Kakum National Park

Dear Family,

Good good good, questions first. That way I see them! ;)

My health is good! I didn't do the follow-up visit to the hospital on Wednesday. Everything is good! My eyes might be nice to have checked out when I get home, too. Really, I have no idea what's gone wrong (I forgot how to spell awry... wait, is it awry? ah-righ? dangit english...) with my body since I've been out here. 

[Missionaries are returning to Liberia in September. He shared some of his feelings about it. It's difficult for him to be in the mission field, watching others (currently serving in Ghana) learning they will go to Liberia, yet not being a part of it because he's returning home so soon. Here's a small excerpt:]  "I do love Ghana, and I'm happy for the country of Liberia to be receiving new missionaries... The work of God continues!... it's creating some crazy feelings inside of me."

Now that the sensitive stuff is mostly through, I'll talk about my week!

Tuesday: The zone meeting! We had that up in Dunkwa, and we made it through our report. After the meeting we had a zone meal at a nearby chop bar, and then we got in a trotro and went back to Praso. Okay, well, it wasn't as simple as that for the trip back to Praso. We had a crazy driver. I had the front seat (left alone, not being able to sit with my fellow missionaries in the back... It was lonely), which was surprisingly comfortable. Unfortunately, however, the fear of death was a bit higher in that seat, causing me to actually use a seat belt. Luckily he went slow for all the dirt road parts, which is most of the ride. :) That night we had an exchange with the Hemang elders, Elder Hannemann coming with me in Praso.

Wednesday: We had our exchange! We taught a few lessons, and it was really interesting to be on an exchange with someone from so close to home! Elder Hannemann is from Alpine, Utah. He went to Lone Peak, graduating a year after me. I also found out later that he's part Samoan, about as much as I am Hawaiian (1/8th). But I have the Asian stuff to add to my ethnicity. ;) It was a really fun exchange. We got a new investigator, Gina! She's come to church twice, and though she doesn't speak English, she's very interested and wanting to join. We ended the evening with a wonderful meal from the Relief Society president of Hemang branch. YUMMY! :) So much food.

Thursday: Weekly planning! All my notes are seriously just notes from the meeting we had with President Quanson, the branch president, in the evening. We seriously discussed the state of the branch, and it was a really good meeting. It made me happy. We also taught a lesson on Thursday to Mer., who is still doing well, even though we can only see her about once a week.

Friday: We really tried to teach a lot of people, and we ended up teaching a couple lessons. We also went to a mission homecoming activity that we were asked to attend for the return missionary that you read about on President's blog! [an Elder that just returned from serving in Nigeria]. That was fun! We bore our testimonies and participated, and it was a good meeting/activity!

Random notes that I wrote on this day: I want to leave a lot of physical things here for the sake of weight. [edited out questions about bringing home slacks and shoes and such...]

Saturday: We worked! Didn't have too much success, but we tried. We attended the baptism for Hemang, and that was great. We also visited President Quanson's house again for a planning meeting of the things we're going to be doing with the branch. So it was a productive day. Sister Quanson can cook. MMMmmmmMMmmm. Such good food.

Sunday: Unfortunately, no investigators at church. We visited some investigators after church, ate our fufu, and visited some members before going home. Yep!

Monday: We went to Kakum National Park! It was really cool. It was worth it. :) No animals, unfortunately, but we went on the canopy walkway, which was all rope bridges over the trees. It was great! I got some good photos. :) At Kakum we ran into Elmina zone, which included Elder Wight, Elder Bayoh, and Elder Kaiser. [Elder Wight and Elder Bayoh are two of the five that are being sent to Liberia from Cape Coast next month and Elder Kaiser served in Liberia with Elder Price]. It was a good chat with Elder Kaiser, and I was happy to talk with Elder Wight. [He had served with Elder Wight in Sekondi, so this was probably a good chance to share Liberia-bound missionary advice.]

Photos from Kakum National Park

The day's been pretty crazy with failed attempts at getting home (the trotro broke down), failed attempts to pull subsistence (our apartment wasn't able to get it until later in the day, and that was a miracle), and what we thought would be a day without emailing (until the Hanlon's came back with enough time for us to come over)! Also having the facts verified about the assignments to Liberia was a pretty big thing in my mind. Things will be okay, though. God's will be done.

Time's getting shorter. I just gotta keep pushing. Have a wonderful week! I love you all. :)

Love,

Elder Price