So, this week was a party at
Sacrament, apparently! We had 13 at Sacrament this week. It was great! Philemon
came early for his confirmation (he's not among the 13) and he brought his
younger brother, Patrick, and his wife. We also had the two sisters from
Switzerland come (Jenny and Jasmin; I was close, ok?). Justice and Godson also
came (both minors from a while ago; Justice has been coming since our first
Sunday in Kaneshie back in January), they should be baptized soon. We also had
Ernestina, a member's wife who's been coming since March, but we never knew she
wasn't a member (I asked when her son was baptized in March, she said she was,
so... yea). We also had Bro. Alex Solomon with his wife, Diana, and her
daughter, Theresa! She finally came. We then had 3 new guys, Daniel Okoe,
Albert, and Commodore. I honestly dont know where we met them, but we contacted
them a while ago, and they just decided to come to Church this week! It was
cool.
It was Ward Conference. Stake Pres. was very sharp with the members (not in a bad way; they needed it. I really enjoyed his talk). But in short, he said that the Ward is suffering from being self-centered (he said those exact words) and they need to repent. He focused on Home and Visiting Teaching and fellow-shipping one another, and then quoted Christ from Matt. 10:39 (our Ward Mission Plan scripture; just fyi). He then focused on John 21 or whatever, where Christ says "Feed my lambs: and whatnot. He explained the Greek version, and how each time Christ said that, (or sheep), He was referring to different people. In Greek, Christ was first referring to 'little lambs, meaning Recent Converts, then to 'growing sheep,' meaning growing members, and then to 'old sheep,' meaning the older members. It was cool; I want to find where he got that. All-in-all, it was a nice conference. And the members seem to have responded well; many weren't at home after Church, as they were out visiting people. Let's pray it lasts! Finally, Philemon was able to be confirmed (he got there at 0920; haha). It was great.
In other news, we had transfers. I don't know why, but Elder Idemudia was sent to Batsonaa (remember? near Teshie; used to be the Zone Leader's area) to finish his training there with another Elder (name is too long for me to remember; like, Anifowose or something). I'm now serving with Elder John-Bull from Sierre Leone. He's 5 months on mission. A convert from 2008, only member in his family. His father passed away in 2006, and his mother early in 2008. He's a hard worker, and seems to be doing very well. We just have to get into the swing of things and adjust to each others teaching, but I think it will all go well.
Side note, at transfers I met Elder Bies and Elder Beaufeaux. Bies is loving mission; he's having a wonderful experience. He's been transferred to Tesano. Beaufeaux is doing well, too. His one year mark is coming up! Crazy to think about that. Elder Larsen was there, too; he's doing great. Also, Elder Littlefield is training! He's Elder Nembaware's first-born, which means I now have a great-grandson! Haha. Pres. followed through with that (Sis. Judd asked me about that last Trainer's Council, and I asked Pres. Judd when that'd be happening. He said he'll see what he can do; haha.).
We have some good people lined up for next month. As mentioned earlier, Justice should be baptized. His friend Thomas should, too, though we haven't been able to get all the permissions yet. Ernestina (the member's wife) says she feels everything is true, and readily committed to baptism; only thing stopping her is helping her understand the basics and getting a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration. We also taught Jenny and Jasmin about God. It was interesting teaching people about God, who've never heard even a slight definition of Him before. Jenny said her first prayer! It was awesome; she felt good afterward. Eli, the one from London, wasn't able to come due to some assignment she had. We'll be seeing all of them later this week.
That's about it. Pres. mentioned in his letter (following after this) some interesting developments. We'll see how that plays out in the mission. Well, somehow; I won't be here for any of it to pay off, so I'll have to follow up through his letters after or something. We'll see. Oh, I also found out that only 4 missionaries are heading to the Kumasi mission. I don't really know any of them, other than E. White, but you all don't know him. So, yea. Oh! No, E. Hunsaker is one of them; the one from Teshie, was with E. Beaufeaux and I in a trio for some time? He's heading there as well. The other two I don't really know.
Welp, here's Pres.'s letter:
I love you all! I apologize for the letters. I wasn't expecting transfers, so I didn't buy the envelopes yet; I was waiting till next sub. As such, I was only able to send a couple. I'll send the rest next time. Again, sorry about that.
Take care, and have a great week! Read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon every day! You'll draw closer to Christ; of this I testify.
--Elder Collings
It was Ward Conference. Stake Pres. was very sharp with the members (not in a bad way; they needed it. I really enjoyed his talk). But in short, he said that the Ward is suffering from being self-centered (he said those exact words) and they need to repent. He focused on Home and Visiting Teaching and fellow-shipping one another, and then quoted Christ from Matt. 10:39 (our Ward Mission Plan scripture; just fyi). He then focused on John 21 or whatever, where Christ says "Feed my lambs: and whatnot. He explained the Greek version, and how each time Christ said that, (or sheep), He was referring to different people. In Greek, Christ was first referring to 'little lambs, meaning Recent Converts, then to 'growing sheep,' meaning growing members, and then to 'old sheep,' meaning the older members. It was cool; I want to find where he got that. All-in-all, it was a nice conference. And the members seem to have responded well; many weren't at home after Church, as they were out visiting people. Let's pray it lasts! Finally, Philemon was able to be confirmed (he got there at 0920; haha). It was great.
