Believe

I believe in the power of eternal truth

2010-08-21T14:20:00.001-04:00

"[John Taylor] was given a special call to go to New York City to organize and publish a newspaper whose purpose would be to present the doctrines and practices of the Church in such a way as to neutralize the groundswell of anti-Mormon feeling that had been mounting for over a year. . . .

". . . He responded with boldness, challenging his critics to prove their charges:

" 'We have said before and say now, that we defy all the editors and writers in the United States to prove that Mormonism is less moral, scriptural, philosophical; or that there is less patriotism in Utah than any other part of the United States. We call for proof; bring on your reasons, gentlemen, if you have any; we shrink not from the investigation, and dare you to the encounter' (in Roberts, Life of John Taylor, 249).

"He then sketched for readers the salient characteristics of a converted Latter-day Saint: 'He grasps at all truths, human and divine. . . . He has nothing to lose but error, nothing to gain but truth. He digs, labors, and searches for it as for hidden treasure; and while others are content with the chaff and husks of straw, he seizes upon the kernel, substance, the gist of all that's good, and clings to all that will ennoble and exalt the human family.'

"He went on to affirm boldly: 'The omnipotent power of eternal truth will stand unscathed in the view of gathering hosts, and the nations will know that God rules in the heavens, and that Mormonism is not a vague [f]antasy . . . but the greatest boon that could be conferred upon man, the offspring of heaven, the gift of the Gods, a celestial treasure, an earthly, heavenly inheritance, and a living, abiding and eternal reality' (The Mormon, 28 July 1855, 2)."

L. Tom Perry, "By the Hands of His Prophets," Ensign, Aug. 1998, 54–55

I believe in the importance of families

2010-06-14T12:39:00.014-04:00

I thought this was cute. Here's a link to some other videos from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The following is a proclamation given to the world from God through the mouth of His prophets and apostles, about the importance of families. I have deep feelings for my family, as I'm sure you do, too. As you read this, think about what YOU (not someone else) might be able to change about yourself in order to have a happier family life.

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I believe in life after death

2010-06-14T11:41:00.007-04:00

Yesterday was my cousin's birthday. She is one of the best mothers and most spirited people I have ever met. Though I remember her this way, my last recollection of her is with tubes up her nose and sunken cheeks, barely able to hold her head up. She passed away last year from cancer, leaving behind a husband and 4 children under the age of 5. Some might blame God for the trials her family has been through. Some may say that He doesn't exist because, "if there was a God, He wouldn't let a thing like this happen."

About 7 or 8 months after she passed away, I saw her kids again. Within 10 minutes of their arrival, one of them looked me straight in the eye and said, "My mommy is dead." At first it surprised me. I wasn't sure what to say, so I tried to be gentle and said, "I know, but she's with Heavenly Father now." Without blinking, he shrugged and replied, "I know," and turned around to play with his twin brother. During the dinner prayer that night, he asked God to bless his "mommy in Heaven." Kids accept the idea of an afterlife more than adults do, I think. They are so willing to believe. When Christ was on the earth, He commanded us to become as little children. When we submit ourselves to the will of the Father and trust that He is in charge, He will make things happen according to His plan. (And we all know that His plan is far better than ours: Isaiah 55:8-9.)

One thing that is very different about the LDS church (Mormon church) from every other religion is the idea of eternal families. We believe that, through sacred temple ordinances and promises, we can be sealed to our families for time and all eternity. We believe that God has again given His priesthood power to men on earth that they may, like Simon Peter of old, have power to bind (or seal) families together into eternal relationships. The Lord told Peter, "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19). So not only will my cousin live again because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but she will be united with her family in the resurrection. Our Father in Heaven has so much love for us! He wants us to be happy and has made it possible through the sacrifice of His Son. How much we have to be grateful for!

The following is a video from the Lord's prophet, Thomas S. Monson, about the promise of life after death. This man is a true prophet of God. As you listen to his words, pay attention to the feeling that will come.

I promise that, if you open your heart, God will send His Holy Spirit to testify truth to you. I challenge you to ask yourself:
-Is it possible that this is a man of God?
-Whose message is he teaching?
-What is the Holy Spirit telling me?
-Do I have the courage to act on this prompting from the Holy Ghost?

Where there's a will, there's a way. And if it is God's way, many blessings will follow.

"The spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life..." To read more about the resurrection, go here.

