What IS THAT IN THE ROAD?

Last week between the groups of Missionaries we took a short drive North and as we were driving, Sister Brubaker said 'WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS IN THE ROAD UP THERE'!!!!!

From a distance they looked like large dogs or goats. But as we drew closer they were monkeys!! BIG MONKEYS ... In fact ........Baboons!!

Road Crew

Multi-vitamins for Monkeys?

'I Love my Mom'

Strutting his Stuff

'I can hardly wait to grow up and get a black nose'

Baboon Tribal Chief ... "my nose is the longest"

Monday Night Farewell Program

Each district performed for each other to bid farewell.  We have some great voices in the MTC, and they love to sing!

  

The teachers spend many hours with the missionaries.  It is hard for them to say good-bye.

                       

Soeur Adeti and Soeur Bohoussou are companions,  and will go to their separate missions in the morning.

Two great Elders heading to Ivory Coast and Republic of Congo



Adieu les missionnaires!  Nous vous aimons beaucoup!



Many friendships have been made that will last for eternity!

Sunday night Devotional - Fairwell Missionaries

The Last Sunday night devotional for this group

This is a Sunday night devotional. This week centered on The Doctrine of Christ

Scriptures get a work out at the MTC

Discussion on what Lehi did after partaking of the fruit 

Missionaries listen intently

Sisters discuss the "finer points"

Our beloved District of Ammaron set to leave after 6 weeks anf learning French

Our Beautiful Sisters From Madagascar

We were so happy to receive Sister Rakotondramanana from the South African MTC!

She was the only sister there, so they sent her to us!  She is going to the  Uganda Kampala Mission.  She is learning English.  It only took us a few minutes to realize that she did not speak English or French!  No one here spoke Malagash.  How would we communicate with her?  I remembered my former French teacher at the Provo MTC went to Madagascar on his mission.  We were able to facetime with Brother Lambson, and President Brubaker was able to have an interview with her as he interpreted for him!  

 A week later, Sister Razanadrakoto, from Madagascar arrived at the MTC!  Our prayers were answered, and she was so happy!  They became companions!  Sister Razanadrakoto speaks both English and French!   

Sister Rakotondranamana was so happy!

It took a few times to say their names without looking at their badge!  

We are one big happy family here at the MTC!

Family History Work Leads to Covenants

Last Sunday the missionaries spent a couple of hours doing Family History work.

Typing in names into their Family Tree brought big smiles to their faces!

Sister Stutz and Elder Stutz are on a full-time Family History Mission.  Sister Stutz helped Elder Yeboah add his family names to his family tree.

Those with previous experience were able to share their knowledge with those new to Family Search.  

Everyone got involved, both working on the computer, and helping others add names to their family tree of family members who have passed away.  Elder Osei had lost his mother right before he was baptized, and we were able to add his mother, and make it possible for her temple work to be completed!  

Sister Eyamo and Sister Ngindu are wanting to take their grandparent's names to the temple on Tuesday.

Elder Tibbitts is a great Family History coach, and spent countless hours helping missionaries get names temple ready for ordinance work for family members.  We had a deadline, and we saw first-hand a miracle unfold, as names for the temple, one by one, were prepared for tomorrow and the next day!

It is a great undertaking to get the right missionaries in the right van so bright and early in the morning!

Sister Gyiamfi and Sister Iyok were so happy to perform temple work for family members.

Soeur Bohoussou and Soeur Ounleu enjoy a few minutes on the temple grounds.

Elder Osei's mother passed away right before he was baptized in 2012.  As we worked together preparing his mother's name for the temple, he was so excited to find out that her work could be done on Wednesday when he goes to the temple. He asked me if I would do the work for his mother.  I was so honored to do this work for him.  Life does not get any better than to spend the day in the temple with our missionaries!

In the last two days, the missionaries were able to bring many family names to the Accra, Ghana temple.

Baptisms for Family Members          42
Initiatories for Family Members        42
Endowments or Family Members      23
Baptisms for the Dead                        25
Endowment for the Dead                  32
Sealing of Parents                               3
Sealing of Grandparents                      1
Live Sealing to Deceased Parents        3

Mother and Son Reunited After 16 Years!

Elder Bouthot’s mother from Burkina Faso.

It felt like one of those TV human interest stories at the MTC today. You know the ones, where long lost relatives are able to see each other for the first time in years.

Elder Bouthot arrived at the Ghana MTC from Montreal Canada last week. In our first interview he told me that his parents separated when he was two years old. He and his father lived in Montreal Canada and his mother lived in her homeland of Burkina Faso. He has not had the opportunity to see his mother during the ensuing 16 years.

He felt a strong yearning to become reacquainted with his mother. He counseled with his bishop about the possibility of traveling to Burkina Faso before departing on his mission. His Bishop suggested that now is the time to serve his mission and "just maybe" he might meet up with his mother on his mission. "One never knows"

When his mission call arrived, he was called to train at the Ghana MTC before continuing on to serve his mission in the Republic of Congo. Burkina Faso borders the northern edge of Ghana. 

We discussed how we could make this reacquaintance happen. Elder Bouthot had done some groundwork and knew how to reach her through another family member living in Burkina Faso.

Two days ago she and her son-in law traveled by bus for 5 hours from her traditional hometown of Gorom-Gorom to arrive at the Capital of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou. Where she boarded an overnight bus to Accra, Ghana. This morning we were able to help her catch a taxi and get a ride to the MTC in Tema. 

They had a joyous reunion and spent the day in my office getting reacquainted. Elder Bouthot speaks French, which is the language of commerce in Burkina Faso. His mother's first language is Mossi, one of 8 languages spoken there. Her French was good enough that they were slowly able to carry on a conversation, and he was able to ask questions that he had had for a long time. He and she were all smiles.

When the time came we were able to find a reasonably priced hotel where they are spending the night. Tomorrow, when we go to Accra, to the temple, we will drop them off at the bus terminal for the return trip home.

Tonight Elder Bouthot said, "This may be the best day of my life". 

Preach My Gospel says "On earth, family associations can be the source of some of our greatest joy"

A gift to Elder Bouthot from his mother

A few facts about Burkina Faso

There approximately 19,000,000 inhabitants in Burkina Faso.

60% are Muslim 30% Christian 7% Animist/traditional

In 2013 there were 6 members of the LDS faith listed as living in Burkina Faso

We currently have no missionaries in BF.

Elder Berthot's mother is from a town in the north of Burkina Faso - Gorom Gorom

Gorom Gorom means sit down, we'll sit down in the Mossi language. Because of it's location in the north of the country on the edge of the Sahara desert it is a cultural crossroads and at the big Thursday market there are Tuaregs from Mali, Poels who herd animals all across the southern Sahara and many other cultures.

Gorom Gorom 'mud' mosque

Tuareg women weave coins and silver into their hair, while the Tuareg men wear turbins

We go out in the "FIELD"

The son of our longtime best friends, Craig and Claudia Kaelin, is serving in the Accra West Mission.
With permission from President Snow we spent a couple of hours with Elder Tyler Kaelin. This afforded us a rare look at what life is like in the "FIELD"

Pretty nice apartment complete with mango tree

And Two great Elders ride off into the sunset (or at least to their next appointment)