May 16, 2011

Dear Family:

How is everything going? What’s new? Happy Birthday Mom on Saturday!!!!!

That is really sad about Lito! But just as you said, if it is his time, it is his time! He has lived a great life, he was an awesome father, grandfather, and servant of God. At the end of the email I will write a small thing for you to read to him.

So my week in review:

So I completed the mission goal before I came up here to Sunyani and Elder Speechly had completed part of it and is just waiting to for his family in his old area to go to the temple. The goal for missionaries up here though is to baptize a husband and wife. So Pres. Sabey called us on the phone on Wednesday and was seeing how we are doing on the current goal. He said that He had the impression that there was a family we needed to find a family and baptize here in our area. He said that he had the feeling that if we would continue to work hard and do all that we can the Lord would help us find a family. It was very powerful and was totally like Joseph Smith D&C style; it was really cool! So this accomplish the goal for Elder Speechly. So we took the council given to us by our Mission President. And this past week we worked harder than we have ever. We contacted like crazy and had some really powerful lessons! We have and will continue to do all that we can. If we will do our part and put our trust and faith in Christ, He will do the rest!

One of the people we met his name is Apoku! We met him and his wife while we went out contacting. He is a preacher. We sat down and usually we teach the Covenant Training Pattern the first lesson, but I just felt like we should just begin teaching him lesson 1. So we began teaching him and his wife lesson 1 and ended at the apostasy. He had lots of really good questions and also about our church. He was very interested and unlike the other pastors/preachers we meet, he let us talk and would hear us out. His wife prepared rice and stew for us, so we said, well would you like us to continue while we wait for the food. So we totally taught him all of Lesson 1! We were there for about 3 hours teaching this man and his wife. The incredible thing was he followed every part of the lesson, and remembered everything. We have our fingers crossed! We will meet with him on Wednesday.

Our other family that we are hoping to baptize is Brother Antwi and his wife! I think I have told you about him. He is the one that used to be a school director and is soaking up the teachings like a sponge. We had two really great lesson with him this past week. All of last week we couldn’t meet with him, but he stopped us on Wednesday and told us to come on Thursday. We went and taught him where we came from and why we are here on earth. It was very powerful and he said he learned something new and that he believed it. Then on Sunday we went, and one of the Assistants went on splits with us on Sunday, and we had a very powerful lesson on where we go after death. And then Elder Adams gave a really powerful lesson and testimony about the importance of baptism and Antwi said he would pray about baptism.

Elder Adams used to be my district leader in Mankessim. He helped us out a lot with some of our investigators and helped them focused on baptism. We had some really good and powerful lessons yesterday!

I got the other package on Sunday when the AP’s came! It was perfect! I love all of it! The Preach my Gospel was awesome just what I wanted, the timeline and the music are great, not mention the candy was great!

Pres. Sabey is only here for a few more weeks it is crazy! I can’t believe he is going! The Ap’s are making a video of all the missionaries for them, so our district sang a song while one of the elder’s played the guitar. We changed the words to “Hotel California”. President Sabey is a great man. I have learned lots from him. It was way cool! I am sure the new President will be great!

So here is for Lito:

Lito I want you to know how much I love you! I am going to miss you greatly! You have taught me so much and have been the best example for me in my life! I am trying my best to be just like you! I am working hard to make you proud! Lito, I know that I will miss you, but everything is up to our Heavenly Father’s time! I know that even though you want be there when I return home, that you will be my guardian angel, helping me out here on my mission and through out all my life! I hope that though you can’t wait and be there for me to return home from my mission, that you will be there waiting for me when I return back to my Heavenly Father! I love you Lito, and thank you for being my Lito!

Ok family I have to go! I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me!

Love your son and Brother

Elder Ryan S. Alba