Ghana is Hot

Hello family and friends,

It has been another great week out here beneath the scorching hot Ghana sun. Harmattan is coming back with fury!! It hasn't rained this whole week just sunny with blue skies. Imagine Arizona but walking around all day in the hot sun, that is what it's feeling like right now. You can buy water for 20 pesewas which is basically the equivalent of a penny in US money. I carry around a bunch of coins just so I can go and buy water. Every day I probably drink about 2-3 liters of water. It is my hope that it rains every day but proselyting is actually pretty great right now. No one wants to go out and walk in the heat so everyone is outside in the shade or at home which has been amazing. It has made the work go a lot smoother. 

Well... as of right now I am emailing at a cafe inside KNUST one of the biggest universities in Ghana. And right now there is a demonstration going on around us. Apparently last Friday, security guards beat up some students and now the student body is seriously outraged and going around the campus and burning cars, destroying buildings and signs. Basically just going completely rogue and we are trapped inside the cafe. But, it is no problem because I am safe and am able to email. 

Anyways everything this week was pretty awesome. It all started on Tuesday with our Zone Council. The theme was all about improving proselyting hours and becoming effective and efficient missionaries. It was seriously an inspirational council and all of the missionaries took it very seriously and applied it into their areas and lives. I am pleased to announce that the zone's weekly hours were the highest since I have been here!! Which is absolutely amazing! Our missionaries are really trying their hardest and working hard. One of our companionships even baptized seven this last week!! 

Baptism of Brother Asare, Sister Ama and Sister Emelia with Elder Kamara

The whole week we were focused on preparing three people for baptism. Brother Asare, Sister Ama and Sister Emelia. Brother Asare started coming to church because of his two children Philomena and Philomen. For the children, they started coming to church with their member friends that stay by them. They came for like half a year then they were baptized. They started sharing things with their father and ultimately invited him to church. He was coming for like six months before anyone realized it. We the missionaries tried to talk to him a couple of times but whenever we asked him if we could come by and share something with him he would always say no because he was afraid of English. It wasn't until one of the members in the ward went by his house and told him why the missionaries needed to come and teach him that he finally opened up and wanted us to come every day so he could be baptized as fast as possible. He really loves the church and was so happy after his baptism!!

Sister Emelia's family (she is the granddaughter of the stake president)

The second person we baptized was Sister Ama. For her she was coming to church for a long time by herself and then finally the Relief Society President pointed her out to us and we taught her and baptized her in two weeks. The final person we baptized was Emelia. She is the stake president's granddaughter and has been coming to church for a long time but never has been baptized. After going to their house the first time I realized why no missionaries had been teaching her. The house is out in the straight bush!! It is so far out there that no car goes even close to their house. So in order to get out there, we have to take a five-minute taxi ride and then walk for thirty minutes. But, it was worth it. Emelia was so happy and now we have a great relationship with the Stake President. The Lord is definitely preparing the way for us. His hand is definitely here in Kwamo right now and I see his blessings in the missionary work here every day.

We were also able to participate in a service project this past week for one of the recent converts in the ward. He has a dirt road in front of his house, like the majority of Ghanaians but the road is seriously eroded and has some huge holes and dips in it. So, we spent half the day sandbagging and filling in the holes. It was seriously some hard work but once we were finished it seriously looked great! Service projects out here in Ghana are really different from back home but a lot of fun as well. Instead of donuts and milk as the refreshment, we get banku with hot pepe and a coke. Can't complain at all! 

Anyways I can honestly say that I am almost a Ghanaian at this point. I am used to everything and the food is great now. Throughout my mission, I have learned so many wonderful things and am now trying to put them into practice my last months on mission. I want my last 8 months to be my best yet!! Till next week! Love you all so much and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Ordyna

Elder Henderson and I at Kofi's Cafe