The 1st email from Sekondi, Ghana

by dad

On monday we got our 1st email from Alex.

Ok I have a lot to say so listen up. (the keyboard here stinks, so if I miss letters its because I'm pounding on the keyboard. you know...3rd world). Also there are tiny ants crawling in and around the keyboard. If that doesn't make a sweet story, I don't know what would.

First off I want you all to know that I know that this church is true. There have been some serious trials so far and I'm sure that they are going to get worse. I want you to know that I know God hears our prayers and watches over us. He loves us all so much and I know that he is pushing me to my limits then just barely touching on the breaks to make sure I don’t give up and quit. Wow.

Sekondi, Ghana

His first area is in Sekondi. It is a coastal city about 40 miles southwest of Cape Coast and the mission home. He has two cities in his area, Sekondi and Butamagybu (BU). They walk everywhere, unless they are in a big hurry, then they ride a Tro-Tro, which is the Ghananian version of public transportation. It's a van/cab which costs .20-.35 pesawas (about .15-.25 cents). So they walk a lot and save money.

A Tro-Tro in Accra

It is about a 15 min walk to the chapel from our apartment and from there its about a 30 min walk to any part of Sekondi (which is the nicer of the cities... and when I mean nicer they just have paved roads (It's still Ghana). Starting at the chapel, its about a 25 min walk to the start of BU. So we usually walk thru all of those routes on a normal day. LOTS of walking in the blistering sun. (no bikes for us).

My companion is Elder Bahme. He is a really awesome guy. He is from Orem, Ut. and is very strong in the gospel. We never have a dull moment. He was super excited to get an American companion. He is very patient with me and works me very hard. He has been out on his mission for almost 8 months. All in the same place. The PRES likes to keep people in the same place for a while. So I may very well be in this place for some time. As for the apartment, I love the group. There are 4 of us. The two others are zone leaders, Elder Halling and Elder Lacanvalu or something like that. He is from Fiji.

My Companion really knows the people and the town. We are in a rebuilding phase at the moments. He has had around 15 baptisms since he has been out. The work is going quite well. We never just go around and contact. We always have people to see. Less active. Recent converts. Investigators and such. So when one person just bails on us we always have someone to go and see.

While Alex was in the MTC, they spent time learning Fante, which is a dialect of the Akan language. English is the official langauge in Ghana, but the local people speak a variety of languages. About 85% of the people speak an Akan-based language. There are six languages that are used on Ghana TV and radio. The Akan language has two major dialects, Fante and Twi, which places different accents on the various words, something akin to Americans and British speaking except more severe. To that end, Elder Darrow wrote...

Church this Sunday was all in Fante. Maybe 15% English. Wow. That was a big pain. Who ever said I was called to an English mission... HA. I was asked to bear my testimony and I said a few lines in Fante. Only the ones that they would understand. Along with my own testimony. I have come to find out that the Fante I learned was legitamate, BUT it changes a little from town to town. So its really different everywhere you go. Man did they love it when I stood up and said I know the church is true. I know there is a living prophet today and that I know the BOM is true. They laughed a little but they loved it. It felt really cool.

As for lessons I have to talk SOOO slow. I have to act like I am speaking to someone who doesn’t speak English cuz they really don’t get English very well. Such a pain. And what stinks is when you start a sentence and you don’t know where its going ( refer to Michael from the office) it makes it sound so much worse when you have to say it super slow and you don’t even understand yourself when you talk.

I'm learning how to teach and get the flow going. We have had some sweet lessons and it’s amazing how the spirit does work thru us. But I have definately had some lessons I just don’t have any idea what’s going on and I feel like they can't even under stand me.

You wouldn’t believe how much the little kids love to yell obruyi (white-man).... man they freakin love it. Every now and then we walk by a school and they start chanting it. ha-ha. The kids really are so cute. Man I'm fallin in love with them. And you wouldn’t believe how many naked kids I see, along with breast-feeding women. Ha-ha it’s everywhere. 1-2 times a day during a lesson we are giving. Just bam! There is it. Ha-ha.

I love you all so much. I can't wait to hear from you guys again. Things are going great. Read your scripts and say your prayers. Trust me. God listens and is keeping a close eye on me.