I believe that church should be a place of learning

2010-06-13T09:18:00.001-04:00

A Mormon church lasts for 3 hours every Sunday, split into 3 different sections:

1. Sacrament meeting: The whole congregation meets together to sing, pray, partake of the Lord's sacrament (bread and water), and then listen to various speakers, men and women, chosen by the leaders from the congregation. We partake of the sacrament every week in remembrance of the Savior's sacrifice for us. For us, it is a renewal of the covenant we made with Him when we chose to be baptized. We re-promise every week to keep His commandments, always remember Him, and be willing to take His name upon us. In return, He blesses us with the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. This has been a huge blessing in my life.

2. Classes: The classes are separated into age groups and all are taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ using a pre-developed lesson outline. Teachers are encouraged to teach with the Spirit and prepare lessons that will be meaningful, relevant, and exciting for the students they teach. No one is paid for their service in the Church. “For the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; ...and they did all labor, every man according to his strength” (Alma 1:26).

3. More classes: This time the classes are split according to gender. All adult women go to a class called Relief Society. Here we learn how to be better wives, mothers, and daughters of God. We teach and learn from each other. The men go to "Elder's quorum", the teenage girls go to "Young Womens", the teenage boys to to "Priesthood", and all children under age 12 go to "Primary" class. Children learn the gospel in this class largely by singing songs and doing activities. They sing, have a short lesson/talk (sometimes by one of the other children), pray, color, and play gospel-related games. The title for this post was inspired by one of those songs:

"I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I know who I am. I know God's plan. I'll follow Him in faith.
I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll honor His name.
I'll do what is right. I'll follow His light. His truth I will proclaim."

Yes, from the time we are little, we are taught that the Lord has a plan for us and that we have a responsibility to tell others about it. We believe that we have the fullness of His gospel and His priesthood authority to perform His work. I have come to know for myself that this is true.

Visitors are always welcome. There is no collection plate. To find LDS services near you, go here.

I know that God answers prayers.

2010-06-07T02:48:00.004-04:00

"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

The first time I remember receiving a real answer to a prayer was when I was 16. My parents had recently been divorced and my mom decided to move to Arizona. Having grown up in Washington my whole life with the same people and friends, I had to make a decision: Should I go with my mom to AZ or stay with my dad in WA? I didn't know what to do but I had learned my entire life that God is my Heavenly Father and He wants us, even commands us, to talk to Him. I decided to try it out.

I went to my room, knelt down by my bed, and began talking to God. I explained the situation to Him (though He already knew it) with an honest heart and sincerely asked what I should do. Having weighed the options in my head, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do. I wasn't happy in my current situation and was ready for a change. I didn't know if moving would solve anything, but I was willing to try. I asked if it would be alright with Him if I moved to AZ. As soon as I asked the question, I felt my heart swell up inside me with such intense heat that I could not deny the "burning of the bosom" that I was feeling. I knew this was the Lord's will for me. My mind was at peace and I couldn't stop smiling. Somehow, I knew this was the answer to my prayer. From that moment on, I was completely content with my decision.

It was hard to tell my dad that I was leaving. It was hard to say goodbye to friends whom I had known since kindergarten. It definitely wasn't easy leaving behind everything familiar. BUT, moving to Arizona was one of the best things that has happened to me in my entire life. My life has had some major high points and none of them would have happened without this move. It was the first step to my becoming a "new creature." This move set the stage for a production put on by God Himself. It's been filled with adventure, excitement, love, heartbreak, and everything else that goes into a good plot. This one answered prayer has given me the strength to trust Him time and time again and to choose His will over mine. He has made my life more than I could have ever dreamed.

Another example of God answering prayers (or just read his account for yourself here):

This one is of a 14-year-old boy wondering which church he should join. His family was very religious but divided in Christian denomination. His mother was a staunch Methodist while his father chose not to join with any church. Both encouraged the boy to pray to find out which church he should join. After studying the scriptures, pondering the words, attending different churches, and offering many heartfelt prayers, he finally received an answer.

In early spring of 1830, this boy went into the woods to pray vocally to the Lord. He had never before prayed out loud and probably didn't want to be disturbed or overheard. He found a secluded place and "began to offer up the desires of [his] heart to God." In his own words, this is what happened next:

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me....When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

This boy, named Joseph Smith, saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. He asked them which church he should join and they answered him. They told him that he must join none of them; that they had all been corrupted; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."

He then says, "I had found the testimony of James to be true--that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided."

This man was then led to restore the Lord's church on the earth as it was when Christ Himself organized it. It includes 12 apostles, priesthood authority, a church organization, and the true word of God in its fullness and glory.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's true church, restored to the earth after a long night of apostasy and spiritual darkness. There are prophets and apostles on the earth today, just as there were in the times of the Old and New Testaments. Jesus Christ is the Head of His church, leading the current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in performing His work. I know this is true. How? Because the Lord answers prayers. If we ask with a sincere heart, with real intent to act on the answer we receive, He will reveal the truth of all things to us. I have seen this in my life too many times to deny it. I challenge you to test the Lord. He commands us: "Ask, and you shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." God does not lie.

