February 27, 2017 Email

Hey family and friends,

I'm moving on. . .to the next level of amazing-ness!!!!!!  Staying in Anyaa and can't get any better than this yahoo!!!!!!!  Chai I love this area and I'm so happy to still be here!!!!  The only change is that Elder Achi is leaving to be a district leader in New Weja.  We are receiving Elder Seninde, the same guy I was with back in Odoben, but the difference is that he's chill so yeah haha!!!!

So this week!!!!!  It didn't start off too well mainly cuz we had our phone stolen just after we got done emailing and we came back to find that a small boy stole it!  Chai this week was not easy!!!  Most of our serious investigators live far and need us to call them to make sure that they can meet with us, so it was just a hit-and-miss week!

We are meeting with some sweet people and we are hoping to have some baptisms coming up soon!  So, Kobby is doing well and he will be baptized on the 5th of March.  We have another brother named Robert Brown.  He has known and wanted to be part of the Church his whole life, but has never had the chance to do that.  The culture in Ghana is that you go to whoever's church who lives in the house.  So, he never had the chance; unfortunately, when he had the chance he was in an accident and he couldn't be baptized so now he is going to be baptized this upcoming 8th so that will be amazing!  Henry and Emefa aren't doing too well.  We haven't seen them this week and we have to push their baptisms back so that's a bummer.  We are going to work with them and try to build their faith and testimonies in Jesus Christ.  We are teaching a man named Kevin and chai, he is difficult.  So, he speaks French and he hasn't had the chance to visit the church so that's a bummer.  The last time we went to see him, he didn't like the paintings and other images of Jesus Christ in the New Testament Manual for this year in Institute.  We literally had an hour long discussion about how we have to look nice and how we can't do anything good that looks bad.  Like if you are helping a little girl to get to her mom, and someone sees you, they think the worst; that is just what everyone thinks.  They don't understand and chai it was just a long, long discussion of that stuff.

At our District Meeting we had the zone leaders and the assistants to President (APs) there and it was awesome!  Tohouri is leaving and I have been with that guy for a long, long time!!!  All the way back in Chantan he has been my Zone leader, and now he's going home!  Show's you how fast time really goes!!!  Also, it was Elder Lambson's birthday this last week, so happy birthday bro!



Also, Mom and Dad, I found that freeze dried food in my bag haha!!!!  I found that a few weeks ago and I've been using it.  Unfortunately, the beef and potato ones are ruined because some ants got into them so that's a major bummer.  I still have ham and sausage and a few others, so that's good.  We have had a good time traveling around and finding more people!!  We have also had a cool adventure going down to Weja Lake in our area somehow lol.  We took some pics, so I'm gonna try to send them after.

I have no idea how many times I have to tell people that I'm not interested in marriage or anything else like that!!!!  Being white and being here in Ghana is not a good idea for white people unless they want to do something apostate haha!!!  Just a lot of people interested in having a white American as their bf or something like that haha!!!

Things are going amazing here and I'm so excited to still be here!!!!!!  Chai things here are just AMAZING!!!! Hope you all had an amazing week!!!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

February 20, 2017 Email

Hey everyone!!!!!

Chai this week was just amazing!!!!  So we had a meeting a few weeks ago, or last week, I can't remember, lol, about being a "hunter"!  So instead of Koetting and I adventuring, we "hunt" so that means we search for people around the age of 15-25 years old.  Around that age group, they are searching for purpose in life.  We have had a little success at doing that, but it's a work in progress haha!!!!

We are still working with our normal investigators:  Kobby, Emefa, Henry and a few new ones such as Eben, Kevin, and yeah haha!!!  Eben is a man who works at a betting store and he is really interested in baptisms so we hope to teach him more.  Kevin is a French speaking man and he came from a French speaking country to learn English, I can't remember which one though.  He's very interested in the Plan of Salvation and Baptisms for the Dead.  (If any of you have questions for me about that, don't be afraid to ask** haha!!!!)  All of them are doing amazing and I can't wait to have them be baptized soon!  We are hoping to baptize Kobby and Emefa on the 5th of March!

I hit 15 months on Mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIINNNGG!  Chai, time in this area is going by fast!!!  #amazingcompanion  #amazingarea  #amazinglife !!!!!!

So yeah, things are super sweet here in Anyaa!!

I'll write more later and send pics cuz we are going to move to another cafe in a little bit.  I just came to this one to get music haha!!!  So yeah!!!!

I love you all and I hope that you are doing amazing!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith


LATER. . .

Forgot some details haha!!!!

So a few times this week we have had some super crazy experiences.  One of them being that we got a free tro tro ride because we were white and that we are missionaries.  We also have like 50 girls ask us to marry them because they think we will take them to the U.S.

