Well to just blow through all of it, Wednesday, we went to Kumasi in the morning, and fought through the insanity of Kejetia Market... then we made it to the mission home Wednesday afternoon, we stayed there that night, then Thursday morning, we had Mission Leadership Council, which was AWESOME! and ill tell more in a minute about MLC... But After the council on Thursday, we rode back here to Nkawkaw, and then the next day, Friday, we went for baptismal interviews in a little village called Domeabra which is an hour and a half each way. Then Saturday again we had interviews in Mpraeso, which is only a half hour each way, but man i am so sick of sitting in tro-tros hahah
Well back to Leadership Council, I love being a part of the Leadership Council. I love being able to learn so much and feel the Spirit tell me things that i need to work on more, and even things that I can help others work on too as we look at the things that our individual zones need. It is such a great meeting every time we go. Well this Council, we went through some of the goals for the Ghana Kumasi Mission, and wow, there are some amazing goals. Our mission baptized around 1,100 people in 2016, but that is something that the mission, and President Cosgrave, we really think it can be a LOT higher if everyone here will put everything into the work. The mission has set a goal that every companionship should baptize one person every week and i was doing some quick calculations during the council and estimated that the goal would then be around 4000 or so for 2017. I personally think its possible with how receptive the people here are, but there are just still some problems with individual areas where the people are not as receptive or where they don't have a lot of people who can speak or read English. So yeah there are struggles but we can really reach higher with the goals that the mission is setting.
One thing that i have learned from my experience of being a missionary, and especially the time that i have been here as a Zone Leader, is that setting high goals is such a great thing if we really work our hardest to achieve them. Those goals in our lives can be so many different things, but when we set goals that are easy to achieve, we sometimes become lazy and don't work as hard towards achieving them. Setting goals and working towards the results is something that is a lifelong process, for us I feel that the Celestial Kingdom should be our ultimate goal during this mortal life, but yeah that is a BIG goal. We have to work hard, develop Christ-like attributes, and really gain a strong knowledge in this Gospel to achieve that goal, not to mention the one thing that can lift us to that point, the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We can only reach our goals in life if we rely on our Savior. Only if we come unto Him and let our burdens be made light through His Atoning Blood.
This week I also had a really amazing experience with Fasting. We have been teaching a certain guy, Daniel, for maybe 3-4 weeks, and he really loves it when we come, he loves reading from the Book of Mormon, and he constantly says that he wants to come to Church, but he has really been struggling on Sunday mornings to get up and come to the chapel. Well I decided Tuesday night that I would have a special fast for him. So Wednesday I fasted throughout the day, and then also Sunday was our Fast Sunday here in Nkawkaw, so I again fasted, all the time praying that the Lord would provide a way for Brother Daniel to make it to Sacrament meeting and the other meetings on Sunday. Well you have no idea how happy i was to see him in the back of the sacrament hall when i was bearing my testimony. I was filled with joy to see him and a confirming feeling that FASTING REALLY WORKS!!! He loved Sacrament meeting, Investigators Class, and even Elder's Quorum class! He really felt the Spirit and he told us that he really really wants to be baptized. Now the next challenge comes in, he left for Kumasi this morning to go and work (he is a teacher) and we don't really know when he will come back. We are hoping and praying that he gets the job in Kumasi and then we can give him to the missionaries down there in that area where he will be teaching. We really want him to get baptized, and really I feel that he has received the answer that he has been looking for for so long. I love to see people find their answers to their questions and to find the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as the answer to their question.
I testify that fasting works. I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and it answers questions that we have when our many challenges in life come. And I testify that Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, He allowed Himself to be drove to the cross, suffering the pain of having nails big enough to HOLD his body up, those nails being driven into some of the most sensitive parts of the body. We cannot imagine what pain He bore, but I know He bore it for us, He took it on himself for you and for me!!! Please remember His great sacrifice when you are in your own trials and afflictions. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.
Love Elder Porritt
GKM Mission Home
Fried Yam and Fish with Shito. What a nice meal.
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