In other news, we had transfers. I don't know why, but Elder Idemudia was sent to Batsonaa (remember? near Teshie; used to be the Zone Leader's area) to finish his training there with another Elder (name is too long for me to remember; like, Anifowose or something). I'm now serving with Elder John-Bull from Sierre Leone. He's 5 months on mission. A convert from 2008, only member in his family. His father passed away in 2006, and his mother early in 2008. He's a hard worker, and seems to be doing very well. We just have to get into the swing of things and adjust to each others teaching, but I think it will all go well.
Side note, at transfers I met Elder Bies and Elder Beaufeaux. Bies is loving mission; he's having a wonderful experience. He's been transferred to Tesano. Beaufeaux is doing well, too. His one year mark is coming up! Crazy to think about that. Elder Larsen was there, too; he's doing great. Also, Elder Littlefield is training! He's Elder Nembaware's first-born, which means I now have a great-grandson! Haha. Pres. followed through with that (Sis. Judd asked me about that last Trainer's Council, and I asked Pres. Judd when that'd be happening. He said he'll see what he can do; haha.).
We have some good people lined up for next month. As mentioned earlier, Justice should be baptized. His friend Thomas should, too, though we haven't been able to get all the permissions yet. Ernestina (the member's wife) says she feels everything is true, and readily committed to baptism; only thing stopping her is helping her understand the basics and getting a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration. We also taught Jenny and Jasmin about God. It was interesting teaching people about God, who've never heard even a slight definition of Him before. Jenny said her first prayer! It was awesome; she felt good afterward. Eli, the one from London, wasn't able to come due to some assignment she had. We'll be seeing all of them later this week.
That's about it. Pres. mentioned in his letter (following after this) some interesting developments. We'll see how that plays out in the mission. Well, somehow; I won't be here for any of it to pay off, so I'll have to follow up through his letters after or something. We'll see. Oh, I also found out that only 4 missionaries are heading to the Kumasi mission. I don't really know any of them, other than E. White, but you all don't know him. So, yea. Oh! No, E. Hunsaker is one of them; the one from Teshie, was with E. Beaufeaux and I in a trio for some time? He's heading there as well. The other two I don't really know.
Welp, here's Pres.'s letter:
"Dear Elders and Sisters:
President David O. Mckay, the ninth President of the Church, once said,
"It is better to be trusted than loved" (True to the Faith, p. 274).
Each of us knows the Lord loves us, but we must also ask ourselves the
question, "does the Lord trust us?"
I recently received an email from one of our branch presidents who told me a
very interesting story. He told me of an interview he had today (Sunday) with a
sister who had joined the Church a couple of years ago and then moved with her
husband and family from Accra to a place far away in the Volta Region. Since
moving to a place where the Church has not yet been established, this family
has continued to study and pray on their own, and to share the message of the
Restoration with their friends and neighbors. Many people have responded to
what this family has taught them and they meet regularly to discuss the gospel.
According to what this sister is reporting, many people in this community want
to be baptized. They are hoping to receive permission to start a group or a
branch of the Church in this remote area and to have missionaries teach and
baptize these wonderful people.
As the Mission President I am now faced with the decision of how to best help
this group of people. Do we start a branch of the Church and send missionaries
to assist? Can I can take two missionaries out of where they are presently
serving and move them to a remote location where they would, for the most part,
be on their own? One of the missionaries would probably be the group leader or
the branch president. They would not see any other missionaries or leaders from
the Church for several weeks at a time.
My question to each of you is whether or not you are the kind of missionary who
could honor such an assignment? Could I trust you? Would you be up at 6:30
every morning and work hard and smart throughout the day and into the evening,
or would you take advantage of being so far away and not work quite so hard
because no one was watching? Could you be trusted to handle the sacred funds of
the Church as the people began paying their tithes and offerings? Would you be
able to work through any differences that arose between you and your companion
or would you have to have the mission president intervene? Would you keep your
apartment and the place where the Saints meet neat and clean, worthy of bearing
the name, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints"? Could
you be trusted to represent the Lord and His Church twenty-four hours a day,
seven days a week?
President Brigham Young once taught that, "we must learn to be righteous
in the dark" (See Brigham Young's Office Journal, 28 January 1857, italics
added). Elders and Sisters, are you this kind of missionary? I realize that we
have many new missionaries who are in training, but I believe that the great
majority of our missionaries could be trusted to accept the assignment and do
very well. Others could not. If you are among those who could be trusted
to accept the assignment and be trusted to honor it, thank you. If you are not,
I invite you to repent and to become the missionary the Lord would have you be.
Oh how we need missionaries who can be trusted to do the Lord's work. Thank you
for being missionaries who match match our message.
One of the reasons I love and respect the Book of Mormon prophet Moroni is that
he was a man who could be trusted to be "righteous in the dark." In
the eighth chapter of Mormon we read Moroni's words that his father Mormon and
all his family had been killed and he "remain[ed] alone to write the sad
tale of the destruction of [his] people" (Mormon 8:3, italics added). His
faith and commitment did not depend upon whether others were watching or not,
he could be trusted to do his duty.
I pray that each of can be worthy of the trust of the Lord in our various
assignments. In your email this week, let me know how you did in meeting your
baptismal goals. Did you achieve them? If you didn't, explain to me the reasons
you fell short. If you were able to achieve your goals, what was the main
factor that lead to your success?
Much Love,
President Judd" (We Must Learn to Be Righteous In The Dark, May 28,
2012)
I love you all! I apologize for the letters. I wasn't expecting transfers, so I didn't buy the envelopes yet; I was waiting till next sub. As such, I was only able to send a couple. I'll send the rest next time. Again, sorry about that.
Take care, and have a great week! Read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon every day! You'll draw closer to Christ; of this I testify.
--Elder Collings
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