(For a more complete version of Joseph Smith's vision, go here.)

A new beginning

2010-06-05T04:14:00.001-04:00

Today marks a new beginning for this blog. Last summer I was blessed to go to Ghana, West Africa on an internship with Empower Playgrounds. These pages were filled with stories of cute little African kids and beautiful scenery. This summer will be a completely different story. I made the move from Utah to Boston after graduating from college. If you choose the continue reading this blog, you will find out why.

But first, introductions. I am a single, twenty-something Mormon with an affinity for getting to know people. I love learning and have a passion for teaching. I believe that God has molded me into who I am today in order to accomplish a specific purpose on this earth. He broke me with my parents' divorce when I was 16 years old and has slowly built me back up into something that I hope He can use to perform His work. He led me to Arizona, Indonesia, the Holy Land, Ghana, and even Blanding, UT. He guided me through each of them, introducing me to life-changing people and experiences, creating in me a completely different person at the end than when I arrived. It is because of Him that I am who I am today. The Atonement of Jesus Christ changes people. Individually. As we learn more about Christ and get to know Him as our Savior and friend, our lives change. People become more important than things. We come to know that the love of Christ conquers all. We become truly happy. I'm excited to share my experiences and how I came to know these things.

A favorite quote in the meantime:
"And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)

Island Schools Again

2009-07-19T12:43:00.003-04:00

So that you don't think we just play all the time, here are some pics from the island schools we visited before. We went again to compare with the other schools we visited. These kids are waiting for a merry-go-round so they can play and have light. They say that the islands will be the last to get electricity in Ghana. It's probably true.

One happenin' Friday night

2009-07-19T12:04:00.004-04:00

We had to gather the rubber bands about 5 times before we got them all down. There were some tough ones including a "communist" cowboy that wouldn't fall. He had about 9 rubber bands around him.

Uncle, Hello?

2009-07-19T11:49:00.002-04:00

Any time Arabna sees a phone, she immediately picks it up, puts it to her ear, and says, "Hello?" (Pronounced, "Heyo?") She's definitely a girl 'cause she'll even hold the phone with her shoulder while she's doing something else and just keep talking. She's not even 2 yet.

A few weeks ago, Anowa and Arabna were on a bus on the way home. All of a sudden, Anowa heard Arabna say, "Uncle, heyo?" She bent down to check for her phone in her purse but it wasn't there. Then she looked at the man next to her and asked him for her phone back. He looked at her like she was crazy and said he didn't have it. Anowa explained to him that the baby said he had it, so he should give it back. He tried making fun of her for believing a little kid instead of him, but then someone offered to call her phone for her. It rang. In his pants. He had hidden it, not in his pocket, but in the cuff of his pant leg, so nobody would have found it if it didn't ring. He of course was forced to give it back. When he handed it to Anowa, Arabna put out her hand like she always does (like "talk to the hand") and said, "Uncle shame!" Everyone started laughing at him, telling him "shame!" and making fun of him for getting caught by a baby. Then the driver stopped and kicked him off the bus.

Same school, more photos

2009-07-13T19:21:00.002-04:00

The sights of School Selection

2009-07-13T19:10:00.003-04:00

We went to a school the other day, as we do most days. This school, however was pretty exceptional. The kids stayed after school to do their homework instead of going straight home. Too bad this school requires you to descend a pretty steep ravine, cross a river on a 2x4, then climb the other side up to the school. Not to mention following the same path coming home. We went to the school, talked to the headmaster/teachers/students, then came back and were about to leave when the supervisor showing us around told us about the waterfalls that were pretty close by. These pics are from our walk to the waterfalls, along with some other funny scenes.

The hungry, hungry caterpillar; a tree root growing on the side of a rock cliff; the preferred method of carrying anything...rocks, trees, merchandise, whatever; the goat in a gutter with a can stuck on his face.

The "infamous" Cape Coast

2009-07-13T18:58:00.003-04:00

We went to Cape Coast as our last stop of the weekend. It also has a slave castle. They were all pretty excited for Obama to come there. I haven't heard if he actually did or not. This is the city that most people go to for tours and those kinds of activities. I was more impressed with Elmina, personally. Same stuff, better guide, bigger castle. We didn't get any pics of the actual castle, but I'm sure you could look it up on the inter-web if you want to. The crab statue is in the middle of town...maybe as their "cash crop"?

