Less-Actives, Former Investigators & One Year Mark

Dear families and friends,

I am finally over the one year hump! I have now been in Ghana for a year, which is pretty crazy. As I look back, it feels like only yesterday I came on a mission. But, I can honestly say that I have experienced and learned so many new things this past year and can't wait for what my last year will bring.

This week we shifted gears from investigators/new contacts to less-actives. Our bishop talked about less-actives in our last ward council, and everyone agreed that trying to find less-actives and working on bringing them back will help strengthen the ward and help us missionaries to increase our teaching pool. So, for most of this week, we went down the ward directory and called everyone that we haven't seen at church. A lot of the phone numbers were wrong or didn't go through. But, we were able to meet with about five of them successfully. Some of them lived super far away and basically out in the bush. A lot of their main reasons why they haven't been coming to church is that they live too far away from the chapel and it is hard to get a car that goes there. Some of these people stay a good 30-45 minutes from the chapel which is not a cheap tro ride. We had some really great lessons with them and tried to help them to come back to church. On Sunday we saw three of them! They were so happy to be back at church finally. At the end of the meeting, I asked them how church was, and they said that it was amazing and they regret not coming. It is seriously amazing to see someone change their lives and progress unto baptism. But, it is also really special to see a "lost sheep" brought back into the fold.

This week we also focused on former investigators. This last week we searched our area book for people that were taught by previous missionaries also to find new people to increase our teaching pool. For many people, the first time they meet missionaries they aren't ready to change or accept their message. One thing that I have learned on mission is that every person is different. The time it takes for someone to progress and make a change in their lives is different for everyone. Some can do it in three weeks others may take years. On Sunday we met one such person. His name is Alfred. He met with missionaries a year ago and only had one visit with them. He didn't keep any commitments and wasn't really interested in what the missionaries had to say. But, when I called him on the phone on Sunday, he was super happy and wondered when we could get out there to see him. He was very attentive during the whole lesson and was even asking very good questions. He accepted a baptismal date and even told us that he would come to church on Sunday by himself. He is so ready for the gospel now. The time was right for him!

I am so grateful for this amazing gospel. I know that it changes lives I have seen it first hand during my mission. I also know that it gives us joy and happiness and helps us to have peace. I am so grateful for all of the people that I have met this past year here Ghana and for all of your support and love you have sent me!

I look forward to this next year and for the people I will meet and the spiritual experiences I will have.

Love you all so much! Till next week!

Elder Ordyna