But now, for one of the most amazing experiences of my missionary life, or even in my life!!!  The other missionaries in our apartment had a baptism this last Sunday.  It was a baptism for a young man named Antwi and a young girl named Blessing.  See Blessing is suffering from cancer and she's only 8 years old.  She doesn't talk much, but she just has an attitude to do good.  When she was baptized, it was just amazing to see her there.  I also had the privilege of confirming her a member of the Church and having the chance to give her the gift of the Holy Ghost^^.  I saw from that point that the gospel is for everyone.  She is an amazing example for those before, now and forever!!!!  I know she will grow strong, and I will see her again in the life to come, to know that she will be happy, and know that there is hope in even the most painful of times.  She's just AMAZING!!!!

So yeah, I'll try to send some pics also, but no promises!!!

**BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD

Jesus Christ taught that baptism is essential to the salvation of all who have lived on earth (see John 3:5). Many people, however, have died without being baptized. Others were baptized without proper authority. Because God is merciful, He has prepared a way for all people to receive the blessings of baptism. By performing proxy baptisms in behalf of those who have died, Church members offer these blessings to deceased ancestors. Individuals can then choose to accept or reject what has been done in their behalf.

Jesus Christ said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Even Jesus Christ Himself was baptized (see Matthew 3:13-17).

Many people have lived on the earth who never heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ and who were not baptized. Others lived without fully understanding the importance of the ordinance of baptism. Still others were baptized, but without proper authority.

Because He is a loving God, the Lord does not damn those people who, through no fault of their own, never had the opportunity for baptism. He has therefore authorized baptisms to be performed by proxy for them. A living person, often a descendant who has become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is baptized in behalf of a deceased person. This work is done by Church members in temples throughout the world.

Some people have misunderstood that when baptisms for the dead are performed, deceased persons are baptized into the Church against their will. This is not the case. Each individual has agency, or the right to choose. The validity of a baptism for the dead depends on the deceased person accepting it and choosing to accept and follow the Savior while residing in the spirit world. The names of deceased persons are not added to the membership records of the Church.

The New Testament indicates that baptisms for the dead were done during the time of the Apostle Paul (see 1 Corinthians 15:29). This ordinance was restored with the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

^^GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST

The Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead. He is a personage of spirit, without a body of flesh and bones. He is often referred to as the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the Lord, or the Comforter.



All honest seekers of the truth can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost, leading them to Jesus Christ and His gospel. However, the fulness of the blessings given through the Holy Ghost are available only to those who receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and remain worthy.

After a person is baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one or more Melchizedek Priesthood holders lay their hands on the person's head and, in a sacred priesthood ordinance, confirm him or her a member of the Church. As part of this ordinance, called confirmation, the person is given the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is different from the influence of the Holy Ghost. Before baptism, a person can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost from time to time and through that influence can receive a testimony of the truth. After receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, a person has the right to the constant companionship of that member of the Godhead if he or she keeps the commandments.

February 13, 2017 Email

Hey everyone!!!!

Wow, this week has been pretty interesting, but I have to say, it's pretty sweet!!!!

So to start off, we had a good time going around and exploring more of our area!  It seems that when we explore more of our area, we seem to find more and more people willing to hear the gospel!!!!

So it started off pretty nice.  We met our usual people on Tuesday and then we met a man, Kelvin, we contacted a few weeks ago.  He lives in a huge compound/building with people that speak French, so that was pretty interesting.  Dad, I'm pretty sure that you had quite the experience with not understanding French for the first time. . .that was how we felt haha!!!!  We were talking to him, but then this one guy came in an just ruined the whole lesson.  That same day we had the chance to meet with someone who was baptized in Togo.  For him, he came to Ghana and he hasn't been able to find the church here, so we sat down with him and talked to him for a bit.

As for the rest of the week, it was cool.  We had a multi-zone conference with a few of our other missionary Elders and Sisters.  We learned a lot about the blessings of God and the amazing things that can come from us being obedient to the commandments.  The church made a new video that just made me more in-depth with learning and aligning myself to the Lord's will.  I'm not so sure if you all have seen it, but it is pretty amazing if I do say so myself.  At the conference we got there late, but we had the chance to see a lot of missionaries there!!!  I saw Lambson, McFarland, Martuneau, Touhori, Roberts, just so many missionaries there that just made my day!!!!

So as for the rest of the week, it was nice.  We tried to see a lot of people, but we have had a lot of trouble with seeing them.  We have had the chance to meet more people, but our serious investigators are kind of falling away and that makes me pretty sad.  Things are pretty sweet in Anyaa!!!!!