Taylor, Matt (just graduated BYU and is teaching Math, Victor (Ghanaian), Josephine (Ghanaian), and I all went to Elmina, Kaukum, then Cape Coast for the 4th of July weekend. It gave a new meaning to Independence Day when we toured the slave castles.
The stories we heard about the slave trade and what happened in the years prior to it/after it were pretty amazing. We were all in a pretty solemn mood after the tour. It was pretty sad to hear that, because of tribal disputes and wars, even Ghanaians were selling Africans (from other tribes) to be slaves. Book of Mormon?

The Alligator Restaurant

2009-07-13T18:47:00.003-04:00

We stopped to see the alligators. They let us pet one (he had already eaten) and then they let us feed a baby one that she called over. It was raw chicken. One of the guys was not watching where he was putting the end of the stick and hit Taylor with the raw chicken...it was pretty sick. But it's real, in case you were wondering.

The Canopy Walk

2009-07-13T18:31:00.003-04:00

We went on the Canopy Walk in Kaukum (north of Cape Coast). It was pretty fun. All the Ghanaians were screaming and freaking out while they were walking across it. I'm not sure what the difference was, but we were trying to make it more exciting by walking backwards or with no hands.

And yes, that is an Obama shirt. Probably the most frequent scene since I got here.

Elmina

2009-07-13T18:22:00.003-04:00

We went to Elmina/Cape Coast last weekend. Elmina is a fishing town that's about 15 km from Cape Coast. It has the biggest castle and was where they kept the slaves during the slave trade. A very interesting, sad story. I love the last line of the plaque, "We, the living, vow to uphold this."

Life's Simple Beauties

2009-07-13T18:11:00.002-04:00

Just a few sites we've seen in the past few weeks. We are loving it. Ask if you have any questions.

Father's Day

2009-07-13T17:59:00.002-04:00

We resorted back to our childlike habits on Father's Day. We made Alex and Anowa an Italian dinner, complete with pasta and homemade pasta sauce, garlic bread, and pazookies. That was a little sweet for them, but it was really fun. Arabna was being a 2-year-old and getting in to everything, but it was nice for them to have a little break from cooking and try some other stuff.

All things African

2009-07-13T17:39:00.002-04:00

Alex and Anowa making dinner

2009-07-13T16:23:00.004-04:00

This is a little bit of what I see every day. Alex (birthday: 2 Feb) is a painter. He leaves early in the morning and comes home late at night. He wants to go to school to get his degree in interior design. Anowa (birthday: 5 September) is a saint with Arabna, who is turning 2 on 28 August. Sorry, the birthdays are more for me to remember them than for you to know. Anowa used to be a caterer (she makes great food). I told her she could come work for my dad in his international cafe if she ever comes to the U.S., hope that's okay, Dad. They are so amazing! I'm really going to miss them.

Okay, it's taking too long. I'll upload it when I get home.

In the video: Alex and Anowa pounding fufu.

My Ghanaian Family

2009-07-13T16:14:00.003-04:00

Anowa (mom), Arabna (little girl), Alex (dad)

Anowa and Alex are pounding fufu. Fufu is cassava mixed with plantain. You can find it just about anywhere here. All you need is a big stick that's been pounded on one end so that the wood fibers are bent flat and a wooden bowl that's flat inside. You just hope that the one pounding doesn't hit the other person's fingers.

Empty Power Lines

2009-06-28T04:55:00.002-04:00

We went out last week to find new schools where we can put in MGRs. We traveled to a school that the district said did not have electricity. We got there and noticed that there were power lines leading right up to and ending at the school. We asked the supervisor who came with us to explain what was going on. He said that, last year during the elections, one of the presidential candidates started a project to put up power lines in remote areas so that those areas would vote for him. The problem with this is that they started in the middle of nowhere and didn't connect the new lines to the old ones, leaving the new ones without electricity running through them. The candidate who started the project lost the election so the project stopped. Since there is still quite a distance between the old and the new lines, they are unsure whether the new president will continue to bring light to them. They think it is possible that, during the next election in 4 years, they will continue the project so that people will vote for them again, but nothing is for sure here.

It kind of reminds me of the Priesthood. Lots of people appear to have the power, but the connection is missing. There is no power flowing through the lines. What a huge responsibility we have to spread the gospel to all those without its light. There are some in our neighborhoods or even our own families who are living a spiritually primitive lifestyle. As Elder Perry said last conference: We are the finders. Missionaries are the teachers. If we approach our friends, they won't get scared and run away like they would if the missionaries approached them. Help them to see the benefits of having light in our homes. Invite them over. Allow them to feel the warmth of the gospel. As you prayerfully invite others to come unto Christ, they will see what it can do for them and they will come.

