So Much Light in the Ward

Sup fam! 

This old woman wanted to snap a pic

Sorry it has taken such a long time to write. Just as I was about to write, the internet went down and we were sitting in the cafe for like 3 hours waiting... But I am here now.

This week was so awesome. We had a multi-zone conference on Tuesday, and they introduced the new, "light the world" program for this year. I get chills each time I watch the video. He really does love us. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be able to share this message with everyone here.
Our mission president has asked us to share with all of our members in only five days, and we have been pretty busy trying to share it with our are members and also our branch members. It has been great. I am excited to do my best this Christmas to become Ike the Savior.

On thanksgiving we went on exchange and I got to go to Winneba. It was my first time to go there, and we had a good time. The work is really progressing. We also celebrated the holiday by going to this really nice restaurant called connies, and ate a really nice pizza. Not very traditional, but we make do in Ghana. I'm thankful for all y'all. 

Sorry I don't have any time today so more pictures will be coming your way next week.
I love this place, I love these people, and I love the Savior. 

Have a great week
Love
ELDER BEN

Full of Fufu

Hello, fam! and friends.

Fufu Lover

this week was awesome! We have some great investigators who are progressing, and are finding some awesome new people! I see miracles everyday, and i know that the Savior is in the details of our lives. There really is nothing quite like serving a mission. I am so grateful to be here in Ghana serving in the Lord's vineyard. 

This week started off with a really good experience that strengthened my testimony of the Restored Gospel. We were teaching a family who have all just recently joined the church. The man just recently lost his job, and they are struggling a lot. Sometimes i wonder how people can be happy when in such a situation. Going into the lesson, we didn't really know what we were going to share with them, but my companion began to share the story of Joseph Smith when he was in prison and the saints were suffering as well. As we read about how the Lord comforted his son in his trials, i looked up to see the biggest, widest smile i think i have ever seen. This family really took the message into their hearts and it gave them immediate comfort and joy. I am sure that a simple prompting from the Spirit, has immeasurable effects on the human heart. I know that God loves each one of His children, and nothing can change that. I love Him and i love serving Him. 

Yesterday, we were invited by two members to come over and eat fufu! So good! I don't think i have ever eaten so much fufu since i have been on mission. Good thing i have elder Mantz to take me running to burn the hundreds of calories i must have consumed. 

I don't have too much time today, but i know this gospel is true. I love you all so much! pics are on the way!

love ELDER BEN

Leticia's Baptism from a Couple of Weeks Ago

David and Goliath

Hello, family!

Another great week here in Agona Swedru! i could stay here for so long, i love it here! The work is really starting to pick up as well. My first week here they split our ward and created a branch out of it. This Saturday, was the 4th branch's first baptism! They were so happy, and excited to have someone get baptized. I am grateful to be a small part of it.

I am sorry, but this week i don't have too much time so it will be a pretty short email, and i also forgot my camera at the apartment so i cant send any pics this week.. sorry mom!

This week we had MLC so we weren't able to have a full week in our area which always hurts a bit, but we still had a great week. Elder Mantz and i are working hard to build the relationship with the members and find people through them, and it is crazy how much easier and how much more effective it is to find through the members. They have been giving us people that they really care about, and you can feel it during the lessons. It is awesome to see them share the gospel with their friends and family. I realize more and more each day, that missionary service doesn't begin or end at the baring or removing of a black tag. It is much much larger than that. This work will never stop "until the Great Jehovah shall say, 'the work is done.'"

At presidents house on Thursday morning, we had a small discussion for companionship study, and president showed us some really cool things from Revelations chapters 2-3. We can understand these truths because of the Restoration of the Gospel. I am so grateful we have the fullness of the gospel at our fingertips.

Our office couple sister was telling us of something she was studying, and i thought it was so cool. She was reading about the story of David and Goliath. Goliath was this huge killing machine who basically represented everything evil, and David was just this normal boy who had extraordinary faith, and he was able to slay Goliath with a "stone." She likened the stone to represent Christ. There are many places where Christ is referred to as the stone in the bible, and that David able to overcome the adversary with the power of the Savior. It was something so simple, that had such an impact.

anyways, i thought that was cool. i never thought of it like that.

I love being a missionary! This work is so great. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love ELDER BEN

p.s. mom, the kitchen looks awesome! you have skills!

Hey fam and friends!

This week was another great one! i cant believe how fast it went. Each day is just a blur and i feel like this week the only thing i can really remember is that we taught A LOT of people about the gospel.

Elder Mantz and I have been working so hard. When we had our mission tour with the general authority, he asked us if we would all just work a little harder. We realized that it is true that we can all work harder than we think. We owe it to the Savior as well for all the things he did for us. I don't think i have taught more people, or talked to as many people in a single week as we did this week. I felt so much extra strength from Heavenly Father as I went through each day, and he blessed us so much.

It has been a while since it has rained, and i was a little worried thinking that the rainy season had come to a close, but it rained like three times this week! That felt amazing. 

We had an investigator come to church yesterday who I am very excited about. We contacted her my first day in Swedru, and she is getting her testimony little by little. We are teaching her husband as well. I really hope that we will be able to bring their little family to the true gospel. Her son was disturbing the whole meeting tho. I felt so bad for her, and she was pretty embarrassed about him screaming and crying the whole time. 

This work is great. i love it here. i have been so blessed to be in Ghana and serve these wonderful people. Im happy to be a missionary. 

I hope you all have a great week! Sorry this email isn't much.

Love ELDER BEN