That's thier justice.

by dad

This weeks' email had the latest news on his health (he had a boil), his diet (fruits and veggies are expensive and "fried plantains and beans are cheap and fill him to the rim”) and his recent craving for lasagna and a frosty.

As for investigators:Agyemang and Patricia loved church and the lesson was powerful, but they wouldn’t promise to come this week, which is good cuz at least they understand the meaning of a promise. Pray for them. It’s a fine line to mess with a father and his kids so there isn’t much we can do.

Patrick and Isaac Mahh, both were at church this week and all is going well. We really are focusing on "fruit that will remain” and after lots of studying, fasting and praying, I know that the right thing to do for is to wait. We want them to really understand the importance of baptism and the covenants they are making. We want them to be ready and I want them to be powerful members. Both of them are 2 people that I really want to be a part of their baptism and help them along the way, but I know what God wants, is for them to understand what they are doing. Just pray for them. And pray for me to stay with them. They both mean so much to me, especially Isaac. Has such an amazing story and was ready for this gospel. He’s a person I will never forget.

Now on to more sobering African news…I saw something this week that I will never forget. Something that reminded me where I am and how different life is here. I saw something that I have only heard stories about. Walking in the streets of Sekondi ,right in the heart by the market, we saw a huge crowd yelling and shouting and freaking out about something. As we walked up, we quickly found out what was going on. A thief had been caught. :( Now here in Ghana they go by a different policy. Because everyone has a mother or a wife or friend etc. who owns a shop, they go by the people system. Everybody governs everybody. Yes there are police and it’s an understatement to say you would be lucky if they were the ones who caught you. I witnessed a crowd take this man who was caught stealing and just about beat him to death. They all surround him and just all get their own punches in till the police come. And if they don’t come then mostly likely they kill you or almost kill you. And that’s one thing they see as perfectly normal. That’s their justice. I stood there and watched this horrible scene, and there was nothing I could do. I didn’t want to watch but I couldn’t look away. It was so sad. Now, I’m not saying that the thief is right, but I was quickly reminded what the real world is like and how different life is outside of my pampered life back home. It was something that is burned into my memory. It was a sad, sad day. Just another reason and visual of how fortunate I am.

I really am so grateful for all that I have. I can’t thank you enough for everything.

Elder Alexander Charles Darrow

I draw it out in the dirt for a visual.

just Alex

Well hello, hello family. So... I shall first reply to any emails that I read. In response to The Amazing Race and kids running around with an old bike tire and stick. Well, that’s real here. They will use just about anything as a soccer ball. I get the biggest kick out of seeing them turn empty cans into cars. They put a string on it and run around with them. You forget how 3rd world it is after a while. You ask 'how you do it day in and day out?' Well, you have such a love for the people and its home. It’s like all I know. Just imagine big elder Darrow hopping in with a random game off football when they are using an empty plastic bottle for a ball. I love it. I love them. I love it here. It’s sad to think that one-day i'm going to leave here. Wow. It’s just not real. I really do love it here.

(kids in the neighborhood)

Okay enough with elder Africa. As for what went down this week... our lesson with Isaac was very cool. We taught about repentance. It just made me so grateful for the atonement. Was a cool lesson and he is just about ready for baptism. So is Patrick. The lesson with him went really well.

It’s been a bit since we sat with Agyemang and Patricia. With their school starting it’s just been hard to meet. Well we went by and only Patricia was around. We really talked about why she didn’t come to church. She gave us a promise that this time no matter what she would come. No matter what. (As a missionary you hear a lot off empty promises). I have been teaching Agyemang for over 4 months and Patricia for close to 4 months. It's hard working so hard and not seeing results. We had a cool lesson with her about 1 NE 8. (it's Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. I LOVE that chapter.) Well it was sweet. And i'll tell you I never get sick of teaching that as I draw it out in the dirt below us for a visual to help them learn. We left knowing that we would just come next week and talk about why they didn’t come. Sigh... Nothing new.

