Ghana

He's Home

2012-02-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

Elder Speechly arrived at 10:25 AM Feb 8th! He looks so good! We are so happy to have him home. He looks the same just older and wiser. He is still fun and happy but we can tell he is more mature and spiritual! We love him! Welcome home Jeff!!!! His homecoming is on Feb 19th at 2:20 in Ogden Utah. We are looking forward to hearing stories of Ghana for years to come!

Last Email!!! Jan 30th

2012-01-30T10:15:00.001-08:00

Hey so this is it! My Last email!

Thursday the 26th was the best day of my mission!!!! We started out by having interviews with Pres,. Shulz and that was just normal. My interview was really lame because I will have one on Monday at the mission home! So it was cool we had some little meeting for us missionaries and then closed! Then we all kinda split up. I went with Elder Hair to get the baptismal font to take it to Fiapre. Then met back up with my comp Brown and Adams and went to town and ate some seriously HUGE FUFU!!!! It was awesome! Then onto Odumasi for some appointments. I stayed with Elder Hair and taught a few lessons and Elder Brown and Adams went and taught also. We decided to meet back in town at the truck to all go together to the last appointment with Ivy! But before that Hair and I got there super early and I saw some guys playing Basketball on the nice court in town. So I decided to shoot around with them and that turned into a game. Haha it was so fun. We just balled it up for an hour or so. Adams and Brown showed up and we all played 2 on 2 for like another 30-45 min. As you see in the picture! Then Ivy called and asked where we were and so we left and when we got there she brought us all out some Fanta and sprite and mango juice. It just made us enjoy! She is so sweet! Then Elder Brown got a phone call that he needed to go and help one of our investigators with one or two things. I told him that Adams and I would stay and teach Ivy and her family. He and Hair could go and do that stuff. The lesson started out really bad. With the kids turning on and off the TV and screaming. Out of nowhere Ivy stood up and sent all the kids from the room so it was quiet. It was sweet. Adams and I taught the Restoration lesson and it was the most powerful lesson ever. It's a really long story but all I can say is that it was the only lesson I have cried in and Adams cried too! She loved it and the Spirit was so strong! The crazy part about it was she is a deaconess in the Pentecostal Church. Just when we gave her this lesson she dropped everything and said she knows it's right and true! So Awesome! Also the pic is her and her daughter, me and Adams! Boys from the beginning to the End!!!!

Love you! See you in a Week!!!!!
I'm Happy and sad but ready!!!
Bye Bye!!!
Elder Speechly (for the last time)

Jan 23rd Email

2012-01-24T13:33:00.000-08:00

Hey Hey Hey!!!!!

I really can't believe that this is happening. I really honestly don't know what to say. Just that we are planning a baptism on the 4th of Feb to finish with a bang! There should be 6 hopefully, but we will see! Other than that I'm just working hard and finishing the way I wanted too! I have all my shopping done. All my everything finished. We went on splits this week. I'm wanting to go with all the Elders in our zone before I go! I did half this week and the week flew so I will be doing the same this week as well to make it fly! Then my last week just chillin in my own area., doing the work and then get on that plane! I'm stoked! I won't email that last Monday so yeah next week will be the last email! Sorry I just so confused, mixed feelings and just to much going thru my dome right now! But I'm good, I'm ready and not trunky, I promise! So yeah get some!

Love You all !!!!
Peace out!
Elder Speechly

P.S. Happy B Day to Paisli, even though I haven't met you! To my sister Samantha Suester, haha I will see you both soon so don't even trip! Do you remember when you dropped the Harry Potter book on my head? Yeah that was freakin funny!

Jan 16th Email Only 2 more emails!

2012-01-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hey Everybody!!!!

It's just the same here. Just Kickin it and finishing strong! I don't have much time one of our Elders is sick. We have to go to the hospital and get drugs and all that stuff. But here are some pics! The Go Kart one might be the best picture I have ever taken Haha! Funny story I just saw them riding it and I said I want a turn!!!! Haha you know me! Get some!!!!

Love Jeff

Jan 9th Email

2012-01-19T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hey What's Up????

I'm so happy! I have been on this super high this last week! Just everything is going so well and making me feel like I'm on top of the world!!! Everything that's been happening is just fine and I'm cool with it all!!! Like our water pipe burst so I have been taking bucket showers for the past couple days. So it was like I was back in Fosu. That was normal and I just felt like oh well. I won't have to do this again very soon, So enjoy it haha! Even though it's hard I enjoy something that sucks no matter what! Yeah I'm just happy!

I did get Kente ties for the older guys. Dad should have one and I got one for each of the 3 bro's. But I have a lot so if Dad needs another one no wahala!!! I got his back! Let's see, Elder Lunt I didn't know super great but he used to be in the army and stuff like that but what I know of him he was a cool cat!

We traveled down to Cape for ZL council and just enjoyed! It was way fun. That was Tuesday and Wednesday. Left real early Tues morning and came back super late like 11:30 Wednesday night.It's so tight driving at night like it's totally scary but so fun! I had a "I love Ghana/mission moment" on the bus ride home. Super late, super dark, and the super cold jungle air blowing through the window right in my face. Just having man talk with my Comp the whole 3 hrs to Suny Town. Man I loved it!!!

It's crazy how it has flown by. Like I know it's not over til the fat lady sings but she's getting ready to perform here pretty soon. I think I'm finally getting the picture. But at the same time it's still a big blur and so surreal. But it's all Kush!!!! No P! The rest of the week was just normal. Friday we taught some sweet lessons and Saturday we helped a investigator move so that was different. But really fun and powerful. Before she was like not serious with the teachings, but sine we did that she totally is interested and came to church and stuff. So we will see where it goes! We also are preparing some really great people for baptism. I will have a baptism right before I come home. So it should be awesome. Maybe like 6-8 people. We'll see that kinda rushes a few of them.

Well I got some new pants that I'm going to travel home in. They are freaking awesome, and the tie I am wearing home is sick too! Elder Brown's parent's sent it to me for Christmas. It's one of the most beautiful ties I've ever seen!!! I've changed my diet til I come home..... I'm eating a head of lettuce for dinner like salad and egg sandwiches for breakfast. It's powerful!!!!! I'm getting all my last shopping finished! I'm still not ready to come home it's just like I said so surreal! I can't believe it's really happening! But it is and I can't stop time or even slow it down!

Just wondering what are the plans for my first week home. I don't know if there are any but just curious. I love you all miss you soooo much! I'll talk to you next week! Peace out

Your favorite Missionary/brother/son/Uncle/friend/Grandson,
Elder Speechly

Jan 2nd Email

2012-01-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

OH My!!!!! I'm going to kill the Internet here!!! And this Computer!!!! The board is terrible!!!!Just everything about it! I'm so frustrated! I just spent like a hour trying to get it to work so now I don't have any time at all.

Just know that I love you all and thank you for all the love and support!!! This week was just great with the Christmas and New years parties!!!! We enjoyed! This week we have ZL council so it should be fun. I like the trip down to Cape Coast. We have fun and learn a lot. I'm stoked! So yeah love you and sorry I don't have anymore time. Could I get some money in my account? I need to buy pants to travel home in.

I'm fine strong healthy and finishing the way you would want me to. I love you all!!! I can't wait to hug you only 5 more weeks!!!!! I'm so excited!!! I love you Mother!!!! I'm coming home!!!!

Your favorite son
Jeff Elder Speechly

Christmas Phone call

2012-01-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

This is our last phone call from Jeff. It is bitter sweet. He sounded so mature and happy! He loves Africa and Sunyani and his Comp Elder Brown. He is excited to come home but sad to leave Africa. They loved the packages and candy and treats! They are really busy being Zone leaders and traveling and still working hard. It will help Jeff so he doesn't get too Trunky! Only 6 wks left! It was hard to not talk about him coming home. We didn't want to freak him out. He bore his testimony and it was powerful (as Jeff would say). Our little boy has really grown up! We talked for about 1 1/2 hrs. All the family was there and the kids are pretty shy and don't know what to say to him. They just want him home! Great Christmas!!!!

Dec 19th Email

2012-01-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!!!

What's Up? Haha it's so crazy that Christmas is here. This week will fly by!!!! I haven't got your pkg yet. I will get it Friday at the Christmas Zone Party! I will call Saturday night and let you know when I'm calling Sunday. It will be sweet! I'm so excited!!!! I'm sorry my mind is not here today. We were in such a rush today. Right now we are in Kumasi. We just played a football match. Probably the last one. Everything is just happening so fast! I just can't think right now. It's a good thing we are going to talk on Christmas.

We had a baptism on Saturday. Sweet powerful people. I will tell you more about it on Christmas. Don't worry I'm sorry I just don't have peace of mind to email right now. I Love you and miss you especially around this time of year.

Elder Speechly

Dec 12th Email

2011-12-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

A Great and Marvelous Journey!!!!

What's up Family and Friends? This is your boy Elder Speechly reporting live from the beautiful and dusty Sunyani Brag-Ahafo Ghana!!!!

This week was totally hectic but it was a complete success and a whole lot of fun!!!
We started off the week by going to ZL council! Waking up at 5 on Tuesday morning and headed to the Metro Mass station to travel to Kumasi. My comp and I got to Kumasi really early so we just walked through the heart of the city. It's been awhile since I have been there so it was cool to see everything again. Kumasi is just so big . It's tight and super busy! Then we met up at the STC Station with the other ZL's Elder Briggs, Elder Hernandez, Elder Alba, and Elder Halimariam! 4 of the 6 of us are from Utah, the big 801!!!! We got on the bus and traveled down to Cape. Spent the night in the mission home and enjoyed a sweet dinner and sweet air conditioning (very cold) Haha. We had a sweet breakfast and then the meeting started. When the other ZL's got there we learned how to be good leaders and discussed where our mission needs to go and all that good stuff. It was a powerful day! Then after the meeting it was about 12 so we ate lunch and just kind of cleaned up and got ready to head back home to Sunyani! (7 hr bus ride) Haha! But the Ap's told up they were coming to Kumasi so we rode with them which was tight. I rode shotgun and talked with Adams the whole ride home it was EPIC! We drove through Abuasi a place they just opened up. I met Elder Lawton also my really good friend on mish. It's mim and Adams and I now!!!!! Yeah so we got to Kumasi really late so we decided to sleep at the Bantama Apt! So that was just another big sleepover with the Kumasi ZL's and the AP's! Then Thurs morning we woke up, jumped on a bus and rode home to good ol Sunyani!!!!! We were both dead....(running on like 5 hrs sleep in the last 4 days) but we had to catch up on all our investigators so we jumped right on it again!!!!! Did Work!!!!!Then yesterday the AP's and Pres Shulz and Sis Shulz came up to Suny town to do some Branch Training with all the leaders up here. That was right after church and then after that meeting was a meeting with the missionaries and the then after that he interviewed some of us. We were at the church from 8 AM til 9 PM. It was a crazy long day but SWEETO!!!!!! Haha so yeah we still taught 15 lessons and set a baptismal date with 3 people for next Saturday!!!! So even though we were super busy we still did work!!!! I absolutely loved this week. I might have to say it was one of the best weeks of my mission!!! Brown and I are loving life and doing the work .! What can I say more.(Jacob 6:12)

I love you all!!!!
Elder Jeff Speechly

P.S. They said we could skype for Christmas which would be tight but the cafe's up here are not good enough and it totally kills the mood and all the emotions in the call. So I vote on just calling but you can hit me up next week with your input Thanks!!!! Nothin but Love!!!!!

Dec 5th Email The Good Shepard

2011-12-13T10:35:00.001-08:00

Hey Family and Friends!!!!

So this is my Christmas card this year. You can go print it and send it to the peeps in the ward and friends and family! Thanks!!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Christmas is freaking flying up! I'm so stoked!!!

My comp and I are tearing it up! I love being up here. I think I am working the hardest I have my whole mission. It's sweet!!!! It is a different work though. When I was up here last time I was working like crazy but it was more contacting and teaching and no success. No one would come to church. It was hard also in Mankessim. I was just so busy with interviews and splits and meetings and all those things. It was just hectic work!Now we are teaching really powerful people who are coming to church. We have already had 8 baptisms in 3 weeks and we're getting more ready for Christmas, so we can have a White Christmas! Haha that's what we call it here! We also do the other things to keep us busy like splits and interviews for the DL. So yeah we are staying busy and having fun! The members are so fun here because we are small. Not many here in our branch. We are like one Big Family! I absolutely love it here! I will cry when I leave here! i already know it! As for my apt. there is 4. 1 Nigerian who is freaking chill Elder Roberts. 1 Ghanaian and Elder Brown. He is super smart. Every night we gather in his room and we just have super deep doctrine talks. It's so fun but it just blows my mind. All these guys are super smart. It's like I'm the recent convert and they are children of record. But it's all good. I'm learning Haha!

Well I'm super Super stoked for Lillard. That's awesome! Go Weber!!!!!
Tomorrow we are traveling down to Cape Coast to spend the night in the mission home and have ZL council the next day. It should be powerful! We will be there for a couple days getting mail and supplies. All the stuff for our Zone up here so we will be busy! I will let you know how it goes!

Love you all! Take care from the wind!!!! And don't forget WEBER STATE WEBER STATE GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!!!!!!

Love Elder Speechly

Nov 28th Email

2011-12-01T12:26:00.000-08:00

Hey Family! What's up?!!!!!

As for me I'm just kickin it here in Suny Town GH!!!!!! Just enjoying life! We are staying busy and just doing work! We had a baptism on Saturday that just happened! Our man was beggin to be baptized and it just worked out. He is a very powerful guy. Just ready to learn more. We have a lot of really great inestigators right now! So yeah it's crazy!

I'm still somehow shocked that Sammy is having another baby and moving! It's just crazy! I'm super stoked for them right now! I'm excited for Christmas! I'm excited for my package! I could use money it's always good! I ate my Thanksgiving meal in one day! We are planning our Christmas party for the branches and it will be sweet!

I guess you didn't get the pics. I sent them so I don't know? I wait a little longer and if you don't get them I'll send them again after Christmas! This keyboard really sucks! I'm sorry but I'm on it! I gave the material to Stats so he has it!

I love you all! I'm out of time so sorry but next week I will write a better one I promise!

Elder Speechly

Nov 21st Email

2011-12-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Mom and Pop!!!!

Sounds like the second half of your trip went a lot better! I think that you deserve it! Sounds awesome!!!! I'm just totally jealous! But it's all good. We'll go back one day!

Well Wednesday I left Cape Coast and didn't get up to Kumasi till about 7. So I ended up sleeping over in the ZL's apt. in Kumasi. Then woke up and got on another bus on my way to Suny Town! I got there around 10 in the morning. So I got to the house unpacked and went straight to work. We had have a baptism this Saturday and Sunday so the DL up here had to come on splits. He had to do interviews so it was super hectic! I got to go on splits into my old area. I saw all my old investigators and stuff. It was sweet! I saw Meshack, the guy who almost got baptized. Still a stud and one day one day he will be! So it's all good!

