SAYING GOODBYE IS NOT EASY, GHANA YOU STOLE OUR HEARTS

                                                          January 2015

                        

                                       Zone Conference with President Curtis

                    Saying Goodbye to Sister Rebecca & Elder Doug Stoker

                    Saying Goodbye to Sister Shelly &  Elder Russ Cannon                                       
                              

               February 2015.    The Harmaton (bad air quality) hits Accra

  

                 Last trip to Ho with the Wades A Celebration with Ho 2nd Branch for 

                                               "Growing & Staring My Business"

                                 This is what it's all about becoming " Self Reliant ". 😊😊

       

             

  These beautiful smiles were for Elder & Sister Cosgrave who they miss and love so much, 

    I told them I would send the picture to the Cosgraves, (which I did. )

      

          

            They were so excited to receive their certificates! So grateful !!

     

                                Day trip to Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary & Wili Falls 

         

                       

     

       

      Cute little guy....

    

   The monkeys loved bananas, I think they liked Lynn's yellow shirt too..

               

     

       

          Getting their water from the stream.  Humanitarian has been working with this village 

          to put in a well but it is hard for the locals to pay a few pesoas for water when it's free

          at the stream.

    

     Kathryn and I practicing our balancing.

    Wili Falls

     

   Saturday washing in the stream, as we were walking to the falls.

    

    

     March...

     My friend Delma Asomtre wonderful lady.  She is the Stake Self Reliance Leader for Tesono Stake.                Such a dedicated lady.  Her 3 year old son is on her back.

    

    The Self Reliance Team..Elder John Korentang, Alex Tandoh, Fred DeiOppong, Kathryn & Barry Wade, Regina Frimpha, Regina & elder Mentah, Bishop Akorligleh ,Marc Gohi, David Mensah

                              Samuel Owasu and his parents at his farewell

    

                                            Our friend Bishop Akorligleh 

    

         Our friends Elisha T Joseph, Collins Akwetey, Michael Odoom, Samuel Owasu

    

                                                            Micheal & Regina Odoom

    

                                       

                                Dinner at DNR with the Wades & Odooms

   

                                               March 2015 FAREWELL

            We were presented our Kente Cloth by Elder & Sister LeGrand Curtis

   Our Area 70 Elder John Korentang presented us our Kente Cloth at the Monday morning

   Devotional.
    

    Our Area 'Team" and our wonderful volunteers who became our family for 18 months.  Elder

    Korentang  Had a wonderful farewell lunch for us.  We are wearing a few of our " Africa Wears"

    We were given.  Even our "king" and " queen" slippers that Michael gave us. The village king &

    Queen wear these slippers (or flip flops).

    

             A beautiful African dress from our volunteers, Made by Faustina Agyemang , Alberts

            Darling wife.

    

..

    March 6 2015 Ghana Independence Day 58 years and our departure day. Last year we were the 

    Missionaries that went to the celebration, so this time we were glad others went with us.  A fun day.

    The Wades, Sanders,Smiths, Wildes, Kirkhams, Watsons, Parkes, Terry's, Elder Hill, Sister Dube .

     Love these wonderful friends!

   

   And we were off ....

    

      

     Our first line to wait in....
    

    
                               HOMECOMING .. BEST WELCOME EVER!!!

           Couldn't have been better! Wonderul site to see as we came down the stairs!

 

     

        Angel faces.... LOVE

   

 

       LOVE our grand children, Holden saying hi to g'pa !

   

     Showing all our gifts, and giving out gifts.  Matching pj pants made by Bernice.

     By this time we had been awake 52 hours straight ... Hence the tired eyes!  And a wonderul cake

     made by Kylie.

   My sweet sister surprised me by coming into town on Friday morning! Love my sis!!

    

        After we spoke in church Lynn has on his African tie, and me my dress.

   

    Colby and g' pa, we hadn't been released yet...the tag. :)

   

    We had a great day at church, it was fun to see so many wonderful friends who came

 To support us as we spoke.  We loved sharing about our mission, we love the saints in Ghana.