On Sat. I went on exchange with elder MacKay. He really is so sweet. I love elder MacKay. I know that part of the reason he was sent here was for me. Elder MacKay is a stud. It’s so sweet to have him to talk to and I have learned A LOT from him. Well exchange was sweet. We did WORK. We were in Sekondi in the morning and Injacia (sp?) in the afternoon. It was a hot day so it made the work feel that much sweeter. haha. Had some powerful lessons and I love teaching with him.

(Elder Darrow & Elder MacKay)

That night we stopped by the Lambs. I Love the lambs. Such a blessing to us. They also told us a ton about what’s going on up in Sunyani. I'm sure elder Bahme is just loving life up there. Talked about how crazy fast this mission is growing. Ghana is ready for the gospel.

Sunday was also sweet. We got to church small early. I went around the room and greeted everyone. I love the ward. After greeting everyone I walked back to the door and waited. As I was waiting there, I saw Patrick walk in looking sharp with shirt and tie. Made me happy after our thick Sabbath day lesson.Then I looked passed them and there stood Agyemang and Patricia, looking better then ever . :))) ... I almost cried. hahah. (Thanks mom... : l) Man was I happy. A guy in our ward was getting married so we had a lot of visitors, so our investigators class was full. That was cool. Had maybe 30+ people in class.

After class, I noticed that the 13-15 yrs didn’t have a teacher. Sigh... They were just sitting there and screwing off. I ended up teaching that class. No biggy.

(kids in the ward)

Isaac didn’t show up to church and I'm not sure why. I'll keep you updated when I know. We were invited to the Lambs after for dinner. It was e Yapos b-day. I ate enough spaghetti and brownies and ice cream for 10 small children. I always go home sick. Every time I say I wont do that again but every time I do. What can you do? I miss food. So that basically sums up the week.

Love you guys big big. Thanks for all you do cant tell you enough!

BIG LOVES

elder Darrow

Still a believer!

by dad

Ushering in the 2010 -2011 season, in his own way and in his words…

“ R E P R E S E N T "

Sekondi Zone

Just Alex...

Well hello, hello...k so how awesome was Gen. Conf. Right??? Blah. I didn’t get to enjoy. Thanks again for all of the emails. So awesome to have family who cares.

This week had a lot going on. I’ll try and update you as much as I can. Before I go on, I think everyone but Ryan emailed about The Amazing Race. I felt like I watched it. Weird to think that I’m in a place they show as that crazy African 3rd world country. I hope it didn’t make it look too ghetto. This place really is amazing. I’m sure they did. Don’t you worry. This place is the bomb. But yes.. very 3rd world. hahah. I forget sometimes.

(the Sekondi Zone Sept. 2010)

So as for updates for the week. We found out that the temple trip was canceled. The area office doesn’t want people going outside mission boundaries. But... I am serving a mission for the living not for the dead. I can do that stuff later.

Interviews were on Weds. They were very, very powerful. Had a really cool chat with Pres Sabey. Love that guy. He truly is inspired.

I have been reading the BOM a lot and just really getting into it. I’m in the end of Alma. I love that book. Every time I read from it, I learn something. And a shout out to momma. I just read about the 2000 momma’s babies and I wept like a small girl. They are just awesome and had mothers who prepared them. I could relate. So, thank you.

This week was elders Sintim’s one-year mark and that was a lot of fun. Today at the stake center we played Aubra in football. I was the keeper and decided to really play. I was surprised how much of it all came back. I was ready to get dirty, sliding all over the place. We ended up winning in a shootout. (I know mom loved those so much.) Soo many people told me how surprised they were that I was agile and could do the stuff I did. I should have told them I can do a cartwheel too... hahaha but enough about that. After we got to have cake and Fanta soda cuz all the people hitting the one year wanted to party. That was fun.

