Ghana: January 2011

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Jan 17th

This week was good! We got new tile in our apartment so we had to stay in the apt. a lot during the day while the workers were there. But we have been getting a lot of people ready for baptism. It will be good! Mom when you talk in church tell them all that I know for a fact that this church is the true in every aspect and the more I teach the small small things the more the big deep doctrines make more sense! Thank them for all there support and prayers. Thank all my teachers and leaders. The bishopric and everybody. Tell them that I miss them and love them all and the only ward that competes with them is the branch I've been in for the past year!!!! HAHA!!!

I am going to Cape Coast next week to play b-ball. We are having a big fireside on Sat that we are hoping will be pretty sweet for all the future leaders in FOSU!!!! Bankers, teachers, anyone in the hospital and those places. I could use a notebook and pens. Mostly I want pictures of friends and family. Like old ones! Not new stuff where I'm not in them. Please send like 1000000000 million pics in the next pkg of just random stuff from back in the day. I love looking at the new pics but I like the old ones more! The people here like to see me in the photos.

I will bring my planner next week so I can tell you the names of the baptism candidates and ages. 11 of them are primary age 9-12 and the family is still coming along. It will be one of my favorite baptisms yet!!!!

Love your son
Elder Speechly

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Jan 10th

Hey Family!!!!

This week has been sweet. We had interviews with President Sabey Wednesday and we talked about some doctrine and just some mission stuff. But it also sounded like I am going to stay here for awhile longer! Then he went on to say that if he could clone any missionary in the mission he would clone me! I said haha are you sure. He said yes. You have a great spirit, you are able to get along with whoever comes into your zone, district, or even apt! He said that I am ready to work and he likes that, but the most important thing he likes is that I'm always happy! He said he has a lot of perfect missionaries that work hard and get things done, but their not happy! He said your just in the village, doing the work, humble , not complaining! I Love it and you make me happy! I almost started crying while he was telling me all this so I said you make me humble man..... Ha ha we laughed together for awhile. I really love pres. Sabey!!! It was awesome!!!!

Then I got my new epic camera! It's sweeeeetooooo!!!!! Really it's nice thank you so much! Sunday my branch President took me to the primary and handed me 12 little kids between 9-12 and said baptize them as soon as you can. I said no p!!!! So this week we are going to be preparing some kids, a family, and two girls for the waters of baptism! It will e Elder Jack's 1st and so he will be John the baptist! It will be a great baptism! In all about 17!!!

Today we went to Takotadi to chill on the beach! It was a awesome day! I got to see Thom Thom and took a ton of pics. Also we played Football (American) and had a blast but I'm wasted from traveling! So yeah that's my week in short!

Love your son
Elder Speechly

Jan 3rd

Hey Fam!!!!
So I think this week was the funnest week on the mission so far! Saturday Night was the best day on on the mission so far!!! We have had programs every night this week. The primary program they acted out the birth of Jesus and the usual Christmas stuff, but it wasn't very usual here ha ha I am in Africa! It was the same except for it was in Twii and baby Jesus was Black!!!! Ha Ha Then there was like testimonies and all those were awesome. Some people told their conversion stories. They were powerful!!!! Saturday night was the best of all News Year Eve parties. We showed up at the chapel at like 5 and just helped set up chairs and stuff. Then the food came and we just chomped so much rice, fufu, chicken, anything you wanted!!!! It was sweeto!!! Then the music started ha ha. We all just danced and just had the time of our lives!

Back to Wednesday. Before all the fun broke out! we had one of the most powerful lessons I've had on the mission! So there was this guy we contacted with the AP's when we were on splits and we thought he was total jerk! and not serious at all. We set a return appointment, and went to see him. We got there and all he said was sit down and interpret this scripture for me.... But I had no idea what it meant and neither did Jack. Something told me to ask why? What led up to this? He said I had a dream that this scripture was held up on signs and the news and all over the world! (this happened 3 yrs ago) It was still bothering him! He said if a man was called of God truly he would be able to explain it. So for the past 3 years He's been asking pastors, preachers, etc just anyone to do it! So I said OK let me look at it again. So I read it and the Spirit was so strong it was speaking for me that's why I can't remember the verse. It wasn't me that was saying it! I mean it wasn't like I was possessed but it was the most powerful thing I have felt. I just proved to this man who we were and what we were there for! The man cried and knew right away it was the truth. He told us to come back to his house this upcoming week! He was traveling for the holidays! Sweet story huh? I hope you like it!!!!

