Mexico - The Beginning

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Arriving in Mexico:

We flew Sunday morning direct from Salt Lake which felt like a breeze compared to the never ending travel to Ghana in January.  But the customs line was something to be seen. ..almost an hour to get through that line.  In the end all was good since the only suitcase they opened was Kim’s carry on, with just clothes and basic stuff in it.  Whew!  All the painting tools, smuggled in primer in shampoo bottles and food we brought didn’t get stopped.

Arriving at the temple grounds, we found out to our dismay that we were not staying on-site in patron housing as we had thought but would be housed across the street from the temple in four separate apartments.  Two of them half a block down the street from the other two and down an alley and through a metal door...pretty sketch!  I watched as disappointment set in with my crew.  We settled in and decided we could live with the situation.  As Camron and I walked back to see Kim, Vicky, Hanna and Patti, we noticed Kim and Vicky were not only missing from their apartment, but their mattresses were also missing.  I knew immediately what had happened.  They had hauled their mattresses over to Hanna and Patti’s and now it would be one large slumber party on the floor.  It reminded me of Honduras when we totally rearranged the apartment to all sleep in one room.  The difference is that these apartments are basically two small rooms with a tiny bathroom…all three together about the size of my kitchen at home.  Adventures!  But they were just beginning.

As Camron and I prepared to shower before going to bed, we found that not only did the hot water in our shower not turn on at all (as in you couldn’t physically turn the faucet) but the water did not come out of the head and instead shot at the back wall through a tiny tube.  Showering with a trickle of freezing cold water made me think of Danika and the countless other missionaries throughout the world showering in such conditions.  It was not a pleasant experience for me since my back was in a lot of pain and I was exhausted (probably from the past three crazy weeks of long paint days and the emotional stress of this silly contractor for the last 6 months making me dread coming to Mexico for this job in the first place).  More Adventures!

Also tonight Scott, the contractor guy, basically warned us that they were not ready for us and to be patient with them.  OH NO, OH NO!!!!  A two month delay and still not ready!  Pretty crazy stuff!

Also… bad news…no internet in our living areas.  The only internet available is standing outside the contractors trailer on site which means none in the evenings.  My crew is not happy since internet is needed to call home.  We walked over to the temple visitors center to see if we could connect to Pioneer 47 but had to convince the security guards to let us in since it was 9pm and closing time.  After about 30 minutes they were ready to kick us out and let us out the back gates closer to our apartments and strongly suggested we don’t go out after dark again since “this isn’t a safe area.”  J  More fun times!


Monday April 27, 2015

The temple construction site looks like a major construction zone and inside the temple is no different.  Thinking that they need to turn this project over to the church by mid-June would make me panic.  First thing the contractor told us is that we are at 7,000 feet so if we feel winded going up to the third floor every day, it is totally normal and not to panic.  Three flights of stairs really do make you feel out of shape each time we climb them.

We located our product, brought it up to the third floor and started prep work on the panels.  They were supposed to be ready to go when we arrived, but the painters have not been able to match the primer from Quality Cabinet and the silly company did not ship their primer as they were requested to do more than once.  So, while we crew sanded and taped and Camron caulked I worked with the painters to see what color paints were on-site that I could mix with my smuggled primer to match the base coat.  Several tries later, I was successful and we were on track to move forward.  We spent all morning from 7:30am til 1pm prepping the four Instruction rooms.  Considering what we came in to, I feel good at the progress we have made.

After lunch we were able to do first layer on two of the rooms.

Despite the promises from the contractor, we still had no shower by Monday night.  Sponge bathing is becoming quite the experience!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The best idea Camron had for coming down here was freeze dried meals.  Mountain House brand cans of lasagna, Mexican beans and rice and several other varieties are what we brought for dinners.  They are excellent and greatly increase our variety of “safe meals.”  I feel like we are eating well for being our own cooks in Mexico.  Peanut butter, tuna and chicken and plenty of snacks brought from home all contribute to our menus.  We wash all of our fruits in a diluted Clorox solution and then rinse in GSE water to help kill whatever bugs are on them and then peel.  So far, so good.

Another day…another cold shower, but tonight I filled pans from the kitchen sink with hot water so I could mix it with the cold drizzle to make it more bearable.  I think I’m adapting slowly.  Danika is my hero!

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Bathroom issues:

For three days we have had no shower…only a drizzle of cold water.  Our sink is super slow draining and tonight when I got back after working an hour longer than most everyone else, the toilet was clogged and no plunger anywhere to be found.  After talking to a few people, we were told that someone would bring us one in 5 minutes.  An hour later…still no plunger and I’m thinking that they have now promised us for three days that our shower will be fixed “tomorrow, for sure.”  I’m thinking tomorrow will never come. All I can think of is Danika’s word from her mission…Adventures!

The temple:

The work at the temple is going well.  Three days down and all four of the Instruction Room Basketweave Panels are finished.  They are beautiful!  In addition, Camron has been caulking the panels in the Celestial Room for two days and Vicky and I stayed late so we wouldn’t be in the way of the marble guys so we could start painting out the bondo mends in the seams in the panels to hopefully help us not spend the whole day tomorrow doing prep work in there.  Our only problem right now is scaffolding.  There is only one small set in the Celestial room, making it difficult for more than two people to be up top at the same time and since all our work is 14-16 feet in the air, we don’t have enough “high floor space” for everyone.  We love to solve our own problems since going through the contractor is a long drawn out, slow, not so happy process.  But I learned on Monday that it might cause me problems.

On Monday I asked the painters in the Celestial Room when they would be done so we could come in and start and he told me Thursday would be great.  When I mentioned that to Scott, our contractor contact, I basically got a lecture that everything needed to be coordinated through him since marble guys are in there and they have deadlines too.  I’m thinking to myself, “If I run everything through you, I’ll be here an extra week .”  So we, instead, took matters into our own hands and Camron sweet talked the marble guys in his most excellent Spanish to allow only him to be in there and he promised to not be in their way and to move anytime they needed him to.  Yeah…or we’d still have two days of caulking to do.  But moving the scaffolding in probably needs to be run through the contractor.  I wonder how many hours that will take tomorrow morning?

The oxen:

The font area is super far behind as they are waiting to receive the rest of the stone (Never heard this before on a temple project :/).  When we went down Monday to look at them, it was a joke…nowhere near ready for us.  But somehow after the conversation with Scott yesterday that we needed to get down there by Monday at the latest or come back the first of June, they decided they didn’t want to spend any more money bringing us back in June and said they would get the prep work done today so we could start tomorrow (we’re thinking, “yeah, good luck with that.”)  After lunch around 2pm they hadn’t done anything more in the baptistery.  Tonight around 6:15pm we noticed they had cut the   round base to the new octagon shape.  Well, at least it’s a start.  Stay tuned for the results tomorrow.  I’ve seen more miracles than one on a temple project in the past.

Latest news just in…Camron talked to Scott when he saw him drive in around 8pm…he thinks they are ready for us down in the baptistery for tomorrow…claimed they mended the broken horns and everything.  Camron and I are going over at 7:30am to see what the situation is.  We’re having the crew come 45 minutes to an hour later so we’ll have figured out a plan before they show up.

