January 9, 2012

Dear Family:

Hi everyone! How are you? What is new? How are things back in good old SLC?

This past week has been a good and very busy week! But what better way to end a busy week, then a lIttle walk around a green pasture wIth a club and a ball:) This morning I went golfing wIth Elder Zoll! It was a lot of fun! It is amazing to me that I haven't played for so long but I am still playing pretty good. I shot 3 over for 9. I went par, par, boggie, boggie, par, par, boggie, birdie, boggie. I wasn't hItting my drives as well as I normally do or should but I was hItting good recovery shots. I had a lot of fun and It was nice to be able to just relax:)

We traveled down to Zone Council on Tuesday. You will never believe what I ate... CHICKEN ROLLS!!!! Sister Shulz made chicken rolls!!! It was so good! I saw It and thought no this can't be, and then took a bIte and sure enough It was chicken rolls!!!! I was so excIted! We spent the night just talking wIth President and then watching some church movies. Zone Council was great! There wasn't really anything big or changes, just lIttle things that our mission needs to work on and to do better. This year we are going to try and also work wIth Retention of the Recent Converts. So we are going to track each one and their progress. I think that this is a great idea and will also keep the words on track wIth what they need to do! We also talked about baptizing children and also helping those that we teach truly feel Godly Sorrow. These things again I think are really going to help the work and the qualIty of our baptisms. We don't just want quantIty but qualIty as well! We are also going to be having President Interviews on Jan 25, and then next month on Feb. 28-31 we are having a mission tour wIth Elder Dixon, from the Area Presidency. As a mission we finished our goal for the last four months of the year. Our goal was 572, and we came out wIth 680 baptism for the last four months of the year. Really the council was great and all went well! I think that things are really moving forward in our mission and are preparing for bigger and better things!

This past week on Thurs. we got a call from one of the Elders in the Zone asking us to come and help sort something out between he and his companion. They were having a lIttle disagreement and asked for our help. So we changed our schedule and went out there. A long the way, I was looking at the ground and then looked up and saw the words "notary". I didn't think much of It at first and then It hIt me, "Hello Ryan! Don't you need a notary?" I was in shock and stood there just starring at It. My comp. must have thought I was crazy but then I explained. And then to hear that you woke up at 3 am just feeling to send It! That is amazing!

On Saturday President came and instructed the church leaders here Kumasi about missionary work and what they need to do as the leaders. He did a great job and I think and hope that It will make a difference in here Kumasi. The Lord really is preparing this place and we need the help of the leaders to ensure that It will all be well! President did a great job and I know that he is preparing Kumasi for things to come in the future!

On Sunday we went out to Bibiani to get things ready for this week when It is made into a branch! It is going to be a great day! It was great to see everyone there and to think that soon the church is about to make a big step in Its growth there! Bibiani really has been such an amazing experience and I am so blessed to be a part of such a miraculous event! I'll let you know how It goes!

Well family my time is up! But know that I love you and am so grateful for each one of you! You are amazing to me! I appreciate greatly the sacrifices that you are making and know that you are helping the church grow here through your efforts through me. I love you guys and miss you so much!

Love your son and brother

Elder Ryan S. Alba