= Sunday, I awoke knowing that I should have encouraged us yesterday to go to a nearby meetinghouse today when Area guidance regarding the election this weekend made it prudent to avoid our usual meeting place an hour away. Yesterday it had been a possibility; today, it was not. I had failed the test.
= We started a worship service (minus the Sacrament) shortly after 1. An opening hymn; a prayer; a discussion from both of us about this week's scriptures: Elders with authority ordain other officers; the Sacrament calls for commitment from participants; individuals make commitments when they’re baptized; and members come together and rely on the Spirit as they seek the welfare of each other’s souls. We each bore testimonies in English; we sang a hymn; and we had a closing prayer an hour and a half after we started.
= I re-read a letter I wrote about how Steph and I married, titled "It's All About the Dress". Steph worked on Steph's Sunday Snippets. She reminded her watchers: "I share 3 things I enjoyed from lessons, talks, or inspirations received while attending church on Sundays." She holds up a thumb and two fingers: American Sign Language for 3. I poked the blog.
= Monday, Steph worked on medical issues. Sister Morgan asked Steph and me to perform at the zone conferences coming up: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel; and Guard Him Joseph. Unfortunately, the recorded accompaniment tracks are hard to follow and not in Steph's comfortable range; I'll have to solo.
= In the evening at the Morgans, we watched the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional with them and with Kelly and Heidi Dimmick (the new office couple) and the Office Elders as we shared snacks we each had brought. Toward the end, Steph was silently singing Away in a Manger with the choir.
= Tuesday, the neighbor just downhill from us on our side of the "road" asked to check the strength of our water flow. I climbed across the top of our ground-level polytank (about eight feet up) and removed the lid to look in. I showed a photo to my neighbor and learned his name: Michael Anafo.
= At 1130, we picked up Christmas packages from the office and brought them to missionaries in Elmina. Back at the office, I helped with finance questions and tasks. As we left in the evening, we saw an aboboyaa head into the mission compound, piled high with fifteen mattresses!
= Discussing chapters near the end of the Book of Mormon: The foundation of faith in Christ, hope, and charity is trust. We fear when we don't understand the character of God.
= Wednesday, I helped with finance tasks and found additional lists of medical facilities in our region. Darrel and Pamela Campbell arrived from Accra. After a few days to acclimate, they will live in Praso and support missionaries and members there. In the early evening, we ate with the senior missionaries at the Morgans. Home, I ordered 200 key fobs for the mission from a source located by Steph.
= Thursday, Steph and I rode with the Campbells so they could experience driving in Ghana with someone calm (me) in the passenger seat as they navigated easy, then difficult road conditions. They each did fine, and Sister Campbell told me later that my demeanor helped her overcome any nervousness about the task. (I in turn gave credit to Elder Barilleau's example to me.) We had KFC chicken together at the office, and by 3, they had had enough excitement for the day. In the evening, we reluctantly discovered that Guard Him, Joseph sounded better with the recorded accompaniment but was out of Steph’s comfortable range. [sigh!]
= Friday, we drove the Dimmicks to Takoradi, coolers in the cargo bay, for shopping. The Morgans drove the Campbells, and we met up at Takoradi Melcom. Steph went upstairs there for the first time and found yoga mats. We all went to Noble House restaurant: nice as usual. President and Sister Helland (Takoradi Mission leaders) visited between appetizer and main course. Then we experienced the Takoradi Mall and went to Shoprite there. It was 4:20 by the time the truck was loaded.
= To minimize our time in the dark, Steph took over the wheel again. We unloaded food at the Dimmicks at about 7:30. Home, we weren’t settled and ready for Netflix until 9. We watched Star Trek Enterprise, but power phases dropped, leaving only the refrigerator, chest freezer, and one air conditioner running. We watched a movie on Steph's iPad. We relaxed.
= Saturday, I opened the vehicle gate for workers before 0700. We got moving at noon and were at the pharmacy at Goil at exactly 1:30 to purchase items before our favorite pharmacist left to work at the hospital; success. Home, I formally declared to our Bishop back home that we continue to pay a full tithe. I discovered The Family History Guide, a site that helps people build skills for family research on any of several platforms: https://www.thefhguide.com/
The basket includes badges the Morgans wore on their missions before they met.
Pedu Crusaders Fancy Dress...
19 days more...
Motto: Deeds, not words
You'll see photos of those crusaders in a coming episode.
Don't Miss This
Observation:
- Low expectations and low love lead to apathy
- High expectations and low love lead to a feeling of imprisonment
- Low expectations and high love lead to a frat house
- High expectations and high love lead to progress
[Interestingly, this does not seem directly linked to the cited Proverbs 10:18 - He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.]
Recycling
[Probably equivalent to Ma w’adwene nyɛ adwuma{Let your mind work}. With a mix of Fante and Twi, some interpretation is required.]
{God is my helper}
[Translated into Twi and back again, we would say this as "take Jehovah’s side".]
This statement is common here in English, but its meaning in context is unclear to me.
[Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.]
[Possibly equivalent to Cesser la rage de vaincre: Stop the rage to win.]
Logo on a store - in front of a mosque
..
[I think: Ehwe obi nadɔ yiea ɔka wɔnsam, roughly {It hits someone and loves well he touches their hands}
Here's where they're made.
Or would you rather have a bed?
What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?
13-14...
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want...
Activity...
Collectively, the office team
..
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