Christmas in Ghana

Alema Court missionaries wishing everyone a Merry Christmas

Sister Stoker made this Christmas Greeting for her family and shared the photo with us.  From left to right: Smiths, Taylors, Elmers, Walls and the Stokers.  We are missing the Bullocks who were unable to be there.  Elder and Sister Stoker live in the neighboring stake, Mount Olympus Stake, back home in Utah.  Sister Taylor and Sister Stoker are wearing clothes made from the beautiful African fabric they have here.  Most of the sisters get several items made for them while they are here.

Elder & Sister Taylor and Elder and sister Wall

We took these pictures just before leaving for an evening of singing Christmas Carols at the Area President's home on Sunday December 22nd.

Singing together is such fun!

President and Sister Curtis are sitting between the Stokers and Robert, who is at the keyboard.  Their grandchildren are on the couch.  We had some great singers there, even their youngest grandson, on the sofa, was quite a singer.  I will say they were all impressed with Elder Smith's piano skills.  We sang a lot of songs; many from the hymn book, some from our own song sheets and then several from the Children's Songbook.  We thoroughly enjoyed this.

Brother and Sister Kradolfer and Elder and Sister Elmer

Plilippe Kradolfer (his wife is wearing the red top) is the DTA (Director of Temporal Affairs) for the Africa West Area.  It was fun to be in a home with decorations and President and Sister Curtis were gracious hosts, very warm and welcoming.  We work with some very capable and fine people.

Sisters Smith and Stoker with Rebecca

Christmas Eve we were at the office until about 2 p.m.  We took this picture with Rebecca, a church employee, on our way out.  Many wore red today.

The Packs, the Walls and the Slaters

Christmas Eve all the missionaries ate dinner at the Hotel Alisa.  We had a delicious meal from their lovely buffet.  Elder and Sister Pack are PEF/Self Reliance missionaries.  Brother Slater is a Church employee in the legal department.  They are about half way through their four-year assignment.

Delicious food and fun visiting was enjoyed by all.

One of Robert's favorite dishes was the ground nut soup--peanut soup.  It was yummy.  I liked a potato and apple salad that had some sweet pickle in it.  I just liked the salad bar period!  This is not the way we usually spend Christmas but when you can't be with family, this is not a bad option.

Midnight Mass

About six couples went to the Midnight Mass at the Catholic Church after the dinner.  We arrived about 10 p.m. and enjoyed a little Christmas re-enactment of the nativity before the mass started.  The Archbishop kindly welcomed his Mormon friends.  We have not been to a midnight mass for a long time so it was interesting to see the procession, incense and pageantry.  We are not used to late nights now so we fell into bed when we got home.

Ghana Missionary Training Center

Ghana has its own MTC.  All the missionary couples went there Christmas morning for brunch (we all brought the food), games and singing.   President and Sister Graham will be returning home soon.  All the missionaries in Africa come here if they are going to French speaking countries.  There were only five missionaries there at the time.  Each of the missionary couples contributed an item or two

for a gift bag for each of them.  They were surprised and happy. 

Sisters Taylor, Fitzgerald, Cannon and Pack

People gathered for visiting and photos before the brunch.  The senior missionary couples become good friends while they are serving here.  Everyone is sad when someone leaves and happily welcomes the new missionaries.

This is Robert with Elder Call,  President Afful (Ghana Temple President) and Elder Assard a temple missionary.  The Assards are one of the couples who originally took the gospel to Cote d'Ivoire in the 1980's.  He met and married his wife in Germany when he attended school there.  They later returned to Cote d'Ivoire to help build up the church in that area.

Here Elder Cannon is visiting with Sister Assard and Sister Afful.  The dresses they are wearing are typical dresses worn here in Ghana.

Robert's music added to the Christmas spirit as we prepared to eat.  This is the first (only) real piano we have seen since coming to Africa.  Most of the buildings have electronic keyboards.  He also played for some group singing later.

Sister Bullock and Sister Elmer

We enjoyed breakfast casseroles, delicious fruit and a variety of yummy breads.  It was all delicious and there was plenty of food.  After eating, we went into another room for singing Christmas carols, several fun games directed by Sister Peterson, a white elephant exchange and a musical number.

The men were asked to draw a Christmas scene, per Sister Petersen's directions, on top of their head where they were unable to see.  Robert happened to win this game with his superb drawing of a fireplace with wreath, rug and a tree with decorations, gifts and a star.  The trick was, they had to go back and forth between the fireplace and the tree for each item.

Lots of presents for everyone!

The white elephant gift game is always fun and good for lots of laughs.  The Walls probably had to choose more gifts than anyone since theirs kept getting taken by others.

So a Merry Christmas was enjoyed by all.  We returned home, baked cookies, delivered gifts to our neighbors and enjoyed a DVD on the first Christmas.  We especially enjoyed reading emails from our children and getting some face time in with them.  It was wonderful to see and visit with loved ones.  We feel especially grateful for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and  and the great gift He has given to all mankind.  We are truly blessed!  

