In the jungles of Africa

Wow, where to begin, this week has just been so awesome! shoot!

Ill begin by apologizing for not having pictures... I took some this week but unfortunately, another elder has misplaced my companion's SD card reader and thus, i cannot upload them. next time yeah?

Good news, three of my youth recent converts were able to join our branch in a branch temple trip to the Accra, Ghana temple! They went to do baptisms for the dead. They loved it! It was particularly fun for me to prepare them by teaching them all about the temple and what goes on there. They all were so eager to feel the spirit there! S, a 14 year old boy, said that he didn't even want to leave, that he wanted to sleep inside. I got a kick outta that :) The others also came back from the trip very eager to help us teach others and to share the gospel. Man, the temple is such a sweet and sacred place. I was bummed I didnt get to go with them, but we missionaries are going next month I believe. Cant wait!

Also, I decided to come out of my shell a bit and make some banana bread this week. wait, thats not anything new is it? but wait, i made it in the MICROWAVE! because we dont have ovens... anyways, i made this bread specifically for our family we are teaching to try and win the heart of the mother (sister patience). She loves us, but has been struggling to come to church recently. You will be happy to know that she loved the bread so much that we have an appointment for me to come and teach her how to make it! (they have a makeshift oven/ big box over coals). We are praying that this week if we hit her with the relief society president as a fellowshipper plus an additional loaf of bread she will follow her husband to church. Pray she will make that step to come again!

We also had wonderful success teaching her husband this week as we were able to get his uncle/ somehow related twice removed relative who is a member to come help us teach. E. is his investigator name. He has been progressing by leaps and bounds. This week, he has now come to church twice in a row! BAM! man, we are so much looking forward to seeing this family come into the church. Next week we will try and get a pic! parents are around 35ish with 4 kids ranging from 5-10. Such an awesome family!

Elder Tolar and i went on an exchange this week. Man, it was sure fun to get to go out with a fellow Liberian missionary. We nailed it that day! It was such a blessed day, i needed it. We ended up teaching something like 6 mp's and 3 OL's and 1 LA lesson. It was the first time in sucha  long time that i was so tired of teaching that at the end of the day around 8:00 pm i was almost HOPING for a bounce. literally all of Friday, everywhere we went, we were teaching. Man,it was so much fun and so rewarding. I felt like i was home again! It gave me the spark i needed to keep the same zeal and energy i came with from LIB.

Alright, onto the good stuff. Saturday my companion and I got up around 5:00 am to head out to the farm to help the new family we are teaching there. I believe I told you about them last week. They stay in a village called Fanta. It was such an experience. Brother S. farm turns out to be ON the mountianside. so after catching the first bus heading that way and arriving there, we grabbed out cutlass' and took a solid 30 minute hike up the steep mountianside just to GET to the farm. Sheesh! we were completely DRENCHED in sweat about 10 minutes into the hike. it was so beautiful though! im telling you, it was truly a once in a lifetime african adventure. We were hiking through dense african rainforest, thankfully no animals are prevelant there, only reptiles and bugs. oh man, the bugs, dont get me started! I have never seen so many scary bugs in my life! The forest floor is seemingly harmless until you start hacking down weeds/ shubbery / foliage and disturbing the bugs, then they come out to see whats happening. My companion wasn't too happy about that. especially when a massive spider about the size of your palm fell from a tree onto his neck... he is still psychologically scarred from that...

I managed well, except for these microscopic flies that are native only to foresty areas. I've not actually been able to see one yet they are so small. They bite you and leave extremely itchy bites on any exposed skin that resemble mosquito bites. I was prepared for these by completely soaking my arms and neck with 98% deet before going, but apparently these flies arent even deterred by that! My arms look like i have a sevre case of chickenpox! Legg also was attacked pretty well by them, although i think i have a worse case because i also traveled to Anum Apapam Sunday to do some baptismal interviews and got even more bites there. The flies affect some natives, but i guess our blood is a bit more interesting. I tell you, we are really suffering with something like 75 itchy red bites all over each of our forearms and even into our armpits. I also have a few buggars on the back of my neck and into my hair. sheesh. thank goodness for the anti itch cream i had unopened somewhere in my suitcase. thanks for packing that mom, saved my life. anyways, the natives promise us they will go away within a week... ha...

Continuing... We also met about 5 different species of poisonous centipedes, about 50 different individuals. I tried not to let those crawl into my pants... cut a few in half although i think they are still out there... other bugs include: 4 inch beetle, a river of 1 inch long massive army ants, river of small fire ants (these ones can kill elephants apparently), massive snails, stick bugs, spiders out the wazoo and i even saw 2 snakes, nbd. they arent poisonous. enough about bugs. we had long pants and long socks on, no worries.

We had a great time brushing down weeds which were disturbing his plants as well as planting some cassava plants. It was great. I also learned how to dig out massive cocco yams! too easy! After the work, around 1:00 pm we hiked home and taught the entire family as well as a few neighbors. This week we are going to  make more time for teaching, dont think we will be doing a service project this week. The entire village is interested in us now, im so excited to go back this week! Our only prayer is that some of them will be able to travel to Asamankese to attend church. we'll see! the family is progressing very well though, im so excited!

Throughout the entire experience, i was so impressed with the father, brother S., who truly exemplifies what it means to sacrifice for the welfare of his family. Man, i tell you, this brother is the first one up, get to the farm and is the hardest working, the last to leave, and is the last to eat when everyone returns ans is hungy and tired. I was touched to watch his concern for his children and wife over his own well being. This family survives off of what they grow and then what little they also sell. Their home is made from mud bricks and they all live inside one small room. They have an outdoor kitchen and cook from wood fires and live a completely 1st world free lifestyle. it is so inspiring to be in that community and see the love that exists in that family! Life is so simple. I love that. I hope i can learn more from them in the coming weeks. shoot, it is such a blessing to be here in Africa.

 I am struggling to articulate all the great things that have been happening this week. I dont think i would ever have time to type and explain all else that went on this week but suffice it to say that the Lord has been hastening His work with great power and glory here in Asamankese. We are even preparing for a baptism this weekend and are so excited for one of my aboslute favorite investigators, sister E., to be baptized. Line upon line, small small, we are really seeing success. I love being able to work here in Aamankese! I love spreading the gospel that has blessed my life and family so much. I know that what i teach is true and i pray that i might be a more profitable missionary through my experiences. I cant wait to report what will happen this coming week! Love you all, I pray you will all have wonderful weeks as well! love,

Elder Fairwell