So funny moments. . .We now have a new form of just exploring. . .OLOing.  So we did this for about 3 hours one day, and it ended up pretty well.  We love to bounce some bouncy balls in the apartment and well unfortunately we have the bad side of seriously harming one another haha!!!  We also have a lot of "British" moments where we randomly talk British and sometimes teach in a British accent.  I have the rest of my journal, but I forgot to grab them. . .my bad haha!!!!

And from Africa to all of you who may read this.  Happy Valentines Day!!!!!

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hope you all are being safe with the weather back home, and just stay AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

February 6, 2017 Email

Hey everyone!!!!

This week has been pretty sweet!!!! Lessons though this week have been pretty difficult; this week we literally just looked around and hoped to have a good day haha!!!!

So Tuesday was okay, and we had a good time meeting people.  We have been working hard with a few of our investigators at the moment.  We came in contact with Ruth, we haven't seen her in a long time.  She said we should call and come over, but every time we call, she never picks up so that's a bummer.  We also have been working with Kobby, Henry and Emafa.  These three have a baptismal date for the end of this month on February 26th except for Kobby.  We hope to have him change to this date rather than do the baptism in March.  We have had a lot of fun working with the people right now and it's just great.

Now some awkward moments:

1) So first awkward moment.  We contacted a guy names Evans near a market place where we stay.  It started well and then went downhill. . .later on in seeing him, we notice that a man near him was selling drugs.  We then had some women stop by and start smoking some weed.  Turns out they were prostitutes and it was just awkward. . .so we said we needed to go and just left haha!!!!

2) We went to have lunch one day and when we went there to eat at our normal chop bar (just another phrase we use in Ghana for places we eat) it started out normal.  We then realized that they were showing a horror movie on the television and that the movie involved a weird possessed doll named Chucky.  I know for a fact that I am not getting any dolls for my children ever. . .too weird!!!!

3) We went and had lunch at the church building when we were having a lesson there.  Some kids saw that we had food and just wouldn't leave us alone!  We literally sat there and ate as they cried.  They just wanted food and they thought we would give it to them.  I gave them some candy and that was still not enough for them. 

4) Later on in the week we were traveling and we met a man who said he was a chief.  So, chiefs here are very stubborn and they think very highly of themselves.  So we gave him a pamphlet and just went on with life.  Later that week he just loved calling us over and over again!!!!  Chai he is so crazy!!!!

So, these are just a few of the the awkward moments that we have had here in Anyaa.  Just this morning we went and played soccer in our compound.  Chai that was fun, but some of the moves we did were just awesome!!!! 

Mom, Dad, I don't know if I told you, but I got you two similar shirts so yeah.  Greg, I also got you and Adam matching button ups so hope you'll enjoy those!!!!  Well hope you all are doing amazing!!!!  I love you all and be safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

January 30, 2017 Email

Hey everyone!!!!

Chai this has been quite the week for us in Anyaa!!!!!  Things here just keep betting better and better!!!!!

So firstly, Mom, Dad, I got you guys matching shirts so don't be bummed if you don't like them.  I got a lot of other things for everyone, mainly ties, wood carvings, and a few other things.  So if you would be amazingly caring, could I get a little more money in my account so I don't die haha!!!!!

Now for the week!!!  This week has been pretty sweet!!! We had 5 people attend church on Sunday!!!!  Henry is an investigator who came who lives crazy far away.  He accepted to be baptized and so we are working hard with him.  Then there's Emafa, she is new and lives around a place called NIC, no idea what it means, but it's cool.  We are teaching her and she accepted a baptismal date as well for the 26th as well as Henry!!!!  Kobby came and he is pretty cool.  He's getting baptized in March on the 5th, such a bummer that he doesn't want to get baptized sooner!!!  A girl named Mary came to the church.  She stays around Henry and she has had quite the time moving from church to church, so hopefully we can get her to stay put haha!!!!  There was another, but I can't remember their name right now!!!  Other than that, that was Sunday!!!!

We have been working with a lot of people lately and it's amazing!!!!  My personal favorites are Henry, Kobby, and a girl named Rita.  So Rita is a girl who we met a while ago, she unfortunately hasn't been around this last week so that's a bummer.  We have been working to meet her, but it's hard cuz she traveled.  We have had quite the time moving around and finding new people.  We met a girl named Cinderella!!!!!  Talk about crazy haha!!!  We have also been working on seeing other people, but they aren't too serious about time with us haha!!!

Things are definitely great here!!!! It's amazing to think that time is flying so fast!!!  Being here with Elder Koetting is amazing, and it's pretty cool here.  Just today we went to a place called Kaneshie market, chai the traffic will kill me before I go home!!!!!  I got some cool kente and fabrics for ties so that will be a huge plus!!!  Things in Anyaa are pretty amazing to say the least!!!!!