Thursday we went around and met all the members in the area and taught some sweet lessons. It's so sweet to be back here! They all speak such great English! So then Friday we just taught a lot again and went to see the rest of the members and investigators!!! Saturday morning was the first baptism. It went really well! It was nice really nice! Then Sunday was Freaking SWEET!!!!!! The branch is powerful. It's awesome to see how it's grown in the last six months! We had the primary program and watched General Conference in English!!!! I loved the members. They just were so excited that I came back! I didn't know all of them from last time but I knew and recognized quite a bit. I love it here! I'm excited to finish up here working hard! I will definitely finish hard being here with Brown as a ZL! Yes his name is Griffin. He is sweet! We are working really hard and walking really fast!!!!!! He is a cool guy! As for ZL we will be traveling a lot! Like when stuff needs to be up there we go all the way down to Cape Coast to get it Haha We will go down and stay in the Mission home for the night with the other ZL's so it's going to be fun!

I love you and miss you all so much! Just one month til Christmas!!!!

Bye Bye
Your son
Elder Speechly

Neat Story

2011-12-01T11:07:00.000-08:00

We just went to Hawaii for our first time and this story happened while we were there. I told Jeff and I wanted to share it on here. We were in Oahu and it was crazy because APEC was going on the exact time we were there. Pres Obama came and left on the same day we did! He was staying across the street from our hotel! Well we got out of Waikiki and went up to go to the Polynesian Cultural center and the Temple. After the temple we went to lunch. We were checking our emails and there was a email from my MM website frm a woman in Hawaii whose son was going to West Africa Benin on his mission. I said to Brent I wonder if that's the town we're in? I wasn't sure. We got in the car to go to the PCC and realized we didn't bring our sunscreen! We pulled into a store and I ran in. I got in line and the woman behind me said to the woman in front of me Hi ...my son just got his call to Africa! I wasn't sure if that's what she said but I waited then said Did you just say your son was going to Africa? She said yes! I said My son's in Africa! She said hers was going to Benin. I said mine was in Ghana. I told her I just read on the website that someone from Hawaii just got his call and she said that was me. She asked my sons name. I told her she said I just read your blog this morning!!!! I couldn't believe it! She said yeah and he said have fun in Hawaii and here you are in foodtown! Oh my what a small world!!!!! I went out to the car and told Brent he said your lying! Then her daughter walked by the car and waved! He said really that just happened. Then she walked by and waved! Wow the church is true!!! Haha but really it was amazing!!! To travel that far from home and just be in the right place at the right time. Tender mercy's of the Lord!

Nov 15th Email

2011-12-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hey Mom and Pops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like the trip is not going according to plan! But isn't that how life kinda is? Well at least how my life has been! Haha Just like the transfer news I just received..... I'm going back to Suny Town to be a Zone Leader this time! Haha It's crazy. I'm somehow sad. I kind of wanted to finish my mission without being in leadership, but I guess this will help me finish strong! I am excited! I will leave tomorrow morning and travel all the way back up!!!!!! My branch this time is bigger and better though. So it should be sweet! My comp Hunt is going to stay here and train! My new comp in Suny Town will be Elder Brown. He's from Dallas TX. He is a hard worker so it will be good to finish working and sprinting! I'm excited!!!!

So yeah that's crazy news! Ben and Israel both sent me emails and they are real good! I miss the boys! I miss you too! I'm excited for my time. I like where I am right now! I will do the Speechly name proud here in Ghana! Haha Hawaii sounds fun! Give Obama a hug for me Haha Sounds like you can't even get a look at him! That story is way sweet! I will have to share it in Church next week! Thanks I love you two so much. I'm sad to leave here but I think if I stayed I might get a little trunky, just because it's easy and simple here now!!!!

I love you and will talk to you next week. I have to go I have a lot of packing to do!!!!

Elder Speechly

Nov 8th Email

2011-11-08T12:53:00.001-08:00

3 months from today Elder Jeffery Speechly will be home!!!!

Hey you guys!!!!!

What's up? I'm so stoked for you all! You all got to see Ben and Izrael! I'm so jealous! I miss my boys so much. Those guys are my hero's! They made me who I am today. I love them and miss them! I'm stoked to come home and do work ans school and just everything with them. Vancheirie is engaged! I heard from Thompson.Hahaha I just hope he waits for me to get home but it will probably be at the end of December I'm guessing. You should go haha. I wish I could be there. It's all good. The time is coming but not yet I still have work enough to do!!!! I will know probably Sat about transfers. I will let you know!

We have done a ton of interviews and even this week I have interviews everyday. I don't even think I will be teaching my own investigators. Unless on Sunday at church. Which is sweet! Oh speaking of church we watched the General Conference, but the whole thing was in Fante so it was hard , but I could hear quite a bit. It was sweet, but there was not enough to really understand the talks. It was really deep Fante like the leaders didn't even understand all! But we're on it and I will read it soon!

I hope you have fun in Hawaii! You will go and enjoy!!! Sweet it's good though and you deserve it! I'm sad about Sammy and Erik though! It's sweet because I have a reason to go to Denver! I have never been so it's cool in that way but other than that totally lame! haha I miss Erik and Sammy and freak Brody and Amy and of course my big Sis Apes!!! An d Trenton Mcguire!!!! Haha it's been awhile. I'm excited to hear from you all on Christmas! I miss you all so much! It's all good MI Wo Ho!!!! Haha well I gotta split. I have 4 interviews in Abakrampa! So peace out and remember to keep the faith and to get some!!!!

Love you all bye bye!!!
Elder Speechly

Nov 1st Email

2011-11-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

Hey what's up best coolest family in the world?

Sounds like a bad week. It kind of was here. Just real slow and not much going on. We didn't have any splits or interviews this week so it's like we had a lot of catching up to do. It's hard to do a lot when one week it will be crazy hectic and have like a half a day of proselyting in my area the whole week and the next we will be in our area the entire week. It's hard cuz you don't want a huge pool of investigators, but at the same time you need a few for those slow weeks!

It all good! We are working with 4 investigators getting them ready for baptism within the next two weeks. That will be sweet and exciting! We had Apt. checks/interviews and they went really real. Pres asked a lot about my comp like if he thinks he is ready to train and stuff. So I'm pretty sure he is going to train. He also hinted that I would be going and finishing somewhere I have already served. Haha Lucky for me that can only be one of two places Fosu or Sunny Town. I don't know which but whatever happens happens. I guess I'm stoked but sad that I will have to leave here. i think this place is by far the best areas I have had! The members are just so powerful!

It's crazy Ben and Izzy are coming home this week. It's tight but I'm missing them more now haha! It's all good! 14 weeks haha

I will finish strong sprinting and on top! I will send pictures this week I promise. I will have to burn them so I will first have to find a guy here that can do that. I got the material so I will send it with Stats! I will go see him in the mission home before he goes home! I think you will like it. I hope you do! I love it haha! But I have been here and around it for along freaking time!

Ok well I gotta go! Sorry not too much to talk about. It's just the same here in too! Love you and just surprise me in the package! Love you all and thanks for the love and support!!! Peace!!!

Elder J Speech!

Oct 25th email

2011-10-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hey Family!!!!!

Ha so this week it was my comps turn to have Malaria! It's not funny but for once it wasn't me!!!! I felt bad and helped him! But still I was happy it wasn't me for the first time in a long time!!!! It started Sunday at church. So earlier in the week we had splits with the AP's and that was tight. They brought up our mail and my 2 glorious packages haha!!!!! Thank you so much! All of it is very needed! We got to be with Adams so we enjoyed that! We taught some investigators that we are preparing for baptism. Adams helped them jump a big step. So thats fine! In the next few weeks we will have 4 to 5 baptisms. They will be really powerful people. How do I know that? Because they were so stubborn to get into the church in the first place! Haha Then Friday we had to travel down early in the morning to the Aubura stake center for the Mission Tour with Elder Gaverette from he seventy. He is a powerful man but just kinda crasy haha. Nobody really understood his Spanish accent. All my boys could have though. Haha Ben Izzy Ethan and Mason! Freak those guys and their Spanish! I love them! It's crazy how much I miss those cats! I'm stoked for Ben and Izzy too! Crazy how fast it's gone!

But anyway at the tour I got my travel plan paper. It like asked about the airport name and all that jazz. So I sent it in and last night Adams called me up and said that our flight plans are already in! He said we are sitting next to each other the whole way to SLC. He will fly into Salt Lake with me. I'm super excited!!!! It's gonna go by so fast! Finish Strong!!!! I will leave half my heart in the Field!

When exactly when are you going to Hawaii? I'm jealous! But you deserve it! I will buy the material this week and give it to Stats, if it will fit in his bag! haha I hope so!!!!
Don't worry though! I have been reading the Doctrine and Covenants a section a day thing. I think I told you about it. Anyway it's crazy how much Christ just straight gave it to the early church members! Straight chastisement! It's tight! In a way our prophet does it too! Just quiet and simple though!

I Love you. My comp is still not feeling well today! We are having Apt checks and interviews on Friday so I will tell you about that!
Love you and talk to you next week!

Elder Speechly

Oct 18th email

2011-10-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hey Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Freaking long time!!!!!!!!I miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!Don't worry nothing is wrong. I've been healthy and workin hard. So hard that I just have had no time to email. I'm sorry! I tried last week but the net was down so we couldn't . But yeah doing lots and lots of interviews because the mission has got a new goal. 500 baptisms before the end of the year! The mission has had about 800 so far so it's like we almost have to do a 3rd of what we already have. It's only for wards and stakes and I'm in a branch , run under the mission so were not among
the goal but I feel like I am cause I'm doing so many interviews! It's fine though! I love it! Even today I can't talk long. Just about to go on splits with the AP's that's Adams so I'm stoked! We just got back from District meeting which went well. Now we are heading to the Apt to meet them there!

I'm jealous you got to see all those guys at Thompsons Homecoming! Can't wait to come home. The office couple today said I should be getting my travel requests soon. It kind of freaks me out, but excited at the same time!

Friday we are having a mission tour with one of the 70. Elder Gaverette. I think is his name! I guess a really powerful speaker so I'm excited for that! I'll let you know about it next week!

Yesterday was a a really sweet p-day. We went to Kakum the national park where you climb the Canopy walk in the trees. It was awesome!!!!I took some really sweet pictures! I love it here! I have been getting so much food haha. FM ares the best! I just always feel bad after I eat so much! But they wouldn't have it any other way and neither would I!

Well sorry it was short, but we are running a little late. I promise I will email a big one next week.

Love you all and thanks for all the love and support!!!!!

Bye Bye!!!!!
Elder Speechly

Sept 27th Email

2011-09-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hey FAMDIZZLE!!!!!!!

Whats up? Haha just the same here! I just got Freakin Malaria again!!!! Well at least I think it was. Like it was the same symptoms except I wasn't nauseous. Just really tired and weak...but yeah I'm totally fine now! That was like Wednesday til Sunday! I couldn't go out in the sun. I would get really light headed! So I just listened to Sis Shulz and drank plenty of water and slept it off. Now I feel like 100 Cedis haha not bucks, Cedis hahah So no news on my part really..... Sorry!

Oh but Sunday after church we got back to the house and looked at our thermometer and it said that it was 112 degrees!!! We were dying Ha! It was probably the second hottest day of my mission! The first was up in Suny Town when Alba and I rode those bikes to that University and just died! That was fun thought! I didn't think it really got that hot here but it does! I read it with my own eyes!

I had the Frey stuck in my head while I was sick! I freaking miss them! Have they come out with a new cd or any new songs? I love those guys. I miss music! It's ok because just as you said 4 more months!!!! What the????!!!! I can't believe that! I keep telling my son, Hunt all these sweet stories from early on the mission! When I was with Thompson and it's crazy how long ago that really was! I miss him! I miss Fosu! I miss Suny Town! But I think Mankessim is my favorite place I have been. I don't really know why really it's not much different that Fosu. I just have true honest love for this area! Not that with the others I didn't but it just seems a little more real! I don't know how to explain it!

Mom I want to send some stuff with Thompson or Stats. So whatever? I will just need some money to buy the fabric. I want to get some for you and the girls too! I have ties for all the guys! It's crazy I am getting so ready to come home. But at the same time it kills me to leave here! I absolutely love it here! But we have to come back!

I'm stoked that you are going to Hawaii! I'm jealous! Freak that's awesome! But whatever I guess you deserve it Hahaha! You both do. I love you both so much. I can't begin to say that I wish before my mission I would have spent more time with you and my freaking awesome sisters. I was an arrogant prideful sack of crap! Haha I'm sorry. I love you all!!!! Grammy too!! I miss her Mexican food so much! Bean Burritos!!! And just her teaching me every second of every day how to become the man I should be!!!! And Grandma Ruby her wonderful heart. Always wanting me to learn and not make the same mistakes her Son(pops) made haha jk pops just giving you crap! To my BIL's man I miss kickin it with you getting in to some trouble but nothing serious! Just being brothers, I never had til you married my sisters! But I just want every single one of you to know that if it wasn't for you, my family, I wouldn't be here so thanks! I love you!!!

Yeah I guess that's it for this week! Get Some!!

Your Favorite son/brother/granson/uncle/friend/missionary
Elder Jeffery Brent Speechly

Sept 20th Email

2011-09-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hey Family!

Thanks for the Birthday packages and the wishes too! I had a great day!!! We went to church and then went to some members place. Then we came home and made the cake! That cake was absolutely delicious! I died of sugar overload! Haha!!! All the candy and everything! But it's ok I loved it!!! I recieved 3 packages!

Saturday we had the baptism! Her name is Faustina! She is about 15 and she is way smart and cool! She has some friends in the church which is good cause now we know she'll really stay! So she was baptized Sat. and then came to church on Sunday! My Birthday and was confirmed so that was really awesome to see and to have happened!

Lets see we ad some interviews down in Moree on the coast! Those were really cool. I was ding the interviews on the beach Haha! It was fun! The families that live around our compound, in our area, really love us! I really love them! I truely hope and pray that I can finish my mission here in Mankessim! I love the branch too! We are just so close that it feels like home! Feels like home to me, feels like home to me. It feels like I'm already home where I come from! Haha remember that song? I think it's from How to lose a guy in 10 days or something haha!

Anyway I don't know who that Spencer kid is. I only know guys from their last names haha of Elder! But for the other one, I think it was Elder Carton. He left about a year ago and I got an email a couple months ago from Hannah Burr, Do you remember her? He was in her guitar class up at BYU Idaho. She said he told her the same thing. I had no idea what he meant. I never did anything out of the ordinary. I love the kid and we were tight. I didn't know I helped him stay! I miss him!

But yeah we are just doin work Hunt and I are just tearin it up! Not much teachin our own people though the mission is blowin up with baptisms. Our district is no different. I'm doing interviews so much that we just teach when we can. But those we are teaching are progressing Great! SOon we should have another baptism with about 4 or 5 so that's something coming!

I love you all and miss you ALL!!!!!! 4 months and counting!!!

