Getting wet....

Baptism of Kingsford and Wisdom

Sept 6-12

It's the last week of the transfer. We've been working hard to try and
get everything ready in case one of us leaves. We have lots of
baptisms lined up for this next transfer. We have baptismal dates for
Rhoda, Mary, Mary Lartey, David, Kwaku, and Angela. All for within the
month of September. So things are looking pretty good for the area and
the work and what not right now.

Transfer news came this Saturday. Both Elder Herrod and I are going to
be staying for 6 more weeks. That means we'll be able to baptize all
our people together instead of one of us missing out. That will be
pretty cool.

We had a really busy week this last week and did a lot of teaching. We
also got members more involved in the teaching and taught twice as
many member present lessons as usual so that was fun. We also had a
baptism this Sunday. Actually we had two. Wisdom and Kingsford were
baptized this week. It was super cool to get them baptized and even
cooler because I got to be the one doing the baptizing. It's only the
second time on my mission that I've gotten to do that so I was pretty
stoked about it. I was so excited I forgot extra clothes and a towel
so I was wet for half the day. It was fun though.

We played basketball for our ativity. We tried to go to camp to
play but they had things set up for the Muslim holiday today. There
were something like 300 Muslims on the court. The holiday is funny.
They slaughter cows for it so you see guys just tackle a cow over a
gutter and go at its neck with a machete. It's gnarly. Very bloody.
Anyways, we played ball and then found an American shop for lunch. I
ate Pringles and washed it down with a malt. Then I bought a big box
of twix. Best buy I've made ever. But yeah that's basically my week.
Not too exciting I know but it was good.

Babies, Basketball, Bugs and Baptismal Dates!!

Aug 30-Sept 5

Temple Trip

What a week. We did a bunch of different stuff. There was an exchange,
a trip to the temple, the blessing of a baby, teaching primary, and
singing Christmas songs for choir. Well first thing is first, the work
is going well. We are hoping to baptize 2 or 3 people this coming
Sunday but we'll see how the week goes and what it brings. Right now
it appears that Wisdom will be baptized along with Kingsford and
hopefully his wife, Mary. We aren't sure if Mary will be ready in time
for an interview though. We hope she is but if not then Kingsford
would be able to baptize her once she is ready. I personally think
that would be super cool! We also set up a bunch of baptismal dates
this week that should all work out. The people are prepared and ready
to join the church in the very near future.

Also I went on an exchange on Thursday. Well it started Wednesday
evening but it was for Thursday day. I went to Kasoa 1 (I'm in Kasoa
4) to be with Elder Jolley for the day. Jolley is part of my MTC group
but I haven't seen him more than twice in the last year. It was cool
to talk to him again and see what's been going on with him since I
last saw him 8 months ago.

Also we went to the temple on Friday! There was a couple and a man
from the ward we have been working with who were going through for the
first time. The couple was also being sealed. So we got to be a part
of that which was super cool. We also visited the area doctor
afterwards. Elder Herrod had a bug fly in his mouth the night before
and it was crawling up and down his throat. It even started to burrow
into the back of his throat which is nasty. We couldn't get it out no
matter what we tried so we went to see the doc. He couldn't get it out
either but it was dead by then so Herrod just had to wait until it
dislodged.

Church was fun. We taught the primary kids about missionary work. We
brought in our investigator, Kingsford, to help us teach by bearing
his testimony. Well turns out he used to be a school teacher so he
taught them for like half an hour and we did nothing. The guy hasn't
even been baptized and he's teaching primary! Like what the heck?! We
also had a baby blessing at church on Sunday which was cool. We had an
extra 20 people in our small branch so we almost didn't fit in the
building.

Also our choir has started singing Christmas songs. It's the beginning
of September so I don't understand but I guess it makes sense. In all
honesty both Herrod and I probably won't be here to sing them at
Christmas but that's ok! I guess we'll just roll with it.