Ukulele!!!!!!!  Now I got a ukulele like last week and it's just amazing!!!!  I learned a few songs on it, but I'm not that good at playing it yet, but it's just cool haha!!!!!  Just gotta keep practicing and I'll get the hang of it sooner or later!!!  Also a not so fun fact, since it harmattan here, it's just crazy hot!!!!  Barely any cover because clouds aren't around most of the day.  So if I look like a tomato in some of the pics I'll send, don't make fun of me haha!!!!

Well, I love you all and I hope that you all are doing amazing back home!!!!!

Also, I totally forgot!!! We had a missionary broadcast that tells us about some changes to the mission and stuff like that.  We had some changes to the missionary schedule and some key indicators; or the number of lessons and appointments that we have to report in each week.  I saw Lambson, McFarland, Roberts, and a few other sweet missionaries there!!!!  It's just amazing to be here and be around missionaries who you know!!!  I also went on exchange with a missionary named Elder Peters, chai that guy is sweet!!!!  We had a good day planned, and that just fell through slowly as we went along haha!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

January 23, 2017 Email

Hey everyone!!!!!

Chai I gotta say, being in Anyaa for another transfer is AMAZING!  Compared to my last area, I now feel like a missionary again!!!!!

So this week!  We just started off pretty well with some lessons on Tuesday.  We had a lot of fun running around and trying to work things out with people.  It's pretty amazing!  Koetting and I were eating lunch and there is a TV in our chop bar where we eat.  We thought we were watching some children play futball until we saw that one of the kids had really long hair. . .we paid closer attention and it turns out that we were watching the Little People League haha!!!  Chai that was really funny!!!!!

As for Wednesday, we went to our District Counsel Meeting and I saw Lambson!!!!  Chai that was amazing to have him in the same district as I am!!!  #lotsofexchanges haha!!!!  We had some fun meeting with some people later that day.

So really quick, we have a man named Kobby down for his baptismal date.  We are going to try to get him baptized on February 26th.  He unfortunately didn't come to church this last week, but he came a week before and that was amazing!!!!  We are also teaching Ruth.  It just got really hard to see her due to the fact that the people in her compound don't want us around.  We fortunately got to see her a few times when she goes to pick up a small boy named Eddie.  We have have a new investigator named Rita.  She is sweet!!!!  She knew the church in a different area and she was given to us and now we hope to baptize her.  We hope to teach her and stuff like that.  She has a little niece who is just the best!!!  She was really shy at first to see white people, but then we had the chance to get her to like us haha!!!

As for Thursday to Sunday, it was pretty average haha!!!  We had an investigator named Henry come to church this last Sunday!  Only downside is that he lives really really really far away from us and it's a pain to see him haha!!!!  The place he stays is super sketch cuz it gets dark at night and it's just creepy haha!!!!

I got some new shirts and troy so that I can have more clothes.  Unfortunately, the lady that tailored them did them way too tight!!!  I feel super small and I hate it!!!  Every time I move, it feels like I'm going to just tear my shirt!!!!  Guess I'm just too big now a days so haha!!!! 

We had the chance to visit with President Simpson on Saturday!!!!  Chai having him as Mission President is amazing!!!  He really knows his stuff, and give out really good advice!!!!!

Well, I'll try to send pics after this so we'll see how it goes!!!!

Hope you all had an amazing week!!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!]

From,
Elder Stockton Smith

January 16, 201 Email

Hey everyone!!!!!

Chai this week has been crazy!!!!!!

So to start off the week, we had a good time with some of our progressing investigators.  Kobby accepted a baptism date for March 5, but we are going to get him to a closer date!  We also met Akua.  She's a new investigator we have and she's cool.  She likes to hear from us, but she has a hard time accepting the Book of Mormon and other things like that.  She wonders why the other churches don't use the Book of Mormon and we taught her that if other churches did use it, then that meant that there church is false and that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of God!  So that was a really cool lesson with her!  We went and saw Jacob after that.  He's white and cool!  He is here for his church and it's nice meeting with him.  This last time we talked about the evidence of the Book of Mormon and stuff like that.  It's just complicated because he's pretty stubborn when it comes to the Bible.  We saw Nadede later and taught her about prophets, so that was cool!!

Wednesday was interesting.  So we had a lesson with Hanna, another investigator near Akua and she doesn't believe in Sunday worship so it's hard to get her to come to church.  We had District Counsel Meeting so that was fun.  So now for the funny part haha!!!!!  We saw Ruth with a member named Phyllis and they just went overboard with the lesson. . .they started talking about chastity and how great it is.  Awkward. . .and so Koetting and I asked what dates were like here, and they said a date is practically where you walk and talk.  That's it.  Dates in Ghana suck haha!!!!  We saw Samuel after and that was cool.

