June 27, 2011

Dear Family,

Hey everyone!!!! How is it going? Things are going good out here in Ghana! This past week was a pretty good week and things are starting to turn around which is great!

I got the package today and everything was perfect! Elder Akpan loved the camera and said thank you so much! It made him so happy and he is very grateful! Thank You! And everything else was perfect: the shoes, candy, power band, hand clamp, everything was great! It totally made my day!

So the mission finished the mission goal just in time and so we went and ate real pizza as a zone to celebrate! It was great! It was just like pizza back home!

This week we had a couple of little experiences that meant a lot to me. The first was one of the lessons we had with Brother Robert and his family. We have been teaching things very slowly, one principle at a time so that they understand everything and so we are on the Savior’s earthly ministry right now. We were teaching about how the gospel blesses families and he asked if his two little boys could be baptized. We told him they could and he could and his whole family. He was so surprised and said, “Ok we want to do that.” We told him we would plan to do it in the next few weeks so that they can come to church and so we can teach them everything, but they all want to be baptized. So hopefully we will be able to all be baptized in the next month or so. They did not come to church because he got sick Saturday night and so they did not come, but we will teach them lots this week and they will come next week. It is just great to see them, even though they know so little they have the desire.

The next is with one of our investigators. She doesn’t really speak English, but she understands it. Lately I have really wondered how much she understands and if she remembers anything we have taught her what she needs to know. She wants to be baptized, but just haven’t come to church yet. Anyway we were teaching her and all of her kids were there, (ages girl 8, boy 5, and boy 3) and I showed them the pictures in the Book of Mormon. I pointed to Jesus and the 5 year old said “Jesus.” I then pointed to Joseph Smith just to see what he would say and to my surprise he said “Joseph.” I was in shock! I turned to Ekewa and looked at her and she started to laugh and then said “He knows. He knows.” I was so happy to see that she really does understand and has been teaching her family about it as well. Her husband is a drunk and that one will take a little longer but we shall see.

The next experience happened on Thursday. Now I don’t want you to freak out or be worried, but I just woke up and my stomach was upset. I did not feel well at all, but it wasn’t the first time so I just tried to shrug it off. I prayed for strength and then went out to work. Throughout the day I felt fine, and then in between lesson we stopped at our apartment for water and I just started to feel sick again. I threw up, (don’t worry!) I just wasn’t sure quite what to do... should we keep working or take the rest of the day off so that the next day I would be fine. I went into our room and just prayed to know what to do. I sat there afterwards and just tried to pay attention to what thoughts came to my mind. I just thought, “do what you feel you need to do.” And then “You know what to do.” So I got up and we went back out. The rest of the day/night I felt fine. Truly the lessons we had nothing big or great happened, to be honest they could have waited for the next day. But I think that the Lord did this to show me that He is mindful of me and is there to help me! It was a sweet experience, one that was for me - not for the people. The Lord is mindful and will help me in all that I do!

Well know that I love you all and appreciate all that you do for me! I love you all so much and thank you for everything! I don’t know what I have done to be so blessed with such a great family! I love you!

Love your son and brother,

Elder Ryan S. Alba

PS. Pres. Shulz comes on Thursday. So begins a new phase of the mission!