Your BOy
Elder Jeffery Brent Speechly

Sept 12th Email

2011-09-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom

I totally don't have much time today. We are at the mission home today and spending the night. My comps Name is Elder Hunt. If you can will you put my B-Day money in today. I just wanted to have a fun Birthday week.

I got the big package today because I'm here. It's awesome! Sorry I couldn't help but open it! It's sweet the only thing missing was pictures! Tell Sammy thanks and that I love her and the same to Grammy. Text Pops and tell him I miss his emails and that I love him! Tell him to enjoy Europe! Well I will email tomorrow I promise! I gotta go!!!

Love ya and miss ya more than you will understand!

Sept 5th Email

2011-09-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody!!!!

Everything here in the GH is freaking sweet!I'm loving my comp. My second son and the area. We are just doing the work and enjoying it! I'm so excited. I hope and pray I will be able to finish this way! I want to finish strong here with this comp. We are just getting a long so well!

Mankessim is now down to 2 Elders. Which is hard to do but it is just right in the middle where 4 is too crowded but 2 isn't enough. Haha so I guess we are doing it right! The members love us! They feed us all the time. I'm still eating fufu and banku all the time. But when I'm in the house I have been eating eggs. A lot of egg sandwiches and egg omelets and indo mie of course. I love that stuff. In case I haven't told you about it, it's exactly like top ramen, but better flavor. But I eat bread and hot milo every morning! It's the best! Amy said she found it back home. That's sweet! You should all try it! Eat what I'm eating! Funny thing I think I have some kind of worm or something cause I eat more now that I have my whole mission. I'm still losing weight. I'm down to 202. I just weighed on Thursday . It's so crazy but it's sweet!

Not really a lot to tell except that we're working with a girl by the name of Fausty. She will be baptized on the Saturday before my Birthday. That is the 17th. So I'm excited for that. She is like 16 and just way sweet and excited to be in the church. She just wants to always learn and learn and learn..... So I told her I'm still learning and I have been in the church my whole life! Haha

I have been reading the Doctrine and Covenants. I'm trying to read a section a day and study it and learn. It's really cool cause I have never really sat down and read the D&C from cover to cover. So yeah I'm learning!!!

I bore my testimony in Full STRAIGHT FANTE/TWII yesterday! It was legit. It was like the first time I didn't have to stall, think, and pause, look down or any of that! I was proud of myself. I can't wait to come home and do it there. Haha people will think it's fake! But it's sweeto!!!!

Well Fam I love you! I will talk to ya next week! I'm excited for my birthday. Thanks for the love and support! Stay sweet!

Luke 9:62 New favorite scripture!!!! Get Some!!!

Elder Speechly

August 30th Email

2011-09-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hey Family!!!!!!

So I loaded new pics! It's me just doing me!!!Haha But yeah this week was sweet. Just been showing my son Hunt around the area and meeting all the members! Sunday was the branches primary program. We enjoyed that a lot. It was sweet to see our recent convert family being a part in it and to be honest they did probably the best! Memorized their parts and everything! We still go to see them and watch church movies with them every week!

Today was District meeting. We did a little get to know you game for the elders in the zone/district. We asked some questions and heard their testimonies. It went really well. The special guest was the new office couple the Asay's. They are really nice people! They surprised us by telling us their story and stuff but they are really young. He is 50 and she just turned 48. I was shocked! I thought to myself my parents are older than them. Haha They are sweet people!

Tomorrow is zone conference. I'm excited a lot of new changes happening within the mission. So I am excited to hear about it. They just told us that much. Sorry I don't have much to talk about. I'm excited for pops and his trip. I'm excited for all that kind of stuff. I'm ready to hear and see all about it. Mom the wedding sounded epic. I'm sad I missed it but it's cool! Next week I will tell you a lot about our investigators and stuff so no P!

Love you and miss you!

Elder Baby Jet Speechly

Aug 25th Email

2011-09-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Familly!!!!!

So I got a lot of things to say today! It's been a hectic 10 days or so.....

First off I am not coming home on the 20th haha. It's back to the normal February 5th! Long story........so Thursday night Pres. calls me and says Speech I know we said everything was great and all we had to do was the paper work. But I have lost sleep and I woke up this morning thinking that I will need you here and our Heavenly Father needs you here at the time the most. So I said ok no problem I'm fine with that! Then he said I also want you to know that I will need you because I want you to train a new missionary again! I have a second son haha! So yeah transfer news was not til Monday so he said I was to keep it quiet til then. It tore me up inside haha jk. So yeah Bond went out train in Sekondi, Stats old area. So the other two in my apt left as well so it's just me and my greenie from now on!

My son is from Auburn Washington! He is a straight redneck but I love him. He is way funny and out going which is great. We are getting along great! He is young just barely turned 19 and is sweet kid! He has a pretty serious girlfriend so he doesn't stop talking about her! But I will work him so hard he'll forget about her haha! No we really are gonna enjoy each other. He reminds me of one of the Halverson's except just a slight more HICK!

I'm really excited to train again. I think I will be with him til the end of my mission and "Die" here in good old Mankessim!!!! I Love the members here and just the people in general. I love this town. We are about 10 minutes in land so we can go to the Coast whenever we want!!! Hahaha But yeah we are busy and he will enjoy being a DL'S comp haha he will think it's crazy especially because it's so hectic already! But we're on it!

So we played basketball on Monday and sent Bahme home and then got the call and we were just busy on Monday. Then Tuesday after district meeting I was planning on emailing like usual but we had random transfers and I had to wait in Cape to pick up my son and see my first son Jack up to Kumasi. I probably wont see him before I go home! I will miss that kid!

So Yeah even right now I don't have time to talk so much. I'm in a hurry. Just wanted to let you know the new crazy news. Hahah So I love you! Thanks for everything! Can't wait for my Bday pkg. I'm excited and the money is really in need! I love you and Thank you I will make sure and talk to you Monday with better details on everything!

Elder Speechly "Baby Jet" Speechly

Aug 16th Email

2011-09-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody!!!!!

I miss Nike!!!! (the Dog) Every time I hear his name I just wanna fall to my knees and cry haha jk but seriously I miss him,. Dogs here are so small and annoying! So give him a big hug for me and tell him I miss him and I'm comin home soon!

So I did talk to Pres Shultz about coming home and he is fine with it. Just like you said , so that was Tues and everything just felt right. I have been praying and fasting and it just seems like the right thing for me... Then on Saturday morning I got a phone call from President saying that he thought it would be this simple just change flight and all the travel stuff. then go home but now I'm supposed to talk to you and send this today and you need to reply today so that I can come back tomorrow to see it and then call him with more feedback and my final verdict. So yeah I'm here..... for me like I said I just don't want to come home and fall behind. When I'm busy I am fine. It's a long time to wait for school. Also I've been praying and fasting and it just feels right to me. So yeah I need you to talk about it and get back to me today!!!

Monday we went to Takoradi to play football. It was fun just a really long traveling day. I hate traveling!!!! We won and I was the keeper. I'm getting pretty good!

Tuesday District meeting REMIX!!!! haha Pres Shultz came to our district meeting to see how things are going and I instructed on the Doctrine of Christ. The the AP's gave small instruction then Pres said some things. It was nice after we talked about going home and it was sweet talking to him. He loves me and I love him! He really really likes me haha!!!

Wednesday-Normal day. I'm in my area Do Work SON~!!!

Thursday-I went to do interviews in ABAKRAMPA a small village and did work there!

Friday Normal day!

Saturday went to Cape Coast to play a football match with some school team. The ZL's hooked up for us. It was fun! Then Pres called.

Sunday was a great Sabbath Day. I fasted and it felt good! Visited some members and Got Some FUFU!!!HAHA

Monday-we went down to Cape to play basketball and tear it up. I played so good! I always do when Adams is there! We just play with chemistry! It's sweet!!!

Today-District meeting. We had goodbye testimonies from Elder Bahme and Elder Hancey. They are both sweet guys!

This mission is about to be flipped upside down! 20 missionaries are going home on Monday and 18 are coming in!!!! It's going to be insane! Transfers are Monday . I will let you know about those!

So Yeah I guess I will write you again tomorrow. Peace out! I need details and feedback thanks!

Love you and Miss you!!!

Your favorite son/missionary!
Elder Speechly

Hey Mom!!!

Thanks that really helps me out a lot! It was basically what I know you were gonna say but is needed! I think I am the only one from my group. Everyone else went to a little bit of school before! I would leave the 20th of Dec. So just start looking into getting school started and register and all the jazz!

Other than that my debt card expires Oct. so I don't know what you need to do but just warning you.

Thanks for your support and I will let you know soon on the final verdict! Love you ll and miss you!

Elder Speechly

Newer Pictures

2011-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

New area Mankessem. New companion Elder Bond.

New Pictures Finally!!!

2011-08-11T20:06:00.001-07:00

Last area Sunyani. Companion Elder Alba.

Aug 8th Email

2011-08-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Hey you guys!!!!!!!(Goonies) Haha

I'm totally stoked you got the pics that's awesome!!!! Sorry if I scared you with that story last week. I just thought I should tell you haha! But don't worry the Lord is protecting us! I promise!

This week was sweet! No interviews and no splits. I got to be in my area teachin My peeps! It was awesome! We just had a blast. Bond and I are getting along great! He was home schooled and is the complete opposite of me., but we just "complete" each other. JK but seriously I thrive on his knowledge of the gospel and just knowledge in general you could say! He thrives off my out going crazy insane sweet epic stories! But we just do work and enjoy our missions!

But this week is going to be the opposite. Today we have a district meeting with the President, instructing small and then also Friday a meeting with the new mission doctor! So that should be crazy! Then some splits and interviews here and there but it's still freaking fun! I love it here! I don't want to be transferred! They are in 3 weeks! So yeah I will talk to Pres. Shulz today about the going home and get it all settled so I will let you know the verdict next week! It's really been eating me up. I just have mixed feelings!!! I still don't really know what I want for my birthday. Just money and a package is sweet for me!

I can't believe you met Callie! I totally wrote her! She will get my letter when she gets home! Haha that's sweet she is a really cool girl. She wrote me a pretty epic letter. It is a crazy small world!

So yeah I'm just still doing work. Love you and thanks for everything! I will hit you next week Bye bye!!!
Love Elder Speechly

Aug 1st Email

2011-08-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Family What's Up!!!!

Just chillin here in good ol MANKESSIM!!! Today was a freakin hot day!!! We just played some American Football and Ultimate Frisbee on the beach up here instead of Cape Coast. The Swedru Zone came so I got to see Jack!!!!He is doing good. I miss him seriously we tore it up in FOSU!!!! But yeah also did some wash in the washing machine that Stats lift haha so no P. I'm not complaining! Now it's time to come to town and send the greatest family in the world an email!

So this week still the same old stuff! Haha interviews teaching our family solid and watchin the church movies. Gotta love church movies Hahaha!!!

Sunday was Hectic. So I'm going to tell you a little how my sabbath went haha! So it started off great! Normal day at church, then we closed and went home for some lunch and while we were there I wanted to charge my camera battery, so I was putting the adapter into the socket, my finger was touching the prongs that go into the socket and so I got Sweet 300 volts runnin in my system!!!! Basically put me on my butt. Pretty much tasted death haha!
Ok not death but it did totally put me on my butt and I heard a ringing in my ear. It was the craziest thing ever!!!!

But hold on that's just the beginning of the day! Then we went out and one of our members asked us at church if we could go and give his grandma a blessing. So we said my man no P. We'll be there at 3:00. So we make our way to his house. We get there and we started the journey into hell. Which we didn't know at the time , but you'll understand in a minute..... So fast forward an hour and we are just arriving at the so called "grandma's house" and it's just a normal Ghana house. All concrete and so we go in the room and there is like 12 people there. Mostly older ladies . So we greeted them all. Talked my perfectly fluent FANTE/TWI haha not! Sat down getting ready to start and Micheal (the member) says oh they want you to teach them so I said Wow ok, no problem. Then you can translate and as we were bowing our heads to start to pray, this girl maybe 21 or so, walks in murmuring under her breath and clapping he hands in a circle around me. Bond and I just lift our heads up and looked at each other like, What the FREAK!!!! What is she doing? She had white lacy stuff over her head so I thought she must be Muslim. Then she went into the corner , dark side of the room. She curled up into a ball on the floor! At this time I'm asking Mike what's going on and he says we need to leave! So we head out the door and a man is waiting for us outside. So we greet him and start talking. Come to find out that this man is a pastor and the "House" is a mission home for him and his people, who he is healing. Haha I know funny anyway back to the story. He is just giving us crap for like 10 minutes. Now the whole time he is speaking pretty decent English and just chewing us out for coming here to bless her! So we started to argue and it was getting out of hand so we decided to leave and that's when it changed for the worse. He grabbed my arm as I was walking away. I turned and said my man please take your hands off of me and he said why am I hurting you? Small boy? I said no I am leaving and so Mike and Bond split us up and then for the next part, yes it's not over! A man turns the corner. He is short like way short and he is wearing, an all white suit and a white top hat. Looking Fresh! Haha he is their Prophet. So he comes to ask us what's going on so it starts all over again. Now the craziest thing about this whole story is the girl, the one who in the beginning came in and sat in the corner, she was doing circles around the pastor and prophet while we were arguing. She was just weird the whole time I was looking at her, she was crazy. Words will not do it justice! She was possessed! So I finally asked what she was ding and the men both said don't worry about her and then she fell to the round screaming at the top of her lungs. I totally got freaked out ad jumped back and said what the freak is wrong! They said it was because we were there and so we said forget it we are bouncing before we both kill this guy. As we were walking away the pastor says she is our oracle.... and we ran literally ran haha. We got to Mike's house and we kind of gave it to him for not telling us the whole truth about the whole thing! Yea so it's all good and no P. We are still on it! Crazy I know!

I need some pens and marker pen would be great, a notebook, shower get, and more pics, sunflower seeds dill pickle....spitz and deodorant. Fiji flavor was perfect! I love you! I also need some money so can you put some in so tomorrow after district meeting I can go to the bank lease! I'm dying haha Bond is saving my butt! He is a good guy! I love him!

I love my mission. I miss you and Love you! Thanks for the love and support!
Elder Speechly

July 25th Email

2011-08-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom and Dad and sisters and friends and everyone else who reads this!!!!!

This week was sweet as normal haha just still doing the normal interviews and splits. I really enjoy staying busy! It makes the time go by fast. Which somehow mixes my feelings, but still is awesome! The only down side is my area is actually slowing down and is dying Kaka Kakra that means small small haha! So I guess I will tell you that the language is actually coming a lot better now. I hear it super well now and I actually am speaking it great too. Like I don't think you understand I can communicate WELL!!!!! I'm excited about it!!!! I'm excited to come home and have an accent haha!!!!

