I speak Twi?!

Monday. After emailing, Elder Perry and I went home where I helped him pack for transfers and then we made banana pancakes together. They were absolutely delicious just in case anyone is wondering. Then it was off to bed to prepare for transfers the next day. 

Banana pancakes

Tuesday. Transfer Day. Elder Taylor and I weren't supposed to go because neither of us were being transferred but we still went anyways because he needed to talk to President Hill about a few things.  While we were there no one recognized me because they hadn't seen me since my haircut. It was really fun to see all of the guys again and hang out for a little while. We picked up Elder Uzoho's new companion, Elder Martineau, and then headed back to the apartment. Martineau is from my MTC group so it was really fun to see him and hang out with him again. We all ate lunch and just hung out for a while before heading out for the evening. Taylor and I saw a few people in the evening, one of whom was a recent convert named Joshua. Joshua asked us if we would give him a blessing of comfort and my companion asked me if I would be the one to offer the blessing. I have never given a blessing before so I was super nervous but as I spoke, the words which I said weren't my own and I could feel the spirit working through me. It was the coolest experience I've ever had in my life. That was the last thing we did that evening.

Wednesday. District Council Meeting was a really interesting experience. Since Elder Uzoho is the district leader as well as a zone leader, he led the meeting but Elder Asumani was the one who did instruction and everything. It was really weird to have that dynamic going. After the meeting, Taylor and I wanted to get out early so we could see some certain people before going to PEC in the evening. Those plans were ruined when the weather started to look like it would rain heavily. We decided it was a good day for an early lunch and we arrived back at the apartment at the same time as Uzoho and Martineau. Just as we got there the rain started to pour down and it left us confined to the apartment. We spent the afternoon talking while we waited for the rain to stop but it never did and we were there all evening. Martineau and I took that time to do a fairly rigorous workout out on the porch while the rain came down around us. It was pretty intense. 

Thursday. We spent the day out in our really far area. It's a 45 minute bike ride to get part way there and then either a 45 minute walk or a tro-tro ride to get the rest of the way there. We picked up a member on the way out and took him teaching with us. We had some really great lessons with some people we contacted before stopping to take lunch. We had taught the lady running this chop bar on our way out there but we didn't eat. So on our way back, since she hadn't sold anything, we thought we would eat and help her out by buying plenty food. We each bought 3ghc of rice and stew which is about two and a half good sized plates heaped with steaming rice and stew. I think I rolled down the road after we ate there. Since we had to spent so much time traveling, we didn't get back around the apartment until evening time. We spent the evening going around visiting members and recent converts before coming home and hanging out with Uzoho and Martineau. 

Friday. Uzoho and Taylor went to visit another district's Book of Mormon devotional so that put Martineau and I together for at least the morning. I believe that it was the first time in a few weeks that I have had companionship study. We got all ready to go and had the entire day planned out, but once we got out there everything fell apart and by 12:00 we had run out of things to do before lunch. It was only after a few small miracles and a couple tender mercies that we got a few more lessons in and finished the morning off on a good note. Feeling somewhat spontaneous, we stopped at a place that sold vegetables and bought some stuff to put in a spaghetti sauce. Upon returning to the apartment, we experimented with how to put everything together. The end result was the most amazingly beautiful sauce that I have ever seen and or tasted in my life. I'm pretty sure I only have that opinion because of where I currently am at in the world but it's whatever. Our evening was normal until our last appointment. Both of us have been out for less than 3 months and know almost no Twi at all but we taught an entire lesson in Twi to a lady that speaks absolutely no English whatsoever. It was pretty intense and tough but at the same time really fun. By the end of the lesson we were physically and mentally drained. They then fed us rice and stew with some small fish that was quite good. We ended up coming home late and tired but feeling very satisfied with our efforts. 

Elder Martineau and the spaghetti feast

Saturday. I don't want to say the day was a waste because it wasn't entirely but it sure felt like it. It was our day to visit our really far area so we had a miserable bike ride out there. Once there we only taught one lesson to an investigator who we really like. However, when we got there to teach him, he was passed out drunk on the front porch. Taylor still wanted to teach him but it was a horrible lesson and I didn't think it was worth it to try and teach him because of how drunk he was. After that, the rest of our lessons out there fell through and we ended up just walking around for a few hours. We had to hustle back for the Preach My Gospel class at the church and because of the poor turnout at that, everyone just watched the movie The Testaments.

Sunday. For some reason, our church services were very dry and I felt like no one there was speaking with or teaching with the spirit. Maybe I was still just upset about the day before and it was effecting my ability to discern the spirit but I honestly believe that it was just the meeting. I tried so hard to feel the spirit and to actively participate and read the scriptures and what not but nothing seemed to work. After church, it was yet another wasted day. Our companions didn't want to do anything so Martineau and I just cooked for the rest of the day. We had a total blast and even perfected our spaghetti sauce recipe. Even though it was a waste of a proselyting day, I still got in some great bonding time with Martineau. That night, Uzoho, Taylor, Martineau, and I all went to Kamisese and Reeves' apartment for dinner and to stay the night so that we could all go together to do something on Monday. We ended up playing Uno for a couple hours and yes I won multiple times at a game that is basically pure luck. 

Monday. We got up early to head to the temple site and play basketball. We got there a good hour or so before anyone else did and had fun just shooting around and getting ready to play. People started to show up and we ended up playing for like 3 or 4 hours. Once everyone was sufficiently tired, we all worked our way to the mall for a massive lunch of chicken burgers and fries. After we all stuffed ourselves until we were sick, we went to Shoprite to look for some things to help our cooking improve. Once we finished there it was back to email. Our first cafe quit on us after an hour so we had to spend a fair amount of time finding one that had internet connection and power so that we could email. We got it and so here we are.