So as for the rest of the days, it was just normal.  We saw a few more investigators and tried to contact more people.  We he some fun working at the apartment and Elder Koetting thought it was wise to throw a pen at the fan while it was on. . .one of my shirts got ink all over it!!!!  But it wasn't a new one, so that's good.  We have had quite the week with the people here!!!

So now my funny food story!!!!  We went over to the Elders' Quorum President's house to see where he stays.  While we were there, his wife gave us rice and stew.  If there is one thing I hate, it is bones!!!!!  So we sat there and ate, but I just couldn't do it!!!!  I look over at Koetting and he is finished, but he couldn't chop any more food.  I was looking around and thought to myself, "What am I going to do?!"  Then I had a revelation. . .your sweat rag.  I stuffed the rice in my sweat rag and just booked it out of the house after that haha!!!!!  Mitch or Dad, I don't know if you guys have ever had to do that, but let me tell you, it was sooooooo weird!!!!!

I'm having a guy make some shirts for me near my apartment and they should be done soon.  After they are finished, I'll send the pictures home of what it is haha!!!!  And now transfer news. . .we are all staying!!!!  The best part is that Elder Lambson is coming to my District. . .AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGG!!

So, that is super cool!!!!!

Hope you all have had an amazing week!!!!!!  Love you all, and hope you all are safe!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

January 9, 2017 Email

Well quite the week to say the least!!!

So first off we had interviews with President Simpson on Tuesday and that was fun.  Definitely having three mission presidents to get used to is kind of odd, but they each have something to bring to the table.  Sure am glad we have a solid one now!!!!

We have been doing well in Anyaa!!!  We have been trying to work hard with the members and find new investigators.  I went on exchange with Elder Walton this last Wednesday!  He's a good missionary and is eager to serve the Lord!!!  We worked in Anyaa and saw a few people.

The people I'm most excited about working with is a few people.  One of them is Ruth!  She hasn't accepted a baptismal date yet, but she is progressing and loves to see us and stuff like that!!!  We have had quite the chance to see her and to teach her.  She has a lot of questions and she is right about one thing .  . Ghana is not the best place to be chaste to the Lord haha!!!!!!  I hope to show her the movie "Meet the Mormons" on Tuesday so that'll be fun!!!!!!  We also have Kobby, he is cool.  He likes hearing from us and loves to read the things we give him!!!  The only problem is that we try to see him, but he is never around.  We hope to extend to him a baptism day so yeah!!!!  We then have Nadede, she has a little by that is just the best haha!!!!  Hunt and Koetting contacted her a while back and haven't really taught her, but we are teaching her and it's pretty cool.  We have only taught her a few times so that was nice.  Only downside is that they are stubborn beyond relief!!!!!!!

As for things here, it's pretty sweet!!!!!  We are hoping to increase the investigators here and just keep moving forward with that!!!!  Things are better here than before so that is a huge huge plus!!!!!!!!!

Hope you all are enjoying back home!!!!!!!!!  Harmattan has hit really bad!!!!!!  Like that is where sand from the North blows down to Ghana and it is just dusty!!!!  But on the plus side, things are pretty sweet here in the new area!!!!!!  Things are AMAZING!!!!!!  Transfer news is coming up so that's a bummer, but I'm sure Koetting and I will stay!!!!!!!

Hope you all are safe and enjoying back home!!!!!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

January 2, 2017 Email

Well Happy 2017 to all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week has been crazy!!!!  So it all started off with us having an amazing chance to Skype my fam and that was AMAZING!!!!!  We had a lot of fun talking to our families here in Africa!!!!

So this week, it has been interesting.  We had a holiday after Christmas known as Boxing Day.  That day is when the people give people gifts.  It's practically like Christmas, but more fake.  We had some fun running around trying to find a good cafe so yeah.  After we had the chance to cafe we went to a member's house.  We had some food and just chilled for a bit.  It was nice.

This week has been strange to say the least.  We have been going around trying to find more investigators, but it isn't working out as well as we thought.  We have been able to visit with some more investigators this week and help them in progressing.  One of my personal favorites is Ruth.  She knew Elder Hunt and Koetting before I was here.  We have been teaching her and it has been nice.  We tried to extend a baptism date to her, but it has just been crazy.  We hope to keep teaching her and get her baptized in February.  We also have an investigator named Wisdom who has that same date.  We have been seeing him a few times, but it has been hard for him to keep commitments.  We have fortunately had some success in working more with some investigators than others.  Florence for instance has not been very serious lately.  She avoids us and our calls and it's super annoying.  We may just drop her to be honest.