Alicyn

Makala Market & Goodbyes

February 5, 2015

Bernice and Girls

Today we went with Bernice to the Makala Market to buy fabric, or textiles as they call it here.  Now this was the craziest place I’ve ever been.  Bernice told us NO pictures, keep our bags or purses in front of us at all times and stay close because she would walk fast.  Bernice is the kindest person but also a business woman, very passionate about her charities and I get the feeling someone you just don’t mess with.

Have you ever walked down the street of NYC when the sidewalks are super crowded and you are constantly bumping people both ways?  Now picture this kind of busy street in literally a two foot width of space with shack type shopping booths lining both sides of this super narrow path, all within a giant maze with uneven rocky cement type floors.  If Bernice had not been with us, I promise you we would have been stuck inside this labyrinth and never been able to find our way out.  It was so insane!

Patti

I so wish I could have had a video camera rolling the whole time.  It was fascinating and unnerving and claustrophobic and so African all at the same time.  Mothers carrying babies on their backs with baskets on their heads, men with entire crates of eggs on their heads all weaving and bumping into us all as we moved and not once holding onto their loads on their heads.  The balance these people have with the goods they carry on top of their heads is unbelievable.  Preacher ladies YELLING through microphones, I mean YELLING to the point my ears hurt.  Raw fish and oysters, vegetables, nuts and anything else you would like to buy.  Toiletries, shoes, fabric, food, clothing, you name it.  In some ways it was like an ancient Walmart in a maze of dark faces, cement and dirt.  We would weave through these areas where one tiny booth would have a sink and a hair dryer and I’m guessing you would call this space a beauty salon and right next to it would be a man selling lobsters or some other shell fish.  Some spaces had a roof and they were very dark and on either side of this narrow aisle which we walked were women sewing with hand cranked sewing machines in what I would consider the dark. Very few of them had any extra lighting.  I often wondered why the hand cranking thing, but after having been here for almost three weeks now, this city has no power more than it has power so human power keeps you working.  Thankfully the temple compound has an enormous generator so we have had electricity most of the time.

Bernice took us to her favorite fabric places…those who would cut for us.  Most of the fabric you are required to buy the whole piece which is 6 yards…a little more than we each wanted since we want to make pieced quilts to remind us of this amazing country. So instead we were able to buy 2 or 3 yard cuts and get more variety in fabrics.  The first booth, however was right next to the crazy preacher woman yelling in the mic and we could hardly shop nor think.  Our goal…finish and get about anywhere we could go away from that noise.  After several fabric “shops” if you can call them that, we took a “tour” through the rest of the market and got a real flavor for the place.  Kitchen stores with baking pans and these cool wood rolling pins with designs carved into them for making cookies.  I couldn’t resist.  I bought three for my 30 cedis (less than $10). 

As we finally weaved our way out and went through the narrow opening that put us back on the street with all the street vendors, it almost seemed as if we’d moved up into more quality shops (and before Makala, I thought these were pretty small and sketchy).  Amanda summed it up perfectly when she said that we had just experienced a place like we will probably never go again.  You could not have gone there without a local guide.  Bernice navigated and directed perfectly.

Rose and helpers

Bernice then took us to lunch at the Noble House, a very good Chinese restaurant (yep...Chinese food in Africa?).  Stanley, one of the Nigerian’s had come with us and he had never eaten Chinese food before.  It was served like we do in the states more family style where you can try all the different dishes.  I think Stanley quite enjoyed himself and there was plenty of food to go around.  We let Bernice take the leftovers home for her family.

When we returned to the temple housing, the others left to walk to another shop close by and I changed into whites and went over to the temple to clean up and put away our tool box and things that needed to dry overnight before storing.  The artwork is hung, most of the furniture is back, the floral arrangements are out and it is almost complete.  They are still working on the Celestial Room and Baptistery areas. It is so beautiful to walk the finished rooms.  The sealing rooms are my favorite where we put up a wide 3 foot leaf design border at the ceiling which matches the carvings in the chairs and decorative paint details in the ceiling.  But honestly, every room is beautiful.  We plan to walk the temple Saturday morning before we leave one last time to see everything complete.

Team USA

Tonight was the farewell dinner.  Rose invited everyone who worked on the temple to be there and most of the locals Ghanaians were able to come. The food was beautiful and it felt like the Thanksgiving meal.  The Nigerians leave tomorrow morning bright and early and we will be leaving Saturday.  The evening was filled with happiness and tons of pictures.  I think Vicky got all her tears out last night and I think mine all came the first week we were here. It’s strange to think that less than three weeks ago we embarked upon a journey that would take us to the unknown and stretch us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually but one we would not trade for anything.  It seems like we’ve been here forever, but at the same time like we just arrived. However, we now will leave with many new friends forever.  I hope we can keep in touch and that we truly will be back in July 2016 for the next phase.  God be with you my dear African friends!

Alicyn

God is in the Details

Wednesday February 4, 2015

It’s just after 4pm today and I’ve spent the last hour and a half still at the temple after all my crew left.  The cleaning people were really ready to get us out of there.  We spent the morning touching up furniture, gold pots, teal pots, wood trim and anything else that needed a little refreshing.  Before I left to come, I had the thought to put in some Stain & Seal in little containers in case I needed any to touch up the wood trim after we finished painting.  That thought was well heeded as I have been able to mix many colors and mixtures to touch up things here.  I know the Lord really is in the details.

As I was talking with Marcia and Raelynn (the floral missionary ladies), they told me about a sweet experience they had this morning.  They arrived Sunday and they are re-doing all the floral arrangements and trees in the temple here.  Their work is amazing and it has been a privilege to get to know them.  Geoffrey, from Nigeria, watched as they arranged fern in the pot of a tree.  He asked them how they knew about this fern they were adding, which grows in Africa.  They did not know that it was an African fern.  Raelynn told me that the budget for this project was very tight so prior to shipping they were pulling whatever they could from the floral department and then a designer donated a bunch of his extra flowers and greenery, which was all brand new to the department, so they shipped it all.  This greenery was part of that.  We talked about how the Lord is so in the details of everything we do…that we are only His hands but that “God doesn’t do random” as one of Danika’s good friends always writes in her missionary letters home.  These women have seen so many miracles in the work they do and having the right flowers for each location.  It’s been a great experience to share with them the last couple of days.

Marcia had noticed several chips in the pots that they were re-doing and asked if I had any products I could mix to touch them up.  At first I thought, no…I don’t have anything in that color…and then the ideas came.  I had gold mica powder that was able to be mixed with some stain I had and water to get the 14K gold pots refreshed.  Then I remembered the temple president showing me a suitcase in one of their closets with stain sticks for their wood and had the thought that maybe there were other colors in there.  Sure enough, powdered colors that mixed with water and paint gave us the teal blue we needed for the other pots.

It was super peaceful for me this morning as we fixed a few more dings in the walls (actually Sunday fixed them for practice under my direction), fixed a few darker spots in the Celestial room walls that bothered us, and helped move furniture, scaffolding and pull up all our dark plastic floor coverings.  The temple was starting to come together as they cleaned carpets and put back the sconce light fixtures into our walls.