About my birthday all I can think of is like candy and mashed potatoes! Like the kind I can just make! haha But a ton of them! Candy all gummy and carmel apple suckers! They were the bomb! I miss candy . The candy here sucks! They don't like sweet things here at all! So I will continue to think about things.....Another side note my ATM card expires in October so I don't know what we have to do about it but do something. I guess that's something else for my B Day just money and I will buy stuff here!

Jack said thanks so much! He is coming to the beach with the Swedru zone to play on the beach this p-day! I'm so excited!!! I miss him! I got my pkgs loved them! I loved Sarah's letter. I wrote her back long time ago so I don't know. I send people letters all the time and sometimes they get lost!

I love all of you and miss you all too! I can't wit to come home to see you all on Christmas and play with the kids! Especially the ones who don't know me! Haha

Elder Speechly

P.S. We are going to teach the recent convert family tonight and we are going to watch Legacy. I'm super stoked haha!!!! Family Night!!!

July 18th Email

2011-07-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

What's up BEST FAMILY IN THE WORLD??????

Sounds like you went all out with that picture! Haha!!! I guess I didn't realize how cool it really is! I guess it's pretty epic Haha! I don't know why everyone said I look so good! But for that one I won't argue! Ha no P! THANKS!!!

This week was pretty chill just dropped a bunch of lessons. Did a couple od/fd interviews in Cape Coast and Cape is like an hour away so that takes out a big chunk of our day when we go there! But it's fine! I will be going on splits and do interviews on Thursday in Moree which will be fun! I am sick of traveling! It's not that far, it's just that the tro tro's are so terrible! They're not meant for 6 foot 2 inch 190lbs OBRUNIS haha! It's not easy! But it's all part of the experience! RIGHT?! Yeah it is and we have some pretty sweet p-days scheduled out this transfer. For today we just played basketball which was fun! Next week we are killing three pigs and roasting them for a big feast just for no reason haha! Then Swedru that means I get to see my son JACK!!!!! They are coming to the beach where we had the baptism and we will play volleyball and football and just play around at the beach! Then the last p-day this transfer Bhame wanted to play NFL on the beach for his last p-day so we all said no P! We're down! So yeah it's going to be epic!

Other than that no zone conference no nothin special. I haven't seen Pres. since that first day. I want to see them again! Just know we are working hard and doing work!!!! I love you all!!!! Miss ya like crazy! I'm totally bummed I missed the fireworks again but it's all good in the neighborhood. I will just see them in a year! So yeah, I got one of the pkgs and the other I will get tomorrow at District meeting. As for my Birthday haha I totally forgot about it! Until I read your email! I will think and let you know soon!

Love you and Miss you! Get Some!

Love your favorite Missionary/friend/Uncle/Brother/Son/Grandson,
Elder Jeffery Baby Jets Speechly

July 12th Email

2011-07-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Famdizzle!!!!!!

What it do???? Haha JK! I'm totally high on life right now! Everything is perfect! First things first! The baptism went absolutely amazing! Funny story actually. Our Branch President called us Friday morning and said that a member called and told him that the ocean was too choppy and we said haha well, we'll see about that. So we went out to the beach and it was way calm! So we said it's totally on like Donkey Kong! Haha!!! So the Zone leaders came up and did our interviews and everything went fine. Then we get out to the beach Saturday morning with all the members and candidates and everyone and the water is crazy!!!!Super high waves and they were breaking really close to the shore! We just laughed and said oh well!!! So we continued and it was sweet! We baptized the whole family and the other companionship had two kids and we had a child of record from the branch also. I dunked them all! It was crazy! I would have to carry out the kids and then just throw them under the water as the wave came and then carry them back out! It was funny! Sweet Pics! This week we just got them prepared and also did a couple more interviews so not much but the baptism was the highlight definitely!!!!

Yesterday was sweet we played basketball and tackle football on the beach. It was totally crazy, cause the water was also really high in Cape so we just would get hit and the water would soften the fall Haha! It was so tight!

But yeah transfer news came and the entire Cape Coast Zone is staying the same! SWEET!!!! We are all super excited! Bad news Thompson and Stats both are going back up to Kumasi. So I won't see either of them till my homecoming! So that sucks but oh well! It's Kush haha!

This week we'll be working a lot with the members so that we can get some more referrals and find some new peeps to teach! So it should be cool! Also I will go on splits this week to do some interviews. So I will probably sleep over and kick it in the Cape Apt. and have some more epic man talk with Bahme haha. That kid is tight! It's crazy he is leaving at the end of this transfer! There are a ton! I will miss them! It's gone so fast! Our time is coming too!!! What the FREAK That's INSANE!!!!

Well I love you and miss you all like crazy!!! So keep the faith and remember to always be HAPPY! and SMILE!!!

Elder Jeffery Baby Jet Speechly

July 5th Email

2011-07-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hellooooooo!!!!!!!

First off my knee is fine! I think I just bruised the bone of the cap! But I'm fine now! My week was pretty lame because I honestly couldn't walk. One of our neighbors came over and was putting hot water on it and some weird herbs. At the time I thought she was smokin them because she was whack, but it worked apparently because I'm cool!

We met Pres and Sis Shulz this morning. We had interviews....... I Absolutely love them!!!!! Sis Shulz, came out of no where and just gave me a huge hug!!!!! She said it was from you mom! She is so sweet! It made me feel like you hugged me. I really like her then when I was talking with Pres. he just kept saying how proud my mom and dad were and that I should keep it that way! I said no "P" haha! Then we talked about Bro Mueller and Uncle Craig and all that good stuff! We talked about my mission so far and how many people he has met that have just said that I'm a great example for the church! A sweet story..... One of his first days here he was talking with the member that goes around fixing the missionaries apts. He went to the mission home and somehow my name came up and Prosper said "hey Speech? I love that kid. The first time I met him I had to travel up to FOSU and take like 3 different taxis and every time I said I was going to LDS Missionaries , every driver said "the tall white man who is always happy!" So I'm known for that! haha Pres just said that he was very impressed that he has heard so much about me in the small amount of time being here and it's all been good in bringing up the church! Then he closed by promising me that I will come home and find a gorgeous young woman and marry her in the temple and will continue my education, and find a great job! So I of course just got straight pumped on life like always!!!! I just told him I will continue to remember who I am !!!! And who I will be!!! Thanks Pops I owe you that one! haha well all in all it was sweet!!!

Now this week I have some interviews to do and even we have to get our family ready for Saturday! I'm so stoked! I will be doing the dunking in the ocean at Salt Pond Beach! It will be sweet. I will take plenty of pics..... speaking of pics, I just burned them on a CD so I will send them home now!!!

I just want you to know that I'm striving to be the missionary you all want and think I am!!! I won't let you down! Love You all!!!! Thanks for all your love and support!!!

Love your Son/Brother/Friend/Uncle/Grandson/favorite missionary,
Elder Jeffery "Baby Jets" Speechly

Pictures from Elder Alba

2011-07-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

June 29th Email

2011-07-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hey.......Family What's UP!!!!!!!??????

So yeah I was sick but now I'm fine! I did like 12 more interviews down in Moree and up in Abakrapa. A village that's like right next to FOSU!!!!! I was so sad. I just wanted to stop by real fast , but there was no time! It was all good. We got them all dunked on Saturday!

As for my area we are baptizing a sweet powerful family, a mom and Dad and two boys, and a girl. They make me miss you though, because like most families here are broken, but these guys are unified. They are just doing things right!!!! It will be on the 9th of July. I am dunking them in the OCEAN!!!!! I'm so stoked!!!! It will be so fun! Also another young guy like 23. He is a stud. Most guys his age are jagged and don't care about life. This guy is humble and just a sweet all around guy. His name is Mutah haha. So I call him Utah haha he doesn't really understand, but it's all good. So we are just moving things along in our area while staying busy in others too!!!!

Some sad news now...... Monday was both good and bad, I guess good first. I got to see Thompson, Grant, Stats, and Jack!!! It was awesome! I was so happy!!!!! We enjoyed! Then also the football tourney was epic! The field was the ape Coast stadium where the pro team plays. It was like 300 cedis the rent or something ridiculous. But the nicest grass!!!!!

Sad news now Pres and Sis Sabey are going :( but it's cool. I'm excited to meet the new ones! Also sad we lost the game. I played keeper and tore it up. Only let one goal in the entire 4 games. It just happened to be the one goal that beat us in the Final!!!!!:( In that last goal I dove for the ball and totally messed up my knee!!!! I don't want you to worry., so that's all I'm saying til next time. Sorry!!!! Anyways I haven't had time to email til today! Sorry to keep you waiting.

In my apt there is 4. Me, Bond, and a Samoan and a Nigerian! Oh my gosh!!!! I almost forgot!!!!! Sunday we found out that we completed the goal!!!! Which is a complete miracle!!!!!!! So then Elder Togagae went out and bought a pig. Like a big real pig and we cooked it Polly Style in the ground and everything! It was so good!!!!! I took some sweet pics so yeah!!! I am sending pics soon! I promise I just have to wait till my card fills then I burn it and send it!So it's coming! Sorry if I'm all over the place. I'm a little high from the meds! haha don't worry. Sis Sabey has my back but soon to be Sis Shulz! The first night they are here they will come visit me for my knee. So that's one way to get your hug Mom!!!

Just know that I'm fine and still working my heart out! I love you all and I'm keeping the Speechly name proud!!!!

Elder Speechly

June 21st Email

2011-06-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hey!!!!!! Happy Fathers Day to Dad, Trent,Brody and Erik!!!! Sorry I didn't email yesterday. I had Malaria AGAIN!!!!!!! Sunday was the worst day! It wasn't a super bad one just still the old Malaria truck hit me again! haha I feel really bad this isn't going to be a long one, because I still feel somehow dizzy and super weak!

I went on splits this week with Elder Bahme my Zone Leader. I went down and slept over at his apt. for two nights. It was freaking awesome. We just had man talk all night and then I did 10 interviews my first day! It was fun! I really enjoyed getting to know all the candidates. Then on Saturday I started feeling weak, not sick just tired but still went out and worked my butt off!!! I think that is why I got sick again! Sis Sabey says when we feel it coming on to take it easy. But it's all good I'm better!

Ouch Pops!!!! You gotta slow down! your getting too old for that kinda stuff Hahahahaha JK I'm totally messing with you! Your such a stud and my HERO!!!! I Love You Pops! Thanks for everything! I wish we could call home for Fathers Day too but it's all good!

This week is going to be EPIC!!!! Monday 27th we will have or final Zone Conference with the Sabey's from 9-11. Then we will eat and at 12 we will have a giant football Tournament with all six Southern Zones! It is going to be so sweet! I will see Thompson, Stats, and Jack my 3 of my favorites!!! I am so stoked!!! Hopefully I'm healthy. I think I will be!

Sorry my email is crappy but I think you understand!!!! Love you all!!!! I promise I will send an epic email next week!!!!

Peace out
Elder Baby Jets!!!

About the Baby Jets. Like you know me I'm always just dancin randomly and stuff. So all the members and Elders (Ghanaians) just anyone and everyone calls me that! Haha It's the nick name for the Ghana Striker Asamoah Gyan he plays for Sunderland. So dad look him up!!!! He is sweet! So yeah that's me!!!! Haha

June 13th Email

2011-06-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

What's Up Family?????

Hope everything is cool! It sounds like it was a fun sweet week! That's awesome! For me it was just HECTIC!!!!! So first Tuesday was my first District meeting and I have the biggest district in the mission 14 missionaries!!! So it's a big sized meeting. I just did like a get to know you type thing for all the new Elders in the district including me. There were 8 haha. More than half are new here in Cape! But it went well. We just got unified!!!! That is going to be my goal as the new district leader. To be unified!!! To be one!!!!

So then it came to Wednesday and I had to travel all the way back down to teach a woman in Moreee who is preparing to go to the temple and be sealed to her husband!!!! Now that is how I'm going to finish the goal, because I started this goal in Fosu then went up to Suny Town and had a different goal and now I'm back down south. So now I have to finish the old goal!!!! Haha so I was super stressed on that but now everything is fine. She is going so I will complete the goal!

Thursday was kind of a blur. We taught a lot of people and just did the work! It's just like being trained all over again. Going to a new area and your comp has been there a little bit before you so he can take you everywhere. It's so nice!!!! It takes a lot of stress away because I have so much to do!

This coming week I have to do a lot of Baptismal interviews for the district. That will be sweet!!!! I'll get to meet all the newest people in the church! I'm excited!!! I have a funny story. At church yesterday I was chasing these little girls after church because they took my phone right out of my pocket. It had been raining so the ground was wet so I couldn't sprint after them. I was just walking fast and then the little turds went outside . The church here in Mankessim is an old 2 story school building. It's sweet but it's still a branch so it's not like super nice or anything. So anyway as I was chasing after them I totally slipped on the concrete. Basically moss like green slippery where rain just settles on the ground. I totally fell head over heels and flat on my butt!!!! I have a huge black and blue bruise on my butt and it also has a huge cut right down the middle of the bruise! haha It sounds bad but it is funny. The best part is that the entire branch was out on the 2nd floor balcony and they all saw the whole thing. Haha so they were laughing and they were worried. A real cool thing about this story is for some strange reason my trousers and my shirt didn't get dirty at all!!! It kind of reminds me of the time I wrecked the Green Lantern! (the Honda scooter)!!! You like that nick name huh? But really I remember that like it was yesterday. It was Ethan's Birthday and I had my last interview with Pres. Myers and I got hit by that freakin girl right on 22nd St. Totally flipped over the car and landed on my back dressed up in all my Priesthood and still no dirt or anything!!! It's powerful. I was lucky and that wreck reminds me of the Jet Ski wreck but we won't talk about that one haha!!!!But it was a sweet day at church other than that!!!

Today we came down to Cape to play some Basketball at the court down here. There is a sweet one right off the beach, It's so sick!!!!! I totally tore it up with my Zone leader Elder Bahme he is from Provo/Orem area. He and Thompson had a lot of the same friends! Then we went down to the beach and played football. It was so fun!!! We had some good hits! I loved it!!! Just getting tacked straight in to the ocean!!! It was awesome . It's nice to be back down by the ocean!

Now I'm in a cafe in Cape and about to go back up to Mankeesem to play some small pitch football with the little kids that hang around our apt. I love them! The people here seriously make this place like home! I could use some shaving blades and maybe more deodorant! that's about it!!!! I think I'm set!

I'm really sad to see the Sabey's go because we were so close. But I'm also very happy to see new people and to get to know the Shultz! Everybody says that when the Sabey's go the mission will change in more than one way.......They leave in July, then a huge group 28 Elders leave in August then about 21 in Thompsons group in Oct., then Stats group about 14 Elders then about 4 in Dec. I don't know we will see how it goes.

I'm out of time but want to say I freaking love you all and pray for you every second of every day! Thanks for your support and Love! Pics are coming soon by the end of this week I promise!

Love you all!!! Bye Bye!!!

Love your Elder/Son/Uncle/Friend/brother/Baller
Jeffery Baby Jets Speechly
(that's my new nick name haha I love it!!!!