Child-trafficking

2009-06-28T04:44:00.002-04:00

A few weekends ago Taylor, Matt, and I went for a walk with Arabna. She's the little girl we live with. We got about 5 minutes down the road when a woman pulled over in a taxi and called us over. We all walked over there and she asked us who and where Arabna's mother was, why we had her, and all sorts of questions. We explained what was going on and she said, "Well, where is her mother? It's just a little weird to see 3 white people with a black baby walking down the street without the mother." Eventually, she wanted to go meet the mother because she thought we were child-traffickers! She made us get in the taxi and go with her to meet Anowa! When we got in the car, I turned to Taylor to ask if she thought the woman was just trying to kidnap us. Don't worry, we made it safely back to the house. I guess it's a good thing that people are looking out for each other and their kids, but it's kind of sad that they have to.

Mormons and Masons

2009-06-25T13:49:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, we began production on an EPI movie to help the schools understand to goals of EPI. Since the filming is taking place at a school that already has had a MGR for a while, the paint was chipping off a little bit and the MGR didn’t look new. When the producer was talking about the scene where the school gets a new MGR, he looked at us and asked when we would have it painted by. We had no plans to paint, so we consulted amongst ourselves and decided that we could come the next day to paint it. Taylor and I got dropped off at the school because the film crew needed to use our car and we started painting. Of course, it started raining half way through, but we kept going. It didn’t rain too hard, so that was convenient. We finished and, having no car, started to walk out to the main highway—about a 15 minute walk. We came to the main highway and looked around. The night before, we walked about 30 minutes to the closest town (left), but that was in the opposite direction from home so we decided to start walking right. We didn’t realize until about an hour into our walk that the next town was not “just over the hill” like we thought, but on the other side of the 3^rd hill we came to. So, after about an hour and a half of walking in the blazing sun, we finally came to the town. I now wear a permanent crew neck T-shirt, as if my farmer’s tan wasn’t defined enough before I left! We found a place to wait for the trotro (little bus thing) and started talking to some guys who were also going to Accra. We were talking to one guy and all of a sudden, he said, “I’m a mason, like a free mason.” I don’t think I’ve ever met one in real life! That was pretty cool. We talked about it for a while and Taylor gave him a pass along card with a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. He said, “It looks just like a Masonic temple.” I said, “Ya, it would.” We explained a little about the history of our church then invited him to come with us sometime. He said he would. He's been traveling a lot since we met him, but he said he would call us when he got back in the area.

After about 20 minutes of watching the trotros pass us by because they were all full, one of the guys finally stopped a car driving by and asked if we could get a ride. We got in and were on our way. As soon as we shut the doors, Taylor and I looked at each other like, “we just got in a car with 2 guys we’ve never met before.” That would never happen in America. It was nice to have a 2 hour drive in a car with A/C and for free!

Sorry

2009-06-25T13:48:00.000-04:00

I just realized that it's been a month since I last posted on here. Sorry about that. I'll try to post a story a day now, so I can catch up on some stuff.

Kids

2009-05-25T17:21:00.005-04:00

We went to this school when the MPAs were still here. They would usually try to teach them games like Simon Says but the kids never really understood how to play. They would just do what we did no matter what...so naturally I tried to do stuff they couldn't. I did a handstand and some kids came running in from the back and totally showed me up. Karma, probably.

This first pic was just before we left. Whenever we leave any of the schools, the kids always wave at us until we are out of sight. I got sick of waving, so I started winking at them to see how many would wink back at me. This is what I got.

Salaam Namaste!

2009-05-25T08:36:00.005-04:00

We've been hanging out with Josephine a lot lately. The other night, we watched a movie with her called "Salaam Namaste." It's an Indian Bollywood movie that she loves. The song won't leave my head. And I got my hair done on Saturday. So now I look like Josephine. She took me to the salon and stayed with me the entire 5 1/2 hours we were there. The first hour and a half were spent waiting for the stylist to finish the person before me. The last 4 hours, I sat in a chair and listened to last year's BET music awards ("Vote Obama!" like, 20 times) while the stylist watched TV and braided my hair. Josephine is so great--she sat there for 4 hours handing them fake hair for me. Ya, I'm pretty sure it was barbie hair. Oh well, it will be pretty easy to deal with for the next little while. We'll see how long it lasts.

My Friends

2009-05-21T17:29:00.003-04:00

Taylor--my companion? She is quite possibly one of the coolest girls I've ever met. She's from California, just found out she got into Oxford for grad school, and she's brilliant. She loves talking about the gospel and any world issue. She is the other intern here with me and is in charge of school selection. Basically, she evaluates prospective schools and helps decide who gets the new MGRs. We get along really well. I'm soooooo grateful that she is so amazing.