Some of the spots on the walls in the Celestial room that we needed to fix were of course, pretty high, so the men brought in an extension ladder and I climbed to fix them.  At one point I was about as high as you can go (as in I’m out of rungs to climb) and I’m smashed against the wall reaching as high as I can on my tippy toes.  Usually this position feels super scary and I’m very off-balanced but I almost felt as if I was secured and balanced today…hard to explain…but not really.  The corner needed fixing and it was the only option we had.  Stanley held my ladder, Vicky loaded and handed me product and three or four of the other Nigerians were all giving me directions to fix the corner.  In the end it was much better and I’m glad we were able to do it.  Vicky told me I was balancing super well.  I told her it really wasn’t me.

After everyone from my crew had left, I was just getting ready to leave and decided to go see the sealing room finished with the light fixtures, carpet cleaned and furniture put back in. Just as I walked in I noticed a little brown spot on the newly cleaned carpets and was afraid it was from some of the stain we had used earlier to touch up the wood legs on the chairs. Praying that all would work, I was able to remove the brown spot and it looks new again.  I noticed one of the crystal chains hanging loose on a wall sconce and noticed it was missing the last gold hook to connect it to the fixture. So, with one of the cleaning sisters and my sewing kit I brought for the sponge rollers, we were able to do a little sewing to put the crystal chain back together and attach it.  It took us a long time since many of the crystals had not been put back together in the correct order and it was like a beautiful crystal puzzle trying to figure out what had to move where to get the appropriate lengths, or at least something that didn’t look all wrong.  I think the sister I was working with was more excited about fixing the light than I was.

Michael's Shoe

When we finished, they were putting back most of the art work in the hall and it was beyond beautiful.  They have some very unique pieces that I’ve never seen before from African landscapes to beautiful black women kneeling in prayer.  I really wish I could take some photos. I’m very excited that we will get to see this project all put back together before we leave on Saturday.

Other memorable moments:

The other day walking back from lunch, Michael was walking funny and I asked him what was wrong.  He pointed to his shoe where the sole had come off from the front and it was flapping, as it was still connected at the heel making it hard to walk.  He did not know what to do since he didn’t have another pair of shoes for the temple.  I told him to come with me and I’d fix him up.  I few strips of duct tape later…he shoe worked like new.  J  Duct tape…such a grand invention.  One roll for here and one roll for Nigeria.

Ennuson gave each one of us a gift in a package today.  Every one of us got a necklace with matching earrings.  Tomorrow night Rose is preparing a farewell dinner for all of us.  We are all going to wear our jewelry for the event.  Ennuson also started passing around his journal so everyone could write a message to him in it.  We decided it was such a great idea that many of us have taken the notebooks we brought and passed them around.  It’s a little bit like yearbook day.  I’m going to wait to read my entries in my book til we get on the plane.  Poor Vicky has been in tears all day as she is not wanting to leave our dear new friends.  I just don’t want to think about it…too hard!

Oscar continues to bring me little gifts each day.  He’s such a sweet man.  Today it was a laminated quote from Gordon B. Hinckley which reads, “We Reach Toward the Unknown, But Faith Lights the Way.  If We Will Cultivate That Faith, We Shall Never Walk in Darkness.”

Martin asked Mark if he was going to take his “boots” home with him.  Mark wasn’t sure what he meant and he pointed to his shoes.  Mark asked if he wanted them and Martin replied they would be good for him for school.  Most of these workers have been working in socks, barefeet or temple slippers.  Mark took the shoes off his feet and gave them to Martin.  He has been giving most of his shirts and shoes away to the men.  I’m pretty sure Mark will go home with only his flip flops and the clothes on his back.

Suzie made Mark and Camron shirts.  The prints are pretty awesome!

I gave Rose (our cook) an envelope yesterday morning with a thank you card and some cash.  Last night I was a little late for dinner and Mark told me that Rose’s granddaughters were waiting for us all to eat so they could leave.  I think they were waiting for me since one immediately came up to me to tell me that Rose said “thank you so much” for the card.  Then she added, my grandma was jumping up and down for joy when she opened the card.  It’s amazing what so little can do to lift their spirits.

The last few morning devotionals we have been videotaping with our phones.  It will be so much sweeter than just still pictures since you can hear their lovely accents and feel their giant spirits.  Oscar carried his keyboard here the other day just so Michael could play it and we could sing all together with accompaniment.  Music really does invite the spirit.

I can plan on what is for every meal.  It makes eating simple.  Cracked Wheat, Oatmeal or some kind of white rice/mush for breakfast and if you’re brave, crazy meat sandwiches with some kind of fruit.  Lunch is always Epa with soup (for the locals definitely), hot spicy rice, cole slaw type salad, chicken or fish and bread (only since we requested it… most of us make sandwiches…thank goodness for shipping PB & Honey and packaged tuna and chicken).  Dinner is the same…plain rice, cole slaw salad, more local food that most of us skip due to the intense spices, chicken or fish, and maybe some fruit.  At least I would never have to be creative for dinner.  I’m looking forward to a wider American food option when we return.

Man Ironing

Kaby brought his weavings in larger sewn together pieces.  I bought a blanket/afghan.  It’s much cooler than just something I could have purchased at the local market because I know the man who made it…one I have worked closely by for the past couple of weeks.

India Temple

Well, I’m sure there are countless other moments I would like to record but I can’t think of them right now. I talked to Camron earlier and it sounds as if he’s having the adventure of a lifetime in India.  He said he didn’t even know where to begin about his day…that he got some unbelievable film footage and was in places that probably very few white men have ever ventured as he returned to Taj’s boyhood home before he was kidnapped.  They basically traced the exact route that Taj took when he was trying to find his family about 20 years ago. Camron  said he has seen things he would never have seen if he had just come as a tourist.  He also talked about all the people connected with Taj’s story that they randomly ran into today…people Taj hasn’t seen in years.  Camron said, “It is very apparent that God is very involved in this project.”

Alicyn

Birthday Wishes

Monday, February 2, 2015

It’s pretty incredible as I walk the halls of the temple to realize we started this massive project only two weeks ago today.  At that time I felt so overwhelmed at training so many and having the job turn out ok with so many hands on the walls.

Today I walked the halls and rooms as we worked on the “mends” that are inherent in any job this size, and was just in awe at the beautiful work that is truly a miracle.  To take so many brand new people and bring them together and have the final outcome we have, is beyond my comprehension.  So many of them have expressed their great faith to me and the way they know that they were able to do this project was that God was with them.  I know this is true!  With God NOTHING is impossible…even working with 14-17 Africans each day who speak a very different language (even though you might call it English), all from very different backgrounds, all with very different skill levels and have them all be a part of the project and feel successful.  I am grateful beyond words for this incredible opportunity!


We are almost finished.  We should finish the walls by noon tomorrow.  Then we have a giant mess to clean up.  I spent most of the day teaching wall mending to Alex and Kaby, two Ghana men who will be responsible for taking care of the walls here.  They are both painters by trade when they have work so mending was a little easier for them than some of the others would have been.  I know they will do an excellent job in caring for these walls that they now have labored over with so much of their own sweat.  The Nigerian crew finished the baptistery area and I will work on mends with them tomorrow.  They are feeling confident and very excited to go back to Aba, Nigeria to do these finishes in their own temple.  So confident, in fact, that they about gave me a heart attack today.

