Season's Greetings lovely
friends and family! Dec. 8, 2014
I type this afternoon from an
internet cafe that may or may not be around 90 degrees. The sun is shining with
exceptional radiance and the clouds are, as always, perfectly fluffy and huge.
Oh how i love Christmas time in Africa! I was surprised this week to discover
that in fact, my apartment is only about 30 min away from the beach. I haven't
looked at a map in who knows how long, so it was a bit surprising that the
ocean is so near! I think we might try and visit it as a companionship next
P-day if we find the time, although rumor is that around this area, the beach
is extremely smelly from the waste canals that dump into it... so we will see if
we actually go...
This week has gone by
exceedingly slow, yet incredibly quickly. We spent the majority of our time
proselyting, but also were able to attend MLC and go on an exchange which made
the days go by a bit faster with a change of activity. I enjoyed going to the
Hill's home to attend MLC. You would have no idea how much spirit is packed
into a simple, beautiful, well kept house of prayer and faith. Being in the
mission HOME with family photos on the wall and clean rooms really uplifted me.
Our apartments just dont have that touch of home that the Hill's place has.
Granted, our apartments aren't anything like the 1st world comfort that the
mission home has, rather at times they are a lot like a hideout from ww3 or
something .. I am enjoying my new apartment though. The greatest attibute about
it is that it is so old and run down that when its dirty, it feels the same way
as when its clean. As long as we keep the place neat, dirt is discuised into
the floor so well and the walls are made of poorly smoothed cement that you
cant even tell that the place is dirty! Im not sure if i have really described
it very well, but the idea is still there. I enjoyed being in the mission home,
short story long...
We met an incredible
investigator this week, a young guy around 22 i believe, who has defined to me
what it means NOT to harden your heart. We contacted him through 'tracting'
this week and were able to sit down with him for a few minutes the first day we
met him. He is a long time member of his church, in fact he was one of the
founding few to the congregation 3 years ago. Yet, he readily and openly
accepted what we had to offer. Never before have i taught someone who
understood, intellectually, so clearly the message of the restoration and the
implications of the truthfulness of it, and so willingly accepted to follow it
upon answers to his prayers! His questions throughout the lesson not only
indicate his attentivness but also his sincere desire to know personally for
himself if what we teach is true. I was impressed in a lesson we had with him
Thursday evening. We brought with us one partially less active member who is
also a YSA (young single adult) and let him bear his conversion story. I watched our investigator
change through the lesson, going from merely curious and eager to learn, to
sincerely desiring within his heart for the manifestations of the spirit and
the joy that our member was attesting to. I hope this observation wasn't just
my optimistic perspective but rather real desire on this man's behalf. I
will let you know how he progresses in the next few weeks!
I had a pretty rough day
Wednesday evening. Rough or maybe comical, not sure which word to use. It was a
long day full of finding. One of those days where every appointment fails,
every backup appointment fails and you and your companion are left looking at
each other with about 5 hours or so until anything certain is planned and about
all excitement to spread the gospel and change peoples lives, going to find the
elect, that morning when you woke up has vanished. It happens alot here in
ghana, so its really not unusual to us. But by the evening this wednesday, it
seemed that the series of unfortunate events were beginning to become
frustratingly humorous! We were riding bikes in the dark through a rocky path
next to an open sewage gutter, also along the neighborhood trash dump sight
where poop in a bag and the stench of deadly chemical reactions is too common,
we had just gotten yelled at by a very very rude drunk man, the front brakes of
my bike broke that day, my pants had just torn right down the crotch, for some
reason I had been chaffing so bad that day that I had bloodstains on my
clothing, we were lost, trying to connect with another companionship to
go christmas caroling, the electricity was out so there were no lights
anywhere (i think this list could go on for a very long time, let me stop
here haha.). Anyways, i was a bit tired and worn out that evening but I
cant tell you the joy that pierced my hardened heart that night as we sang
joyous carols of praise of the saviors birth to members and nonmembers. I can
compare it to those times when you are so grumpy that dad starts making fun of
you and challenging you not to smile. without fail, the annoyed person always
sneaks at least a small smile. So it was with me that night! I was singing and
smiling with 3 other young men ,we were completely off key and because the
house was locked we didnt have any hymn books, so we were also mixing verses of
joy to the world, and i would have given any excuse to get outta town and just
go home to rest. I had had enough! haha. but somehow, the words of those carols
touched my heart enough to have a bit of sincerity in my smile that night. I
wont lie and say that i was lifted by butterflies and waltzed all the way home,
nor will i suggest that i was even a 'happy camper' the rest of the night, but
i can say that the joy of Christmas can and does touch the hearts of everyone,
no matter what is happening in life.
well, that should be enough for
today. Seems like my cafe time is already up! whew, goes by fast! Anyways, be
sure to have a great week my friends. Remember that the best way to spread
Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! love you!
-Elder Fairwell
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