We played ball today for pday. We went to the temple site to play.
It's not the same without Wallin though. Nothing is fun without him
anymore. That's what happens when you and your best friend get
separated right? But it was still alright. I think I broke my finger
but I don't know. It feels like a fat guy dropped a bowling ball on
it. If you're wondering why a fat guy it's because it just adds to the
pain. I hit a handful of 3's, made like 2 decent moves, and generally 

just turned the ball over all day.  But yeah that's life!

Kingsford

Mud Hut

Storms moving in! 

Lunch!

Angela and her baby Kiki

The choir concert...

Aug 23-29

I don't know what a slow week is by the standards of missionaries
around the world but our week was painfully slow. I think we only
taught 20 or 21 lessons or something. It was brutal. We had so many
interruptions it was insane. First was our zone conference on
Thursday. It was an incredible zone conference and it was great to
hear from the APs and President Simpson. They gave some great
instruction for us. But it absolutely killed our day. Then on Saturday
we had our open house which took about 4 hours out of our day there.
It was super good though just a little apostate. It was an open
house/choir concert and our choir master did some sketchy things. I'm
not sure if you've heard of charismatic churches but they are all over
here. They sing and dance and it's quite comical. Well basically he
took our choir concert and turned us into one of those churches. The
choir started singing and everyone was dancing and stuff. It was
pretty funny but not quite what we wanted our investigators
there to see as the church. It wasn't too bad though. Sunday was rough
for proselyting too though. We had tons of baptismal interviews to do
so that took our entire day. And we biked close to 10-15 miles on Sunday.
I'm starting to lose all the weight I put on in camp. Anyways yeah not
much of an email this week just kind of frustrating when nothing works
out like you wanted and you can barely get anything done.

Selfie on a bike!!

Ghana Mean Time...

Aug 16-22

They have a St. George store in Ghana!!

Service project cutting weeds with a cutlass.  He finally got to play with a big knife!!

So I'm not sure if I've told you about how time works here. We run on
what missionaries like to call GMT or Ghana Mean Time. That means if
you have an appointment planned for say 1:00, it will probably take
place around 3:00 maybe 4:00. Just let me share an example of that
from our week. On Tuesday, the guy hired to fix our water pump came.
He was supposed to come Monday. He was actually supposed to come
 Monday morning around 7:00 or 8:00, but he came Tuesday afternoon 
around 2:30. That causes problems for us but it's normal.

In other news, we found a really cool guy to teach named Kingsford.
He's 28 with a wife and two sons age 2 and 6 months. It was really
cool, we prayed to find a family to teach just that morning and then
all of the sudden he pops up. He will be baptized in two weeks or so.
Hopefully his wife will with him. He was told about the church by his
friend, Rudolf. Rudolf is a less active member from Nigeria and he has
some super cool dreadlocks. He wants to come back to church really bad
but feels like he isn't worthy to because of some things he has done.
We are working to help him figure some things out and come back and
enjoy the blessings that he once had and desires to have again.

I also went on exchange with Elder Ndlovu this week. Ndlovu is from
Zimbabwe and he's in my district right now. Basically I love
Zimbabweans. They're the coolest people ever. Ndlovu was no different.
We had an awesome day together and I wish that we were companions. We
would have so much fun together. One day I'm going to visit Zimbabwe
and hang out with Chemhuru and Ndlovu and all the others that I've
met.

That's basically my week. Other news is that Kofi (he prefers James)
and Emmanuelle were confirmed on Sunday. We planned things for our
open house this coming Saturday. We sang as a choir in sacrament
meeting and I blessed the sacrament again. Oh and we also started
making plans with the APs and the mission president to get me and my
companion to a golf course next week to play a little golf. We had a
fun zone activity too, lots of sports and lots of jollof (rice cooked
in a tomato stew). It was a pretty good week.