Um, things are crazy to say the least.  We had a few lessons this week and it has been pretty sweet.  We have a new missionary in our midst. . .Elder Atchwi!!!!!!!!!!!!  He's a Ghanaian who was serving his mission in Nigeria, but had to come home for medical reasons.  He is now serving herein Anyaa with us.  He knows Twi and enjoys serving the Lord.

We had an activity for New Year's at the Church this last Friday and it was stupid!!!!!!!!  They practically put us missionaries in charge and they had us set everything up at the last minute because they didn't tell us anything.  We did that, and I feel like it was pretty good.  That New Year's though was pretty fun haha!!!!!!!  We had some fun staying up and waiting to count down to the New Year's celebration.  The people in Ghana celebrate like crazy!!!!  They had tons of fireworks and they just had a lot of fun.  We stayed up and watched some fireworks so that was cool.  We have had a lot of fun working with the people here and just enjoying haha!!!!!  Elder Koetting is definitely an improvement from what I came from, I'm so so sooooooo grateful to be here and to press forward in doing the Lord's work!!!!!!

Harmattan-dusty season

Masks to bring home

Hope you all had an AMAZING New Year!!!!!!!  I come home this year!!!!!!!!!!!  Crazy to think of to be honest haha!!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

December 26, 2016 Email

Chai it was amazing to skype you last night!!!!  I can't believe you all have grown so much in just a year!!!

Sorry, blurry photo of the skype session

So as for this week.  We tried to see a lot of people, but it was hard because they were all busy and traveling.  We had a lot of fun seeing some people, so that was cool.

Uhm, I can't remember a lot to be honest.  We went to the Mall on Friday and sang carols and that was cool!  We saw a lot of white people there.  We had a later program at the Stake Center in Kaneshi.  I saw Lambson, Hunt, and Roberts!!!!!  The program was just some other towns coming and signing.  It was cool!!!!

As for the rest of the week, we have just been running around seeing people.  We have had a lot of fun meeting new people and learning with them.  On Thursday we went to a far part of our area.  Soooo they had a little digimon toy and I took tons of selfies with it so don't be weirded out if you see that haha!!

The cafe we are using today isn't great.  But, it was an amazing Christmas.  Got to see the fam and see how much you have all grown!!!!!!  I hope you all had an amazing Christmas, and have a safe New Year!!!!!

Here on out, I'm downhill and time will fly!!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!!!!

Traditional burning of a white shirt at the halfway point of the mission

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

December 19, 2016 Email

Afe shapa everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or in other words, happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!  Well this week has been pretty sweet, but pretty crazy haha!!!!

Alright, first thing first!  I am able to skype on Sunday through my bishop, but I don't know when he will be available to skype.  We close church at 11 here so we may relax and just meet  him to skype.  I'll email you all and let you know more about how it may work.  Mom, I would love for you to let my friends (Facebook) know that I want them to be there when I skype if they can!  If they can, that would be AMAZING!!!!!

So for this week . . . we have been pretty busy with seeing some people.  Our personal favorite is Florence haha!!!!  So her story is that she just loves Koetting!!!  She really enjoys seeing us, but she doesn't talk much.  We then get home after each visit and she texts us and calls us.  She loves to talk to Koetting so I pretend to be him sometimes when she calls.  When I tell her that I am on the phone, she asks for Koetting haha!!!!  She first told us she was 14, then she tells us she's 15 because she didn't want someone to know?  She thinks Koetting and I are 19 or 18.  She wants us to be younger so it's pretty funny!!!!  She is just crazy for my companion and it's a pain to see her sometimes because she focuses too much on my companion haha!!!!

So we have been teaching this white guy named Jacob!  For him it just goes into crazy deep doctrine and it is just nuts!!!!  I never knew some of these things back home, cut chai it is crazy to hear them!!!  We have had some crazy cool discussions with him and it is just amazing to talk to someone who wants us to talk normally haha!!!  The last time we went we were able to eat fufu with him and the people he's staying with.  Also, Jacob is a missionary for his church, and he met with missionaries before in his home town of Spokane in Washington.  He "read" the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.  He kind of just did it to burn the missionaries, but he couldn't burn them with anything haha!!!  It's pretty cool to go and talk to him.  Just feels nice talking to an American haha!!!!

As for other people, it's just kind of hard.  We have been trying to meet with more people and try to meet members, but its hard with the Christmas season and with everything going on.  So it's kind of crazy!!!!  Things are amazing here and I couldn't be more happy from my Heavenly Father for sending me here!!!!!

