Monday, February 17, 2014

Email #10 (Tamale-Lamashigu) Hakuna Matata!

What's good my family and friends!
Today is once again the best day of the week because I feel close to home as I email you. My mom got mad at me because I didn't answer some questions, but I will answer then now...

How many members do you see on Sundays?
- There are 3 or 4 members in my church, so the total attendance including the missionaries is usually 8-14.

How many missionaries are close by you and do you hang with them on P-day?
 -The missionaries not too close to us, but occasionally on P-day we will have an activity like soccer or a movie night or a pig killing or something that involves everyone.

What is the rule about backpacks?
-The rule is that there are NO backpacks allowed. It is because we look to touristy-like and because it is unsafe. People sometimes think that you have valuables in the bag and they will pull a knife or a gun on you and just say give me you bag... but for me, all that is in there are some scriptures. hahaha Imagine a thief stealing scriptures! hahaha 
As far as this week goes.. it was just average again, but we have been having more success. Not the kind of success that you would imagine, but a different kind of success. The success that I am talking about is FM's. FREE MEALS!!!! I cannot tell you how enjoyable it is when you get that free meal from one of your investigators. The things is that you eat their meal that they prepare (this week it was Banku and Ghana soup) and then you have the opportunity to teach them a small lesson. It always amazes the locals here when Salaminga (white man) eats their food with ease and enjoys it. I've noticed that they only have 4-5 main meals here in Tamale. They are Fufu, Banku, TZ (pronounced T-ZET), and rice. All of those things are put in or used with different stews or soups and they also love to eat crappy crappy fish that smells like the trash that someone forgot to take out and that has a million maggots in it, but other than the smell and look of it, the food actually doesn't taste all that bad. My personal favorite is TZ with okra soup.


Eating eba and okra soup

Now for the spiritual stuff...
I have been studying the Book of Mormon, listening to talks and reading the Liahona and the Ensign and Jesus the Christ. It is sometimes hard to stay humble because of all that I know now concerning the church and what is false doctrine and what is the actual true doctrine and how to discern from the two. My testimony of the gospel has grown soooo much and I can truly say that I KNOW that this is the only true and living church on the earth. I cannot stress how important it is to come to know for ourselves what is true and what is not. But, it is also important that we don't sit around and say that we will repent someday in the future and we cannot just say that when we believe in Jesus the Christ and God.. that we will be saved. We will be saved after we do all that we can to live the life that Jesus lived. He lived a perfect life! He followed all of the commandments. He was baptized. He went to church. He taught others the gospel. He did so many things that I could write about for days.  It saddens me when I see people at home and here in Ghana just sit around like time is on their side when it comes to their eternal salvation and being saved. People here believe that when you believe in Christ, that you are saved. People at home seem to believe similar things.  It is because of the works and desires of our heart that we will be judged at that last day when we stand before God and Jesus Christ. At that day, do you want to say sorry for the things you did here on earth or do you want to be proud of what you did and say that you put in 100% of your effort to live according to the gospel. This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God. For after this life, there will be no more time to perform our labors and correct our mistakes. It is never too late to fix anything that is wrong and to start living your life according to the way God has commanded of us.  Sorry to go on a rant, but I have come to know of the importance of these things and of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true and living church on the earth and it is the only way that we can return to our creator and our God.

Thanks again for the emails and anyone is welcome to email me. I will try to reply, but time is never on my hand when it come to emailing.
I love you Mom. I love you Dad. I love you Brett. I love you Gary. And, to my friends who are writing and supporting me on this amazing mission -- Hakuna Matata!
Just remember that tomorrow the sun will rise again. Tomorrow is a new day and their is hope in the future. Do not dwell on the past but look forward to the future with charity and faith.
Love your Ghan to Ghana Missionary
Even the Ricky Bobby of this mission,
Elder Cornelius


My planner!


this sweet cow.. I wanted to ride it and touch it but it got mad at me!













This is my new set up.. i bought a mosquito net because I get at least 10 new bug bites every night... ah maleria is nothing to joke with. The only thing keeping me from having malaria is a small doxycycline pill.



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