The Lord is mindful of each of us.

Dear Family and Friends,

I am keeping a pretty good journal. Almost every night. I always write about the funny things that happen throughout the day. I have begun to write how I talk which when I call home will sound slow and funny. 

Alright so this week on monday at around 12 noon our water went out. It turns out that the fire last week damaged the wiring in the building. We have had to draw water from the well outside everday twice a day to shower and flush. Its crazy. My hands are blistering and some of the food I think i ate gave me a rotten stomach. Such a bad time for runny tummy. 

SO a report of my week: Monday: No water; got the flu

Tuesday: Zone Council; home with flu. 

Wednesday: Runny tummy begins; Met powerful new investigator named bro Ebeneezer.

Thursday: Exchanges with Zone Leader Elder Udoh. Super fun day.

Friday: Lead planning meeting. Found powerful investigator named bro Ransford.

Saturday: Normal proselyting day.

Sunday: Watched General Conference in Twi so sadly I got jack squat out of it.

As I have come to see while here, Heavenly Father really wants to help me. As I was laying in bed between bathroom trips I just got really depressed and somehow angry and started to ask why is this happening and why am I in all this pain? Why can't it just be easy? I'm here for the Lord so why won't he help me get better? As I was thus wallowing in my self despair a thought popped into my head that is found in Doctrine and Covenants 121 when the prophet Joseph Smith is in Liberty Jail and has just learned of the saints' sufferings in Missouri. The prophet asks these same kind of questions but instead of I's it is meant for the saints. He asks why he and the saints are being allowed to endure their afflictions. The Lord's response to him was Peace be unto you my son. Thine afflictions and thine adversities shall be but a small moment. And if thou endure it well thou shalt be exalted on high. (this is a paraphrase) As I read that I felt instantly better spiritually. I realized that the Lord is truly mindful of me and my situation here and is more than ready to help me when I ask him in faith. 

So even though this week was an exceptionally rough week, the Lord sped it along quickly and made it truly seem as but a small moment. 

I know that the Lord is truly mindful of each and every one of us as His children. All we have to do feel His love for us is have the faith to feel it. I love this Mission and I love these people and coming home in two years is gonna be very difficult for me. I am probably going to cry more when I leave here than I did when I left...

Love you all so so SO much and thank you for your prayers on my behalf. 

Can't wait to call home and hear all your voices!! 

Love Elder Walch

A Season Change

Hi Everyone,

 It has ceased raining here pretty much over night... We have now entered into the season of Harmatten which is when the sky gets filled with the sand blown from the Sahara by the wind. It really gets super hot in the day time but gets somehow cold at night. 

I too have been pondering small about mercy. More specifically about Alma chapter 7 verses 11 through 13 I believe. They speak of the Atonement and of the reasons Christ did it. I think its verse 13 that starts out " Now behold the Spirit knoweth all things. However the Son of Man taketh upon him our afflictions and infirmities to know how to succor his people". Roughly that's what it says. What this means to me is that the Savior could have just felt through the Spirit what the pains of the world would be. If it wasn't true, then why did Alma put it in there? The Savior chose to take upon our sins and feel the physical pain during the Atonement so that He could know exactly how it would feel to go through every single pain this world holds for us.

Yippee for everyone I am so glad that they are doing well. This week went by fast: Monday I pounded Fufu. Tuesday night there was a fire in our apartment complex. All is well don't worry. Wednesday was good. Thursday was good. Friday was also rocking haha. Saturday we had baptisms for the sisters which was poorly organized on their part and we were at the church forever.

Our main progressing investigators are: Joseph, Abednego Antwi, Frank, and Job. Please pray for them. I had the flu last week but have since recovered. I am sleeping like a log. 

We were contacting one day and passed a house where people were cooking dinner. They looked busy and annoyed so we continued on. We were almost out of view when we hear "Hey Dji" Which means hey stop. We looked around and the man of the house we just passed, Bro. Antwi, invited us to discuss. We taught Lesson 1 and then left. The Spirit was strong. We came back and taught Lesson2, Plan of Salvation, and had with us a translator. He said in Twi that he would like to tell us something. We three teachers sat back and listened. He bore his testimony in Twi telling us that the moment he saw us he had a feeling like we were correct. He couldn't explain the feelings he had when we taught Joseph Smith but he knew it was true.

