From the City to the CITY

 

Good afternoon everybody! I hope you all are having a great Monday. This week was really great. It was a little hard in some ways, but also really great in some other ways. 

First of all, on Tuesday I had to say bye to everyone in Cape Coast which was really tough. Sunday especially was hard but you've already heard about that. Grace, my amazing Ghanaian grandmother who I love, cried when we said goodbye, and I cried at church saying bye to people so that was all kind of rough. It was sad, but I feel so blessed to have been with them for as long as I have. 

Wednesday was the transfer meeting. It was so nice to see all my MTC group and different people I've served with. One part of being a missionary that people don't really talk about is how awesome it is to just know other missionaries and hang out with them. Elder Seeley is training a new missionary, so we had to come super early so he could go to the training meeting and I was just kind of hanging out for awhile. It ended up being super nice though cause a lot of my TC's (mtc group) also brought their companions to the training meeting so we got to talk. It was really cool to see how they're doing. We've all come a really long way since we first started. 

I really enjoyed the morning, but then the transfer meeting started. *cue nervous sweating*. I was so dang nervous that my hands were shaking, which has never happened. I've been learning on the mission that I'm a really big wimp in some ways. Self discovery. 

The way they do transfers in this mission is very interesting. No one knows where they are going or who their companions are going to be when they come. All I was told was that I was going on transfer so I should come with my stuff to the meeting. Then, President Morrison just calls over the pulpit where you are going and who your companion will be. 

Long story short, I was stressed for nothing. I'm in the middle of Takoradi, which is I think the biggest city in the mission with Elder Bukasa. So far it's been great. Elder Bukasa (from DR Congo) is a super nice guy and this area is incredible. We're right in the middle of the city which is really great. And our ward is really, really solid. Our ward mission leader is a great guy and our Bishop too has helped us out a ton. We are whitewashing (which means we are both new to the area) so the help has been appreciated. And everyone has been so nice to us. I really love Takoradi so far. 

My companion too is awesome. He ironed my shirt on the first day, cooks dinner, and is all around a really great, obedient fellow. He's only been in Ghana for a transfer, but he served in Congo for 5 months so we've been out for the same amount of time. He's learning English still but is doing well with it. I know things will work out for us. 

One thing that has been great to see is all the things I've been stressed about have pretty much resolved themselves. I was so scared to leave Cape Coast. I didn't know how it would be to be in a new area, but the work is the same. We still do studies. We still teach lessons. The people, place, and companion may be different but the work is the same. 

And I think that's how it will always be, on and off the mission. Things will change for me as life goes on. The people, place, and companion (hopefully) will change, but being a disciple of Christ and doing his work will always remain the same. The gospel will never change. 

So going into this new year, know that God doesn't change. We can always count on him in everything that we do. I know that to be true. 

I love you all! Thanks for the emails. And shout out to Morgan my brother who had a birthday on the 31st. He's a grown fetching man now. 

Love, 

Elder Johnson

Pictures: 

1. Me, elder Bukasa, and Brother Asamoah, our ward first Councilor, destroying some Fufu at our bishop's place on Sunday. 

2. The picture Elders Bukasa, Cliff, Eke-Udonsi and I took and sent to the sister's group chat after they forgot to take us out of the chat (there were sisters in Takoradi ward before Elder Bukasa and I came)

3. Another selfie Elder Bukasa and I took and sent to someone who thought she was texting the sisters. 

4. Me and a random kid named Prince who wanted a picture with me. 

5. Me and Richmond Anfoh, a future apostle that we baptized in Cape Coast who was in Takoradi for Christmas and turned up at the same stake picnic I was at. Love this man. 

6. Our home screen