Crazy week, idk how much time I have so I'm sending this much for now!!!  I love you all and hope to see you all when I skype!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith
#afeshapaforallyallbackhome    #STAYAMAZING

December 12, 2016 Email

Chai it is good to be in the city!!!!!!

I am loving this place!!!!  So this week has been pretty crazy!!!  We have a deeper city area where there's a lot of traffic and it's crazy riding our bikes through them!!! Koetting has been showing me the area here and it's pretty sweet!  Super bummer that I came to replace Hunt, but I know I'll see that guy again!!!!

The people here are amazing!!!  A lot of it is because they speak English haha!!!!  We have a few investigators which is quite a change from a large pool of investigators to just a few investigators.  People in the Bush sure are more receptive to the gospel than people in the city.  One of our "favorites" is a sister named Florence.  We met her last week on Wednesday and we have had quite the times with her.  She is definitely into Koetting cuz she enjoys talking to him more than me haha!!! She calls us and asks how we are and stuff like that, it's kind of weird!!!  We have had a good time teaching her though, she came to church so that is awesome!!!

As for the other people in our area, it's a little hard.  The members here aren't very many in our area and we have a few problems when coming to see investigators.  What a big change from teaching very simply to very difficult haha!!!!



We are also teaching a white guy!!!  His name is Jacob and we have had quite the discussion with him.  He came to Ghana for his church and he really likes learning with us, it is pretty coo.  The only problem is that he loves the Bible and if something doesn't match up with the Bible, it's hard for him to accept it.  We only met him once this week, but we hope to keep meeting with him and get him committed to our church.  He is really enjoying Ghana and is working in one of my previous areas, Budaburam!!!!  He is helping with a church or something out there and it's pretty cool to hear that the place hasn't changed much haha!!!  I'm really stoked to work with him!!!!!

As for riding around, it's pretty crazy, I'm glad I have my helmet still haha!!  The traffic is just chaotic here and it's nuts!!!!! We have barely lived like 200 times with riding with traffic and trying not to get hit!!!  But on the plus side, my legs get a good work out haha!!!

Things are pretty amazing here for sure!!!!!!  We have had coffee cake, brownies, and cake just last night!!  Chai it's nuts, the only down side is that the food is destroying my stomach.  It's gonna be killer when I come back hom cuz everything is just going to make me sick!!

Well, that's about it for this week.  Ghana is peaceful and life in mission just got a whole lot better!!!!!  Thank you Heavenly Father!!!!!

My card works and I got a lot of souvenirs for you all back home, hope to get more!!!!  Also I'm really enjoying being near to the mall again haha!!!!  Love you all!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

December 6, 2016 Email

Chai I gotta say I needed this transfer to say the least!!!!!

So, first off, I am now in Anya, that is back in the city!!!!! My new companion is Elder Koetting!!!!!  I came to replace Elder Hunt here, so I'm pretty bummed haha!!!!

So the week!!!  We started off with working alright back in Odoben and we enjoyed small.  We all thought of who was going and who was staying.  I went on exchange with Elder Harrison on Saturday and that's when we got the transfer news.  So we enjoyed and rocked out a bit.  We had church in Acikuma that Sunday so that was cool.  To be quite honest, I never really felt like a member at the other chapel, guess it was just hard with companions I guess.  So that Sunday we came back and I got packed.  We had fun with that.

Also, it was on Thursday that my entire MTC (in Ghana) went to go get our citizenship cards renewed!!!!  We all met up and we just enjoyed!!  After that, me and the guys went to West Hills Mall to enjoy haha!!!  I got some wood carvings for you all, but I hope to get some more!!!!  We came back and enjoyed that.  I got tons of Blue Skies that day too!!!  Blue Skies is like a smoothie and its AMAZING!!!!!!!!!  It is pretty sweet!!!  We enjoyed that and I got packed a little so I would be ready just in case I was transferred.

Now transfers for this week have been weird.  Since it's election time in Ghana, President Simpson thought it would be best if we traveled on Monday instead of Tuesday, that way we could steer clear of election day coming up tomorrow.  Things might get out of hand, but Ghana is so peaceful, I highly doubt it haha!!!

Now, I'm in Anya!!!!  Chai this area is cool.  When I got here, we went out and saw some of the people.  The traffic here is going to kill me!!!! I almost forgot how crazy people drive when they are in the city haha!!!  We saw people and it was cool.  We came home to Elder Achi, he's an African and I can't remember where he's from, but he's cool.  He's training this transfer so it's cool, only problem is that his new companion isn't here yet.  He will be coming straight from home to the mission field, so he will have to train him from the beginning haha!!!  It's the country next to Ghana on the right side, I don't know how to spell it** haha!!!!!! (**Togo or Cote I'vore, not sure which he is describing).

