April 25, 2011 - Pictures

Hi

Well so I typed this huge email and something happened so I am trying to hurry and kind of summarize everything. This past Friday the day started out hot, hot and did I say hot. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day until around 5 pm when all of a sudden these dark clouds just came from nowhere. My companion and I were in the middle of a lesson when we saw the clouds coming, so we hurried the lesson, said a quick prayer and booked it to our house. Within 10 minutes it was pouring rain harder than I have ever seen since I have been here.  We rode in the rain for like 5 miles before we got to the street we live on.  The streets were flooded and all the cars were stopped and people didn’t know where to go, so we had to pick up our bikes and walk through a foot of water to get home. Ha-ha! It was the craziest thing ever! I uploaded a picture that I took of us in the rain when we got back to our home.

We went swimming... Well we just road da bikes in the rain.

This week was Easter and in Ghana it is a big deal. It started on Friday and every one was drinking and partying and doing their thing.  This week we are finally getting to watch General Conference on Saturday and Sunday. Ha-ha! It has been too long since the last General Conference. Everything here is going well the work is moving and we are all still alive!

Love Elder Berry

 Da Bath House

did some work! In side of a home. i am in the front room, and the bed room is behind me.

 Dinner! yumm

 Elder Wardle and Elder Larsen! Last night in Nungua

JD pizza 

 Florence. she feed us like everyday in Nungua

Go for MORE!

 

Posts from Missionary Mom Site

The Elders were picked up on Saturday. Elder Keeng's mission was complete last November, so he went home to Botswania. Elder Omale, from Nigeria, was sent to Seirra Leone. Apparently he has requested to extend his mission by 10 months so that he could serve 24 months as an active missionary. Whether that is extended or not, the faith of these two young men is inspirational.

Barbara Farnes
MM-Elder Farnes Ghana, Accra

Hi Moms
In my sons email Monday, he said he was able to speak to Elder Omale before he
left for Sierra Leone.  My son was Elder Omale's MTC Companion, and they became
best friends, so Sister Smith let Elder Omale call Elder Taylor before leaving.
Elder Taylor said he was in good spirits, but he had a message to leave
everyone.  He said "Tell everyone to be obediant to the commandments of God, and
listen to the spirit. Those two things will save us all." He said Elder Keeng
went home, honorably.He also wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and
fasting done in their behalf.. I just wanted to pass the message on to everyone!
You all are wonderful sisters, this website has helped me so much.  I was in
Shopko when i recieved the email about the Elders release, and i broke down in
tears, and went out to my car and prayed in thanks to my Heavenly Father.
Becky Taylor
mm Elder David Taylor
Ghana Accra Mission
10/09-10/11
Ogden, Utah

April 18, 2011

Hi everyone,    

This past Tuesday we went to the temple and had a great time. It’s been way to long since I have been to the temple.  I feel that we are blessed here in Ghana to be able to go to the temple because there are some missionaries that don’t get to go at all during their missions. It was a great time for me to be able to look back on the past few months of my mission and evaluate the way I have been working and the things that I have been able to accomplish and to look forward to the things that I want to accomplish in the next couple of months ahead of me.

This week after many months in prison, the judge finally let the two Elders go.  Elder Keeng finished his mission about five months ago while in jail, and Elder Omale has been reassigned to finish his mission in another country.  I don’t know too much about it, but everything is well with them. Every one in our ward is very happy to have them out. Some of the members in the ward went to the hearing to support the two Elders. I don’t think that I told you guys but I am serving in the area that Elder Omale was in.

This week in our apartment we have either had NO water or NO power. Ha ha it hasn’t been easy. At the first of the week we had to fetch water to bath, and then the past couple of nights we haven’t had power. Last night under the light of a candle while it poured rain outside, we ate cheese cake that my mother sent to me.

As you can tell by reading this poorly written letter that I am very distracted.  I have been trying to upload some pictures. Hopefully you will enjoy these pictures as being part of my letter today.  Remember that pictures are worth 1000 words.

I have been doing well. I haven’t gotten sick but I do have a head ache right now that is not helping the case of me writing a good letter. Mom thanks for everything that you have sent me and the companion and the other two elders.  We all enjoyed the Oreo pie.  I have uploaded some pictures to picasa. I will send the link to mom. Thanks everyone! Love you all so much!

Love Elder Berry



https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=108728305357677389570&target=ALBUM&id=5596943524521143425&authkey=Gv1sRgCJzj46Thmo6QxAE&feat=email

                                             

Michelle Nielsen posted on the Missionary Mom Site

This is what my son wrote on Monday.