After finishing the rooms in the baptistery area, which I let them do by themselves, I was pointing out a few lines that needed some fixing and then taught them how to fix them.  So, I left figuring they would un-tape and be done.  When I returned a little while later, I found they had been over zealous in deciding that their walls weren’t good enough and they had started “mending” areas all throughout the walls!  No…no…no…no…no!  One concept I’ve had a hard time getting to sink in is that of “less is more”.  They “over-do” everything and this was totally the wrong choice!  I think this time it might have sunk in since it now took a very long time to fix the walls back to a good condition.  I explained that most of the time they should finish and walk away…that their walls are good enough and they will be the only ones who see the problems…or just fix little things.  Anyways, eventually it all turned out well…but I wanted to cry for a minute there as I pictured the real possibility of painting out that wall and starting over again.  The only good news is it was a relatively small wall in the whole scheme of things.  J

Oscar and the Cooks

We looked at the possible option of moving up our trip home (we fly out Saturday night) but unfortunately the only possibility was Tuesday night and that is just a couple days too soon.  So we will finish up, help do some cleaning in the temple, organize our tools and product to send to three different locations and of course, do some more shopping.  Bernice is taking us to the Makala Market on Thursday so we can buy fabric.  We all want to make a quilt from the beautiful fabrics here to remind us of this beautiful place forever!  The only good thing about not leaving until Saturday is that we will get to see the temple all put back together, clean and beautiful.  Most of the time we leave these jobs looking like a construction zone and never get to see our finished project.  This will be a very rewarding last walk through later this week.

Oscar had brought a cake today since it was Amanda’s birthday Saturday and today was Alex’s birthday.  So we had a party after lunch complete with singing and “faux champagne” with a toast.  Oscar has so little money and yet he is always spending it on others.  When I gave him his card today with the cash in it, I told him it was for him to open at home and it was for his family and no one else.  I sincerely hope he will use it for their many needs.  He is a giant of a man.

With the time difference in our locations now, Camron and I did not have a chance to talk but we texted a bit and he sent the following email from India.  I’m so glad he has this opportunity. (He is 5 ½ hours ahead of us…how do you explain that extra half hour?  I think I mentioned that before but it’s still a mystery to me.)

Alicyn
______________

Hi,

How was your Monday? I tried calling but it’s early enough that I’m sure you’re still over at the temple. I hope you were able to get a lot done today. So we drove all day from Chennai to Coimbatore. It was pretty cool to see that much of the country in the first day. I reminds me a lot of driving in Ghana, except the people walking around are Indian instead of black (but the driving is just as crazy). It’s very third world with tons of people. I’ve already eaten Indian food with my fingers from a banana leaf (twice), and I walked up a hill barefoot (because everyone was doing it—sort of a requirement). It was a bit unnerving, since, well, it’s India and I wear shoes in the shower, but what do you do? I took pictures, but they are still on the camera and I’m too tired to transfer. I will soon.

We also saw the Father-in-law’s home and so that was great, in that I can adjust my pages to have the descriptions be accurate. So an adventure filled first day and starting again in the morning. We’ll see the orphanage first thing tomorrow. Taj has everything all planned out, so that’s good. The hotels are super luxury, resort type hotels, and I have a room to myself with a king bed (how do you say, wish you were here in Tamil?). I’m not certain if our times will ever hook up to call, since I’ll have to be at the hotel to get internet, and you will be at the temple, where you can’t get internet, but we’ll see. Well, I’m beat and going to bed. Let me know how your day went. Say hi to everyone. I did get to chat with Danika, since she was on just a short while ago. I’ll forward our chat.

Love

Camron

MTC Sunday

Sunday, February 1, 2015 – MTC Sunday

Wow is all I can say!  Today we went to church at the MTC here in Ghana.  There are only about 40 missionaries there right now (because the temple is closed) when normally they have closer to 100.  Mark & Kim’s son, Parker who served in the West Indies…his old mission president is now the president of the MTC here, so they invited us over to church at the MTC.  What a huge spirit there!  It was unbelievable and a unique experience.  Among all these dark faces is one white elder and one white sister, both of whom were from Utah so we took some photos after the meeting and sent text messages home to their families.  They have both only been out less than two weeks.  Both are learning French…one going to Madagascar and one going to Togo.

Oscar's Family

First off, we were just going to go with our group (7 of us), but last night at dinner Vicky invited the Nigerians to come and then Joseph showed up and Oscar showed up with four of his children, so we needed 4 taxis plus the missionary couple’s car to get us all there.  Getting a taxi here is an adventure and if you are white and need a taxi, they want to charge you twice as much as if you are a local, so since we were all out on the street, it became a problem.  It took us 20 minutes to get 4 taxis who would agree on the price to take us there.  Then, none of the first three taxis really knew where we were going and since none of us riders knew either, it took a while to find.  I was praying that we could get there before the meeting started.  I think they waited for us and started at 9:05am since we were late.

The opening song was “Let Us All Press On” .  It was sung loudly in two languages (French & English) and with many dialects and accents all at the same time.  The spirit spoke loudly and strongly in that room and I could feel the gigantic love Heavenly Father has for each of his children and especially for these young people who have been set apart as full time missionaries for the Lord.

The presiding brother started off the fast and testimony meeting saying that whatever the Lord has done for you whether good or bad we should be grateful.  He said that every misfortune is a blessing and since we may not recognize which are blessings, we should be grateful for everything the Lord sends our way.

Our sweet Joy, from Nigeria bore her testimony and said, “Where there is the spirit, there is liberty.”  How true is that?

As the elders and sisters bore their testimonies, some would say, “I know with all my heart that this church is true.”  And you could feel their giant hearts bearing testimony in a way I’ve never experienced before.  They would all start out saying, “good morning sisters and elders” and the audience would respond, “Good-morning!”

At one point in the meeting Sister Robinson stood up and said she didn’t like to take their time but she had been witnessing a miracle as they were asked to bear their testimonies in the language they had come to learn, which for most of them was English and after only a week of working on it, they were doing remarkably well.  The gift of tongues is real!

One Elder from the Ivory Coast said, “I say that Jesus Christ is our Savior…I say that President Monson is called of God…I testify in the name of Jesus Christ.”  For each thing he testified of, he would start with “I say…” and it was so simple and yet so powerful.

I could see as each stood at the pulpit that they were thinking very carefully of how to say the words.  They would speak slowly and specifically and simply, and yet the spirit was carried to every member of the congregation.

Other words spoken:

“I know that the Book of Mormon changed my life.”

Sister, “I testify that the church is here.”

Oscar's Youngest Child

“I want to tell you what I know.  I know with all my heart this is the right place.  I know with all my heart the missionary work is true.”

“I believe in the gift of tongues.  It is not easy to speak English.  But I know that this work is the work of God.  We walk the power of God, but it is not the walk that makes the difference but the gift of Holy Spirit.”

“I am very happy to be called a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know with all my heart…if we have a desire to serve God, that is where we are going.  As we have desire, Heavenly Father will strengthen us.”

I was writing as fast as possible to capture their exact words and only wish I could capture their giant hearts and spirits as well.  The missionaries were from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Como, Cordova, and many other places I could not understand all united as one to be ready to go into their assigned missions to serve.

Other testimonies, “God knows every one of us.  He knows what we need to serve Him.  I know he bless us and give us gift of tongues to serve everywhere and preach his mission.”