Gone To Ghana

Here we are in Ghana!  We have been here a little more than two weeks and the time has flown.  This post will be about our new "home".   We hope to give you an idea of where and how we live in Ghana.  We brought as much as we could from home, a hundred pounds each, plus a carry-on.

Robert checking us and our luggage in.

We did manage to get all of our stuff into Cheryln's car.  We appreciated Cheryln driving us to the airport.  We actually  bought a few new pieces of luggage but you can't tell by how well they match.  We're obviously not going for appearances here!  It was nice that our flight was not early morning, we were doing well to be ready by 8:30 or 9:00.

We live in the Alema Court Complex

Six senior missionary couples live in the Alema Court apartments.  The temporary office for the new Ghana Accra West Mission is also here.  These couples welcomed us with a pot luck dinner the day we arrived.   The Executive Secretary and his wife, Brother and Sister Fitzgerald, picked us up from the airport and drove us here.  We left our bags and went straight to the area office.

Area Office

This is the Africa West Area Office.  Unless we are traveling to do training, we will be here Monday through Friday.   An office mission a a bit like a job.   The office is just one building of several in this complex.  There is a church, housing for some missionary couples & the temple patrons, housing for the area presidency and the temple.  The temple was built in 2004.

Ghana Accra Temple

The senior missionary couples do sealings each Friday evening with one of the Area Presidency officiating.  Some Fridays we also do a session.  It is a beautiful temple inside and out.

Our office

We have a nice office.  It took us a full week to get the computers up and running and the first week was a little frustrating.  No one to train us and nothing working right.  The second week was better.  We are learning that the senior couples just kind of have to figure it out on their own a bit.  We are better off than most with Bill Barrett next door to us who did our job while waiting for us to arrive.

Jim and Paula Elmer

The Elmers, the area medical couple, took us under their wing the first few days.   He drove our car with Robert and I rode with Sister Elmer in their car on the drive home from the office.  They live right next to us. That is our door on the left and they live on the right.  They also took us shopping the next day so we could buy food and learn where the stores were.  We really appreciated their help.

Where we went to church the first Sunday

We also went to church with Elder and Sister Elmer on Sunday.  This is a building the Church rents for this ward.  We had a difficult time understanding the English.  People say it will get easier.  Luckily, Brother Elmer spoke in church so we understood something.

With the map in the living room

The Stokers gave us a map of Accra.  Robert spent the better part of an evening studying it and is pretty good at getting us where we need to go now.  I don't think I will drive here.  I'll save the traffic for another post.

Our living/dining room

This is the view of the other end of our living room and yes, that is a clothes dryer in the corner.  The important thing is the air conditioner at the top over the window.

Bedroom

Our bedroom is mostly bed.  This bed is definitely wider than a king and shorter than a king.  We have considered sleeping sideways but mostly Robert sleeps kitty-corner.  This is necessary because there is a footboard under that spread so no hanging toes over the mattress. The mattress is wedged in tight between the footboard and headboard.  Making the bed is hard on the hands.   It is undoubtedly the firmest bed we have ever slept on but so far we are sleeping fine.  Many couples have bought mattress toppers to give them more cush.

Bedroom Closet

We have about one good step between bed and closet, bed and dressers and the bed and window.  Joan uses the second bedroom closet to avoid having to take turns using the closet.  We may even move her dresser in there but right now there is a spare mattress leaning against the wall.

One of two bathrooms

We have two bathrooms, pretty much identical.  Since the sink and counter space is small,  we each use a separate bathroom.

No outlet in the bathroom for hair dryers or curling irons.  This is what Robert fixed up so Joan can do her hair.  Two plug adapters needed even though the appliances were purchased here in Accra.  Notice the water bottle?  You can't brush your teeth with the sink water.



The kitchen is pretty roomy and convenient.  We did need to replace the microwave that didn't work and we bought a blender.  We hope to make green smoothies--if we can find greens that are safe to eat.  We haven't eaten lettuce yet.

Our stove has a lid you can close

I also have a pantry in the corner to the right of the stove.  All in all, not bad storage for food and dishes.  We have a long open counter between the stove and the sink that is great work space.   We have some open shelves for "stuff" and a handy rotary kitchen utensil holder.  One problem, the pantry is behind the door to the kitchen and if the kitchen door is not open, I suffocate!

Like magic, a clean stove!

Fridge and kitchen sink

Cooking is a challenge.  Getting used to new and different products.  Finding all the ingredients for a recipe can be difficult so you get creative.  We eat a lot of cabbage and the fruit is outstanding.  The washing machine for our laundry is under the counter on the right.

Dinner at the Elmers

Last Sunday we had dinner at the Elmers.  On the left are Elder and Sister Miles who were visiting from Liberia.  They are humanitarian missionaries there and had some amazing stories and pictures of their efforts building wells, latrines, water towers etc.  He had a great sense of humor.  They are from Hooper, Utah.  Next are the Stokers who are Public Relations Specialists and the Bullocks who are humanitarian missionaries here in Ghana

Dinner at the Elmers

In this picture, next to Robert on the left, are the Taylors.  They are both lawyers and work in the legal department  for the West Africa Mission.  They will be leaving in January and we are all sad about that.  The Walls are next to the Taylors.  They are the office couple for the Ghana Accra West Mission.   Elder and Sister Elmer are on the right.  We really enjoy the other missionary couples.

