No one ever said it would be easy.

Hello family:

I am glad to write to you today. This cafe is very much better than the one in Nkawkaw. I like Obuasi so far. I am happy to be here. However, your constant prayers are now needed more than ever. In first receiving my transfer news, President said it would not be easy. He repeated it a number of times and I was just listening not really absorbing that part. When I came to the mission home the first day, I met him (my new companion) I instantly was reminded of the words of President Cosgrave. My companion is a good guy, however, there are some things that are not going to work out. He is the opposite of my personality. Nothing bad has happened yet we get along because I am trying my hardest to veiw myself as the problem. I know that the only thing that will keep me going is faith, prayers, and hard work. I love the Gospel. I know it is true. I know that God can make more of me than I can make of myself. Everyone has hard times. Everyone has something that they need help with. With the Atonement of Christ, all things are made possible and bearable.

I love you all and don't worry, I'm going to come out on top.

 Elder Walch

Elder Walch with Zone Leader Elder Udoh (before leaving for Obuasi)

Elder Walch with last companion in Nkawkaw, Elder Kabemba

"My new room in Obuasi"

This is what Obuasi looks like.

Obuasi...here he comes.

Hi Family and Friends,

So glad all is well! 

The weeks of this transfer are flying by. The transfers now are going like this: 8,4,8,4,8 and so on. This is because the MTC is extending the time for missionaries coming to Ghana and are teaching them small small Twi. This also means that I will be coming home two weeks later probably. Also I probably will extend if President agrees. Hope that's fine. Even if not sorry I'm gonna stay here as long as I can! 

Ok so this last week Friday was the first time it rained in 2016! Very exciting! Finally cooling the sun down. Today it rained again. This means the rainy season is beginning! YESSSSSS no more dust! 

I think I told you all last week that our proselyting areas got a redemarcated. we lost some investigators but have gained some. Also through our own finding efforts we have been slowly increasing our teaching pool. 
So this is the email from last week. The network in the cafe just stopped working in the middle. 

OK so news from this week: I'm being transferred. I am going to Obuasi to a new branch to be with a missionary who is only just out of his training. I am going there this week because of the Elders going to Sierra Leon. The actual transfer doesn't end until the end of march. I will be going to be the Senior Companion. At first I was very nervous and sad to have to leave this area. I have loved these people so so very much. My new companion is a Ghanaian from Accra whose name I have forgotten.

Anyways thank you all for the things you do for me. I am so very grateful for the love of you all and especially for the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. I know he lives.

Until next week!

Love,

Elder Walch

                           

The Lost Sheep

Now this week went by not so good. Our area boundaries got changed up so it is kind of like white washing an area. Don't really know where anything is but it will be fun  to explore. So monday was p-day, tuesday was Zone council, wednesday was exploring ( pretty much hiking) thursday same as wednesday, friday my companion was sick. Saturday same as friday. We have found a very powerful new investigator named Kingsley. He is a Roman Catholic who is very very interested in the church and the Book of Mormon. He even translated the teachings into Twi for his wife, brother, and sister-in-law. I really love that man.

Ok so this sunday we had a PEC meeting. We went and began discussing the various things and when it came to discuss the challenges with missionary work I brought up an inactive sister named Eugenia. As I mentioned the word less active the Relief Society president went off on me about how its a waste of time to deal with them and how they are the most annoying people in the church. Now Ghanaians are loud, but I found out yesterday just how loud I can be. I began to speak and honestly I can't remember what I said. The room got quiet and at the end I know I said "Now, Elder Kabemba and I are going to see Eugenia at 6:00 tonight. Who in this room will bring their families and themselves with us?" With that, every person in the room raised their hand and at 6:00 we all went to Eugenia's house. What I have learned and gained a stronger testimony about from this experience is that more important than finding new people to bring into the church is to go out and find those that have strayed. Jesus Christ himself counseled us to go, leave the 99 and find the 1 that is lost. It is so so sad to see those you love and care about fall away. The pain that was in Eugenia's sister's, Grace's, eyes when she told us Eugenia said she won't come again hurt my heart. I know that God is pleased with us staying in the church but he is even more pleased when we bring others back to full activity in the church. 

Thank you all so much for all you do. Love you all tons!

Elder Walch

Elder Walch...Serving the Lord and loving it!

Loving these ward members.

In the states we use a paring knife. Go big or go home...its Africa!

Preparation Day trip to the mountains.

He got his machete!

His two favorite foods. Yikes...

Not sure why he is holding a pig's head.

Mom's Birthday gift...Pictures of Elder Walch!

Pretty good Elder! 

Elder Walch, Elder Asabere, Elder Udoh and a couple of ward members.

Examples of light.

Good evening family!

It is so very nice to get all your letters this past week! My responses are in the mail coming. 

Thank you all so much for your love and support. I am still leading the mission in letters received! 

