April 27, 2015

WHAT A WEEK

So well this week was crazy, as you can tell by my lack of emailing, so let me tell you about it:

My companion, Elder Williamson, is suspected of having glaucoma. So we have had to make multiple visits to the Doctor for tests and what what, the only thing is, is that the doctor is in Kumasi, and we are 2 hours away in Bibiani. We went Monday, and I was gonna email in Kumasi, but as I read the first email, the power left us. I was gonna email Tuesday when I got home, but we got home at 9pm, so nope. And that's how the week went, so yeah a ton of fun, spent all our money and time, but it did work out. Now I know Kumasi like the back of my hand.

Bibiani though is incredible, truly always power, and they speak more English here than my old area, so I can like carry conversations in twi with them or so it feels like haha.
The apartment is gorgeous, its a house, and really nice.

We had two baptisms this week as well! Two younger boys whose parents wanted them to be baptized, it was fun, they are good kids.

This week was just long, that's for sure, but this week I have also grown a lot spiritually. Just one after the other have I had spiritual experiences. I love it. I want to be the best missionary I can be, the most obedient, the most honest, the hardest working I can be. And I can see the blessings thereof. I love it.

But that was my week, I hope that is interesting enough.
Oh so I'm the only white guy haha, it's 2 Nigerians and 1 Ghanaian, so I am learning pigeon and twi, I love these guys.
I love you guys too, take care
Elder Verdoni

 

April 13
Transfers

Hey Everyone!! Well it has finally come, I am being Transferred from Nkronsa to Bibiani. I'll talk about it!

I guess its the biggest thing I should talk about, so yes Bibiani. It is about 1 and half to 2 hours from Kumasi by tro-tro. A bit more village-y than where I am now, so I'm super excited. I will be with Elder Williamson, he is also Nigerian, I will be the only white Elder there, :)
I leave Wednesday morning so I have been cleaning and preparing to pack, it'll be fun.

This week was good though, we had no power and no water a few times this week and a thought struck me; how weird it will be to always have light and running water, haha because like I get uneasy when we have power for more than 2 days haha. Bibiani, I heard, always has power so we will see.

My last Sunday in Nkoransa was great, I loved it. I was able to bear my testimony and say goodbye to them all. I love these people. They're family, they really feel that way and it's amazing, just a bit sad that I am leaving.
Well really that was my week, I should have a bit more to share next week, but till then, stay Golden!
Love you guys!
Elder Verdoni

Pics. This week we were serious.. haha okay well we wanted to look serious
we made that meal ourselves, Rice ball with groundnut soup

Letter to Brandon (I'm giving a talk this Sunday on praying with real intent. Anything to say or your personal experiences?)

Sure man. All I can add is I have slowed down in my prayers. I talk to my heavenly Father. I tell him everything. how I feel, how my day went, I even tell him the boring parts, because he cares. And I plead for help to help others. I'm here to serve and I ask him to help me. I love praying because when I do I know he stops, and he listens to me. And after I pray I know he is working for me to help me. I love it. I truly feel like a child of God. And if I have questions, I do everything in my power to find the answer. I study, I search, and then I ask. Like Christ told Oliver Cowdery "you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right and if it be right I will cause that your bosom shall burn withihn you: therefore you shall feel it is right." (D&C 9:7-8) 

Love you bro

Letter to Mom
Hey mom! I always love your emails.

I cant wait for Brandon to get his call, so crazy (His brother's mission papers are in and waiting on the interview)

But wow mom your week sure does sound full, I love knowing about it.

Thank you so much for the package and ring, I will love the Jerky, and I am so excited for the instruments:) (I sent him some dental cleaning instruments)

But hey the Liberian Missionary movie is out!!!! the YSA here watched it on Friday! They said it was really good so I am excited. (Freetown http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCoQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt3735554%2F&ei=ASwsVbLcOMyiNu-MgNAH&usg=AFQjCNHueYiZ4auDo8C3_Pq3gXXPju78NQ&sig2=Um9Kp3efU-gLynjsE8JiCA&bvm=bv.90491159,d.eXY)

I am super excited to go to Bibiani, most people there wont speak English, it will be fun, and I should learn more Twi and pigeon English (from the Nigerians) .

