A private letter to Mom (hope he doesn't mind!) AND PICS

This weekly email has been the best one that you have ever sent. I may or may not have told you that during my time as a missionary I have not teared up not even one time. If you can remember when we were at DIA and you guys came to the gate with me, I don't remember tearing up at that time either. The point is that I am one of those guys who doesn't feel those emotions easily at all. But, as I type here in this cafe at this time... I have a tear rolling down my face because of the things you have said in your email. Just those last two paragraphs somehow hit my soft spot (didn't know I had one) and really touched me.

Another Pday in Nkawkaw

Hey there family and friends,

This week was pretty nice and busy.  Elder Hoffman and I spent every minute to every day contacting and find new people to teach.  The problem that we faced was the language barrier. To overcome that barrier we took our Branch Mission leader out with us to translate while we teach, but we have found out that even if he translates for us, the people will always need to hear the message in Twi. So, if they are serious enough to come to Church and see that it is in half English and half Twi, they will not like it and only understand half of it.  Also, these people usually can't read English or Twi so they will never be able to read the Book of Mormon which is a key ingredient to someone's conversion.  So, while Elder Hoffman and I were contacting we were trying to find people who could speak English and also read...and this was no easy task when we are located in the bush part of Ghana.

Elder Hoffman and I are getting along just fine.  It turns out he is as small town boy and loves country so you could imagine how we can connect easily.  I am happy that we also can talk openly with each other...or even talk with each other at all.  It is nice to have someone that you can talk to.

I am doing great here in Nkawkaw and I am making new friends by the minute.  I will try to upload some pictures of my area and the mountain that is nearby us.

I love you guys all and hope you all have a great week.

Nkawkaw Village Halloween

So you can call me a "villager" now.  I have been transferred to Nkawkaw and this place is .... well interesting. If I try to say something to people they can only respond Menti Brofo (I don't hear English). So I am now scrambling to learn the Twi very well so that I can speak to them in sentences and try to communicate. It is hard learning a language that most people can't read or write, but only speak. I have a Twi book that teaches me how to learn Twi, but the problem is I can't read it...or pronounce the Twi alphabet.  haha.

My new companion Elder Hoffman is pretty cool.  Our area.. is just villagers who don't speak English and many farmers who have no education. We are opening a new area in Nkawkaw and are contacting every day trying to find investigator that will progress. It is not easy, but it is good for me and my companion to work on our contacting skills and our teaching skills. We are located on one side of this cool mountain.