I love you and miss you!
Love Elder Speechly

Christmas Phone Call

We had a great time talking to or Elder! We had the whole family over. Grand kids and Grandmothers! He got to talk to all of them! He sounded so happy and upbeat! He loves his Comp Elder Jack and The Elders he lives with so much. He is in the same city Assin Fosu for 11 months! He is in the same apt. He is on his 3rd comp and has new area. He knows the whole village! He is getting pretty good at Twii! He bore his testimony to us in Twii. It was very spiritual. He loves the people of Africa especially the kids! He is having a lot of success and is working hard! He loves Pres. Sabey and his wife! He says he is a great man! He has gained weight but has gone up and down since he got there. He has been healthy for a long time. Hasn't had Malaria for about 6 months. He loves Fufu and rice! (that explains the gain) He feels safe and loves Africa and everything about it. He has a testimony that is growing everyday! 5 months til the next time!!!

Dec 27th

Hey it's been crazy lights off because of storms! Seriously crazy everyone says it never rains like this during Christmas!!! But it's sweet! It's a little more like home. I'm glad you went to Elder Hills homecoming. That's sweet you met everyone. It will be so sweet when we all get home and are all so near. We are all going to be such good friends! It's Awesome!!!! But yeah the calls were sweet! I loved hearing from everyone and talking to everyone! It makes me miss home though! Christmas is a lot bigger the week after than it is before. Like this week every night there has been a party or a program at the church so we are enjoying , even Friday night there is a big district party. That will be a sweet News Year Eve Party! New Years is a lot bigger than Christmas. So I will let you know how that goes next week!

We have been challenged to read the Book of Mormon in like 48 days or something crazy like that! We are supposed to mark all the references to Christ. I have started and seriously it's sweet looking for something specific when reading instead of just reading and studying it. But it will be sweet i hope I finish it!!!

That's crazy moms going to be 50!!!! All my buds all say that you look 30! Then they freak out when I tell them your almost 50!!! Ha ha it's funny when I show them family pics!

I want you to know how much I love you and thank you for the support. Some of these guys don't have family behind them and I know for a fact that if it wasn't for my family I wouldn't be here. So I thank you so much I Love You!!!

Love Your Son
Elder Speechly

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Dec 20th

Hey Family I missed the Grammy Party!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Oh well it's sweet! So yeah this week was sweet. Tues after our district meeting the district Pres. took us to the hospital to eat a sweet Christmas lunch!!!! He said we will do it tomorrow again!!! It was tight he is such a stud! I love him he is so powerful! Then we just had normal lessons...... Saturday we met with that sweet family and it was good because we hadn't seen them for a while. The dad traveled and we couldn't go see the wife so it had been a long time. It was an awesome lesson, they both want her to be baptised so within the next couple weeks!

I still haven't received the pkg because we haven't gone any where to get it. Wednesday is the Christmas gathering and I will get it then. Each zone has to preform something and I am teaching them Must be Santa! Hahaha I'm so stoked! It will be so much fun. So this week is Christmas! I can't believe it! I love it here!!! I feel very happy! We came early to the cafe because we have to go to a family home evening tonight. Just know I'm missing you and I love you!!!! I will call Christmas Eve and let you know a time for Christmas. Sweet 5 days!!!! So yeah I will talk to you in a couple days! Love you all thanks for everything!!!!Bye bye

Your son
Elder Speechly

Dec 13th

Sorry but there's not much to talk about this week. Elder Jack was sick and we spent the week in the apt. It was a little bug in his system, it's gone now so we are right back on it! I'm sorry about my camera I almost cried. I still haven't recieved the pkg. It will come though.