Well this is amazing and we had coffee cake this morning so I am just beyond happy!!!!  I also had macaroni & cheese back in Odoben!!!!  Chai things are going to be different this next transfer, but I get the feeling it's going to be AMAZING!!!!!!  I love you all and I hope you all had an amazing week!!!!

Love you!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith

Ghanaian Funeral Traditions

Celebrate Life of Deceased

Rather than expressing sorrow, Ghanaian funerals are a time to celebrate the life of the deceased. The funeral is a large social gathering where the phrase “the more the merrier” perfectly fits, as there could be as many as hundreds of funeral attendees, and everyone usually wears red or black clothing to symbolize their grief. Colorful billboard displays are made to notify everyone about the funeral.

A Ghanaian funeral is usually held on the weekend, with Saturday being the most common day, and it can be an all-night celebration. Funerals can be as expensive as weddings, or even more with the average funeral cost being between $15,000 and $20,000. Some family and friends of the deceased will offer a monetary donation to the deceased’s family to help pay for funeral expenses and to pay their respects to the deceased.

Music and Dance

A Ghanaian funeral is essentially a party celebrating the deceased’s life through music and dancing. The music is typically a Ghanaian mix of jazz, brass bands, and African rhythms; and it’s common for photographs to be taken of funeral attendees dancing and celebrating the deceased’s life. There’s usually food and drinks served, as well.

However, before the celebration begins, there’s usually a funeral ceremony with religious blessings and tribute speeches. According to the 2010 census, the most common religion of Ghana is Christianity with 71.2% of the population followed by Muslim with 17.6%, so the ceremony usually follows Christian customs.

Unique Coffins

Ghana is known for their extravagant coffins in the shape of unique objects, such as a lion, shoe, or chili pepper. The personalized coffins are made to reflect favorite interests and passions of the deceased, like this fish-shaped coffin for a popular Ghana fisherman.

Paa Joe is one of Ghana’s most famous coffin artists with five decades of experience in the funeral profession. He first became interested in designing coffins as a teenager and his first coffin was carved as the shape of a building for a real estate developer. Since then, he’s made a variety of fantasy coffins shaped like animals, cars, boats, shoes, cameras, phones, and many other significant objects.

November 28, 2016 Email

Hey everyone!!!!!


First things first. . .what am I thankful for?  To say in a nutshell, everything!!!!  My home, my heritage, my religion, my gifts my Heavenly Father has given me!!!!!  My family and more incredibly, my friends who became my family both back home and on mission!!!!!!!  I can't be more thankful for the people I've had while being on mission.  Those who have stuck around and still talk to me, it's crazy to think that just last year I was in the MTC making packable meals for families in need and now I'm in Ghana!!!!!  THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well then, my week!!!!  So it has been pretty decent to say the least.  So we started off by having a multi-zone conference in Kasua or however you spell it (Kasoa), and I saw all my MTC there!!!  Or at least the ones who came to Ghana haha!!!!  We learned a lot of Christlike attributes and what we could do to be better missionaries this coming Christmas!!!!  It was pretty amazing!!!

We then came back and started working with others around us.  We worked with some of the members and investigators a few days this week.  On Thursday we went to Acikuma to celebrate Thanksgiving!!!!  We met up with Harrison and Randall and it was just amazing!!!  We went up into the forest known as Ghost. . .spooooooookkkkkkkyyyyyy!!!!!! We hiked around and found a vine for us to swing on.  We had a lot of fun on that till it broke haha!!!!

We then came back down and it started to rain on us.  We got back to the apartment where we played games and made food for Thanksgiving.  We had chicken, rice, mashed potatoes, a noodle salad, and some weird Congo dish the others made.  We had a crazy fun time!!!!! Harrison was nice enough to cut my hair so that was a major plus!

We spent the next few days going to funerals and just going around seeing others.  We have a baptism coming up up hopefully this next week and that will be amazing!!!!

I had the amazing chance to go on exchange with Doffou this last Friday!!!! Chai that was sweet!!!  We went into their area and met a lot of people.  Doffou is just starting to finish his training and he is a great missionary.  We saw tons, contacted tons of people, and just had a good time!!!  I'm sort of an English teacher some days when Doffou needs help so that's also rewarding!!

Transfers are coming up and I gotta say that it is just a love/hate relationship, I want to stay for skype, but at the same time I need a new companion or need to get back to the city!!!!  Hope things will turn out better for me!!!!

Hope you all had an amazing week!!  Also, I hope you all had the chance to remember what you all are thankful for, because I sure did, and it was beyond AMAZING!!!!!!!!  I love you all!!!!!!!

Love you all!!!!!!

Love,
Elder Stockton Smith