AC, Moving, and Wedding #2????

 Good morning my friends! Thanks for being patient with my sporadic emailing. Last week I didn't get time to write one because we moved. Surprise! I'm still in Cape Coast but we moved to a new apartment because our lease expired. We moved last Monday and they let us know Sunday night. It was a bit of an adventure but we managed. Fridge, mattresses, table, chairs, dressers, everything. It was actually super fun. Brother Bright, the maintenance guy for the mission, was the one in charge and he's a super cool guy. Elder Seeley, the zone leaders, and I moved all the stuff in the house ourselves, and then a bunch of people came to help us move our big water tanks. They were like 500 gallons each and we had to lift them up a 20ish foot wall. It was crazy. At one point it fell down and we almost got squished. There was a bunch of little kids there that we made friends with though so it was cool. See below for pictures. Also, our apartment has AC!

This week was also really great though. We put two people on date for baptism: Grace and Benjamin. I'm so excited for both of them. We've been teaching Grace on and off since my first few weeks here, but haven't been able to baptize her because she's so busy. We finally got her to commit to a date for later this month so we're rejoicing. We found out Benjamin has been reluctant to be baptized because the cream suit he ordered for his baptism hasn't come yet. He's an awesome guy. 

We weren't able to see Louis at all this week, which was a bit discouraging. We had some really cool lessons besides that though. There was this guy we met at a barbershop who told us to come visit him at his tennis club. We went there and taught him and his friend a lesson at the first tennis club ever built in Ghana. Gabriel, the guy who invited us for the lesson, was pretty drunk, but we ended up teaching his friend who had a lot of really good questions for us. He was a little drunk too, but he didn't act like it. We just watched him drink two big beers before the lesson. He honestly has a lot of potential though. 

Also, our friend Kofi came to church! He didn't get there in time for sacrament meeting but he came for class and enjoyed it. He even contributed to the discussion! Emmanuel Super-Washington, this super old guy we're teaching, also came for class. We hadn't seen him in forever so that was cool. 

This week I've thought much about how blessed the Cape Coast Second Ward is. Our leaders are just incredible. Bishop Acquaye is so awesome, and our Elder's Quorum President, Brother Michael, is so, so awesome as well. We just have so many powerful families in our ward, and there's so much member missionary work that goes on. I love love this place, and I feel so blessed to serve here for as long as I have. I'm excited to serve here for another transfer with Elder Seeley.

Speaking of Elder Seeley, WOW what a great guy. Being his companion is a blast. We're getting better at cooking, teaching, and all the rest. He's got such a strong testimony, and he makes really good cassava fries (side note: cassava fries are life changing. We literally eat them like 5 times a week.) We've been enjoying. 

One thing I've thought about this week also is how the gospel answers our questions. As missionaries, we love questions. They allow us to see people's needs and interests and teach to them way more effectively. We get a lot of repeats though. Here are some common ones: 

If we all believe in the same God, why so much division? Why so many churches (restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ answers this perfectly)

If I do something that I know is wrong over and over, will God forgive me? (Repentance+Atonement) 

What happens to people who never hear the gospel? And why would a loving father send his children to Hell? (Plan of salvation answers this and so many other questions so perfectly) 

What do I need to do to be saved? (One of my favourites) 

The reason I put those is to show how easily the gospel answers questions. I've seriously gotten all of those questions probably 20+ times from different people, and the answers are so, so simple. And they all come from the simple, plain and precious truths we teach. If I were to sum up everything we teach in one long sentence, this is how I'd do it: 

God loves us enough to give us families, a place to be (the earth), specific instructions about how to return to him (the gospel of Jesus Christ), and the means by which to return to him (the Atonement of Jesus Christ).

It's just that simple. God tells us what to do and how to do it and if we follow His plan we are blessed. The peace that the gospel brings is greater than any other peace through any other means in the world. So, believe in God, as King Benjamin said. Believe that He is, and that He loves you, and that He created the earth, sent His Son, and gives us a chance to repent so we can return to Him. It's so beautiful and easy, if only we let it be. 

Anyway, there's my sermon and my week. I love you all. 

ALSO I almost forgot. I'm getting ANOTHER new brother-in-law next month. How blessed is that?? I left having two brothers, and when I get home I'll have four. Liberty and her cool buddy Nikki Kepford are getting married next month so yeehaw. If you see them, tell them congrats. 

The gospel is true and it will change your life! 

Love, 

Elder Johnson

Pictures: 

1. The awesome cutlass I bought the other day. Elder Seeley and I both bought some and used them to help some of our members clear some land last week. It was probably the coolest thing ever. 

2. Pretty city

3. The Bakaano Elders at their baptism. We were supposed to have one of our people come and see it, but she didn't come so we just watched the baptism. They're great guys though. From left: Emmanuel (the one being baptized), Elder Freeman, Elder Kearsley, Elder Eaton, me, Elder Seeley, and Elder Gassaway. Elder Gassaway also was undefeated at ping pong at our zone activity today. Fun fact for ya. 

4. Pretty city again

 

5-8. Me, Elder Seeley, and Elder Kearsley with our friends. 

9. Fried chicken and fries from the night we moved. I wasn't sure how our frozen chicken breasts would travel so we just..... ate six chicken breasts. We enjoyed though. 

10. Me, Elder Seeley, and Louis, who has since stopped picking up our calls. Pray for him. 

11. President and Sister Morrison came to our apartment for interviews. It was awesome. 

12. President Morrison was really impressed with this cooking/cleaning chart so he took a picture. Unfortunately, we don't follow it and haven't since we moved but I'm glad he's impressed. Also, I've lost 23 pounds here, which is why that shirt looks so big on me. I promise I'm good though. I just look tiny next to Elder Seeley. 

13. Elder Seeley and I with some soballo we made. It's this really nice drink they have here made from boiling these leaves with pineapple and stuff, but unfortunately we did it wrong somehow and I had insane runny tummy for a couple days. That was last week though so it's OK. 

Thanks for reading this far! Emails get long when you write about two weeks. Keep emailing!