Good morning! I’m doing just great, it’s been a great week! Yeah it’s pretty crazy to think it’s been a whole entire year out here in Ghana! Man the time really goes fast! Weird to think this time next year I will be home, better make the absolute best of this time! It’s been such an amazing year. Definitely been the most difficult and the most rewarding. I have learned so much and grown so much this year, for that I am forever grateful to my Father in Heaven. We will see what year #2 brings with it! 

Thanks for sending the package; I thought you sent it a few weeks ago when you were leaving? But nonetheless I will be happy happy to get it soon! You are the best!!! I am glad you enjoyed the pics, the network here has been surprisingly good, you might even get more today! I enjoyed that story about the cocoa farmers, that is sad never to see the fruits of your labors, but you do it cuz that’s how your family will survive. They sell Ghana made  chocolate here, everyone has had chocolate I think but not "real" chocolate hahaha.  Man that is crazy how they got those missionaries out of the country! The Church doesn’t mess around with its boys! The Lord heard our prayers and quickly got them out though, that is amazing. They are here safe and sound, two are in our zone and I came here with one of them, so it will be cool to see him again. That would be so hard to leave like that while everyone is just suffering, but the Lord has a plan at all times. Yeah this has been a good week though, a bit slower than in the past, but still a very good week! We went to farm again this week with the drunk high priest group leader with the giant hernia (remember him?). We trekked through the same port a potty water and this time went through deep mud as well on the trail to his farm. I like to imagine I am Indiana Jones or something while traveling into the deep dark bush. We went and weeded for a few hours at his farm, not nearly as difficult as the last week, didn’t get any blisters either so that is a plus! But we did a lot of work, got lots of weeds cleared! It’s always good when the portion of land looks completely different after you are finished! It was a nice, cool rainy day too so it wasn’t too bad at all! Friday we went on splits, I went to Foso with Elder Cowan and we had a good day of celebrating one year in Ghana haha! There is a store in Foso called Melcom. They are a chain in Ghana and its basically Ghanaian Wal-Mart. There are good things there usually. We went there and bought boneless chicken breasts, a bag of frozen fries, and Dr. Pepper. It was pretty dang expensive, but hey, a year in Ghana deserves it haha! We breaded the chicken and deep fried it along with the fries and we just feasted! Then we went out and proselyted in his area. It was a good day really!!  I was glad to get back to my area though; we have some work going on. There are 5 people with a baptismal date. Two will be this Saturday. Afia and Theresa will be baptized, so that will be sweet! The others we are hoping for the 6 of September. Then another one we have been working with, well she still has not quit smoking and is still lying to us about it. We were hoping giving her a baptismal date would motivate her, but man it’s still not helping. The grandchildren tell us she still is smoking and yesterday she smelled like smoke, but she won’t tell us when we ask her...It’s really  very sad. I wish I could just force her to stop haha, but that’s not a possibility. Another is a woman named E. who has diabetes and I think it also effects her memory, we have been teaching her for months but if you ask her who Joseph Smith is she won’t be able to tell you. She comes to church each week, but she just can’t remember. Yesterday we asked her if she knew the name of the church and she did not. We told her 10+ times and asked her and she could not say it. We called President about her because she really wants to be baptized along with the members, but we can’t baptize someone who doesn’t know anything about the gospel. That’s what President said as well, she has to have at least the comprehension of an 8 year old. We are trying to help her, but well, it’s not easy. On the happy side the ward went to the temple on Saturday and Kofi Elijah went as well!!!  That made me so happy to see him go! We have not had the opportunity to see him since then, but tomorrow we will go see him! It’s so important for the recent converts to go so they can feel the Spirit in the temple and have the experience, so I was excited to hear he was going! I have another nice Bro. Amuadu quote from the week. We were teaching him about prayer and somehow this gem came out as we were talking about prayer, "I won’t pray for my enemies." We read in Matthew about when Christ said we should do so and he was still vehemently against it haha! That guy cracks me up! Elder Assibey supports the opposite political party from him and when he found out he told Elder Assibey he wouldn’t talk to him anymore haha. He is always so happy to see us though and for us to teach him! He is awesome! Oh and IDK if you have the August Ensign, but there is a great Ghana pic in it! Open the cover and the pic inside is definitely Ghana, that’s where I am every day. The bench that the two are sitting on is the "Ghana bench." The stool the other missionary is sitting on is the "Ghana stool." There is a cocoa tree in the background! It’s Ghana! IDK who the elders are or where they are, probably Kumasi if I had to guess, but it’s a cool picture!

 I am glad Adam had a great time at camp, those are awesome memories for me!  I am thankful I had such great leaders who always made it fun. Ask Kartchner about when he and Bro. Higgs faked a bear attack in our camp. There is no way they could do that now it sounds like hahahaha. Good times, good times. Thank you for everything you do, I am grateful for all your support and prayers! I miss you guys, but I know this is where the  Lord needs me! He is teaching me so much here, I am amazed at how He loves us so much! I know He does and that He is preparing me for things to come! I am so thankful for my patriarchal blessing; it gives me such guidance and direction! It is from the Lord! This is His Church. This is His Gospel. That is my knowledge, not belief. I know this, for He has told me and shown me. That is knowledge. By living the teachings of Christ and following Him we WILL be happy. By doing the things He has told us we WILL be protected. It is so sad when people reject this message. It is the only message. I love you soooo much!!! You are the best!!! Thank you for all you do, thank you for all you guys are!