Just another day in Kumasi . . .but it is a special day for me!

Hey Everyone!

This week was my third week in Kumasi and I am just loving it. The people are really great and most of them speak great English. This week went by super quick and we had a lot of success as a companionship. At church we had 4 of our investigators come and they even conducted the entire sacrament meeting in English. It seems like usually they conduct everything in Twi so you can imagine that it gets pretty tough for us missionaries since we cannot speak the language. Oh and to mention that the missionaries have been teaching these 4 investigators for over a year and have not been to church in over 6 months or so, now to see them come to church and meet the members and make friends there, I think it is pretty cool. 

My companion is trying to stay more focused on the work because his mind can get focused on going home in 2 weeks. I don't blame him though. It is good that he still cares for these people and wants to see them baptized.

I love you all very much and continue to thank those who email me. I am about to go and enjoy my p-day and celebrate a very special day for myself!!! Maybe not an American Ice-cream cake or any candles but I can celebrate with some sweet fufu or a little enjoyment by going to a fine Ghanaian restaurant ahaha. Well I hope that everyone back in the USA or those who are serving the Lord around the world are doing great and they are enjoying life. To those missionaries receiving this message.... stay strong and continue to ponder your purpose and then strive to fulfill it. The prophet said one cool quote that can apply to us all and it goes like this....

"Get on your knees and pray then get on your feet and work!"

If we give it our all in life, we can expect Heavenly Father to give his all as well and help us when we are in need.

Love ya guys and talk to you next week.
Elder Cornelius

Another week in Kumasi

Hey there Family and Friends,

I want to thank everyone who sent me an email this past week. I am not too sure what to say in this emai,l but I want to talk about the area a little and about how I’m doing I guess...

So, first I will talk about the area and how everything in Kumasi is doing. Let me just say that Kumasi IS the land of Milk and Honey.  The only downside is that everything is somewhat expensive here, but no wahala. My area is opposite to this huge university called UST (University of Science and Technology). In my area I have all kinds of religions.  I have a ton of Jehovah Witnesses in my area along with Buddhists, Methodist, atheists, and many more.  Looks like I will be crackin the books open and studying much harder than before due to the greater challenge ahead. My area is much bigger than it was in Tamale so now we are walking more than ever and sometimes we have to take tro tros around our area because it is too big.

Quick update on the Investigators:

I have been teaching someone who is muslim - he told me that he wants to switch to being a Christian and leave his entire past behind him. The only problem is that he fears his family and friends a ton. If he switches to being a Christian, his family will sack him of everything and his friends will never speak or look at him again. Also if he dies, his family would refuse to even look at the body and they would refuse to bury it somewhere. The other night when we were teaching him about the plan of salvation, I bore a powerful testimony to him.  I also invited him to come and play with us missionaries for our p-day activity, which was futbol and surprisingly he showed up. After we played and were about to leave, M told me that he was willing to forget about everyone and everything to join whatever he finds to be the truth! I gave him a baptismal date for the 27th of this month and he told me that he is eager to work for that day!

Transfer No. 5 Under Way

Hello Family and Friends!!!!!

There is soo much to update you on, but such little time. I will try to do my best to describe what is going on and all of the changes that have happened.

As you know, last Wednesday I left Tamale and came to Kumasi. I could not be any happier with how this last transfer went. My new companion is Elder Noble from Namibia (right next to South Africa).  He is really nice and genuine and is pretty funny. I could not be more appreciative to receive such a companion as him. Also, he will be going home this transfer so I will be (as they say in the mission field) killing him. I can’t wait to see what I learn and to see how much I grow in these six weeks.

The area that we are in is near the University of Science and Technology. I am in the UTS ward! I am soooo excited to be in a ward where the members can help fellowship my investigators. I am just so excited!!! When I first arrived to Kumasi, it was a strange feeling to know that many around me are Christians.  That will be nice.

I am in a new apartment with 3 other missionaries in a 3 story apartment complex. The other missionaries are my companion, and 2 other missionaries from Utah and Virginia. I am looking forward to having conversations about things that are familiar like cars, sports, and other things that are well missed.

 I hope everyone is doing so well and that life is being good to you. For those missionaries out there across the world receiving this message. . . I send my greetings and encourage you to remain strong and master the practice of obedience. I thank those of you who emailed me and for those who are now in the MTC.  Good luck and learn fast!  And to the rest of you/all of you, I love you very much! I know that the gospel blesses and changes lives. I have seen and witnessed it myself and I know that it can do the same to yours if you are but willing to align your will with God’s will. I can’t wait to send you pictures sometime, but first I will need to transfer my pics off this card that has a virus and when all that is done, you are promised some nice pictures.