On Friday night we got to sit with Isaac Mahh. I feel lucky just to be able to teach someone like him. He was prepared for this message. We started our lesson with the intro of the BOM. He talked for about 10 min about it. He was just loving it and bore a bold testimony of the book and we haven’t even really got into it with him. This is all before we even started the lesson. Maybe the best opening to a lesson I have ever had. I would imagine it would be like if I went to go watch a MJ concert and Jack Johnson opened for him.

We had one of the most powerful lessons I have been part of. We talked about the plan of salvation. And he was so happy that the BOM told us more about that subject. . After reading with him and explaining how this life is the time to prepare to meet God he broke the silence with ‘wow! That’s serious.’ As we taught him I could see the message pierce his heart and see his eyes open up to our message. The entire lesson as I got to witness this. I had a silent prayer in my heart for being so lucky to be apart of it all.

He says over and over again that he loves the new understanding that we bring when we come. At the end of the lesson he asked us... "Before one is baptized, how far must he progress?" :) :) :) I love it. We explained how we want to teach him everything and let him gain a testimony of it all and that his baptism will come soon. He’s so sweet.

(Baby Do, Joseph, Elder D, Patrick, Raymond, Agyemang)

Lessons still go really well with Patrick. Sometimes is hard to teach him cuz he has so much to say, and when ever we teach him, anything we say takes us to some random verse in the bible that leads to another random thing that goes somewhere else. He reads the dictionary and reads a lot of stuff online. He knows the origin of every word and all types of random information that you’re just like “What???" . hahahah. Things go well with him. He is very intelligent but lessons take forever. He loves this gospel and has a testimony so that’s all that matters.

On Sunday when we got to church Isaac was there waiting. Man that’s a sweet lesson. Patrick isn’t always a regular at church and that’s something we got to fix. Also Justice and Kathryn were there. (the two people who just need to get married and then baptism but culture is getting in the way of their salvation.) too bad.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again for everything. I love you guys big time.

What it do baby, it’s the ice man.

elder D

I see the blessings daily.

just Alex...

This week was awesome as always. (sooo redundant) Here is what’s going on…

A Baptism

(E. Darrow, Patrick, Michal, Grace Bonsi, Bro. Kumah, E. Sintim)

I will start on Tuesday. That was a sweet day. Grace Bonsi and Michal Jackson were both baptized. We showed up to the church and Grace and Bro Kumah (her husband) were there waiting. As we talked to them I could tell they were ready. Grace said that they were practicing all day. (I don’t know how you would practice without being in the water, but she said that he dropped her every time. hahah).

Michal was super scared cuz she hasn’t ever been in water like that. It was quite tough for her but she did it. As for the baptism, it was one of the most powerful for sure. It was some holiday here in Ghana so there were so many members there. The room was packed so that helped a lot. Bro Kumah and Patrick (member friend who baptized Michal) both did a great job. I just feel so lucky to be apart of such an amazing work in such an awesome place. I actually had an emotional moment sitting in church on Sunday when Grace was confirmed by her husband. I just got to see a family joined in the gospel and one day sealed together. Just realized how important the work i’m doing and how it's really not my work, it’s His work. I'm just a tool in His hand. Just such a blessing to be here.

Things are Great with Elder Sintim. We are way tight. Also, we completed the football finding goal so that is sweet. We had a mission fast on sat-sun for thanks. All the things we do really are by the hand of the Lord, not by us.

(Elder Sintim & Elder Darrow)

This week we had a lot and a lot of rain. It’s hard to get a lot done with lots of rain. But I enjoyed it cuz I think it will be the last rain then it's dry season. Sigh. We also found out that the temple trip was canceled. Stinks right? Ya, I was bummed.

As for Isaac, we got so sit with him this week and had another powerful lesson about to BOM. He was very very grateful when I found out that p-doe (aka Dad) talked to his wife. She told him and he was happy about it. Thanks for that. Things are still truckin along with Agyemang and Patricia. With the new goal we are going to be doing a lot of work with the recent converts to try and get new people.