Love you Mom!

April 6, 2015

Conferences

We had Zone Conference this week and it was wonderful, President Holmes gave a great instruction on a few things, specifically better scripture study, asking inspired questions and bearing powerful testimonies. It was a great time, It last from 9am to 3:30pm! and we didn't get home till 5:30, so it chopped our day pretty well, but super fun, got to see a lot of friends.

This week was somehow tough for us though, We only taught 24 lessons this week and Saturday was the absolute worst. The day was just tough, none of the lessons were that great, and we walked for hours, a lot of appointments fell through. We really had to push ourselves but at the end of the day it was sweet, why you ask? well because Sandra invited us four Elders for a meal.
I can say it in German but I sure can't spell it, but it was some bread ball with mushroom soup, holy flipping delicious. It was so, so good. Tasted like home, or Germany. 

This weekend has been great though for power, Ghana bought power from Ivory Coast for Easter Weekend, so we have enjoyed it, although it will be leaving very soon...
This week was good though, I had fun and had a lot of spiritual experiences.

But this weekend was Easter, and without all the candy and bunnies, it's been a great time for me to remember why we have it. I know that Jesus Christ suffered, died, and resurrected for me. I love knowing that he really is there, He lives and he knows me. I don't worship a Christ who died, but I worship a Christ who lives. I know he lives. I know this is His gospel. I know that he knows, and loves each and every one of you, as he does me.
Don't forget that, don't Forget him. Because he will never forget, nor give up on you.
Love you all
Elder Michael Lundy Verdoni

Mar 30, 2015
Just a good week!

Hey Everyone! Well this week was just a good one! I don't remember too much but let's see what I can remember!

We have been working really hard these past few weeks and it's really starting to show now, people are really starting to listen to us and take us more serious, and we're finding new people who are really interested, it's just amazing.

So something really odd happened this week which I loved. I was talking to someone and they were saying something they did or accomplished and with out thinking I said "good job" in twi, I didn't even think about it, it just came as easy as saying it in Enligsh and it made me like the happiest guy ever. I am trying so hard to learn twi, I have learned a lot, but the more you know, the more you know you don't know..

We have had some really powerful storms this week, some which hinder our work but I love them all just the same, although one ripped off one of our neighbors house completely, sad stuff because they came home from a funeral to it, and it's been raining since so their home is just soaked, sad stuff but they're in good spirits.

Church was really good this week too! I don't know but I really felt the spirit and had a real good time.

So that was pretty much my week! Although I have decided I want to buy a cutlass, so we'll see:)
Elder Verdoni

In Letter to Mom

Hey I just want you to know really how much I love this place, I love it mom. I was so meant to come here, it's crazy.  They are wonderful people mom, really really love them, happy people, at least in Ghana.  I've grown and I am gonna grow so much more!

  

 

 

Mar 23, 2015

Just A Good Week!

Hey guys, well this week actually went pretty great! so I'll write about it!
This week we finally found some good new investigators, some with real potential. We found them in one of our areas, Trede, which is the toughest, so it was a good break. Haha one of them calls us "pastor", it's hilarious but we will clear that up with her haha.

We had 3 baptisms as a District! 2 for Nweke and I, P.. and A..
A.. is a 10 year old boy, grandson of the 2nd counselor and P.. is a 24 year old Artist, and he is fantastic. I love both of them.

Being District Leader though I do get to interview the other companionships candidates for baptism, and it's just a really cool experience to see someones testimony, I love it. Being DL isn't the easiest but it's so rewarding.

At the baptism I talked on The Gift of the Holy Ghost and it was really good, I am not bragging by any means but as I talked I found myself edified, which means one thing, the Spirit was manifest there, and I felt Him. I love that. Without him life would be so, so much harder.

We did have some powerful rain this week though! Oh man I love the storms here, so much cooler than back home (sorry AZ) so I live them up while I can.