As far as the Elders in prison apparently the hearing which was not going to
be postponed at all costs has been postponed 2x since I last heard. I think
the next attempt is on Thursday this week but we're all losing hope in this
system.....especially as they postpone every hearing attempt. President was
pretty devastated about it and I think Elder Keeng probably
noticed......President privied us to a message Elder Keeng had sent
President over the phone and it was really quite nice. I can't remember the
exact things he said but it was like "nothing can frustrate the works of
God......his promises and blessings will be realized in just a few days
time.....Love ya President, --Elder Keeng"
That was just a slice of the message but I can't remember what else was said
but Elder Keeng sure has a lot of faith.....He's a great guy.....he was
among my 1st ZL's and I also went on splits with him for a brief hour or two
as I remember. I really liked the him. Well let's keep on praying for them
and hope for the best.

Michelle Nielsen
Santa Clara UT

April 11, 2011 Harvesting Seeds

Hi Everyone,

Well this week was a special week to me. Not because we taught over 30 lessons or had 12 new investigators or because 2 people came to church.  No, not even because we had a baptism (which we didn’t have). This week was special because every thing went wrong.

We started off the week with my companion getting his bike stolen so we and had to WALK every where. (I’ve never been so tired!) Our water has been off like everyday, so we have been taking crappy bucket showers (I’ve never been so annoyed!) The two guys Isaac and Cliff that we were planning to baptize this month didn’t come to church. (I’ve never been so sad!) Then Friday EVERY where we went to shop for lunch, we were given this crappy "white man price". We walked up and down every street trying to find something good to eat for a normal price. (I’ve never been so angry!)

At the time I didn’t know why we chose this particular crappy plain rice place to eat, but when I was standing in line I got talking to this man named Emmanuel. He told me he was once a member of the church but that he had stopped going to church because he started school and moved away and lost contacted with his GOOD missionary friend. I was way excited to have met this guy. He seemed way correct and I wanted to see if we could re-activate him.  I talked to him a little while longer and then it donned on me that this guy had never been baptized. He just thought he was a member because he went to church a few times.

So I continued to ask him questions just trying to get to know him like when were you taught by the missionaries, and about his family situation and stuff like that. Emmanuel didn’t have much to say to my questions, but he just kept talking about his missionary friend that was so good to him.  He said that this missionary treated him like he was a KING! Then he told me that he wanted us to teach him so he could be a member again!!!  He said it had been at least 7 years since he had last been taught the gospel.  After about 10 minutes of talking to this guy about this Elder he asked me where I was from. I said Utah; he said “no way” that is where his Elder friend was from.  So out of curiosity I asked him who the Elder was he said his name was Elder Garrett. (I’VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY!!!) I like almost started to cry when he told me that.  I told him that I knew the Garrett family and that Elder Garrett’s little sister was in my class. I told him what a great family they are and how blessed he was to have been taught by Elder Garrett.  I could tell what a great missionary Elder Garrett was by the things that this man had to say about him.  He praised him like Elder Garrett was his big brother or something.

I know it wasn’t by chance that we went to that crappy rice place.  I feel there is a reason and I hope it is to harvest the seed that Elder Aaron Garrett planted years ago in Emmanuel.  I’m not sure if Emmanuel lives in my area, but I’m going to make sure that he is taught by the missionaries and is baptized.  It is time for him to join the church! 

So everything is going well.  It has been somewhat of an up and down week.  I was able to get a picture with Emmanuel and I will be sending home soon. Thanks for everything! Sorry not much to say this time. 

Love you all! 

Elder Berry

Email Barbara Farnes sent to the Missionary Mom Site

While we are all trying to be patient in this waiting, I thought I would share just a little more of the story of Elder Keeng and Elder Omale, as I understand it. I spoke with the father of one of the Elders which was serving with one of these elders when this all happened. Elder Keeng, from Botswana and Elder Omale from Nigeria, were each serving with American companions. One night, the police came to accuse the two African elders and ended up beating them badly. They were taken to a foul smelling, dirty jail. They were accused of "defilement" of a 15 year old girl.  The church’s lawyer felt that they were trumped up charges and thought that they would be released. The mission President has declared that they are innocent of the charge. They went through the court system and in August were found guilty and sentenced; one to 7 years and one to 10 years. According to several missionary blogs, they have been leading daily devotionals in prison since that time. Several missionaries have mentioned that President Smith feels buoyed up by them when he goes to visit.

In February, the Accra missionaries got word that Elder Dallin H. Oaks was in Nigeria and he was going to come and meet with many of the Accra missionaries on Tuesday Feb. 22. Unfortunately, the missionaries who live far away were unable to go to this meeting.