All is going well with Patrick. He could be baptized any day now we are just waiting for another to have more in the baptism. Have lots of people to teach as always. Things are just well.

It was a crazy week with new elders coming and going?! Elder Eke is a cool guy and Elder Lawton in Takoradi and he’s from Australia. That’s always fun. Also have a new greenie in the Zone, Elder Briggs. He’s from Utah and went to Riverton. He is really cool. He is having a tough time with the food and I gave him some of my mashed potatoes mix. The Lambs take care of him too.

(Elder Darrow & The Lambs)

Don’t worry about me. I'm safe and staying healthy. Sometime soon I might be making an order for new pants and shirts. They fixed them, but they still looks awkward. Don’t stress over it yet but sometime maybe for my 1-year or something. I got a ways.

Love you guys. Thanks for all the emails and support. Thanks for the prayers. I see the blessings daily.

elder darrow

6 month celebration - Hawaiian Pizza

by dad

Six months. For p-day, Elder Darrow’s apartment, along with the Kwekuma and the Nketsiakrom apt. all went to North Sea. He had a 6 month celebration meal - Hawaiian pizza, which he said was tasty. He says the 6 months “went by crazy fast but looking ahead I still have a lot of time left.” His latest email…

(Elder Darrow & Elder Meinzer, MTC mates)

This week has been crazy busy and I’m about to tell you all about it.

Transfer news. The mission was rattled around for sure. But as for our apartment, no change. :)

Man was I stoked to hear that. Oh Sekondi... home sweet home. Which basically means, at the end of this transfer I will have been in Sekondi for 7 1/2 months and been with my comp for 3 transfers. I’m just gonna soak it up. I would stay here as long as they need me. At church on Sun I noticed that I knew all the people there and they knew me. Really is home. Love that ward.

(home sweet home for another 6 weeks)

On Tuesday we had a General Authority, Elder Sitati come. That was really cool. He talked about unity. Not only as missionaries but in the church as well. He also talked a lot about our area books and about really setting goals with names behind each number. Just really knowing all our investigators by name and their own needs etc. It was inspirational.

Also at the conf. Pres. Sabey introduced the new goal... By Feb. 27th 2011, every missionary will have baptized someone who was referred to us by a recent convert (Anyone baptized within the last year) and every missionary will help a recent convert prepare a name of one of their ancestors and have them go to the temple for them. It’s gonna be fun!

(a recent tro-tro ride to a mission conference)

On Tuesday, September 21 Grace Bonsi is to be baptized a member of the church by her husband.

All is on plan for the Tuesday night baptism of Grace Bonsi. Should be a very fun and memorable night. We stopped by bro. Kumah this week and convinced him to perform the ordinance. It will mean so much more to her and his family if he does it. So he’s getting in the water on Tuesday night. *huzah! (that must be “hurrah” in Fante!)

Had a really sweet lesson with Agymang and Patricia this week. They want to be baptized so badly but their father is in the way. So plz pray for them and their stubborn dad. sigh…

All is going well with Patrick. Love that guy and his baptism will be sometime within the next transfer i’m sure. Couldn’t sit with Isaac this week cuz he was really busy with work and was gone over the weekend. Still waiting to follow up but we talk over the phone a lot and he seems interested still.

Sorry I don’t have more time. Love you guys lots and lots. All is well.

(music note) don’t worry... be happy now.

elder darrow

The Teaching Tree

by dad

This is the Teaching Tree. It grows in a school yard near a members farm. Alex spends time on Wednesdays and Friday/Saturday, sitting at the tree teaching Dossey the wood-carver and Justice the blacksmith. They are recent converts to the church.

The school nearby is for elementary children. Most children only get education through the 8th grade, because of limited resources for more schooling. The classroom are very simple.

He says the kids LOVE the missionaries and ALWAYS are excited to see them. Despite their lack of playground equipment he says they are the happiest kids on earth.

