4/11 "Temple Trip"

Well, I hope that you are able to see the picture and that you didnt
get some African virus on you computer. First off, happy birthday to
Lexy and to Kirsten this week.This week has been really hard, and at
the same time one of the best weeks of the mission for me. The part
that made it really hard was that we didn't have very much success
this week with our proselyting. we had a lot of people who we thought
we were going to baptize this next Saturday that fell and now we are
starting at square one. We have had a lot of disappointments this last
week. The part that makes it amazing was that we sent down 15 people
to the temple and that they got back safely and had a great time. This
is a trip that has been planned by Elder Mapanje and myself for about
3 months now. On Tuesday I called down to the temple to make sure that
they were still planning on us coming, and they scared us by telling
us that they didnt have it on the calender, and that they would be
full on that day. We were able to work things out, because we called
and made reservations about 2 1/2 months ago and so we thought that
there would be no more problems. On Saturday the station manager told
us that the bus would be leaving at 6 am and so the people needed to
be there at 5:30. Everyone showed up at five thirty, but the bus didnt
come until 7:20. We talked with the manager and he assured us that
there would be no more problems and that on Saturday when we were
ready to have the bus come to pick them from the temple that we should
just call them. They went to the temple and were able to do sessions
on Friday and Saturday morning.I was really cute, because they kept
calling us in between sessions and telling us how amazing it was and
how happy they felt. On Saturday we called about 2 hours before they
were ready to come to tell the driver to come to pick them from the
temple, but the guy didnt pick up the phone. We kept calling and
calling, but he was not picking. Finally we went to the station to see
the man and he was sitting there playing a board game. Needless to say
I was not very happy, but we were able to get the man to call the
driver for us while we were there with him. They told us that they
would be there right at one which was the time that we needed to have
them be there. At one ten we got a call from one of the members at the
temple and he told us that the bus had not come and to call to make
sure everything was ok. I did and I was told that the driver was
coming, and that the man had already talked to the member at the
temple and given him the phone number for the station down in Accra.
Almost as soon as I had hung up with him the member called ant told me
that he had talked with the station and that they didnt know that they
were at the temple and that there was no bus coming and that they were
short on buses and that they could not be able to send one for about 5
hours. Accra is about an 8 hour bus ride from here and so if they were
going to get home at a decent hour they would have to leave earlier
than that. The member told me that he knew the station and that they
would all go to the station and try to get on an earlier bus. When
they got to the station they were still short on buses, but there was
one there that was filling to go to Sunyani. They called and told me
that and I talked with the man in Sunyani who told me he would talk to
the driver and let them  to get onto that bus. When they tried to
board the bus the driver tried to make them pay him again, and we had
a lot of problems, but finally they were able to get on. Because of
all of the delays they were not able to get home until about 1:30 am
which is about 6 hours after they had planned on. Honestly I thought
that because of all of the problems with the transportation that they
would be really unhappy with the trip, but on Sunday we opened the
floor for testimonies of all who had gone to the temple and we had one
of the sweetest testimony meetings of my life. At the end we were all
crying and a lot of people who befor had always been to shy to bear
their testimonies got up and shared with the people. Everyone was
really excited about it and they all want to go back and help others
to go back also. This temple trip brought a great change to all of the
members in our unit and now they are so much stronger in the gospel. I
feel so happy right now. Even though there were a lot of problems, 15
people went to the temple and now they are in the church to stay. I
think if I was to end my mission right now I would go home the
happiest missionary on the earth, but I still get to stay here for six
more months to do the same thing over again. The unit is growing and
this week we are calling a unit leader who is the man that we just
baptized about 3 weeks ago. I guess that Im out of time now, but just
remember that you are in my prayers and that I love you all. Please
remember to pray for me, cause I need all the help I can get. Love Ty