what he remembered from what he read. He couldn't say anything. Turns out he read only 2 verses. My companion and I talked about Peter the Apostle, we then talked about 2 verses where Peter chops off a soldiers ear and then where he denies Christ 3 times. If you only read these 2 verses about Peter then you might figure he is a bad man, however if you read further you find that he is one of the greatest men who has ever
lived. We then told him to go to the actual source for his information and not drink downstream after the cows had trodden through it.
Hopefully that small boy will humble himself and truly investigate. I actually am very grateful for him because he asked us to, "Tell me about Jesus." We went and told him how He died for our sins and He
established a church and it fell and He restored it back again and how He visited the Nephites etc. He then said, "no tell me about Jesus." I didn't get what he was saying. I then thought about it and we should have told him about Christ's traits and His love for all of us, especially from the Book of Mormon. Too often we focus on Christ's events rather than try to become more like Him, patient, loving, full of charity and faith, always willing to do the Fathers will rather than any other way. It was something to ponder about. I am grateful for that little stubborn boy, was probably only 16.
Well on Friday we had a BAPTISM! We baptized N. Her muslim relative came along with the rest of her family. It was a good day, they were all very excited and happy for N. We also baptized B. B's father told us that he had a job interview in the morning but we could do the baptism in the evening. Well he was running late and everyone was having to leave so he told us to start the baptism, this is always sad feeling because we want the family to be present for the baptism. Well anywho towards the end of the baptism B's father came in. He couldn't catch a car, traffic problem in Accra, and he walked all the way from circle to our chapel. This is a very long distance. By the look of it he must have jogged there. He is a great father and it felt great that he was present for the baptism. It felt right once he arrived. I recognized this man's love for his son and wanted to be there for him. It was a very touching thing. He even made sure his son B. was not slouching during his picture
etc. It was great. His father's name is Wisdom.
Well anywho I gave a goodbye talk at church and I blubbered through it like dad. Man. It ain't easy. I saw all the faces in the congregation that I had worked with and it was awesome. That area of Ghana is really special to me. Doesn't look like much but the people are amazing. I love them.
Well I don't have too much time today because Aaron Kissi took us out to eat at 'Frankies'. He said I had lost way too much weight and needed to fatten me up before I go home. It was the first time I had been to a restaurant in Ghana. Man Aaron bought us a pizza, man with cape coast pineapple on it. NOTHING BEATS THE CAPE COAST PINEAPPLE. If you could somehow export that pineapple it would make millions. The pineapple is white inside. You can't export it because the sugar content doesn't last long. Also we had chicken wings, a club sandwich, a milkshake and an icee like drink. He forced me to eat all of it. MAN it was tough. He is a good guy. Kinda reminds
me of Caleb, kinda business like.
Sis Abena made fufu for us on Sunday. Man i ate tons. We are now going to the Baddoo's to eat AGAIN. Man everyone thinks I am skinny and wants me to get fat before I go home. Man I have never ate so much in my life.
I started to get all teary eyed in the cafe when I heard about the Engemanns from my McCarthy Hills ward visiting you at Temple Square and about how dad met Elder Oaks after church. That is amazing. Heavenly Father loves us a lot and has blessed us with so many great blessings. How many people can say that they have done those things. Bishop Engemann is a great man, huh. You can just feel it when you are around him. It will be great to meet him this week.
Well on Sunday we got about 6 or so people at church. LT came again with his wife. His wife is RT. Man let me tell you, she rocks! Wherever you meet a good man, you find a great wife beside him.
Anywho I gotta run over to the Baddoo's and stuff. Still gotta run all over. No time to rest until the plane ride. I'll tell you guys the stories and stuff later.
I'll write a little later tomorrow if I can.
To close, I love Ghana and the people. This is Christ's gospel and His church. He loves us. So does His Father who sent Him.
Talk to you all soon. I love you all.
See you soon my family.
Love, Elder Bills
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Bishop and Sister Engemann from Ghana visiting Elder Bills parents at Temple Square right after the 'Music and the Spoken Word' broadcast in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Bishop Engemann was in Salt Lake City for some training. He was Elder Bills bishop for about 7 months of his mission. |
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Elder Bill's parents, Bishop and Sister Engemann, some of their relatives, and a couple from South Africa also there for some training. This is right before we attended church with them held in the Joseph Smith Memorial Bulding (Used to be the Hotel Utah building). It was a great day! Sister Engemann is the auntie of Elder Cobbinah who was Elder Bills companion in McCarthy Hills. |