Da Sekondi Boyz

by dad

I know this sounds redundant but...

Okay this week was awesome. So sweet. I feel like I say that every week but I really do feel so lucky to be apart of such an amazing work. I love it. This week we had a lot go down. It was a busy, busy week. Went by fast.

I just realized how close it is to General Conference. I am SOO excited for it. I won’t be able to watch it but I’m just so excited to hear what new things, or rather, important things they have for us.

I’ll start off with what I have on my mind. I have tried not to do worrying about transfers that are coming up. I really want to stay here. Walking thru the ward on Sun, I noticed that everyone really knew me and I them. It’s home. Well, nothing I do or say will change what happens. It’s out of my hands. Things with Elder Sintim and I are going good. We haven’t ever been closer. Still the (culture) gap there, but we really are becoming brothers. We have a lot of fun and laugh a lot. I have learned a lot being with him.

A few updates for you. Patrick is moving along just sweet. Lessons are always good and he could be baptized on the 21st, but we don’t want to rush it. It will be sometime soon. He’s cool. Agyemang and Patricia are doing swell. As soon as their father will let them come to church they will be baptized.

(Raymond Mensah, Joesph Amaoko, E. Darrow, Patrick, and Agyemang)

Raymond Mensah and Joseph Amaoko are members. Joseph is a ward missionary and helps quite a bit with lessons. Patrick and Agyemang are investigators.

Meekel is doing really well also. She is ready for her baptism on the 21st as is Grace Bonson. I talked to Grace’s husband, Bro Kuman and asked/talked to him about doing to baptism for us. I figure that would be sweet. Well... he doesn’t want to. That’s VERY common in Ghana. I don’t know why. You would think they would be giddy about it but they don’t want any part of it. They usually won’t even sit in on the lessons cuz they want them to convert on their own without them pushing. I guess it makes sense somehow but I would think they would at least want to do the baptizing.

As for other sweet info, I had one of the most powerful lessons on mission so far. It was a lesson on the restoration with Isaac. Let me tell you about Isaac Mahh.

We sat with him on Wed and then on Sat. He is a Liberian. He moved to Ghana in '96 when the war stared there. He is working here and is very, very smart. He is also educated. (Smart and educated are different here). He said that his wife was baptized in Salt Lake City recently and that her and his son have been calling him and telling him that he needs to find the missionaries and to get baptized. When we sit with him he has real concern and questions. As we got to know him he said that he was really impressed with how our church actually cares about people. Some churches just preach and you just go on Sundays and nobody knows you or cares about you. He said that some bishop out in SLC really cares about his wife and family. And has helped them so much. He said when they changed wards the new bishop was just as welcoming.

I don’t think we understand how important the leaders are in our church... "by small and simple things". Isaac is a man who was prepared to hear this gospel. And that is why our lesson on Sat about Joseph Smith was so powerful.

We invited him church... figured it would be a bit early but "visitors welcome". We told him we would give him a call in the morn and remind him. As we went to call him I stopped. I said to e Sintim, "let’s not. Let’s see if he shows. See how much he cares." So that’s what we did. Waiting by the doors on Sunday I was disappointed. At 9:58 I lost my faith and turned to e Sintim and said “where’s the phone? Let’s give him a call.” He gives me the whole... “oh I thought you said we shouldn’t call him and see…” and laughs. Well, sure enough, just as my faith was shaken, in walks Isaac... smile from ear to ear. He had a lot of questions in investigators class and they are all GOOD questions and you can tell he cares. Well at one point he asked about why we are called saints... etc. Then he asked. "What do I need to do to be called a saint?” hahah.YES!!! You can imagine how awesome it was to hear that from him. I am so excited to follow up with him and see how his prayers are going.

