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