Arabna--the 2 year old we live with. She speaks English, gibberish, and Twi. Although her gibberish could be Twi...I guess I wouldn't know. She is famous for saying the following:
-JenJen
-Tay
-I beat you (pronounced "Ibeachyou" with a smile) I think one of the workers taught her that.
-Come
And then she will basically repeat anything you say and in the same tone of voice.

Narteh--the "probationary country director". He's not in trouble for anything, it's just the title for the first 3 months or so until it becomes official. He is the one on the MGR with me and the kids. He is with us just about always. He usually drives (although I have started to be brave enough). He takes us to where we need to go. He speaks English and Ga. He has 4 sons: Victor, Alex, Charles, and Henry, and a daughter: Floxy. His wife (Anna) made us dinner a few Sundays ago. We ate Fufu (mushed up cassava and plantain with the consistency of bread dough) with groundnut soup over it. The soup had chicken, beef, snail, crab, fish, and any other meat you can imagine in it. I just had the broth. It was good.

Josephine--She's a beautiful Ghanaian girl who met Sarah in a previous visit. She comes with us on most days to the schools. She just got hired as a ticketing agent? for Lufthansa. She speaks English and Twi. She has inspired me to get my hair braided. Maybe this Saturday? She says it will only cost 2 or 3 Cedis. That's like, $1.50! I'll let you know how it goes.

That's all for now.

Living Conditions

2009-05-21T17:18:00.000-04:00

So, I'll just do a brief overview of this. I live at Kweku Anno's engineering shop with a small family who has lived here for quite a while. The wife is related to Kweku, her name is Florence, but she goes by Anowa. Her husband's name is Alex and their daughter's name is Arabna. They are great people with amazing faith.
We have a back bedroom, bathroom, and storage room with A/C. The electricity likes to rest on Sundays. Funny, 'cause that's the day we spend the most time here. We sleep under mosquito nets. There's no support for Apple computers here (Taylor's computer charger broke). There's internet at the house (when the power is on).
Anowa lets us use her kitchen (pots, plates, etc) and we mostly cook ramen noodles (it's actually IndoMie), pasta, and boil water for oatmeal. I drink chocolate soy milk, fresh fruit juices, and lots of water. We buy bread, steamed corn, and crackers from the street vendors who carry everything on their heads. The other day, we made rice and stir fry with fresh vegetables from the fruit stand down the road. It's a good life, even if there are lots of bugs. I went to hang my laundry out to dry last night and there was a huge toad sitting next to the house. Lizards and chameleons are everywhere here. We love it.

Science Labs

2009-05-21T17:05:00.000-04:00

Today we went to 2 new schools. Both of them were great. At the first one, the kids were all on break at the same time. I brought Wooly Willy (the picture of a face with iron shavings in a plastic case and a magnet to move them around) and the kids loved it. When the crowd started forming, I got out the big guns. A few of them knew what a battery was. None of them knew what a magnet was. We hooked up a light to the battery, the hand generator, and the capacitor. I explained to them what was happening and their eyes lit up. I could tell they recognized what was happening. A few minutes later, when I was helping the kids behind me, I turned around and saw some kids charging the capacitor and using it to light up the bulb! It was really cool to see them doing it on their own.

At the second school, I was told that 5th grade was learning science when we arrived but when I went to the classroom, they weren't so I wandered to the next classroom (6th grade) where the kids were just sitting there. I asked them where their teacher was and they said that she didn't come today so I stayed and taught them about magnetism and motors while Taylor was interviewing the headmaster. It was so cool to see them begin to understand. These kids all knew what everything was when I pulled it out of the bag. They knew the theory pretty well, but had never seen it in real life. They were pretty excited to see how it all worked. They didn't know what a magnet was (even after I showed them) so I explained polarity and then passed around 2 magnets together so they could feel the attraction and repulsion. Then I taught them a new word: field trip. We took a field trip out to the dirt so I could set up the motor (the supports need to be stuck into something, so dirt works perfectly). I got it going, then took it apart, then gave each piece to a different kid and told them to do it. They all worked together to make a motor. It took them a few tries, but they got it going and they were so proud of themselves!

This is such a cool job! The kids love it and I know that most of them probably will not have the chance to do a hands-on lab with anything besides cooking, farming, and bundling firewood.

Sorry, no pics from today. My batteries died...funny considering the work I'm doing here. I'll get some from Taylor from previous days. Today was definitely the best though.

Vote for your favorite

2009-05-19T16:35:00.002-04:00

Okay, I've been a little bit (insert your own word here) about writing on here. It's been pretty busy and so I'm giving you a choice of what you want to hear about...and if nobody votes, we'll move on.