Ok so this last week as you know Elder Asabere has been called as a zone leader in Tamale. 

He also said he would call me within the week... he didn't. That punk. Anyways this week was great:

Monday: P day. lots of washing and cleaning.

Tuesday: Final District Council with Elder Asabere as District leader. Very nice with the testimonies 

of Elder Vause, Asabere and Sister Elusuiwe. The one picture is of our district starting with the 

sisters going right to left: Nafuna, Nelson, Okosi, and Elusuiwe. As it was Elder Asabere's last day 

here we went to a lot of members and were fed three meals: Ga Kenke, Fufu, and then Banku. I 

was so so so full.

Wednesday: All the members of our zone went to Kumasi except for Sister Nafuna and her 

companion and me and Elder Longman. To save money, we stayed and proselyted since our 

companions were going.

Thursday: First day out with Elder Kabemba. He is a language missionary form D.R. Congo. 

He is learning English and speaks very well. He is very humble and excited to work. 

Friday: Since I am senior companion I planned our week. It looks like lots of finding so please 

pray for us. 

Saturday: Regular proselyting day. 

Sunday: Great day: had a few investigators at church which was great.

OK so I think this week I will share something from a letter I received. I can't remember the 

actual words but the gist of the letter was not being ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Being 

the only white in my apartment and probably in the entire town gets me a lot of stares. Some 

dirty others curious. It is very discomforting to think that If I was doing something bad everyone 

would see. I always try therefore to be seen only doing things that fit the profile of a missionary. 

In direct contrast and in violation of the rules of the mission, some missionaries in the time 

before me here were doing things that missionaries shouldn't do. Elder Udoh and I often talk 

about them as the disgraces of this area. It has come to light that these missionaries would 

leave their companions and go out, invite people into the apartment, use personal phones, and 

even play unapproved music very loudly. With the reputation of the church these elders set, we 

often battle the people that come to our apartments at night and other things. One thing I am 

very proud of is all the good examples that I have in my life. Examples of good and of light. I 

am so so thankful that their images uphold the values of the church instead of disgrace them. I 

am thankful to all of you for all of you, friends from high school that I've grown up with, teachers, 

and all my adopted grandparents. Thank you for your good examples. 

Until next week! 

Elder Walch

Till we meet again Beloved Companion Elder Asabere (He is off to Tamale...)

Fantastic is my response to all of it. Feeling good and happy.

All right so some news:

My beloved companion is being transferred up north to Tamale to be a Zone Leader. I go to pick up my new companion Elder Cabimba on Wednesday. From what I hear he is a great Elder and I will enjoy him. Elder Vause is also leaving. He however is going way out west to Sierra Leone as a reassignment by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

This week went by well:

Monday: Zone Activity in the mountains. It was pretty fantastic. 

Tuesday: District Council: As always good.

Wednesday: Specialized training by President and sister Cosgrave and the Zone Leaders. Very well put together and organized. There I received many letters and 3 packages. Thank you all for that.

Thursday: Exchanges with Elder Vause. Very good day with and experience I will note below.

Friday: Weekly planning.

Saturday: Baptismal Interviews. 

Sunday Baptism: We were able to baptize a young man named Oseii Emmanuel. I had the privilege of doing the ordinance. 

Ok so beginning with the experience we had on Thursday. Elder Vause and I were going to an appointment for a progressing investigator named Annette. Before this meeting with her we were skeptical as to her seriousness. We went and began teaching and began to speak about Joseph Smith. We paused and she jumped in speaking Twi. We were with a member for this lesson who translated for us. Annette said that she had been having dreams about the Second Coming of the Saviour. She said she was with her sisters and the Earth began to go through the final destruction. She saw the Saviour appear in Great glory in the sky and began to run to Him with her sisters. As she neared him she notice she couldn't get closer. A door appeared in front of them and she could only see the Saviour and not go to Him. She tried the door but it wouldn't open. She then woke up. Once she awoke she got the impression that there was something she had to do in order for her to get through the door. She saw us walking down the roadside one day and said that she felt that something we had could get her the key to the door. 

Just like this dear sister of ours had said, there is something that we as missionaries bear that will lead you to the key to eternal life. The message we carry will reveal the key to the doorway of eternal life and explains why I am even here in Africa. I am here to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. As I told one man this past week that I wouldn't have come to Ghana, I wouldn't have left my comfortable hometown for something I thought was true. I only would be here if I knew it was true. I am here to win souls for Christ. I am here as his servant and will submit to His will in all things. I love the gospel with all my heart and am so blessed to be here serving my God and King.

The two pictures below are of me eating a traditional dish called eto made of plantain, onion, oil and groundnuts. It is very nice. The other is of the baptism. Before anyone can say it, I have lost a lot of weight since  those clothes fit me better. 
Love, Elder Walch

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