We had 3 investigators come to church on Sunday, and one of them was S... She is a German White woman who lives nearby us, haha the ward loved it. We see her quite often and she will hang out at Emilia's with us every so often so we invited her and she came! she loved it, so that's always a plus.

Sunday evening I at some sweet fufu though, I'm fairly certain that it was one of the best I've had. So just to let you know Fufu is delicious. 

But on a less great note, I left my wallet on a tro-tro yesterday... which had, well everything. I wasn't upset though because it's all replaceable but it'll just slow me down a bit.

But that was my week!
I hope yours was just as good or better! Love you guys!
Elder Verdoni

Letter to Mom

The packages were perfect! the bacon is killer. And the music is sweet, although I did delete over 100 songs...I just figure, if I can't sacrifice music, I can't sacrifice anything. I did keep a lot of your driving music though, man that takes me back, good feelings and good memories. (I sent some more music with instructions to delete anything that he felt would not be missionary appropriate - and Christmas music since the one I mailed last fall never made it)

Your week sounds quite eventful and that lesson though mom is really powerful, well done, (I told him of my lesson to the 14&15 yr old girls on Grace) I cant wait to come home and teach you guys or teach at church, I would love it. 

My week was good though, besides the missing wallet lol, but hey, more memories!!
can't believe I've been here 200 days, time truly is flying mom, weird.

My study materials

Mar 16, 2015

Fast Week

Hellllo! How are you all? This week was actually rather slow, not too much happened but well we'll see what I can find mildly interesting!

So you know how I drink water out of plastic bags? (if you didn't, now you do) anyway I had one this week and the bag literally smelled like an all beef, well-cooked hot dog. Ah man It took me home, I loved it, and the water tasted like the treatment chemicals:) Most smell or taste funny but I'm healthy and that's life:)

We pounded our own fufu as a District this week!! If you don't know what that is, look it up! Good stuff actually. But we went to Sis Emilia to help us prepare and it was wicked! Worth the work.

Two of my Investigators should be baptized this week! P., and A. (a small child so its like that) but P.  is an incredible guy, he is really prepared and I know it wasn't me. I'm super proud of him.

But yeah that's my week! I'm still living in Africa which blows my mind. I hope all is well with you guys! I love you all and take care! Stay fly and continue to improve your relationship with your Heavenly Father. I can promise you that he is there, and that he cares. He listens to your prayers, I know that because he listens to mine.
love you all

Eldah (how Ghana says it) Vehdoni

Mar 9, 2015

Hard Work, works! 

Hey everyone! Okay so this week was hard, but it was a good one. My District is sweet! and the weather can be nice! so I'll talk about it!

So the new missionary, Elder Acera is flipping great, he is a great guy. He's been here as long as my companion so they are good friends, we all get along pretty well!

So this week I hit a pretty cool mile marker: I finished the Book of Mormon, The New Testament, and the Pear of Great Price this week! I am pretty proud of myself and I have learned a lot! It's like my 3rd time reading The BOM on mission, so it's cool:) I just have D&C and the OT and I have finished the Standard Works!

We have had a couple of powerful storms this week, like the wind got crazy. And I loved it! man I love the storms here, but I hate the humidity that comes after lol. In fact one storm ripped off a lot of zinc roofing and knocked down a bunch of trees in one of my areas, it was crazy to see, like a mini hurricane.

Like I said though, the week was hard, we spent the first 4 or 5 hours everyday just walking around, with no lessons. it sucks. But at the end of it we all eneded up having good lessons, so it turned out alright.

And okay church was crazy! some crazy drunk or high (who knows) guy walked into church making noise and yelling, laying on the ground what what.. so us 4 Elders and some others tried to kindly escort him of church property, the guy didn't want to cooperate. There were no fists but he did scuffle with a few guys. We had to lock the gates and open them quickly if someone else wanted in. It was exciting.

Well that's my week! I love you guys!
Elder Verdoni

Elder Verdoni and Elder Erickson