GHANA TEMPLE COMPLEX

A 7TH FLOOR LOOK... WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE AREA OFFICE TO VISIT A GOOGLE REPRESENTATIVE, AND I TOOK THIS PICTURE OF THE TEMPLE COMPLEX . YOU CAN SEE THE NEW MTC GOING UP ON THE LEFT, THE STAKE CENTER, TEMPLE, ANCILLARY AND AREA OFFICE IN ALL ONE VIEW. WHAT A VIEW OF HIS WORK ROLLING FORTH!

VERY UNUSUAL TO GET A PICTURE OF SUCH LIGHT TRAFFIC IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON!

THE PURE LOVE OF CHRIST

MY HEART WAS STUNNED TO SILENCE......AS I CAME AROUND THE CORNER ON A DAY AT THE EYEGLASS CLINIC, I SAW ONE OF THE MOST CHRISTLIKE ACTS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. TWO WOMEN ONE ON A CHAIR THE OTHER LEANING OVER AS SHE PLACED THE OTHER WOMAN ON HER BACK TO CARRY HER HOME. SHE THEN TIED HER LIKE SHE WOULD A BABY AND WALKED OUT THE DOOR. IF ANYONE EVER ASKS ME WHAT THE PURE LOVE OF CHRIST LOOKS LIKE, I WILL QUIETLY SHARE I HAVE SEEN AND FELT IT HERE UPON THE EARTH IN THIS ACT OF LOVE. MAY WE BE OUR SISTER'S KEEPER! I'M STILL STUNNED WITHIN A DEEPER PART OF MY HEART.

"LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU."

OUT OUR WINDOW

COME SEE WHAT WE SEE AS WE TRAVEL HOME EACH DAY.....I LOVE THE ENDLESS VARIETY OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE EACH DAY. WE HAVE COMMENTED SEVERAL TIMES OF HOW WE WILL MISS SHOPPING RIGHT OUT SIDE THE WINDOW OF OUR CAR. YOU CAN BUY BREAD TO TOILET PAPER AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN BETWEEN.

KLEENEX ANYONE?

POOL TOYS....YES IT'S HOT HERE. I HAVE MY RUBBIE DUCKIE!

EVERY KIND OF BRUSH YOU COULD POSSIBLY WANT!

PAPER TOWELS OR TOILET PAPER!

ORANGES AND WASH CLOTHS.

YUMMY PLANTAIN CHIPS!

SOCCER BALLS....

GROUND NUTS, PEANUTS NKATI. HOW DO THEY LINE THEM UP SO PERFECTLY.

THEY CAN PACK A VAN WITH NO ROOM TO SPARE!

OR LOAD A MOTORCYCLE IN THE BACK OF A TAXI!

DRESSES RIGHT ON THE CORNER!

HONESTLY EVERYWHERE!

MY CORNER FRUIT LADY!

AND THEY CAN STACK WITH SUCH PRECISION!