A Cayman sister who is a recent convert said, “The Lord told me I cannot send you to do something and not provide a way for you to do it.”  This comment hit me like a ton of bricks as I applied it to this gigantic wall project we have been doing here in Ghana the past two weeks.  We were called to serve and train and through miracles and lots of prayer, we were sent the right people at the right time to accomplish His purposes.  I know this is true.  The Lord will always provide a way if we will let Him show us the way.  I have seen his grace and tender mercies and know that as one elder said, “I will serve not by my might or my strength but by His.”

One Elder from Nigeria said that he wasn’t there when God appeared to Joseph Smith or helped him translate the Book of Mormon, but he said, “I’ve come to know for myself that these things are true.  As we put this great work on our shoulders…he will bless us…He will reward us abundantly…”  He then challenged us to experiment upon the words of Moroni and see for ourselves if the Lord will not also bless us.  “He gives me commandments not to punish me but to help me grow.”

“Every challenge is for my benefit.  Showing patience tells Heavenly Father that He knows what is best for us.”

One Elder said, “I will not leave it (his testimony) or I won’t have it with me, but instead I share it with you.”  I liked the words share instead of “I leave this testimony with you…” that we so often hear.  He is right, if I “leave it” then it will be gone from me.  Excellent analysis!

One sister said, “Whoever has been called He finds worthy and He has qualified…He will not allow us to go through any struggles that we can’t overcome…remove any doubt from your heart.  I know the Book of Mormon is true.  I have studied it!”  I believe that is the key.  Remove the doubt and study the gospel and then when we have put forth the effort, the Lord will manifest the truth of all things.

Sisters' from the MTC

One brother said he was sad in the beginning that he wasn’t born into the church, but then said, “I am happy now that I was not born in the church but I searched and joined the true church.  Indeed I was lost and now I have found the truth…the truth is nowhere else but here in this church.”  I don’t believe it could have been said any better.  He has been a member only 4 years.

They finished the meeting singing all the verses of “How Great Thou Art” even though the testimony meeting had gone until 10:30am.  No one seemed anxious for the meeting to end.  No one wanted the spirit that permeated that room to change.  The closing song was another testimony for the day.  I did very little singing and more wiping of tears from my eyes.

Alicyn and MTC Sisters

After the meeting and talking with the American sister and elder and sending their pictures home to their families, we went with Sister Robinson to their apartment upstairs and she told us more about the people here in Ghana.  She said that they are very industrious.  They all work with their hands and are not idle like some they saw in the West Indies.  The beads they make are done from recycled glass, crushed into powder, with dye added and then hand painted before being baked in the handmade kilns.  She also told us where to buy fabrics here.  WE hope to have time on Thursday to go to the Makala Market.  The Batik prints here are gorgeous and we hope to buy enough varieties to make quilts for each one of us as a remembrance of our time here in Ghana.

When we returned from church, we met the floral missionaries.  These are two sisters who are called to travel all over the world doing the floral arrangements for the temples.  It is an unpaid job and they travel one to two weeks per month.  I’m thinking our travel schedule right now is not so bad.

We are hoping to finish all the walls we’re working on in two more days.  They temple president would love us to be out of his way by Wednesday so they will have three days to clean (I guess the cleaning people don’t work on Saturdays here).  I think we can make it and then just need to organize and finish up for a day or two, help with some cleaning and then have one more day to shop before heading home.  These past two weeks have flown by.  It will be strange to go home to winter since we’ve just spent all of our time hot and sweaty here.

Alicyn

Thank You

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Today was Amanda’s 26th birthday.  I brought a card and chocolate from home for her and then last night after painting, Kaby gave us one of his weavings that looks like a scarf and we included that in her gift.  She got a rendition of “Happy Birthday” this morning from us and again tonight from the Nigerian crew who had returned from their adventure at Cape Coast. We took the day off and went shopping, ate lunch at a deli by a modern hotel which was quite “Americanized” and the girls said it was such a great meal! (We’re all a little tired of the lack of variety in the diet here…rice, beans, chicken or fish, coleslaw type salad and pineapple…pretty much sums up every lunch and dinner menu).  So a Panini sandwich with real meat on real bread was fabulous!

We took Taxi’s this morning down to “the Pit” as the missionaries call it.  Local merchants/artists selling their wares out of their shacks.  The minute we stepped out of the taxis they descended on us like wolves, each one wanting to show us their goods and take us to their shops (or rather booths).  We all bought lots of things from nativity sets out of ebony wood, to carved bowls and animals, to jewelry and artwork.  Lots of fun items here to buy and the bargaining was crazy.  Everyone said they would start high and we should not pay more than half of what they asked…but then I would look at their little children running around and know that these people had very few customers and the difference in my bargaining price and what they wanted was usually less than $5 American dollars, so I would bargain for less but then pay them more.  Camron said I was too soft.  I was hoping my little extra helps to feed one more mouth another day.  I gave a couple of the children a snack of fruit snacks (with their parent’s permission).  The first little boy, about 2 years old, put one in his mouth and promptly spit it out.  The adults tried them and ate them.  They said it was too sweet for the little one.  The other children I gave them to seemed to like them well enough.

After shopping and lunch we returned and Camron packed up his bags and headed to the airport as he is going to India.  Just as we were ready to go find a taxi to take him to the airport, Elder Park, one of the senior missionary couples here, walked out of his room and offered to drive Camron.  That was a nice surprise.  The airport here says you need to check in 3 hours prior to your flight time so Camron was there at 3:30pm for a 6:30pm flight.

At 4:45pm I received a text from Camron saying the flight was already boarding…not quite understanding why you would board so early, but 45 minutes later he sent another text which read, “It turns out they were taking tickets to herd us into another waiting area.  The facilities here are not like a normal airport.  It’s like an airport from 50 years ago.”  At 6:20pm Camron sent another text saying he was on the plane.  He will not arrive in Chennai, India until Sunday night at 8:10pm (India is 12 ½ hours ahead of Salt Lake time…we’re not quite sure where the extra ½ hours comes in?).  So, that means he is another 5 1/2 hours ahead of our time here in Ghana.  That tells me he is not close.  I’m excited for this next 10 day adventure for him and for the last two week adventure he’s had with me here in Ghana.

Early on in the project, we decided we wanted to give each worker a cash bonus for their help with the work here.  Because there are so many, it is not as much as I would like, but we felt that it would still be a huge help to each one of them.  Tonight, after Camron had gone and when the others had gone shopping again (I was definitely too tired to shop again), I gave each of the Nigerian crew their written note with their cash.  It was dinner time and as I gave them their cards, I told them it was a small note of thanks and that they could open it later in their rooms.  They put the cards in their pockets and got their meals.
After dinner we started playing games and slowly one by one (as they opened their cards, obviously) they came to me and expressed their sincere appreciation and gratitude for the gift.  Oliver was the first and he came over and gave me a huge hug and almost seemed close to tears (which is so NOT Oliver, the temple engineer…the man in charge).  He just said how grateful he was and how much I have taught him and his people and how amazing this experience has been.  Later when I returned to my room and received my emails, this is what he had sent to me,

“Dear Alicyn,

On behalf of Aba Temple crew I write to express our thanks and appreciation for the love and care your crew showed to us especially you and beloved husband. 