Sunyani Zone

2011-06-08T09:54:00.001-07:00

June 6th Email

2011-06-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Hey Famdizzle!!!!
So I'm here back down south! Haha That's what we call it here . Kumasi and Suny Town are the North and eveybody else is the South! So Yeah here I am! Wednesday I got on a STC that traveled from Sunyani to Kumasi and then jumped onto another in Kumasi down to Cape Coast! It took about 9 hours of driving give or take 10 minutes. It sucked not even gonna lie haha! But it was fun. I got to travel with some of my good friends up here. I got to drive right through Fosu. I wanted to get out and just visit everyone but I didn't have time. I was so mad!!! I arrived in Cape Coast and got in the AP's truck and we went to the station and got into another trotro. One of the Elders and I have the same luggage so he took one of my bags and I took one of his. We were switched for like 2 days but it's cool.....I got it all back!!!!!

Then getting to know everyone was way fun!!!! Here it is a lot like Fosu but No trees! It's near the coast so it's just flat and no shade! Really HOT!!!!! I love it!!! Sunday was awesome! These people make me feel at home and I have only been here 5 days! They all treat me like I have been here for 13 months like Fosu!!!! The people are awesome! We have a little group of kids that just hangs around outside our compound. We just sit and play games with them all night! I love them!!!!

The Fante......I was really scared and confused when I got down here when people would talk. But I can already hear everything. They can understand me when I speak so that's good and I just have to get used to them . They speak a lot faster and drop a lot of things at the end of words and speak really nasally! Yeah I'm super excited. I haven't had District Meeting yet. That's tomorrow. We will see how it goes!!!

Thanks for the love and support! I will talk to you all next week!!! Thanks again!!!
Love you!!!!!

Elder Speechly a.k.a. Baby Jets

May 30th Email

2011-05-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

This week was very very interesting!!! To start with the people we had for baptism FAILED!!!! For both of them their parents told them that as long as they are living under their roof and under their rules that they can't be baptized. At first this made me really mad! I was for some time but then Pres Sabey called us and said that Elder Sitati from the Seventy was coming to our baptism and Then I got more mad! Saturday when they all came up, it actually was a really good baptism. Elder Hair and Omini totally killed it! They got 3 powerful people to get dunked! So this is what I'm coming to....... After the baptism Elder Sitati came and sat down next to me and just kept asking some questions about the area and stuff. I told him about how upset I was for those 2 peeps we had! He said yeah it's sad but go out there and work harder and get more serious people! It was totally sweeter than that, i don't remember the exact words! But that's the basics!

So we started to work and Sunday was a normal day and them today we went to Kumasi to get our Sub and to eat fufu with our Zone. I got a phone call from President Sabey!!!!!!!! He says I want you to accept a leadership assignment!!!!! I said ok thinking that I would be the new DL because Sunyani is becoming a Zone!!!!! He says I'm going to be the DL.........down in Mankeeseem!!!!! That's back down near Cape Coast!!!!! I'm so shocked still!!!! I don't even know what to do!! But I'm excited! It will be fun. I will be companions withe Elder Bond from Texas!!! He is my MTC mate so I know him well!!! I'm sad but happy just mixed feelings!!!!

I'm out of time. I have to wash my clothes and pack. I have a very long trip!!!!! It's what the Lord wants that matters and I will Heed his call. So peace out Suny Town!!!!

I love you so much and thank you for your love and support. I couldn't do this without you!!!!

Elder Speechly

May 22nd Email

2011-05-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

Hey Speechly's Whats Up!?!?!?!?!?

Haha just the same here in old GH! Sunny Town!!! We are just working hard trying our hardest to get this family goal finished! But we're on it!!!! No P!!! Grams party sounds totally awesome! I miss those little family get togethers!!!

We had Zone Conference on Tuesday and that was really fun! We learned some sweet doctrines from Pres Sabey! We just enjoyed! Also Elder Jack (my son) called me and said that he want me to ask if you could send him some G's? I told him no problem! He said he would pay but I know you would like to do it for a gift! Plus maybe you could put some treats in too! Just send it to the same address but to him. It would be really nice! I know he would freak out! So I hope you can do it!

We are just teaching our peeps and two people are still on for the baptism this Saturday! It should be sweet! I'm so excited! It should be a great week! Other than that just the same old same old. It's sweet and I'm lovin It!!!! Also this comin Monday is transfers so we will see what happens in Sunyani!!!

I will talk to you in a week! I love you and Keep the faith!!

Your Bro/Son/Uncle
Elder Speechly

May 15th Email

2011-05-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom

I'm sorry I didn't email last week. I did read your emails though. This week has gone by really slow!!! It feels like forever since I have emailed!!! Well we got a phone call from Pres Sabey which always freaks you out even though I knew nothing was wrong! He said he wanted the AP's to come up and do splits with us, So we said no problem. Adams came up with us on Sunday. He came to church with us and then went around and met our families, our best investigators! Meshack has commited to being baptized on the 28th! Also another girl named Loryn. We have been teaching her and her sister for sometime. They are so interested! Her sister is just still praying, so I'm sure she will baptized soon. The girl Akua that gave us the sweet taxi story and one other guy named Evans!!!! They are all sweet and powerful peeps! We had an awesome time!!! I enjoyed it!!!

Today we played some sweet games of basketball! I totally threw it down like Dwayne Wade today pop's you'd be proud! I'm getting a lot better and jumping a lot higher. I love it up here I really do. It's just been a rough 3-4 months!!!! It's fum but no one said it was easy though. So no P!!!!!

Tell Gram I love her more than she will ever know and thanks for every little thing she does for me!!!! Also the rest of the family I loved talking to you all. Thanks for the advice and questions and just everything! I love you all and pray for you all!!! Peace out til next week!!!!

Love Elder Speechly

Mothers Day Phone Call

2011-05-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

It was great to talk to Jeff!!! He sounded so happy and his accent is so cool! He really sounds the same and still says funny things that he has picked up. When he doesn't hear you he'll say "you say?" and for a little he says "small small" He was really cute with his nieces and nephews. They are 3 months -7yrs old. They don't really know what to say to Jeff but we talk about him a lot and they ask when he is coming home! He is a great Uncle and 3 new babies have been born since he left. They always bless that Jeff won't bump into any tigers and wonder what animals he sees. That's what Africa is to them. They can't wait for Christmas cuz that means it's close that he will be home.

He spoke in TWII and bore his testimony to us. He says he doesn't think his personality has changed but he has grown so much and learned so much about the Gospel! He loves his mission and all the Elders so much! He teased that when it comes to knowing the scriptures he is James E Talmage!!!! Haha Not really he said but he feels pretty good about them and is going to study the Doctrine and Covenants a lot this last year!

He misses home but wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world! It was a great phone call and only one more phone call to go! Wow now it's going fast!!!!

May 2nd Email

2011-05-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Hey FAM!!!!

I'm freaking stoked to talk to you this Saturday and Sunday!!!! Like seriously I can't wait! I bought credit already and just so ready!!!! I'm excited to hear from the kidss the most, sorry everyone!!!! We have had a better week this past week. I don't really have much to say! I want to save it for the phone call! Sorry! But it's cool we'll talk a lot on Sunday! I have a lot to talk about so it will be sweet! I love you all and miss you all!!!! I want you to know that even though it has been really really really hard up here I wouldn't change it for the world!!!! I love this mission! I love the people! I love this place Sunny Town even though it's the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I will continue to keep the family proud!!! I promise!!!

Talk to you Saturday!!!
Elder Speechly

April 25th Email

2011-04-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hey Fam

Hey Happy Easter!!! Ours was kinda mixed feelings....... We started off the day at church with only the 4 of us Elders.It was a little discouraging.....I think so! But on the better side I felt the spirit more in that meeting yesterday than in the past 15 months! It was crazy!!!! Myself and Elder Alba have been having a rough time with our investigators. They are so strong and have some of the most powerful testimonies of Joseph Smith and of the Book of Mormon. But they just won't leave their church! So it's just hard!!! We had to drop 7 people, all of them had baptismal dates and Meshack is one of those 7. It's breaking my heart! It's not easy up here at all!!!!!We get so close, then the Devil is just toying with us! He knows we are bringing the truth to those people! It's just not easy!!! We are supposed to baptize a family (husband and wife) by June 26th. None of us 10 Elders here in Suny town have a family we're even teaching! It sucks but we are fasting like crazy and praying! Ya know it's all good! We are going to punch the devil in his stupid face! Haha

I need money for the phone call and for food haha! So yeah I will call on Sat night and tell ou what time I'll call on Sunday! I love you! Just want you all to know even though all these things are hurting us and the devil is literally up here working on all of the people here in Sunytown, it's just like in D&C 120-121 "It shall be for our good and give us experience"

I love you all and miss you so much!!!

Elder Speechly

April 18th Email

2011-04-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hey Familia!!!

Haha I just wanted to sound like all my boys speakin Spanish and l haha jk! Twii is way better!!!! Anyway it's been a chill week. We did a lot of teaching and church was sweet, but our baptism didn't go so hot! Our guy Meshack never showed up. All the other units worked out fine so we're going to give it to him on Tues!

Lights have been off for 2 days! They are fixing it up here for the first time in like a month and a half. It sucked but I was used to it haha no P!!! Can you please send my farewell talk? If you can find it. The net is bad and so is the computer sorry! Staying busy and workin my butt off!!!! I love you and can't wait to talk to you in 3 wks!!!!

April I have a couple stories.... The first counselor in the branch presidency, in my last branch in Fosu, his entire family was members. They were very strong and they were very poor. When I say poor I mean POOR!!!! He started off by selling water sachets on his head. Which by the way only 5-12 yr olds have that job. he was only making 1 cidi a week that's like 50 cents a week. He still paid his tithing and while doing so , he started getting better and better jobs. Like a carpenter, and then now he is a farmer and making pretty good money doing that, but he is still the best tithing payer in the branch!

Next in Fosu my last branch had been ready to become a war/stake for a long time but the only thing they needed to do was to pay their tithing. That was a literal requirement. So they got on it and the week I left they became a stake!!!! (Mostly because I was there hahajk)

And finally there is a group of people who are members in a small village just far enough away from Kumasi that the church can't support them and be there yet. But they are the highest tithe payers in all of West Africa! I am not making that up! They truly are, my Mission Pres told up about it!!!! They are what I call keeping the commandment legit people!!! Hopefully those are good stories for your lesson!!! That's all I have!

Mom remember to send my farewell talk and also have pops keep sending sweet sport articles in the mail. I love reading all those! Thanks Again!!
I Love You !!!!

Your favorite son/brother/friend/son/missionary
Elder Speechly

Pictures

2011-04-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

April 11th Email

2011-04-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Famdizzle!!!!

How is it? Haha I know I sound weird but I bet I will sound even more weird on Mothers Day!!! I am so excited! I just hope I get to call from here! I Love it here and hope to stay here a long time! We are just working so hard. It's like I don't want to go back to somewhere like Fosu where the work is easy. Haha I mean lets just say different!

Tell Apes Happy Freaking Birthday!!!! You old woman. Haha JK But you know whats funny? Everyone I show the pictures to say that she is the most beautiful, sorry Sammy and Amy. It's just the truth and they ask if Trent is my real brother. haha they don't understand why you would marry someone that looks just like me haha!!!! It's funny!

This week we asked 3 more people to be baptised in a couple weeks. They are just as powerful! It's so amazing when Pres Sabey was telling us how these people would be I didn't believe that it would be like this! We have been watching the Joseph Smith movies with them to help them see the story more clear and at the end of the movie they will be crying and just basically asking to be baptised! It's some crazy legit stuff!!! I Love it up here in Suny town!!!

We played basketball today again it was fun! But I'm just so out of shape! It's crazy me and Alba are going to start running every morning. We'll see how long that lasts haha!!! But we want to try it! Also we are on a all fruit diet!!!!

Hey could I get some new sheets? The white ones are so nasty! Just like a darker color would be great! Also some more Chap Ice (chap stick you know my Fave) I really have been craving Ritz Bits with cheese if you sent those I would cry! I think that's all I can think of.

Just know that I'm working my hardest to keep you proud and to keep being the missionary you all want me to be!!!! I tell myself that every morning! We are doing the best we can! I hoped you liked the pictures! I guess we will talk next week and then it will be Mothers Day even sooner! I'm excited!!!

Love You and Miss you All!!!
Your Favorite Brother/Uncle/Friend/Son/Missionary
Elder Speechly

More Pictures

2011-04-13T16:39:00.001-07:00

New Old Pictures

2011-04-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

April 3rd Email

2011-04-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Family!!!
How is it? It's pretty freaking cool up here in the SUNYANI Town!!!! Just working hard, playing hard, and eatin hard! That's my new motto! But yeah Elder Alba and I are just getting along fine! I think I am a little crazy for him sometimes though haha!!!! Not that I'm too crazy but you know me!!! I love my bike it's sweet! It's like all out nice mnt bike!

This week was powerful! We had our interviews on Sunday with President Sabey. It is our last one because he leaves. So it was sad! I was in there forever! He basically told us that the entire mission was getting transferred but us up here because he loves the unity in the district and just how hard we work! He said we are the BEST!!!! We discussed about me going home a transfer early and it was some good talk! His conclusion was that I will need to talk to the new Pres more but if he were in my shoes 7+ months is a long time to wait to start school! Education is the next most important thing next to marriage after a mish so...... We will talk about it on Mothers Day.

We are still teaching Meshack and he is just getting more and more powerful and just total boss. I think we wont have Dora ready by then but one day one day! Yesterday in Kumasi we met some white people and they were members and then out of now where they said they were Elder Woodhouse's parents. He was there back visiting withe his family. It was Sweet!!! He was the AP when I came on the mission so I only knew him small but it's cool!

We are working hard and pushing forward. The hardest thing for us up here is time. No one comes to church! I miss you and love you. Sorry I don't have time tonight. We are going to go eat and them some more appointments. I love you and miss you!!! Can't wait to call you in 5 weeks. It's coming bye bye !!!

Your favorite son, brother, friend
Elder Speechly!!!!!!

Mar 28th Email

2011-03-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

This week was sweet! We had our first Unit Conference yesterday with all the units in Sunyani and Pres Sabey. It was real powerful! Then last night we had a fireside which was also very powerful! Things here in Sunyani are just POWERFUL!!!! Haha Also we taught 19 lessons and gave Dora, one of my favorite girls ever, a baptismal date. It is the 16Th of April. So we are shooting for those two on the 16Th. This Baptism will make me cry like a baby! I already know! The thing that honestly is the difference, is that getting member referrals in Fosu were awesome and easy, But when we contact and start fresh with someone it's not EASY At ALL!!!!

I think I've grown a little bit taller and weigh the same. We have been to market a couple times. I have a lot of Sweet stuff, but I need to buy a drum and wood carvings now then I'm finished with all that stuff!!! It's fun!

