Zone Conference and Nigerian Headpieces

President LeGrand Curtis

On January 8th we had Zone Conference.  Our missionary zone included all the senior missionaries.  Our Area President, LeGrand Curtis of the Seventy, gave a great talk on the mission work in Africa.  The Africa West Area (AWA) is the fastest growing area in the Church.  Almost 20,000 baptisms in 2013 (as it turns out, it was only seven short of 20,000).  This is a blessing and a challenge.  Finding new chapels and training new leaders fast enough is not easy.  The average missionary companionship will baptize 24 people per year.  That is quite a contrast to his 2 baptisms per mission (2 years) in Italy when he was a missionary.  Retention is high and 41% attend sacrament meeting.  In 2013 they created 71 new wards and branches.  He said he is excited and scared.  It feels like driving a bus at a very fast speed!  There are thirteen missions in AWA and two temples.  We feel fortunate to be a part of the exciting work that is going on here!

Singing the opening hymn at Zone Conference

 We also got to hear from our Self-Reliance missionaries.  Elder and Sister Cannon (sitting at the table on the right), and Elder and Sister Pack (sitting next to them) do a great job running the two self-reliance centers in Accra.  They, along with some great young volunteers, teach classes on self employment, career, planning for success, computers, Pathways program (preparing students so they can take on-line classes through BYU Idaho) and the Perpetual Education Fund where loans are made to qualified students so they can go to school.  One thing they do is help the participants see the talents and skills that they have.  A frequent comment from people they work with is "I never knew what I could do!"  The Church is an amazing organization with many inspired programs.  It was wonderful to hear about these programs and what they do to help people improve their situations so they can provide for their families.

Lunch--delish!

After being fed spiritually, they fed us a yummy lunch.  Quiche, salad and a cupcake.  (That chocolate frosting was more like a truffle than frosting--yum!)

Dressy headpiece

After lunch, the women enjoyed a special treat.  This sweet Nigerian sister showed us how to tie the beautiful Nigerian headpieces.  We had a great time.

More casual fabric

Another style

This is not easy!

Posing for the camera

We all walked around the office building to show our husbands the end result.  It was pretty fun and the African employees laughed so hard!  Somehow we don't carry this look off as well as our beautiful African sisters.

This could come in handy on a bad hair day.

Tying a baby (pillow) on your back.

She also demonstrated how to tie a baby on to your back.  Not having a baby handy, she used a pillow.  I am amazed at how they can do this with no help.  What a great day.

Cape Coast Day Trip

The beach in Cape Coast

On Boxing Day (26th of December) we drove with Mark and Barb Taylor to Cape Coast.  It is a three hour drive from Accra in good traffic.  We were fortunate and had good traffic.  During the holidays, the traffic is much lighter.  Since Mark was driving, Robert was able to do all the looking he wanted to and there was lots to see.

One of the chapels in Cape Coast

This chapel is right by the beach.  We wanted to see the church and institute building right next to it.  Churches are also a good place to stop if you need to use the "facilities" or wash room as the locals call it.

Fishermen pulling in their nets

This picture is not far from the chapel.  The men pull in their large nets by hand.  The beaches in Cape Coast are quite clean and lovely.

Goats crossing the road

We saw lots of goats.  This picture does not show how small they are.  Some we saw looked like miniature goats.  So cute!  Chickens also roamed around freely along with the occasional cow.

Sister Taylor and their caddy

Elder and Sister Taylor liked to golf and Sister Taylor promised her clubs to a young man who caddied for them.  He was so happy to get these clubs.  He called two minutes after we left him to thank her again.  Later, his parents called to thank her.  It was typical of the Taylors who are very generous and giving.

Some of the hazards on this golf course

The golf course had a crocodile pond on it.  No young men venturing in there to retrieve any lost golf balls.  They also had horses grazing on this course.  

Coconut Grove Beach Resort

The golf course is at the Coconut Grove Beach Resort.  It is quite nice.  We'll have to try it out sometime on a long weekend.  

Part of the restaurant decor

We ate lunch at the restaurant there at the Coconut Grove Resort.   It was right on the beach and completely open so we could feel the breeze and hear the waves.

This little guy joined us for lunch

This lizard was about ten inches long.  He would raise up and down on his front legs.  It looked like he was doing the push-ups.  Robert shared some of his lunch with him.

Robert's lunch

Robert had ground nut soup (peanut soup).  The sides are banku (a mix of corn and cassava and plantain) and kenkey (corn meal).  Both are fermented so have a sour dough taste.  They taste best dipped in soup, then they take on the flavor of the soup.  Don't quote me on the ingredients.

Joan's lunch

My curry and vegetable rice was outstanding.  It was a delightful, long, lazy lunch.

The seat of power or authority

In the villages, the chief has a special stool or seat that signifies his power.  This was in the small museum type area at the resort.

Trying out the seat of power

You can see it is not very large.  The "Flagstaff House" where the government is housed is in the shape of this traditional seat.  It is on Independence Street not far from the temple in Accra.

The Flagstaff House

From the Coconut Grove Resort, we drove to a neighboring village and the Elmina resort located there.  The Taylors were impressed with the improved roads since their last trip there.

Beach at Elmina Resort

The restaurant at the Elmina Resort was right above these rocks.  It was very close to the ocean.

Castle at Elmina

There are two slave castles in Cape Coast.  They are not far apart.  This is where they held slaves waiting to be shipped out on boats.  When we return, we will take the tour and learn about this part of the history of West Africa.  

Market

There are markets every where in West Africa.  I will post more market pictures later.  They are very colorful.  They sell everything at these markets!

New Years Eve Dinner

Kente Cloth Ceremony

On New Year's Eve, we ate dinner at the El Paso restaurant.  It was also a farewell dinner for the Taylors.  Our group was a bit large for the restaurant so we had a long wait and almost two hours between the first served and the last served.











When couples leave they are presented with some traditional Kente cloth.

North Ridge Ward Young Women Class and leaders

Good bye hugs

The North Ridge Ward will miss the Taylors.  They presented her with an African dress on her last day there.  All the young women wear their hair short.

The Dress

Here is Sister Taylor in her beautiful dress.  She is with a co-worker.  She wore it her last day at work when she and Elder Taylor spoke at the devotional.  Yes we will miss the Taylors!  They have been wonderful friends in the short time we have been here.  We have some big shoes to fill as we replace them in the North Ridge Ward.  Good-by Mark and Barb Taylor.  We love you!