We came, ignorant of knowledge and skill of what we came for; you under looked our ignorance,  brought us close like your blood children, showed us motherly love and care and impacted necessary knowledge and skills we lack!

We pray Heavenly Father continue to enlarge your wisdom, knowledge and skills to continue to make a difference in this profession. Having added an additional ascetics beauty to the Lords house, the Lord will open the windows of heaven and pour you and family blessing even more job opportunities! 

Our wife and children will ever remain grateful for your magnanimity and selflessness.  We promise you that we will replicate all that you taught us in Aba Temple. 

Thank you!  thank you! ! and God bless and keep you. We love and cherish you and team.

Oliver Azuonwu.”

I will cherish these sweet words he wrote forever.  I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be here and work with these amazing people and learn to love them as truly my friends and brothers and sisters.  It’s amazing how so often we look at color and race as something different, but as I spend time with each of them each day, I really look at them as individuals, not as black and white but as each unique person, and I’m actually amazed that I forget the color of their skin until I see a photo of us together, and then I see how “white” I am.  They are such beautiful people!

Alicyn

Gifts

Friday, January 30, 2015

Six of the Nigerian crew began new areas in the Baptistery today as additional “test projects” and they don’t even need me now.  They are confident and each day are getting better with their skills and the way they see things.  And even better, I am no longer nervous about leaving them alone.  Meanwhile, I took two others from the Nigerian crew (Stanley & Joy) to work on the Bride’s room to make sure they are well trained in the waterfall finish so they can oversee their group back home.  It’s so great to see that I can leave the room to answer questions and return and see that all is well.  Alex and Kaby from Ghana were also working in this room with me.  They will be the Ghanaians who will be in charge of mending the temple walls here as needed.

Agnovi, Alicyn and Ennuson

Meanwhile in the Celestial room, they were moving scaffolding off the two completed walls and making a walkway so we could move furniture from the C-Room into the sealing rooms to make a place to set up the scaffold on the two remaining walls.  When I walked down to check the progress, Hanna, Amanda, Vicky and Patti were basically asleep on the couch.  There wasn’t much to do while they waited for the scaffolding set up.  I told them I had the wrong job today, and that they better not let Kim see, since she was up working with Joseph on a small hall off the entry.  I think we are all feeling great that things can be moving forward without us doing all the work.  And, I know we are all exhausted from the past two weeks.

Alex & Alicyn

Each day it seems that one of the workers brings me a gift.  I appreciate them so much, but feel bad since I know they cannot afford it.  Oscar brought us a bag of coconuts from his neighbors tree since he said drinking the coconut water would make our stomachs feel better (Amanda wasn’t feeling so good for a couple of days).  We all tried it and believe he is right.  Then Agnovi brought us a bag of plantains and some other strange things that he grows in his garden.  Thankfully Rose knew how to prepare them.  Agnovi also gave me a small painting that he did years ago.  While working with him I found out that he loves to paint so I had asked him if he could paint me something.  He said he didn’t have brushes or paints right now (he is actually from Togo, now living in Ghana), but the very next day brought me something he found that he painted years ago (the date on it is 1979).  I am most grateful.  Suzie made Camron and I bracelets, Kaby gave me a weaving scarf and Oscar brought us some Ghana chocolate.  These are very gracious and giving and loving people.

Alicyn

Ghana Quotes

January 29, 2015

Every day I think about all the cute ways the people talk here, or the phrases they use and then when I try to remember in the evening, I cannot…I think by then my brain is exhausted. So, this morning I wrote down a few during conversations I had the past couple days.  Following are exact quotes:

Agnovi, “My best moments are when I am painting.”

Susie, “Painting helps you to be more humble, more careful and more loving.”

Rose, “I’m through with you.”  Spoken to Mark, who wasn’t sure what he’d done to her…which in translation means, the food is ready and you can eat now.

Rose, “I made you potato salad tonight.”  Which in translation means cooked potatoes cut up in cubes.

Ennuson, looking up at the next higher level of scaffolding, “Are you there?”  I think he was trying to get the attention of someone on the next level. (Maybe you had to be there?)

“Who will give a contribution?”  Almost everyone at church when they want a comment in a class.

“I’ve heard enough from you,” spoken by the Sunday School teacher when one brother had given many “contributions”.  Pretty sure that wouldn’t go over well at home.

Alex, “We are doing awesome work in an awesome way!”  He loves the new American word he learned these past couple weeks (awesome…so he uses it whenever possible).

Suzy was telling me that she often tells her children, “If you train yourself in a hard way, wherever you go, you are free.”  Just grand advice!

I’m pretty sure they don’t really understand the word, “stop” since no one stops when I ask them to.  Alex told me I just need to whack them aside the head and then they will listen.  Yeah…I’m thinking that will go over big in the temple…

The morning started off with a lot of tears during the devotional.  The first two days, members of our crew did the thought and the prayer and since then I’ve asked for volunteers (probably should have asked for contributors) and it’s been amazing.  Oscar contributed today.  He had us start by singing “I Am a Child of God” which pretty much sent me and Vicky over the edge with tears.  He asked Susie to conduct and at the end said, “Thank you sister for good conducting,” with the most genuine sense of gratitude I’ve ever seen.  Then he launched into his devotional. 

Oscar said, “We are all doing good work with our black and white combination.”  He then shows a print out of a keyboard and says, “A keyboard gives a good combination with the black and white keys to make a sound tune.”  His whole message could have been that song “…ebony and ivory, living together in perfect harmony…” He talked about how we are all God’s children, working together to build the kingdom and doing good things together.  It’s such a simple message of Christ like love that we should all think more about.  Amanda videoed the whole message and I really need to get a copy since no one can appreciate it without hearing his accent and his words that are beyond beautiful.

Oscar has the biggest heart of any of the workers.  He has very crooked teeth (because of an accident where he was hit in the face…and is saving to get them fixed), is tall and always wears these major flood Sunday pants (probably cause he can’t find any longer or because all his money goes to his six children), travels two hours each way to come each day, is a super hard worker, has a gigantic appetite and I’ve grown to love him dearly.  One of the first days working, he was so happy and announced that he is “working for Jesus!”  I don’t think you can top that!

Kaby has helped us for two days now with the modellos.  He rocks!  He is very quiet, a man of few words, but a quick learner and very interested in learning all he can.  When I asked Alex who else I should teach to do the mends for the temple walls, he replied, “Kaby because you can rely on him.”  That indeed is a good trait.

Vicky & Oliver

Last night I asked the men if I could take a picture of them with their plate of food.  I’m not sure if it shows in the pictures or not, but they eat a crazy of amount of food each meal.  Each day at lunch we will see another body, who we don’t recognize and isn’t working with us eating with us and I’m happy as ever that we can feed them.  So many people here are hungry because of the lack of work, money, etc.  So I believe if for nothing else, they have enjoyed the work as well as the food each day.

After two long days, we have now completed the modello border designs in the sealing rooms and two of the four large, high walls in the Celestial Room.  All the workers are fascinated with the modello designs and the method we use to install them.  They really finish off the sealing rooms nicely.  So beautiful! The temple president, Brother Afful wanted to know if he could get those designs in his office too. 