Maybe choose your top 2 or 3?:
-Orphanages
-Living conditions/food
-Taylor (my roommate/companion)
-Arabna, aka Ababa (the little girl we live with)
-Bead factory/market
-Waterfall/trip to Hohoe
-School selection visits
-Solar cooking
-Missionary Work
-Ghanaian classroom conditions
-Driving (street conditions/sites)
-Church
-Children's songs

I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting, but I thought I'd give you some choices instead of going into all of it.

2009-05-05T19:40:00.005-04:00

A typical schoolroom in Ghana. Those are rubber tires in the back. Those don't come standard in every classroom, just this one.Some cute kids at Obani.

A sideways tree on Coconut Island. (It wasn't sideways in real life...just in case you were wondering.)

More cute kids from Obani. Actually, they're probably the same kids.

The glassy water with coconut palms in the back.

2009-05-05T19:28:00.002-04:00

The boats by the shore, just before we left the mainland.

More boats.

Me with the drying grass that will be made into mats.

A cute little boy at Obani.

P.S.

2009-05-05T19:27:00.002-04:00

Happy birthday Mom! I drank a coconut for you. Sorry, no umbrella.

So far...

2009-05-05T19:08:00.002-04:00

SUMMARY:

We've been having so much fun!!! Saturday we went to the market to buy some souvenirs (I know, already??) so that Sarah could get some before she goes home next week. We went to church on Sunday, an orphanage on Monday, and the island schools on Tuesday. The kids are adorable and I decided I'll probably end up adopting a few of them.

DETAILS:

Saturday--Sarah found a dead lizard in one of the pots in the kitchen…gross. It looked like it was fried to the pan. The market was hot and pretty awesome. The people here are so happy and just want to make friends with everyone. It was a pretty chill day and we played games at night under our mosquito nets. (Don't worry mom, I've only gotten 2 bites so far.)

Sunday--The power went out in the middle of the night so we were all pretty hot and didn't sleep very well. It stayed off for most of the day (turns out you have to pay the bill in order for it to work. Who knew??). We took a taxi with all 6 of us plus the driver in a regular-sized sedan to church. It was a pretty great fast and testimony meeting. Ghanaians are so grateful for the things they receive from God. I want to be more like them. During church, they kept switching between English and Twi so it was hard to keep track of what was going on. Now I know how the senior couples felt on the mission. Good thing we had a self-appointed translator who made herself our best friend!

Monday--We met the MPAs to go to Lucky Hill orphanage. We met them at Hut De Eric, a pretty nice place that served bagels, omlets, pizza, hamburgers, and Ghanaian food. Of course I couldn't pass up the pizza. It was a bunch of vegetables sauteed and thrown on top of some flatbread. It was actually really good and tasted like pizza rolls.
We went to Lucky Hill and we were greeted by this little boy, about 3 or 4 years old running out to give us the most tenacious high fives I’ve ever seen. He ended up being the most cuddly out of them all. He would just walk up to someone and get them to pick him up, then just lay his head on their shoulder for as long as they would let him. SO adorable! Someone brought frisbees and hacky sacs for them all and we played with them for a while. I think one kid is going to end up playing professional baseball. He had a great arm!
After Lucky Hill, we went to Hilda’s house to make dinner. She is a recent convert and college student whose mom lives in the UK. She raised her 2 brothers on her own and one of them is now in high school, which is a pretty huge accomplishment here. We learned how to make Jollof Rice. It’s rice cooked in a kind of tomato soup. Pretty good. We plan to make it for all our friends when we get back. We stayed and had FHE with them and played games. They taught us a Ghanaian game that is pretty much like “Sorry” but with some twists and then Sarah and Taylor taught them chess since they had a set but didn’t know how to play.

Tuesday--We went to the island schools to check them out and see if it’s possible to put a MGR there. On the way, we stopped at the Obani school to check up on its MGR. Everything seemed to be in working order but we couldn’t get in because it was locked. The kids saw us and ran over to play with us. I brought out the science lab stuff and they thronged me. We did a few demos but had to leave pretty quick in order to get to all the schools in time. The island schools' circuit director, John, met us to show us around 5 of the island schools. We met another guy and the boat driver at the shore and headed out on a freshwater lake for the islands.
The third school was one of my favorites. They called it “Coconut Island” and gave us coconuts before we left to drink and eat. The guy spent the whole time we were there collecting them from the trees and then cut them open for us as we were leaving. He even sent some home with us. He cut the outsides off and then poked holes through them so he could string them onto a strip from a palm leaf. His kids were so cute. He asked me to take his youngest one home with me. If only.
They had long grass laid out to dry so they could make mats out of it but they said they make a lot of things out of it. Taylor gave them a Book of Mormon and a pass-along card with a pic of the temple on it. We left just as it started to rain pretty hard. The entire boat ride to the next island was spent with our heads down trying to not get rain in our eyes.
The fourth school was really cool ‘cause it was colorful and had a huge Balboa tree and clingy kids. They ran up to us and fought over who got to hold our hands. They were all pretty young except for the 17-year-old boy who came over to ask where my boyfriend lived. Ha. I was wearing my “don’t worry be happy” shirt with the giraffes on it and they kept pointing to it and calling it whatever the word for giraffe is in Twi. They saw us off to the boat again and waved goodbye. They’re kind of catching on with blowing kisses.
On our way back, the water was like glass. So serene. We passed a bunch of fishermen standing out in the middle of the lake up to their waists pulling in their net. It was a pretty cool sight. My camera ran out of batteries so I couldn't get a pic, but I'll post a few others.