 We will cherish these memories forever .  Sometimes it feels like a dream that we were ever there

 But know in our hearts we were.  We are so grateful that we were able to serve the Lord by serving in Ghana .  We only pray that in some small way in the years to come that someone will be more self reliant because of the programs.  We are grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the blessing of being missionaries.  I am so thankful for our Savior and for the atonement on our behalf. May the Lord bless us all wherever we may be, this is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Happy Holidays from Ghana

                                                        Thanksgiving 2014

           

    We had our second Ghana Thanksgiving, President & Sister Hill hosted it at their home.  We 

had all the normal "thanksgiving" food, and came home way to full.  There are way too many great cooks here! Fun to share the holidays with everyone.  This is the best part,.... dessert.

                  The Calls', Packs', & Parkes'

  

                      

                             Holiday "Road Trip" with some of our favorite missionaries! 
                                                Mole National Park & Tamale Ghana 

        

                                    The Gangs all here!   Gariba Lodge Tamale, Ghana 

                         The Packs', Calls', Watsons', Wildes', Cannons', & the Wades', 

   

                               At the Golden Bean Hotel, Kumasi Ghana

    

    
              LauraBunga Mosque oldest mosque in Ghana

      

 

      This young man became my friend because he wanted me to pay for his schooling . :)

   

       A group of children who came to see what all the " obrunies" were doing walking around.

       Beautiful young girls at the mosque.

   

       

                                     Arriving at Mole National Park

             Our alarm kept going off....to baboons were on top of the car! 

         On our " nature " walk baboons...
    

     

         Our guide,  Richard

    

       Elephant footprint ...

       Standing in the footprint..huge!

    

    The second day we saw the elephant and it's baby at the watering hole!

   

    

  

                       From the " lookout"

                 Crossing the "White Volta" bridge, I love the colorful dresses!

                          

  

               Young girls crossing over the bridge..

                                       Second Christmas in Ghana 2014

       Loved the church video ,"He is The Gift". Remembering what Christmas is all about .

     

 Our second Christmas Day with the young missionaries at the MTC. There were 39 young       missionaries .

   

         Sweet ladies, Sister Kirkham & Sister Heid

    

    President Robison MTC President & Sister Wilde

    

   Elder & Sister Wilde as we were leaving, when one person wants a picture, 15 others join in! :)

    

    Same here, more and more keep coming. :)

   

     This sweet sister missionary wanted to have a picture with Elder Pack

    

    Elders from Madagascar, everyone of them are the only church members in their family.

    

                       Elders as they came in to join us.

    

   Two of the longest last names we have ever seen...I gave up trying to pronounce them.

        Try pronouncing this name! :)
    

                                  Cape Coast trip with the Cannons' & Parkes'

   Elmina Slave Castle.  We had visited the Cape Coast Slave Casle twice so we came to see this one.

   Such sad and depressing places.  The slave trade was so horrible .

    

  

   

    This is what's left of the docks where the ships came in to load up the slaves.

    

    

                              The view from up top of the fishing Villiage .

   

    We were so glad to be able to go down to Cape Coadt again, this time with the Cannons and the 

    Parkes .  To learn of the history of these poor slaves from those whose family could have been apart 

    of the trade.  We are amazed constantly of the humble circumstances the Ghanian have come from.

    This is a part of history which is hard to comprehend, the way other human beings treated each 

    other.  

    Again we are so thankful for our experiences here in Ghana , we have been very blessed and feel 

    our Heavenly Fathers presence with us each and every day.  We are not the only ones to have been

    blessed.  We can see the blessings of the Lords' hands in each of our children's lives as we have        

    been on our mission away from each of them. All these experiences have changed our lives forever.

    This has put a lot meaning to what is the most important "things" in our lives. 

    Hope your holidays were wonderful, and we hope 2015 is great to all .