We played B Ball with the Catholic University today and Whooped them!!!! Haha Vanchiere and I were throwing alley oops and dunkin all over the place! The hoops are like 9 ft. but it's so fun! We had a good time! I'm sunburned! So yeah! I miss fufu a lot! We haven't had it since I have come here. It's just not really big up north I guess but I miss it!

Anyway I Love you all. Keep up Zion in the family and do work!

Love Elder Speechly

March 22nd Email

2011-03-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

To whom it may concern haha JK!!!!!
But what up to the best freaking family in the whole world!!!!! I had Malaria AGAIN this week!!! Yay ME!!!!!haha but I was down for about 4 days and this time it was probably the worst on in the weakness category...... I wasn't sick and runny tummy or anything like that. I just felt like I was 147 years old and really cold. Like really cold!!!!!! But yeah just weird this time around. It's all good now don't worry about me!

Oh yeah, we found out small about our new mission president. His name is Pres Shulz. He was born in Ogden. I don't know if anyone knows him, but I guess he is a powerful guy. He already served a couple missions here in Ghana, so he knows a lot about it! It's Sweet!

We when we did finally did get out of the house, we got our sweet new bikes. They are fresh off the chain haha!!!! We are teaching, dropping and contacting. Basically Pres Sabey said if they are not serious in the first 4 lessons drop them and move on! So we have done a lot of dropping. Getting new ones and teaching the good ones! We actually are teaching this guy named Meshack, yes like meshack and shadrack ect. haha!!! Anyway he is basically the most powerful nonmember i have ever met! He just acts like he has heard all of this and it is just making sense to him. It's so awesome !!! He is a very great kid. He is 24 and is just a guy chillin around basically waiting for us to come find him and now we have. Probably the best news I can send you this week is that he is getting BAPTIZED!!!!! I can't believe it! I have had lots of baptisms that have been so great and amazing but for some reason I just can't stop lovin this guy! I feel like he is gonna be the next black 70 or something. He is awesome!!! Sorry I can't shut up about him! I hope Pres doesn't take me out of here for a long time! At least til he leaves!

But we are also teaching a lot of college students which is nice cause they are smart, but they are immature. Which I cant blame them cuz I was and somehow still am!!! Haha They are cool! Our area is very close to the University up here so it's sweet! We had 14 people at church. I gave a talk and felt the spirit stronger again. More than I have on the mission so far. I I don't know what is is up here, but it's just a completely different mission. i Love It!!! I don't want to be anywhere else! Well yeah (big gulps)!

I love you. i wish I could give you a video update. I am sending pics soon. It's hard to find stuff up here. It's just so big!!!! Love Ya and I'm keeping the SPEECHLY name Proud! I Love you and miss you all with all my heart. Your in my prayers every morning and night! Can't wait to talk to you on Mothers Day!!!

Your Favorite son, brother, friend, Uncle ect....
Elder Speechly

March 14th Email

2011-03-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hey so it's email time Again!!!!! This week was sweet! We got another 25 lessons and contacted a bunch of new people! We are working very hard. Honestly the hardest I think I've ever worked in my entire life! (besides moving my dearest sister like 100 times move from house to house) Every night when I get into bed and wake up, I feel like it's only been 20 minutes. I am very tired! The sun up here is almost 100% hotter! No Humidity. It's just very hot. Today we played basketball for a couple hrs and I got fried! My district is awesome! I love the Bennett's they are fun to be around! My new favorite elder/best friend is Elder Vanchieire. He is from Lindon and he went to school with the Savage's! He is a really sweet kid. He and Thompson were good friends back home, same mutual friends and stuff. So yeah we will all hang out back home!

I'm stoked to be here! This week we had 10 people again to church on Sunday. It is just amazing powerful stuff. i love this opportunity that I have to be here in Sunyani! It's an amazing experience!

Next P-Day we are going back to the market so if you put some money in my account then I can buy a bunch of souvenirs. kentai ties, wood carvings, drums, all that stuff! Every Elder I have talked to says buy it when you see it because it might not be there the next time. In Kumasi all that stuff we take home is a lot cheaper than in Cape Coast! Also I'm not sure how long I'll be here. I cold go next transfer who knows..... But yeah anybody wants anything let me know. Oh yeah we are getting bikes this week! I'm super stoked!

But yeah I love you all very much and I don't ever want to leave this place! I have been thinking a lot if you should come pick me up. We all have mixed feelings. But yeah we can talk about that later. it's just I think a lot hahahaha! But I'm freaking hungry so I will talk to ya all next week!

Your favorite and best son/brother
Elder Speechly!!!!

March 8th Email

2011-03-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

Hey Mom....I want to tell you that Elder Hair is my HERO!!!! I honestly love this kid and my Comp Elder Alba we're freaking Boss! We are killin' it up here! We had 26 lessons in 4 days! So pretty much tearing it up! But it's so fun up here! We had only 10 people at church and I gave a talk. I felt the spirit more powerful in that small room, with those 10 people than I did for a year in Fosu with 250 people. It was an amazing experience! I still can't believe I'm here and I am this blessed to be in this type of work. I can't explain it!

But today was probably the best day on the mission I will have to say! We started out taking the 2 hour bus ride to Kumasi. We played some football and met with a bunch of the Elders up here and then went to Central Kumasi Market! I guess it is the BIGGEST market in West Africa. I honestly can't even describe it. It's just so tight! It's like as big as Ogden. I'm not kidding it took us like 30 minutes to get to the place we wanted to buy Kentei and stuff, which i got sweet stuff.

But sorry this email is just super crazy. I'm just emailing and my mind is going crazy. There is just not any words to describe how many people and how big this place was! I'm sorry I'm so busy! I love you! I got my pkgs! Now can you send me twist able Crayola's for scripture marking?

I love you and miss you. I will write more about the things and area next week, when I have more time!!!

Your Son
Elder Speechly

Feb 28th Transferred!!!!

2011-03-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Hey so I got emergency transferred up here to Sunyani!!! After 4 taxis and two buses I finally arrived in Fiapre Sunyani! It is AMAZING!!!!!! Honestly it doesn't look like Ghana at all! It is very developed! Everyone speaks English and I mean everyone!!! There is Hotels, Banks, Stores, and Cars and TRAFFIC!!!!!It's a crazy city. It's awesome here \. I'm so excited for this call! It's going to be hard but FUN! The reason it will be hard is because we are starting the church up here fresh! When I say fresh I mean no one has heard it. We have church in our apartment. Elder Hair and Elder Omini have been doing great but they said last week 15 people came to church so we do the talks, the sacrament, the teaching EVERYTHING! We are the branch presidents pretty much! It's going to be sweet! The Bennett's are the couple missionaries up here with us they are so sweet and fun to b around! There are 10 Elders all together and 3 apt. All have their own chapel inside so it's pretty sweet. It's just like the early Saints. Honestly I couldn't have asked to be anywhere else. Elder Alba my new comp is Jack's MTC comp. So he is still young but ready to work hard! There isn't much about people or anything like that because we have just been so busy learning how everything works up here. It's a completely different mission up here! I'm just so happy and excited!!!! It's going to be an amazing experience! So just know that I love you and miss you!!!

Your Son
Elder J Speech

Feb 13th and Feb 20th Emails & MALARIA!!!!

2011-02-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know what happened last week. Myldsmail was having problems but now it's ok so here's what happened this week. We had our baptism of 5 yesterday and we should be having another of 7 next week! We couldn't get them all interviewed so that's why. It was sweet Elder Jacks 1st baptisms!!! It was a sweet week and we are just chillin in Fosu today! I miss you and I love you!

How is everyone? Grammy, Grandma, and all the little stinkin kids geez! Haha and you and Pops and all my perfect sisters and the best brothers in the world? I just want to start off by saying how lucky I am to be a part of this family and thank each one of you for teaching me over the years. I love you all seriously sooooooo Much!!!!!

This week has been super crazy! We had zone conference on Thurs which was sweet. President Sabey announced the goal. It will be hard. Every missionary is to baptise and family and help a different family go to the temple, to be sealed in 4 months! It will be the best when we can take them to the temple.

I got both packages that day with all the pics and everything! Thanks so much! Then Friday at about 4 in the morning, IT HIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MALARIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It hit hard too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I had to go to the hospital to get IV's I was so dehydrated! Sat and Sunday we couldn't go to church. I was just way too weak! So the baptism is this coming Sunday. Everything just fell apart! But Mom this Malaria was crazy! It hit me faster than anything! Serious that's what just blows my mind about the sickness. It's just insanely fast and it just hurts! Ha ha but I'm cool now I promise!!!! Don't worry I'm getting better just in the rehab state now!

Then today we had a short mission tour in Cape and I met all my MT's except Adams haha he's up in Kumasi. Sorry but yeah it was sweet! Bishop Mc Mullin the Presiding Bishopric and Sitati and Gonzales from the Seventy were all there. It was only an hour but it was awesome!!!!! So that's my crazy and hectic week! Transfers are on March 9th I think I'll go. I have mixed emotions but I am ready!!!!

I love you
Your Son Elder Speechly

Jan 31st Email

2011-02-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Family!!! How is the new Baby Girl? She looks adorable! (Jeff's sister Amy had a baby girl Paisli on Jan 25th after 11 wks of bed rest) I'm so mad! That's the 3rd baby I have missed since I have been out! I'm so jealous!

This week had been pretty crazy hectic! Tuesday night the wildest storm hit. I thought the second coming was here! HAHA! So we get a call early Wednesday morning that some pretty bad damage had happened to a lot of our members and their neighbors! So we got ready and went out. The mud huts which are actually pretty nice were just destroyed. So we were crazy busy working and we got another call from our district pres. saying we need to come to the district center. We thought there was damage there but when we rolled up there was a couple Obruni's and a bunch of camera equipment. They said they were filming a movie for the church and taking pics for the Liahona!!! I don't think I will be in any of it but just in case look out for it! Oh yeah then we went right back to work. It's been pretty tiring all week! We've been building and fixing everything!

The baptism will be in the next 2 wks cause we couldn't get them all interviewed this week from all the damage and working on that! Also my family the Nyimpha's, their son left on his mission Friday. It was sweet! He went to the Enugu Nigeria Mission! I will miss that kid! I loved him! He worked with us a lot! He will be a great missionary!

I have been thinking a lot about school and where and what I want to do! I'm still thinking about the transfer, coming home one transfer early. If not 7 months is a long time to sit. I have some time to think still but not much! So yeah that's my week in review!

Love your son
Elder Jeff Speechly

Jan 24th Email

2011-02-08T12:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Fam I'm here!!!!! Transfers just came in and............. I'm staying!!!!!!!! HAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!I Love It! Elder Lehr my best friend is coming to be my Zone Leader!!!!! I'm so happy! I can't stop screaming!!!! 13 months in Fosu!!!! I'm King!!!!! I did set a Record in Fosu! Elder Lehr will live about 15 min away so I will see him all the time. I love that kid! I love my son Elder Jack too! We are just doing work and loving the jungle! Honestly I don't want to leave! I didn't want to miss the baptism. They all didn't come this week so I was actually glad I didn't get transferred so we can get this baptism rolling within the next week or two! It's about 17 I think! It will be epic! I'm excited!

Saturday we had a fireside which went really well actually!!! We're teaching a lot of people that can't speak English so we have a boy with us all day to translate. He is getting ready to go on his mission this upcoming week so it will be hard when he leaves.

I love this place! Fosu is honestly my home, family, friends, home ward,and everything!

That was it! Internet and Africa!!!

Jan 17th

2011-01-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

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

Jan 10th

2011-01-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

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

Dec 20th

2011-01-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

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.

New pictures

2011-01-03T20:07:00.001-08:00

CHRISTMAS CARD FROM JEFF!!!

Cute Kids always posing!!!

The Apartment Gang!!!

Jeff and Elder Jack new comp.

Cute twins!!!!

Jeffs Birthday Sept 18th

Jeff and the apt Elders celebrating his 20th Birthday!!!

Jeff and Elder Grant (Comp) Birthday meal CHICKENS!!!

Jeff and the Primary!!!

In the jungle doing service!

Dec 6th Email

2010-12-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

Hey Family!!!!! So this week was pretty normal. Just proselyting and working and loving the mish!!!! Thursday we heard about an accident in Praso. The same river we went to that p-day awhile back. There were some members just playing around and took a group of Obruni's that passed through to take pictures and stuff. One of the girls jumped in and the currant took her away. A boy that is our friend jumped in to save her but he couldn't reach her in time and he had to get out or he would have drowned to! They found her body in rocks a few kilometers down the river! Ah it was horrible, I felt terrible!!!!

I'm still training but I love it here and we're working hard! It's a lot harder because I have to choose what happens everyday and where we go and who we see. It's fun because we are best friends!!!We are teaching a lot of students right now. One of my favorites is a lab worker at the hospital. He is very smart!
Last week in Cape when we had the training meeting, they taught us about the doctrine of Christ. Which is a new way of teaching the investigator on the first visit! Do you remember the promise pattern? Well it's now evolved to this, It's sweet! We try to tell the people in the first visit that we are here to help them be baptized! So the first time we see some one we tell them that!Seriously it's so sweet to learn about honestly! I never thought I'd say these things but its true!!!

I bought the credit for the phone call for Christmas! I am so excited I can't wait! This week I will mail off cards and pictures. It was hard to print them but I finally did it! It's super hot and dusty. Nights are beautiful! Clearest skies!!! I can see Galaxies and Galaxies!!!!

I love you and I miss you too!!!

Love Your son
Elder Speechly

Nov 29th Email

2010-11-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

Hey Family!!!! How are the Holidays coming? Mine are pretty much not... haha! It's just not really holidays when it's hot as heck and eating fufu with cat instead of my favorite TURKEY AND MASHED POTATOES!!!!! I miss that stuff! But it's cool. I have the rest of my life to have a traditional Thanksgiving. I only have 2 here in Ghana! It's Sweet!!! But I'm not gonna lie I do miss it!!!!

Jack and I are still dominating FOSU!!!! We just finished the mission goal which is to baptize a recent convert referral and then prepare a recent convert to go to the temple and do baptisms for their ancestors!!!! It's freaking sweet I'm so excited! Also the Nyimfa's are planning on going to get sealed in like 6 months or so! I seriously will cry the day that happens! We are teaching a lot of people that speak english and work at the hospital and students. So a lot of future leaders!!! It is going sweet!!!! So yeah that's how it's going here!

It's getting really dry here and it's really cold at night! Not cold enough for a blanket! I will send some pictures this week! I miss the ward so much! I'm going to start the Doctrine and Covenant but I got a hold of the Miracle of Forgiveness. Kind of just punches you in the face! haha

Today we went to play football in Takoradi and met Thompson there!!!! That was a huge Surprise! He was emergency transfered to be zone leader there. It was so sweet! I see Adams all the time, we're still buds! I saw Lawton, the one from Aussie today for the first time in 10 months. He is still crazy!! I love that kid! Thompson and I are still just best friends! We will be tight back home I hope! On Wed I go to Cape Coast for training. I think that will be the last time until Christmas. So please make sure I have extra money in my account for the phone call. Thanks!!!

