A Big First Week for the October 19th Group

I found my room!


Late Thursday night the Americans arrive - About 50 of them on one KLM flight!
Here a midnight snack before trying to sleep against jet lag


The Check In Process on Friday morning

With 200 Missionaries there is always a line for food

This is about a tenth of our 200+ missionaries, which is a new record for the MTC. The fact that they come from 22 different countries is also a record.

We Quickly gathered together those that wanted to sing and formed an MTC Choir for the Dedication Service.

Now to get ready for the Visit of Elder Bednar and the Dedication.

Miscellaneous photos of the group leaving today

Some of the Cafeteria Staff

COMPANIONS

One of the rules that we try to really emphasize is to always be with your companion.

For the most part companions care for and serve one another

Starting to Feel at Home

If you follow this blog you will have noticed that we have been a bit spotty at getting posts up the last little while. I think two pictures will tell much of the story.

Picture #1 An MTC Photo after a Devotional with Area Authority Elder Daniel Yirenya-Tawiah at the Tema MTC about 3 years ago. Note our predecessors Elder and Sister Robison with Elder Daniel Yirenya-Tawiah on the front row.

This photo shows about 45 missionaries in the MTC

Today we again had a Devotional with Area Authority Elder Daniel Yirenya-Tawiah

This Intake we have 132 Missionaries

Two weeks from today we will participate in the official Dedication Service of the Accra MTC campus and buildings by Elder David A. Bednar. At that time we are planning on 202 missionaries in the MTC.

The size if the MTC now justifies calling Branch Presidencies to assist the missionaries and look after their ecclesiastical welfare along with the MTC Presidency.

This is the French Branch Presidency

1st Counselor Konduah; Branch President Cobblah; 2nd Counselor Avana, 

 Here is the English 1st Branch Presidency 

1st Counselor, Lawrence Addotey; President Francis Adjabeng; 2nd Counselor Emmanuel Eyinda

This is the English 2nd Branch Presidency

1st Counselor, Gustav Kwakye; President Nicholas Osafo; 2nd Counselor, Benjamin Gibbah  

We feel tremendously blessed to have these dedicated leaders spend Sundays and a week night with their Branches at the MTC

The Devotionals and one or two of the Branches' Sacrament Meetings are held in a beautiful multipurpose room that can hold over 600 people.

    It is also the room where we can watch General Conference live by Satellite feed

The Courtyard is a favorite gathering place when the weather is good

This is the MTC Relief Society for this intake

It is not too often that we get to train a missionary couple at the MTC.

The Gomez are from Australia and will be serving in the Accra West Mission.

We could use thirty more missionary couples in the Africa West Area TODAY. Their stabilizing presence is so appreciated by both the young missionaries and the Wards/Branches where they serve.

Leave your pets, kiss your grandchildren and come on over. The blessings to family at home are remarkable. Many of us feel a special measure of protection over our families as we serve in Africa.