Here is a section of my son’s letter as he describes the meeting with Elder Oaks;

    Feb. 28, 2011
Tuesday: so Dallin H Oaks, can I say more... So we make it to the meeting and get to our seats. Then we all get up and walk outside in a line. He walked into the building and then we followed by shaking his hand. When we walked back into the room you could feel the spirit. It was really cool. So we sit and Pres Smith gives a testimony and Pres. Cardon, the area authority gave a testimony as well with their wife’s. That started it really good. Then Elder Oaks wife, and then to Dallin H Oaks. So he spoke to us. He taught us that we need to use our time better, and that we need to keep records better. Then he said, “I want to address a problem we have in this mission” (so I said, oh no, in my heart, like what are we doing wrong? I didn’t think anything was going on in the mission.) But then he said he wanted to talk about the elders in jail. He said that we need to have faith and that he is going to say a prayer for them from the pulpit. So we bowed our head and the spirit filled the room. I never felt or heard such a prayer with such power and such directness. He basically said that they judged them unrighteous, and that we know that the Lord has the power to bring down prison walls. And he talked about how Moses brought his children from Egypt.. And the last thing he said is.. You ready for this.. He said “LET MY PEOPLE GO”. It was nuts and a lot were crying. So following that day they had a court case. And the final judgment will be made on the 31 of March. I feel they will get out. So keep them in your prayers ... it’s something that has to be done.

I know that this experience has been a difficult and growing experience for our sons. I’m so grateful that we have faithful families supporting our missionaries from all over the world. Often, as I have prayed for Elder Keeng and Elder Omale, I have felt a connection with saints from everywhere. I have appreciated more the prayer said for missionaries each time we attend the temple. This is the Church of Jesus Christ and I know that He leads us. I am so grateful to have his leaders at the head of our church.

BarbaraFarnes 

April 4, 2011

Greetings from Ghana

This last week, on Monday night, we went to have family night with my old companion (Elder Farnes) and some of his converts that he baptized.  We took one of our investigators named Hisha. So during the family night it was just like any other family night, we sang a hymn, said a prayer, and the missionaries gave the lesson. We had a nice lesson on the importance of families and how the best way to learn the gospel is in the home. Remember that in Ghana the best way to get education is to send your kids away to boarding school.  So parents usually send there kids off to school like at 13 years old. So we taught them the importance of staying together as a family in order to fight the battle TOGETHER. Every one seemed to understand and it helped Hisha understand the importance of a good family. (Hisha is not married and has one child by herself.)

After the lesson I was called on to give my favorite hymn for the closing song. My mind went to some of my favorite hymns like hymn 2, or 85. But when I opened my hymn book it opened right to hymn number 294.  When I read the title it was like something stuck me right in the heart. I suddenly felt like the lesson we just taught wasn’t good enough unless we sang the hymn I just opened to. If you don’t know hymn 249 is "Love at Home".  There was a spirit there that night that was stronger than I have ever felt.  As I reflected on how blessed I have been with such an Amazing family! I knew that I wasn’t the only one that felt that way, because when we sang the 3rd verse, Sista Evealind began to cry when we sang "oh there is one who smiles on high, when there is love at home". Nothing is truer then what this hymn taught each of us that night. It was then that I realized how important families are! Mom sorry it took me 19 1/2 years to see that.

Well on the other hand, we are teaching this boy named Cliff Black who is19. Cliff came to church this Sunday and after church he told me that the church is true and he wants to join us. But for Cliff he has nothing. He doesn’t have a family to go home to every night. He doesn’t even have a home. He works at an old car body shop where he sleeps on a card board box in the shop. The man he works for doesn’t pay him much, if at all. Some nights when we go to teach him he is not there because he is out trying to find something to eat. To my surprise Cliff is one of the only people here that hasn’t asked me for money or told me to take them to live in America. But he is one of the most correct people I have taught! Ever since we have given him the Book of Mormon we don’t even teach lessons any more we just go over to explain what he has read and to help him understand what is going on. If everything goes well we will be baptizing him on the 30 of this month!

Isaac is a man about 52 who also come to church. We have been working with him for a while now. He has had a problem with the word of wisdom (like half of Ghana) but he hasn’t drank for a while, and he is progressing. So hopefully everything goes well with him, and he can be baptized at the end of the month.

I love my family! Best family around! I miss you guys! I hope everyone took the opportunity to listen to conference. I will get to in about a month when we get the DVD version. Ha! Ha! We are a little behind the times here.

Love you all,

Elder Berry