Well I'm here in Africa! It's sweet!!!
Love your son
Elder Speechly

Nov 22nd Email

2010-11-23T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm doing great! Just still enjoy'in good ol FOSU!!! We had some of the best FUFU last night. One of our investigators made it! It was seriously the BEST! We know how to make it and it's freaking good!!! But the members make it so good. Maybe it's because they have been making it for 100 yrs or more haha!!!

We have bikes but we don't use them very often because they break Haha! We mostly walk of take a cab. My shoes are slowly getting worn but I still have the whole other pair. I will bust them out when these have had it!!!! But honestly cat is pretty good! I ate sheep this week which was really really good! We just chilled today. We all had to wash and cook so we just chilled! But next week we are going to Takoradie!

We are still just contacting. We are having a hard time getting people to return appointments. But we are working! We are on It!!!!!!! I am more thankful for you! That's the truth! I need some addresses so I can send Christmas cards!

That's all I guess the Internet went off or the power!

Nov 15th Email

2010-11-16T09:53:00.000-08:00

Hi I loved your email today! I am loving the work! We are so tired every night it's crazy! I haven't worked this hard EVER in my whole life I think!!! But it's definitely good for me! We are contacting like crazy and serving the members as much as possible, because that's how they get to trust you and give us referrals! It's sweet! I'm loving the mish right now!!!! We are having fun! Elder Jack loves me, he was scared he was going to get some robot missionary!!! Haha! He speaks great English! I am teaching him Twii! Which is funny!

I love Fufu but I have grown to love eggs!!! I seriously love them! I have eaten Cat, it actually is good! Just rough and chewy haha!!! It's really dry and hot in the days and freezing at night! We just chilled today because it was a free P-Day. We just washed and chilled! It's nice to have a free day every once in a while! In my apt there is Me Elder Grant, Elder Fowole from Nigeria and Elder Jack Jack!!! I love it!!! They love hearing stories of home, and pics of the house and family!!!

How is my dog Nike? I got the pkg it was sweet! I love you Mom! I miss you tons! This part of the year the holidays will be the hardest! I miss home and the fam!
I love you Dad and Mom! Peace out, live it up there in the O!

Love you
Elder Speechly

Nov 8th Email

2010-11-15T10:47:00.000-08:00

So about my new son!!! His name is Elder Jack, from Zimbabwe! He's 20 yrs old! He is a pretty tall kid, actually is a stud like he's a very nice looking kid! He is a child of record, and his entire family are members which is pretty cool! We clicked the minute he arrived!!! We love each other! I am teaching him Twii wow a white guy teaching a black guy twii! He speaks that clicking language so I will have to have him teach me that! We are starting fresh in a new area that I haven't been around a lot! So we are contacting which is cool too! He will be the best! He loves Kobe Bryant and the NBA! He loves Mc Donalds because there is one there. He loves Obama haha so hes pretty much a American. Oh and Lil Wayne and all those rappers!

We watched General Conference finally which was awesome! I know this town inside and out and backwards! (Jeff has been in the same town and apt for 9 Months. He will probably hit the yr mark in Assin Fosu) We are doing great things! For Christmas I just want some new white shirts cause mine are not so white anymore! Also I weighed myself and I am down to 185! Ha ha I'm losing it!

I love you dad! Thanks for the love and support. I will hold the Speechly name up high and honor it! I love you Mom!

Your Son Elder Speechly

Nov 1st

2010-11-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Well I just got off the phone with Pres Sabey. He asked me to Train!!!!! ME I'M TRAINING!!!!! I don't know who it is yet and I won't until he comes on Wed. I will let you know everything next week. I'm so blessed for this opportunity. I think I will learn more than he will!!!! I'm excited I'm still in the same area but just training!!!! It will be so sweet!!!!

No other news...... I guess he lost power or internet was real bad today!!!

Love your Son
Elder Speechly

Oct 25th

2010-11-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

We only ended up with 3 baptisms. We couldn't get the others interviewed in time so this week hopefully. The 3 were Albert Benin Yaw 27, he is very intelligent and will be a leader one day! Emanuel Okyere 12, he is just a small boy but he is funny!!! William Asamwa 28, he is a hard worker and he wants us to start teaching his wife, so that will be another family!!!!!
Saturday we had a fireside and I gave a great talk!!!! I spoke on the Book of Mormon and how it proves our church right and shared a sweet drawing and just had fun with the members!
My clothes a fine thanks so much for everything! I'm enjoying everything! Transfers are next week. I think I might go but if I do that's fine!!!!!I am ready for whatever comes my way!
Thats all nothing else this week. Sorry just same old. The internet is real bad today!!!!
Thanks for everything! Sorry so short!!! I'm trying!

I love you Mom! I love you Dad!
Love your son
Elder Speechly

Happy Halloween Creepy

2010-10-19T11:02:00.001-07:00

A Ghana Wedding

2010-10-19T10:39:00.001-07:00

Oct 17th

2010-10-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody back in O-town (Ogden). HAHA Everything in my good old village Assin Fosu is awesome! Just still truckin!!!! We are planning on baptizing 8 people this Sunday! I'm really excited. I'm being like John the Baptist!!!
On Sunday I taught the primary. It was so fun!!! It was probably the funnest class I've ever been in!!!! I was teaching them how we can become like Jesus! So to start the class, I told them some things we should do everyday to become more like him. One of the little boys stood up and said "I am already Jesus!!!!" HaHa I was laughing so hard! I seriously had to play hangman with them cuz it was so cute!
I know the scriptures really good except the Old Testament. I just finished reading Jesus the Christ! That book was sweet! I really like to read! I know you don't believe it but I do!!!
The office Elder, Elder Saunders gave me my line of authority and said that Keith Wilcox was his Mission Pres. Small world.
That's about it for this week. Sorry it's a little boring! But I love it here!!! I miss you all so freaking much!!! I love you all and know every little principle I teach everyday is true!!! Thanks again for everything you have done in my life! I love you, talk to you next week!!!
Your Son
Elder Speechly

Oct 11th

2010-10-12T12:45:00.001-07:00

Hey Mom and Dad!!!
The funeral sounds like it went well. I'm sorry I missed it!!! It's ok he is doing the same work as me, just on the other side! It's cool! Man I loved that man, he was so funny!!!!
But dang pops your 55! Your an old man! but it's cool cuz your my old man!!! I love that the pkg got there that's awesome!!! I also got my pkg and just in time! I was almost out of the floss picks. I am addicted to those things!
So some news. In my area, the Area 70 came to our district conference this week. Pres Sitati and the mission Pres. and all the jazz to tell the district some news. Fosu is becoming a STAKE!!!!!!!! I'm so excited. These people have been waiting for this for so long!!!!
We have 10 people with a baptismal date for the 24th. So we will see how many turn up, but for the most part it's gonna be sweet!!!!
Well that about it for this week. Not much happened. Know that I miss you all and Love you all so much!!!

Your son
Elder Speechly

Oct 4th

2010-10-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

I'm so sad! I loved Grandpa so much! I miss him already! (Jeff's grandpa passed away on Oct 3rd. He was 93 yrs old. Jeff's only grandpa)
This week I bore my testimony in twii. The whole branch was freaking out! They loved it!!! We don't get to hear conference for about a month.
I got 16 out of the 20 cards so far. We were going to the temple this week but it got cancelled. Now we are just having sweet temple training.
The internet is so bad. Tell dad I love him too. Of course you know mom I love you! Sorry the net has been so bad these last few weeks. Just know I am healthy and I'm still working real hard. We are having a BIG Baptism on the 24th with about 10 people! Just from me and Elder Grant! SWEETO!!!!

Love your son
Elder Speechly

Sept 27th

2010-10-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

Mom I'm doing great but the email is not seriously!!!! I almost have to get off now!!!! But just to let you know that I'm doing great! I'm working very hard! I want you to know that we are teaching very sweet families, like I said last week. They are the families that you see on church videos. They are just perfect! I love this mission, it's so fun and the families are the best, they help me not miss you all that much! They are like my family even though I miss the whole family like crazy every night!!!!

What's up pops? Man I have a sweet story!!! So Friday it started out way slow and for some reason it was way hotter than usual in the morning!!!! We weren't getting any appointments and it was a crappy day! Then it started to rain really bad at about 5 or so, like insanely bad! Like the most epic rain fall ever!!!! So we went back to the house, put on our mafti and went help everyone that needed it because it was starting to flood! It was crazy but so much fun!!!!

I just sent your birthday thing today so you should get it soon I hope!!!
Just know I love you all very much! I can't wait til Christmas haha long time but it's crazy how long I've been here! I love Fosu!!!! I'm working my hardest!

I love you so much!!!
Your son
Elder Speechly

Sept 22nd Lights out!!!!

2010-10-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wow it's been light off for about 4 days! It went off Sunday morning right after my birthday! It has been off until just now!!!!! I'm sorry!!! I got the packages and the letters! They were freaking awesome, the nachos were great!!!! The cake turned out so well it's not even funny!!! We also killed two chickens and made fried rice. We feasted it was amazing!!!! I took pleanty of videos and pics!
But about teaching and those things. We just got a referal from our Zone Leader to go and see this guy Rico! Yes Rico, all I can think of is Hot Rodwhen I say his name haha! But he and his wife, they have two kids and a mom and dad. This family is the family that you dream about teaching!!!! The lessons are super epic! They ask tons of questions!!!! They are interested and even like we all knee down and pray as a family at the end of the lesson. It's like the best feelings I've ever had! Everytime I leave their home I just have this hug smile on my face the rest of the evening! I Love this work seriously! Especially the family parts it's so sweet!!!!!
So Mom and Dad tell everyone thanks for the bday cards and that I love and miss them!!!! Also Mom and Dad you two freaking spoil me and I'm half way around the worl! HAHA But I love it!!! and I love you so much!!!! So thanks!!!! I will talk to you on Monday!
Oh!!!! I almost forgot Tranfers!!!! My Apt stayed the same. Thompson is going to be a Zone Leader in Kumasi!!!! It's sweet for him. But yep me and my guys in good ol Fosu!!!! I love it here seriously the best area in the mish!!!! Anyways ok I love you Mom and Dad!!!!
Your Son Elder Speechly

Sept 13th

2010-09-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hi I'm here! The net is really bad today!!!! I'm doing great!!! I'm still as happy as can be and excited for my birthday!!!! We just got finished having a fufu party. I'm going to puke!!! I ate so much!
I'm going to Cape Coast tomorrow for a mission tour to see Elder Sitati! It will be sweet! He is the area presidency and general a general authority. I'm excited he is so sweet! This week was sweet we had a lot of baptismal interviews cause my comp is the DL. So I have to go with him, that's always pretty cool! I have a sweet picture with all the primary kids! It's funny! We taught some sweet lessons and there are people ready for baptism soon!!!
I have been with my comp for almost 6 wks! Transfers are this upcoming Monday. So I will let you know how it goes!
My time is up. I miss you and love you! More next week!!!
Love you Dad sooooooo much I miss you seriously a lot!!!! Bye
Your son
Elder Speechly

Sept 6th

2010-09-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Mom and Pop's!!!! Happy 31st anniversary!!!! That's crazy!!!! I miss pools!!! I'm doing freaking great!!! I love my mission! We have suffered today! Lights have been off all day again. It just came back on but I freaking love it and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!!
My comp is sweet!!!! He is 24 and he is super sarcastic which is really really, funny because Ghanaians are not sarcastic at all!!!!! But it's awesome!!!! I really do love him. He is the only member of his family. We are teaching well together. I kind of took over when he first got here but now he is getting in and even the members love him now too!!!! We should be having a baptism in a month or so!
I can't wit to celebrate my 20th birthday here in Ghana! We are going to kill a chicken!!!!
My time is almost up so if you don't get a response I'm off. I love you and thanks for everything! I miss you all so much!!!! Bye Bye!!
Your son
Elder Speechly

Aug 30th

2010-09-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Takoradie to play football and have a small meeting with the Mission President! He gave it to us!!! He pretty much gave us more rules and stuff..... We can't have i-Pods because he said they have been misused and we shouldn't have them. So no I-Pod for my birthday! I guess there are some disobedient Elders calling girlfriends and watching movies! He just wants to bump up the level of obedience which is totally understandable.
We have to head back but I want to leave you with one thing I have learned out here. That is how to Love and care! I just want you to know that growing up and even in the last couple months before I left I didn't want to spend a lot of time with the family. I want to say sorry for that now!!!! Because looking back I regret that! I miss you guys the most! So I'm sorry just know that I love you all!!! Make sure you forward this to everyone! I Love you and Thanks for everything!!!!
Your Son Elder Speechly

Aug 23rd

2010-09-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

I'm way tired today! We played football (soccer) all day today!!!! We worked hard all week! I had my 20th baptism yesterday! It's really sweet!!! It really show how our work here pays off. We are moving forward! Saturday we had the West Africa Service Project where all the members in West Africa do a service project! As if that didn't explain itself already Ha Ha !!! Anyway we dug trenches and cut grass with machete's and had a great time and worked very hard! Today we played football and lost in the championship game in a penalty shoot out! Yeah that's somehow what's going on here in Fosu!!!
I need a 4G flash drive mine got a virus it had a lot of pictures and other stuff on it. It is really convenient. My comp and I want CTR rings. It would be real cool if we could have the same one! He said he would pay for it!
My comp is way cool! He is awesome, we have man talk and stuff now that he has warmed up to me! I even have him talking like me!!!HaHa I will send pics this week and a letter!
Ok I am going home to sleep Bye Bye I Love you!
Your son Elder Jeffery Speechly

Jumping to Jeff

2010-09-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

More fun pictures!