SOME WEEKS

THERE ARE SOME WEEKS THAT ARE BEYOND BRIM BOTH IN HEART AND SERVICE.....I LOVE WHEN EVERY DAY IS FILLED TO THE TOP WITH ONE GOOD THING AFTER ANOTHER. LIVES OF A MISSIONARY ARE EVER CHANGING FROM MOMENT TO MOMENT. I LOVE HOW THE LORD TAKES THE ORDINARY AND MAKES IT EXTRA ORDINARY IN ANY GIVEN DAY. THIS WEEK I WAS ABLE TO CROSS OVER INTO THE HUMANITARIAN ARM OF THE CHURCH AND WORK WITH AN EYEGLASS SCREENING PROJECT. IT WAS HELD IN THE STAKE CENTER NEXT TO THE TEMPLE, AND THEY CAME BY THE 1,000'S FOR FREE SCREENING AND EYEGLASSES. TO SAY THAT IT WAS CALM IS A TRUE UNDER STATEMENT. I'M ALWAYS HUMBLED WHEN YOU LOOK OUT AND SEE A LINE THAT HAS NO END, THOSE THAT ARE LAME, THOSE THAT CANNOT SEE AND THOSE THAT HAVE SEVERE INJURIES THAT NEED ATTENTION. ON ONE DAY I WAS THE SCRIBE FOR THE DOCTOR TO WRITE SCRIPTS, AND I WAS STRETCHED TO WRITE ALL THE MEDICAL TERMS. HE SHOWED ME OVER AND OVER ON MANY PATIENTS WHAT THE CONDITION LOOKED LIKE, AND I CAN SAY THAT I'M A TINY BIT MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE. I WITNESS THE GENEROSITY OF MANKIND IN THE DOCTORS THAT CAME FROM AMERICA TO DO THE SCREENING, AND THE 1,000'S OF GLASSES THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM. I WITNESSED MANY MIRACLES THAT IF LEFT UNDETECTED COULD OF RESULTED IN BLINDNESS. THE WORLD IS JUST A LITTLE MORE BEAUTIFUL IN THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT CAME AND WEATHERED THE LONG LINES AND WAIT AND LEFT WITH GLASSES TO SEE THE WORLD A LITTLE MORE PERFECTLY.

WAITING AND THANKFUL HER LITTLE ONE IS SLEEPING

THE LINES JUST KEPT FORMING EACH DAY.

A BOY AND HIS MOM HAPPY TO BE SEEN!

MY 3 FRIENDS THAT CAME TOGETHER, SAT A LONG TIME TOGETHER, WERE SEEN TOGETHER AND LEFT SMILING TOGETHER!

PRESIDENT AZUMA WHO CAME WITH A VAN FULL, BUT WE HAD ALREADY MET OUR QUOTA FOR THE DAY. WE WERE ABLE TO BRING HIM IN, AND WORKED ON GETTNG THE REST OF HIS BRANCH SEEN. HE DOESN'T HAVE THE USE OF HIS LEGS, AND DOES MORE THAN 3 MEN CAN DO FOR THE LORD.

THE DOCTOR I WORKED FOR THAT NEVER LET A PATIENT LEAVE WITHOUT PERSONALLY SPEAKING WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR NAMES AND WHERE IN THE BIBLE THEY CAME FROM. HE WAS A TIRELESS SERVANT THE WHOLE WEEK HE WAS HERE.

THOSE THAT WAITED AND WAITED WERE BLESSED BY THE GOOD HANDS OF THE DOCTORS, AND THIS MOTHER WAS SO HAPPY HER LITTLE ONE WAS SLEEPING.

ONE DAY SISTER BODINE AND I ALONG WITH THIS ONE MISSIONARY AND GOOD MEMBER WERE IN CHARGE OF THE STAIRS THAT GAINED ENTRANCE TO THE DOCTORS. WE KEPT THOSE SMILES ON OUR FACES THE WHOLE DAY EVEN THOUGH WE HAD MANY TENSED SITUATIONS.

ELDER TERRY'S ACTS OF KINDNESS

ELDER TERRY IS ALWAYS ABOUT GOOD....I LOVE HOW OUR OFFICE IS SIDE BY SIDE AND I HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE ALL THOSE THAT COME IN TO SEE HIM. THERE IS NEVER A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT HE IS NOT HELPING SOMEONE WITH ADVICE, A TECH PROBLEM, A COMPUTER PROBLEM, AN IPAD PROBLEM OR EVEN BABYSITTING. THE OTHER DAY I CAME IN FROM A MEETING AND HE WAS BABYSITTING A CLOSE FRIEND OF MINES DAUGHTER. IT SEEMED I WAS AT A MEETING AND THE AREA PRESIDENT'S WIFE CAME INTO THE OFFICE TO HAVE ME WATCH LYNETTE WHILE HER MOM, BERNICE, HAD A MEETING WITH SISTER BEDNAR. HE RAISED HIS HAND AND SAID, "I CAN DO THAT". WHEN I CAME BACK IN THE OFFICE, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HIM AT HIS BEST WITH A LITTLE FRIEND IN TOW. SO, YOU SEE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE REQUIRED OF AS A TECH GUY HERE ON A MISSION.

