Hey, what's up, everyone? How has life been? It's been a crazy week. I'm so excited to tell you!
To start off the week on Monday, we did some shopping. It's kind of funny heading up to Tamale and seeing such a cultural difference. Even though I am still in Ghana, everything is so vastly different. Everything, including the food here, is different. That was a challenge I ran into and wasn't really expecting. I went shopping, and the market was full of goods I haven't seen before, or things I was looking for didn't exist in this region. So it has been interesting to learn how to cook all over again. Lucky for me, I have had American goodies to hold me over!
On Tuesday, we had a district council meeting. In Tamale, there are 4 sisters and 12 elders, so it was a pretty big council meeting. We talked about our experiences with the Klebingat zone conference, and also the president is implementing new obedience standards. He calls it the 17 points of consecrated obedience. He is really cracking down on disobedient missionaries, which is super nice; it only makes it easier to follow the rules. The rest of the day was a normal proselyting day and was full of good works!
On Wednesday, the wall tiles in our washroom and shower room decided to fall off the wall. They were not installed properly the first time. So we had to call and have someone come and fix it. My companion and I took turns with the other companionship staying in the apartment while they worked. We were told they should not be left here alone. It took them 3 days to put new tiles up, due to constant power outages and supply delays. While it was my companion and my turn to be supervising, I have never been more bored in my entire life. Sitting in an apartment with absolutely nothing to do. I did, however, start the New Testament. So far, that has been awesome. I found a 2019 Come Follow Me on the New Testament, so I have been reading according to that. The New Testament is so good!
On Thursday, I was out and about! Thank goodness. My companion and I have been doing more walking than I have ever experienced. I asked him why we walk so much and why you chose to teach investigators that live so far away. And he then told me that we have bikes! So this whole time, I have been walking my butt off, and we have bikes!! He just chose not to tell me. But turns out, the last elder, the one that I replaced, got in a collision with a moto and spoiled my bike, so I had to go get it fixed. The rim was completely bent, but I straightened it just enough to ride it to the repair shop. I got it back a few days later.
On Friday, we had the usual proselyting. We went to see one of our investigators, Sister Rose. She was making yam fufu. In Nkawkaw, the only fufu they have is half Cassava and half Plantain, and it is very stiff because cassava is very small here, and plantains barely exist at all. Here they make fufu with only yam. It's much lighter, but still really good. Sister Rose was so kind and gave us some to eat.
On Saturday, at the end of the day, I went to the market to buy a few items for Sunday. On our way out, we stopped at the yellow-yellow station to pick one. As usual, the drivers were arguing about who would take us. I wasn't having it that day, so I just picked one and got in. The other drivers were not happy with my decision at all. Usually, they will respect your decision and let you go, but these ones were persistent. So, Elder Mukanya and I sat in the back of this yellow while probably nine other drivers surrounded us, yelling at our driver. Our driver tried to drive off, but the other drivers held his yellow back, turned off the key, hit his hand, and forced him to drop the clutch. All sorts of things were preventing him from moving. Our driver was getting so mad that he hopped out and literally started to fistfight with nine other drivers. I wasn't going to stick around to find out the result, so we slipped out the back and found another yellow. It was pretty crazy. I wish I would have had my phone out to get a video, but I wasn't fast enough.
On Sunday, we had church, and it was super good. We had a priesthood meeting and went over a talk called "The Ladder of Faith," which was super good.
Well, nothing too eventful, but the work is proceeding. Differences in culture make the work fun, and it's always good to learn how to cook in more ways than one! I hope everyone is doing fine and dandy. I'll talk to you next week!
Photos: There were some photos that I forgot to include in last week's email, so I will include them this week.
Photos with one of my favorite missionaries ever!
A photo with the Idaho squad
Me when I first got to Mini America!
There is a real ice cream place in our area, and I am sure enjoying it.
Mud hut
Yam fufu
We eat lots of dates here; it's kinda cool. I have never seen dates before. They are basically one big, really good raisin.