I’m still in awe at how fast the work is going, but also grateful that this was not the original two week shut-down (I convinced them we needed three weeks) or I would be in panic mode about now.  I haven’t run out of work to do yet, and lots of additional training for mending the walls and organizing all the tools and product that are all over the temple at this point.  I’m continuing to push forward as the workers continue to ask “Miss Alicyn…” questions all day long. 

Alicyn

Passing the Test . . .

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 – Accra, Ghana

Some favorable moments:

Yesterday at lunch time Rose, our cook, brought some of the jewelry she makes since Kim wanted to see it.  As the girls were up by our rooms looking through the jewelry and trying things on, Joy (we thought it was Jys in the beginning…their accents have taken awhile to figure out) walked by and wanted to try on one of Rose’s necklace.  I could tell she liked it a lot so I asked how much it cost.  “25 Cedi,” Rose said, which equates to $7.60.  Joy then went in her room wearing the necklace to look in the mirror and I went in my room to get 25 cedi so I could buy it for Joy, since I figured she didn’t have the money to buy it for herself.  As I knocked on her door and asked if she would like the necklace, she said it was very pretty but she could not spend so much money on a necklace.  I had the 25 cedi in my hand and asked, if she would let me buy it for her and she again emphasized that she could not spend the money on that.  I asked if there was something else she would rather spend the money on and she nodded yes.  So I handed her the 25 cedi and told her it was hers and I got the biggest hug ever and she knelt down on one knee like she was praising the Lord...saying thank you, thank you, thank you over and over again.  Seven dollars and sixty cents.  Makes me realize that we are so blessed, or so spoiled?

Also yesterday morning when we were working on the scaffolding in the front entry where the walls are so high, I was three levels up with Stanley, Emanuel and Agnovi and since I was closer to the middle, I was right in front of the air conditioning vent which was blowing lots of cold air out.  Stanley told me I was working in my favorite place…the cold one.  We’ve had so many days of extreme hot and sweat that the cool air felt great.  The rest of them don’t like the cold air.  In fact, later in the day while working in the large sealing room, Joy came to me and said she had to leave.  She was physically shaking since she was so cold.  She just kept saying, “It’s too cold.”  Now her version of “too cold” is so different from mine, since I thought the room was just perfect (actually air conditioned for a change) and my dear friends were freezing, even to the point of hypothermia (at least if you looked at Joy).  It’s interesting to me that you really do acclimate to the climate you live in.
Today the Nigerians passed their first test with the first finish.  I made them do the Counselor’s office all by themselves with the first layer without me or Oliver (the Nigerian Temple Engineer).  I think Oliver was a little shocked when I told him he would not be participating in the “test” since we didn’t want to add stress to him since he’s in charge of so many things during a shut down.  I think it was a little hard for him, but I also think he knew it would be better and even though it was hard for him to let go…everything went better than expected.  They had to find their own tools, their own product and at the end, clean up their own mess.  It was all good.  I asked a few questions in the beginning to make sure they knew what they were doing and then left them alone and told them they had to pretend they are back in Nigeria and there is no one to ask except each other.

I told them not to come and get me until they had completed the first layer and completed the “touch-up” or fixing of the first layer.  2 ½ hours later, I was very impressed.  One week ago, I have to admit, I was quite nervous about them knowing enough.  Sunday and Michael volunteered to be in charge (the two I would have chosen) and they all did fabulous as a team.  I believe they have the skills for the first finish to do what is necessary in Aba.  When Michael said to me, “You tell us it is excellent, but if you rate us between 0 – 100 what would you give us?” I replied 85% and the entire group erupted in a grand cheer with giant smiles believing it was perfect.  I couldn’t have asked for more.  They are going to do just fine when they need to do this in their own temple in March.  When I asked Michael if this was a good test, he said proudly, “Yes, now I have confidence!”  That’s what it is all about…believing that you can!  That really is my secret in life, given to me by my father who always taught me that I could do anything in life if I wasn’t afraid to fail.  It’s true…success comes by perseverance and confidence and a lot of bumps in the road!

I wish I could post pictures of the interior walls we are doing, but as you all know, this is not possible.  They are so beautiful.  The very high walls in the entry area are complete and the scaffold is now down and out of there so we can really see them. (Mom, it’s time to stop worrying!)  All of the workers are very pleased with their work, as they should be.  It is amazing what we have accomplished in just seven work days here.  We have seen miracles and continue to do so.  Both sealing rooms are finished with the wall finish now and we are ready for the designs (a three foot border with the leaf motif that is in the decorative paint on the ceiling and carved into the chairs). The scaffold continues going up in the Celestial Room as we move through the temple.  Electricians are replacing the wall sconces in the halls that we completed last week and the building is slowly getting cleaned up.  We are excited to finish our assignment and hopefully have time to help clean and put everything back together again so we can see the finished spaces.  So often we miss out on seeing the finished project since the areas still look like a construction zone when we leave.  This project, we plan to see it through to the clean, finished, organized building that it deserves.
The cute missionary couple, the Park’s from Centerville, Utah, who live a few doors down from our room brought us American spaghetti left over from last night and invited us over for homemade bread.  American food…a great heaven send!

Alicyn

Games and Challenges

Tonight we pulled out the American games.  Those who stayed looked like little children so excited to learn.  It was so fun watching them understand and learn.  I think Quirkle may have to go to Nigeria with the team.

Challenges…In Africa the men and women have different “work” shall we say.  Some of the men have been leaving their brushes and tools for the “women” to clean up since it’s “not man’s work” and they are hungry. That all changed today…I gave several stern lectures to individuals that when they work for me, they clean up their own tools.  The women will no longer be doing “their” work!  I’m hoping it sunk in enough today.

Challenges…since the temple is closed and they are doing remodel work everywhere, we lost our kitchen sink on Saturday while they are replacing the counter tops.  The girls said, “This is kind of like camping…find a sink in a bathroom or laundry room to do dishes in (dishes…another challenge with the men and their image of “man’s work”…that also is changing…God didn’t make me a fighter for nothing.)  Besides, I’m the “boss lady” as some call me.  

Many of the men are more than happy to do the clean-up work.  They are just so humble and grateful to be working in the temple.  All of the workers from Ghana are doing it as volunteers and as we talk with them, they reason they have time to volunteer, is they have no work right now.  I can’t imagine having a CPA, or an Engineering Degree or other qualified skills and having no work.  These are the qualifications of Agnovi’s two sons.  This is a crazy place and makes me grateful for the USA even with our own problems.

HUGE 38 foot entry walls are coming along and should be finished tomorrow by lunch time!  That will feel so great!  They started moving the scaffold into the Celestial Room.  It’s only day 6 and we are cruising with so many hands.  Tomorrow I’m going to start to test the Nigerian crew by giving them their own room to do without any of us in there.  Once they get the first layer done and “fixed”, I will inspect before they move on.  They have to do it without us in March, so we better start making them do it NOW.

Many of my crew are not feeling great…change of food is sometimes hard on the system.  Nothing bad… they are
just not as excited at trying Rose’s cooking as they were at first.  GSE is a traveler,s friend.  Don’t worry, we shipped plenty of things more American…granola, almond milk, stuffing mix and packaged chicken, soup mixes, etc. and there is always plenty of fruit.  We did pass on the Fufu at lunchtime, however.