Eating some cocoa fruit (he said the meat tastes like a sour pear) The cocoa fruit grows in the cape coast region.  An investigator gave this to them.  The seeds are dried and ground into cocoa powder.  

Joseph and I...

Aug 9-15

What a hectic week. Sorry if this isn't a long email but I'm pressed
for time. So we are trying to rebuild our area. Our teaching pool is
small so we are working really hard to get referrals and work with
members more. My companion told me that before I got here he never
asked for referrals so they got one about every other week. This last
week we contacted 6 of the referrals we had received during the week.
It's been great boosting things and trying to find more people. We
also had a baptism this week for Emmanuella and Kofi. Emmanuella is 16
and the branch president's sister. Kofi is 10. It was a great baptismal service, 
probably the best I've had here in Ghana. We even talked a recent convert, 
Steven, who lives next door to Kofi to perform the baptism for him. It was 
fantastic. Also the highlight of my week was when we visited a recent convert
named Gifty. We visited her Sunday night. She prepared us the most amazing
stew and ampesy that I have ever had. Then afterwards, during the lesson, she
told me that I look just like Joseph Smith. She pulled out her Book of Mormon
and found the picture of Joseph Smith in it to compare it to me. I thought it was
pretty darn hilarious. So in case anyone was wondering what Joseph Smith looks 
like, just look at me. 

Elder Goodrich, Kofi, Emmanuella & Elder Herrod

Kasoa 4th Branch

Aug 2-8
Well I'm in a new area with a new companion. The downside is that I'm
only 20 minutes down the road so I still see all of the same things.
The upside is that I'm in a really cool branch that is really willing
to help with missionary work. I'm in the Kasoa 4th Branch. It's
different from anywhere else I've been by way of members. Half of the
members stay in the estates (really nice neighborhood with nice houses
and stuff, almost American like) and are very wealthy. The other half
are more the average Ghanaian that lives in relative poverty. It makes
things interesting. The families in the estates are funny. They almost
seem American in their mannerisms. One of the families doesn't even
teach their children Twi, they speak only English when they are in the
house, they only school in English, everything is English. I had the
chance to bless the sacrament this week. It's been so long since I had
done that and I almost forgot how to do it. It was really nice though.
We also performed in a surprise choir number in sacrament meeting.
When I say surprise I mean we were the ones surprised. We've been
going to choir practice but we didn't know we had to sing this week.
We played ball this Monday too. First time back at the temple site in 
like 4 months. I know my dad isn't happy I played but I felt it was alright. 
We had fun but I definitely missed Wallin. He's stuck in the bush for an
undisclosed period of time. Anyways it was fun. My companion is a cool
guy too. Elder Herrod from San Clemente, California. He went to BYU
for the summer and fall semesters before he came. We should have a
good time this transfer.

It's hard to say goodbye...

Miracle, Alvin Jr., Alvin Sr. & Elder Goodrich

Elder Chemuru, Florence & Elder Goodrich

July 26-Aug 1

Transfers are tomorrow and we got transfer news on Saturday. I was
pretty sure I was leaving so I started packing on Thursday. We had a
rough week for our last week. Elder Chemhuru got sick on Tuesday but
on Wednesday it started to get worse. So on Thursday we had to travel
to the area office to see the area doctor. We got him diagnosed and
medicated and on Saturday we were able to go out again. It was mainly
just goodbyes though. Both Chemhuru and I are leaving so we wanted to
see and say goodbye to everyone we could. Wallin is also leaving so he
was in the same boat. Wallin is going to Oda (deep bush), Chemhuru is
going to Adoagyri (bush), and I'm going 20 minutes down the road from
camp to Kasoa (not bush). None of us want to leave. This has been my
best area by far and I can't bear to part with it. Hopefully things go
well in Kasoa and I don't miss the camp too much. I'm sad. It was a rough 
week.  

Little Harriett (Florence's daughter)

Kingsley and his baby daughter Goodrich

The Pig Roast!!