God bless all of you and I will talk with you next week.

Elder Cornelius

1/4 under the belt . . . and still going strong!

Mom - I am finally emailing you from the land of milk and honey aka Kumasi!! I dont even know where to start this email. There is soo much to talk about and such little time to express this last week and how it has gone.

I am living in the city of Bomso. I am in a 3 story apartment and on the 3rd floor with 3 other missionaries. It was not fun carrying all the luggage up the stairs but not too bad haha. I have not gone to our ward yet because this last Sunday was Stake Conference. I have met some of the members and they all are really nice. I am not sure how many members there are, but I will find out this upcoming Sunday.

My departure from Tamale was nice and sad as well. I did leave Tamale with Elder Orji who is a good friend of mine but I was sad to say good bye to all of them but at least I know they will not stay in Tamale forever. The bus ride took 6.5 hours and on the way the bus's clutch burnt out so we were stuck in 2nd gear for maybe 15 miles . . . not fun.

And I will inform you about my new companion and all that in the mass email to everyone... I hope that is okay..  and the dogs... ya i miss them small but thing much.

I can not believe how busy you guys must be! It still has not set into my my mind that our house is sold and pretty much everything is packed up or sold also. That is just nuts. I am very happy that you both are happy with the new house and how it is looking.

More to follow on the details in my email to everyone! 

I love you guys soooo much!!!

Elder Cornelius

6 months and . . . I am out of here!

Akwaaba!!

Hey everyone! Thank you for your emails... some of you haha. I just want to take some small time to update you. 

Two days ago I received a phone call from the Assistants telling me where I will be transferred.  On this Wednesday, I will be getting on a bus for 6 ½ hours and heading south to Kumasi to go to the Mission Home. I will then wait there for my companion to take me to the new area where I will then be with him only 1 transfer and then he will be going home. My new companion’s name is Elder Noble and he is an Obroni (white boy).  He is from South Africa and has already served 16 out of his 17 transfers. So he is really old on mission but I am sure we will have fun together! 

I am doing great. I have grown a great love for Tamale and Ghana and I hope that when I move to Kumasi that I will learn Twi very quick and be able to develop an even greater love for the people. I have seen the Lords hand in this work and it is truly amazing. My testimony is growing each and every day that I am out here and put this name badge on stating that I am a missionary. The work is divine and I cannot express how much this work changes lives. Not only the lives of those that I teach but also the lives of the teacher aka me. One thing that my last companion used to say is "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why they call it the present." It is kind of cheesy, but also very true at the same time. We have this gift of life and we should be using it wisely. Look at your own life and ask yourself if it is what you imagined it to be... and if it is not, then do something about it. Make it what you want while you can, but remember that there is a God above who is taking notes of what you are doing here. Just saying. haha

I love each and every one of you guys very much and hope that you are doing excellent. Stay strong and remember that the challenges that we face are never forever. You have to decide how you will tackle them and how you will shape your own future. God bless you and talk to you next week.

Love,

Elder Cornelius III

Back Again - Ghana Style

Hello Everyone...

If you are receiving this email, I want you to know you are among those that I love and appreciate most. Each and every one of you has touched my life in one way or another. I want to thank each of you for supporting me in these two years of my mission (yet to me it feels like it has only been 2 months).  Thank you and I hope and pray for you that everything in your life is going alright and that you are happy.

This last week has been just wonderful. I have felt the spirit stronger than ever and have really seen the Lord work in my proselyting area. It is amazing when you do all you can and leave the rest to the Lord.

Ghana Greetings:)

Hello there!

Well, I guess it is time for me to update everybody and tell you how Africa and Ghana are doing.  May I start out by talking about the weather. . . The Lord has finally showed a little mercy on us and it has been a little cloudy here this past week.  It rained one night, but the next morning was super humid. All in all, the weather is nice compared to 2 months ago.

Next, my investigators . . . May I say that these investigators can be a little resistant.  Keeping commitments is sometimes much harder for them than we think it will be.  The culture here is very different.  My companion and I have really been praying and doing everything on our part to progress them to the waters of baptism. It can be very difficult at times , but I will endure and do my part. I know that someday these groups and branches we are in will  turn into wards and stakes and districts.  My faith is being tested very much here in Ghana only because we are doing our part, but we are not yet seeing results.