MY MISSIONARY BABYSITTER TO LYNETTE HOLDING UP SNOWFLAKES THAT ELDER TERRY HAD SHOWN HER HOW TO CUT.

OKAY, NO JOKE THIS IS ELDER TERRY GETTING READY FOR SANTA TO COME. HE IS HAVING WAY TO MUCH FUN ON HIS P-DAY SHOPPING.

HIS GREAT FRIEND AND TECH SPECIALIST CHARLES. ELDER TERRY IS TRYING TO SEE IF THEY WILL LET HIM WEAR HIS ICS SHIRT ON FRIDAYS INSTEAD OF A WHITE ONE. ANY BETS?

WHERE ELSE BUT HERE?

WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS......"I WANT TO JOIN YOUR CHURCH".  THIS LAND IS RICH WITH THE BELIEF OF JESUS CHRIST, AND NO MATTER WHERE WE WALK YOU CAN FEEL AND SEE THEIR LOVE FOR HIM. JUST YESTERDAY ELDER TERRY AND I WERE WALKING IN A COMPOUND WHEN A MAN ON CRUTCHES CAME UP TO US TO SEE IF HE COULD ASSIST US. HE WAS SHOWING US AROUND WHEN HE STOPPED TALKING AND FASTENED HIS EYES ON OUR BADGES, AND SAID "I WANT TO JOIN YOUR CHURCH". HE HAD CONTACT WITH THE MISSIONARIES BEFORE, AND LOST HIS PHONE AND COMMUNICATION WITH THEM. HERE IS A MAN THAT SEES AND REMEMBERS JESUS CHRIST AND WANTS MORE OF THE GOSPEL SHARED WITH HIM. WE SPOKE OF CHRIST'S LOVE TO PLACE US TOGETHER TO FIND HIM ONCE AGAIN, AND HIS LIGHT OF LOVE SURROUNDING US. HE PUT HIS NAME ON THE BACK OF ONE OF MY BUSINESS CARDS WITH A PHONE NUMBER THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE. I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD HAVE MISSIONARIES COME AND SPEAK WITH HIM. WITHIN A MATTER OF NOT EVEN A DAY, THE MISSION PRESIDENT OF ACCRA CONTACTED ME FROM MY REQUEST, AND THE LORD'S WORK MOVES FORWARD. EVEN THOUGH HE HAS LOST HIS PHONE THE MISSIONARIES HAVE FOUND HIM ONCE AGAIN, AND A SHEEP HAS BEEN FOUND. HOW CAN ANYONE'S DAY BE ANY BETTER!

CHARLES, CHRIST LOVES YOU!

WHEN IS

WHEN IS A CHAIR NOT A CHAIR? THIS WEEK I WENT TO A LOCAL BATIK PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE LONG TRADITION OF DYEING AND DESIGNING CLOTH. AS I LOOKED AROUND AT THE SIMPLE AND BASIC WAYS OF WOOD PILED IN THE CORNER TO BOIL THE WATER FOR THE DYEING, THE OLD BATHTUBS TO DO THE BATH WASH, THE CUT UP DRUMS TO HOLD THE WATER AND THE TABLES WHERE ALL THE CLOTH LAYED TO BE CREATED, I ALWAYS FEEL AS IF I'VE STEPPED BACK INTO TIME WHERE SIMPLE IS MORE. AS THE COLORS COME INTO VIEW IT AS IF VIBRANT COMES ALIVE IN EVERY PART OF THE PROCESS. AS I LOOKED AROUND, I SAW THIS CHAIR THAT HAD NO BACK, OR DOES IT WITH THE BACKGROUND OF THE LAND OF GHANA. THE CHAIRS IN MY LIFE ARE LIKE THIS WITH ALL THAT WE SIT AND PONDER UPON AS WE REST OUR BACKS UPON WHAT LAYS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE. I LOVE THE OPEN VIEW OF THIS LAND WHERE ARTISTS HERE CAN CREATE SUCH MASTERPIECES TO GIVE MY VIEW OF LIFE MORE.