Christmas Caroling by the PEF Group

We really appreciated the PEF group who came over from their office at the Church at the Temple complex to carol to the employees at the office building.  Elder and Sister Cannon, on the right, are the Perpetual Education Fund missionary couple.  This was the beginning of feeling a bit Christmasy. 

MTC Week

Preparing for a mission is crazier than I thought but at some point the time runs out and you go--ready or not!  Sunday December 1st, President Buie came to set us apart.  Our daughters, Cheryln and Miriam and their families came to be with us for this occasion.  Todd was working, Chad and family were at Disneyland and Sandi lives in California so they were unable to be with us.  We visited with President Buie and took some time to talk to the grands about the meaning of being "set apart", then he put his hands on our heads and  pronounced beautiful blessings for each of us.  We are grateful for these promised blessings, sure that we will need our Heavenly Father's help.  It is humbling to be set apart as an ambassador for our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Elder and Sister Smith with President Buie

After the blessings, we enjoyed a family meal together.  Joan made a German dinner for this occasion.  We all love rouladen and rotkohl!  It was also a celebration for Mike and Cheryln's birthdays coming up on December 3rd and 4th.  

  Cheryln, Robert, Joan, Mike, Miriam, Dave

Collin, Luke, Kira, Daniel, Isaac, Matthew, Leah, Rachel

WE LOVE OUR FAMILY!

Joan, Cheryln, Miriam, Robert

Leah, Isaac, Luke and Daniel at the bar for dinner.  They are great friends.

The rest of the family at the table.  Yum!

Monday, it was off to the MTC.  I must confess, we started out the week a little bit short of sleep.  We drove our car to Provo with just two small suitcases.  We were glad we didn't have to take ALL our luggage to the MTC.   The cold snowy weather really hit after we got to the MTC.  We were glad to have our warm Utah clothing, not the light Africa-weather clothing.  We loved our MTC experience.  Our group was by far the largest senior missionary group ever.  We had 154 missionaries going to a wide variety of places throughout the world.  Because of this large group, we stayed at the Marriott Hotel in Provo and drove to the MTC each day.  

We had to do the map picture.  

Our "District" with our teacher Elder Pike.  Some districts were twice as large, as 

classroom size allowed.  Robert was appointed DL for District 1.

The Sadlers, Hardys, Wrights and Smiths

Elder and Sister Schultz.  Their son, Mike and his family live in our ward.  Ann, his wife and their children have become dear to us as we have worked together in the Primary.  We will miss their boys, Henry and Calvin, who Joan had in the nursery each Sunday--such cute boys!

They had several trees at the MTC and we sang carols at the meetings but it was not the normal Christmas. They have missionary name tags on this tree!  We enjoyed a devotional with Elder Bruce C. Hafen on Tuesday evening.  It was a treat to hear Mike Ohman play the organ for this.

Mostly we studied "Preach My Gospel" and found it very interesting and uplifting.  We learned we are teaching people, not messages, and that the most important thing is to love the people and strive to have the Spirit with you.

We think this is the correct map of our mission area--the brown part.

Since our MTC day ended at 4:30, we joined our family at the BYU Museum of Art on Wednesday evening for a tour of the "Sacred Gifts" exhibit of the religious art of Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann and Frans Schwartz.  Such beautiful paintings, we all enjoyed it very much.  After the museum, we enjoyed dinner at the Bombay House.  Joan's sister and brother-in-law, Jeannette and Clyde Barson, joined us for both.  Todd was also in town for this.  Great evening.

At the Bombay House for delicious food and lots of laughs.

Leah, Isaac and Daniel enjoy their mango lassis

We are not the only missionaries in our family to have a 

meal at the Bombay House before their mission.  Nice tradition.

Our week ended on Friday and we drove back to Salt Lake for our final preparations before flying out on Monday.  We had errands to run, hair needed cutting, scrapped the live nativity we had hoped to attend, and tried to complete our lengthy to-do lists.  We did take time to join in the surprise birthday dinner Mike planned for Cheryln at La Caille Restaurant.  Mike and Cher both turned 40 this week.  They both went all out to make their birthdays special for each other.  Mike arranged for her good friend Brooke to fly in on Thursday and for a brunch with girlfriends on Saturday, so Cher was not expecting anything else!  What a surprise to have all her family waiting in a lovely private room at La Caille.  We all had a wonderful, wonderful evening.  Thanks Mike.

     Cheryln was very surprised!

Chad & Wendy, Mike & Cheryln, Robert & Joan, Miriam & Dave, Todd

Brooke and her husband Chuck have been friends since the first months of their

marriage when they lived across the hall from each other at BYU.

Todd, Chad and Wendy

                                       

                                                 Dave and Miriam 

Hard to say good-by but it is time to go.