Alma 56:47-48 (I love my Elder!)

October 26,2015

Hello Everyone,

I am feeling pretty ok now. Its mostly i think from the climate. It rained everyday last week for like an hour at a time. then the sun came out and gave me a sunburn. Its not even the rainy season!!! Its kinda lame.

Our investigators are doing alright. We had two baptisms last saturday and I performed the confirmations. The two that got baptized were named Justice and Diana.

On a regular p day we study, wash, and clean everything. We then go to town for anything we need. Today Elder Vause gave me a haircut. Its really good.

Training lasts till eleven then its lunch till 12. We train on the lessons in PMG.

The church has a keyboard but it is broken. The Zone leader Elder Udoh plays really well so he plays. My shoes are always covered in mud but I almost always wear my echos or the sandals.

Stories: 

Last week I was walking along the road in the dark on the way to a lesson when I saw a hole in the side of the road right by the street gutter. I stepped over it but didn't see the one right after it. Of course my foot hit air and i fell into the gutter. Ask Brother Featherstone what's in these things. I smelled so stinking bad!!!

Story 2: We were contacting and were led to a house at the end of the trail. Once we investigated who lived there we discovered an elderly woman. She said she was super sick. Elder Asabere asked if we could discuss for a little and she agreed. In Twi he described who were and told her about the priesthood and its power in healing. She began to tear up and asked us to heal her because she had been sick for years. I anointed and my companion blessed her that according to her faith she would be healed the next day. We came to check on her the following afternoon and saw her pounding fufu. She said that the second she woke up the next morning she felt as though she had never been sick.

 I am so sorry to hear that everyone is sick. Ask for a blessing because I know 100% without a doubt that the priesthood is God's power given to men to act in His name!!

Thanks for packing up my stuff haha. And If you can go and read chapter 56 verses 47-48 of Alma that would be great.

 Love you all tons and give everyone a huge hug for me!!

Elder Walch

Dear Family and Friends,

I love hearing from you all …please send letters. ! I have received two letters: one from mom and one from sister Frankie.

My mom has the address.

The internet cafe I am in has wierdness when it comes to pictures and you have to pay extra:/ Maybe soon i can figure out the church wifi and send some pictures.

My machete is mostly being used to farm plantains and coconuts (some jungle walking ; ). These coconuts are dang good. I wake up every morning between 2 and 4 o'clock and cannot sleep again. So no I’m not sleeping better hahaha. However, when I should normally feel as if my body has been hit by a train, the Lord has really helped me keep my energy up.

The language is going pretty well. My companion is Ghanaian and has been teaching me phrases and how to respond. The people have gotten way easier to understand, basically overnight. 

We are going to be dropping a lot of investigators who refuse to progress. If you could please pray for: Bright, Gabriel, David, Justice, and Diana. These are our most special investigators.

Today's email came came in three parts...First the top part came and while I was reading it this next little one liner email came...

"teaching guy next to me. hold on a sec"   

I caught him at the computer!!!! So I held on a sec, more like 20 minutes then third email. He answered some of my questions and was just so sweet. It was so fun being able to email back and forth for a bit till his time ran out. 

I have no oven. I have a propane stove and a blender. I am keeping a daily journal. I almost cried when I saw that picture! Elyse is getting so big!! Everyone looks so good! 

No we don't have primary programs cuz there are only like 10 kids. 

Tell Julia Johnson good luck for me! 

Hooray for Chad passing the sacrament! I'll be back before he turns 14 so I can stand in the circle!! 

Oh yeah and about the temple: I couldn't do the names because we were not allowed to do baptisms, only endowments. I got to do one of Elder Lierd's ancestors though which was pretty sweet.

Just being out here makes me super happy. My testimony has grown so much. The people here all say the phrase " By the grace of God, ( In Twi: Naa me a Dame) " before a lot of sentences. As I thought about it I had a great feeling of joy as I have come to know of God's love for everyone. These people may not have very much but they have enough to always praise the Lord for it. They see and accept His hand in all things. They are true Christians in word and in deed. We can all learn a lot from these people.

I love you all.

Love,

Elder Walch

He sounds so great , don't you think? His service blesses our family everyday. I feel so lucky to have a missionary out. It's tough having him gone for so long but he is doing ETERNAL WORK!

This is the picture I sent to him from the ward Trunk or Treat.

I love Mondays so much! He remains a "man of few words". (October 12, 2015)

Dear Family and Friends,
My apartment is really probably the best place in town to live. It is three rooms with a bathroom and shower, two bedrooms (We share with the zone leaders) a kitchen, and a Laundry/Supply room. (Note: the laundry room includes no washer and no dryer; Plus the laundry plunger is inefficient for effective cleaning. There are tons of roaches here.
Physically I am very tired. Last week I got a cold and thought it turned into Strep. Its all gone now. Emotionally I am quite well.

No animals too rare haha I saw a 5 foot agama lizard the other day though! Tons of lizards. Millions!!! 
All of our investigators are super cool and progressing everyday. Everyone here though is named Either Bright or Mercy/Mary. its fun. We have about 20 investigators and our area covers 5 villages.
We make our own food. it is always rice and a fried egg. I love fried eggs now to be honest.
In my area there are 8 missionaries: Elders: Vause, Udoh, Asabere, Me  Sisters: Owusu-Kanyeke, Ofori, Ntuzela, and Shange.
I have loads of pictures that I cant wait  to upload for you to see...no wifi here at all.

Love you tons!!
Elda Wash

Hello Family and Friends

I am in Nkawkaw (pronounced Nkoko). My companion is Elder Asabere and he is the bomb He is from Ghana. I am physically exhausted. I am in the Hike-around-the-jungle-till-you-find-a-house area so everyday my thighs are shot. Its ok though cuz i wake up all nice and rested. Emotionally I am good too. Little scared but its ok. When I was at the Kumasi airport after arriving here a bunch of men with guns confiscated some of my stuff...like my face wash. I never would have that that that stuff was "illegal" or forbidden. My mission president President Cosgrave and is fantastic. He is a great guy. The food is absolutely sickening. I hate it. I had two dinners on Saturday. Both were fufu in a salmon soup. Too much Fufu : /

 

I am a man of few words so my emails are not long sorry.  And I never know what to say. My days are relatively short. We leave after training at around noon. We stay out til around 7 cuz it gets pitch black at 6.  Some of the people are super  nice and friendly while others like to yell "Stupid Obroni, America is stupid" at you. I do like it here though. It is super smelly but Elder Vause (remember Elder Reber that served in our ward well this is his friend from Utah and is in my district...small world) says i"ll get used to everything.

I didn't get to watch conference cuz the church has no satellite:/

  

 Can't wait for the letters!!! Its hot here and has rained every other day since i've been here. Also, basically no one speaks english here. Church was ok. Sacrament was good but the other lessons and then branch council were tough. 

I speak to them in English and my companion translates into Twi. I am learning it though. Can't wait for next week!!

  Ghana has basically no traffic laws. There are no seatbelts, no traffic lights or signs, and also no speed limits. Its absolute insanity. 

I have a few bites already. Its all dirt jungle and rocks. Oh and a holy ton of lizards. 

Tell everyone at home thank you so much for the prayers!!!

 

More Stories next time when I've been out teaching more.

Love, 

Elda Wash