Feel free to write me if you want. News from home is always welcome!

2009-05-01T17:57:00.000-04:00

2009-05-01T17:43:00.003-04:00

Essam

2009-05-01T16:59:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we got up and went to meet the MPAs at the church office building on the temple grounds. It’s pretty amazing how the church is the same all over the world. We met with them and scheduled the next couple weeks to do school evaluations and get together for some other activities. This is going to be a pretty amazing couple of months. After meeting with them, we went to lunch at Pizza Inn…the pizza was actually really good. I changed my money then we came home to drop off Taylor and Sarah so they could work on other stuff while I went shopping for food with Solomon. He plays a huge part in the success of this operation. He's really great at teaching and has an awesome personality. After shopping, we came back and worked on grouping and scheduling for when we go to schools with the MPAs.

Today, we went to Essam. It’s about a 3 hour drive from Accra and is more like the places I knew in Indonesia. Lots of palm trees, people on the streets selling things, and dust. We got to the village and the kids were peeking out from behind doors and houses trying to get a look at us. We finally got them to come out and they played with us on the MGR and we made some fruit batteries, played with the hand generator, and I tried to explain stuff to them but they had no clue what I was saying. Solomon had to get up and explain everything all over again. They finally got it (or pretended to) and started repeating after Solomon, “Energy transfer!”

We finished with that and walked around the village to see what it was like. There were a couple guys pounding cassava so I asked if I could help. They looked at me funny but finally let me do it for like, 3 hits. We left when they kicked us out and the kids followed us around the village. Naturally, we played follow the leader but they didn't know it. They just did whatever I did. I don’t think they’ve ever skipped before. They just kept following us further and further down the road. It would have been pretty suspicious back home, but here, they just don't care. Oh, they have a movie theater in their village! Well, it's more like a house with a bunch of benches in it. I didn't see a TV but I didn't ask where it was in case there wasn't one. But that's what they called it.

We came home after that and I played around more with the science lab stuff. Anyway, I've got mango juice all over my legs from the fruit batteries so the mosquitoes are eating me up and I'm gonna go clean up. Until next time…be cool, stay in school.

First couple days

2009-04-30T13:45:00.002-04:00

Well I made it. After a freezing cold flight over the Atlantic, we stepped out into the hot and humid Ghana air and just about melted. It reminds me a lot of Indonesia. I think I would feel like I was in Donesia if it wasn't so laid back in the evenings.

Yesterday we went to a school to make sure things were working with the merry-go-round and test the battery. I got to meet some of the students and talk to them a little bit. They were playing soccer when we got there, but when they saw it was us, they ran over and played on the merry-go-round (MGR). It's funny to see the things they do because that's what they think you want.

After they got worn out from the MGR, I got out the only experiment I brought with me to the school. It was a kit to make a battery out of fruit. The only problem was that we didn't bring any fruit with us. We looked around and tried it with some fruit that had fallen from a tree nearby but it didn't work. Then we got out the magnets and they LOVED them. I wish I had brought Wooly Willy with me. I told them I would bring fruit the next time I visited for the battery experiment.

Today we just met with the MPA students who are going to help us with selecting more schools for the MGRs. I went shopping for food after that and then came back to the place we're staying. It's pretty nice. It's Kweku's shop with a few apartments in it. He's the engineer for EPI here in Ghana. There's a little girl here who is about 2 years old. I walked out of the room this morning and she yelled "Jenny" from the kitchen. So cute!

I'll post pics later, but I just wanted to let you know I'm alive and I love it here!

Gonna go to Ghana

2009-04-25T02:39:00.002-04:00

Well, if you're here, you know that I am going to Ghana. I just wanted to post a little something here so you know that you are at the right place. My plan is to post here frequently so that you too, can experience Ghana. Check back soon for updates...I leave Tuesday! Thanks for dropping in.