The project continues to march forward…

Alicyn

"It" is Never Done

January 25, 2015

The spirit in church today was so great!  The people here are so wise and loving and committed to the gospel it seems.  The Stake Center here is just across the parking lot from where we are staying in patron housing so we walked a short distance to attend church this morning.  The building overall is not air conditioned.  Listening to the speakers in sacrament meeting was a bit of a challenge since all the windows were open and fans were going to circulate the air, but also the noise of the traffic and the street comes in through the open windows. Although the natives did not seem too hot, we Americans were sweating and hot fairly quickly.  They are very soft spoken so even though there is a microphone, it is difficult to hear.

Alicyn and her Nigerian Crew

Following are my thoughts and notes from attending church today.
The opening prayer was such a sermon in and of itself.  The brother asked God to “cleanse the evil from our thoughts”.  He prayed for the sick and needy with such fervency and also the country of Ghana to be at peace.  I really felt his heartfelt desire going out in the prayer and I thought a lot of whether or not I’m asking for forgiveness in the right way as he did for all of us in the beginning.
The youth speaker, wearing a full suit and tie in the heat talked about the Book of Mormon.  We are led by the spirit (in life) not knowing beforehand what we should do.  I’ve read this scripture in Nephi so many times but today it gave new meaning as I applied it to what I am doing here in Ghana in the temple with so many.  We should “go and do” and as we go forward in faith and pray for spiritual gifts, we will see them present in promptings, impressions, and the presence of angels.  As we pray, answers will come in many ways. Trust in the Lord and he will direct thy path for good.  I’ve witnessed this over and over again.

A brother spoke about strengthening marriage and relationships by emulating the Savior’s life in our words and actions and then the man from the high council spoke.  He said that Heavenly Father did not leave us helpless without direction in our lives.  We have all the tools we need, even the spirit of Christ.  He encouraged us to read the talk from the October conference of “Ponder the Path of thy Feet” from a spiritual level.  He talked about during the open house of the temple here in Ghana, villagers (non-members of the church) came from far away to visit this spiritual place and as they came out of the temple they knelt down, reached their arms toward heaven and said, “It is done!”

American's and Nigerians

He told us how “it” is never done.  Life is a journey and a learning process with progress, mistakes, repentance and more.  We don’t just do one event and we have “made it” but it is a life full of enduring to the end to get us back to heaven.  God is the only one who can tell us when it is done and say to us, “Well done thy good and faithful servant…enter into my presence.”  Then it will “be done” for a season, per se.  Christ faced all the same challenges in His life that we face so he can succor and comfort us and lift us.

The young man who taught Sunday school was an excellent teacher.  He taught without a note, walked the aisles to have eye contact with all members of the class and asked us to all “contribute” as they say.  I thought how “contribute” is such a better word than asking for comments or stories.  When we contribute to something we are making it better or building the kingdom.  I love the use of that word here in this country.

Relief Society was held downstairs in the high council room which was air conditioned.  Yeah! When Camron found that out afterwards, he said he should have come to Relief Society.  There was such a sweet spirit in that room.  These are wonderful women who love and strengthen one another.  All singing was done without accompaniment, yet it was just right.  It appears that the young women and young men just attend priesthood and relief society with the adults since there are so few of them. Hopefully in the future, they will have enough youth to form a YM/YW’s group.

Alicyn

Playing Leap Frog and Chicken

January 24, 2015

Today we hired a company to take us to Cape Coast for the National Park where we could go on the canopy walk in the tops of the trees and have a tour of the Portugese/English Castle where they traded merchandise and slaves from 1400 – 1833 until the English government abolished slavery (actually they abolished it about 25 years earlier, but it kept going on until 1833).

We were told it would take about 2 hours to get there but we left at 7am and didn’t arrive at the National Park until after 10am.  It was fascinating to drive out of the city and see all the living conditions, the thousands of people, the wares being sold and the people with the baskets on their heads.  Want a new couch?  Just drive to a little shack on a busy road and you have your choice of four sitting in the dirt.  Window, or doors, or my favorite, coffins - all in small structures along the highway.  Most were four open walls with a tin roof.  Mark said as we drove, “What happens when it rains?”  I’m guessing the couch just get a little wet and then dries out again.  In that instance, it might be better to be in the window business here.

One of the funniest sites we saw, however is the car wash in the dirt.  And when I say dirt, imagine Lake Powell red sand, or Georgia red clay dusty and blowing and covering everything in sight.  Even the large palm tree leaves were caked with red dirt.  Now put a car wash in the middle of this, with no cement or asphalt…what’s the point?  And yes, we actually saw a few cars being washed as we passed.  At least the car wash would never run out of customers with dirty cars.
As we drove along the bumpy road to the National Park, the pot holes were everywhere.  So to avoid them, our driver weaved around them.  It didn’t seem to matter to him what side of the road he was one, whether or not he was two inches from the next car or the person walking along the side of the road, because at least he went around the pot hole.  At times Patti and I just held our breath as we were inches from what seemed like a collision of car or person.  The road was very old asphalt and covered by so many holes and dirt that it seemed as if we were four wheeling in southern Utah.  It almost looked like someone had poured the asphalt from above like hot lava and it dried quickly so all the edges were very uneven like a long strip like jagged pool (full of holes and such).  I was never sure if we were on dirt or asphalt the last several miles or so.  At one point someone said, “I think we are on the wrong side of the road, “ and Hanna replied, “I don’t think they have a side of the road.”  That about sums it up.

The National Park Canopy Walk was amazing!  You walk along these bridges (one 12” plank wide) held by ropes with nets on each side among the tree tops.  They definitely bounce and sway because of the others on the bridge at the same time but you are above most of the trees of the jungle with a few overhead.  It was so cool!  We took lots of pictures.  At one point I turned to look back at Amanda (we were going in single file) and her face was as white as a ghost and it looked like panic was setting in.  Kim and Marci were doing OK just because our guide was right in front of them talking and telling them to not look down.  All I could think of was how much Danika would LOVE this experience!

 After the hike and canopy adventure we headed over to the Coast for lunch and the castle tour which is fascinating to see but more like visiting a holocaust museum.  Seeing the living conditions of the slaves was appalling.  I’ve never understood why people don’t see all people as the same.  What is wrong with us?  We are all Children of God and have basic human rights and should never be sold or imprisoned or abused in a manner like this.  I am grateful that I know that God is not a respecter of persons and we should treat everyone in a kind and Christ-like manner.  The coast was pretty, but I preferred the jungle.


Driving back Camron wanted to video the "Leap Frog and Chicken" game we played driving down (or rather our driver played forcing  us to join in).  Since the roads are very crowded and a single lane, every vehicle wants to pass the other, and it does not seem to matter if a car is coming toward you or not, they still pass.  He got some great footage.  J So image going 100 – 140 km/h, weaving in and out of cars with the cars, buses, vans coming straight at you head on within very tight spaces and even around curves.  For most it would have been better to keep your eyes closed as we would just slip back into our lane as the other car coming straight at us a moment before whizzed by.  Strangely I was not worried but completely calm.  I kept praying for safety as the driving situation was not in our control.  As we got closer to Accra coming back the traffic looked worse than LA in rush hour and soon our driver and several others were using the shoulder of the road as another lane, not worrying about the people walking up and down and in between the cars.  Driving has never been so exciting!  At least the three hour return was adventurous!

Alicyn