A PLACE WITH A VIEW OF LIFE WITH NO REGRETS COMING AND GOING!

TUBS OF COLOR!

THE FINISH PROCESS THAT HAD TO COME HOME WITH ME AND ADD COLOR TO MY LIFE!

LOVE IN SMALL PLACES

I LOVE ON SUNDAY'S WHEN.......I LOOK OVER AND SEE ELDER TERRY SURROUNDED BY CHILDREN OR EVEN JUST ONE SNUGGLED IN TO SIT BESIDE HIM. IT IS MOMENTS SUCH AS THIS THAT I WILL LOOK BACK ON AND KNOW THAT OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE SERVING HERE IN GHANA. HOW OUR FAITH AND LOVE HAVE GROWN.

ALL EYES.......AND HEART!

WHO NEEDS HANDS?

THEY HAVE THE ART OF BALANCE......IT IS AMAZING TO LOOK OUT ONES WINDOW COMING AND GOING HERE IN GHANA. IT IS ALWAYS FILLED WITH MOVEMENT, CROWDS OF PEOPLE, TRAFFIC, NOVEL RELATIONSHIPS IN THOSE THAT SELL TO US AS WE GO HOME EACH EVENING AND HOW THEY BALANCE LIFE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN THEIR LIVES. I OFTEN THINK IF I HAD TO TAKE A COMPLETE TABLE WITH FOUR CHAIRS SOMEWHERE I WOULD HAVE TAKEN MULTIPLE TRIPS. NOT SO HERE!

WHO NEEDS A TRUCK WHEN A HEAD WILL DO?

LIVE THE WORDS OF CHRIST

A MISSION FRAMES EVERY WORD SPOKEN AND EVERY DEED DONE.........I LOVE SEEING THINGS THROUGH THE EYES OF CHRIST. THE DAY ALWAYS STARTS AND ENDS WITH A FULLER HEART OF WHAT THIS EARTH LIFE IS ALL ABOUT. I SEE IT IN THOSE THAT ARE WORKING HARD EACH DAY TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES, THE CHILDREN THAT DESIRE TO LEARN AND DREAM, THE SMILES THAT COME OUR WAY, THE HARSHNESS OF LIVES THAT STILL KEEP ON GOING, THE WILL AND COURAGE TO MAKE ANOTHER DAY WITHOUT FOOD, THE SOULS THAT HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST'S LOVE, THE GRACIOUSNESS OF A LAND THAT ALWAYS LEAVES YOU KNOWING THAT WE ARE BEING WATCHED OVER, AND THE STRENGTH OF A NATION THAT CONTINUES TO MAKE A MARK ON MY HEART. IF WE TRULY TRY OUR BEST TO LIVE THE WORDS OF CHRIST, WE WILL BE PREPARED FOR WHATEVER MAY COME OUR WAY DAY BY DAY!

THIS WAS ON THE WALL OF THE HOTEL WE STAYED AT. I KNOW THAT AS WE SERVE ON OUR MISSION THAT HIS PLANS ARE PROSPERING US, AND GIVING US THE DEEP DESIRE AND HOPE TO LIVE WITH HIM AGAIN ONE DAY. IN THIS LAND OF GHANA, YOU NEVER LOOK FAR AND NOT SEE THE HAND OF GOD IN THE LIVES HERE. WHETHER IT BE SIGNAGE ON A BUILDING, A TAXI OR A SHOP, THIS LAND KNOWS OF GOD AND HIS POWER! I'M SO THANKFUL THAT HERE THEY CAN EXPRESSED THIS LOVE WITHOUT ANY CENSORSHIP. 

ELDER TERRY'S MOMENTS

I LOVE WALKING NEXT TO THIS MAN THAT GIVES SO FREELY EVERYWHERE WE GO......

THIS IS PAPA'S LITTLE GIRL!