Little things like this make all the hiking, all the pains and aches worth it. Seeing what the Gospel can do to the lives of others is amazing. 

I love you all.

Love,

Elder Walch

Finally...there's that happy, handsome face!

Here he is! We have waited for so long to see him in pictures. Today his email said it would be short since he was going to try and figure out how to email pictures for the internet cafe he uses. So he wasn't kidding it was short...but a small price to pay since we get to see him doing the work. He has reported before that he loves the children there and so I am not surprised that he chose these two pics to send. He looks so happy and that's what we love the best.

In his packages a few weeks ago we sent the requested cookie mixes he wanted but wondered how he was going to bake them since he does not have access to an oven. Well...this quick note today explains it. Enjoy!

Hi Everybody!! 

The language is going well. I can understand small bits and am learning lots. 

With the help of Elder Vause we bake the cookies in a cookie cake on the stove. You make the mix, pour it in the pot, then get a bigger pot, put three rocks in the bottom, then place the cookie pot inside the big pot. Place a lid on the top and wait 10 minutes then BANG. Cookie time.

I am currently trying to figure out the picture sending. SO hopefully you get them today.

 I truly do love and think about you all often. 

Till next week!! 

Elder Walch

Stories...his patriarchal blessing says that if he is obedient he will be kept out of harms way. That brings peace of mind, considering...

Dear Family and Friends,

I'm so glad Hutch is on the list!! He's a cool guy. I'll get him a machete.

I have not yet had the chance to speak in church. The Sacrament meetings here tend to be really irreverent. They had there primary presentations this last week and the place was a mad house. Elder Vause and I were quite peeved but our companions thought it was normal.

I have not been back to the mission home. I might not go back till after Christmas if at all. 

I have received letters from the Dieberts and dad. I have written responses that should be mailed this Saturday. I have also received your packages and am now currently candyless. Thank you tons for those by the way.

The town I live in contains around 500 people. My area contains about 3000 I would guess. Note: the 3000 in my area live in the villages outside of town by the names of Nsuta, Soldier Line, Assaase Aban, Amanfrom, and Kwaman. We have probably contacted everyone it feels like. This place is covered by jungle. We have the Mpraeso hills to the north and east and other hills to the south. My buddy Elder Burdge is in Mpraeso.  

This week went by pretty quick. Sunday President Cosgrave came to Sacrament and gave us some supplies and said hello. Monday was the usual prep day. Tuesday we went contacting all the way out in Kwaman and worked our way back to Assaase Aban through the bush. Wednesday we did the same through a different route. Note: Kwaman is about 10 miles away by road. The bush makes it like 12. Thursday was good we found a lot of people. Friday we went back and taught the people from Thursday. Saturday we had a lot of lessons. And Sunday we met with both branches at branch 1's time so we were late to church. 

I only have heard from Elders Burdge and Lierd and from what they said they are loving it!! 

I love potlucks. We had a district activity in which the sisters made Bankuu. i have no clue how to explain it. Its in general sour and sticky. I have come up with my return meal: A hamburger wrapped in Carne Asada; wrapped in bacon; deep fried; covered with all the melted chesses; deep fried again; then topped with toasted sourdough buns. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!

There is no Halloween and no Christmas:/ They like to ride in the back of trucks and play loud instruments at 2:00 am though! That's just as fun....

Stories: I was almost struck by a drunk man with a machete raving about Obama and  gays. Fun. Loads of reeking-breath fun. 

Anyways I love it here! 

Tell Benji I will be praying for his success and that I am thankful for his example. 

I finished the Book of Mormon again and prayed to know if it is true. We always challenge investigators to do it and I have done it before but I wanted to do it again. The response I got was overwhelming. That this book is the most perfect book on earth. I beg those who read these emails, members and non-members, to read the introduction and the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses, and Joseph Smith and then to pray with real intent to the Father in the name of Christ if these things are true. I promise that the resulting feeling will fill you with a joy that you will never ever forget. Even though life is full of trials, hardships, and struggles, the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ is there to pull us out of our own personal chasms. Christ has overcome all, so take His hand and follow Him. As I have come to know of His love for me, you too will be able to know that he is there, that he loves you, and that there is always a plan. This is what I love most about what we teach. I leaves these things with you all to ponder and to put to the test in His sacred name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Walch