Adventure Packed Week

Elder Ordyna and Elder Smith

Hey family and friends,

Don't worry... things in Ghana are still sweet. This week sure was packed full of some serious adventures like never before witnessed. As you read this prepare for your mind to be blown, this is basically Fast and Furious status.

#1- The Flood that Took Elder Smith's Glasses
This week was seriously super rainy!! It rained basically every single day. But on Tuesday was by far the craziest day. It was basically already raining the whole day off and on, but at 7 pm we went to one appointment, a family that we are preparing to baptize this week Saturday. As we were finishing the lesson, it started to rain super hard. Basically like a hurricane. We didn't think anything of it because it was our last appointment of the day and we were headed home. So, we decided to go out and walk in the rain back to our apartment. Yeah, let me just say we completely underestimated the power of the storm. Before we were even walking for five minutes, we were already pretty soaked and basically walking through rivers to get back home. After about 10 minutes of walking my companion, Elder Smith realized that his glasses were gone. We tried looking for them for them, but it was dark and super rainy and wet everywhere. So, we decided just to make it back to our house as fast as possible. We tried looking for them again in the morning, but they probably got swept away. I can say that that night we were basically like Indiana Jones. We were jumping from rock to rock and trudging through the water to our shins. It felt pretty awesome. 

#2- Highway to Mampong
This past week we planned an exchange with our farthest away companionship. They are out in a place called Mampong. It is about a 2.5-hour trip away and up in the mountains. They are a companionship currently in training. Elder Lephoyo is from the Republic of Congo, and he is the trainer while Elder Stewart is from Layton, Utah and he is the trainee. Our plan for the exchange was to leave Wednesday evening, have the exchange all of Thursday and then return to Kwamo Friday Evening. On Wednesday we left Kwamo at like 7 pm already thirty minutes behind our original plan. We had to take two cars it was so far away. We went from Kwamo to Effiduasi with no problems. The moment it all changed was when we got into the taxi to head to Mampong. We waited like 30 minutes for it to fill, and then we headed off on our journey. I got stuck in between two huge sweaty people, and it was the most uncomfortable ride ever. We got about fifteen minutes into the journey when the taxi went over a huge bump, and the tire rims fell off the taxi. We had to stop for like another 15 minutes as the taxi driver went out to find it. We got out and helped him find it. It rolled off the road and went into some deep bush. We were walking around for with flashlights for a while until we found it. Then it happened another time. After an hour we were basically in the same place. Finally, the driver put the hubcap in the back trunk, and we were making a great time until we got stopped at every single one of the police checkpoints on the way up because the driver overloaded the car. The maximum occupancy was only four passengers. But, the driver wanted more money and put two people up front. We had to stop at like three checkpoints. But, finally, after a three-hour trip, we made it safely to Mampong. And my summary of Mampong is it is by far the bushiest place I have ever been. To get anywhere, you have to take a fifteen minute bush trail. It is pretty dope basically the machete cutting area. 

#3- Baptismal Interview Miracle
After we came back from Mampong on Friday, we had a baptismal interview planned at Dichemso with President Webster. It was planned to be at 2:30 pm and we told our candidate to meet us at 1:00 pm and then we would go because we knew that it would be well over an hour drive from Kwamo to Dichemso in tro. But, then she didn't come until 2:00 PM and then we left. WE ARRIVED AT THE STAKE CENTER AT 2:40 PM. IT was an absolute miracle. Everything worked out for us. The tro hardly stopped, and the traffic was perfect. It was an absolute baptism miracle that was able to work out perfectly.

Every week in Ghana so far has been amazing and adventureful. It just wouldn't be GKM anymore if nothing happened. Things are sweet and going well out here. We were having such a great time this week that I didn't have much time to take pictures. Sorry!! But, enjoy these pictures from our most recent zone conference!

Elder Ordyna

Sister Bintu and Sister Blessing (before her baptismal interview)

Brother and Sister Ayequee