ANYTIME THERE IS A COMPUTER HE STOPS AND HELPS. THE ONLY ROOM ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND WITH A COMPUTER, AND HE STARTS TO TRAIN WHILE WE ADVENTURE ON. WE HAD TO COME BACK AND GET HIM OUT OF THE BLACK HOLE. ALWAYS SERVING!

THE TREE OF LIFE IN THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, AND THE LIFE WE SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

PONDERING LIFE AND ALL OUR BLESSINGS HERE!

A BOND UNBROKEN. THEY BOTH DID WELL ON THE CANOPY WALK ABOVE THE TREES, AND DIDN'T ONCE START SWAYING AND ROCKING THE ROPE BRIDGES. I COULD TELL THAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT IT THOUGH!

PAPA LET'S GO PLAY IN THE SEA!

ELDER TERRY WITH HIS SOCKS AND TRISH WITH HER TUMMY AT SIX MONTHS. THEY ARE CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH FOR SURE!

ELDER TERRY PLAYING LET'S MAKE A DEAL IN THE SAND. HE CAME AWAY FROM THIS BARGAINING EXCURSION WITH 3 SCULPTURES THAT ARE MAY FAVORITE. HE HAS PERFECTED HIS ART OF GETTING CONVERSATION THEN GETTING THE BEST PRICE!

THOSE SMILES ARE THE BEST, AND LOVE THAT WE GOT ELDER TERRY OUT OF THOSE SOCKS WITH SHORTS.

I LOVE SEEING HIM RELAXED, AND NO COMPUTER WITHIN SIGHT! RELAX ELDER TERRY...

ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES.....QUIET IS IN PRAYER, THE EARLY MORNING, THE LATE NIGHT, THE RESCUE, THE OUTREACHED HAND, THE EXTENSION OF FAITH AND THE LOVE OF THE GOSPEL TO BE SPREAD!

WHEN FAMILY COMES

THE BEST WAS TO SHARE OUR MISSION WITH OUR FAMILY....LIFE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER EACH DAY ON OUR MISSION. YOU FIND THAT WHAT YOU ONCE THOUGHT WAS SO IMPORTANT IS REPLACED WITH WHAT TRULY MATTERS IN THE ETERNAL OUTLOOK OF OUR SOULS. THE DAY TRISH, DAVE AND VERA STEPPED OFF THE PLANE, AND THEY WERE EMBRACED BY US WE KNEW LIFE IS HAPPIEST WHEN WE SHARE TOGETHER THOSE THINGS THAT DEFINE US AND CONTINUE TO SHAPE US. OUR MISSION IS MORE COMPLETE BY THEM COMING AND WALKING THE LAND THAT WE LOVE. IT WILL FOREVER BE A MOMENT IN TIME WHERE WE STOOD AS AMBASSADORS OF JESUS CHRIST AND MOM AND DAD!

THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU FIRST SEE EACH FOR OVER A YEAR....AND THEN THE EMBRACE.

HAND IN HAND WE GO!

VERA'S FIRST DRUM LESSON!

MOM TO MOM...BABY TO BABY!

TOES IN THE SAND AND SEA!

HEY, DO YOU WANT TO PLAY?

A BOWL THAT IS JUST MY SIZE!

NOW, WE ARE SISTERS AND FAMILY TOGETHER! BERNICE AND TRISH WITH PERFECT SMILES OF HAPPY!

VISITING A SCHOOL AND EVERY CLASS WE WENT IN VERA FOUND HER OWN SEAT AND WAS READY TO LEARN!

THE PICTURE WE WILL PRIZE THE MOST SIDE BY SIDE ON OUR MISSION.

CANOPY WALK AND WE ALL SURVIVED!

OH, TO HAVE TRISH PART OF THE GOSPEL LITERACY WORK I'M INVOLVED IN!

THE ADVENTURES OF VERA EVERYWHERE WE WENT! NO MELT DOWNS JUST THE SWEETEST LITTLE GIRL EVER!

AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S ABOUT LOVE!