2010-08-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

Aug 16th Email

2010-08-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Well this week has been good! My new comp is cool. We started the week by sending off Thompson which was sad, but fun! Then my comp came and we got to know each other. He is from Ghana. A little village just about an hour away. It's called Akim Oda. I like him, he will teach me TWII which is good. The area is doubled so we are working twice as hard so that's been a treat. I think I have a new record of falling asleep praying. I think 4 days in a row!!!!! I just have been exhausted!
We went to Praso today and checked out the river. We hopped along rocks and stuff it was a blast!!! If your sending a pkg this week I need Cheese packets. They really save my life! I fasted yesterday and I broke my fast with mac n cheese! It's really my favorite!!! Oh we also went to a members wedding. That was cool to see how they do that here! Also some duct tape and deodorant.
Yeah the pictures were sweet! You will love the next ones too they will be way sweet too!!!
The baptisms on Sunday the 22nd will be sweet! It's down to 4. I'm excited! Zone Conference is tomorrow which is cool. I always love Zone Conference!
I have been eating a lot of Eba it's made from gari and I am actually addicted to it! Also Banku, it's also very good. You eat them with stew!
Well we gotta go! We have to sleep cuz we have to travel tomorrow! I will be good and safe! I love you and thank you for everything! I miss you like crazy!!!
Love you and miss you! Next week!
Elder Speechly

New Pictures and Video's

2010-08-13T11:33:00.001-07:00

Aug 9th Transfers

2010-08-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

Ok so first Transfer news.... Elder Thompson is going to be District Leader in Kumasi. It is really cool cuz he has convenient stores, banks, and those things!!! Now to me! I am staying in the village FOSU!!!! I am getting Elder Grant/Obeng he is a Ghanaian. He is coming to be district leader. He is 6 months ahead of me! I hear he is a really cool guy! I am so excited but it's still kind of a shock. We just got the call about an hour ago HaHa! Oh and our Apt is going from 6 elders to 4 elders. So my area picks up the elders area that are leaving. It will be rough!!!!
The baptism's are on the 22nd and Thompson is bummed! He wanted to hit a year here. I think I will stay for a bit longer but who knows! I'm just excited to see how everything turns out. But my area is really huge now Dad like two villages and we have to travel to one of them like in a tro tro haha. So it will be an adventure!!!! I'm excited!!!! I am the only whitey!
We had a great week and just worked really hard almost like we knew the transfer was coming! I'm all better! That's the thing about Malaria. It comes in like a bat out of Hell haha and then leaves just as fast!!!! So yeah I'm good! It's going to be hard to say goodbye to Thompson!!! Also Elder Carton left today and I miss him already!!! I think you and Dad should go up to his homecoming!!! Washington St. I guess that is too far! He is just one of my best friends in this mission!!!
We ate a hamburger today with Adams! We found legit hamburgers! I took pics so I will send them soon! But we are peace'n out Pops so just know I love and thank you everyday! I couldn't have asked for a better father! I love you thanks Dad! Peace out talk to you next week! Yeah I love you too Mom I will tell you how my comp is next week!!!
Love your son, Elder Speechly

Aug 2nd MALARIA AGAIN!!!

2010-08-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

I have Malaria again! It is real BAD!!!Friday afternoon I started feeling it coming on but wasn't sure. Then Saturday morning it hit me like a brick wall!!!! So for Thompson's Birthday we were inside while I was dying! I started the meds yesterday (Sun) I'm slowly recovering but it sucks!!! I missed the baptism yesterday. We only baptised 5 of the 12 because we wanted to split it into 2. But I still missed it and the coolest part of it was that our recent convert, my boy keyboard did the baptizing!!!
So yeah I'm really excited to be a Uncle Again!!!! Amy told me first HaHaHaHa!!!!!!! It's my job to spread the word! I really am doing better today but the headache was the worst part. It was the worst thing you could possibly stand! UGH! Oh well it's on the downside now!
Today we went to Hans Cottage, the place with the crocodiles it was SWEET!!!! I'm sending home pictures tomorrow with a Jersey for Trents Bday. It is a hotel/par/resturaunt. But they were huge! We got to walk around them, touch them, and I got some sweet pics!
Next week are transfers. Right now Elder Anucha (Nigeria) who is a really cool guy, he is with Elder Leko(Uganda), and Elder Kwapong (Ghana) he is training Elder Fowole (Nigeria)Are in the Apt. with Elder Thompson and I. It is a pretty sweet apt. I love it! I love the Africans!!!!
My shirts are doing good all my clothes are doing great! The weather is gonna start getting really hot in October!!!! I'm scared! Jk it don't phase J Speech haha !!!
Don't worry about me I am doing better and I will be fine I promise! I love you!!!
Elder Speechly your son!!!

July 26th Email

2010-08-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Mom and Pops! I missed the fam this week! This week was pretty normal. But sweet! We are having a huge baptism this Sunday! 12 people! So we are preparing then for that! Thompson being the District Leader has to go on splits so I have been taking a lot of different Elders into my area. Which is sweet cuz it shows me I know my area well enough! We went to farm with the Mensahs again which was insane! We worked so hard in the middle of the jungle like really it was the hardest work I've ever done! I scored in football that was SWEET!!!

Some of the kids are siblings that we are baptising. Here are some of their names and ages.Rose 17, Micheal 26, Abraham 10, Debra 9, Emanuel 12, Joyce 10, Rose 11, Evans 9, Cicillia 16, Thomas 21, Vivian 14, Kevin 10.

Elder Anucha from Nigeria really does want to stay with us and go to Weber! We ate a hamburger today with Elder Adams. We found legit hamburgers! They were sweet! I took a picture so I will send it soon. I couldn't have served a mission 10 yrs ago. I know that technology is on my side! But we are about to go so thanks mom I love you so much and miss you so so much too! But right now I can't miss this here in GHANA. I love it! Tell everyone I love them! Bye Bye Pops just know that I love and thank you everyday! I couldn't have asked for a better father! I love you thanks dad! Peace out talk to you next week!
Love your son Elder Speechly

July 19th

2010-08-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hi how is everyone? Transfers are on Aug 9th. We find out that day and then leave 2 days later. I don't know if one or both of us will be transferred. My Health is good! We are still working real hard our district is going to baptise 45 people on the 1st of Aug. Thompson and I have 13-15 depending on who is prepared!!!! SWEET!!!
It's been really nice the past couple days in Fosu. Today in Cape Coast we went to play football and I got burned it was so hot!!! 100!!!!!! Sorry but it is still worse here with the humidity!
I have gained all my weight back. I weighed myself today. So I'm still the same. The Babies are very cute. It sucks I can't hold them til their almost 2! If you see Mason tell him I love him and miss him. I can't wait to talk to him when he gets out in the field.
Mom seriously I love you so much! I went on splits the other day with an elder from Liberia and he was telling me his story...... He has 6 older sisters and 2 younger sisters. His parents both died 6 months apart from each other like 5 yrs ago. He is the only member in his family. I know that I couldn't be doing this without you. i love you and thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do!!!
Well we gotta go! I love you!!!
Bye Thanks!!!

July 12th

2010-07-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Mom I'm on!!!! Are you around? (We usually get to email back and forth on Monday's. We are usually on at the same time! Technology is great!!!) I can't pull up the pictures of the baby! I haven't seen her yet! (Sammy Jeff's sister had a baby the day before. Violet Liberty Oberg) Tell them Hi and Mo Woyadaye that means congrats! I love them! My headache had gone away I told you not to worry! I am taking this nose inhaler thing so it's a good. I got the 2 pkg. The fanta shirt is sweet! They were awesome! I got a pkg from Megan too and it was epic!!! I got a picture! She is a chunk haha What's up goonies haha jk she is darling! I want to hold her, oh well!

The work is great. We are going to have a baptism the first of Aug with like 11 people! It will be our best one so far probably. One of them Rose, she was totally on the road to getting baptised and then she travelled and we hadn't seen her for like 2 months. Then last week she came back and was just asking us a ton of questions about baptism so we knew. Then I had the urge to ask if she wanted to be among the ones in August and she said of course! It was awesome!!!

I doing fine where I'm at. Just still study and learning lots! I miss laughing at you. I tell Thompson stories all the time! HAHA I have made a ton of friends. Even African friends seriously one from our apt. wants to come and go to Weber State and live with us! Mo I'm getting off tell Sammy I love her and wish I could have been there for her but yeah it's all good! I Love you all. Tell Erik(a) that I love him and Miss him! I miss the whole family!!! Bye Bye Thanks for the pkg I really appreciate them!!!! I'm keeping you proud I Promise!!!
Elder Jeff Speechly

July 5th

2010-07-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Cape Coast and played football with the Zone down there. Pres Sabey came and ref. It was funny! His son is here, he just got off a mission in Argentina. Sorry the power was off but now it's back on. I was somehow sick this week. After transfers I got this headache. I didn't want to tell you and mom about it, but it's getting to the point where I'm going to call Sis Sabey tonight and talk to her. Like it's real bad and I've had it for like 3 wks. Don't worry I will call Sis Sabey when we get back to the apt. tonight. It's real hot and humid like always! We were teaching only short lessons this week cause I hurt worse in the sun. Please don't worry! I will be ok. I love you and I'm working hard still!
Love Elder Speechly

June 28th

2010-07-27T10:11:00.001-07:00

We just got transfer news. Thompson and I are staying together!!! HaHa yeah!!!! Stats is going to Kumasi to train and Adams is training in his area in Cape Coast. That's sweet but we are so HAPPY!!! Six more weeks and then we will probably be split up, but you never know! The pictures are on the way. I sent them but haven't had a chance to get mail for a week or two but I ill get it soon. My hair trimmers are broken. Sorry the internet was down for like 20 min. I'm still here. Do you have the watch I sent home? It's just special to me cuz my first baptism gave it to me. I am learning so much. I know the scriptures good enough to teach and the lessons very well. I really never thought I would like to learn but I love reading and having deep discussions! It's awesome!!! (We asked what the hardest thing for the people he teaches to learn) The hardest thing is nothing. It's either Yes or no for them. It's just a matter of changing their minds! HAHA (We asked if they smoke and drink a lot) There isn't much smoking actually, but drinking is HUGE!!! The funerals are insane, like they last for days and they all drink till they die and then they have a funeral for them. HaHa JK but they do drink a lot!!! (What animals have you seen?) Bull cows, lizards, goats, sheep, snakes, and really big spiders!
One cool experience we had this week. The other night we were going back to the apt. and we were tired so we got in a taxi. Then we realized we needed mac for the cheese pkg haha. Thanks Mom it's the best. Any ways we got out and then Thompson realized he left his scriptures in the taxi and it drove off. We both looked at each other and said well bye. HAHA Then as we were walking back and forth I said "Bro we are missionaries, lets pray!" so we prayed and like ten min. later the taxi stopped and said we had left our bag in there. Then gave us a free ride back to the apt. We contacted the guy for a lesson!!! HAHA yeah pretty sweet!
Well my time is about up so thanks. I can't wait for next week! Love You!!!
Your son Elder Speechly

June 21st.

2010-07-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

I'm Great! Like really, I am so happy, I don't even know why. I Just Am!!! Happy!!!We baptised Green on Sunday. It was Awesome!!! We taught the Africans how to play phase 10. It has been great! I seriously love the packages!! It's raining like crazy! Go Ghana and US in the world cup!! Transfers are next Wed. We find out on Monday what will happen. We have like 6 baptisms lined up so I hope I don't get transferred. That song by Ryan Shupe is always playing. It's on everyones MP3 players and a bunch of CD's. I guess it's also on the village radio channel 88.1, but it's like village status haha.
Well I'm getting off. I love you and I promise more pictures are coming this week. Thanks for the Pkgs they really help a lot! I miss you! I'm doing my best out here!!!
Love Elder Speechly

June 14th

2010-07-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

It's really really crazy around here with the World Cup and everything. Ghana beat the U.S. 111 It's fun but our mission goal is to not watch one game and to contact during the games. Then to baptize one of those contacts by Sept. The cars on the roads swerve and honk just seriously crazy things everywhere. people and like everyone is yelling!!! It is hectic!!! Do you remember Ryan Shupe? Do we know him? They are HUGE over here. There is a song called Dream Big!!! That is huge here listen to it it's really good. I've decided I'm growing dreads when I get home! Stats is great ha ha like he is really fine!!! It''s crazy! I need somethings, like my black Nike shorts, Ibu, floss picks, toothpaste, and I lost my CTR ring.:( Grape koolaid and the lemon berry squeeze, it's glorious! Cheese pkg yes!!! Mepacho (means i beg you) haha
We are gong to baptise Green (Eric). He is the last oldest brother of the big family. It will be sweet. We just taught him about the WOW Word of Wisdom. He is kind of a drunk somehow...so we thought it was gonna be kind of sketchy telling him, but he just put his head down and then at the end he looked up like almost crying and just said thanks Tom and Speech (Our nicknames)so much for everything!!!!! So we are going to have his interview this week and then baptize him in two weeks probably!!!
I swear I'm more hygienic here than I have ever been my whole life. I floss and brush 2 times a day haha crazy!!! But I'm addicted!We had a weird drink that we thought might actually be alcoholic but or branch Pres. said it wasn't. It was called Pito! It was sour and strong and weird haha!!
Well we are going. I hope I get the pkg this week. Thanks for everything Mom I Love You!!!
Love Elder Speechly

June 7th

2010-07-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Elder Stats got hit by a car this week! It was crazy!!! He got clipped by a car while riding a bike and it threw him off. He actually can't remember any of it. His comp told us about it. He is ok just stayed in the hospital overnight. He asked me to give him a blessing. My first one. He is doing good though! Teaching is going great! Having lots of fun! I think Thompson and I will go another transfer! Here is some TWI-Obruni chewing gum tauto-white man you have chewing gum on your butt!!!
Saa-is that so? Boko-cool enyeshree-no problem enyet kra-not good at all
We are teaching a lot of future leaders and kids that would maybe go on missions like recent converts. This one guy Castro, he is a really awesome guy. He always has a ton of questions for us and he seems very interested especially after we taught him about the plan of salvation!!! He loved hearing that, which was cool to see him totally change. But now he has to come to church. A lot of the members are starting to call me Speech instead of Obruni which is cool!!!
I got the pkg with drink mixes and shower gel Glorious!!!! but from now on in every pkg I want cheese mix an drink mix. Just cuz their real convenient!
Stats and I are becoming real good friends which is sweet!! The blessing I gave him was really amazing. I don't even remember what I said. The Branch Pres. said that it was amazing , it was truly like receiving revelation. It was sweet, I thank him for asking me. I read a quote by Joseph B Wirthlin it is :" Come what may and Love it!!!" I am going to live my life by this forever!!! It made me think of a scripture D&C 122:7 go read it with dad tonight!!!
I Love the baby he is so cute!!! I love you and we're heading back to market to buy a couple things and then go home to sleep!!! so Thanks and I will talk to you next week! Tell everyone I miss and Love them more than they think!!! But come what may!! I love you! Your son Jeff

May 31st

2010-07-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

How is the Baby? (New nephew born May 27th Griffin Lane Maw) He is so cute!!! Way small though. We went to Takoradi it's on the coast. Just west of Cape Coast. We played the Elders there in football it was the best game of football I've ever played. We won 3-2 it was so fun. President was there to ref and everything. Thompson and I were sick this week. He had Malaria and I had a funny headache and cough! Still here! As grandpa would say. I talked to Evans and told him we were family! He already knew. Sweeto!!! How's Nike? I miss that dog! I've been thinking and this is not final but I think I want to be a sports announcer or something like that. Sick huh? It was somehow rainy but really great weather and it was right on the coast so we could see the ocean. It was Amazing! (Where they played football this day) My cough is really deep and hurts my chest like that time we went to the hospital late that one nght. I don't know what it is but don't worry. I'm still working my butt off. Don't worry. Ghana is freakin sick and I love this work. Really I work so hard everyday!!!! The other day Thompson and I fell asleep praying. Yeah I'm getting off sorry I ran out of time! So yeah I love you all and I'm so glad the baby came safely! 1 down and 1 to go. (Another baby due in 6 wks.) I am getting better don't worry I'm just in Africa. So no P!!!! Haha I love you thanks for everything. Talk to you next week. Love Elder Speechly