All is going just swell over here. Thanks again for everything. Keep praying for the missionaries’ worldwide. I see the blessings everyday.

peEACEE

elder darrow

post script by dad

I spoke with Issac’s wife today. Her name is Fatu Mata. She is from Ghana and has been living in Utah for the past 6 years. They have been married since 2008. Within their culture, apparently it is not uncommon for families to live apart. She was very excited to hear the news that her husband is being taught by the missionaries. She is working in the Humanitarian Department for the Church…"by small and simple things”.

Yup, I’m sitting on a tire, Welcome to Africa

by dad

When Monday morning rolls around I think I am as excited to receive an email as Elder Darrow is to send one. Not to mention every week is ‘a big week’ or ‘flippin sweet” or ‘the best week ever’. This is not to say that life in Ghana is always a bed of roses. He rarely complains, despite the rain and the heat, cultural and cuisine differences, cold showers and mosquito netted beds, and poverty. He does seem to have a greater sense and appreciation for the simpler things in life, like for instance, a chair.

Okay so it was a big week and another sweet week in the field. Had a lot of rain and the dry season is coming soon. Sigh..., which means "sweating becomes my new least favorite hobby” - (E Proctor).

Okay... now for the week in Sekondi and Kwekuma. I got to spend the week with elder Dadegnon, because elder Sintim was at meetings in Cape Coast. I love that guy so much. He is so Christ like. He just loves everyone and it’s a joy being around him. Teaching with him is different because his English isn’t up to par yet. He learned on mission, so talking with people he does fine but teaching is different. So I did a lot of teaching this week, but I don’t mind. ;) Had a lot of cool lessons with him and got to know his area so that was cool.

(Elder Darrow & Elder Dadegnon)

I have been worried about transfers. I love Sekondi and it’s my home and weird to think it could be over soon. There are a few people that I really wanted to see it all work out. One of them is Grace Bonson, a wife of a member. We heard that she wanted to be baptized on her birthday. We went by this week and asked her about it and she said that her b-day is on the 21st. :). Sooo, IF I’m transferred, I will be having a baptism the last day I’m in Sekondi. Hecka tight. Her and Meekel. And I’m very excited for both of them.

(Elder Darrow in Sekondi, Ghana)

This week we had a really cool lesson with Patrick. We have had some cool lessons with him. He is educated so that means we can teach more each sitting. We went by this week to teach the Plan of Salvation. We sat down and ask about the assignment he had. (If they don’t complete it by keeping their promise to God then we don’t teach. It’s hard at times, but really does weed out the people who aren’t serious.) He said his assignment was 2 parts: to pray about the Book of Mormon and then to read the introduction. So I say, "did you complete?" He smiles and says, "of course." I then ask him, “Why don’t you tell me how your prayers are going?" (A lot of people here wait to have some crazy vision or dream before they think it’s an answer to their prayers. I don’t know if that’s just Ghanians/Africans or the world. But it’s so weird. We often have to explain how they can get answers). Well he said, "I prayed and as I read the intro I felt like I couldn’t put the book down. I even went past where you told me to read.”

- At this point I have moved to the edge of the tire that I’m sitting on. Yup I’m sitting on a tire, welcome to Africa. I’m absolutely just giddy about it. - He continues and says “to be frank with you, I have found that just as it says on the front ‘Another Testament of Jesus Christ’, I have found that to be true. Just as you said it supports the bible.” - Now I’m looking around for someone to high five or even chest bump. - Then he says, "As for my prayers, I can see that my pray was answered." It was another one of those “All Worth It Lessons”! so sweet.

Thank you so much for the letters. I love mail so much. Really... thank you!

Love you guys so so much. Thanks again for all you do.

KKKSHH...... Over and out.

elder darrow

Mission Pictures - Life in Sekondi

by dad

One of the recent p-day highlights was golf at the Takoradi Sports Club. It included a dirt Tee-Box, a caddie, 'greens' the were 'browns', and rain. Thank you Elder Saunders for making it happen.

Speaking of rain... during the rain season, it's not unusual to come home at night soaked to the bone.

(