October 3, 2016 Email

Well this week has been interesting.

I can't remember a lot so I'm gonna basically sum up.  Since this week started we have been going around and working with ward members getting them ready for the temple.  We attend there on October 15.  We hope to go and have members do their endowments* and other things like that.

Accra Ghana Temple

Fortunately, things have picked up.  We were able to have some time to do exchange cuz Lokutshu had to go to Accra for some meeting.  I stayed with the Zone Leaders in Swedro.  They are pretty cool!!!!  On the plus side, one of their investigators thinks I look like Zack Efron or someone like that haha!!!!  We went around and saw a lot of their investigators.  For them however, it is hard to meet people when it's crazy hot outside haha!!!  But it was good to work with them.  We had a good day of seeing people and I met one of the new missionaries.  Elder Jones was trained at Provo and he's been here for about 3 weeks, so he is missing home a bit haha!!!  He's pretty cool and a good worker.

We had the general sessions for priesthood and for the Saturday evening session of General Conference^ at the Winniba stake center.  Going there was a pain and hard, but it was worth it.  We watched the talks they had and it was amazing!!!  We didn't get to see the Sunday sessions though, so that was a bummer.  I really liked it when they talked about Ghana, I bet that was pretty cool for most of you to see haha!!!  Unfortunately, it was just a long, long day after that so it's just a pain.  We have been doing a lot with members and our investigators at the moment and its' just crazy.

I can't remember much about this week to be honest.  I left my journal back at the apartment.  It's been like clock work here and it's pretty cool.  On the plus side, I'm getting to learn a little on the piano.  Not enough to play for anyone else, but I'm getting the hang of it haha!!!  I made a little spoof of Birdland!!!  The jazz song that we played, I can't say it's good, but I'd say it's okay haha!!!  I hope to get better at it and be able to work harder and learn.  Things are just pretty chill here.

As for the companionship, it's just kind of on a break right now.  Things just aren't working out as well as I hoped.  I'm hoping to pick things up and make these last few weeks amazing!!!  I hear there are some cool stores in Swedro where I can pick up some cool souvenirs for all of you back home!!!!  I'll try and get my hands on those so we'll see how it goes.

I've been reading a lot in the Book of Mormon and I really hope to do a thorough personal study of it.  I also really hope to gain wisdom and revelation to when I need to do to become better.  So we'll see how it goes!!!

I love you all and I hope you are all being safe back home!!!

Love,

Elder Stockton Smith

*One ordinance we receive in the temple is the endowment.  The word endowment means "gift" or "bestowal".  As part of this ordinance, we are taught about the purpose of life, the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father's plan for His children.  We gain a glimpse of what it will be like to live in His presence as we feel the peaceful atmosphere of the temple.

Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City

^General Conference is held each April and October.  Elder Robert D. Hales (an apostle of the Church) gave a great explanation of conference:  

"Conferences have always been a part of the true Church of Jesus Christ.  Adam gathered his posterity and prophesied of things to come.  Moses gathered the children of Israel and taught them the commandments he had received.  The Savior taught multitudes gathered both in the Holy Land and on the American continent.  Peter gathered believers in Jerusalem.  The first general conference in the latter days we convened just two months after the Church was organized, and conferences have continued to this very day.  These conferences are always under the direction of the Lord, guided by His  Spirit.  We are not assigned specific topics.  Over weeks and months, often through sleepless nights, we wait upon the Lord.  Through fasting, praying, studying, and pondering, we learn the message that He wants us to give."