Monday, March 28, 2016

EASTER SUNDAY

LAST SABBATH HERE AND IT'S EASTER.....IT WAS A BIT STRANGE TO AWAKE ON EASTER MORNING WITH ELDER T IN IVORY COAST AND I'M IN GHANA. HE WAS ON HIS LAST TRAINING BEFORE COMING HOME, AND I OPTED TO STAY IN ACCRA TO PREPARE FOR OUR DEPARTURE. YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE COLLECTED MANY THINGS THEN YOU START LOOKING AROUND THE APARTMENT, THAT YOU HAVE CALLED HOME, AND REALIZE THAT YOUR SUITCASES WILL FILL UP VERY FAST.

SO, MY LAST SABBATH HERE WAS SPENT WITH OUR DEAR FRIENDS THE CLARK'S, AND I WENT TO A SMALL BRANCH IN THE ASHAIMAN STAKE WITH THEM. IT TRULY WAS THE PERFECT PLACE TO CELEBRATE OUR RISEN LORD. EVEN THOUGH ELDER T WASN'T WITH ME, I FOUND LOVE IN THE ARMS OF THOSE THAT GREETED ME ON THIS HIS HOLY DAY. I REALIZED THAT EACH SUNDAY SERVING HERE IS UNIQUE, BUT HELD TOGETHER WITHIN THE SAME ORDER OF ALL MEMBERS ATTENDING MEETINGS ALL OVER THE WORLD. OUR LITTLE BIT OF EARTH JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE LAND OF AFRICA. OH, HOW WE LOVE THIS LAND AND IT'S PEOPLE.

WHAT WOULD MY LAST SUNDAY BE BUT WITH FINDING THAT OVERHEAD FAN THAT COOLS THE WARM HEAT THAT SENDS TRICKLES OF SWEAT RUNNING DOWN YOUR BODY. WE ALL CARRY SWEAT RAGS FOR A GOOD REASON. THE COLOR OF THESE PRIESTHOOD BRETHREN'S WHITE SHIRTS HERE ALWAYS TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.

THE CONVERTED HOME THAT HOUSES THE BAPTISMAL FONT IN WHAT ONCE WAS THE FOYER. THE MAN IN THE SUIT WAS THROWN OUT OF HIS HOME, AND RENOUNCED BY HIS PARENTS FOR JOINING THE CHURCH 15 YEARS AGO. HE IS SMILING TODAY, BECAUSE ONE OF HIS UNCLES IS BEING BAPTIZED TODAY. HIS HAND SHAKE AND SMILE RESONATED A JOY THAT I COULD EMBRACE.


THE RELIEF SOCIETY SECRETARY STOOD IN SACRAMENT AND GAVE AN AMAZING TALK ON SACRIFICE. I ASKED HER AFTERWARDS IF SHE HAD WRITTEN IT DOWN, AND SHE LET ME TAKE THIS PICTURE. POWERFUL TESTIMONY OF HOW THE SAINTS BELIEVE HERE IN THIS LAND.


IN THIS SMALL BRANCH THIS IS THEIR QUARTERLY GOALS WHICH THEY MET. IS THIS NOT ASTOUNDING?


THIS IS OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDS THE CLARK'S THAT WERE TEACHING THE TEMPLE PREP CLASS. WHEN I TOOK THIS PICTURE I SAID, "YOU ARE GOING TO THE TEMPLE", AND SEE THEIR SMILES.


ALWAYS THE BABIES AND THEIR MOTHERS WHO HAVE THEM WITHIN THEIR REACH.


THIS IS MARY AND HER DAUGHTER JULIANNE WHO WAS BORN 20 YEARS AFTER THEY WERE MARRIED. HER HUSBAND IS THE DISTRICT PRESIDENT, AND IN HIS BLESSING HE WAS PROMISED TO BE A FATHER. SHE TOLD A POWERFUL STORY OF HOW HEAVENLY FATHER'S BLESSINGS ARE SURE IF WE WAIT UPON HIM.



I SAT NEXT TO MARY WHO HAD JULIANNE ON HER BACK, AND THE CRYING BOY OF ANOTHER WOMAN THAT SHE WAS SOOTHING. I LOVE LOOKING OVER AT THIS AMAZING WOMAN, AND THE TENDERNESS SHE CARED FOR THIS BOY. WHO NEEDS SHOES WHEN YOU CAN FIND LOVE IN THE ARMS OF ANOTHER.

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