Friends

This is our Sunday evening therapy group. We have about 18 West Africa Area couples that are missionaries. and these are all the ones that live in Alema Court. We used to live there and every Sunday evening we have a dinner and even after we moved they wanted us to come. Yeah! We love the company and some of these ladies are the best cooks every and without a doubt, it is the best dinner we have all week. One of couples, do the auditing, another family history, another self reliance, 2 are Humanitarian, one Public Affairs, and one is Lawyer and we are so sad because they went home this week because of a health problem. These are just wonderful friends we love them all.

Elder Wall busy doing a little bit of everything, I don't know why he is carrying mops and buckets around the area office.

A couple of stories to share with you. One of our Sister's who was going home, told me why she got interested in the church- she had a friend that was a member of the church and had been for several years. This friend had invited her many times to come to church or meet the missionaries and she never would. One time when she was with her friend, she was introduced to the missionaries. That night she had a very vivid dream. She  had a dream that she was in a deep hole and she kept on trying to get out but could not. Suddenly the missionaries appeared at the edge of the hole and they held out their hands and pulled her out of the hole. She decided to take missionaries lessons. This other story I heard from my friend Marva and her husband Lynn who are temple missionaries in Germany. This was told to Lynn by a lady whose children were grown. When she and her husband were young, the missionaries came to their house. They liked what they had to say but, they thought they would check with their Pastor and see what he would say. Well when she asked the Pastor, all he could say was terrible things about the Church. After he was finished berating everything she said to him, she asked, "isn't there anything nice about them". Well he said those young missionaries are certainly fine young men, I hope my sons grow to be like them. The lady immediately thought of the scripture "By their fruits shall you know them" (Matthew 7: 16) come into her mind.  She went home and called the missionaries.  The Lord is collecting his children as they will hear.  

Brother and Sister Bram with their two children from Nsawam.  Bro. Bram is our Young Men's President, the physical facilities representative.  Professionally he produces pineapple juice about 100 US gallons a week.  He employs 7 plus himself.  His story is not unique to those who wish to build Zion in their home areas.  After his mission, he was invited by a friend and missionary companion to join him at school in the United Kingdom, but he felt the need to stay in Nsawam to build up the kingdom and decided to not take advantage of the offer.  He located across the street from the chapel in a rental apartment, next to the missionaries and he aids them with whatever is needed.  Well for those who give as he has, sooner or later their prayers are answered.  His goal is to be able to employ the members who want to go to school or pay back their Perpetual Education Fund loans or start their own small business.  He even offers to teach them the juice business.  His goal is to help the youth in his home branch so they will have employment and stay in the area building the membership and strengthening the branch.  Over the last several Sundays we have driven around looking for lost Aaronic priesthood members and while doing that he expressed the yearnings of his heart to me.  I have been impressed with his dedication, organization and business mind.   Heidi and I made his desires a matter of prayer asking for guidance to know what we could do. About three weeks ago sitting in the bank waiting to cash a check, I visited with a bishop from Tema who told me of a couple from BYU-I Entrepreneurial Center who were in Ghana, "I know them, I said".  Thinking their knowledge might bless this budding entrepreneur, I wondered how to contact them, but had no way to find out.  Once again, prayer was the answer.  The Pothiers contacted me.  We arranged to meet at the Mission office and I shared Bro. B's  story.  A week later we again arranged to meet with Bro. Bram at the Mission office. Subsequently this Sunday we took the Pothiers to Nsawam to see Bro. Bram's operation.         

Brother Bram, Brother Pothier in the fruit squeezing shop.  1 machine, pots that have heat under them to pasteurize the juice.  I believe that this will be a great blessing to the members we so love in the Nsawam Branch.  Another testimony of God's Tender Mercies.